Between work, kids, school, errands and endless other obligations, cooking up a steady flow of healthy meals for your family can seem out of the question at times. It can seem particularly daunting if your family (like mine) is 'challenged' in the kitchen, or if given a choice will grab the first frozen pizza and bag of potato chips they can find. But eating homemade, healthy meals and snacks offers so many benefits, in addition to being part of a healthy lifestyle it can also save you some serious money. Another plus? It can also allow you to spend more time with your family. Want to know how?Tips for healthy meal planning:
The most important part of saving time in the kitchen is to plan ahead. Think about what foods are in season, what foods you will make and what you can easily prepare. Keep recipes simple and avoid time consuming dishes. Compile a shopping list of what you will need before going to the store. Have a plan for keeping food fresh by using quality food containers, storage bags and wraps. Plan for leftovers and how you will store them. If leftovers will be used for lunches, have a stash of reusable to go containers. On the other hand, if you plan to use any leftovers as meal at a later date, have a container on hand for freezing.
Prepare as many foods as possible ahead of time. Try doing this once or twice a week on a slow day. Not only does this save time on busy days, it can reduce the number of dishes you need to clean. Make use of your crock pot for cooking entrees on busy days so a hot, delicious meal is waiting on you and your family. Need some other thought starters?
- Wash and precut fruits and vegetables for cooking and
snacks. Grapes, carrots and asparagus are perfect for preparing ahead.
Sistema Snack Container - Healthy snacks such as fruit and a low fat pudding dip, breakfasts such as yogurt and granola, to go lunches such as salads and even some side dishes such as slaws or beans can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator.
- Thaw meats in the refrigerator a day or two before cooking. This may reduce or eliminate the time needed to thaw them in the microwave.
- When making soups or stews, make extra and freeze for a meal at a later date.
- Having a well-stocked pantry is essential for multiple reasons, especially for unexpected events. Our picks? We like to keep a good supply canned foods such as tomatoes, beans, refried beans, fruits and vegetables. Have a couple of meals planned that you can make from your pantry if you need to.
- Whole grain pasta is the perfect ad hoc meal. It's versatile, healthy, stores well and can be ready in minutes.
- Another option is to have a meal ready to go right from the freezer. Many meals, such as soups and stews can be made ahead and kept for months in the freezer.
