As parents of five children, we know how challenging it can be to put healthy meals on the table every day.  When we're the family taxi driver it can be very tempting to just pull in to the local fast food joint.  But we want to encourage you that with a little planning every week it is possible to feed your family good, hearty and healthy meals.  Here are some strategies to get you started:
 
1.   Plan your week in advance.  Mark days that are especially busy and make sure that those days are the days you use your trusty ole' crockpot.  For each day plan out every meal including your 3 snacks.  Have a sheet of paper next to you to slowly put together your shopping list.  As you add a meal, add the ingredients you need to your shopping list.
 
2.  Use your crockpot.  This thing is likely to become your best friend.  There are a lot of lowfat cookbooks out there for the crockpot.  The one that my family loves is The Busy Mom's Slow Cooker Cookbook by Jyl Steinbeck.  
 
3.  Prepare meals in advance.  This has been said before so we can't claim it asour own jewel, but simply making some meals in advance and freezing them really can help.  We like to take whole bags of frozen chicken breast and throw them in a pan, cover with foil, toss them in the oven and cook until nice and tender.  Then divide them in separate containers for 3 days worth and freeze the rest individually in freezer bags.  This has come in handy so many times.  You can also cook large batches of brown rice, whole wheat pasta and store them in the same way.
 
4.  Precut your veggies.  This makes salads a cinch during the busy week.  When you get home from the grocery store, wash, cut and store your veggies. Store the greens in the fridge in a large plastic container and take out the amounts you need throughout the week.
 
I hope this gets your creative juices flowing.  Cooking healthy does not need to be difficult, but you must plan ahead.  Please share your preplanning ideas with us. We'd love to hear them.  Email them now.

 

Happy Holidays from Christie & Brad Taliancich