Healthy Eating Tips for Busy Families

Evening baseball games, piano lessons, homework, PTA meetings, soccer practice . . . the list goes on and on. Is your family's nutrition suffering because of hectic schedules? Focus on some easy and convenient ways to improve your family's nutrition so you won't need to rely on fast food every night. Check out the suggestions below.

1. Stock the pantry, fridge and freezer with healthy foods.
• Cupboard
• Spaghetti, brown rice (quick-cooking), barley, potatoes (white and sweet), low-fat crackers, canned tuna and salmon, canned beans, lentils, dried peas, canned low-sodium soups, rice cakes, low-fat refried beans, raisins, bananas, olive oil, canola oil, cooking spray.
• Refrigerator
• Light cheese, parmesan cheese, low-fat cottage cheese, low-fat yogurt, skim or 1 percent milk, eggs, natural peanut butter, whole grain breads, pitas, muffins, fruits and vegetables, mini carrots, trans-fat-free margarine, low-fat mayonnaise.
• Freezer
• Frozen vegetables, chicken breast, lean hamburger, lean ground turkey, salmon burgers, waffles, veggie burgers, frozen fruit, frozen shrimp.


2. Use convenience foods mixed with fresh foods.


• Sauté onions, carrots and garlic in olive oil. Add a can of tomato soup and a can of garbanzo beans. Heat and serve.
• Sauté onions, mushrooms and zucchini. Mix with leftover brown rice or pasta. Add a can of stewed tomatoes.
• Use frozen dinners as a base, and add to them. Beware of the sodium content. Serve with a large salad and a whole-grain roll to round out the meal.


3. When you have time, prepare foods in advance.

Use small amounts of leftovers for the next day's meal. Be creative! Use leftover chicken in a salad for lunch. Put extra chili on a baked potato for dinner. Add extra pasta to soup or a casserole, or make it into a pasta salad with leftover veggies and bottled dressing.

Try freezing the following:

• Soup, stew or chili
• Meatballs
• Casseroles
• Chili
• Turkey
• Meatloaf
• Homemade muffins, quick breads
• Pot of brown rice, lentils or barley
• Lasagna

Related Articles Fresh, Frozen or Canned: Making Nutritious Choices

External Source United States Department of Agriculture

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