Make quick, easy and nutritious meals every day of the week! The following tips can help you achieve a healthy eating pattern and avoid turning to "fast food" on busy days.
Plan Planning meals ahead saves time. It also helps you make healthier food choices every day.
Create a weekly menu of daily meals and activities. If it is easier for you, try planning 3 days at a time. Use the menu planner on the last page.
Start by planning supper meals. Aim for simpler meals on extra busy days.
Plan lunches next.
Make "planned extras" that will be on hand for the next lunch or supper meal. "Planned extras" are different than leftovers, they are on purpose! Mix it up - planned extras can be used in a different recipe than the one from the night before.
Purchase Use your weekly menu to create a grocery list. Find time every week to go grocery shopping.
Schedule a time in your weekly menu plan for grocery shopping. Allot yourself at least an hour for grocery shopping.
Shop around the outside edges of the store first. This is where you will find the four food groups of Canada's Food Guide: Vegetables and Fruits, Grain Products, Milk and Alternatives, and Meat and Alternatives.
Read labels! Reading labels helps you make healthier choices. Choose foods higher in fibre and lower in fat, sugar and salt.
Prepare Families who prepare and eat meals together have healthier eating habits. Get the kids involved!
Using your weekly menu, begin to prepare meals the night before. Use leftovers, defrost meats and set recipes out on the counter.
Take advantage of crock pots, rice cookers and microwave ovens to get the most out of your time.
Have washed and cut-up vegetables and fruit on hand, ready any time for snacks and meals.
Ask older children to start supper when they get home from school using the recipe set out on the counter. Have younger kids set the table or lay out breakfast and lunch supplies for the next day after supper is finished.
Pack
Stock cupboards with take-along supplies such as food containers, plastic baggies, beverage containers, cutting boards and utensils.
Aim to pack lunches after supper and involve the entire family.
For those extra busy nights, pack the car with low-fat granola bars, a cold pack with fruit, vegetables and dip and lots of water.
Can't think of anything to eat?
Here are some ideas for a quick, well-balanced and nutritious meal. Each line has a complete meal that includes all four food groups. Select one and try it tonight.
Meat and Alternatives
Grain Products
Vegetables and Fruit
Milk Products
Hard-cooked egg or tuna
mix into macaroni and cheese
add frozen vegetables
serve with milk
Heat brown beans, kidney, or navy beans
put in a tortilla
serve with salsa and cut fruit
grate cheese on tortilla
top fruit with yogurt
Add tofu or cooked chicken cubes
to noodles in broth
stir in frozen vegetables
serve yogurt for dessert
Scrambled eggs
on toast
serve fresh or canned fruit
drink steamed milk
Canned tuna with mayonnaise
on a bun
serve fresh or canned fruit for dessert
serve cream soup made with milk
Mix an egg into ground beef and form into burgers, pan fry
and serve on a bun
add lettuce and tomato to burger
serve fruit for dessert
place 2 cheese slices on the burger
Peanut butter
on whole wheat toast
serve fruit for dessert
serve milk to drink
Brown ground beef or veggie ground round in a fry pan
add to cooked rice
and frozen vegetables
add cream soup as sauce and serve milk to drink
Brown ground beef or veggie ground round in a fry pan
add cooked pasta and tomato sauce
add frozen vegetables to mixture
top with cheese and broil in oven
Brown pork chops in a fry pan
serve with rice
microwave canned or frozen veggies
add a tin of cream soup to pork chops while cooking
Stir fry sliced beef, pork, chicken or tofu with an oriental sauce
serve with cooked rice or noodles
add fresh or frozen veggies to meat while frying
serve pudding for dessert
Coat chicken thighs with Shake 'n Bake
serve with cooked rice or noodles
add cooked frozen beans
serve milk to drink
Scramble eggs
serve with toast
add vegetables to eggs and then pan fry together
and top with grated cheese
Scramble an egg
into cooked rice with Oriental sauce
add your favourite cooked vegetable
serve milk to drink
Mix and match casseroles
It's easy to make an endless variety of casseroles with the following recipe. Double the recipe so that there's enough leftovers for lunch the next day.
In a casserole dish combine 1 Grain Product, 1 Meat and Alternatives, 1 Vegetable, 1 choice of liquid and 2 choices of seasoning.
Grain Products
2/3 cup (150 mL) rice, uncooked
1 cup (250 mL) elbow macaroni, uncooked
1 cup (250 mL) fine or medium noodles, uncooked
2 cups (500 mL) diced raw potatoes
Meat and Alternatives
1/2 cup (125 mL) cooked, cut up chicken, goose, rabbit, deer, beef, pork, or moose meat
1/2 cup (125 mL) cut up ham
1/2 cup (125 mL) flaked tuna or salmon
1 cup (250 mL) cooked, cut up breakfast sausage
1/2 cup (125 mL) cut up luncheon meat
1/4 lb. (110 g) raw chopped meat
2/3 cup (150 mL) cooked or canned beans
3/4 cup (175 mL) tofu, diced
Vegetables
1 cup (250 mL) fresh, frozen, or canned carrots, peas, corn, green beans, chopped broccoli, or mixed vegetables
1 cup (250 mL) canned vegetables
1 cup canned tomatoes
Liquid
21/4 cup (550 mL) beef or chicken broth
21/2 cup (625 mL) tomato sauce or puree
1 can condensed cream of mushroom, cream of celery, cream of chicken, cream of tomato soup, plus 1 soup can of water or milk
2 -10 oz. (284 mL) tins of canned gravy
Seasoning
1 tbsp. (15 mL) dried onion
1 tbsp. (15 mL) dried parsley
1 tbsp. (15 mL) dried chives
1/4 cup (50 mL) chopped celery
1/4 cup (50 mL) diced green, yellow, or red pepper
2 tbsp. (30 mL) diced pimento
Stir to combine thoroughly. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 1-11/2 hours. When casserole is cooked, transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with two selected toppings and serve. Serves 4.
Topping
1/4 cup (50 mL) seasoned bread crumbs
1/4 cup (50 mL) crushed corn flakes or other dry cereal
1/4 cup (50 mL) grated Parmesan, cheddar, or mozzarella cheese
1 hard cooked egg, finely chopped
2 tbsp. (30 mL) wheat germ
1/4 cup (50 mL) cracker crumbs
Weekly Menu Planner
Make healthy choices the easy choice using this weekly menu planner. Write down meals for the week in the spaces provided. Then use what you've written to make your grocery list. You can also plan activities family members can do during the week. Or use the Activities space to assign jobs for meal preparation. Don't forget to schedule time for grocery shopping.
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Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Breakfast
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Lunch
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Supper
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Activity
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