We’ve all been there: Kid #1 has a soccer game in one part of the town, kid #2 has a lacrosse match two cities over at the same time, and somehow, you’ve got to get everyone fed a quick, nutritious meal to fuel them right.
Sure, you could hit a fast food drive thru – if you want a meal full of fat, calories and goodness knows what else. It’s a great idea to have a few tried and true meals that are easy on the wallet and high in both taste and nutrition in your rotation.
Here are some of our favorites here at DietsInReview:
- Brandi Koskie, Director of Publishing, loves to make a Pulled Pork BBQ. Place a pork tenderloin – one of the best cuts of pork, as it’s low in fat – in a crock pot for several hours. When it’s finished cooking, shred it, mix in some BBQ sauce and serve on a whole wheat bun. Served with cut up veggies and fruit, this is a meal that can be on the table literally in minutes.
- Amy Vermeer Crews, Holistic Health Expert, says, “I love the idea of making your own personal pizzas. It’s interactive and has the kids working with food and putting yummy and health toppings and veggies on their own mini pizza. Parents can lay out all the ingredients in bowls and help kids build their own meal.”
Margaret Badore, Assistant Editor, shares that healthy chili can be a good option, with lots of beans and tomatoes, and either a small amount of lean beef or turkey. “In my family, we eat it out of mugs while playing cards. It’s not necessarily quick to make, but it can be a good make-ahead option and it’s even better as leftovers.”
- Brooke Randolph, Licensed Mental Health Counselor, shares her favorite speedy meal. “I put chicken breast in a crock pot with Ceasar dressing until it’s falling apart…. this can easily be added to spinach leaves, Parmesan, maybe bacon, and maybe bread to make salad or sandwiches. It also lasts for a while and is great as a lighter meal for a hot day.”
- Carmen Staicer, Chief Mom, spends several hours on a free day cooking ahead. “I make a couple of chickens in a crock pot overnight. Pick the chicken off the bones and bag it up, and you can make yummy chicken burritos in virtually minutes. I also cook lean ground beef with onions and garlic and mix it with veggie protein and bag it up. It means I can make virtually any ground beef dish in merely minutes, including tacos and spaghetti. You can’t taste the veggie protein – sold by MorningStar Farms – and it helps to stretch the meat and reduce the fat content further.”
- Maris Callahan, Healthy Culinary Expert, loves to serve Chicken Parm Baked Ziti, because it’s a one pot meal that can be easily reheated in case different members of the family are eating at different times. She’s also a fan of Summer Pasta Salad, which can be eaten cold alongside a salad, sandwich, etc. and is also great as a lighter meal for a hot day.
What are your favorite “Gotta get dinner on the table in a hurry” solutions?
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