| There is a simple way to have a healthy eating menu | | | | intact. Use frozen veggies in the same way you would |
| every single night for your family. All you have to do is | | | | fresh. |
| have a well-stocked kitchen full of healthy foods and | | | | It's also a good idea to have fresh frozen fruits and |
| you'll be good to go. Don't let the "What am I going to | | | | berries on hand, such as blueberries, strawberries, and |
| cook for dinner" blues keep you from eating right. | | | | blackberries. Berries are full of cancer fighting agents |
| Know ahead of time what you will cook for dinner and | | | | called antioxidants that protect the body. They are |
| be prepared. | | | | great in smoothies, cereal, and breakfast muffins. |
| Healthy Eating Menu: Stocking the Pantry | | | | Healthy Eating Menu: Stocking the Seasoning Rack |
| A well-stocked pantry with common sundry items | | | | Nothing beats fresh herbs for flavoring our healthy |
| such as legumes, rice, lentils, pasta and other whole | | | | meals with. Especially the aromatic herbs like basil, |
| grains is a must when wanting to cook healthy meals | | | | oregano and rosemary. But unless you have the luxury |
| for yourself and family. Legumes can be used a | | | | of your own herb garden, you'll have to resort to the |
| hundred different ways and there are twenty different | | | | grocery store's stockpile of herbs and seasonings. This |
| varieties to choose from. Beans can be used for | | | | is fine, but picking fresh basil from your own basil plant |
| nachos, pasta salad, pureed for dips, and used in soups | | | | makes cooking a little bit more entertaining. |
| and stews. | | | | Be sure to have a variety of different herbs and |
| Brown rice can be prepared in a couple dozen ways | | | | spices on hand to flavor many of your dishes, sauces, |
| from stir-fries to rice pudding. Whole grain pasta is | | | | soups, casseroles, and stews. Here is a basic list. Chili |
| healthy and can be used for salads, soups, stews, and | | | | powder, red pepper flakes, cumin, curry powder, |
| a variety of sauces. A healthy pantry should not be | | | | cayenne, sea salt, paprika, thyme, pizza seasoning, dill |
| without legumes, pasta, and brown rice. Think of all the | | | | weed, sage, and garlic powder. |
| healthy, tasty and simple meals you can prepare using | | | | Healthy Eating: Cooking the Food |
| these three common sundry items as the base. | | | | Now comes the fun part. Deciding what to cook with |
| Healthy Eating Menu: Stocking the Freezer | | | | all the nutritious food in your kitchen. One way to get |
| The refrigerator should always have the basic | | | | focused on nightly meals is to make a weekly menu |
| vegetables for soups and stews such as carrots, | | | | of each meal you are going to cook for that week. Do |
| onions, and celery. But as we all know, it is not always | | | | the bulk of your shopping ahead of time. You can |
| feasible to have fresh vegetables available when we | | | | wash and cut vegetables and meats the night before. |
| need them. That's when frozen veggies come in | | | | You wouldn't believe how much time you will save just |
| handy. | | | | doing the basic prep work the night before. And family |
| Frozen vegetables aren't always as tasteful as fresh, | | | | members, if you're reading this, give the cook some |
| but most of the vitamin content has been retained | | | | encouragement for their efforts in the kitchen. They will |
| through freezing. Most vegetables are picked fresh, | | | | be overjoyed. |
| quickly blanched and then frozen to keep the nutrition | | | | |