You’re starving. The kids are starving. A cheeseburger and fries would be the easy fix. But let’s face it: a Happy Meal is not necessarily a healthy meal. You need nutritious food you can grab fast, whether you’re on the road or have just walked into the house.
Little Dippers: Set out a “party tray” of vegetables and fruits for your family. Mix it up with interesting, lower-fat dips — even melted chocolate and strawberries once in a while for dessert.
Easy Black Bean Soup: Soup is a great filler-upper and can be a very healthy meal. Heat black beans and corn (frozen or canned) in the microwave. Ladle into bowls. Top with any of these: chopped tomatoes, onions, jalapeno peppers, black olives, shredded reduced-fat cheese, “plus a few lime slices, to make it look really pretty,”
Super Salads: Salads can be a healthy meal in themselves. With a bit of crusty bread and a little protein like fish, seafood, beans, or lean meat, you’ve got dinner in a bowl. More ideas:
- Mix frozen broccoli and corn, chop up red bell pepper, mix with Italian salad dressing, and you’ve got an easy salad.
- Buy lettuce, cucumbers, and tomatoes in the grocery’s produce section. At the salad bar, buy all the other stuff. “It’s quick, and you don’t have to spend much.
- Omelets: This tried-and-true favorite happens fast — especially when a few fixings are always on hand. “I buy green, red, yellow peppers, sauté them with lots of onions, groundnut oil or olive oil. Add eggs and veggies to it.
