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When it comes to meals,
one size never fits all. However, the planning process can
be helpful for everyone. Remember, less is more!
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You do not need to be a gourmet chef or spend all day in the
kitchen. While some enjoy preparing a new recipe or taking
the time to prepare vegetables fresh from the garden, a
healthy meal is not required to take long time. Look for
shortcuts in the kitchen and use them to your benefit. While
it is often more expensive at the grocery store to buy food
that is already prepared, you might choose to spend extra in
one area to save time in the kitchen. Make the best choices
for your budget and your schedule.
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Create a one, two or four-week menu cycle. There is really
no rule for how often you need to make different foods and
many people already have a pattern of favorites. In the
past, for schools, the school menu was often shared for the
month. Even on the school menus, some meals are repeated
within that one month so the idea of a two-week cycle of
meals is not unusual.
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Know your options for school-aged children. Like the
statement above that one size never fits all, all our
regional school systems are operating under different
schedules and formats this fall. For families with children
who have typically qualified for free and reduced lunches at
the school building (and they are not currently learning in
person), there are different ways to access school meals for
students. Please check with your local school for the
current options.
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To decide on some easy options, choose a theme for days of
the week like Taco Tuesdays, Pizza on Friday, or Meatless
Mondays. Having a routine makes one less thing to think
about every week.
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Once you have your menu plan with a list of items needed,
keep your plan, ingredients, and favorite kitchen tools
easily accessible. Make everything as easy as possible on
yourself or other people in the kitchen.
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Have a few back up options. These ideas should be the ones
that simple, accessible ingredients, do not take any special
equipment and can be made quickly. A few options include
Breakfast for Dinner (or any time of day), Soup and Sandwich
(or salad) or heat up some soup and add crackers, cheese,
and fruit (fresh or canned). Bake a potato in the microwave
and pile on the toppings.
Utah State University Extension points out, “Many people may
think they hate to cook, but often find what they actually
hate is not knowing what to cook. When the plan is in place
and you have all the ingredients you need to create a fast,
easy, delicious, and nutritious meal, you may decide you
actually like to cook!”
A few food preparation and
planning ideas include:
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Double a recipe to enjoy your effort for two meals this
week.
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Plan a food prep day and create a few freezer meals to pull
out and heat up.
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Make individual meals for the week. Make sandwiches, salads,
fruit salad or breakfast burritos ahead of time and package
in individual containers to grab for breakfast, lunch, or
dinner.
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Upcycle a main ingredient by using it in more than one
recipe. For example, cooked spaghetti could be used to make
a baked spaghetti or a spaghetti salad. Hard boiled eggs
could be used as a chef salad topping or to make egg salad
sandwiches. Roasted chicken could be used for chicken salad
or in enchiladas.
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Pull out a kitchen appliance that you have not used in a
while. Have you ever made grilled cheese sandwiches in the
waffle maker? What are your easy slow cooker or pressure
cooker recipes?
September is National Food Safety Education Month. While
Covid-19 is not a food born illness, the act of frequently
washing our hands with soap and water for at least 20
seconds is an important step for preventing food borne
illness as well as illness caused by other harmful bacteria
and viruses. Please stay healthy!
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