Whether you cook for just yourself, one to two people, or a larger group, planning meals is a good place to start improving your food choices. Taking the time to plan a healthy evening meal can help you avoid a less healthful “drive-thru” dinner. However, finding the time and energy to cook is also a challenge.
Many of us decide to reach for pre-packaged convenience foods. Most of the convenience foods are lower in healthy nutrients and high in sodium, fat and calories. What is a busy family to do? Here are suggestions to boost the nutrient density of a boxed or packaged convenience food.
Cami Wells Spaghetti: Add one bag of frozen mixed vegetables to a jar of prepared spaghetti sauce and cook in a pot until vegetables are heated through. Serve over whole grain pasta. Frozen pizza: Add extra chopped vegetables to pizzas before baking.
Serve with a salad and fruit. Canned soup: Boost the nutrition content of any kind of canned soup by adding more vegetables. Stir in a can of no-added-salt corn or green beans, a few handfuls of frozen veggies, or a cup or two of fresh cut vegetables from your refrigerator.
Muffins: Prepare the batter according to the directions on the box or envelope. Add 1/2 to 1 cup of fresh, frozen, or dried fruit, such as chopped apple, frozen berries, or grated carrot. Bake according to package directions.
Ground beef boxed mix: Select leaner hamburger and make sure to drain well. Adding less ground beef and a few vegetables or canned beans is also an .
