I love this post I found from ahealthiermichigan.org, and I think it’s got some great ideas no matter where you live. One tip that really hit home:
Plan Ahead: This is helpful and a great way to save time. Depending on how often you go grocery shopping, plan your meals first and then make a list. This saves time because you will have your meal ideas prepared and your grocery list complete. What an accomplishment!
I have been trying to do this and when I accomplish it it works so much better than the way I used to make grocery lists. When I write down the meals I want to make first, I can go through and think of the ingredients for each meal. Before I was buying a whole bunch of crazy stuff and coming home without full meals. Not good. Check out the page, I hope it helps!
Do you have any tips for single parents who want to prepare nutritious meals for their families? Share them in the comments here or on my Facebook page! Thank you and happy cooking.
Menu planning all the way here. I plan out the weeks meals and shop for what I need (rather than what I feel like eating as I walk past food in the supermarket). Saves so much stress not having to decide on a meal each day. Even though I don’t usually go by my exact days for the menu plan – at least it is narrowed down as to what I am making.
Menu planning is a huge help, though sometimes it’s difficult finding the time to do even that. A couple other things I’ve found to be useful…having “theme” days like pasta night, Mexican monday, soup & sandwich night, etc. We don’t always do that, but it helps when I’m having trouble coming up with menu ideas. I also try to give myself several nights “off” from cooking per week, either by having leftovers, freezer meals, or no cook meals like just setting out fruit, cheese, raw veggies and maybe some cold leftover chicken. I highly recommend the book The Family Dinner…really great resource for quick, healthy food.
My second biggest tip (after planning ahead!) is always making at least twice as much as you need. (It’s usually about three times as much here) Then you can freeze two portions. As long as you remember to date and label them! Then you have nutritious meals in the freezer
and have to cook less often!