CLEVELAND — For tired parents in the midst of a stressful year, it’s often much easier to order takeout or swing by a drive through rather than taking the time to prepare lunch or dinner.
The American Dairy Association Mideast is reminding parents of the importance of meals and snacks that include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and dairy and offers easy tips:
- Keep Nutritious Staples on Hand - Having some nutritious and versatile staples in the kitchen can take a lot of the work out of meal planning. Frozen fruits and vegetables, shredded cheese, whole grain rice and pasta are good to keep on hand. And having handy a jar of pesto or those convenient squeeze tubes of garlic and ginger will help spice up meals and are easy for kids to use without a lot of chopping. You can also sauté some onions and peppers and keep in the fridge. What doesn’t make it into tonight’s quesadillas can be thrown into tomorrow’s pasta. It’s also a good idea to stock your fridge and pantry with healthy snacks, like string cheese, nuts, fruit and yogurt, for kids.
- Get the Kids Involved - Different skills are appropriate for different age groups, but getting the kids involved in making meals can be a big help, whether they are taking over dinner one night a week or are just able to make themselves lunch while learning at home. These skills will build over time and will serve them well into their future.
- Have Fun! - Get creative, explore recipes on Drink-Milk.com and try something new. Sharing an adventure in the kitchen with your family can be a welcome break from the stress of today’s world and you never know what you’ll discover until you break out of your cooking comfort zone.
Recipes from American Dairy Association Mideast: