Making meals at home is healthier!
When you prepare/cook meals in your own kitchen using fresh ingredients. You choose and control the quality of ingredients and can minimize ingredients to be consumed in moderation.
The first step in optimizing your family’s health is to plan out your week so you prepare as many home-cooked meals as possible. You can refine your recipes to optimize flavor, nutrition and cooking time while minimizing unhealthy ingredients. In my home, I use the “better than” approach for these types of ingredients.
Your current mealtime routine is a great starting point to improving nutrition and taste. You can modify your routine to include your shopping for the freshest meats, fish, vegetables, and plants (Basil). You can also double up on your meal preparation… my family and I cook 4-5 double portion dinners per week, so we have leftovers for lunch most days of the week. Our dinners have always have at least one protein, one vegetable and usually a complex carbohydrate (the kids LOVE sweet potato oven “fries”!). For the remaining 1-3 dinners each week we make soup, pasta, or take-out. Additionally, we have oatmeal, fruit, yogurt and nuts/seeds for weekday breakfasts and smoothies.
I’m currently modifying our mealtime routine with the goal of making it better than before by choosing proteins and vegetables that are more appealing while reducing sugar and simple carbohydrates. Everyone LOVES sweet potatoes. Chicken sprinkled with a little oil then seasoned and roasted in the oven. I serve it with feta-cheese, cilantro, and avocado salsa. Vegetarians can substitute black beans for chicken.
For weekend breakfasts, we make crepes, pancakes, waffles, soft-boiled eggs with toast soldiers, or a Frittata. These are much better choices than simple carbohydrates (crepes, pancakes, waffles) and the sugary jams, honey or maple syrup that often go along with them. However, if you like these breakfasts are appealing to your family making them at home and shifting to a higher quality pre-made mix with some whole wheat or healthier alternative flours can go a long way. You can adjust any home recipe with these suggestions.
Enjoy your healthy home meals!
Best
Chef Russ