Contributed by Angela Cleveland

With our busy schedules these days, sometimes it is difficult to prepare nutritious and delicious meals. Very often, we are deterred from a recipe because it takes too long or there are too many ingredients. However, there are a few ways that we can prepare for those busy nights and be able to provide our families with good healthy meals.

The first tip is to read the recipe ahead of time. Be sure that you have all the ingredients (and the right amount of each). There is nothing worse than being half way through a recipe and realizing that you are missing that second cup of rice!

Also, check to see if there are steps that may require extra time. Often, recipes may call for extra steps such as soaking beans over night or marinating some of the ingredients. If possible, try to prepare for these recipes the night before.

Finally, the most reliable way to provide a quick, healthy dinner is to keep it simple. By starting with what we receive in our baskets each week and building from there, we can ensure that we are providing a healthy meal. For example, by choosing fresh vegetables and fruit and then adding grains, dairy products/alternatives, and meats/alternatives, we can be confident that ourselves and our loved ones are getting a wide variety of nutrients. Not only is this type of menu planning easier on our budget (by avoiding the expensive and often non-nutritious prepackaged food), it is better for the environment and our health!

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