Due to today's hurried society, people tend to eat at the fast food drive thru more than eating healthier options at home. They don't have the time, or the energy, to make a good homecooked meal. The thing is, you don't need a ton of time or need to put much effort into making a healthy dinner for the whole family. Here are some ideas to make dinner tastier (and possibly even faster) than your fast food "entree".
Most of us do not get enough fruits and veggies. Eating a simple salad, with some diced up meat from the deli, can make a perfect and easy Summer meal. Another idea is to mix a box of dethawed frozen veggies into your box of macaroni and cheese. You can get some wraps, and cut up some tomatoes, lettuce, and onion and make some veggie wraps with your favorite dressing. Tomatoes are a great way to incorporate more veggies in your diet. Slice some up with a couple of cucumbers and drizzle with Italian dressing for a quick and tasty side dish.
Another easy and quick way to make your meals healthier is to use a few meat "substitutes". Instead of using ground beef for your spaghetti, how about trying some ground chicken or ground turkey? If cooked properly, they don't taste much different than ground beef in your favorite dishes. Try "veggiburgers" for a little variety from the old hambuger. They are very tasty. Portabella burgers are also a delicious option. Just grill a Portabella cap on the grill (or under a broiler), place on a bun with some tomato and lettuce, and enjoy. Try easting more chicken than red meat. Chicken is a lot leaner and more heart friendly. You can use chicken strips in stir fry, cook some extra chicken for some quick chicken salad, or just grill a simple chicken breast in under 10 minutes for a quick, healthy meal.
Dessert is sometimes difficult to avoid. Ice cream is tempting, as is cookies and other treats which are not very good for you. Try some sliced up fruits with a little fat free whipped cream. Strawberries with a little slice of pound cake is always refreshing. Try mixing some orange and pineapple juice together with a few tidbits of pineapple, pour into paper cups, and freeze for about an hr. Insert sticks when semi frozen and let freeze the rest of the way. You'll have a tasty, healthy popsicle.
These are just a few ideas to get you started. There are a lot of quick variations on making something a little better for you and your family. You just have to use a little creativity to leave those drive thru wrappers at the restaurant where they belong.
Most of us do not get enough fruits and veggies. Eating a simple salad, with some diced up meat from the deli, can make a perfect and easy Summer meal. Another idea is to mix a box of dethawed frozen veggies into your box of macaroni and cheese. You can get some wraps, and cut up some tomatoes, lettuce, and onion and make some veggie wraps with your favorite dressing. Tomatoes are a great way to incorporate more veggies in your diet. Slice some up with a couple of cucumbers and drizzle with Italian dressing for a quick and tasty side dish.
Another easy and quick way to make your meals healthier is to use a few meat "substitutes". Instead of using ground beef for your spaghetti, how about trying some ground chicken or ground turkey? If cooked properly, they don't taste much different than ground beef in your favorite dishes. Try "veggiburgers" for a little variety from the old hambuger. They are very tasty. Portabella burgers are also a delicious option. Just grill a Portabella cap on the grill (or under a broiler), place on a bun with some tomato and lettuce, and enjoy. Try easting more chicken than red meat. Chicken is a lot leaner and more heart friendly. You can use chicken strips in stir fry, cook some extra chicken for some quick chicken salad, or just grill a simple chicken breast in under 10 minutes for a quick, healthy meal.
Dessert is sometimes difficult to avoid. Ice cream is tempting, as is cookies and other treats which are not very good for you. Try some sliced up fruits with a little fat free whipped cream. Strawberries with a little slice of pound cake is always refreshing. Try mixing some orange and pineapple juice together with a few tidbits of pineapple, pour into paper cups, and freeze for about an hr. Insert sticks when semi frozen and let freeze the rest of the way. You'll have a tasty, healthy popsicle.
These are just a few ideas to get you started. There are a lot of quick variations on making something a little better for you and your family. You just have to use a little creativity to leave those drive thru wrappers at the restaurant where they belong.