Secrets for a well stocked kitchen and healthy meals

A well-stocked kitchen saves time, money, and provides the basics for quick, easy meals for the entire family. With the demands of a busy life, most meals at home are whipped up from the contents of a well-stocked refrigerator, freezer, and pantry. Leisurely cooking is reserved for weekends and special occasions.

Planning Saves Time and Money
Stocking the kitchen with healthy foods and planning a weekly menu saves time and money. Savings come from less-frequent trips to pick up forgotten ingredients, creative use of leftovers, and not throwing away spoiled food. Advanced menu planning takes the guesswork out of what to have for dinner each night and makes trips for fast food or take-out less likely.

It all starts with a well-thought-out grocery list based on menus. First step: Planning the week's menus by consulting favorite recipes, cookbooks, grocery store sales, coupons, and ingredients on hand.

On Sundays, plan the menus and grocery list for the week. After consulting the family calendar and everyone’s schedules, I make a rough outline of the weekly menu, trying to include at least one new recipe and always taking into account creative use of leftovers.

For example, the roasted chicken sold at the market. Eat it hot with healthy side dishes one night, then use the leftover chicken in a chicken noodle soup, quesadilla, taco, wrap, pita sandwich, or entree salad the next night.

A great time-saving strategy is to double the recipe so I cook once and eat twice. Another time saver is to cook double the protein and use it the following night in another recipe.

Before heading out in the morning, remember to think about the dinner plan in case it requires defrosting or tossing ingredients into a slow cooker for a meal that's ready when you walk through the door.

Meal Planning Made Easy
Rely on great foods in all sections of the market to help create quick, easy, and nutritious meals. A typical dinner uses My Plate to ensure that three-quarters of the plate is filled with fruits, veggies, and whole grains and the fourth quarter from lean protein. A favorite is pecan-crusted salmon, brown rice salad, steamed veggies, and a side salad. Low-fat dairy is usually included in the meal as cheese or between-meal snacks of skim milk or yogurt.

At least once a week, have a vegetarian meal centered on vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy. Soups and entree salads are a good way to clean out the vegetable bin and use up fresh produce and leftover protein. What could be easier than an entree salad or pot of soup bursting with a bounty of fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and whole grains?

How about breakfast for dinner? Make a vegetable cheese omelet, fruit salad, and whole wheat toast -- or hide the whole wheat bread in French toast for family favorites that are nutritious and delicious.

Staple ingredients in the refrigerator:
*Skim milk, fat-free and low-fat Greek yogurt
*Fat-free half-and-half (cream alternative in cooking)
*Assorted cheeses: Jarlsberg Swiss, Laughing Cow light, Cabot 50% light jalapeno and cheddar, light cream cheese, blue cheese, goat cheese, and Parmesan cheese
*Light sour cream and light mayonnaise
*Lemons, limes, apples, oranges, and grapefruits. Also, seasonal fruits such as blueberries, strawberries, peaches, mangoes, and melons
*Assorted mixed greens, avocados, baby carrots, mushrooms, red bell peppers, tomatoes and jalapenos, along with fresh picks such as asparagus, green beans, broccoli, and sugar snap peas
*Orange, grapefruit, light cranberry, and low sodium tomato juices
*Eggs, butter, and trans-fat-free soft margarine
*Hummus

Staple ingredients in the freezer:
*Boneless skinless chicken breasts, pork tenderloin, salmon, shrimp, ground turkey breast, and lean beef
*Assorted frozen vegetables -- spinach, corn, mixed, green beans
*Assorted frozen fruits -- blueberries, mango,
*Whole grain rolls
*Low-fat frozen yogurt, fruit bars
*Whole wheat pizza crusts or pita bread
*Healthy frozen dinners

Staple ingredients in the pantry:
*Bananas
*Onions, garlic, sweet potatoes
*Pickles, olives, light salad dressings, bottled marinades
*Fruit preserves
*Olive and canola oils
*Assorted mustards and vinegars
*Low-sodium beans -- black, kidney, garbanzo
*Assorted fruits in their own juices
*Low-sodium chicken and beef stock
*Low-sodium soups
*Tomato sauce, whole tomatoes
*Water-packed tuna fish
*Whole grains -- pasta, couscous, brown rice, crackers
*Simple cookies, high-protein granola bars
*Whole grain cereals -- Kashi, oatmeal
*100-calorie kettle corn popcorn
*Pistachios, walnuts, almonds, pecans, and cashews
*Nut butters

Tempting Treats
A good strategy is to purchase sweets for the family that everyone can enjoy that offer some nutritional goodness -- such as low-fat frozen yogurt, frozen fruit bars, low-fat pudding cups, and simple cookies (ginger snaps, thin crisps).

Simple Throw-Together Meal Ideas
Serve your family low-fat milk and fruit for dessert along with these easy, kid-pleasing meals:
*Create your own pizza using whole grain crust, tomato sauce, part-skim mozzarella cheese and a variety of toppings including beans, spinach, mushrooms, lean meat, peppers, onions, artichoke hearts, and pineapples.
*Hearty soup can be whipped up by adding frozen veggies and beans to a box or can or prepared soup. Serve it with a side salad and a whole grain roll.
*Frittata filled with leftover vegetables, potatoes -- or whole grains, lean meat, and cheese -- paired with a cup of vegetable soup or a salad and a whole grain roll.
*Tacos stuffed with lean protein or beans, shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, shredded low-fat cheese, and salsa in a corn tortilla.
*Spaghetti sauce mixed with 100% ground turkey breast or lean ground beef on whole wheat pasta, side salad, and a roll.

Be sure to keep your refrigerator and freezer clean by wiping up spills and debris whenever they happen. This will minimize bacterial contamination to fresh food. Once a week, wipe the interior down with a mild bleach solution to keep it sanitized.