Blog
Make Ahead Snacks
This month has been all about snacks here on the blog. Snacks are also a must at my house to keep my 10-year-old daughter and 13-year-old son full between meals. My son often tells me we don’t have any good snacks in the house. Therefore, I’ve been thinking about how I can balance my desire for him to have a nutritious snack and his desire for something more fun than what I usually keep on hand.
Meal Planning Done for You
My kids start school in two days. As much as I enjoy the less structured days of summer, I’m ready to get into a routine again. My son will be in 8th grade and will be playing football so I know when he comes home from practice in the evening, he will be hungry! Therefore, I want to be sure to have a plan for what we will have for supper. I do meal planning regularly but sometimes my brain just doesn’t want to think about what to have. Does anyone else feel the same way? On our Spend Smart. Eat Smart. website, we have sample meal-planning calendars that do the thinking for you! The week-long meal plans include 3 meals and 2 snacks per day and recipes are linked. If you eat vegetarian or are just interested in more plant-based recipes, there is a whole calendar of vegetarian meals and snacks.
Bountiful Bell Peppers
My family and I love peppers because of how versatile they are. They can add flavor and crunch to any dish, or are great eaten raw. Whole peppers last a week or two in the fridge, making them a perfect produce item to stock up on.
Totally Tomatoes
What ripens to red, orange, purple, or yellow, has seeds, and is bursting with the fresh flavor of summer? Tomatoes come in a rainbow of colors; the most common is red, of course. Tomatoes add color, nutrients, and interest to our meals. Not only can we chop, slice, and eat them fresh, but they serve as the base for recipes and sauces in many cultures. If you want to find new recipes from cultures around the world there are some ideas below, or you can check out Oldways.
What’s for Breakfast at Anna’s?
Breakfast at my apartment is my favorite meal of the day. I have always been a big fan of all things breakfast food, so planning what I am going to eat to start my day is important to me. As a senior year dietetics student, breakfast most days needs to be quick and portable as I am off to work or class. I also need something filling to sustain me through my morning classes until I have time for lunch.
Go to Quick Meals
Recently my neighbor asked me what my go-to meals are for supper. I was quick to reply tacos and scrambled eggs. I keep the ingredients on hand for both, they come together quickly, and everyone likes them. In the summer, I like to spend time outside after work and not in the kitchen. And I’d rather not turn on the oven and heat up my house. Tacos and scrambled eggs allow me to do both.
What’s for Breakfast at the Gatewood’s?
Breakfast at our house it low key and includes lots of easy to prepare options. I don’t plan breakfast like I do our evening meal but I make sure there are a variety of options on hand for us to choose from. Some of our go-to items include pancakes, toast with peanut butter, smoothies, eggs, oatmeal, and muffins.
It’s Time for Asparagus!
It’s Spring! And that means asparagus is in season. I remember growing up on the farm and cutting wild asparagus in the ditch by our house. Now I buy it in the grocery store. My husband loves asparagus so he gets excited for me to make it when it’s in season. His favorite way to have it is roasted. I also like to grill it.
What to cook when all I have is a microwave??
Even though we would like to roast, broil, and bake; sometimes we just do not have the time nor energy to set aside for it. This is when a microwave comes in handy. A microwave has great potential and can be used to do so much more than just heat up leftovers.
Fueling for the College Life
As a college student at Iowa State University, life can get busy. Whether it’s back-to-back classes, hoping from job to job, nights studying at the library, or just time spent with friends, each day is filled. Quick easy meals become a priority to having fuel to make it through these days. I have come up with my top four tips for quick and easy meals in the college lifestyle.
Fuel for the Future
March is National Nutrition month! The theme this year is Fuel for the Future. At every phase of life, making healthful food and drink choices will provide your body with energy now and fuel for the future. Choosing recipes that appeal to kids and that they can help make is one way to get them excited about different foods. My 9 and 13-year-old children can be selective with what they want to eat but I have found that these Spend Smart. Eat Smart. recipes are a hit!
Homemade Taco Seasoning
A go-to meal at my house is tacos. I often have the ingredients on hand to make them, they are easy to make, and everybody in my family loves them. Something I keep on hand to make the tacos with is our Taco Seasoning Mix. The recipe makes the equivalent of 6 (1.25 ounce) envelopes from the grocery store.