Ann Bloom

In last month’s column the subject was the importance eating meals together as a family. This month the subject is how to make time to do that.

How do you find time to prepare and cook a meal for your family that is tasty, inexpensive, nutritious and easy? And, oh yes, it can’t be complicated, time-consuming or contain any ingredients you can’t readily buy at the store.

It sounds like a tall order, but with a little planning, it is possible.

The Internet is awash with information on how to make family mealtimes easier and less stressful. Here are a few tips gleaned from writer Libby Beer, who writes for “A Fine Parent” (afineparent.com).

Beer says, first, go for the convenience food. Frozen vegetables and fruit, along with canned fruits and vegetables, can be the start of a healthy dinner. Contrary to what some people believe, canned and frozen fruits and vegetables are every bit as healthy as the fresh variety.

Items that come in jars are a plus, as are items that are partially cooked, such as rice. One Pan Spaghetti (the recipe can be found on the OSU website foodhero.org), coupled with a salad and/or steamed vegetable can be ready in under an hour.

Keeping your pantry and freezer stocked with items you can throw together for a quick dinner is critical to getting a meal on the table in a short amount of time. Items such as canned beans and tomatoes, canned fruits and instant rice are all helpful.

A well-stocked refrigerator is also helpful. Items such as eggs, cheese and some vegetables that keep for longer periods of time (i.e. carrots) can supplement other meal items.

If you have time on the weekends to make soups, brown hamburger, cook pasta or make a casserole, all of which can be frozen for future use, this will save time in the long run. A few minutes spent menu planning for the week will help with the question, “what’s for dinner?”

Leftovers, such as cooked chicken from the night before, can be repurposed into a stir fry with a few vegetables and a side of brown rice.

Beer also advises investing in what she calls convenience tools. Items such as a rice cooker, a slow cooker/crock pot and a pressure cooker (which is different than a pressure canner) are all aids to getting meals completed in record time.

Slow cookers, or crock pots, are also handy for “holding” a meal so if some family members need to eat earlier or later, dinner is ready when it is needed.

Two other suggestions she offers for the busy home cook is to follow this formula for meals: a protein, a starch and a vegetable. She also recommends when you prepare something, double the batch and freeze the remainder for later.

Try having breakfast for dinner — pancakes, some scrambled eggs and applesauce (homemade or out of a can) also counts as dinner.

And remember: It isn’t all or nothing. There are going to be nights when it is impossible to get a home-cooked meal on the table when everyone can gather together for it. That’s OK.

Beating yourself up over it doesn’t help. Cutting corners is not the same as giving up. Providing your family a home-cooked, nutritious meal is a journey, not necessarily a destination.

It’s the overall effort that counts. If it helps, get the children involved in menu-planning and food preparation. Even very young children can do simple things such as stirring or setting the table.

If they are involved in the preparation of their meals they are more likely to try new foods and be more interested in sitting down to a family meal.

And, there’s always cold cereal.

Ann Bloom is a nutrition program assistant for the OSU Extension Service in Wallowa County. She can be contacted at 541-426-3143.