Quick & Easy Family Meals

Published September 13, 2024
By Shelbi Thurau - Registered Dietitian



The hardest ingredient to find when it comes to family meals is time. Fortunately this Family Meals Month--we are simplifying family dinners with quick classics, semi-homemade shortcuts, and make-ahead recipes so gathering around the table for a meal is something you’ll have time for.

Quick Classics

When you are running out of ideas for dinner stick to the basics, classic recipes exist for a reason and can be simplified into theme nights. For example, if you know once a week you will have a pasta night, a taco night, and a pizza night, that is 3 dinners you’ve got figured out! Swapping out sauces and different kinds of pasta, proteins, and salsas for tacos and toppings for pizzas can make those ideas different every week without much effort.

Semi-homemade shortcuts

Cooking does not always need to be an elaborate recipe. Sometimes it can be about the assembly. With a bag of frozen mixed veggies, a marinated protein, and a microwaveable grain you can have dinner on the table in less than 15 minutes with minimal clean-up. Relying on frozen entrees and then padding them out with missing food groups also counts. Heating up a frozen pizza or picking up a rotisserie chicken and then pairing it with a bagged salad count as meal prep especially when the weeknight calendar starts filling up.

Make-ahead and Freezer-friendly

If you do find yourself with the time and energy to spend a little more time in the kitchen, make something that is freezer-friendly so you can enjoy it on a night when you are busier. Nobody said the dinner has to be cooked that day. Making meals ahead of time is a great habit to get into and leads to more stress-free evenings together.

Build Balanced Lunch Boxes for School

Published August 5, 2024
By Shelbi Thurau - Registered Dietitian

School Lunch Recipe Ideas

Building a balanced lunch box is as simple as one, two, three: protein, whole grains, and produce. A 2-3oz serving of protein will help keep your kids full and fueled all day long. Whole grains provide sustained energy from fiber and B vitamins helping prevent an afternoon slump. And fruits and veggies are a snacking opportunity full of vitamins and nutrients that taste as delicious as they look. First things first: get your kids involved! Have them pick 3-5 things they like from each of the following lists:

 

Protein-Packed: Chicken, hard-boiled eggs, turkey, ham, tuna, tofu, nut or seed butter, cheese sticks, turkey pepperoni, Greek yogurt, hummus.

 

Wholesome Grains: Crackers, bread, pretzel sticks, tortillas, tortilla chips, bagels

 

Fun Fruits and Veggies: Mini cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, mini peppers, clementines, apples, blueberries, cotton candy or gum drop grapes, baby carrots, salsa.

 

Based on the choices they picked from each category you can create ideas—or keep it easy with bento- box style lunches by mixing and matching an item from each category. Including a protein, grain and produce item will guarantee a balanced lunch, and then you can have some fun with dips like guacamole or yogurt-based ranch and pair some simple ingredient snacks that you can search for at shoprite.com/welleveryday!

 

Once you’ve mastered this 3-step box (or bag) building you will find the possible combinations never end. You also may decide you’re ready to step out of your 1,2,3 comfort zone making some photo-worthy lunches every now and then. Feel free to get crafty and creative with the recipes below!

Guide to Balancing Your Meals

Published May 27, 2024
By Shelbi Thurau - Registered Dietitian



Creating a balanced meal can be simple as 1-2-3! Incorporating lean proteins, filling carbohydrates and a variety of fruits and vegetables is all it takes to build a bowlful of benefits.

Lean Protein: The Powerhouse of Your Plate

Lean protein tends to be the star of the show and for good reason. Protein promotes satiety and when eaten with carbohydrates it can help with managing blood glucose. Having freezer-friendly proteins like ground chicken or turkey meatballs, shrimp and fish filets are perfect for busy weeknights and can be cooked in the air-fryer or stove-top in a few minutes. Plant-based proteins like tofu and edamame are also great choices. Think about fill ¼ to a 1/3 of your plate with your lean protein of choice.

Complex Carbs: Fueling Your Body for Energy

Carbohydrates can confuse a lot of people but they are an important part of your plate. Complex carbohydrates like whole grains, starchy vegetables and legumes contain tons of fiber and nutrients that make them filling and good for gut health. Your individual energy needs will determine quantity but when included fiber-rich and nutrient dense grains like farro, quinoa and grain and seed breads with protein pairings you will find yourself feeling fuller and with more energy to tackle the day.

Fruits and Veggies: The More Colorful, the Better

When it comes to fruits and veggies the more the merrier! Truly bulking up your bowls and plates with any number of colorful produce choices is a great habit for your health and well-being. If you find it difficult to get in the necessary amount of produce, try simplifying the prep with pre-washed bagged salad and pre-cut veggies you can find in your produce section. You can also integrate frozen vegetable blends and canned veggies that you rinse and drain. Mix them into your grains or pile the protein on top for delicious meals.

Flavorful Touches: Turning Ordinary into Extraordinary

Tie this 1-2-3 approach together with flavor. Having a handful of spice blends to flavor your proteins with or sauces and dressings that you can mix into stir-fry or use as dips can turn ordinary foods into extraordinary favorites. Just be mindful of portions using 1-2 tablespoons and check-out the variety of lower sodium and sugar choices on the shelves!