HOME COOKING MADE SIMPLE

Sitting down together for a home-cooked meal is an important and memorable childhood experience. But when our lives are already so busy, how do we find the time?  

There are proven strategies to make home cooking more efficient– and they all start with a plan.  The #1 action you can take to simplify home cooking is to plan ahead.  The first thing to plan is the WHAT.  WHAT is on your family’s menu tonight, this week, this month?  Write the menu up on a Family Menu Board for everyone to see.  You will be amazed at how excited the kids get about mealtime with the simple act of posting the menu.  Anticipation of a home-cooked meal can be contagious.

THE WHAT - There are a few different ways you can plan WHAT is on your menu:

Plan by Recipe

You can menu plan from recipes – identify the recipes you want to serve your family this week and shop specifically for those ingredients.  Kids love being part of planning the family menu, and this approach allows them to contribute.  Around the family dinner table is a great time to talk about what meals they want to see in the week ahead.  The more opportunities your children have to choose from a variety of foods you’ve already approved, the more likely it is that they will happily eat them. 

Plan by Inventory

You can also plan your weekly menu from inventory – look at food you already have and devise meals that use those ingredients.  You can involve your children with this strategy, too, although it may be more challenging for them based on age.  Rather than thinking of recipes and meals they like, they will need to think creatively about how to use the ingredients you have on-hand.  If you use our Top 100 Family Kitchen Staples List  you will find cooking from inventory to be simple because you are already maintaining an ideal food inventory!

Plan by Costs

Finally, you can shop by sale – find your grocery store’s circular and plan your family’s meals based on key ingredients you find on sale that week.  Or, select only recipes that include low-cost ingredients and get as creative as possible.  This strategy is a popular one for today’s economic times. 

THE HOW – Now that you’ve planned the menu, HOW will the food be prepared? 

Once A Month Cooking (OAMC)

OAMC requires doubling, tripling, or even quadrupling your favorite recipes instead of making just the single recipe, then freezing the remaining food until you are ready to eat it.  After just 3 rounds of OAMC, you will have up to 12 meals in your freezer ready to go.  It may take you a few days to bulk up, but once you do you will reap the rewards.  One big benefit to OAMC is that you can purchase foods on sale and bulk cook those foods. It’s not only a time saver, but a cost saver too! 

When planning your recipes, remember that certain dishes are not ideal for freezing.  Anything with mayonnaise, sour cream, or eggs will not freeze well.   If you are interested in learning more about OAMC, visit the many websites on the topic.  Here’s one to get you started: http://onceamonthmom.com/

Chain Cooking

Another strategy is called chain cooking, a.k.a. strategic leftovers.  This technique involves making a double batch of something one night to be used in something else the subsequent night.  For example, sautéed chicken one night to be used as a main course tonight and in a pasta dish the next night.  Or, steam up some garlic spinach as a side dish one night and use it the next morning for spinach and mushroom omelets.  Mashed potatoes work great as a side dish one night, and shepherd’s pie the next.  Ground turkey has countless leftover ideas from tacos to chili to lasagna to cheeseburgers!

Plan by the Day

This strategy is born out of necessity.  It involves blending a cup of last minute planning with a splash of spontaneity.  Essentially this plan is about daily menu planning and just-in-time shopping excursions for missing key ingredients.  It’s not for the faint of heart – as it requires serious multi-tasking and a bit of cramming, too.

As you can see, there’s a home cooking strategy for every personality.  The most important thing is that you cook at home as often as your time and life permits. Meals eaten together in the home benefit children in many ways, from improved self-esteem to increased sense of belonging and adherence to family values.   Cooking at home has countless benefits for you, too - it’s often less expensive than eating out, you know all the ingredients in your food and where they came from, and you know exactly how each food was prepared.

So make time for meal planning – your family will thank you.

Healthy Habit #4: Cook at Home

Convenience.  When it comes to food for our families, it can be a four-letter word. Eating out has become an American family tradition, and it’s trending up.

We already know that restaurant food is often higher in saturated fat, sodium, and calories than a homemade meal.  That’s why many of us will intentionally choose “healthier”, full-service restaurants over fast food when we need a break from home cooking. However, did you know that full-service meals are often nutritionally inferior to fast food?  

A surprising study conducted by the USDA uncovered that contrary to common perception, meals and snacks consumed at full-service restaurants are not nutritionally superior to fast food.  In fact, full-service meals tend to be higher in fat, cholesterol, and sodium on average than their fast food counterparts.  That means even when you think you are choosing a healthier restaurant for your family, you may be sadly mistaken.

It’s a shame that so many restaurants lack the fresh, nutritious menu items that we serve in our own home kitchens.  As busy parents, we all have days where we need a break from our kitchen obligations.  Why does the restaurant industry fail to provide us with the solutions we desperately seek?

One word – cost. 

Costs of Providing Fresh Food

It costs pennies for restaurants to serve up a plate of fries, and quarters for them to serve up a side salad.  Picture the simplicity in this system:  1.  Remove bag from freezer.  2.  Open bag.  3.  Place contents in fryer.  4.  Put timer on.  5. Take contents out of fryer.  6.  Salt food.  7. Portion.  8. Serve.  That’s under 5 minutes from start to finish.  That’s why you’re hit with a $.75 charge when you ask to sub your child’s side of french fries for a fresh fruit salad!

Perhaps instead it’s a pre-bagged entrée or soup that the restaurant re-heats, cuts opens, and serves…. I saw this exact activity last week at one of my absolute favorite “healthy”, natural and organic family-friendly restaurants.   My son pointed it out – we were both shocked.  This restaurant was microwaving pre-bagged vegetables until hot and then served them on top of pasta.  Voila!  Pasta Primavera!  A seemingly fresh and “healthy” meal prepared in an unfresh, unhealthy (but lightening quick!) way.

At another one of my family’s favorite, “healthy” restaurants, I’ve seen an individual bag of macaroni and cheese microwaved for each child that orders it off the Kids Menu.  Those of you already well-informed about the dangers of microwaving in plastic bags know that it’s not such a great idea (especially for kids).  I wonder how much BPA was ingested by kids eating mac and cheese that day?

All these are reasons why we at the Wholesome Tummies (WT) Café are dedicated to feeding fresh foods to your children.  We do not use microwaves.  We do not use fryers.  We don’t cut corners.  Our meals are made from scratch every day, not poured from a bag.  We cut our fresh fruits and vegetables daily.  Doing all this extra work takes time (which costs money).  When we mix our salad dressings from scratch, prepare batches of house-made soup, or make your child’s lunch from scratch in our local kitchens - 5 minutes becomes 30 minutes.   

Why do we take the extra time?  We do it because we are intensely driven by our mission to provide fresh, nutritious, and exciting foods to every child, everywhere.  Our mission motivates us to earn your trust so that we may have the privilege of feeding your children throughout their school-aged years.  It’s an important calling, and we take it very seriously.

Unfortunately for all the tired parents out there who need a break from the monotony of home cooking, few restaurants feel as strongly as we do about fresh, from-scratch cooking.  So…if you want to feed your family pure, nutritious food at an affordable price your best bet is to dust that apron off and put on your chef’s hat.  If you want something done right, sometimes you just have to do it yourself.

Time for soup!

It’s a daily ritual for most families with school-age children. Kids come home from school, throw their backpacks on the floor, and inquire frantically….”What’s for snack? I’m starving!” With five school days a week, it’s impossible to consistently answer this question (or is it a demand?) with a fully prepared response and an equally prepared snack menu. Read on for heavy-duty ammunition to help you fight the daily snack time battle.

As busy parents, we know the drill. With hectic after school schedules and our preoccupation with planning the three main meals of each day, snack planning becomes an afterthought. And yet, this is our golden moment! Our time to shine! Snack time offers a “Carpe Diem” opportunity for us to present our children with well-balanced, nourishing foods at a time when they are hungry and most open to eating them.

Our advice? Be strategic. Use your children’s snack time hunger to your advantage. Enter….Homemade Soup.

What better cold weather, after school snack then a hot (ok, maybe warm) bowl of soup? Just a few hours once a week dedicated to preparing a giant, freezable batch of homemade, kid-friendly soup rewards you with weeks of ready-to-go, satisfying snacks. Soups freeze well and last for up to a week in the fridge, making them both a quick and a nutritious snack. They can also be used for lunches or healthy, pre-dinner appetizers. Here are some of the soups our kid customers love the most:

Broccoli Cheddar – A true comfort soup, and a delicious and creamy way to get the kids eating their broccoli. Using reduced fat milk makes this recipe lower in fat. Also, this is a quickie - only 30 minutes to make! One of our customers’ all-time favorites.

Chicken Noodle – One of the things we love about chicken noodle soup is the broth. Our trick? We puree the veggies in this soup and mix the puree back into the broth to thicken it and provide amazing flavor. If you use carrots, the soup turns a beautiful orange color (a bright color that kids love!). Use hi-protein or whole wheat noodles and there’s almost a day’s worth of nutrition in each bowl!

Meatball Soup – This is our version of Italian Wedding Soup, with a name that kids understand and a food kids love (meatballs are a big hit with most kids we know). You can use ground turkey or chicken instead of beef for a lower fat soup, and whole wheat breadcrumb instead of white. We also love this soup because of the spinach factor and the fact that it’s loaded with protein to sustain your child’s energy level for hours.

Tomato Soup – Another classic, and full of antioxidants! Only 10 minutes to prep. Make this recipe low-fat using low-fat milk instead of half and half. You can also use fresh or packaged tomatoes. If using packaged, try to find a brand in a paper container rather than aluminum can. Studies have shown extremely high levels of toxic BPA in canned products.

Tortilla Soup – We love this chicken-based soup. It’s full of veggies and protein, and with crunchy corn tortilla chips sprinkled on top, kids will love it too! You will need a good chicken stock as a flavorful base, a sprinkle of taco seasoning, and lots of kid-favorite veggies like corn and black beans.

All good soups start with a good soup broth or stock. You can easily make your own stock from scratch by boiling chicken, beef, or just plain vegetables with a few of your favorite herbs, onion, garlic, and some salt and pepper. Strain the broth and use as your soup base. The remaining meats and veggies can be used in another dish. If you don’t have time to make stock from scratch, you can always use store bought broths. We prefer an organic option as they are guaranteed not to contain MSG like many conventional broths. We also like low sodium choices.
Homemade soups offer another great way to increase your child’s ACCESS to healthy foods and improve their eating habits. Nutritious and versatile, soups are satisfying and a quick and easy snack…especially this time of year. Don’t forget to add crunchy croutons or tortilla chips on top!

Healthy habit #3 Fill Your Fruit Bowl

M&M’s, Skittles, Nerds, Reeses Pieces, Laffy Taffy, Jell-O, Ice Pops. For as bad as these treats are for us, the manufacturers of these popular candies know something we don’t – when it comes to kids and food, color sells. In fact, studies show that drinks colored with red dye taste sweeter to kids than the same drinks without the red dye, even when the drink itself remained unchanged. How can you leverage this knowledge to train your children’s eating habits?

Four words: FILL YOUR FRUIT BOWL.

A fresh, in-season fruit bowl offers as many colors as a bag of M&Ms or Skittles, and a thousand times the nutrition. What colorful foods do you make accessible to your kids?
The next time you make that grocery store trek, spend an extra five minutes in produce. Better yet, stop by a farm-fresh produce market or local farmer’s market while you’re out running errands. Local produce is often less expensive and has lower pesticides and reduced carbon footprints. Make a commitment to spend $20 on as many different kinds and colors of fruits and vegetables as you can find.

Try any of the following: Blueberries, strawberries, bananas, cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelon, peaches, pears, plums, mangoes, grapes, kiwi, pineapple, avocado, apples, tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, red peppers, broccoli, and yellow peppers. Just to name a few.
Once home, take a big serving bowl out of your cabinet, place it on your kitchen island, and fill it up with your colorful new purchases. Sit back, and wait for the kids to notice. Fresh and in-season, picked and sliced at the peak of ripeness – colorful fruits and vegetables make a delicious and filling snack (especially when paired with a protein-rich dip like strawberry yogurt or herbed cream cheese). With those bright colors placed in a visible location within arm’s reach, your kids (and you) won’t be able to resist! Once the fruit bowl starts to empty, fill it up again, and again, and again.

Color makes food more interesting. It’s a fact that kids eat with their eyes first – we all do. If a food looks bright and colorful, it is perceived to be more appealing, more appetizing, and ironically, may even appear to be fresher. At Wholesome Tummies and WT Café, we make a big deal out of choice. We believe kids should make their own choices when it comes to food. Freedom of choice allows them to try new things and gives them confidence in making future food decisions. The caveat to this freedom is that as parents - as CEOs of our family kitchens - we must carefully monitor the choices we make available to our children.

What kids have ACCESS to is what kids eat. With 4 out of 5 kids not eating the fruits and vegetables they need every day, let your full fruit bowl feast your children’s eyes AND fuel their bodies!

Top 100 Pantry Staples

TOP 100 FAMILY KITCHEN STAPLES LIST
Ingredient			Notes
whole wheat or whole grain bagels			look for no hydrogenated oils, HFCS, MSG, artificial flavors or colors
whole wheat or whole grain breads			look for no hydrogenated oils, HFCS, MSG, artificial flavors or colors
edamame (shelled and unshelled)			look for local, organic, or pesticide-free
ice cream or frozen yogurt			look for rBGH-free
mixed berries			look for local, organic, or pesticide-free
peas			look for local, organic, or pesticide-free
sausage links			look for no nitrates, artificial flavors, colors, MSG
shrimp			look for wild, not farm raised
sugar snap peas			look for local, organic, or pesticide-free
sweet corn			look for local, organic, or pesticide-free
bacon			look for nitrate-free
bananas			look for local, organic, or pesticide-free
basil			look for local, organic, or pesticide-free
bell peppers (any color)			look for local, organic, or pesticide-free
boneless chix breasts			look for organic or antibiotic free
broccoli			look for local, organic, or pesticide-free
butter (salted and unsalted)			look for rBGH-free
carrots (mini, regular, and shoestring)			look for local, organic, or pesticide-free
celery			look for local, organic, or pesticide-free
cream cheese			look for rBGH-free
cucumbers			look for local, organic, or pesticide-free
eggs			look for organic or cage free
fresh, in-season fruits			look for local, organic, or pesticide-free
fresh, in-season veggies			look for local, organic, or pesticide-free
garlic			look for local, organic, or pesticide-free
greek yogurt			look for rBGH-free; great sub for sour cream
green beans			look for local, organic, or pesticide-free
ground beef			look for organic or hormone-free
ground turkey			look for organic or antibiotic free
italian or balsamic vinaigrette			look for no HFCS, artificial colors or flavors
jarred pesto			look for no artificial flavors, colors
lemons			look for local, organic, or pesticide-free
low fat yogurt			look for rBGH-free; no HFCS, artificial colors or flavors
milk - skim or 1%			look for rBGH-free
onions			look for local, organic, or pesticide-free
parsley
potatoes			look for local, organic, or pesticide-free
roasting chicken			look for organic or antibiotic free
romaine lettuce			look for local, organic, or pesticide-free
rosemary
sliced, block, and shredded cheese (parmesan, cheddar, mozzerella, feta, etc.)			look for rBGH-free
spinach			look for local, organic, or pesticide-free
tomatoes			look for local, organic, or pesticide-free
whole wheat or whole grain wraps			look for no hydrogenated oils, HFCS, MSG, artificial flavors or colors
yogurt caesar dressing			look for no HFCS, artificial colors or flavors
yogurt ranch dressing			look for no HFCS, artificial colors or flavors
baking powder			look for aluminum-free
baking soda
balsamic vinegar
black beans			can or bag
brown rice
brown sugar
cannelini beans			can or bag
canola oil			look for organic or expeller-pressed
chicken broth (low sodium)			look for no MSG
chili powder
cinnamon
coriander
corn taco shells			look for organic or no hydrogenated oils
corn tortilla chips			look for organic or no hydrogenated oils
cornstarch
croutons (brand here)			look for no hydrogenated oils, HFCS, MSG, artificial flavors or colors
cumin
curry powder
dark chocolate chips			look for artificial flavors, HFCS
dark chocolate cocoa powder			look for artificial flavors, HFCS, hydrogenated oils
dijon mustard
dried cranberries			look for no HFCS, artificial colors or flavors
extra virgin olive oil (evoo)
fruit purees (strawberry, apricot, etc.)			look for no sugar added
garbanzo beans			can or bag
green tea bags
honey
jarred salsa			look for no HFCS, artificial colors or flavors
ketchup			look for organic or no HFCS
light tuna			look for canned in water, not oil
maple syrup			look for pure maple syrup or no HFCS
mayonaise
nuts (almonds, walnuts, etc.)			raw only
oats
oregano
paprika
peanut butter			look for trans-fats/hydrogenated oils/lards
pepper
popcorn			look for non-microwavable, pure popcorn kernels
pureed/diced tomatoes
raisins
red wine vinegar
refried beans (vegetarian)			look for trans-fats/hydrogenated oils/lards
salt
sesame oil
smoked paprika
soy sauce (low sodium)			look for organic or preservative-free
sugar
teriyaki sauce			look for no HFCS, artificial colors or flavors, preservatives
tomato paste
vanilla			look for pure vanilla
whole or white wheat flour
whole wheat crackers			look for organic or no hydrogenated oils
whole wheat or whole grain pasta (spaghetti, penne, elbow macaroni, etc.)

HEALTHY HABIT #2: STOCK YOUR SHELVES WITH YOUR TOP 100

As parents, we bear full responsibility for treks to the grocery store.  It’s a thankless but essential chore that many of us dread.  From making the list to finding the time to read labels while we’re there…we’re tired just thinking about it!    
 It's in these frantic moments when our commitment to healthy eating is most in jeopardy. 

With hungry kids and no food to eat, eating out and eating fast may be the only option.   
 That choice often involves consuming sub-standard, processed, fried, high-sodium, or fatty foods that we quickly regret. If we maintain the right amounts of the right foods in our kitchen inventory, we’ll always have home court advantage.

The key to success?  Variety. But what mix of items makes the best variety to easily prepare from-scratch recipes for a busy family?

We've developed our list of recommended Top 100 Family Kitchen Staples:  shelf-stable, refrigerated, and freezer products that we consider required staples for any family kitchen. Our list gives you the primary basic ingredients you need to prepare a sufficient variety of meals and snacks for your family, and you will want to personalize the list as needed for your family’s preferences. 

Our Top 100 Family Kitchen Staples list includes foods important to a healthy diet, such as:

·       beans and nuts

·       dairy – cheese, milk, butter, yogurt

·       dried fruit and chocolate – raisins, cranberries, dark chocolate, cocoa powder

·       spices, herbs, and teas – oregano, basil, parsley, cinnamon, chili powder, cumin, coriander

·       meat, poultry, and fish – chicken, turkey, beef, shrimp, tuna fish

·       oils, sauces, and bases – soy sauce, vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, teriyaki, dijon mustard

·       produce – in-season and frozen fruits and veggies

·       whole grains - pastas, rice, breads, popcorn, tortilla chips, flours

·       natural sweeteners – maple syrup, honey, brown sugar

When we cannot provide wholesome food to our children, they will eat something else.  Keeping our kitchen fully stocked is critical to ensuring that “empty pantry syndrome” does not drive our kids to adopt picky eating habits.

Of course, this sounds much simpler in theory then it is in practice.  It takes consistent discipline and planning to ensure your kitchen has enough yummy foods that your kids don’t derail your mission of teaching them to eat healthy.  Click here to preview our Top 100 Family Kitchen Staples and start the new year right by stocking your kitchen shelves (and keeping them stocked) with yummy, healthful foods for your family!

Healthy Habit # 1 Be the CEO of your Kitchen!

When it comes to food, it’s easy to forget that we as parents wear the pants in the family.  
Kids have specific and often picky tastes, preferring certain foods so strongly that they relentlessly request them.  Their food demands can wear even the most conscientious parent down.  
However, the minute we let go of the reigns, we put them in the driver’s seat.  We lose control.  
Our kids start making their own, misinformed food decisions; plain no-sauce noodles, sandwiches with the crusts cut off and mystery, convenience packaged meals take over our original, well-intended menu.  
Soon after the balance of power shifts from us to them, we are met with the cold, hard truth that we are now raising – (gasp!) – picky eaters.

There’s one small problem with this all too common scenario.  Our children are not our boss!   
We are the CEO of our homes and our kitchens - we decide what they eat and when they eat it.  
With eating habits as with safety hazards, it's our responsibility as parents to direct and guide our children.  
We are entrusted with their survival and it's our parental obligation to give them the strongest possible start to life.  

One of the most positive and lasting impacts we can have on our children is to guide them to make good food choices. Children grow at an accelerated pace and their young bodies need the right mix of fruits, veggies, proteins, and whole grains in order to reach full potential.  In fact, studies show that kids who eat healthy, balanced meals and snacks benefit in many ways:

·       Sleep better at night

·       Perform better at school and extracurricular activities like sports

·       Have increased attention, focus, and memory

·       Have higher self-esteem and self-confidence

·       Are sick less often, and may actually live longer!

Who wouldn’t want these qualities for their own children?

Would you believe us if we told you we could GUARANTEE your kids would make healthy food choices at home?  It’s true! By stocking your kitchen with only nutritious food choices, you can guarantee your kids will eat healthy at home.  It's a fact that kids won’t starve themselves.  When they are hungry, they eat.  If healthy - and only healthy - choices are available for your kids, when they are hungry that is exactly what they will eat.  Guaranteed!

Of course, children are not shy to let you know when they are displeased with the dinner or snack choices available to them, and consecutive food tantrums will wear you down.  In these frail and tender moments, remember to invoke your CEO privileges – they are not the boss of you!

If you are ready to stock your shelves in 2012 with all-natural, healthy, kid-friendly foods, be sure to read about our second healthy habit – Stock Your Shelves With Your Top 100.