(Tribune Media Services)
After a long day at work, it can be difficult for working moms and dads to make a nutritious meal for their families. For some, it’s often tempting to order in a pizza and simply call it a night.
Keyona Simmons, 25, a mother of two boys under the age of six, says that working approximately 25 hours a week in retail, being a single mother and taking care of her children is a challenge.
“I try to give them grapes or an orange with their meals,” says Simmons, who adds that even though cooking is always a rush at home, she has her children help her and tries to make it fun for them.
Like Simmons, many working moms may feel overwhelmed when preparing healthy meals. However, Patty Minta, registered dietitian and author of “Mom, What’s For Dinner? The No-Stress, No-Nonsense Guide to Planning and Preparing Fantastic Fare for Your Family” (Self-published, $12.95), says cooking healthy meals doesn’t have to be difficult.
Minta’s book is a quick guide for busy parents who don’t have time to prepare healthy meals for their kids. In it, she suggests keeping things simple.
“It’s just a lack of pre-planning,” says Minta, who dedicates a short chapter in the book on the importance of owning a crockpot. “It takes a lot more time stopping somewhere all the time or stopping at the grocery store every night to cook something rather than going home, utilizing your crockpot and other things with a little prep.”
Strong foundation
It’s no secret that good nutrition is important, especially for children. According to Minta, studies have shown that kids who eat healthy meals perform better in school, behave better and are healthier in general.
Sunyoung Lee, 46, is a mother of two who values the process of planning. Though she works full time as a sales manager, she says her family usually eats homemade Korean food every night. Some food items include rice, vegetables and meat.
“We don’t eat instant food,” says Lee.
Minta advises moms to ask for input from their families when planning out the menu for the week.
“Just take a little bit of time at the beginning of the week and then take a little bit of time each day to do a little pre–prep,” says Minta. “You will be able to serve your family far healthier.”
Lee says she has a strategy for filling those busy days with healthy meals instead of fast food.
“Try to make plenty when you have a day off,” she says.
Often moms worry about being perfect cooks for the family but Minta suggests sticking with simple recipe books and meals with a few key ingredients, such as baked salmon. By keeping it simple, not only does the family enjoy healthier options but the cook won’t be as stressed.
Minta knows that society is tailored to today’s fast-paced lifestyle, but that doesn’t mean that working parents can’t take steps to ensure a little break from the expected.
“Our country is not a very healthy country,” she says. “Not that there isn’t a place sometimes to drive through or eat out or grab a convenience item once in a while, but the problem is we eat far too much of that. Try to eat as fresh as possible.”
For more information on healthy eating, visit momwhatsfordinner.net.
© 2010, Tribune Media Services
Keyona Simmons, 25, a mother of two boys under the age of six, says that working approximately 25 hours a week in retail, being a single mother and taking care of her children is a challenge.
“I try to give them grapes or an orange with their meals,” says Simmons, who adds that even though cooking is always a rush at home, she has her children help her and tries to make it fun for them.
Like Simmons, many working moms may feel overwhelmed when preparing healthy meals. However, Patty Minta, registered dietitian and author of “Mom, What’s For Dinner? The No-Stress, No-Nonsense Guide to Planning and Preparing Fantastic Fare for Your Family” (Self-published, $12.95), says cooking healthy meals doesn’t have to be difficult.
Minta’s book is a quick guide for busy parents who don’t have time to prepare healthy meals for their kids. In it, she suggests keeping things simple.
“It’s just a lack of pre-planning,” says Minta, who dedicates a short chapter in the book on the importance of owning a crockpot. “It takes a lot more time stopping somewhere all the time or stopping at the grocery store every night to cook something rather than going home, utilizing your crockpot and other things with a little prep.”
Strong foundation
It’s no secret that good nutrition is important, especially for children. According to Minta, studies have shown that kids who eat healthy meals perform better in school, behave better and are healthier in general.
Sunyoung Lee, 46, is a mother of two who values the process of planning. Though she works full time as a sales manager, she says her family usually eats homemade Korean food every night. Some food items include rice, vegetables and meat.
“We don’t eat instant food,” says Lee.
Minta advises moms to ask for input from their families when planning out the menu for the week.
“Just take a little bit of time at the beginning of the week and then take a little bit of time each day to do a little pre–prep,” says Minta. “You will be able to serve your family far healthier.”
Lee says she has a strategy for filling those busy days with healthy meals instead of fast food.
“Try to make plenty when you have a day off,” she says.
Often moms worry about being perfect cooks for the family but Minta suggests sticking with simple recipe books and meals with a few key ingredients, such as baked salmon. By keeping it simple, not only does the family enjoy healthier options but the cook won’t be as stressed.
Minta knows that society is tailored to today’s fast-paced lifestyle, but that doesn’t mean that working parents can’t take steps to ensure a little break from the expected.
“Our country is not a very healthy country,” she says. “Not that there isn’t a place sometimes to drive through or eat out or grab a convenience item once in a while, but the problem is we eat far too much of that. Try to eat as fresh as possible.”
For more information on healthy eating, visit momwhatsfordinner.net.
© 2010, Tribune Media Services
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