Cooking at Home Again
Growing up, I can still remember time spent around the dinner table with family discussing the happenings of daily life and smelling the delicious aromas coming from the kitchen. To this day every time I eat a pork chop, I wonder where are the scalloped potatoes (a staple combination in my home). As a society today, unfortunately, we are always on the move. This makes cooking at home seem too time-consuming, especially when a fast-casual joint can deliver a tasty, affordable meal in minutes.Planning family meals can take time, but research shows many benefits to cooking healthy food at home. Try these tips to help you cook more for your family:
Keep a list of easy recipes your family enjoys
Involve your family in grocery shopping and meal preparation
Check grocery ads for on-sale items like fresh produce and make meals using those ingredients
Try to create colorful plates using a variety of fruits and vegetables
Look for make-ahead recipes or meals that can be prepared in a slow cooker like the one below
Slow Cooker Fresh Veggie Lasagna
Emily Ludwig, RD, LD
Emily is a dietitian and master’s degree student at the University of Kentucky (UK). She currently serves as a dietitian to student athletes at UK, as well as a consulting dietitian with the Cincinnati Bengals football team. Emily promotes overall well being for every day life, emphasizing wholesome and nutritious food, adequate sleep and proper hydration to achieve optimum performance.