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Liz Weiss: Hi! I am Liz Weiss, registered dietitian, cookbook author and family nutrition
expert.
Planning delicious and healthy meals for your family can sometimes feel overwhelming, especially
when you're juggling busy schedules and perhaps picky eaters, but getting a tasty dinner on
the table doesn't have to be a challenge. Today I'll reveal the most common types of
whole grains, give tips for meal planning and provide fun ideas for incorporating whole-grains
into easy meals the whole family will love.
Many everyday foods are considered whole grains. Some of my favorites are whole wheat bread,
whole wheat pasta, brown rice, whole grain tortillas, whole grain cereal and whole oats.
As you approach meal planning with whole grains, keep in mind the expression, cook once, eat
twice. Think about how you can use ingredients more than once over the course of the week.
If you are making brown rice for a side dish one night, cook extra to toss with stir fries
or stuff into burritos the next night. Likewise one of the easiest ways to save time in the
kitchen is to cook large batches of food all at once, for example, I like to make one or
two pans of lasagna made with whole wheat noodles or course, have dinner that night,
then portion and freeze the leftovers for later. This is a great way I can get meals
on the table during busy weeknights when I tend to frost as must as I need and then round
out the meal with a simple green salad and a whole grain dinner roll.
Family dinners don't have to be fancy affairs. Something as simple as a sandwich, maybe with
whole wheat bread is all it takes to bring your family together at the table.
Here are a few more dinner ideas to get you thinking more about whole grains. Prepare
your family's favorite soup and round it out with whole grain bread and a glass of low-fat
milk. The next time you make whole wheat pasta, experiment with different shapes and toss
with tomato based pasta sauce, low-fat shredded cheese and the vegetables of your choice.
Use leftover roast chicken for sandwiches, made with whole wheat bread, layer with tomatoes,
spinach leaves and a few slices of avocado and serve it up with fruit on the side, well
for desert.
Try a brown rice stir fry; mix the rice with cooked chicken or shrimp, bell peppers, onions
and ginger. Add low sodium soy sauce for extra flavor, desired. Get the entire family involved.
Making dinner is always more fun with some helping hands. So set up a whole-grain taco
bar with your family's favorite fillings such as lean ground turkey or beef, beans, chopped
vegetables, shredded low-fat cheese and salsa.
The next time you're feeling stuck in a mealtime rut; remember that whole-grains can provide
endless dinner possibilities.