Healthy Meal Menus

My favorite website is heavvenlyhomemakers.com. She makes all of her food from scratch, although, if you don't have time you can substitute some of the items. She also gives her weekly menu plans which is really helpful.

I use e-mealz.com it is $15 for 3 months. You can choose what type of menu you want sent (regular, low fat, weight watchers) and it gives you 7 meals a week including sides. It also then gives you a list of all the food you need including broke down by what area of store. It has saved me soooo much time and helped me and my daughter eat healthier.

I still struggle with dinner every night and I don't have nearly as much on my plate as you do. Props to you! I just wanted to pass on my favorite recipe website: www.allrecipes.com

I think if you actually cook and don't rely on boxed and bagged dinners, you are already eating healthier and you don't have to worry so much about what you make. And if you take a minute at the store to check the label and avoid high fructose corn syrup and salt and trans fats where possible, you will be doing much better. Just comparing two jars of spaghetti sauce is amazing, some are really good and some are terrible. Don't go by the little labels on the front of the jar that say All Natural or Healthy or any other deceiving little blurb. Salt and high fructose corn syrup both are "natural".

My problem comes from not having ideas what to make every night. I did a google search recently for menu planning and meal planning, and found a few websites, but haven't gotten to checking them thoroughly yet. But you could try that. Rachael Ray does some menu for the week emails you can sign up for, and most of her stuff is fast. I just don't always like her ingredients. I never thought I was picky before, but I guess I am because I just don't eat a lot recipes I see in magazines or on website. But allrecipes has a little bit of everything.

Check out www.e-mealz.com or www.savingdinner.com. You can purchase weekly menus that include shopping lists and adjust them to your dietary needs.

I buy meat in bulk - primarily chicken breasts & hamburger. On Sunday afternoon, I cook everything and store in convienent serving-sized ziplock bags. The beef is used to add to spaghetti noodles, chili, sloppy joe's or soft taco's. When we're in the mood for chicken, I add it to a family size bag of Uncle Ben's rice (microwave in 1 minute) and a bag of mixed veggies (frozen or fresh). Toss all together with some soy sauce and you have stir fry in less than 5 minutes. Another chicken dish that's quick and easy: don't pre-cook the chicken, instead put raw chicken breasts in a crock pot to simmer all day long with a jar of your favorite salsa. When you get home you have soft taco's or enchilada's. When you're deperate, never understimate the fun of having breakfast food for dinner! Scrambled eggs, turkey bacon & biscuits - kids love the change of pace. Another fun idea: Pillsbury makes a great pizza crust (look for it in the refrigerated section with other biscuits, rolls & cookie dough), just pop open the can, roll out the dough, pre-cook for 5 minutes, then add your favorite toppings. Cook for another 5 minutes and voila!

I recommend e-mealz.com also. I am signed up for family of 2 but it is enough for a family of 3. The family of 2 only has 5 meals a week instead of the 7 but I just usually do brk food or sandwhiches one of those nights.

I highly recommend Cooking Light magazine. They offer really tasty, easy recipes -- every single thing we've tried has been a winner. It's all about starting off with healthy recipes and building your market list from there.

Be careful, too, about assuming turkey or chicken are healthier than beef. It all depends on the cut of meat and preparation. Turkey and chicken can be fattier and worse for you than leaner cuts of beef depending on which cut you use and how you prepare them, so do your research. It's all about finding the right balance in what you eat.

Honey dijon chicken- 2 teaspoon ground mustard-2 teaspoon honey-1/4 cup dijon mustard. boneless skinless chicken breast(as many as you need) mix all the ingrediants together and spead on both sides on the chicken i spread it then freeze it to tlet the flavor go all the way through so when you get to the middle of the chicken it's not bland). cook on 375F for 35-45 minutes or until juice runs clear. i made brown rice as a side and maybe some broccoli would go good with it also. I got the chicken recipe from heathy eats.com i think ( or someother eating healthy website) I hope you enjoy it my family did. and good luck with school!

I don't know about menu guides but would recommend a few electric appliances. I have a rice steamer and a small George Foreman grill. The rice takes about 20 minutes and the grill cooks chicken tender, hamburgers, small steaks, etc in about the same time. I, also, pick up some of the prepackaged cole slaw mix or broccoli slaw mix. I like both with a raspberry vinaigrette. Baked potatoes are quick and easy in the microwave and can be made into a meal with leftover chicken or turkey from the deli. Winter squashes (acorn, butternut, spaghetti, etc.) are another good and quick vegi. Just cut them in half and put them face down in a microwavable dish with about 1/4 cup of water. Each has its own taste and texture so you can experiment with toppings such as spaghetti sauce on the spaghetti squash, or cinnamon, or parmesan cheese. I hope this helps.

Main suggestion is to trade beef for turkey meat. Less fat and cholesterol. Also, look at frozen/fresh veggies instead of canned as it contains less salt. Try working with low sodium meals. Spaghetti with turkey meat, hamburger helper with turkey instead of beef, tacos with turkey. My family does fish, pork, chicken, and turkey. Little to no beef and we've all lost weight and feel great.

I'd try to find a website that not only offers the recipes but also the nutritional information. My previous company used to have a site called Keeping Well with Diabetes (has since been renamed, and I can't find it) that had a monthly recipe planner and corresponding nutritional information.

Yes, you want to incorporate as many natural products as possible, but you also really need to watch sodium and carb intake - sugar and salt are the two things that make things taste really good.

We do a lot of baked potatoes, tacos, eggs/fruit, grilled chicken.
Usually cooking with fresh ingredients is as quick as using canned. I heard on Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution recently that some frozen vegetables are as healthy (if not healthier) than fresh because they're literally flash frozen hours after being picked instead of days/weeks to the grocery store and our homes.

Good luck! I commend you on all you're doing for your family and making your life better for you and your daughter.

e-mealz is good, and I also like savingdinner.com, same concept different variety! Good luck!

If you have an I phone you can get a recipe App where you spin a recipe. I had chicken dinner with mushrooms last night sitting in chicken broth. The chicken doubled in size and was scrumptious. It also had cheese on it. Very easy to make. Its called allrecipes. I don't know if you can get to it on line or not.

You'll also find that grocery store stragecially place their items - the healthier foods are always on the perimeter of the stores - fresh fruits, veggies, breads, meats/fish/poultry, cheeses/dairy. The inside aisles are usually the processed foods - to get you in the maze and buy more!
Does N. Richland Hills have a Sprouts? You really can't go wrong with anything there.