1415
uhc_video
Ask the Expert: Kathleen Zelman
Tips for Busy Moms – UHC TV
Hi! Here’s a question that I think a lot of you will be able to relate to. “What tips do you have for a single mom without enough time or skills to prepare healthy foods?”
Wow! You don’t have to be terribly skilled in the kitchen to be successful at preparing healthy meals. Healthy meals can quickly be assembled if you have the right foods in your pantry, in your refrigerator, and in your freezer.
In the freezer, you can take advantage of sales. You can buy foods, keep them there for a couple of months – no problem – and be able to take them out the night before. The morning before you go to work, take out a couple of those boneless, skinless chicken breasts, some shrimp, some little beef tips that you can put together in a crock pot.
A crock pot is a great way to dump a lot of different ingredients, including vegetables, and your protein source. Your protein source can be from beans. It doesn’t have to be from meat. And when you come home, there’s a great meal.
Here are some of my favorite things to do. I like making soup. This may not be [the best menu choice] depending on the time of year – but soup is a great way to use up leftovers in my refrigerator.
I start with chicken broth or beef broth. I always try to look for one that’s lower in sodium so you don’t add too much sodium. Then I look at what’s in my refrigerator or what’s in my freezer. What can I put in there? Lots of vegetables. I love throwing in beans. Beans are a really inexpensive alternative for meat, or fish, or chicken.
Don’t feel guilty. Meatless meals are super-healthy. When it comes to beans, they’re high in protein, and they have all kinds of other nutrients including fiber that most of us just don’t get enough of.
In my soup, I’m going to throw in a can of beans, a can of tomatoes, whatever I have in the freezer. I love keeping spinach and corn. Those are two of my go-to ingredients. Throw in a handful of those. Get a nice, whole wheat bread, and serve it with a side salad, and you’ve got a nice nutritious meal.
Don’t fret. It’s easy to do. Another thing I love to do is start with eggs. Make a frittata. You basically beat up a bunch of eggs, depending on how large your family is. Toss in those vegetables, beans, or whatever you have around, and you have a healthy meal. Garnish it with a little low-fat cheese, and your kids will love it.
Don’t think you have to be skilled to make nutritious meals. Also, maybe on the weekends, check out some online videos that actually show you some cooking techniques. Same thing on the television shows. That will help you start to feel more confident and start feeling like you can do it because you can.
Ask the Expert
Cooking Tips for Busy Moms
Question: Any tips for a single mom without enough time or skills to prepare healthy foods?
Answer from: Kathleen Zelman, R.D., nutrition expert
Just because you're a mom, doesn't mean you have time or know how to cook healthy meals for your family. Simplify your life with a few tips and shortcuts for stress-free, healthy meals.
The content of these videos is for information only and is not intended to be medical advice. Refer to your health plan benefit guide for coverage details, and consult with your doctor to determine what is best for you.
Please enter a valid email address
