Off-Campus Living: Cooking Made Easy
Do you need ideas for cooking at home? Most times, you will have little time to plan ahead for meal planning and preparation. Therefore, on a weekend day (i.e. Sunday) or another slower day of the week, you may want to do your thinking and shopping at ONE time. You can then make meals available at a moment’s notice, especially when you are busy and on the go with school, recreation, and/or work.
Let’s take a look at where to start when contemplating what to have on hand at home and then what to prepare for yourself for a quick meal. First, always start with the basics. KEEP ON HAND: A ½-1 gallon of lowfat milk (skim, 1% best), a variety of lowfat yogurts, shredded Cheddar (use sparingly), string cheese, a loaf or two of your favorite bread (100% whole wheat, sourdough, cracked wheat, 12-grain), olive oil, salsa, non-trans margarine, lite salad dressing, and a variety of wholesome, high quality snacks, such as whole-grain crackers, lite popcorn, and dried fruit.
CONSIDER THE RULE OF “FIVE”
Choose five different foods from each food group to begin your shopping trip…
FIVE PROTEIN SOURCES: Choose canned tuna (packed in water), peanut butter (natural is best), grilled chicken (prepare in advance or use already prepared and ready to heat from the bag), hamburger (lean), and turkey or roast beef (lean, deli-style).
FIVE STARCH SOURCES: Choose pasta (boil a large portion, rinse, and store in the fridge in advance), rice (cook and store in a shallow container), tortillas (flour or corn), cereal (cooked and ready-to-eat, whole grain), and potatoes (red or white) – grab a small bag and then microwave them one at a time for quick availability.
FIVE VEGETABLE SOURCES: Choose baby carrots (ready to go), pre-cut veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, peppers) in a small bag to be used quickly to avoid spoiling, cucumbers (peel and eat), corn (buy in a frozen bag and heat only what you need), and green peas (snow) or beans (portion and steam from a freezer bag).
FIVE FRUIT SOURCES: Choose “hand fruit” – it is always ready to go – those fruits fit in your hand and are easy to wash and eat. Examples include bananas, orange, apples, pears, and grapes. With fruit, have a supply of small sandwich bags ready to use. Drop a piece of fruit and a napkin in the bag, throw it in your backpack and you’re ready to go. Include a small portion of cheese/crackers, nuts/peanuts (almonds, pistachios) to combine the complex carb (fruit) with a healthy protein source. Also, remember during the winter, you can get lots of variety of canned fruits (packed in water) which are healthy and great alternatives to fresh fruit. Include pears, peaches, tropical fruit, and mandarin oranges. Keep a supply in your cupboard for an easy-to-grab snack also.
Now, the idea is that your combine the foods you have purchased and made readily available in your refrigerator and cupboards. You have made it easy to choose different combinations on a daily basis. Try to create meal ideas by selecting from the foods listed above… simply choose one food from each category or food group:
Dinner One |
Dinner Two Tuna Sandwich Rice with Olive Oil Green Beans An Orange Glass of Milk |
Dinner Three Grilled Chicken in a Flour Tortilla (Salsa) Corn (on the cob) Peaches (lite) Glass of Milk |
| Dinner Four Peanut Butter on - Whole Wheat Bread Cucumbers, fresh A Banana w/ Yogurt Glass of Milk |
Dinner Five Turkey/Cheese on - Sourdough Bread Small Salad w/ dressing Mandarin Oranges Glass of Milk |
Dinner Six Roast Beef/Swiss (Hot, French Bread) Broccoli/Cauliflower Fresh Pear Slices Glass of Milk |
These meals are not only quick to prepare (when you have the right foods available in advance), but they are well-rounded and readily available If you start out with the RULE OF FIVE, you can repeat your grocery list on a weekly basis until you are in the habit of combining lots of different foods. It may seem tough or even expensive at first, but once you have a pattern established and you avoid eating out or on the go from vending machines, you will ultimately save money.
Eventually, you will have established habits, those which last a lifetime – go ahead and START NOW!
If you have questions, contact Linda J. Hogg, RD, LN, Nutritionist at the Student Health Service at 994-4380.
