Cheap, Easy and Healthy: Dinner ideas for busy parents

You know the feeling... You come home tired after a long day and you are hungry and your kids are hungry! The last thing you want to do is slave away in the kitchen.This is the time alot of us dread, but dinner does not have to be a four course meal with all the fixings to be healthy and work for your family.

Our schedules are hectic and the days of the family dinner are disappearing unfortunately because of our busy schedules. Your children need a meal and they need you to eat with them at the table (or with some other responsible adult), but don't get caught up in the guilt and the "shoulds" of feeding your family. All you need to do is set a time for dinner, make everyone sit down at the same time, and put something on the table to eat. Make dinner easier on yourself and you will find yourself looking forward to family meals more and more.

Here is a week's worth of easy, cheap, and healthy meal ideas. Remember your dinners don't have to be perfect! But try has hard as you can to make them happen at the table, as a family, and as pleasant as possible.

1. Grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup (use WIC cheese and whole wheat bread from your WIC food instruments)- perfect for a chilly fall day!




2. Try breakfast for dinner- Eggs, toast or cereal, fruit, and milk (all WIC foods!)




3. Mexican night- bean and cheese burritos (use your WIC beans instead of refried beans and your WIC whole wheat tortillas). Serve with your favorite canned or fresh fruits or veggies (I like corn and tomatoes with mexican food).




4. Tuna melt sandwiches with cut up carrots and ranch dressing.




5. Homemade mini pizzas (with your toppings of choice, you can use your WIC whole wheat tortillas here as well). Have with your favorite veggies or fruit. Serve milk to drink.




6. Macaroni and cheese, milk (for protein), and a fruit or veggie.




7. A classic kids' favorite for those really busy nights: peanut butter and jelly sandwich, milk, and... you guessed it... a fruit or veggie.
   
   
   
   
   

   -Allison Leonard RD