Some of us work all day and when we get home, are sometimes just too tired to set about preparing a full-fledged meal. Now if breakfast and lunch were nutritious and filling, dinner can be the best time to watch those calories. It is easy to prepare a healthy meal, low in calories and fat without spending too much time in the kitchen prepping, cooking and cleaning up afterwards.
The following ideas may help you in your time of need: Macaroni and cheese has been a long standing favorite with the kiddies and quite a few adults, one might add. The upside is it is very easy to make this dish without the high level of sodium and lack of nutrition. Use whole wheat pasta, low fat or skim milk and ricotta cheese instead of cheddar. Mix in some vegetables, if you have fresh broccoli, peas and carrots that is great; if not, add the frozen variety. You will be doing the family a huge favor cooking the meal from scratch rather than out of a box.
Mexican food can be a healthy option for a low calorie, tasty dinner. If you have canned salmon (make sure not to buy can with high sodium levels), you can add black beans and make a great tostada dish. Salmon is full of the goodness of omega 3 fatty acids and the beans provide plenty of iron and protein. If you don't have salmon, you can always grill a chicken breast or two and use that. A quicker option would be to put together the dish and spoon into readymade tortilla shells or tacos.
Tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches are another fast favorite on the dinner menu. You won't get much opposition from the kids for this type of dinner! Always have canned soup without the high sodium content in your pantry that you can use when you are too tired to make the soup from scratch. Add some skim milk to the soup for a dash of calcium and to make the soup creamier in texture. Use low fat butter, a very small quantity, whole wheat bread and cheese. If you mash the cheese and butter together, you won't need to use too much of either. For a change, you can add grilled turkey or chicken breast to the mix for some added protein.
There are plenty of easy to prepare dinner ideas out there for you to choose from when you are simply too tired to cook large meals.
Healthy Cooking Equates to Good Health
We need to eat a low-cholesterol diet for a healthy heart and the best way to ensure this happens is to employ healthy cooking techniques. For example, substitute sweet potatoes for regular potatoes, and switch to wheat pastas and whole grain breads to begin w