How to Plan a Day of Simple Winter Meals
Quick and Easy Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner for Adults and Children
A familiar routine: Breakfast consists of a quick bowl of cereal due to morning time rush, then an hour later, hunger strikes. The obvious, and most recommended, remedy is to eat a more substantial breakfast – but who has time in the morning to prepare breakfast before work or school?
Similarly, preparation time for lunch and dinner can also be an issue. In the last decade, families have more often turned to take-out meals, especially at dinnertime.
But with growing concern for children’s nutrition, as well as the fact that restaurant food can be considerably pricey, home cooking is becoming a trend again.
Here is a day’s menu that doesn’t require extensive prep or cooking time:
Hearty and Filling Breakfast
- French toast
- Yogurt
- Orange juice
Unlike eggs, which suffer in taste if prepared the night before, French toast tastes just as flavorful when re-heated in the microwave. Pick any time during the day or night before and make a batch of French toast (approximately two slices of bread per serving.) Cover and place in the refrigerator. In the morning, microwave for 30-40 seconds, spread with butter or margarine and top with syrup.
Suggested: Aunt Jemima Butter Lite syrup, which has 50% less calories than the original but tastes just as great.
Citrus-fruit yogurt is a great side compliment; Yoplait Original offers flavors such as Key Lime, Lemon Burst and Strawberry Mango.
Orange juice is a great source of calcium and a good wake-up alternative to coffee.
Crisp and Cool Lunch
- Tuna salad on a bed of lettuce, with avocado
- Baguette or crackers spread with goat cheese
- Mints
This lunch is ideal for home or packed in a lunch box for work or school. At the supermarket, purchase already-made tuna salad. On a plate (home) or in a Tupperware (for travel), lay down a bed of lettuce and top with tuna salad. Cut avocado into thin slices or small bites and place on top or to the side.
Tuna and goat cheese are both strong flavors, but the tanginess of the cheese is actually a great side addition to the tuna.
However, goat cheese, like many cheeses, can be pricey. If fixing this lunch for a group or many children, here are a few less expensive alternative sides:
- Low-sodium flour tortilla chips and salsa
- Veggies and Ranch dressing
- Garlic bread or roll with butter
Mints, such as Andes mints, are a refreshing sweet end to the meal,
More lunch options:
Warm and Cozy Dinner
- Lentil soup
- Mini crescent rolls with margarine or butter
- Salad (optional)
Hooray – a canned lentil soup that is nearly as good as homemade. Progresso Lentil Soup has rich flavor and hearty lentils that will please the entire family. (One soup can serves approximately two people.)
Pillsbury Mini Crescent Rolls are tasty companions to soup, and in addition to the regular size package, Pillsbury now makes a package with enough dough for just four crescent rolls – perfect for a dinner for two!
An optional side is a green salad with Italian dressing, or consider fruit salad or applesauce for a refreshing compliment to the lentils.
Yummy French Toast
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