Facilitated Group Discussion Plan
Topic: “Easy Meals for Busy Families”
Target Group: Parents, Child Care Providers, WIC clients
Objective for the Session: Participants will identify ways to make meal preparation easier,
faster and know how to modify quick meals to make them more nutritious.
Icebreaker: Ask the class how much time they have to prepare dinner. What do they do for
dinner on busy days? Have the class think of the food they have available in their fridge or
cupboards. Ask what meals they could prepare without going to the store. How long would it
take to prepare?
Discussion Questions:
Why is healthy eating important?
How long do you think it takes to make a healthy meal?
How can you make quick meals more nutritious?
What can you do to save time?
What foods do you think of grabbing when you want something fast to eat?
What convenience items do you have on hand to make meal preparation quicker?
What are some advantages to making meals at home?
How can planning meals ahead of time make things easier?
What can you do ahead of time to speed up meal preparation?
What cooking methods can you use to save time?
Factual Messages:
•
Our lives are busy! Parents and children are involved in many activities that leave little
time in the kitchen for preparing family meals. Take-out meals or eating at restaurants
can be less healthy options and expensive. In spite of time limits, we all want dinner that
tastes good and is healthy.
•
In a 1996 study commissioned by Land O’ Lakes, less than 10 percent of those polled
thought it was possible to make a successful meal in 30 minutes or less.
•
Nutrition helps us feel and perform better! Practice nutritious eating habits:
*Variety
*Balance physical activity with what you eat
*Include plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grains
*Decrease fat in the diet
*Eat sweets in moderation
*Use salt in moderation
*If you drink alcohol, limit the amount you drink
•
Quick Meal Tips
1. Have a well stocked pantry. You can’t cook if you don’t have any food in the house.
At some point, make one initial extended shopping trip to get your pantry stocked, or buy
a little extra of some items for your storage each time you go to the store.
2. You don’t need large quantities of items; variety can give you flexibility when you
cook.
3. Use a shopping list! A little preparation before your trip to the store will save time and
money.
4. Organize your shopping list according to how the store is laid out.
5. What do you need? Here are some basics:
-A variety of canned goods-beans, broths, tomatoes, tuna and chicken
-Assorted pasta
-Rice (quick cooking), other grains. Try brown rice!
-Assorted oils and vinegars, low sodium soy sauce
-Herbs/spices/salt and pepper
-Assorted fruits and vegetables
-Milk-canned, evaporated, powdered milk (lowfat versions)
-Eggs/cheese
-Fresh fruits and vegetables-lemons, potatoes, apples, carrots, celery
-A variety of breads/tortillas
•
Have the right equipment
-You don’t need every gadget on the market. Get essential items you will use frequently.
-When choosing utensils, keep in mind that plastic or wooden utensils are best for nonstick cookware.
-Keep your knives sharp (more accidents happen with dull knives).
-Purchase baking dishes that can be used in both the oven and the microwave.
-A food processor or a blender can save preparation time.
-A pressure cooker can be used to cook beans quickly (handout available).
•
Have a Menu
-Plan your food for a week. (Sample shopping list and weekly menu included).
-Involve the whole family! This might help to decrease “picky” eating.
Guidelines:
-Start by choosing a few traditional or favorite dishes.
-Try one new recipe each week that has things that you and your family like.
-On the weekend, when you have more time, try something new or different.
-Balance the menu with a variety of flavors and textures.
•
Meal Preparation
-Read the entire recipe before you begin cooking.
-Assemble ingredients, utensils and equipment.
-Let the recipe be a guide, don’t be afraid to use the ingredients you have on hand.
-Be flexible and improvise. Don’t be afraid to experiment.
-Double up on your tasks.
-Never compromise safety at the expense of speed.
•
Time Saving Cooking Methods
One dish meals
-Slow cookers
-Microwaves
-Stove top
-Rice cooker
-Stir-fry
Cook extra and freeze
-Cook double or triple the amount you’ll need for one meal. Put extra food in the fridge
and use it for other meals within 2 days or freeze it for later use.
-Make soups, stews or casseroles on the weekend and freeze for later.
Make breakfast meals for dinner
-Pancakes, waffles, omelets, etc. are great quick options for dinner.
Keep it simple
-Use recipes that require a minimum number of ingredients and equipment.
-Do some tasks (like making a salad, or cooking pasta or ground meat) a few hours or a
day before your meal.
Summarize key discussion points/suggestions:
•
Quick nutritious meals are possible with a little planning and organization.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Have a well stocked pantry
Have the right equipment
Plan and use a menu
Be flexible during meal preparation
Use time saving cooking methods
Materials needed:
Copy of weekly menu planner for each class member
Copy of cooking beans with a pressure cooker
Dry/erase board and markers
Verbal Evaluation: Ask class participants for their comments, actual stories, or something new
they are going to try with their family.
References:
Mill, B., & Ross, A. Desperation Dinners
Workman Publishing Company, Inc. New York, NY, 1997
Mitchell, P. The 15 Minute Gourmet Chicken
IDG Books Worldwide, Inc. Foster City, CA 1999
Crocker, B. Easy Family Dinners
General Mills, Inc. 2004
Prevention Editorial Staff Prevention’s Healthy One-Dish Meals in Minutes
Rodale Press, Inc. 1996
Gugino, S. Cooking to Beat the Clock
Chronicle Books, 1998
Allrecipes.com, Tried & True Quick & Easy top 200 Recipes
All recipes 2002
“Meals: Quick and Tasty for Less”. www.scdhec.gov (WIC Works).