Quick meals in 30 minutes or less
By Maj. Karen E. Fauber DeCA dietitian
FORT LEE, Va. – You are on the way home from work and need to grab something quick for dinner. When there’s little or no time to cook, stop off at the commissary and choose something that can satisfy you and your hungry family and save 30 percent on your grocery bill.
Instead of hitting the fast food restaurants try these quick, easy tips on how to make healthy choices. Keep some of these foods in stock at your house for 30-minutes-or-less dinners that are sure to please. With some simple tips and tools, it’s easy to make meals that are nutritious, quick and tasty.
Tips to make Healthy Food Choices
| Choose this |
instead of this |
to save this |
| rotisserie chicken |
fried chicken |
save 150 calories and get less fat per serving |
| quick brown rice |
french fries |
save 180 calories and get 3 grams fiber per serving |
| bake your own french fries |
french fries |
save 100 calories and get less fat |
| baked sweet potato |
french fries |
save 100 calories and get 4 grams fiber, potassium, and less fat per serving |
| whole wheat dinner rolls |
white dinner rolls |
get 3 grams of fiber per serving |
Here are some other ideas for meals that can help feed your hungry crew.
Healthy Choice Meal Ideas
| Mix this |
with this |
to get this |
| frozen meal in a bag or meal to go in the meat section of the commissary |
extra frozen vegetables or beans or brown rice or whole pasta |
protein, fiber, vitamins A and C, crunch and flavor |
| bagged salad |
sliced almonds, low fat cheese, dried, canned, or fresh fruit |
protein, vitamin E, fiber, crunch and flavor |
| bagged broccoli and carrots |
salad dressing or marinade |
fiber, vitamins A and C, antioxidants, crunch and flavor |
Add these foods to your shopping list while making your life easier. Eating healthy is easy in 30 minutes or less.
See you in the commissary!
For more information about healthy food choices and other nutrition topics, post your questions on the DeCA Dietitian Forum and be sure to look for other useful information in the Dietitian’s Voice archive.
