Help Wanted: Menu Planning

Cooking nutritious meals for your family may seem like a daunting task but with menu planning and time management you CAN do it. Menu planning does not have to be complicated. What it does need to be is realistic for you and your family.

Start with these tips:

1. Write down some of your favorite meals and ask for input from family members. If you can’t think of any ideas, look for recipe ideas on Texas A&M AgriLife Extension’s Dinner Tonight website.
2. Plan a weeks’ worth of meals at a time. Don’t forget to include side dishes (which can be as simple as a frozen bag of veggies).
3. Designate meals for each day. If you know that Wednesday nights are hectic with afterschool activities, make that night grab-and-go style. For example, you could make turkey wraps with low fat cheese and spinach, carrot sticks and use Greek yogurt as a dessert.
4. Take a quick inventory of your pantry and fridge then go grocery shopping based on your menu. Remember to make a list.

Try this main course recipe that has less than 400 calories per serving and will still leave you feeling satisfied! To round out a healthy dinner follow MyPlate and add a  fruit, vegetables, and dairy as needed.

Tex Mex Beef Skillet

• 1 lb extra lean ground beef or turkey breast
• 1 medium onion chopped
• 2 tbsp chili powder
• 2 tbsp unsalted tomato paste
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 3 cups cooked brown rice
• 1 (16 ounce) can unsalted pinto beans rinsed and drained
• 2 (4 ounce) cans diced green chilies
• 1 (14 ounce) can unsalted diced tomatoes un-drained
• fresh cilantro for garnish

Instructions

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook meat and onion until brown, stirring to crumble; drain. Return meat to skillet. Add chili powder, cumin, tomato paste and salt. Stir in rice, beans, and chilies; heat through. Garnish with cilantro if desired. Serve immediately. Yields 6 servings.

Nutrition Facts: 320 calories; total  fat- 4.5g; saturated fat-1.5g; sodium-420mg; carbohydrates-46g; dietary fiber-9g; protein-24g.