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Healthy Fast Food

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We’ve all read the research suggesting that the more often families eat together, the less likely the kids are to have behavioral issues, smoke, do drugs, get depressed and develop eating disorders. However, with the back-to-school hustle and bustle in full swing, making that happen can be tricky. Between shuttling kids to sports practice, dance and church events, the evenings go by faster and faster with each passing year. Thankfully, with a little pre-planning, you can create your own arsenal of healthy “fast food” without succumbing to the golden arches or running for the border.

Meal Plan: Once a week, sit down with your calendar to evaluate the week and come up with a meal plan. If Tuesday is your busiest evening, make it a point to plan a meal you can make in the slow cooker. If Wednesday’s schedule is open and free, choose that day to try a new recipe or cook a leisurely dinner from scratch. Then, just like a doctor’s appointment, actually schedule when you will do your grocery shopping and prepare your food. Seeing it in writing will help you stay committed to actually getting it done. 

Create a shopping list template: On average, 60 to 75 percent of the food items you purchase are weekly staples. However, how often do you still forget to grab the milk or bread? Take a few minutes to sit in front of your computer and type out your basic grocery list by category (dairy, produce, grains, freezer foods, snack foods, deli counter). Leave space below each category to add in the non-staples you’ll need just that week. Keep a printed copy by the fridge and you easily can add what you need. (You even can use Hy-Vee’s online pickup service to pre-order your food online.)

Stock your freezer: This is one of the best ways to save money and ensure you always have healthy, fast food on hand. Think about the convenience foods you already purchase in the frozen food section: burritos, enchiladas, waffles, French toast, pasta bakes, muffins, meatballs, brown rice, the list goes on! You easily can make these items at home with healthier ingredients than you would find prepackaged at the store. (See recipe below for our family’s favorite: coconut crusted chicken tenders.)

Cook once, eat twice: While we’re on the subject of stocking your freezer, think ahead. When making soups, stews, baked chicken and casseroles, double the recipe and prepare two at once. Let soups and stews cool and then freeze them in a labeled and dated freezer bag. For casseroles (or other oven items), buy some disposable foil pans and 2.5-gallon freezer bags. Cover the pan with heavy-duty foil and place in bags. On the top of the bag, use a permanent marker to write down the name of the item, date prepared and baking instructions. Defrost in the fridge overnight and, voila, dinner is ready to be heated and served.

Embrace the “snacky” dinner: All meals don’t have to be restaurant quality or even what most of us would consider a meal. Any combination of protein, healthy fats, produce and/or non-processed grains can qualify as a healthy dinner. In a rush, have your kiddos grab some string cheese, popcorn and an apple to eat in the car. Even if they need a bedtime snack when they get home, the food will easily keep them fueled through their lessons. Other great grab-and-go options to keep on hand are trail mix, granola bars, carrots with mini hummus cups, turkey and cheese rollups, deviled eggs, whole grain crackers with cheese, ants on a log (celery with peanut butter and raisins) and yogurt tubes. Lenexa mom Wende Hughes likes to microwave deli turkey and cheese, claiming it’s less messy because the cheese acts like a glue. Having a “snacky” dinner that is well rounded is still a more nutritious option than a drive-through. 

    Finally, don’t sweat the small stuff: If you are making a conscious effort to serve your family healthy meals 80 percent of the time, give yourself some wiggle room for the other 20 percent. If the day gets away from you (or the thought of getting dinner on the table is just too much), it’s okay! The world won’t come to an end if you splurge on the occasional burger and fries. After all, sometimes it’s more important to feed your soul instead. 

Coconut Crusted Chicken Tenders

Ingredients (Serves 6, freezes beautifully):

Instructions (30 minutes, 10 minutes active):

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

While oven heats, prepare your breading: Combine panko breadcrumbs with unsweetened coconut, sea salt and black pepper.

Prepare your “glue”: In a cereal size bowl, lightly scramble 2 eggs with the dijon mustard.

Set up an assembly line.  To prevent your breading from getting super sticky and eggy, try to use one hand to dip the chicken in the egg and then drop it into your breading.

Use your clean hand to toss chicken in breading.  Place on a Silpat or parchment lined baking sheet.

Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes, until a meat thermometer registers 165 degrees.  

Serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauce, slice over salads or freeze in a labeled and dated freezer bag for up to three months.  

Notes:  These chicken tenders can easily go gluten-free by using brown rice crispy cereal in place of the breadcrumbs. Simply pulse in a food processor until a similar consistency. Brown rice crispy cereal is available in the health and/or gluten-free section of most supermarkets.  Vegetarians can use organic tofu strips in place of the chicken. Do I need to mention that kids LOVE these?!? To cook from frozen, bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Because they are fully cooked, the 165 degree mark is not crucial. You just want them hot enough to enjoy.

Katie Newell is a certified nutrition coach with a passion for helping families become better. She is also a culinary instructor, cookbook author and mama to two sweet girls, ages 7 and 8. You can order her book and check out more of her real food recipes at HealthnutFoodie.com.

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