The new year always comes with the best intentions: eat healthier, work out more, get more sleep and cut down on all that stress.
When it comes to your kid’ health, perhaps you’ve made a commitment to stock your kitchen with healthy food, cook more and share more family meals together.
Those are all great New Year’s resolutions to have of course, but so often we find ourselves back to our old habits come February.
Between work, after-school activities and every other obligation you have, carving out time to plan, shop and cook gets really challenging.
With some healthy eating hacks and a few supermarket shortcut foods on hand however, you don’t have to rely on processed foods, ready-made meals and grab-and-go options to make sure your family stays on track.
Here are 8 supermarket shortcuts that will make healthy eating a breeze all year long.
1. Salad kits
My family has become hooked on a salad kit made with shaved Brussels sprouts, shredded cabbage, pumpkin seeds and dried cranberries. Not only is it healthy and delicious, but having a salad kit on hand helps us pull together dinner in minutes flat.
When choosing a salad kit, always read labels since many salad kits are high in calories, sodium and sugar and use low-nutrient greens like iceberg lettuce instead of dark leafy greens.
2. Spinach
High in iron, spinach is also a good source of protein, fiber, vitamins A,C,E, B6, folate, magnesium and calcium.
Pre-washed baby spinach (organic when possible), cooks super-fast and can be incorporated into almost meal you’re making.
Sauté spinach with olive oil and garlic, add it to soups, stews and stir-fries or incorporate it into a quiche or frittata. Raw spinach can be mixed with other salad greens or used for your morning smoothies or green juices.
3. Frozen fruits and vegetables
Since frozen fruits and vegetables are picked at their peak freshness and flash frozen, they may be healthier than fresh varieties. In fact, a June 2017 study in the Journal of Food Composition and Analysis found in some cases frozen produce is more nutritious than fresh that’s been stored in the refrigerator for 5 days.
Stocking your freezer with a variety of frozen options will help you pull together meals in no time. Add frozen veggies to pastas, omelettes, or a stir-fry and incorporate frozen fruit into smoothies and yogurt or serve it as dessert.
4. Beans
Beans are one of the healthiest foods for kids and make for a quick and easy meal.
Add canned beans to tacos, fajitas, soups and stews, serve them solo in your kid’s lunch box, or puree them into a healthy and delicious bean dip.
5. Tempeh
If you’re looking to add more plant-based protein sources into your meals, try tempeh.
With more than 5 grams of protein in every ounce, tempeh is also high in fiber and magnesium.
Since it’s made with fermented soybeans, tempeh is also a great way to get probiotics into your kid’s diet.
Marinate tempeh and bake it, slice it thin and sauté it with vegetables, or swap crumbled tempeh for meat in your favorite Mexican dishes.
6. Canned fish
One of the best supermarket shortcuts to help your family eat healthy is canned fish like salmon, sardines and anchovies.
Packed with protein, low in saturated fat and rich in micronutrients, fish is also an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, which support kids’ brain health and memory.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommend kids eat fish 1 to 2 times every week, starting at age 2.
If your kids refuse to eat fish however, try non-sneaky ways to incorporate small portions into their meals. For example, serve canned salmon as a dip paired with cut up raw vegetables, top toasted whole-grain bread with a bit of anchovies, or add a few sardines to pasta dishes.
7. Edamame
An excellent source of protein, fiber, iron and magnesium, edamame (soybeans) are high in calcium: one cup of provides 97 milligrams.
Purchase edamame frozen or fully cooked and add it to rice dishes, soups and salads or serve it as a side dish. You can also serve edamame as an appetizer before dinner when kids are hungry and more likely to try new foods.
8. Quinoa
Quinoa, a seed, is high in both protein and fiber as well as B vitamins, which support the nervous system.
Quinoa is also a quick and easy grain that can be served for breakfast with fruit and cinnamon, mixed into a yogurt parfait or as a side dish for lunch or dinner.
