September is National Family Meals Month
By Allison Kuhn, MS, RD, LD
Director of Retail Dietetics for The Little Clinic
Here at The Little Clinic, we�re celebrating National Family Meals Month� in September, a nationwide event designed to underscore the benefits of family meals and the role that grocers and retail healthcare providers, including dietitians, can play in helping your family share one more meal at home per week. Researchers and health experts endorse and promote the lifelong benefits of family meals.Numerous studies show that home-cooked meals nourish the spirit, brain and health of all family members. Regular family meals are linked to the kinds of outcomes that we all want for our children: higher grades and self-esteem, healthier eating habits and less risky behavior.
So how can we push past the hurdles of busy schedules, tight budgets, and the ease of the drive thru to put more meals on the plate at home? Meal planning, like any habit, can take a bit of time to establish. However, a little planning can help you build a routine that makes it easy to nourish your family with home-cooked dishes. Here are six �dietitian tips� for making meal planning a breeze for you and your family:
-Decide on a timeframe and shopping day that works for you. Will you plan meals for one week or two? Will you shop on the weekend or halfway through the week?
-Use a calendar to keep track of the meals planned each day or evening. Consider other things your family has going on so you don�t plan meals for nights away from home.
-Protein can be the most expensive part of any meal. Plan the proteins you�ll use in meals around what�s on sale that week.
-Schedule your meat-based meals at the beginning of your meal planning period for freshness and food safety, then switch to plant-based proteins like mushrooms, beans and nuts, which have longer shelf lives.
-Cook once, eat twice! This strategy works best for liquid-based dishes such as pastas, soups, chili and casseroles, which are less likely to dry out when reheated.
-It can be helpful to plan specific dinners and then leave a bit of flexibility for breakfasts and lunches. Having a few healthy staple items for these meals allows you to adapt to your �food mood.� Show your commitment to the National Family Meals Movement on Social Media!
Follow The LittleClinic on Facebook for more tips and recipes. Show your support for National Family Meals Month� by pledging on social media to Raise Your Mitt to Commit� to sharing one more family meal at home per week. Have fun with the pledge and help us bring national awareness to the benefits of family meals with Raise Your Mitt to Commit� selfies using the hashtag #raiseyourmitt!
Start out Family Meals Month with this delicious and nutritious take on Family Burger Night!
Ingredients needed:
1/2 lb. mushrooms, finely chopped
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 small onion, finely diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1 egg
6 hamburger buns
Toppings: lettuce, tomato, red onion, mustard, pickles, etc.
Directions:
Place the mushrooms in a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pulse until finely chopped.
In a non-stick skillet over medium heat, cook chopped mushrooms until brown and most moisture has been released (about 3-5 minutes). Set aside and let cool.
In a large bowl, combine mushrooms, beef, onion, garlic, breadcrumbs and egg; mix all ingredients until incorporated. Form into six patties and cook either on the grill or on the stove-top until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees Farenheit.
Place patty on warmed bun and top with toppings of your choice.
Yield is 6 (1/3 lb.) patties.