A Dietitian's View

Her first recommendation includes grocery shopping with a list based on a menu plan.

As any good dietician should, she reminds families to stock up on on fruits and vegetables -- especially this time of year, when fresh produce is abundant -- as well as pantry items. Having the ingredients is half the battle, she said.

She also encourages families to make all members active participants in the meal-making process, from menu ideas to food preparation to cleanup.

"If it is their idea, they are more likely to try healthy eating," Frank said.

Additionally, she counsels that meal preparation should not be left to one person ("usually mom").

"Children learn valuable life skills in the process, and you'll find that working in the kitchen together opens up a great opportunity to dialogue," Frank said.

Patt Wilson, a mother from Dallas, said her best shortcut for putting together a fast, healthful meal is to always have a good supply of three canned fat-free broths in her pantry -- chicken, beef and vegetable.

In a pinch, she opens three cans of chicken broth, dumps them in a pot, adds cooked chopped chicken breast (leftover or purchased cooked that day), chopped carrots, celery and onion, spices to taste and wide noodles to make a fast entrée of chicken and noodles. She said her typical soup-simmering time depends on whether the cook wants to have a second glass of wine.

"Make a quick side salad using pre-washed greens, and dinner is on the table in about 45 minutes. If you use an electric can opener, it only takes about 35 minutes," Wilson said.

Anne Kirkpatrick, a West Salem mom with four children between the ages of 6 and 12, a busy husband and a full volunteer schedule, said she uses every hint she can find to speed healthful, home-cooked meals to the table.

"Beyond the slow cooker, whenever possible, I cook a double portion to freeze or to serve later in the week -- soups, chili, casseroles, etc. The second night, I may have to cook noodles or rice, and that is it."

Kirkpatrick also plans dinners a week at a time so there is no last-minute indecision or temptation.

"The full freezer comes in handy for unexpected schedule changes, like trips to the doctor," Kirkpatrick said.

Patti Williamson, mother to four teenagers, agreed that keeping the freezer stocked with items that create a quick meal is essential.

She often combines fruit jelly with equal parts hot sauce and then mixes in frozen, precooked meatballs and heats it all in a skillet. She serves it over Minute Rice in a hurry.

"The freezer items are versatile and can be super quick to make," Williamson said.

Denise Cedar, another registered dietician at Salem Hospital who also is a certified diabetes educator, said easy dinner ideas are key to helping the community eat fast and healthful meals.

She said she often shares quick-dinner ideas with her clients to help them avoid making choices that negatively can impact their health.

One of her favorite recipes, Veggie Egg Puff, can be assembled and cooked in less that 25 minutes -- easily the same time it would take to drive to a fast-food restaurant, order, pay, wait and return home.

"With a green salad, a slice of whole-grain bread and some yogurt or fruit, you have a balanced meal in minutes," Cedar said.

One other idea, promoted by a Texas mother, is supper swapping.

Fed up with eating on the run, nine years ago, author Susan Thacker and a friend started swapping meals.

"I was serious about wanting home-cooked meals on school nights, and this made me accountable," Thacker said. "I would cook on Sunday or Monday nights and double up the meals I was making and then swap with my friend for two nights. On Wednesdays, we'd eat leftovers, and then she'd cook for Thursdays and Fridays. We kept it simple for delivery and reheating, and we did it for 8 1/2 years. I would only cook one day per week."

Thacker recommends starting supper swapping with just one friend and avoiding casseroles, if possible. Her book insists families can jettison processed food, return to old-fashioned dinnertime values including having dessert, and parents will only have to cook about four times per month.

"I believe supper swapping is the only way I was able to consistently provide my family with traditional, sit-down dinners on weekdays," Thacker said. "I highly recommend trying it."