| In our busy world, we often want quick meals, but this does not mean it has to be fast food or takeout, which often ends up not being good for us. Easy quick meals are very desirable to people who work all day, possibly have kids who need to do their homework, and have household chores left at the end of the day. Rachael Ray of the Food Network, whose show, 30-Minute Meals is popular for a reason! She offers quick and easy meals that anyone can tackle. Some of her quick dinner ideas include pastas, pizzas and salads. These can be made with little fuss and yet are crowd-pleasers.
Another tip from Rachael Ray is to make a master list for your kitchen, stock up on basic products and buy in bulk. If you have basic stores at home, you’ll be less tempted to eat out. If you master some basic recipes, you’ll be able to whip something up in no time.
Quick meals for kids can be fun and more appealing to them for them if they help make a meal themselves. Easy recipes are often breakfast dishes. Most kids can help scramble eggs or make French toast, with some supervision, of course. While they are watching the pancakes turn brown, you can be pouring orange juice and watching over the bacon in the microwave.
One-dish meals can be a great time saver. You can make endless variations with stir frying, skillet meals, casseroles and omelets. For example, you could stir fry shrimp, chicken or beef with a variety of vegetables. That’s a healthy, quick meal in minutes.
Skillet dishes could be seafood paella, scallops and spinach or chicken with peppers. Casseroles are a staple of the busy cook. If you make them on the weekend, you can freeze them or save them for a quick meal during the week. Try tuna casserole, chicken and beans or pork chops and rice. Omelets are fast and easy and you can put whatever your heart’s desire in them and are appropriate for a quick dinner for guests. Julia Child often suggested them on her PBS show. Add mushrooms and cheese or ham and peppers for a particularly satisfying dinner.
The key to quick meals is to plan ahead and get organized. There’s no need to take a long time to make a meal when you you’d rather be doing something else.
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