by Betty Blake

Created on: September 15, 2009   Last Updated: December 08, 2011

Despite the shopping and preparation for weekly dinner meals, there are times when our "plates" are too full to ponder about dinner plans. Moreover, a household with kids, can be mind boggling. An easy way out would be to make a run for the nearest fast food joint. However, as we know, the choices could be quite unhealthy. Although some of the fast food eateries are making an effort to provide a few healthy choices, there still remains a huge gap to fill. Overall, fast food meals provide poor nutrition, and this is evident by the rise in obesity and other chronic diseases.

We are all strapped for time. Many householders leave home in the wee hours of the morning for work and school. Then, there is soccer practice, music lessons, and the arrival home where the supervision of homework is done. At this juncture, the big question always arising is, "what's for dinner?" If one can have the time and petrol to visit a fast food joint, you can find the time to whip up a fast, healthy and delicious meal.

While your kids attempt to solve that algebra problem, you could be raiding your pantry, refrigerator and freezer for the ingredients necessary to prepare that special yet easy and fast meal. Some of the food items you should already stock beforehand are:

Pantry

Canned vegetables, beans, tuna (in water) and sardines are excellent choices to have on hand. Also, some whole wheat pasta, rice and couscous. It is also a great idea to retain a few cans of soup, bread, olive/vegetable oils, dried herbs/spices, and peanut butter.

Refrigerator

This area should always contain eggs, yogurt, carrots, tomatoes, cheese, lowfat milk, nuts, and ingredients for a green salad.

Freezer

The freezer is a 'godsend' when it comes to preserving frozen dinners for emergency. However, it is very handy for storing frozen pasta like ravioli or tortellini. In addition, a variety of vegetables is good to have on hand. It is also vital to have handy seafood and lean chop meats of turkey and beef.

Having the correct ingredients can assist you tremendously when you need to prepare quick and healthy meals for your family. Incorporating a little creativity and improvision can go a far way. Three fast and healthy dinners you can prepare are as follows:

OMELET/WHOLE WHEAT TOAST

Eggs are not only for breakfast but are versatile for a dinner meal. They are chock full of protein, and many vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that are beneficial to your family members. For those who are monitoring their cholesterol,

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