Quick Fix Meal Tips
An internet guide to quick meal tips and healthy eating!
By Gail Knaggs
Fall can be one of the busiest times of the year. The kids are back in school, and the non-stop action of after-school activities begins. Deciding what to make for lunches can be difficult, and family meal times can get pretty harried when several children need a quick nutritious meal. Need help? The Internet is an excellent resource. Numerous Web sites feature recipes and advice on coping with the demands for fast and nutritious meal planning. A little surfing for tips and recipes for family meal planning is sure to make things go smoothly. Here’s how to click your way to meal-time success.
Dietitians of Canada
www.dieticians.ca/english/frames.html
If anyone should know about healthy eating, this group does. Make this your first stop and you won’t be disappointed. Check out the FAQ and Fact Sheets, particularly Healthy Meal Strategies for Women that suggests positive ways to cope. There are some great recipes here, so set aside plenty of time to browse.
Disney Online
familyfun.go.com/recipes/
This Disney Online Family Fun site offers a multitude of great resources, from an online recipe finder, to a free bi-monthly recipe e-newsletter. There’s even an expert advice column from Lynn Fredericks, author of Cooking Time Is Family Time. The best feature has got to be the Picky-Eater Problem Solver. Just specify what meal or ingredient you’re using, what offending vegetable or spice to exclude and the site suggests workable recipes for your picky little person.
Food Network Canada
www.foodtv.ca/recipes/search/
The recipe section of this site is comprehensive and vast. Just input an ingredient, keyword, occasion, event or mealtime to reveal endless recipe suggestions. A search under the broad keyword “family”, for example, reveals 16 pages of suitable recipes for family dining, including a quick and yummy classic tuna casserole recipe.
Here’s a quick list of some other helpful options:
Kraft Canada www.kraftcanada.com
An interesting product-branded site, with plenty of suggestions for busy families.
Canadian Egg Marketing Agency www.eggs.ca
Lots of recipes here for egg-lovers, plus a free e-newsletter option that promises plenty of quick egg dinners.
Foodland Ontario www.foodland.gov.on.ca/tv_recipes.htm
Features a variety of TV-tested recipes. Just click on the icon for a specific TV show to check out a list of the recipes that have appeared on that program. Great for vegetarian recipes.
Chatelaine Online www.chatelaine.com/foodrecipes/tools/recipes/index.jsp
Another comprehensive recipe search option. Search for kid-friendly recipes from the Cuisine Type advanced search menu.
Allrecipes.comkid.allrecipes.com
The kid section of this huge, well-established recipe portal includes lots of great vegetarian options. There’s something for everyone here.
Gail Knaggs is the librarian at Markham Stouffville Hospital.
2600 John Street, Unit 207, Markham, ON L3R 3W3 T: 905.475.5222 F: 905.475.6369
