Easy Meals for Busy Families

Let’s face it. Life is busy these days, and with a growing family, it only gets busier.

As kids get older, activities increase along with school, homework and other outside obligations. Currently, most families have two working parents as well, so when do we cook all those healthy meals that we see on Pinterest and other blogs? How do we keep our family fed without breaking the bank?

Thankfully, in the age of the internet, there are many options for busy families to feed their families healthy dinners on a budget, without having to constantly eat out or purchase expensive ingredients. There are recipes galore on the internet, along with apps, videos on YouTube and cookbooks. With all these options, where does one start?

One piece of equipment that can be quite the heavy hitter in the kitchen is the crockpot or a pressure cooker. These are fantastic to use because you can set them and leave them to do the work for you while you are at work or driving the kids to various activities. When you get home, dinner is hot and ready. Also, these items are easy to clean as the pots are removable, and many brands are dishwasher safe.

When it comes to finding recipes, there are some tried-and-true places to look. At Canton Public Library, we have a plethora of cookbooks to get you started. Using cookbooks from the library is a wonderful way to find new, easy recipes without having to buy the book. You can find some great, classic things to make or even try something new.

Some fun titles we have include Cooking for Fun by Stephen McCoy, Every Day With Babs: 101 Easy & Delicious Family-Friendly Dinners for Every Night of the Week by Barbara Costello, Everyday Dinners by Jessica Merchant, and Simply Jamie by Jamie Oliver. Each of these great titles highlights ingredients most families already have, foods that will come together quickly and often in one pan, and things kids will enjoy.

There is also quite a variety of websites to choose from. Thankfully, many offer simple but tasty recipes that use ingredients that you probably already have. Some examples include the Betty Crocker Recipes website, which not only offers many recipes—you can also narrow them down by what kind of food you want to cook, by food allergies or dietary needs.

Eating Well offers many suggestions for quick, yet healthy dinners and offers options based on dietary needs or health issues. This website also has tips for keeping a healthy lifestyle and other health-related topics, as well as a section dedicated to kid-friendly recipes.

Good Housekeeping has long been a standard for their recommendations on all kinds of items you might need, but they also have a high standard for their recipes. One article to check out is their 54 Best Kid-Friendly Dinners. It’s sure to have meals that are fun, healthy and easy to prepare.