Balancing the Plate with Convenience Foods {Client}

Ahhh it’s time to come out of hiatus. Between a very active baby, an overseas move, adjusting to a totally new culture, amidst countless travels, and a new book (Born to Eat, coming to you in May 2017) I am just now finding a “normal” rhythm.  I cannot begin to tell you the amount of times I wanted to sit down and post a blog, but instead I just posted the recipe on Facebook or on Instagram–only so many hours in the day, right?  I’ll be really honest, since the birth of Miss A my sole focus has been on her and just being present. She took a long time (20 years) to come into our lives and I really want to absorb every breath she takes.  What a beautiful year it has been!

When Nestle contacted me with an opportunity to blog about the Balanced Your Plate Challenge I was thrilled–perfect for a mama & dietitian like me to share the “ins and outs” of why I balance our dinners with frozen foods.

Disclosure: Nestle sent me a gift card for product testing and coupons. My words are my own and my selection of products were my own, as well.

Getting a meal on the table isn’t always the easiest with a toddler clinging to your leg, but when you know the nutritional importance of a balanced meal you work to make it happen. There are 4 key reasons why I keep frozen foods on hand in my freezer:

1. Time – As I mentioned there are really only so many hours in a day, and cooking up 3 meals a day with a toddler can have its challenges. When it’s late and time is running short I open up the freezer for something easy to throw together. At this point going out to eat has to be early or else push a bedtime which can be unpleasant.
2. Needing a break – Yes, I LOVE to cook; however, there are days where I’m exhausted at the thought of preparing a meal, and even more exhausted with the idea of eating out (bed times are 7pm here, so that makes it even more challenging).
3. Balancing Time in the Meal Preparation – Sometimes I opt to make homemade bread, a detailed side dish or desert, which can leave me lacking the energy for the rest of the meal. I no longer have the luxury of spending an entire day in the kitchen, but still want my family to know the taste of homemade bread or cookies. It’s all a balance and shifting of priorities.
4. Frozen Meals Can Be Delicious – I’ll be the first to admit that there are some things Stouffers makes better than mom or any of the restaurants around here. I grew up enjoying their stuffed peppers, salisbury steak, and lasagna. Any favorites you remember???

Speaking of which, have you checked out Stouffer’s list of ingredients lately? Man, they have some fabulous dishes with the same ingredients that I’d use at home. Fresh, preservative free, and wholesome ingredients now fill their Italiano Lasagna!  Yum!

Let me set the stage of when I got to use my Stouffer’s Lasagna…we had a busy day of dog walks, morning tumbling with tots, and swimming in the afternoon. On top of the busy day I also had a full day the following day food shopping and preparing for a baby shower I was hosting. So, instead of going out for mediocre food and risk a toddler melt down I opted for baking up the lasagna and whipping up a fresh salad with homemade vinaigrette.  Where some may think a plate full of lasagna is delicious (which it is) the rational dietitian side of me knows that balancing the plate is key to feeding my family well. I could have easily paired the lasagna with steamed green beans, wilted spinach, or roasted broccoli, but we love salads. I love pairing a fresh and raw element with casseroles, it seems to balance the meal perfectly.  This dressing I created was based off what I had on hand, and it is a MUST TRY. Make extra and store it in the refrigerator for a week.

Zesty Green Onion Salad Dressing

Makes Just Over ½ cup

Ingredients

• 2 green onions, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ¼ tsp crushed black pepper
• ¼ tsp sea salt
• ½ large lemon, zested & juiced (about ¼ cup) or white vinegar
• ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ½ tsp dried oregano

Directions: 

Place all ingredients into a mason jar, seal and shake for 1 minute. Wallah!

Here’s a trick to dressing a perfect salad: place torn greens (lettuce leaves or spinach) in a mixing bowl, drizzle 2 Tablespoons of dressing over the top and toss with tongs. Add more dressing as desired. There’s no reason to overdress this salad, as the flavors will really pop with each bite. The green onions and garlic make for a sharp bite that even my 1 ½ year old loved!

I kept the salad simple since the dressing was such a star. We tossed green lettuce leaves with ½ avocado and a handful of yellow tomatoes.  The rule of thumb is to balance your plate with ½ being vegetables. I think we hit the mark with this combo! The greatest win is that I cleaned all my lettuce for the rest of the week. –>

Getting back to the delicious meal…the serving size for this product is for 5, but we were able to enjoy 6 servings from this pan without any issues. I savored it the following day for lunch, too! Stouffer’s really nails their lasagna, especially with the star ingredients and nutrition profile:

It’s a meal we will be returning to regularly. When you have a toddler who requests pasta you want to serve her the good stuff!

One concern I often here is about sodium…yes, this has 720mg of sodium per serving. We are family who eats mostly fresh, home cooked foods; thus, sodium isn’t a big concern for us.  My daughter’s balanced portion was probably about 1/4 cup. No worries over here on sodium. Remember, adding a fresh element balances the plate nutritionally, to include sodium!.

On a side note, I also tried a Lean Cuisine meal…Ranchero Braised Beef--UMMM, WOW! So, Miss A and I shared the meal for lunch–i made hers into a quesadilla (because she loves her “Mexican Pizzas,” and I had mine as is.  So good, sorry no photos to share–it was lunch time after a long food shopping excursion and it was either melt down or eat and nap. This mama opted for eat and nap! But trust me, it’s good!

One final note, BRAVO Nestle! The resources offered on their website: http://www.nestleusa.com/nutrition/balance are really excellent! From eating for one to budget dining and more. As a dietitian and a foodie I feel very comfortable promoting a lot of these meal options and ways to get a hot meal on the table fast!