Tools of Convenience

Convenience foods don’t have to be burgers and fries from the nearest drive-thru. Here are some tips and techniques from dietitians and chefs alike that will help you get a healthy meal on the table with a minimum amount of time and effort.

Beverly Hills nutritionist Robyn L. Goldberg, RD, is a fan of "chopper scissors" that let you chop your veggies in a flash so you can make a quick salad or can toss them into an omelet, pasta, or bowl of soup.

Certified nutritional counselor and cookbook author Elizabeth Yarnell’s favorite kitchen tool is her Dutch Oven, and her book, Glorious One-Pot Meals, offers one-dish recipes that take less than 20 minutes to prepare and less than an hour to cook. Using a Dutch Oven is convenient, says Yarnell, because you can use frozen ingredients without thawing, and you don’t have to stand over the stove—once the ingredients are in the pot, you can leave the dish unattended while it cooks.

A blender is Malcolm Kushner’s appliance of choice and he’s put together a cookbook, California Squisine, so you can get the kids involved in whipping up quick sauces and dressings that they can squeeze over fruits and vegetables.

Ann Cooper, author of Lunch Lessons, is partial to both her slow cooker and rice cooker. She also suggests making extra portions on the weekends—two roast chickens instead of one, a large pot of beans or lentils, or marinara sauce you can freeze in quart bags—so that you can cut more time during the week.

With just three ingredients—prepackaged salads, chopped fresh vegetables, and grilled chicken strips—you can put together a variety of simple, well-balanced meals, says Lisa Talamini, RD, chief nutritionist and program director for Jenny Craig, Inc. Toss all three ingredients together and drizzle with fat-free or reduced-fat dressing for a healthy salad, suggests Talamini. Build a nutritious sandwich on hearty, whole-grain bread using the veggies and chicken strips, garnished with German, Dijon, or Maui onion mustard. Dice the chicken, steam the vegetables, and add to egg whites for a light, fluffy omelet. Or sauté the chicken and vegetables in olive oil for a heart-healthy stir fry.

Molly Morgan, RD, CDN, has several favorite products that help her get a nutritious meal on the table in no time, including Near East Whole Grain Blends, single-serve Amy’s Kitchen Bowls, and Annie’s Whole Wheat Shells & Cheddar.

Frozen vegetables are another healthy, convenient staple, says Morgan (skip the ones with the sauce though) because they’re already cleaned, chopped, and ready to eat in a matter of minutes. Dinner kits that already include your protein, veggies, sauce, and noodles can also be prepared in just minutes, as can a stir-fry—meat and vegetables combined with a bottled sauce and served over quick-cook rice.

Devin Alexander, host of Healthy Decadence With Devin Alexander on the Discovery Health Channel, likes fresh salsas made with tomatoes, pineapple, and mango to spice up grilled chicken, fish, or egg whites; low-fat flour tortillas that can be topped with prechopped veggies, low-fat marinara sauce, reduced-fat shredded mozzarella, and turkey pepperoni; low-fat mayo and prepared tandoori or curry paste to turn take-out grilled chicken into a quick chicken salad; and precooked brown rice (sold in the freezer section) that can be used in a stir-fry or as a side dish.

Some of Alexander’s other favorite convenience foods are preshredded par-cooked potatoes for quick homemade hash browns, herbs-in-a-tube (available in the produce section; they don’t require chopping and last longer than fresh herbs), and lower salt rubs or seasoning blends.

— Carol Sorgen