Ann Ludlum

Editor's Note: Ann Ludlum is a K-State Research and Extension family and consumer sciences and 4-H extension agent assigned to Southwind District -- Fort Scott office. She may be reached at (620) 223-3720 or aludlum@ksu.edu.

Opinion

A few changes can make convenience foods more nutritious

Thursday, November 1, 2007

Busy schedules often do not leave time for preparing meals. We often don' t even have time to think about what we' ll eat until we feel hungry. According to a recent survey, about 70 percent of adults in the United States don' t decide what to eat that night until 4 p.m. or later.

For a quick meal, many people reach for packaged convenience foods -- either boxed, canned, or frozen. Some of those foods are rather low in healthy nutrients and high in sodium, fat and calories. Often such convenience foods are much more expensive than homemade recipes too.

There are some easy ways to boost the nutrients of convenience foods. At the same time, taste will be improved along with the vitamins, minerals and overall nutritional value.

The next time your schedule doesn't allow much time for cooking, try these tips.

To decrease sodium:

•	For seasoned rice mixes, packaged soup noodles, and frozen stir fry meals, add only half of the seasoning packet. Use the remaining half when cooking plain rice or noodles, or use as a seasoning for slow cooked meats, if desired.

To decrease fat:

•	Use only half the margarine called for in the instructions of boxed mixes of rice, pasta, stuffing, potatoes, and macaroni and cheese. Omit all of the margarine for even greater calorie savings.
•	Reduce the fat in ground beef when making a hamburger casserole boxed mix. Drain the fat from cooked ground beef. Then place the meat in a colander and rinse with warm water. Continue with the regular directions.
•	Substitute an equal amount of unsweetened applesauce for vegetable oil in boxed brownie mixes. Substitute two egg whites for each whole egg to decrease the fat and calorie content even more.

To add nutrients:

•	If a packaged mix calls for milk, use nonfat dry milk powder and water instead. If you use 2/3 cup dry milk and 1 cup water for every cup of milk the package calls for, you will get twice as much calcium as you normally would. Or, if you choose to use fluid milk, just add 1/3 cup dry milk powder.
•	To a frozen pizza, add chopped vegetables before baking.
•	Add frozen mixed vegetables to canned soups.
•	Add drained chunks of canned fruit to gelatin desserts and puddings.
•	To tomato-based pasta sauce, add chopped frozen spinach using up to one-half package of spinach per jar of pasta sauce. Or, start with less and increase the amount as your family adjusts to this addition.
•	For dessert serve sliced canned or fresh fruit instead of a sweet baked product. For a sweet taste without added calories, try this simple individual serving dessert.

Quick Fruit Crisp

1 cup fresh fruit (sliced peaches, nectarines, apples, blueberries, frozen mixed fruit, etc.)

1/4 cup Grape-Nuts cereal

Wash fruit and peel and slice if needed. Place fruit in a microwaveable dish. Sprinkle cereal over top. Microwave for 3 to 5 minutes.

I like to add a sprinkle of cinnamon to some fruits before microwaving. This dessert is good served with some low-fat vanilla yogurt.

With a little thought, those quick meals can be even more nutritious and flavorful. For more information on any topics related to nutrition, family or consumer issues, please contact the Bourbon County Extension office on first floor of the courthouse.

(Editor' s Note: Ann Ludlum is a K-State Research and Extension family and consumer sciences and 4-H agent assigned to Bourbon County. She may be reached at (620) 223-3720.)