Healthy, Happy, Homemade Meals (Keep It Simple)

Make it Healthy

1. Fresh, Fresh, Fresh. Eating fresh vegetables and fruits is always a goal when eating healthier. Fresh from the garden, the farmers’ market or from the produce section of your favorite grocery store, choose ingredients that look fresh and colorful. Then enjoy them as soon as you can.
2. Eat uncluttered foods. Who needs to add canned sauces and gravies when a grilled piece of meat or roasted veggies taste so great? Keep food clean and simple whenever you can.
3. Read the label. If you don’t know what an ingredient is, look it up and be sure you want to eat it. Unprocessed or minimally processed foods are always best. Processed foods often add unneeded preservatives, salt, and sugar. Choose real foods (like eggs, lean meats, fresh fruits and veggies, and whole grain breads) over processed foods with added ingredients you don’t need or understand.
4. Choose the right fat. Use heart-healthy fats such as canola and olive oil whenever you can. Butter is a real food but margarine isn’t. Fats are good for you—just choose the right ones. And be a bit creative when you can such as using avocado on your toast instead of butter and jelly.
5. Don’t forget to snack. Having a healthy snack between meals can help you not to overeat when mealtime comes around.
6. Treat yourself and enjoy. There is always room for a treat. Dark chocolate is everyone’s friend. The oatmeal in an oatmeal cookie is good for your cholesterol.
7. Watch the calories. The USDA says that most adults need about 2000 calories a day.

Make it Happy

One of the best pleasures of life is sitting around the table with family and friends to enjoy a good meal. Here are some tips for making meal time a happy one.

1. Presentation of food—colors, plates, etc.
2. Turn off the devices and have some fun table talk.

Make it Homemade

1. Preparing a meal together is a great family experience for any age. Even the little ones can help stir and add ingredients and feel a part of the meal prep that is so much fun.
2. Eating at home ensures that you know where the ingredients came from and that it is fresh and good. Plus you’ll save money!

Gooseberry Patch was founded in 1984 by Vickie Hutchins and Jo Ann Martin, two moms looking for a way to do what they loved and stay home with kids too. Gooseberry Patch is best known for their collection of family-friendly, community-style cookbooks. Each book is created with today's time-strapped, budget-conscious families in mind and filled with recipes shared by cooks all across the country… with some from friends in Canada and occasionally “across the pond”. Along with treasured family recipes, each book includes the stories the go along with these tried & true dishes.