Quick, Healthy, Budget Friendly Meals

Every father’s day I send my mom a card thanking her for taking on the huge role of parenting me all by herself. Growing up in a single parent household had its ups and downs, but my mom was a rockstar and to this day I don’t think I could have did even half of what she was able to do by herself.

We had season tickets to the children’s theatre, I took dance classes two days a week, spent summers traveling, camping, horseback riding and taking drama classes. I was a blessed child with or without a father figure and even more blessed that I had a mother that didn’t play when it came to my health.

Since I first entered kindergarten and up until I finished high school, my mom made me take a lunch to school. She wasn’t a believer in lunchables but she was a big believer in having a complete meal. Before Rachel Ray, Ms. Dorsey was making 30-minute meals after a long day at work and coming home to an active daughter who needed a healthy foundation to maintain her creative zest.

Mom: I don’t know how you did it but thank you. Eating right is one of the greatest lessons we can pass on to our children. Managing a household by yourself is tough and can be stressful. Make sure you are doing your best to have a healthy future for your child and for yourself. With proper planning and a little guidance you don’t have to make meal-time a chore but a healthy bonding experience that will create a lasting impression of health when your child becomes and adult with children themselves one day.

Here’s an OBV guide adapted from my mother on prepping for quick, easy and budget-friendly meals:

With only 11 items to purchase from the grocery store you can prepare meals in under 30 minutes in your special way. Create a shopping list at the beginning of each week to map out easy, healthy meals you can make. When able, buy generic and always use coupons!

Shopping list –

• Organic stewed tomatoes – Buy generic brands like Whole Foods 365 (look for low sodium)
• Whole wheat angel hair pasta
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Whole wheat penne pasta
• Baked chicken – Try Tader Joe’s frozen chicken breasts without hormones or antibiotics (Typically $6.99 a pack!)
• Red leaf lettuce
• Frozen shrimp
• Ground turkey
• Corn tortillas
• Organic tomatoes
• Brown rice

Meal Combinations

Monday – Spaghetti with ground turkey and fresh salad

Note: Make a big pot of sauce, freeze half for easy access for next week)

Tuesday – Baked chicken with brown rice and fresh salad

Wednesday – Sauteed shrimp in angel hair pasta and olive oil with fresh salad

Thursday – Spaghetti because you know it is going to be the bomb by Thursday!

Friday – Turkey tacos – Turn some of that ground meat into taco stuffing with tomatoes and lettuce

What are some of your favorite low-cost meals to prepare for your family?

Sherrell Dorsey is a natural beauty expert, writer, speaker and advocate of health, wellness and sustainability in communities of color. In addition to creating OrganicBeautyVixen.com, Sherrell writes beauty articles for Tyra Banks’s beauty and fashion site TypeF.com, Jones Magazine, MySalonScoop.com and Posh Beauty. Follow Sherrell on twitter at www.twitter.com/organicvixen and connect with her on facebook at http://www.facebook.com/OBVMedia.