Page 70 - North State Parent March 2021

HEALTHY FOOD RESOURCES NORTH STATE PARENT FAMILY RESOURCE GUIDE SPRING/SUMMER 2021
Mastering Mealtime
BY SARAH LYONS
At the end of a long and busy day, the last thing on your mind is cooking a healthy dinner for your family. The kids are hungry, the baby is crying, it’s already 5:30 pm, and you have nothing planned for dinner.
Desperate for a quick solution, you use the drive-through for a less than delicious and not so nutritious meal. Sound familiar?
Many parents find themselves so busy with work, school, homework, and errands that cooking weeknight meals may seem impossible. In reality, eating at home can be faster, easier, and more affordable, even on those busy school nights, with these easy steps to mastering mealtime.
Create a “quick and easy” list
List the meals your family already loves (no take-out allowed!) Be realistic and keep it simple by adding only those quick and easy recipes that can be put together on a busy evening. Once you have your list, place it where you can refer to it often.
Plan the week
With your meal list in hand, consult the family calendar. For the busiest and most stressful days, plan a crock pot meal. On days when everyone is coming and going at different times, try healthy sandwiches with fruit. Meal planning will reduce the stress of the evening rush and solve the “What’s for dinner?” question.
Shop just once
Check your week’s meal plan and make a grocery list. Check the freezer and pantry for items you may already have on hand, then head to your favorite store and pick up your items. Shopping for the week just once also cuts down on stress.
Do the prep work
On a slow day - perhaps the weekend - do some prep. Wash and chop vegetables and fruit, brown meat and put it into one pound batches in the freezer, put together casseroles in advance, and thaw any items you will need in the next few days. Chicken breasts can be cooked in large batches in the crock pot for later use in salads, casseroles, soups, or skillet meals. The more you prep now, the less you have to do on those busy nights after work.
Stick to the plan
The hard work is done, and it’s time to stick to your plan. Since everything is prepped and ready, you just have to finish your meals and enjoy. Unexpected challenges may come up, but with an organized plan, you will be able to handle most surprises with ease without getting stuck in the fast food rut once again. And, make sure to add a “night out” to your meal plan once in a while to treat yourself and your family.
Quick Tips to Mastering Mealtime
Make two. If you are making one casserole, why not make two? One can be eaten now, and the other can be frozen and saved for dinner another night.
Stock the freezer. Fill your freezer with pre-made and homemade items to have on hand for a busy week.
Stock the Pantry. Make sure you have the basics for quick meals, such as pasta and pasta sauce, canned tuna and beans, tortillas, tomato sauce. etc.
Use the slow cooker. Toss some things together in the morning and come home to a hot meal after a long day.
Buy ready-to-use ingredients. Pre-cut vegetables, cooked rotisserie chicken and ready to grill marinated meat are perfect for the busy family.
Have a leftover night. Designate one night a week to eat whatever is in the fridge and save time and money. Leftover taco meat could become enchiladas, nachos, or chili. Grilled chicken breast could be used for a salad, soup, or a casserole.
Fresh Twisted Café; Chico. ftcafechico. com. 156 Eaton Rd Suite E. (530) 809-2489 Le Testimony Organic Bistro; Redding. 100% organic restaurant serving sweet & savory crepes, soups, salads. letestimon- yorganicbistro.com.3365 Placer St. (530) 605-3901.
From The Hearth Cafe; Redding. Cafe/ bakery providing a variety of housemade breads, plus panini, deli sandwiches, soups & salads. Fresh and Local. Fthcafe.com. 2650 Churn Creek Rd. (530) 424-2233.
Live Life Juice Co; Chico. Organic, cold pressed juices and natural food items. livelifejuiceco.com. 220 Broadway
Street. (530) 566-3346.
Orchard Nutrition Center; Redding. Since 1982. Features fresh organic produce, a huge array of healthy food products, deli, bakery, beauty and pet products, classes and trained professionals on staff. Daily, 7am-9pm. orchardnutrition.com. 221 Locust St. (530) 244-9600.
Roots Juice Bar; Redding. Locally owned and operated organic juice bar. roots- juicebar.com. 1950 Pine Street. (530) 605-0990.1360 Churn Creek Suite B (530) 768-1095.
SISKIYOU COUNTY
Berryvale Natural Foods, Grocery & Deli; Mt. Shasta. Since 1976. Organic produce, beverages, supplements and beauty prod- ucts. Offers local products when possible. Daily, 8am-8pm. berryvale.com. 305 S. Mt. Shasta Blvd. (530) 926-1576.
Nature’s Kitchen; Yreka. Organic cafe & natural foods store with a large selection of supplements and natural products. natureskitchen.business.site.412 S. Main St. Ste 1. (530) 842-1136.
Lily’s Restaurant; Mt. Shasta. Inviting cafe with a warm vibe & a verdant patio offering an eclectic menu of farm-to-table fare. Lilysrestaurant.com. 1013 South Mt. Shasta Blvd. (530) 926-3372.
U-PICK FARMS
BUTTE COUNTY
Johnson U-Pick Farm; Gridley. U-pick cherries, boysenberries, strawberries, blueberries and blackberries. Summer veg- etables and pumpkin patch. May-Oct., Sat & Wed, 8am-3pm. Call or visit the website to find out what’s ripe for picking! john- sonupickfarm.com. 113 Higgins Ave., off Hwy 99. (530) 846-5871.
Max’s Miracle Ranch; Biggs. U-Pick organic produce including spring cherries, apricots, summer veggies, fall apples, pumpkins, winter kale, oranges and lemons. maxsmiracles.org/upick.html 3476 Smith Ave. (530) 354-7168.
Sierra Cascade Blueberry Farm; Forest Ranch. Pick your own organic blueberries right on the farm in the foothills of Forest Ranch. sierracascadeblueberries.com. 12753 Doe Mill Road. (530) 894-8728. Stagecoach Lane Ranch; Oroville. Pick cherries in early June. Check Facebook for seasonal opening. (530) 532-0191.
GLENN COUNTY
Boysen Berry Farm; Orland. U-pick organ- ic boysenberries. Purchase organic jams, sauces, and syrups on site. rudysoriginal. com. 6282 Co Rd 23. (530) 936-5050. SHASTA COUNTY
Hawes Fruit and Vegetable Stand; Anderson. Peaches are the favorite but this long-running fruit and vegetable stand
by the river also boasts melons, tomatoes, onions, squash and much more! Hours
are 9-5 daily and 10-2 on Sundays. 6171 Deschutes Rd.
Serendipity U-Pick Ranch; Anderson. Cherries, blueberries, boysenberries, plums, peaches, figs, apples, nectarines and flowers. Meet farm animals. Call to find out what is in season, times & hrs. 6315 Parkridge Dr. (530) 949-5985.
SISKIYOU COUNTY
California Heritage Farm; Fort Jones. Of- fers strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and flowers seasonally. Grown naturally. Located in a beautiful family-friendly country setting. June-Aug., 7 days a week & weekends, Sept.-Oct., 8am-8pm. califor- niaheritagefarms.com. 7715 Eastside Rd. (530) 598-7457.
TEHAMA COUNTY
Hansen’s U-Pick Blueberry Farm; Corn- ing. U-pick blueberries sold by the pail; cash only. Ages 5 & up are welcome to pick. Typically open May-June, call for hrs & availability. 3325 Houghton Ave. (530) 824-2331.
Hillside Poms; Capay. U-pick pomegran- ates, plus pomegranate products like jellies and grenadine. hillsidepoms.com. 1271 Capay Rd. (530) 228-3050.
Julia’s Fruit Stand; Los Molinos. Family owned fruit stand that grows almost all the produce they sell. Their goal is to sell you produce that was picked that very morn- ing, guaranteeing you the freshest, and ripest produce you can get. They specialize in Heirloom tomatoes but are also very proud of their peaches, nectarines, and apricots. facebook.com/juliasfruitstand14. 11475 CA-99. (530) 354-4775.
S & B Blueberries U-Pick; Corning. 2 acres & growing! Family-friendly u-pick farm provides buckets to use and bags to take your berries home in. May-June, call for hrs & availability. 1560 County Rd. 99W (look for sign). (530) 570-4717.
Whiteley Ranch; Corning. Offers u-pick Satsuma mandarins. Produces many tons annually on 8 acres. Nov.-Jan. Call for hrs, availability and location/directions. (530) 824-1222.
70 North State Parent Family Resource Guide Spring/Summer 2021 • www.northstateparent.com