• Use ready-made broiled chicken with a vegetable (canned, fresh or frozen).
• Prepare a simple pasta dish, add a salad, glass of milk and fruit.
• Prepare sandwiches with a bowl of soup.
• Use pizza kits with pre-shredded cheese, add mushrooms and onions.

• Double the recipe and freeze the extra portions to serve on a busy evening.
• Make sure you put leftovers to good use.
• Prepare a simple meal using the crock pot.
• Make a list of foods and easy dinners that your family likes.

The extra effort you spend planning and preparing simple meals reaps a large reward. Meals eaten at home are often more balanced and lower in empty calories than meals eaten away from home and your children are more likely to learn healthy eating habits. And children that eat more meals with their family tend to do better in school and are less likely to engage in risky behavior in their teenage years.