I’m tired of being the only one that cooks.” 

“Let’s just go out for dinner.”

“I don’t feel like cleaning the dishes, let’s just order take out.”

By: Rebecca Goodrich, MS, RDN  

Sound familiar? We’ve all been there.  We’ve all been too tired to cook up something for our families, let alone for ourselves.  Over the past few years, Americans have been eating out more frequently and cooking less at home.  This can be problematic, as eating outside of your home may increase your tendency to overeat while taking away from intuitive eating.  There are many benefits for eating at home.  Let’s take a look!

Family Time:It is important to incorporate family time, especially after coming home from a long day of work.  Instead of turning on the television and sitting on the couch, make it a family night and have everyone participate in a cooking activity.  You may have one member do the chopping while the other members are cooking.  This is a great time to talk about everyone’s day!

You’re In Control:, your choice of ingredients and how YOU want to prepare your meal. Remember: you can make any dish you’d like at any level that’s appropriate for you and your family! 

Healthy Bites:We all know that our diet plays an influential role on our health.  Eating at home allows you to have more of a balanced meal that includes adequate amounts of nutrients.  Remember that eating a balanced meal not only implements a healthy lifestyle for you, but for your family as well. 

Note: Eating out with your family and friends can be just as fun as eating at home!  You can still enjoy the foods you love while having a balanced lifestyle.  Enjoy!

Peace, Love and Shrimp Recipe (a personal favorite)

Ingredients

½ pound of shrimp

1 cup of brown rice (uncooked)

1-2 cups of Chopped mixed veggies (onions, peppers, arugula)

1 slice of provolone cheese

Directions

1: Bring 2 cups of water to a boil.  Add your brown rice to pot and simmer until fully cooked.

2: In a medium-sized sauce pan, cook your shrimp (until fully cooked with your choice of seasoning).

3: In a medium bowl, mix all veggies.

4: In a fresh/clean bowl, add your cooked rice, veggies, shrimp and provolone cheese. 

Enjoy!