"Fast Food" Let's face it, sometimes there's not a lot of time to cook a wonderful meal. Yet we don't want to sacrifice our families health for the sake of convenience. Here are some ideas: Choose a less hectic day to prepare several meals ahead of time, and freeze for later use. Freeze individual portions if necessary in order to avoid waste. (Time Saver: Plan ahead the method you will use to thaw the frozen items.) For days when time is short keep on hand quick side dishes such as: Frozen veggies. These are easily prepared in a few minutes by steaming or boiling. Our faves include: peas, green beans, broccoli, squash, and spinach.  These can be quickly jazzed up with your favorite seasoning, such as soy sauce, garlic granules, sea salt or umeboshi vinegar!  For some reason, maybe it's a texture thing, my family prefers canned green beans. (Although I love fresh.) While they may not be our first choice, canned veggies are a quick accompaniment to any meal, including our homemade pizza night. (One might typically serve salad with pizza, but my children frequently go through food phases where they despise something one day and love it the next.) I especially like to have canned beets and many varieties of beans on hand. The canned veggies require little or no cooking, and they are a better alternative than say, French Fries!