It would be hard to imagine that anyone could have every single meal of the week planned out in advance, all the shopping done, and that their schedules never got in the way of cooking what was planned. What happens when dinnertime arrives with no plan, no food, or no time to cook?

Very often, this means a trip through the drive-through, a phone call for pizza delivery or maybe Mom or Dad cracking open a blue box of mac and cheese. A healthier alternative is to plan ahead for these nights without a plan and have a few nutritious meals ready to go straight from the freezer to the table in minutes.

Here are five ideas to get you started…

1. In the freezer: A bag of frozen, sliced bell peppers and onions.

Make it into a meal: Quick vegetable/black bean fajitas.

If you have some flour tortillas on hand, simply thaw and sauté the vegetables (season if you like), drain a can of black beans and serve on tortillas. This is good with salsa and light sour cream.

2. In the freezer: Mushroom ravioli

Make it into a meal: Simply boil the ravioli according to package directions. Top with spaghetti sauce from a jar. Add sautéed fresh mushrooms, peppers or onions if you them and have the time. Serve with whole wheat French bread and a bag of salad.

3. In the freezer: Lowfat chicken stir-fry bagged meal

Make it into a meal: Cook stir-fry according to package directions. Most include rice, but optionally supplement with instant brown rice. Also supplement with additional fresh, frozen veggies if possible.

4. In the freezer: Meatless burgers and steak fries. (Or other favorite meatless products, such as chick patties, ribs, meatballs, corndogs, crumbles, etc.)

Make it into a meal: All you need are some fresh hamburger buns (or any bread will do) and your favorite toppings. My favorites are sautéed onions and mushrooms with reduced fat cheese. The frozen steak fries are lower in fat and calories and other fries. Add a vegetable, such as frozen broccoli or a salad for a well-rounded meal.

5. In the freezer: Thin crust veggie pizza

Make it into a meal: If you simply must have pizza, look for a variety with the least amount of fat and calories and keep one in your freezer. Thin crust is usually best. Add more veggie toppings before baking, since frozen pizzas usually come with paltry toppings. Serve with a large salad so you'll eat less pizza!

Along with these freezer meals, I'd recommend keeping several cans of vegetables and beans in your pantry to use as side dishes, along with grain products, such as brown rice and whole wheat pasta. With these staples on hand, and knowing you can have something healthful on the table in mere minutes, it will be much easier to cut down on those last-minute, high-fat choices when you're weak and oh-so-hungry!

© Health-E-Meals.com, 2004

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