Healthy Eating Ideas for a Hectic Autumn

When the pace of family life gets busy, it seems easier than ever to forgo healthy eating plans, and the hectic autumn season is a big culprit. However, you don’t need to compromise flavor for nutrition when turning to convenient options that fit your busy lifestyle.

On average, Americans are only meeting the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s MyPlate recommendations for servings of vegetables, fruit, proteins, dairy and grains a mere seven days out of 365. Despite their best intentions to eat more healthy meals, many families need inspiration and simple solutions so they can make better eating choices a reality more often. 

Using educational tools like Nestlé’s Balance Your Plate program, you can put together delicious and nutritious meals that incorporate both frozen and fresh foods. It’s surprisingly simple to take a mindful approach, even for a fun and tasty option like pizza. Using the nutrition facts on the packaging, determine your serving size and then add a simple and nutritious side dish.

Here’s one way to pair a frozen pizza with a fresh side dish: Start with a delicious, DIGIORNO pizzeria! thin crust pizza, like primo pepperoni, which includes 100 percent real cheese and premium meats. Then, round out your meal with a simple side dish recipe focused on vegetables, such as this Chili Lime Butternut Squash or Caul-Slaw.

Find more recipes and tips that allow you to choose the perfect pairings at mealtime at nestleusa.com/balance.

Chili Lime Butternut Squash
Recipe courtesy of Nestlé
Servings: 4-6

• 4          cups butternut squash, large diced
  
• 1          teaspoon Chili Powder
  
• 1/2       teaspoon cumin
  
• 1/2       teaspoon lime zest
  
• 1/2       teaspoon kosher salt
  
• 1/4       teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  
• olive oil spray

1. Heat oven to 400° F.
2. In bowl, toss all ingredients except olive oil spray together.
3. Spray foil-lined sheet tray with olive oil spray and spread vegetables over tray.
4. Roast in oven 20 minutes.

Caul-Slaw
Recipe courtesy of Nestlé
Servings: 8

• 5          cups cauliflower, grated           
  
• 1          cup carrots, peeled and grated                  
  
• 3/4       cup ranch dressing, fat free                        
  
• 1/4       cup apple cider vinegar                             
  
• 1/4       teaspoon kosher salt                                 
  
• 1/4       cup green onions, sliced                            
  

1. In bowl, mix all ingredients together. Let rest 5-10 minutes to allow flavors to combine.

Tip: Cut cauliflower into quarters, keeping core attached; this will keep cauliflower from falling apart during grating.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images (squash)

Sponsored by Nestle USA