healthy meals - Stuff Parents Need

I received a complimentary copy of Supermarket Healthy from Blogging for Books. All thoughts and opinions are my own, as always. Affiliate links may be included.

I’ve been thumbing through Melissa D’Ariabian’s newest cookbook, Supermarket Healthy, for the past few weeks, and I’ve made 5 of her dishes. One was a bust, but the other 4 were all quite good (and in some cases very surprisingly good!).

Occasionally I do see ingredients listed that I think I would have trouble locating in my grocery store, but for the most part, Melissa uses stuff I can easily get (and often things I already have on hand) and puts them together in fresh new ways that I wouldn’t have thought of on my own.

I would say that this is NOT a book for the beginner cook. I don’t think you need to be Julia Child, but her techniques do go beyond the basics. As someone who has been cooking for almost 13 years, but who favors simplicity over fuss in the kitchen, I have definitely tried some new techniques thanks to this cookbook, but I have felt comfortable giving them a try. If I was a cooking newbie, I would be a bit overwhelmed, personally.

If your kitchen is already overflowing with cookbooks that you never read, I can’t say that this will be one that will escape that same fate, especially since many of the recipes do require a bit of your time, and therefore aren’t ideal for anyone who either works outside of the home or who just doesn’t like meal prep to take a while.

But if you work from home, like I do, and if you are comfortable in the kitchen and could use some new ideas, Supermarket Healthy does offer quite a nice variety of dishes you probably haven’t already tried.

I try really hard not to buy very much frozen food (except ice cream….just can’t limit that purchase!). The reason I avoid it is because most of it LOADED with sodium and preservatives and calories and all sorts of other stuff that my (not so youthful) body just doesn’t need.

But let me tell you, there are some days when I seriously need dinner to be effortless. Even more effortless than getting in my car and picking something up. I’m talking open a box, put food in the microwave/oven, remove and eat. That simple.

There are some great options out there for when you need something super convenient but don’t want to sacrifice nutrition (or flavor!). I have just tried out a brand that is new to me called Dr. Prager’s, and I’m really impressed with it!

Dr. Praeger’s products are all-natural, low in cholestoral and low in fat. And they are made with the finest products available. They also have options that go outside what you traditionally find in the frozen food aisle.

Want to see how I put my two free product coupons to work? I created a Middle Eastern feast for a busy weekday lunch. What a treat!

The Bombay Veggie Burgers were a great choice for spicing up what might otherwise have been just a boring sandwich. These were packed with flavor and had a unique taste; it’s not something I can easily replicate myself, so that was fun. I paired the burgers with the Spinach Pancakes, which I found to be AWESOME with a little dollop of sour cream. Overall, this was an outstanding meal. It felt like getting takeout, only without having to go pick anything up. It was super yummy!

Check out the selection of products made by Dr. Praeger’s. I think you will be extremely impressed with the variety of yummy and good for you foods that they have available!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win two free product coupons from Dr. Praeger’s!

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