I work a LOT so I am always on the lookout for quick and easy dinner ideas! I think it is important for as all to sit down together for dinner, but sometimes I am in such a hurry.

I have found one quick solution that is healthy and quick - and cheap, too! A store near us sells organic chicken in bulk, and I have made a habit of placing an order for breast pieces every month. I pick it up on a Friday, and take it home.

Saturday, I wash it and de-bone it, and spread the big pieces out on a flat surface, and I whack them with the edge of a china saucer a few times to make them an even thickness. Next I melt butter in the microwave just till it melts, and mix in a bunch of garlic and herbs, lemon pepper and a little salt. I drizzle it over the cold chicken pieces, and let them set to stiffen the butter sauce back up. Then I stick each piece in a baggie and throw them all in the freezer.

The breastbones I toss in a big pot to cook off the bits and make chicken and dumplings or pot pie out of for that night’s dinner. Anytime during the month, I can take out the right number of chicken pieces for a healthy meal. I just put the frozen pieces in a foil lined pan, and thirty minutes later have perfectly baked, juicy chicken!

I make noodles with sauce while it cooks, or a pot of saffron rice. Sometimes we have a fresh salad and French bread; other times we pick a mix of veggies and hot crescent rolls. It is so convenient being able to make dinner in thirty minutes!

There are a lot of obstacles in the way of teens’ nutrition! Making sure they get the right amounts of the right foods can be quite a challenge.

Of course, if they have learned to eat right since they were kids, you have laid a good foundation. Still, in the teenage years, there are a few more factors to take into consideration!

Half the teens, boys, will eat everything in sight. The main issue here is making sure dinner isn’t two pizzas or four burgers every night! Make sure he eats his veggies, and try to coax him home for family dinner at least a few days a week. Throw food at him in the form of on the go nutrition for breakfast - teens tend to skip this very important meal!

The other teens, girls, have the opposite problem. Today’s girls are sooo worried about their weight, and it is so vital that they get enough calcium and protein while their bodies are still growing and maturing. Making sure you pay attention, and intervene if you hear derogatory comments like “I’m so fat” when they are not, can really help.

Making sure your teen has a good body image is very important for girls AND boys. Don’t let them be made to feel inadequate because the other guys on the team are bulkier, or the girls on the cheer squad are skinnier. Health is what matters, so don’t listen to excuses!  Make sure your teens eat right, and they will be shaped just right for who they are.

They are out of school for the summer, and running around playing all day long makes the kiddoes hungry! Letting them help out in the kitchen and whipping up some healthy snacks is a fun way to spend time together.

You can make these easy treats in the hot afternoon and they will be ready for the next day when the hunger monster hits!

A terrific treat for hot summer days is a frozen banana popsicle. Buy bananas that are just ripe so they are firm. If you have several children, you can set up an assembly line for this project, going oldest to youngest!

Break the banana in half, and insert the popsicle stick into the flat end. Dip it in sweet strawberry yogurt and roll in crushed vanilla wafer crumbs. Freeze on a waxed paper covered plate overnight. This will keep you cool the next day!

Another no-cook snack that gives a little protein boost is peanut butter cookies. Measure two cups of rice krispies, one cup of peanut butter, a half-cup of sweet molasses, a quarter cup high-grade dry milk powder and two tablespoons of wheat germ. (This can double as a math lesson - see how each ingredient is half as much as the one before? How neat!)

Mix thoroughly, chill for an hour and turn out on wax paper on the table. Let the kids dip their hands in powdered sugar and roll little balls. This treat can be kept in a cool place or in the fridge for an on the run snack!

You can precut fresh veggies and let the children arrange them on a plate, and buy the ingredients for dip instead of ready-made so they can mix it up. For a fun twist, add a few drops of food coloring to the dip! For an exciting beverage, add a little club soda to 100% fruit juice and let them peel orange segments to float in it.

Helping your kids eat healthy all summer can be fun, and they will be more inclined to make good food choices if you let them chip in and make it themselves!