Don't Cook; Graze!

On those days when you can't face any kitchen time, you have a perfect time to learn the lovely art of grazing. Here's how it goes:

Open the refrigerator door
Select what looks appealing
Eat

Since the goal is a healthy diet (otherwise a bag of potato chips would do, right?) these are some of the grazing options you might choose:

Cottage cheese scooped into a bowl with about a tablespoon or more of toasted wheat germ (comes in a jar in the cereal section at the grocery) sprinkled on top. Either some of those little baby carrots that come already cleaned in a bag or a large glass of V-8 juice. Add some whole grain bread if you need more to fill you up.

Other ideas:

Whole grain crackers with slices of turkey ham. (Add raw veggies or a glass of V-8.)

Raw spinach (you can purchase this already cleaned), cottage cheese, a few sliced beets from a can.

Apple slices spread with peanut butter and maybe some whole grain bread.

A few whole wheat biscuit-type crackers spread on a paper-plate with cheese (purchased shredded) and some dabs of salsa from a jar- microwave a few seconds.

Fresh lettuce, drained can of tuna, fresh broccoli bits bottled salad dressing on the side.

Note: the most important part of this wonderful system is what you choose when you shop for food. Choose a variety of fresh fruit and vegetables, cheeses, ready-to-eat meats. Treat yourself to some really good whole-grain bread, too.

Here's a suggested shopping list of things to keep on hand:

Turkey Ham
Canned tuna or canned chicken
Cottage Cheese
Cream Cheese
Any other kind of cheese that you like (cheddar, colby, swiss, jack)
Wheat germ - the toasted kind in a jar
Peanut butter
Fresh fruit- whatever is in season
Good Bread
Eggs (keep a few hard-cooked eggs on hand)
V-8 juice
Nuts or Seeds
Bottled Salad dressing
Fresh fruit
Fresh vegetables:

Baby Carrots (already cleaned)
Cauliflower and Broccoli (break off the head, then rinse and eat)
Lettuce and Spinach (purchase already cleaned)
Any appealing vegetable you can eat raw!

Good eating! (And "Quick! Out of the kitchen!")