Better-For-You Southern Comfort Recipes

Down home Southern cooking has produced some of our finest classic American dishes. At the same time, many of these original recipes include unwanted fats, calories and sodium. With some simple changes, we can enjoy this quintessential comfort cuisine and still stay on-track with our health goals.  Read More ›

Make-Ahead Meals: How to Freeze and Reheat Full Dishes

Finding time to make a healthy dinner is a challenge for many of us. One of the best tips you'll hear is to freeze meals for busy nights to avoid the greasy drive-thru or pricey takeout traps. But how do you know if a meal will freeze well? How much time will it take to create a few make-ahead meals? And how in the world do you reheat and serve those frozen meals?
 
We've got you covered.

Before You Begin:

1. Pick a day to plan meals.  Ask your kids, spouse, or friends for ideas.  Better yet, log onto SparkRecipes.com for easy, quick recipes.  Peruse grocery store ads, then make your final meal plan. 
2. Write your grocery list--and take it with you when you shop.
3. Once home, store recipe ingredients together in your pantry and refrigerator.
4. Set aside a couple of hours to cook your freeze-for-later meals.  (Make sure you follow food safety guidelines for storage and reheating.)

Learn the Basics of Meal Planning
 
Before you head to the store, let's talk about which foods freeze well, and which don't: Read More ›

9 Meatloaf Makeovers

At many dinner tables, the term "meatloaf" strikes fear in the hearts of even the most hardened palates. I have spent considerable time trying to bring peace among those who in my family who love and hate this classic American dish. Even for those who crave this American delicacy, there's the problem of how to prepare it without the fat and calories that wreek havoc on your health goals. Start by substituting lean meats, whole grains and vegetables. Use fresh spices and dried herbs to give it an international feel. Did you know meatloaf can even be made without meat? Have fun in your kitchen and enjoy these healthy meatloaf SparkRecipes.  Read More ›

7 Recipes From Around The World

One way to bring fun and excitement into your kitchen is to cook recipes that come from around the world. Even if you are not able to travel much, you can introduce your loved ones to other cultures and exciting flavors by using ingredients from the international aisle in most super markets, spice shops, or specialty markets. These recipes are simple to prepare and versatile. As you master them, start experimenting to create your own new international favorites.  Read More ›

7 Veggie-Packed Meals for Fall

BLT Pasta
Makes: 6 servings
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 22 minutes  Read More ›

Meals That Serve A Crowd

I recently came across my great grandmother's focaccia pizza recipe and was surprised that it served 100 people. Apparently, cooking for a crowd was the norm in my family. One thing my family has taught me is that cooking a big meal doesn't have to be complicated or unhealthy. My guests often mention how surprised they are how tasty a healthy dish can be and how inspired they are to try simple substitutes in their recipes. Here are seven SparkRecipes that can easily be doubled when cooking for a crowd.

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Super Meals for Big Batch Cooking

Cooking in batches is one of the best kept secrets for saving time and money, while promoting good health at the same time. With three school age kids, time is a rare commodity. Instead of turning to processed and packaged foods, I take advantage of the days I can cook and select healthy recipes that I can easily double or triple the batch. We enjoy these meals the next night as leftovers or we take them to work or school the next day in a thermos or Tupperware. Here are my favorite batch cooking recipes and resources.  Read More ›

Chef Meg's Most Popular Recipes

Did you know that our resident healthy cooking expert Chef Meg has been creating original recipes and comfort food makeovers for more than three years on SparkRecipes.com? She has amassed hundreds of recipes. We've rounded up her seven most popular, as selected by SparkRecipes.com users. Read More ›

More Slow Cooker Favorites

This time of year, when there's a chill in the air and no shortage of things to do, many of us rely on our slow cookers to do dinner. We rounded up seven of our best "set it and forget it" recipes.

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7 Spicy Suppers

Some like it hot--myself included! If you're among those who like to turn up the heat when you eat, you'll love this week's meal plan, which is chock full of meals that are hot, hot, hot!

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Our Cheesiest Recipes

Are you a cheese fan? Then you'll love this week's dinner menu. We've rounded up seven of our cheesiest recipes! (You might also want to check out this slideshow!)  Read More ›

Healthy Kid-Friendly Favorites

Want to get your kids on board with eating more nutritious meals, but not sure where to start? How about with a week’s worth of better-for-them versions of their favorite meals? They’ll eat what you make, you get to stick to your healthy eating plan, and everyone wins! Read More ›

Travel to Italy at Dinnertime This Week

Shake up dinnertime with a culinary tour of Italy. No fatty Alfredo or loaded lasagna here--just healthy, tasty comfort foods! We've rounded up seven healthy Italian favorites that will have you shouting "mamma mia!" Buon appetito!

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Diabetes-Friendly Dinners

It's hard enough to decide what to make for dinner when you don't have any dietary restrictions. When you have to create meals that are diabetes-friendly, it can make mealtime more challenging. That's why we rounded up a week's worth of diabetes-friendly meals that are healthy, simple, and delicious!
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Have Breakfast for Dinner This Week

Recently we surveyed our members about their cooking and eating habits. Most of you spend 30 minutes or so making dinner but only five minutes making your other meals and snacks.

Some nights, you just don't have 30 minutes. When your schedule doesn't allow enough time to make a home-cooked dinner, why not serve breakfast for supper instead? Breakfast meals tend to be fast, and ours are healthy to boot. This week's downloadable and printable menu has seven nights of suppers that are as good for you at night as they are in the morning.

Keep reading to see the menu!
Read More ›