Try some of the “value cuts” of beef, including flat iron steaks and Western griller steaks. They are from the chuck or round sections of the animal, which usually are a little less tender. However, these steaks are cut differently by the butcher, so they can be grilled or broiled.

You can marinate less-tender cuts to make them even more tender and flavorful. Try marinating the meat in a “sauce” that contains an acid, such as vinegar or lemon juice. Acidic ingredients naturally tenderize the meat. You can buy marinades in bottles at a grocery store or make your own using a recipe. Allow about six hours of marinating in the refrigerator for  less-tender cuts so the meat absorbs the flavor and becomes more tender – but not mushy.

For marinade recipes, check out “Now Serving: Lean Beef” at www.ag.ndsu.edu/pubs/yf/foods/fn711Did you know?  A 3-ounce serving of meat is about the size of a deck of cards.

Julie Garden-Robinson, Food and Nutrition Specialist, NDSU Extension Service

Featured in Food Wise June 2013 newsletter (PDF)

Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service. Retrieved March 2013 from www.ers.usda.gov/data/meatpricespreads/

To save money, watch for sales on meat and poultry. Consider buying “family-sized” or “bulk” packages of meat and poultry. Often, whole chickens cost less per pound than cut-up chickens. You can repackage the meat in recipe-sized amounts and freeze at home. Be sure to label with the purchase date. To learn more about freezing foods, see the “Food Freezing Guide” (FN403) available at www.ag.ndsu.edu/pubs/yf/foods/fn403.pdf.

Stretch your protein foods with other ingredients, such as pasta, rice, beans and vegetables, in casseroles, soups and stews. Make chili with a combination of ground or cubed beef and kidney beans. Try omelets with vegetables, cheese and cubed ham. As you can see from the chart, dry beans are very economical. Learn more about using them in the “Steps to Economical Meals” cookbook at www.ag.ndsu.edu/pubs/yf/foods/fn1595.pdf

Julie Garden-Robinson, Food and Nutrition Specialist, NDSU Extension Service

If you have a blender, make smoothies. Simply mix your favorite frozen fruit, yogurt and milk or 100 percent fruit juice and blend. Take it on the go!

Breakfast doesn’t have to be fancy, and you can take some steps to make breakfast an easy meal. Try setting the table the night before with cereal bowls, spoons, glasses and boxes of cereal. Set a bowl of whole fruit, such as bananas, on the table. Yogurt, toast and fruit are quick options. Muffins can be made ahead and frozen in zip-top bags. Hard-cooked eggs make a protein-rich breakfast food that can be eaten on the go.

Julie Garden-Robinson, Food and Nutrition Specialist, NDSU Extension Service

In time, overall menus will be lower in sodium. Encourage the children you know to try new foods at school and at home.  Consider joining your child for a meal at school. Be sure to check in with your child’s school for more information.

Julie Garden-Robinson, Food and Nutrition Specialist, NDSU Extension Service

Provide plenty of cold water to quench your kids’ thirst. If they prefer a little “flavor,” you can add a squirt of lemon or a calorie-free flavoring to encourage them to stay hydrated.

Sports drinks are easy to find in vending machines and at convenience stores, so that can make them tempting. Sports drinks can be quite expensive and many are fairly high in calories, which can contribute to weight gain. The healthiest beverages for your growing kids are low-fat or fat-free milk, water and 100 percent fruit juice.

Here are some tips for planting in containers:

• Be sure your container has drainage holes so extra water doesn’t pool at the bottom and damage the roots. If you want to grow tomatoes, peppers or eggplant, gardening experts usually recommend 5-gallon containers. Smaller pots work well for green onions, lettuce and herbs.
• Add “potting mix,” not plain dirt from your yard. Your soil needs to drain well.
• Choose seeds or plants. You can start your own seedlings in egg cartons or even an old cake pan. Fill the container with potting soil, add seeds and cover with about ½ inch of soil. Cover with a clear plastic bag, place in a warm, sunny area and water regularly. When the seedlings have four or more leaves, they are ready to transfer into the final pot.
• Find a sunny spot for your container. If your plants aren’t doing well in the spot you chose, move the container to a better place.
• Water often and fertilize according to the directions on the fertilizer container. Container gardens need to be watered more than regular gardens, ideally at least once every morning.
• Add enough water on top of the soil so it begins to leak out the bottom.
• Be sure to pull weeds regularly. Weeds compete for space, water, nutrients and sunlight.

Check out the “Gardening Delights for All: Nontraditional, Money-saving, Sustainable Gardening” from the NDSU Extension Service at www.ag.ndsu.edu/pubs/plantsci/hortcrop/h1600.pdf .

Explore the videos and recipes on the “Eat Smart. Play Hard. Together” website: www.ndsu.edu/eatsmart.

• Create a recipe booklet with favorite holiday recipes.
• Fill a holiday mug with packets of flavored tea, hot cocoa or coffee for those who enjoy warm beverages.
• Create a food mix in a container (such as a jar or zip-top bag). You can learn how to make gift mixes in a jar by downloading the publication “Mix it Up to Expand Your Gift-giving Dollar With Food Mixes in a Jar” from this website: www.ag.ndsu.edu/pubs/yf/foods/fn1494.pdf. Or your local Extension Service office can provide a copy.

Try different types of breads, such as bagels, pita pockets, or tortillas.  Make a waffle sandwich by spreading waffles with peanut butter.

Try some different sandwich toppings, such as leftover grilled chicken or homemade egg salad.

Add vegetables or fruits to your sandwich.  Lettuce, tomatoes, and green peppers add crunch and nutrition.  Slice some bananas on your peanut butter sandwich just before eating.

• Add extra vegetables to your favorite casseroles or soups.
• Offer vegetables in their whole form, too, so kids get use to their taste.
• Be a good role model, and enjoy a variety of veggies with your kids.
• Invite your kids into the kitchen to help you prepare vegetables.  Your kids are more likely to try foods they helped prepare.
• Consider planting a traditional or container garden.  Now is the time to plan your garden.  Your Extension Service office can provide you with information about gardening.

Do You Know the Daily Vegetable Recommendations?

• For most kids: 2 - 2 1/2 cups per day
• For most adults: 2 1/2 - 3 cups per day

Try to eat more dark green and orange veggies!

Visit www.choosemyplate.gov for a personalized eating plan.

Make vegetables and fruits fun by serving them on a special plate or with a favorite dip.  Encourage your child to help you in the kitchen.  With supervision, young kids can do things such as help wash vegetables, tear lettuce, stir, or set the table.  You and your three other children can set a good example during family mealtimes.  Your daughter may be asking for seconds of broccoli, too!

• Eat a fruit for snack or with a meal. Try orange slices, apple slices, a fruit kabob (cubes of fruit on a tooth pick), or 100 percent fruit juice.
• Vary your vegetables.  Set out a plate of fresh veggies and low-fat dip while your family waits for dinner.  Crunch on beans, broccoli, carrots, and cauliflower.
• Snack smart. Try a fruit and milk smoothies.  Blend low-fat milk or plain yogurt with mashed fruit or fruit juice.
• Try a new vegetable, such as jicama (pronounced hi-cah-ma); taste kiwi fruit; or sample some dried apricots or cranberries

• Plan menus a week at a time and write grocery lists.  Consider the food you have on hand.  Check which foods are on sale at the grocery store.
• Prepare portions of a meal in advance.  For example, cut up vegetables for tomorrow's evening meal or cook ground beef for tomorrow's meals.
• Use leftovers as the basis for another meal.  For example, make chicken tacos out of "planned-over" roasted chicken.
• Have other people in your household help with meal preparation and cleanup.  Make a "master schedule" with duties.

• Offer new foods many times.  Give them a small taste at first and be patient with them.
• Offer only one new food at a time.  Serve something that you know your child likes along with the new food. Offering too many new foods all at once could be overwhelming.

• Helping collect ingredients from the cupboards, refrigerator, and freezer
• Pouring
• Stirring and mixing ingredients by hand
• Assisting in measuring ingredients
• Setting a timer

Around age 8 to 10, they may be able to help perform tasks such as:

• Preheating the oven to the correct temperature
• Using the microwave
• Using a blender with assistance
• Using a knife to cut, slice, or dice with supervision

The tasks will be different for each child, depending on how much experience he or she has in the kitchen.