Buy Whole Chickens

Chicken is a good, lean protein for soups, enchiladas or tamales. Try to buy whole chickens and cut them up, as it’s much cheaper per serving than buying chicken pieces.

Add Protein with Yogurt

Add plain nonfat yogurt to milkshakes to increase protein and intestine-friendly lacto-bacteria without increasing fat and sugar.

Look for Produce on Sale

When shopping, look for what produce is on sale, as often it’s at its ripest stage and will be the most flavorful and nutritious. Make sure to consume them quickly to prevent waste.

Use Frozen Fruit

Avoid canned fruits that may be high in sugar. Add frozen fruit for added texture and nutrition in your favorite recipes if fresh fruit is not in season.

Add More Flavor

Soups and stews taste better if made a day or two in advance and reheated just before serving.

Too Salty?

If your soup ends up salty, add a few slices of peeled raw potato and simmer for about 10 minutes to absorb the salt.

Brown Meat First

For a flavorful soup or stew, brown the meat in a small amount of oil before making the soup or stew. This will produce intense flavors.

Reducing Fat

To reduce fat, make the soup the day before and refrigerate to remove the fat that rises to the top. If you don't have time to chill the soup, use a white paper towel to absorb the fat that rises to the surface.

Adding Herbs

Herbs will have a more intense flavor if added at the end of the long cooking process. So if you don’t want to overpower the flavor of the soup, add herbs and spices at the beginning of the cooking process.

Simmering vs. Boiling

Don’t cover the pot tightly, and always leave a small opening for steam to escape. This will prevent the temperature from reaching a boiling point and drying out the meat. Soups and stews should simmer (never boil) while cooking to prevent meat from getting tough.

Pack the Pot

Pack the tamale pot with extra corn husks. This adds flavor to the steam and improves the flavor of the tamales.

Use Corn Tortilla Masa

Tortilla masa is ground finer than tamale masa. For a moister and smoother dough try tortilla masa mixed with lard.

Whip the Masa

Whip the masa harina with the lard, butter or shortening. Whipping adds in air and ensures a light and fluffy tamale.

Season the Masa Harina

For a more savory tamale add spices to the masa harina before adding the lard. Some examples include paprika, garlic powder, chili powder and ground cumin.

Buy it Fresh

Use a fresh turkey instead of a frozen one since ice crystals can damage the meat, resulting in moisture loss while roasting.

Don’t Tie (Truss) the Turkey

Tying the legs tightly against the sides of the turkey will take longer to roast, resulting in an unevenly cooked turkey with a dry breast.

Let it Rest

Let the turkey rest (covered) for 20 minutes before carving. This will seal the juices in the meat.

Soak Overnight

Soak the turkey in a flavored salt-water brine overnight. Simply fill a large container with water, MAGGI tabs or salt and fresh herbs, and submerge the turkey.

Roast Upside Down

Roast the turkey upside down first. This will allow it to baste itself without having to open the oven door, which will lose precious heat.

Choose Russet or Yukon Gold

The right potato is key for a creamy mashed potato. Select either a starchy potato such as the russet or an all-purpose potato such as the Yukon Gold. These will break down more easily during cooking and produce a fluffy result versus a gummy outcome.

Cooking Potatoes for Perfect Results

Potatoes need to be cooked just right for perfect results. Overcooking the potato will result in the potato crumbling to the touch of a fork and it will create a soupy mashed potato. An undercooked potato will result in chunks in your “fluffy” potatoes.

Finished Off to Perfection

Finish your mashed potato by adding a little Nestlé Media Crema or Carnation Evaporated Milk and MAGGI granules for a perfectly flavored result.

Use a Ricer

To prevent a gummy, chewy texture, avoid over mixing your potatoes. A ricer will produce beautiful results and will limit the amount of whipping.

Avoid a Gluey Mess

Never, ever use a blender or a food processor to whip your potatoes. You will have a gluey mess.

The Proper Cut of Beef

Select a proper cut of beef to ensure it's moist and tender. Rib eye, top sirloin and rib roast are perfect for roasting.

The Right Temperature

For the first 30 minutes, roast the meat in a very hot oven at 425° F, and then lower the temperature to 325° F for the remaining time.

Letting it Rest

Allow the roast to rest for about 15 minutes before cutting it to allow the moisture that has been lost during cooking to be redistributed throughout the meat. Cover it with foil during the resting period to keep it hot.

Searing the Meat

Sear the meat before roasting to create a flavorful crust and to seal the moisture inside the roast. Searing is the method of quickly browning all sides to create a crust.

Minutes Per Pound

The cooking time is dependent on the weight of the meat and the desired doneness: Rare: 11 minutes per pound of meat; Medium: 14 minutes per pound of meat; Well Done: 16 minutes per pound of meat.

Avocados

To keep an avocado from turning brown after it's cut, leave the pit in, brush the flesh with either lemon or lime juice, and wrap it tightly in plastic.

Cilantro

Cilantro will stay fresh for up to two weeks. Simply snip off the bottom of the stems, place in a jar filled partially with water, cover loosely with a plastic bag, and store in the refrigerator. Change the water after several days or when it starts to discolor.

Bananas and Apples

To prevent cut fruit like apples or bananas from turning brown, brush the surface of the fruit with a mixture of lemon or orange juice and water.

Peeling Chiles

After roasting them, place chiles in a paper bag to cool, as the steam inside makes it easy to peel the skin off. Once cooled, peel them under running water to rinse the excess skin off.

Crack-free Cheesecakes

Avoid over mixing the batter, as it can create extra air and cause the cake to rise too much during baking. This will prevent the cake from falling and cracking as it cools.

Fruit with Toothpicks

After school, get kids to reach for fruit instead of chips by adding some fun with toothpicks. Kids love finger foods and eating in a different way, so put out a plate of cut up apples, pears, melons orange slices and place toothpicks in it. You can even get toothpicks with fun designs that change with the season.

Making Their Own Snacks

Let kids get involved with making their snacks, and they’re more likely to eat it. Mini burritos made with whole-grain mini tortillas, refried beans and cheese, or mini pizzas are good options. For mini pizzas, spread tomato sauce on top of a toasted English muffin, add cheese and toppings like olives, mushrooms, onions or pineapple slices, and bake for 5-10 minutes until cheese is melted.

Upside-Down Day

Kids love an “upside-down day”— so why not offer a healthy breakfast food as an after- school snack. Whole-grain cereals with fresh berries, banana slices or a yogurt parfait with yogurt, fruit and nuts is the perfect quick snack.

Homemade Smoothies

Homemade smoothies using low-fat milk; yogurt and fresh fruit are a good-for-you snack, full of protein and vitamins that will tide them over until dinner. Try using plain nonfat yogurt for a lower-sugar alternative or sneak in extra ingredients, like protein powder or flax seed to make it even better.

Make Fruit Fun

Fruits and veggies are key to a nutritious lunch. To make it more fun, include a dip, even if this means ketchup. Serve mini carrots or jicama with ranch dressing, slightly steamed broccoli with light mayo, or sliced apples (use lemon juice to keep them from browning) with peanut butter. Try frozen peas and corn, or offer half of a sweet potato with a sprinkle of brown sugar, or even slice it into circular shapes.

Breakfast for Lunch?

Make pancakes on Sunday and freeze the leftovers. You can warm them up and pack them up for a fun lunch. Scrambled eggs or a sliced boiled egg can be a hit too (remember the ice pack to prevent spoilage).

Fun Sandwich Ideas

Lean protein is an important component of every lunch as protein helps kids stay focused and have energy for school. Instead of a regular sandwich every day, try adding some fun. One way is to cut sandwiches into whimsical shapes using cookie cutters. Sliced turkey, tuna, chicken or egg salad sandwiches can be cut into shapes tied to the season or school subjects (stars, moons, animals etc.). Another fun option is serving sliced meat and cheese rolled up into tubes, leaving out the bread, or tuna salad with crackers. Remember that bread doesn’t always have to be actual bread; it can be bagels or tortillas.

Easy Pasta

Boil mini penne or bowtie pasta, and throw on some pasta sauce. If you make it the night before, add a teaspoon of olive oil to prevent sticking. You could even use Top Ramen® noodles (but skip the flavoring packet since the sodium level is so high). Use these thin, curly noodles and serve them with peanut sauce or plain. During winter months, use a thermos to serve up warm noodles (boil them in vegetable broth and use about 1/3 of the liquid for added flavor).