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When it comes to weekday dinners during the school year, keep it simple, creative and fun. Don’t rely on meals that require a long cook time or have a ton of ingredients that need prepping that night. Cooking in bulk on the weekends and planning out meals for the week can be a lifesaver when everyone is busy. (For more tips like this, see Page 4E.) Consider Meatless (or Meatloaf, as it was in my house growing up) Mondays or Taco Tuesdays, theme nights that make planning a no-brainer and offer the family something consistent to expect each week.

In our talks with nutritionists and parents for this issue, one of the most recommended ways to get dinner on the table was the make-it-yourself bar. The thinking here is twofold: It’s less work for the person preparing dinner, and it offers something for everyone. You start with a base, then let each family member add what they want from a station of toppings. Consider making it a rule that everyone has to take one topping from each food group: a protein, three veggies, etc. But, you know, a fun rule. Here are three theme night ideas.

Monday Rice Bowls

What you need: 3-4 cups rice, a mix of brown and white

Small bowls of the following: chopped green onion, halved peanuts or almonds

Medium bowls of the following: diced onion, diced red pepper, sauteed mushrooms, peas, shredded carrots, meat (like cubed chicken breast or shredded pork)

Garnish: Sriracha, mint, basil, quartered limes

Taco Tuesdays

This is a popular option for a reason. It’s easy to get a full meal out of a loaded taco — and a healthy one, too. Fill the loading station with beans and lots of veggies, and consider putting out a big bowl of lettuce so people can make taco salads instead if they want.

What you need: Flour or corn tortillas, a mix of hard and soft

Small bowls of the following: shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, sour cream or Greek yogurt, avocado

Medium bowls of the following: diced tomatoes, diced onions, corn, black beans, refried pinto beans, meat (like ground turkey or shredded chicken breast)

Garnish: hot sauce, quartered limes, cilantro

Friday Night Pizza Party

What you need: Fresh pizza dough

Small bowls of the following: thinly sliced garlic, Parmesan cheese, pepperoni

Medium bowls of the following: marinara sauce, mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced tomatoes, diced onions, red or yellow pepper strips, chopped broccoli

Garnish: Italian seasoning, garlic powder, crushed red pepper

It’s  essential  to  send  kids  to  school  with  something  in  their  stomachs,  even  if  it’s  just  a  piece  of  toast.  Skipping breakfast  can  harm  children’s  developing  brains  and  bodies,  making  it  harder  for  them  to  focus  in  class.  Karla Dumas,  a  dietitian  with  the  Humane  Society,  says  it’s  important  for  kids  to  get  their  metabolisms  going  in  the morning  even  if  they’re  not  hungry.  She  often  prepares  smoothies  for  her  11-­year-­old  stepdaughter  as  a  way  to  get something  in  her  system  —  she,  like  most  young  ones,  isn’t  hungry  enough  to  eat  a  full  breakfast  first  thing.  Smoothies  and  other  to-­go  foods  are  a  good  way  to  get  at  this  problem.  Here  are  five  ideas  for  fast,  easy  weekday breakfasts.  These  meals  are  good  for  school-­bound  kids  —  and  their  busy  parents,  too.

Egg  burrito
We  like  these  for  their  freezer  factor.  Make  five  on  Sunday  and  pop  them  in  the  freezer,  then  reheat  each  morning and  wrap  in  aluminum  foil  for  a  filling  to-­go  breakfast.  To  make  five  burritos:  Crack  8  to  10  eggs  into  a  bowl, add  some  salt  and  pepper  to  taste  and  whisk  well.  Cook  eggs  in  a  nonstick  skillet  until  scrambled;;  turn  the burner  off  just  before  they’re  done  so  they  don’t  overcook  —  remember,  these  will  be  reheated.  Divide  eggs  among five  flour  tortillas.  Season  with  more  salt  and  pepper,  then  top  with  shredded  cheddar  cheese.  Roll  tortillas to  form  burritos  and  freeze  in  a  large  zip-­top  bag  for  up  to  5  days.  The  morning  of,  take  a  burrito  out,  wrap  it  in  a wet  paper  towel  and  cook  it  in  the  microwave  for  1  minute.

Parfait
Yogurt  parfaits  are  full  of  protein  that  will  keep  kids  full  throughout  the  morning.  Consider  buying  a  large  tub  of yogurt  instead  of  single  servings  and  make  enough  parfaits  for  the  week.  For  the  yogurt,  stick  with  something relatively  plain  (like  vanilla)  and  be  on  the  lookout  for  sugar  substitutes  and  other  additives  in  nonfat  or  low-­fat varieties.  For  kids,  a  little  bit  of  fat  is  fine.  Try  using  Greek  yogurt  for  its  rich  texture  and  flavor.  To  make:  Spoon 1⁄2  cup  yogurt  into  a  mug,  mason  jar  or  even  a  plastic  cup.  Top  with  1⁄3  cup  grapes,  blueberries  or raspberries  (or  a  combination  of  all  three)  and  a  pinch  of  cinnamon.  This  can  be  done  3  or  4  days  before  the parfaits  are  eaten.  The  morning  of,  spoon  2  tablespoons  of  any  kind  of  nut  and  2  tablespoons  of  granola  on  top —  these  ingredients  will  get  soggy  if  added  before.  (To  make  a  quick  granola  at  home,  simply  mix  2  cups  oatmeal with  2  tablespoons  each  brown  sugar,  olive  oil  and  maple  syrup,  then  cook  mixture  on  a  sheet  pan  in  a  250-­ degree  oven  for  about  an  hour  until  slightly  toasted  and  fragrant.)

Overnight  oatmeal
This  oatmeal  absorbs  liquid  in  the  fridge  overnight,  so  all  you  need  to  do  in  the  morning  is  add  toppings.  To  appeal  to  kids,  we’re  making  those  toppings  reminiscent  of  peanut  butter and  jelly.  To  make:  In  a  mason  jar  or  other  glass  container  with  a  lid,  mix  1⁄2  cup  rolled  oats  with  1⁄2  cup  milk  (regular,  soy  or  almond).  Stir  in  1  tablespoon  peanut  butter  and  pop in  the  fridge;;  let  sit  overnight.  In  the  morning,  give  the  whole  thing  a  good  stir,  then  top  with  1  teaspoon  jam  or  jelly  and  1  teaspoon  diced  walnuts  or  almonds.

Smoothie
Smoothies  are  ideal  for  people  who  don’t  feel  like  eating  breakfast.  To  really  speed  things  up,  throw  all  of  your  smoothie  ingredients  in  a  bag  in  the  freezer  the  night  before.  In  the morning,  simply  dump  the  bag  in  a  blender,  add  liquid  and  mix.  To  make:  Here’s  a  recipe  for  a  peach-­strawberry-­banana  variety.  To  a  blender,  add  1  whole  frozen  banana,  1⁄3  cup fresh  or  frozen  strawberries,  1⁄3  cup  fresh  or  frozen  peaches,  1⁄3  cup  yogurt,  and  a  couple  of  splashes  of  water  or  orange  juice,  then  blend  until  smooth.  (Optional:  Add  a scoop  of  vanilla  protein  powder.)  You  shouldn’t  need  ice  if  you’re  using  frozen  fruit;;  if  you’re  not,  add  1  cup  of  ice  before  blending.

Toast
We’re  topping  this  toast  with  all  kinds  of  goodies  to  make  sure  it  keeps  your  munchkins  full  for  a  few  hours.  To  make:  Toast  two  pieces  of  whole  wheat  or  whole-­grain  bread. Slather  each  piece  with  1  tablespoon  peanut  butter,  then  top  with  banana  slices.  (Use  1  whole  banana  per  two  slices.)  Add  a  handful  of  raisins  to  each  slice,  then  drizzle  the  whole thing  with  some  honey.  Serve  with  plenty  of  napkins.

The Mele’s kitchen before and after their Express Kitchens renovation.

Express Kitchens customer Nicole Mele and her recent Express Kitchens remodel will be a focal point of an upcoming episode of House Hunters, on the HGTV television network.
In House Hunters, buyers look for a new home that is anything but turnkey. They tour three potential homes and ultimately choose the one that’s waiting for their special touch. The buyers renovate and decorate, ultimately revealing their new space.

On an upcoming episode, a kitchen overhaul features Express Kitchens’ Quebec cabinetry and Travertine countertops. “We love our kitchen so much,” said Mele, who praised Express Kitchens for its support, guidance, and expertise during the installation process. “It is exactly what I was hoping for,” she said.

Recently named one of the nation’s best small businesses by the SBA, Express Kitchens offers customers throughout Connecticut and Western Massachusetts an increasing number of cabinet options along with better buying power and bigger savings.

Express Kitchens recently opened its eighth location at 399 Boston Avenue in Bridgeport, CT.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH A CLIP OF HOUSE HUNTERS!

Know when it’s time to put that spatula out to pasture

All’s well and good in the kitchen…until your 15-year-old blender starts smelling like burning plastic. Make your cooking tools pull their weight by replacing them when they expire and looking for telltale signs of imminent demise. Here’s how often the most common culprits most likely need replacing.

WOODED SPOONS: EVERY 5 YEARS

Or when you find cracks, discoloration or soft spots. (Quit mixing your ma’s marinara sauce with a cracked, porous spoon filled with scary E. coli.)

RUBBER SPATULAS: EVERY 2 YEARS

Or when they’re deeply scratched, missing chunks, melted or embarrassingly stained. Because, honestly, is there anything sadder than an orange-tinted “white” spatula?

PAIRING KNIVES: EVERY 2 YEARS

Or when they break, rust or no longer take to sharpening. Pro tip: Expand their lifespan by sharpening once a week with a sharpening stone or whetstone.

NONSTICK COOKWARE: EVERY 2-3 YEARS

Or when you spot surface chips or scratches…or when scrambling eggs becomes a cleanup nightmare. Pro tip: You can keep these guys from scratching by storing them hanging up or stacked with a paper towel in between each one.

PLASTIC CHOPPING BOARDS: EVERY 3 YEARS

Or when they develop deep marks from knife cuts. Be sure to stock up on separate boards for meat/poultry and fruits/veggies–or else live in fear of salmonella in your salad.

COUNTERTOP BLENDERS: WHEN YOU DROP IT OR SUBMERGE THE BASE IN WATER

That is, according to manufacturers. Otherwise, just replace blades when they become dull (search for a manufacturer kit for your model). And keep on keepin’ on with those daiquiris you’re famous for.

Cabinets Set The Tone For The Whole Kitchen

Cabinets can be the biggest expense in a full kitchen remodel, accounting for up to 40 percent of the overall budget. They also set the visual tone for the kitchen, and they’re a huge part of how well it functions. Bottom line: Get the cabinets right and your chance of loving your new kitchen will go way up.

Step 1: Set the budget
Cabinets fall into three categories: stock, semi-custom, and custom. Stock cabinets start around $70 per linear foot (a typical kitchen has 25 to 30 linear feet of cabinets). Semi-custom cabinets, which range from $150 to $250 per linear foot, come in more configurations, so they’ll fit your kitchen more precisely, if not perfectly. Custom cabinets can easily cost $500 or more per linear foot; they’re crafted to your exact specs and can include many personalized features.

Step 2: Choose a style
The big decision is between framed and frameless. Framed cabinets consist of a box and face frame, to which doors and drawers are attached. Frameless cabinets, often referred to as European-style, eliminate the face frame; doors and drawers attach directly to the cabinet box. That provides great accessibility and a more contemporary look. On the downside, the absence of a face frame can compromise rigidity; better manufacturers compensate by using a thicker box—say, ¾-inch plywood instead of ½-inch particleboard. For the European look in a framed cabinet, opt for a full-overlay door, which covers all or most of the face frame.

Step 3: Pick the features
Accessories can improve cabinet functionality, but they’ll also increase the cost by 20 percent or more. A pull-out trash can is a worthwhile addition. Built-in charging stations are helpful, too, because they keep the countertop clear of electronic devices. Appliance garages, those countertop compartments designed to conceal small appliances, don’t always offer the best organization. Instead, consider a lift cabinet with a spring-loaded shelf that swings up and out, providing easy access to a mixer, food processor, or other hefty device.

Design tips from the pros

Lighting
“Integrated lighting has become very popular. As soon as you open the drawer, the light comes on. We also do a lot of undercabinet lighting, including LED fixtures with a built-in plug for countertop appliances and a USB port to charge your smartphone and other electronics.”—Kathleen Wilber, Ikea, U.S. sales leader for kitchens

Finish
“There’s still plenty of interest in lighter-toned cabinets. But we’re starting to see an uptick in our pebbled gray and chai finishes, as more customers go for a tinted neutral color instead of stark white.”—Tracy Riel, KraftMaid Cabinetry, manager, designer services

Features
“Easy-access, touch-to-open door and drawer releases are catching on. There’s also a preference for more paired-down door styles and greater interior functionality. That includes task-specific features like coffee-service components and pull-out storage that alleviates physical strain while eliminating dead space.”—Amy Benton, BauformatUSA, accounts and marketing manager