The twice a week game plan: Tips and tricks to tackle healthy meals

ARLINGTON, USA – Eating healthy isn’t always easy, and when your family is rushing around in the evenings it can seem like a daunting task to put a well-balanced, nutritious meal on the table. However, cooking food you can feel good about for your family, like seafood, is one way to serve up quick, good-for-you meals.

The American Heart Association suggests eating at least two servings of seafood each week, which provides you with essential nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids and lean protein. Not only is seafood good for you, but also for the whole family! It’s important to get the health benefits gained by eating seafood, yet only about 20 percent of Americans are hitting this goal, according to the Seafood Nutrition Partnership.

“Seafood is simple, healthy and delicious! It is important for children’s brain development – one of the many reasons I feed it to my boys,” says registered dietitian Jessica Miller, mom of three and nutrition communications manager for SNP. “It is so versatile and cooks quickly, which we need when shuttling around to games and practices. We love shrimp tacos, salmon in the air fryer and crab added to mac ‘n’ cheese. Plus I always keep tuna pouches in my bag as back up!”

This October National Seafood Month, the Eat Seafood America! initiative is helping all of us tackle our health goals with tips and tasty recipes. Use this simple game plan to help you tackle at least 2 out of the 21 meals a week, it’s easier than you think!

Check out these tips to jump-start your seafood game:

• Play #1: Make a game plan! Start by mapping out your schedule for the week to figure out when you can incorporate seafood into your meals. With this in mind, lay out your plan and create a shopping list for meals you want to try. Take a look at these recipes for lots of seafood inspiration!
• Play #2: Stock up on canned and frozen seafood at the grocery store and keep an eye out for sales or coupons. Canned seafood is a budget-friendly option and can be added (no-cook) into salads, pasta, or other easy dishes. Try this recipe for Mediterranean-style stuffed peppers using canned tuna!
• Play #3: Cook once, eat twice! Try doubling recipes to get ahead on cooking and have dinner or lunch ready for later. Recipes that freeze well, such as stews and casseroles, are great ones to double. Cook an extra piece of fish or more shrimp to use for leftovers on salads or in wraps.
• Play #4: Seafood is amazing in an air fryer. Pro-tip: Salmon cooks in just 8-10 minutes! Other kitchen gadgets like slow cookers and pressure cookers are also great to prepare seafood-based meals in a pinch.
• Play #5: Make easy swaps, like using white fish or shrimp in tacos or a salmon patty instead of a burger patty.

For more recipes, ideas and inspiration for eating seafood at least two times per week, visit eatseafoodamerica.com or follow #EatSeafoodAmerica on social media.