The Sheet Pan Dinner- Shortcut to Healthy Eating

Have you ever noticed how much easier it is to talk about eating healthy, homemade meals, than it is to actually do it? One of the biggest obstacles is the time it takes to plan and cook homemade food. If you want your meals to match your good intentions, the “sheet pan dinner” is an easy shortcut.

Cooking a sheet pan dinner involves roasting a protein and vegetable on a shallow pan with a narrow rim to hold in the juices. Some recipes include starches and some call for cooking a starch on the side.

The key to success is to choose ingredients that can all cook in the same amount of time at the same temperature, and to coat all the ingredients with oil and seasonings before cooking. (One way to balance cooking times is to cut slower cooking items into smaller pieces.)

Exactly which ingredients you choose will depend on your personal preferences. Even tofu can serve as a protein, although it might not be the best place to start if you aren’t experienced at cooking it.

While you can look up cooking times and create  your own sheet pan dinners, there is no shortage of recipes online. For some examples, visit https://www.southernliving.com/dinner/sheet-pan-suppers , and start cooking.