Grab And Go Dinners

Thanks to the efforts of the local Extension Service, affordable healthy meals for a family -- in grab-and-go bags -- are available in the county.

"I use healthy recipes and keep the cost down for each grab bag to $6 or less," explained Eden Stewart, nutrition educator from the University of Missouri Extension office in McDonald County. "All the shopper has to do is dump it all in a skillet and cook it. We try to limit preservatives and salt as much as possible. One bag for $6 makes up to about six servings."

Shop for these healthy meals at Town and County in Anderson. Grab a bag, which has a whole meal including the recipe, take it home and cook it yourself.

"These are called "Grab and Go Dinners," Stewart said. "I implemented this idea with a grant received from the Health Department and the University of Missouri Extension. This is a pilot program with Town and County."

Eating healthy is hard, Stewart said.

To begin eating healthy foods is a life change," she said. "We're trying to make it easier for people to eat healthy."

Town and Country, which is locally owned, was very open to this idea, Stewart said. Stewart went throughout the store and posted tags identifying foods which are the most healthy to make it easier for shoppers to easily find the most-healthy foods.

The grab bags of food at Town and Country were prepared by Stewart.

Stewart's plan is to get the grab-bag meals selling, then walk away, allowing the store to take it over.

"I'll be going to the high school (this month) to get some of the students involved in creating healthy deli salad recipes which will be sampled at Town & Country. Customers will vote on the best salad recipe, then that salad will be sold at the store. Tentative dates for the vote are Feb. 12 & 13."

"My goal," Stewart said, "is for families to sit down and have a meal which is healthy for them and which makes them feel good."