Wanting to clean up your cooking?  Feeding on a budget? Trying to keep it healthy for you and your wallet?  Who doesn’t want fast, easy, affordable, healthy meals?  SNAP through K-State Extension services has you covered!  Their site provides information regarding nutrition and meal planning.  Better yet, they have recipes…so many recipes! 

Check out their website for all resources but here are some of the recipe links with examples of the endless possibilities for you and your family in the kitchen…

E Z Does It

You can view a PDF or a video of recipes that cover baking, beef, fish, meatless, pork, poultry and eggs, and regional favorites!

Summer Salsa
Simple Fish Tacos

Food Hero

Looking for inspiration?  You’ll find hundreds of healthy, low-cost recipes right here! They’re adaptable, too, so you can substitute ingredients you know your family will love.  Search by photo, alphabetically, or by category.

DIY Trail Mix
Cucumber Salad with Tomatoes
Crunchy Chicken Nuggets

Spend Smart, Eat Smart

For tips on planning, shopping, pantry picks, and cooking!  This site has tons of information to help you eat healthy on a budget.  Recipes cover freezer meals, one pot, slow cooker, salads, and snacks.  They even have an app!

Meat and Veggie Mac

Santa Fe Stuffed Potatoes
Teriyaki Rice Bowl

Tasty Recipes on Your Budget

EatFresh is a site that offers recipes you can search by quick, low sugar, kid friendly, vegetarian, slow cooker, and meal plans for each category!  Now that is smart and easy.

Meal Plan: 4 Dinner Ideas for Back-to-School Nights
Meal Plan: 5 Easy Asian-Inspired Dishes

Consider these tips to help you build cooking skills AND confidence!

  • Cook often – Practice may not make perfect, but it definitely sharpens skills!
  • Start easy – Even basic recipes taste great, and you will develop your abilities as you go.
  • Make something delicious – You will be inspired to cook again, soon!
  • Follow the recipe the first time, but don’t be afraid to experiment – Remember, cooking is an art, and baking is a science. Follow recipes for baked goods closely for best results.
  • Find a cookbook you love, then prepare as many recipes from it as possible. – You will build on your tasty successes!
  • Read the recipe before you start – You’ll save time, frustration and allow your errors to be mental instead of full-out flops.
  • Pre-prep your ingredients before you begin to cook. – By chopping, slicing, measuring and gathering all required parts before you start cooking, you’ll be ready to focus on the process.
  • Consider kitchen equipment – You probably don’t need chef-quality tools, but a few good pieces will make cooking easier and more enjoyable. A sharp knife and one or two pots and pans (used ones that are relatively heavy may be a smarter purchase than brand-new thin or lightweight options) are good starting points.
  • Stock the staples – Some items are called for in most recipes, and experienced cooks consider many ingredients “must-have”. You may be tempted to skip a flavorful add-in or avoid a recipe entirely if you don’t have the basics on hand. Spices can be expensive, so consider buying some you see listed most often in recipes you plan to make, and opting for others later.
  • Learn the techniques – Look up unfamiliar cooking terms and techniques online, or in a cookbook. You will often discover that the skill is somewhat easy, even if the name makes you stop and wonder.
  • Cook often! Yes, it bears repeating – You will become more skilled, relaxed, versatile, and organized the more you cook. Cooking is a healthy habit that’s worth forming.

Take a look at all the online learning and resources offered by K-State Extension HERE!