Summer is officially here, and for many, that means busy schedules and living life “on the go,” which can make it difficult to put together healthy meals.

In fact, time is the most common barrier I hear from customers preventing them from eating healthier meals. Knowing this and Hy-Vee’s mission statement, “Making lives easier, healthier and happier” my main goal as a Hy-Vee dietitian has been to provide simple and realistic ways to make healthy eating a part of our customers’ everyday lifestyles.

To do this, I provide ways to utilize the groceries in our store and get them on people’s plates in convenient, timely and affordable ways.

Therefore, I am excited to announce that we are not only having a discount on our summer D.I.S.H. program, our slow cooker, freezer meal prep class, but we will also be offering a new program called Fast Fit Food starting June 22.

D.I.S.H., which stands for Dinner is Solved at Hy-Vee, has been successfully running since November. It is a great way to get dinner on the table this summer without having to stand over a hot stove and will allow you to spend less time cooking and more time outside enjoying the sunny summer days.

For these classes, we do the grocery shopping and clean up and you get to take home six different family-sized freezer meals that are ready to put in the slow cooker at your convenience. Through June and July, we will be offering classes at a discounted price of $80 per person which ends up being about $13 per recipe or $3 per meal.

To sign up for these classes, you just need to gather a group of 10 and call 507-437-7625 or email jpape@hy-vee.com to schedule a date. By gathering a group and being the “host,” we are also offering an even bigger discount.

Our second program, Fast Fit Food, offers weekly menu plans and groceries for five days of balanced, portioned meals and snacks.

Menus are designed based on 1,200 or 1,500 calories a day and participants can choose between the two based on their individual health goals.  Meals include all food necessary for three meals and two snacks per day including fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy products, frozen entrees and fresh or frozen meat and seafood.  Participants will receive a menu each week listing the foods to be consumed at each eating occasion and provides calorie-controlled ideas for two “you plant it” days when picking up their food.

Each meal has minimal food preparation and most items can be prepared in a microwave, with a few meals requiring an oven, grill or stove.

Since menus are designed to meet specific nutrition guidelines participants following heart healthy or diabetic guidelines can even participate. Menus aim to provide 45 to 60 percent of calories from carbohydrate and 25 to 30 grams of fiber, spread between meals and snacks, to promote moderate and stable blood sugar, and are limited in total and saturated fat.

For those who may be interested, but are responsible for providing dinner for other family members, they can simply fix a corresponding piece of fish, chicken, pork, etc. based on that week’s menu. The program requires little planning, no calorie-counting, while providing convenient, healthy and satisfying meals.

Sign up and payment for Fast Fit Food needs to be in each week by Tuesdays at 9 a.m. for pick up the following week on Mondays between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m.

If you are interested in spending less time planning meals and in the kitchen this summer and more time enjoying the weather, contact me for addition information or samples menus for D.I.S.H. or Fast Fit Foods.

Grilled Salmon with Tomatoes and Basil

Serves 4

All you need

•2 cloves garlic, minced

•1 tsp kosher salt, divided

•1 tbsp Hy-Vee Select extra-virgin olive oil

•1 whole wild salmon fillet (also called a “side of salmon,” about 1 1/2 pounds)

•1/3 cup plus 1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil, divided

•2 medium tomatoes, thinly sliced

•1/4 tsp Hy-Vee freshly ground pepper

All you do

1. Preheat grill to medium.
Mash minced garlic and 3/4 teaspoon salt on a cutting board with the side of a chef’s knife or a spoon until a paste forms. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in oil.
2. Check the salmon for pin bones and remove if necessary. Measure out a piece of heavy-duty foil (or use a double layer of regular foil) large enough for the salmon fillet. Coat the foil with cooking spray. Place the salmon skin-side down on the foil and spread the garlic mixture all over it. Sprinkle with 1/3 cup basil.

3. Overlap tomato slices on top and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper.
4. Transfer the salmon on the foil to the grill. Grill until the fish flakes easily, 10 to 12 minutes. Use two large spatulas to slide the salmon from the foil to a serving platter. Serve the salmon sprinkled with the remaining 1/4 cup basil.

Source: adapted from Eating Well, Inc.