Supper solutions

Most of us don't have the luxury of having supper instantly appear when we get home after a busy day. Do demands such as dealing with children, getting to practices or programs, and rushing around to get to an evening meeting sound familiar? Don't despair -- even if you can't cook like Emeril -- you can pull together a tasty and nutritious meal, even when life gets crazy.

First you need a little organization…

If you keep the following basic ingredients in your pantry you'll have what you need to make healthy meals in a pinch:• Whole grain bread, pita bread, bagels, flour tortillas, pasta, and rice.

• Dark green and orange vegetables and fruit including sweet potatoes, carrots, cantaloupe, sweet peppers, green peas, broccoli, spinach, romaine lettuce, kiwifruit, berries, oranges, orange juice, canned vegetables and fruit, frozen vegetables and berries, fruit and vegetable juices.

• Milk, cheese, and yogurt.

• Lean cuts of meat, poultry, fish, tuna (packed in water), eggs, canned beans, chickpeas and lentils, nuts and seeds.

• Other foods such as soft tub margarine, butter, oil (olive, canola, safflower, sunflower, corn), light mayonnaise, sodium-reduced soy sauce, bouillon cubes, herbs, spices and condiments.