By: Tasneem Emeran, a mother of a beautiful girl.

Growing up I was fortunate enough to enjoy home-made meals on daily basis. Unfortunately, today fast food chains are around every corner and microwaveable meals save on cooking time, which caters to our fast-paced lives. It is not always easy for parents to juggle work and everyday responsibilities. Oftentimes, it is easier to buy French fries rather than cooking a hearty meal at home. In other words, t good nutrition and home-cooking do not have to be time-consuming.

  Here are 5 ways to eat healthier meals at home, for the whole family:  

1. Breakfasts don’t have to be fancy, but they should be fueling.

Oatmeal is the perfect breakfast choice, because it is affordable and takes five minutes to make. It is also a complex carbohydrate which means that it gives us a slow and sustainable release of energy. Add some fruit and organic honey for sweetness then you are good to go. Young children love to be involved so having them add their own toppings gives them a sense of independence and they will look forward to breakfast.

2. An easy way to get your kids to eat vegetables? Add them to soups.

My two-year-old daughter had an aversion to carrots, until I grated them and added them to soup. This way, you will be getting the benefit of the nutrients in carrots without really tasting them. It is a win-win situation for everyone involved.

3. Stocking your pantry with staple ingredients makes home-made cooking so much easier.

And, one staple that everyone in the family will love? Pasta. Opt for whole-grain pasta to not only make pasta dishes, but soups and salads as well. Whole grain pasta is extremely versatile and makes for a quick and easy meal, without the guilt of it being unhealthy.

4. We all know the importance of staying hydrated, especially living in the Middle East.

Fruit juice can be chock-full of sugar, just as much as carbonated beverages. Keeping water in plain sight, like on the dining table or beside the bed, makes it easier to remember to re-hydrate. Not everyone is a fan of plain water; an easy way to drink more water is to make infused water. Choosing fruits of your preference, add them to a jug of water, let it sit for a while in order to let the flavor and nutrients of the fruit to seep into the water and voila, a healthy, tasty drink.

5. Everyone loves a sweet treat every now and then.

Fruit contains natural sugars and is the perfect sweet snack. There are always ways to dress them up though; making banana bread or spreading peanut butter on apple slices.

It is easy to feel overwhelmed by the food choices we have today and as moms there is no shortage of guilt, let’s not add to that list. Feeding our kids with food that will nourish them should be easy; they do not have to be Instagram-worthy, just nutritious.