Families Solving Healthy Meal Problems With 'The Fresh 20'
PITTBSURGH (KDKA) - It's a question that plagues American families: What's for dinner?
In our fast-paced world, it seems there is less and less time to have good, healthy meals around the dinner table.
"It takes a lot of planning and having the time to do it. It's never easy," says Tricia Loughran, a married mother of four.
"It always plagues me and I will say to my husband, 'Did you plan dinner?' In case he has done it, I don't have to worry about it."
Loughran is like many parents who want healthy meals for their kids, but find it hard to always make it happen. Dinner in the Loughran house usually comes down to what is quick and easy and available in the refrigerator.
"I was in a corporate job working 80 hours a week and I would come home and eat a burrito over the sink," says Melissa Lanz, founder of The Fresh 20.
Tired of wondering what's for dinner, Lanz decided to do something about it. She started a company called The Fresh 20, which takes the guesswork out of making dinner.
It's a web-based subscription service where each week, subscribers receive a list of 20 fresh ingredients to purchase and five recipes that use those ingredients.
"The idea is that you buy a limited amount of ingredients, and better quality ingredients, and still stay within a great family budget," says Lanz.
The shopping list each week totals around $75. For a family of four, it comes out to be $3.75 a serving.
"I can make it cheaper than take-out and faster than driving in your car through the drive-thru," is The Fresh 20 motto, laughs Lanz.
Mom of two, Beth Diegelman admits she was never much of a cook. Take-out, restaurant reservations and cereal for dinner were common in her household. But, then she discovered The Fresh 20.
"The Fresh 20 has changed the way my family eats," says Diegelman.
Instead of pizza delivery, her family is now trying out meals like Brisket Lasagna and Avgolemono soup.
Check out their website for subscriptions. Cost: $6/month or $54/year. "Like" The Fresh 20 on Facebook for deals.
For a limited time, KDKA viewers get $10 off the annual subscription rate. The offer is good through May 31.
To get the deal, click here.
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