05/18/2026
For those wanting all the great info in one place:
#1 We want to make every bite count. Our boxes contain a bunch of different things. We have shown ways to make pancakes and cake mixes less expensive to use. We recently did a bean series and now this week, we are starting a pasta series. Come along for the ride!
Cook your pasta a day in advance! Refrigerating 24 - 48 hours lowers the Glycemic Index making it more friendly for those people dealing with diabetes or managing blood glucose levels. Refrigerating overnight can help prevent a spike in blood sugar (this is not medical advice so do what is best for you and your own health)
Off topic, but slightly related - same with cooking rice, potatoes and even some beans, in advance!
Too bad it doesn’t work with simple carbs, like cake 😛
This is not always the answer for everyone. But it can be a helpful tip!
#2 Sharing here a super easy, one dish dinner, designed to serve up smiles and sated tummies.
This is a dinner using mostly things found in our food box. If it has a star, we’re hoping you have this in your pantry already and/or have previously chosen it from our ‘extras’ cart.
Easy Dinner:
In a large oven safe 9x13 dish:
1 lg can of diced tomatoes (or 2 small)
*2.5 cups of some type of broth or stock
*2 tbsp oil
*2 tbsp minced garlic (can use dried garlic if needed)
Mix well.
Add
4 cups pasta (uncooked)
2 cans drained tuna
Salt and pepper
Mix well.
Add water if not fully submerged
Cover and Cook for 25 - 30 mins at 400F
Can add cheese or even veggies like peas to super charge your protein/veg servings
#3 Pasta contains 80% carbs (energy), 15% protein (keeps you feeling fuller, longer) and 5% fat
Pasta is often enriched with iron, or riboflavin, thiamine and folic acid
It contains 20% of the daily recommended amount of iron
Pasta is affordable, convenient and shelf stable.
Pasta is versatile and nutritious.
Did you know? Apparently the 3rd president of the US, Thomas Jefferson, was the 1st person to bring pasta over to America in 1789. (Thanks for that, I love me some pasta!)
There are about 600 different shapes and styles of pasta.
There is thin pasta, long pasta, stuffed pastas, fat pastas, and even tiny pastas, like orzo, used for things like soup noodles.
There is even tubular pasta (or fat shells) that can be used for stuffing extras in.
Switch it up for fun! Ie. in your soup, you could add “alphabet pasta” and make it alphabet soup!
Or use a cavatappi noodle for a pasta salad instead of the traditional elbow.
My household likes to use a spiral noodle with our regular pasta, because it holds more sauce.
If counting calories, or using an oil based sauce, use a thin noodle as it will get coated but not ‘hold’ as much.
Different types of pasta include: whole or regular wheat noodles; or corn, rice, edamame, or chickpea as alternatives to gluten
There is very little difference in taste, although there is a slight texture difference in gluten free noodles (Hint: Make them al dente)
#4 There are even hot pasta and cold pasta dishes. Sharing here a tuna salad but also a tuna casserole. It’s similar food served in a different way. This will prevent food boredom and can be budget friendly. (See pictures)
#5 Final Tips:
Some like to add oil to the pasta water, we do not recommend that simply because it prevents the sauce from “sticking” to the noodles.
Al Dente: Cooked but still slightly firm. Keeps the GI lower and keeps tummies fuller longer.
Adding pasta sauce to a noodle dish, adds a serving of veggies. Adding more veggies also helps. Think peas or corn or legumes.
Hide extra fibre in your pasta to give your kids an extra fibre boost! Take a can of rinsed chickpeas and add it a blender with your sauce. The kids will never know and it actually makes your pasta sauce a little creamier. But taste-wise, they will have no idea. ;)
