Chef Kevin Belton: Keep hungry kids satisfied with meals packed full of protein and flavor

In a few weeks, we will be searching the pantry and looking throughout the fridge for food we know we purchased. We’ll ask ourselves, “Did I leave the bags in the car or did I forget to grab the bags off the grocery counter?”

But no. The truth is the kids will be out of school, and food that normally lasts a week will make it only four days if we’re lucky. I had a front-row seat to watch this up close while my sons were growing up.

It didn’t take me long to realize that increasing what I was buying just led to them increasing their consumption. I needed to keep items that would stick to their ribs and be filling.

Fortunately, the boys were into sports, so they needed to stay hydrated during our summer temperatures. Anytime I found Powerade or Gatorade on sale I would buy cases to keep on hand. Crystal Light lemonade was also on hand to sometimes give water a little flavor for a change of pace.

My rule was a gallon of liquid had to be consumed daily to stay hydrated, but the liquid also kept them full.

I would also make things for them and show them how to do it for themselves. Some of their favorites were slicing apples and spreading peanut butter on the slices for a snack. I showed them at lunch not to just make a sandwich but to make a plate with slices of ham, turkey, cheese, grapes and crackers or pretzels. I still roll up ham and cheese slices with some type of fruit for lunch.

Yes, there were chips, cookies, snack cakes and other assorted treats, but that’s what they were, treats. As an adult I have to remind myself that if I’m hungry, don’t go for the treat because it doesn’t satisfy my hunger. It numbs it for about five minutes, and now you’ve eaten empty calories that serve no purpose.

Dinner was my opportunity to create a dish that not only tastes great, but was also filling because it always contained protein. The best thing about a big dinner was that what was left over would be lunch the next day.

The recipes I chose to share this month can be adapted to your choice of protein and vegetables. Yes, when the kids get out of school, we increase our purchases at the store and our bill is larger but let’s not forget hurricane season starts June 1. So let’s use those appetites to empty out our freezers. If yours is anything like mine, it’s a gold mine of goodies we forgot we have.

Family Sheet Pan Dinner

Serves 6.

6 pork chops, boneless or bone in

Creole seasoning

3 eggs

¼ cup milk

3 cups panko breadcrumbs

3 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

1½ tablespoons Italian seasoning

2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 pounds Brussels sprouts, cut in half

2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, quartered

Salt and pepper

3 tablespoons olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray a sheet pan with cooking spray or line with parchment paper. Set aside.

2. In a shallow dish, whisk together egg and milk. In another shallow dish add panko, cheddar cheese, Italian seasoning and garlic powder.

3. Sprinkle the pork chops with Creole seasoning, dredge them in the egg mixture and then coat them in the panko mixture. Lay them on your sheet pan.

4. In a large bowl add the Brussels sprouts and potatoes. Salt and pepper and toss with the olive oil. Lay them next to the pork on the sheet pan.

5. Bake for 15 minutes, then flip the pork over and continue baking for 12-15 minutes or until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees.

Beefy Baked Spaghetti

Makes about 6 servings.

1 package (16 ounces) spaghetti

1 pound ground beef

1 onion, chopped

1 jar (24 ounces) pasta sauce

1 teaspoon Creole seasoning

2 eggs

⅓ cup Parmesan cheese, grated

5 tablespoons butter, melted

2 cups 4% cottage cheese

4 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

Chopped fresh basil or green onion (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook spaghetti according to package directions for al dente. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, Parmesan cheese and butter. Drain spaghetti; add to the egg mixture and toss to coat.

2. In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat for 6-8 minutes or until onion is tender and beef is no longer pink, breaking meat into crumbles; drain. Stir in pasta sauce and Creole seasoning; set aside.

3. Place half the spaghetti mixture in a greased 13x9-inch baking dish. Top with half of the cottage cheese, meat sauce and mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers. Place baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet.

4. Cover and bake for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake for 20-25 minutes longer or until heated through. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving. If desired, sprinkle with basil.