Nutrition
Making Meals a Fun Family Event!
Posted on April 13th, 2011
I know, at first glance the title of this article seems laughable! Making meals is a daily duty that never seems to end. You can blow off laundry for a few days, but eating, well the stomach growling can only go on for so long! As a mother of two elementary aged children I’ve rolled through this battle of how to: please picky palates, provide a variety of options, have time to make meals, and actually enjoy the process of preparation!
I’ve come up with solutions (my version of spring cleaning) for the “Meal Prep Monster” that lurks on our calendars!
Solution #1: Planning Party
Do you want less grief about what’s on the menu? Involve the family in the planning. To decrease the amount of eye-rolling when you suggest help with menu ideas, frame it up as a “Planning Party!” Make some popcorn and put out a beverage tray stacked with hot cocoa, sparkling cider, or a variety of vitaminwater to keep the crowd happy, hydrated and ready to plan.
You can either be high tech (websites, online calendars, menu planners), or low-tech (cookbooks, large paper calendar, and markers), but the idea is to plan out a month’s worth of menu options and have each family member contribute to the process.
For my crew we type in the monthly evening activities first. Then we know how much time we will actually have to cook that day. We each take turns picking a night that we would like to plan the menu for and color code it for each family member. For younger children I would start by instructing them about the importance of eating a variety of foods throughout the day.. For each meal planned we choose: a fruit and/or vegetable, whole grain, protein (meat or plant based), and dairy (cow or plant based).
For the nights that we are very busy (i.e. no time to cook), I encourage the menu chooser from the night before to find something that will be easy leftovers to have the next night when we are time crunched.
This approach will help you get more “buy-in” from family members and help expand menu options throughout the week. It has also helped my pickiest eater try new foods when that’s the only “choice” on the nightly menu.
Solution #2: Invite Them In
I’ve started using a new phase in my house, “A family that cooks together stays together!” Instead of meals being a mama chore, it has now become a family activity. Not only does this decrease my workload, it teaches my kids important life skills about how to shop for and prepare foods. Food has always been a social connecting point, so making it a family activity seems natural. Some weeks get busy, but I try to have each family member involved in helping to make at least one dinner per week.
Solution #3: Theme it Up
Whether it’s Taco Turkey Tuesdays, Meatball Mondays, or Fusilli Fridays that drives the fun, themes are something that sparks the creative flow. At least once per month my daughter will choose a menu based on color. Last month she tried to create a menu that was all purple! She found it tricky to find a protein based food that was purple! We ended up eating blueberry smoothies made with Greek yogurt (good source of protein), grapes, and purple cauliflower with feta yogurt dip! Certainly a non-traditional dinner, but it was healthy choice on a night that we had little time for cooking.
My son and husband were very excited for the start of the NCAA Basketball tournament. They had a blast coming up with basketball themed meals to celebrate! Pizza was a slam dunk (sorry for the pun) due to its round shape and I’ve included a great healthy pita pizza recipe that we enjoyed!
Making meals a family fun event can be reality. It was one of my spring projects several years ago and I’ve been grateful for it ever since!
Recipe: Build Your Own Pita Pizzas
Makes 48 wedges
FOR THE TOMATO SAUCE
- 1/4 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 small purple onion, peeled and chopped into 1/4-inch dice
- 1-2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced (or use minced from a jar to taste preference)
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 bay leaf
- One half 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
FOR THE PIZZA
Set out the following ingredients (or more that you come up with) and let each family member customize!
- 4 whole-wheat pita breads (each 7 1/2 inches)
- Sliced yellow, red, and green bell peppers, cut into 1/8-inch-thick strips
- Mozzarella cheese and/or Colby Jack shredded
- Mushrooms (sliced) Sliced olives
- Grilled chicken, cut into thin strips
- Grilled zucchini slices
FOR THE GARNISH
- Fresh basil, thinly sliced
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make the tomato sauce: Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, and cook, stirring frequently, until onion and garlic are browned, about 4 minutes. Add the dried oregano, dried basil, crushed red pepper flakes (optional), bay leaf, chopped tomatoes, and tomato paste. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and let simmer, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has evaporated and the sauce is thick, about 35 minutes.
- Assemble the pizzas: Arrange pita breads on two baking sheets. Spread about 6 tablespoons tomato sauce on each. Let each family member add their own toppings. Transfer the baking sheets to the oven, and bake the pizzas until the veggies begin to wilt and the mozzarella has melted, about 20 minutes. Remove the pizzas from the oven, and transfer to a cutting board. Sprinkle with basil, and cut each pita pizza into 12 wedges. Serve warm or at room temperature.
*Tip: Make extra sauce and prep extra toppings for a quick and east dinner later in the week!
