Healthy Eating for Families: 20 Quick and Easy Dinner Tips

Healthy Eating for Families: 20 Quick and Easy Dinner Tips

At the end of a given weekday, we packed lunch, kissed each other on the forehead, went to work, carpooled all over town, and now... now it's time to cook dinner.

Here are twenty quick and easy dinner tips that can also make for magical family memories.

1. Have lots of fresh vegetables on hand. I love serving my kids a plate of vegetables before dinner. Anything left on the plate for dinner is simply placed on the dining table next to our other dishes.

2. While you're at the grocery store, pick up some fresh herbs. These can be incorporated into virtually any recipe in a snap, but they make all the difference in the taste of your food. It's especially nice to have fresh basil, mint and coriander on hand.

3. Teach your children about the balance of the food on their plate. Discuss how many food groups are represented. To make this more fun, we ask our children if they eat a meal containing all four food groups. And if not, is it a triangle (three food groups), a line (two food groups), or a point (one food group)? Thinking about their choices in this way helps my young children visualize their choices and strive for a square at every meal.

4. Hang a dry-erase board on the wall or refrigerator with each family member's name on it. Next to their name, they can write down the number of fruits and vegetables they consumed or the healthy choices they made that day.

5. Don't assume your kids want or need fattening spreads or sugary sweeteners to spice up their food. Two of my kids actually prefer toast without butter, waffles without syrup, and salad without dressing.

6. Grind vegetables like broccoli, carrots, and cauliflower in a food processor and add them to soups, pasta sauce, chili, or stews.

7. Be a good example. The more healthier foods you eat, the more likely your kids are (eventually) to eat them too.

8. Use the slow cooker. There are often times during the day that are less hectic than mealtime. Choose a less stressful time and whip up a quick Crock-Pot recipe. My kids love helping add ingredients to the slow cooker.

9. Make a casserole. Cooking Light magazine has some wonderful recipes for quick dinners or make-ahead casseroles (also available online at CookingLight.com). Casseroles can be a great place to sneak in even more vegetables.

10. Use the indoor electric grill. I use mine to get chicken from frozen to the table in under 20 minutes. And then I grill vegetables in 5 minutes. Everything tastes so fresh, healthy and delicious. I don't know what I ever did without mine.

11. Create a bar. My kids love sandwich bars, pasta bars, taco bars, and potato bars. Provide the essentials and some healthy fillings and toppings, and you have a great meal where everyone has control over what they eat.

12. Delivery! We love pizza and many places (especially the gourmet pizza restaurants) now offer a healthy selection of pizzas with fresh vegetables. We order a veggie pizza and one with just cheese in case the kids don't want spinach on their pie.

13. There's more to go than the traditional greasy fast food options. Find a few restaurants that offer quick, healthy take-out food. There's certainly no shame in ordering takeout.

14. Involve your children in the cooking and baking process. Focus on creating positive memories before, during, and after your meal. This can be a fun time of togetherness, so ask yourself: What would make it more enjoyable for your family members? For example, you can let your children play their favorite music while they help you prepare dinner, prepare the salad, or set the table.

15. Involve your children in grocery shopping. Have them read labels with you and help make healthy choices for the family.

16. Make mealtimes a family affair. Family dinners are extremely important. Not only will you be more conscious of what types of foods your children eat, but it will turn family mealtime into a ritual that can help avoid unhealthy snacks before meals.

17. Drink only milk or water with dinner. Soda and other sugary drinks can fill your kids with empty calories, leaving less room for the good stuff.

18. Show your reverence for the peaceful family meal by initiating special rituals even for everyday occasions. Eat on the fine china or try dimming the lights and dining by candlelight.

19. During dinner, talk about the health benefits of different foods on your plate. Before eating something, my kids often ask, “What does this food do for my body?” And then we explain in terms of the specific food. This may require you to do some research in advance (or as a family) so that you are familiar with the vitamin and nutrient content of your favorite foods.

20. Turn off the TV and radio and select the conversation. If your children aren't talking or arguing, distract them by asking about their favorite activity of the day. Everyone gets a turn and you have a peaceful meal. Maybe you like it so much that you want to have breakfast together.