Healthy Family Dinner Recipes?

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heatherannh23
heatherannh23 Posts: 71 Member
in Recipes
I'm trying to get my family eating better and dinner just baffles me sometimes. I try to come up with recipes that aren't just your basic chicken with two sides or something similar and I almost always fail. What's your favorite healthy recipe that the whole family likes?

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  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
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    Stew, chili, lasagna, jambalaya, Cajun red beans and rice, omelets, tacos, chicken marsala, pulled pork and collard greens, salmon burgers. Those are just a few I can think of that we've had recently.
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
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    These are good and they have the macros and calories listed:
    http://blog.myfitnesspal.com/category/eat/recipes/main-dishes/
  • MelaniaTrump
    MelaniaTrump Posts: 2,694 Member
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    You have kids that are going to be eating with you? They can be picky.
    One go-to is chicken rice bake. I make it with healthier cream of mushroom soup.
    http://www.campbellskitchen.com/recipes/one-dish-chicken-rice-bake-24702
  • Lauradaresyou
    Lauradaresyou Posts: 5 Member
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    Curry-roast butternut squash, sweet potato and chicken for about 40mins before transferring to a pan, add tinned chopped tomatoes or passata, any spices you like ( chilli, paprika, corriandor, turmeric) and 2 heap spoons of curry powder. Let this simmer for about 5mins adding a little bit of water if the consistency is too thick. You can either serve it just like that with rice however I add light coconut milk an it makes it really smooth and tasty :-) it's one of my husband's favs. Obviously you can tailor the spices if it's for children though or skip them completely. Enjoy!!
  • dramatick
    dramatick Posts: 2 Member
    edited July 2016
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    I get a lot of recipes from southerninlaw.com or Pinterest!
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    Check skinnytaste.com.

    Usually I just think of what I feel like eating and find a lower calorie recipe for it...
  • fitgoals23
    fitgoals23 Posts: 43 Member
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    A crowd-pleaser around my house is stir-fry. You can use very little oil, lots of veggies, and whatever meat or tofu protein you like. There is a lot of room for creativity. Serve with rice, or even better: quinoa or cauliflower rice.

    Another go-to is roasted vegetables. Potatoes, carrots, parsnips, tomatoes, whatever you like, tossed with a little olive oil, salt & pepper, and baked until golden and crispy. Serve with whatever protein you like.

    Another easy and healthy option is fish cooked en papillote or in paper. Just place fish with herbs and veggies like zucchini, onions, tomatoes, etc. Then seal it all in parchment paper and bake. The fish and veggies steam in their own moisture in the paper. It is super healthy, simple, tasty, and has the bonus of easy cleanup.
  • Alluminati
    Alluminati Posts: 6,208 Member
    edited July 2016
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    Lasagna and broccoli, steak and potatoes w/ corn on the cob,salmon and rice with asparagus, chicken adobo w/ stewed carrots and rice, chicken broccoli casserole , pork chop bake with beans.....and on and on.
  • Domilg23
    Domilg23 Posts: 44 Member
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    vegetables + meat oh vegetables + fish - always the same but at the same time different - can yeat while till the pizza day :D
  • inezbruce
    inezbruce Posts: 110 Member
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    The best thing to do is take recipes and foods you love and find lower calorie, healthier versions.
    Instagram is full of ideas.
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
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    Depending how old your kids are and how picky, it can be challenging. Mine are youngish (7 and 5) and while they eat a good variety of foods they just don't have the same palate as us so they don't always like the spicier or more flavorful things we make. Kids also don't always love a bunch of things mixed together, like in a sauce.

    What I often do is make something like stir fry, but before adding the sauce I will pull out the chicken and veggies, and put that on the kids plate with plain rice. I then give them a little of the combined dish too, like Thai red curry peanut sauce, chicken and veggies, over rice in a separate bowl. They have to try the complete dish but they have the more familiar items there to fall back on if they don't care for what I made.

    I also find things they can assemble themselves, like tacos or burrito bowls that they can choose the toppings and how much, work well.

    Mostly though we eat what you originally described - a protein like chicken or pork tenderloin, a starchy side like rice, noodles or potatoes, and a vegetable. If I make a fishy fish like salmon, I might make them fish sticks and then give them some of the salmon too. I always put things on their plate I know they will eat, like fruit and string cheese, along with the food I'm serving. They have to try everything but they have foods that I know they will eat as well.

    I'm always in for new recipes so if anyone does have any slam dunk family favorites please post them here!

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