Healthy Low Calorie Family Dinner Ideas

ilovelucy711

Hi, I am one of six children and I am looking for dinner ideas and recipes that my whole family would love. Half of us need to lose weight. It also needs to be budget friendly. Thanks!

bcattoes

Mexican food can be cheap and healthy if you make it at home - burritos, nachos, tacos, enchiladas, etc. made with lean shredded chicken and/or beans with freshly chopped peppers, onions and tomatoes and reduced fat cheese. Fish tacos or enchiladas made with cheap white fish such as tilapia, cod, pollock or haddock are also very good.

Beans are the best budget friendly healthy food. Dried beans are pennies per servings and are packed with vitamins, minerals, fiber and protein. Even if you don't want to take the time to cook them from scratch, canned beans are a good value. Mix with some brown rice, frozen vegetables and spices and you have a tasty and cheap one dish meal. Bean soups are also cheap, filling and delicious.

Eggs are another affordable option. Vegetable omelettes for the whole family can be made from a dozen eggs and plenty of frozen vegetables. Or add boiled eggs to salads for a cheap protein source.

FitBeto

Dem kids need all the calories they can get from whole foods, cut sweets if you do anything, and do more physical activities. Its not just low cal, its portion control too.

tristahenry

Take part in CSA. You get to eat locally grown organic foods that are in season and support your local farmers. It's also a great activity for kids of all ages to go to the farm for a visit, get to know the farmer, learn about the produce and investigate recipes for fruits and veggies that you typically wouldn't pick up at the grocery store. Here's a website you can check out for more information. This is how I learned to love squash of all varieties... and a spaghetti squash is $1 and can feed a family of 6 as a side dish easy.

http://www.localharvest.org/csa/

Also, activity is a key to healthy weight loss, especially with kids... and it's free. Go outside and take a walk, go for a hike, geo-caching, play soccer, etc. Find an activity that you love and it will come much easier than forcing yourself to go to the gym or whatever.

svdixon

Lucy,

I have made this recipe from the American Heart Association cookbook for about 15 years and passed it on to a lot of friends. It's a great one for a family dinner. My kids want to drink the sauce (me too, actually). I hope you'll try it.

Orange Chicken (serves 4)

2.5 lbs of on-the-bone chicken legs and thighs, skinned
(DO NOT use breasts; too dry)

Sauce:
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 cup frozen orange juice
1 medium onion, sliced thin
2 TBL brown sugar
2 TBL chopped parsley
1 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/3 cup water
1 tsp sherry

Lightly brown chicken under broiler.
While chicken is broiling, make sauce and slice onions.
Place chicken in Dutch oven or large deep pot. Sprinkle with paprika.
Arrange onion slices over chicken.
Pour sauce over chicken and onions.
Cover and simmer until chicken is tender, about 35 to 40 minutes.

Serve with wild or brown rice and green beans.

From the American Heart Association cookbook.