Dinner ideas for families

There are lots of good ideas in the recipe forum.

Honestly, I haven't really changed much as far as what I make for dinner. I still make the same things (mainly because my family is very picky). I've been following the portion sizes for everything. Keeping it small, not going back for seconds, and drinking water through out the meal to fill me up. This keeps my family happy and it also means I don't really have to change much in my "diet".

The big part that has changed for me is soda, drinking more water, and eating a ton more fruits and veggies. It's not about cutting out things you love (unless it's 3 double cheese burgers from McDonalds) just modifying it a little bit to help you out. My diary is public if you want to take a look to get an idea of what I'm talking about.

I do the same. I watch what I eat for lunch and breakfast. For dinner I eat with the family, but watch my portions.

Here's my version of a Hungry Girl recipe for shepherd's pie. I divide into four (LARGE) pieces when I do it and that's what my calorie info is based off of, but you can easily cut it into sixths and still have a decent sized serving.

Super-Cheesy Crazy-EZ Shepherd's Pie - Modified

Ingredients:
One 24-oz. bag Green Giant Family Size Broccoli, Cauliflower & Carrot in Cheese Sauce (you can also use the plain broccoli in cheese sauce as well, but it will up the sodium level by almost 200mg)
1 pouch Betty Crocker Cheddar & Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes
2 cups Morningstar Farms Meal Starters Crumbles
½ of a Medium Yellow Onion
1/3 cup Reduced Fat Weight Watchers Double Cheddar Shredded Cheese
Optional Spices/Seasonings: Chili Powder, Ground Cayenne Pepper, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Seasoning Salt and Cumin

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Dice onion and sauté in a non-stick pan until translucent.

Place contents of the veggies & sauce bag in a large microwave-safe bowl. Cover and microwave for 8 minutes, until mostly thawed.

Spray an 8" X 8" baking pan lightly with nonstick spray. Mix soy crumbles in bowl with preferred spices and seasonings (I use onion powder, garlic powder, and cayenne, the hubby adds Cumin). Add crumbles to the pan and evenly distribute along the bottom. Add onion over the top of the crumbles.

Meanwhile, in a bowl (I just rinse and use the same one I just used for the crumbles), combine contents of potato pouch with 2 cups hot water, a bit of seasoned salt and and stir until thickened. Set aside.

Add a sprinkling of Chili Powder to veggies and stir until cheese sauce is evenly mixed through. Spoon the veggies over the soy crumbles as evenly as possible. Then evenly top with potato mixture, using a spatula or spoon to smooth out the surface.

Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, until filling is hot and potato layer is slightly crispy. Take out of the oven and turn on the broiler. Sprinkle the shredded cheese over the entire top and place back in over under broiler until cheese is brown and crispy.

For each spice I use, it’s about ¼ of a tsp or so. The sodium level is pretty high due to the sodium content on the bag of steamed veggies, so, if you prefer, you can buy a bag of veggies without the cheese sauce and use those instead, it just won’t have the additional cheese sauce for that layer.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

Serving Size: ¼ of pan
Calories: 235
Fat: 6.2g
Sodium: 1234.5mg
Carbs: 34.4g
Fiber: 8.6g
Sugars: 8.4g
Protein: 14.4g