Healthy Quick Meals for the Whole Family

angelvicki1999
angelvicki1999 Posts: 17
edited December 16 in Health and Weight Loss
Hello! I recently started Jillian Micheals Body Revolution. I don't have any issue with the workout, besides I'm gargling my heart on the Cardio portion, but, She is extremely helpful and gives you a whole cookbook of recipies. Ok, this is great, if I were a single person with no children to feed and lots of extra time on my hands and a Whole Foods within a reasonable distance from home. Unfortuntely, I am and have none of those. I ahve two kids, am always searching for quick meal ideas, and honestly, I couldn't stock my home with everything that she indicates I need to make these meals. They look wonderful, but I am in no position to be able to make it function.

I know, it's all about will power, and I have that, but I have no morning time, I work late, often, and have two kids that I must cook for and am going to school full time too. I don't have the time to devote to cooking two different meals all night, not to mention she gives recipies for 2 - 4 people.. I could cook it and eat the left overs the next night, but with a four person meal?

Ok you get my point, I'm not trying to complain, even though I realize that's what it sounds like.

I have breakfast and lunches figured out because I need portable lunches, I can handle tuna salad, and greek yogurt and lean cuisines and such, but dinners...

What recipies do you have that are quick dinners for the whole family but are healthy and do not take a bunch of ingredients? I'm a simple kind of person, I can follow a recipie and make a really complex one, but I need some quick ones for throughout the week that I can make for my family that is always on the go?

Any idea's?

Replies

  • mallory3411
    mallory3411 Posts: 839 Member
    Do you have a day off during the week you can dedicate to cooking? I used to do that and loved it! I would cook up batches of things and than portion and freeze. Great for lunches and quick dinners!

    Cook extra of things one night that can be changed up and used more than once to save time. Say you're baking chicken breast... cook and extra few without seasonings. Than the next night you can chop them up and stir fry them with some veggies. Quick and simple!
  • kerrydykas
    kerrydykas Posts: 11
    i really like www.skinnytaste.com for recipes! she gives you all the nutritional info and most of the recipes are already logged into MFP's calorie counter. This weekend I made loaded baked potato soup with bacon and cheese in 30 minutes... 200calories per cup! it was a little small, so i had 1.5cups, but after that i was totally satisfied.
  • devilwhiterose
    devilwhiterose Posts: 1,157 Member
    Check out my diary if you want.

    I make simple meals for our family, we're on the go and both working with 3 kids.

    Typically, we'll make a meat and season it differently, and pair it with different sides.

    Baked chicken, grilled chicken, chicken with cream of mushroom/chicken soup...

    Brats, burgers, grilled steaks, stew meat kabobs, crockpot pot roast, ham (feeds for days), broiled pork chops.

    Husband gets home first so he pulls the meat out of the fridge (after I pulled it out of the freezer in the am), I come home and prepare it! We'll have a bag of steamed veggies on the side, mashed potatoes, corn on the cob, sauteed squash/zucchini/onions... The kids usually get mac and cheese or something "kid-friendly". Any leftovers go towards lunch and/or salads and sandwiches for the next day.
  • tauny78
    tauny78 Posts: 180 Member
    You can take a look at my diary, and maybe get some ideas. I know exactly what you mean.....I have 2 kids that are fairly picky. I try to use lean meats, whole grains and colorful veggies. When I know they aren't going to like my veggie choices, I just fix a separate one for them (but they HAVE to try mine, lol) and if I have something with a sauce or that's all mixed up (such as stir fry) that I know they'll whine about, I just serve it all separate and mix it on my own plate. If you look at my dinners and have any questions, feel free to message me :) and good luck!
  • ethompso0105
    ethompso0105 Posts: 418 Member
    The quickest (and most well loved) recipe I've made for friends and family is Chicken Nachos.

    1 jar of salsa (I use mild since the heat intensifies as it cooks)
    1 package of chicken breast, diced
    1 can of black beans (drained and rinsed)

    Cook the chicken breast in a frying pan with a tiny bit of oil (I use coconut oil for the health benefits). Add the entire jar of salsa and the can of black beans. Simmer until the liquid is reduced some.

    This can be served over chips, rice, pasta, cornbread, lettuce...you name it. I often top it with greek yogurt (plain) and, of course, some low fat cheese.

    You can play with the recipe to suit your family's taste--I'm not including nutrition info as it changes based on the ingredients you use. It's super fast, super yummy, and super versatile. Good luck! :)
  • lisapr123
    lisapr123 Posts: 863 Member
    I'm making these turkey meatloafy things tonight...

    A pkg of ground turkey
    Lots of mushrooms
    Some onion, garlic...whatever
    Saute mushrooms and onion/garlic/whatever. Add to a bowl that has the ground turkey, an egg, some breadcrumbs, and whatever looks yummy from my spice drawer. Mix it all together.

    Then you can either cook them in a pan as "turkey burgers" (although we don't use buns). Or as a meatloaf. Or in muffin pans for mini-meatloafs. I serve w/roasted veggies and it easily serves 4. Sometimes I'll make a little gravy with the pan drippings and serve mashed potatoes too.

    Or the other go-to in our house is any veggies + any protein + cooked pasta/rice + simple sauce. Cook it all up in a pan and good to go. (ex... saute fresh asparagus spears w/garlic....add tofu....pasta....shredd a little fresh parmesan and yum. Or roasted portabella mushrooms + roasted garlic + penne + lemon juice)

    I've never found a recipe I agree with. I just throw stuff together and most of the time it turns out just fine.
  • tamheath
    tamheath Posts: 702 Member
    I would go to hungry-girl.com and skinnytaste.com websites for some ideas. Hungry Girl is not my fave, but lots of people love her. Her meals are VERY simple. I love skinnytaste. We usually do a "meat & a veggie", and add noodles or rice for the kid. But you can also easily do:

    - Turkey Burgers with salad on side for you
    - Chicken breasts - a million different ways. Grill them and serve as a sandwich. Grill them and top with hot sauce for spicy chicken tenders.
    - Chicken - NOT boneless - just bake in oven with some light BBQ sauce.
    - Pork loin (or tenderloin, but that's more expensive) with whatever sides of veggies you want.
    - Breakfast night! Scrambled eggs (lots of WHITES), healthy toast, turkey sausage.
    - Pizza night! Whole wheat english muffins, topped with pizza sauce, turkey pepperonie, mushroom, whatever veg. And of course.... salad on the side for you.

    :drinker:
  • zgdsmith
    zgdsmith Posts: 114 Member
    I do alot of stuff in the crockpot so that when i get out of work most of dinner is done. I try and make things that i can get two meals out of. Example: make bbq pulled chicken in the crockpot. For dinner have bbq sandwiches and a veggie. Next night use left over chicken and make chicken taco's.

    I try and have dinner completely done and ready to eat in less than 30 minutes. Which is pretty easy to do as long as I plan what we are having in advance. I try and plan what i'm going to cook for the week on sunday's. That way if there is anything I can make in advance I will do taht when I have a little extra time on the weekends. Sometiems I will brown ground turkey, onions, peppers, etc or cook chicken early. I just refrigerate until the day I need it that week. I get alot of recipies from skinnytaste.com.
  • SunnyAndrsn
    SunnyAndrsn Posts: 369 Member
    This is higher in sodium, but my kids loved it:

    chicken breast tenders or chicken breast cut into bite sized pieces, about a pound.
    Shake N Bake chicken flavor

    Mix the two and bake as directed on the shake n bake box.

    I bake pre-made french fries to go with this. Orida Steak Fries have been our favorites lately.

    Add a salad or a veggie and your done.

    Grilled chicken breast--either on the actual grill or the George Foreman. Spray with non-stick cooking spray, salt and pepper to taste.

    -Grilled asparagus with a tsp of butter and salt or another veggie of your choice

    -Instant mashed potatoes made with skim milk and without butter or baked potato with low fat sour cream, or steamed rice

    The leftover chicken is great the next day on a salad for lunches.
    Ham & Cheese sandwichs

    -Deli ham and regular cheese slice on a Village Hearth Light Italian bun. About 2oz of ham for each sand. Wrap in aluminum foil and bake until the cheese is melted.

    Serve with a salad, veggie of your choice, and either the instant mashed potatoes or a baked potato

    Tilapia: Frozen fish, pre-packaged in single servings: top with a tsp. of butter on each piece, or a bit of olive oil, and add lemon pepper seasoning

    Baby red potatoes sliced and boiled, with salt and either butter spray or actual butter--careful of the servings with fat.

    Snow peas, steamed

    Rice--I can't stomach brown rice, I've tried, but I just can't do it. More power to you if you can, and if you can get your kids to eat it.

    Do you see the pattern here? A lean meat, with different seasonings, a veggie, and a starch. Doesn't have to be complicated. I'd encourage your kids to eat the same healthy way you are to prevent them from daily with weight issues later in life .
  • future_marathoner
    future_marathoner Posts: 170 Member
    i have a ton of slowcooker meals that are healthy if you want them! And a ton of non slow cooker meals! And feel free to check out my diary- i cook just about every night :)

    I can email you the recipes if you want!
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