Family Dinner Dilemmas - Solved!
We all know that family dinners provide both nutritional and non-nutritional benefits, but getting everyone to sit down together for a meal can be easier said than done. Here are some ideas to help you tackle some of the most common family dinner dilemmas:
My family members each like different foods.
Healthy eating is too expensive.
Dilemma: “Our schedules don’t match up.”
Solutions:
- Start slow. It’s unrealistic to expect a family who never has dinner together to start doing it every day! Start by scheduling a family dinner once a month, then slowly increase the frequency as it gets easier to make time for it. If finding time to cook is an issue, start with family dinners out until you can make more time for meals at home. You will still receive some of the non-nutritional benefits.
- It doesn’t have to be dinner. Dinner is obviously the most popular meal to have together as a family, but if it is difficult to schedule, try another meal like Sunday brunch.
Dilemma: “I have no time to cook.”
Solutions:
- Plan ahead. While it may seem time consuming to write a menu plan and shopping list for the week ahead, spending a little time doing this before you go grocery shopping can help you save time and reduce stress, because you know what you are going to be eating when you get home. It can also help you save money and ensure that your meals are balanced and nutritious.
- Think big. Writing a weekly meal plan does not necessarily mean coming up with 7 different meals – choose 3 or 4 meals that you can prepare in big batches and refrigerate or freeze for later. Don’t like eating the same thing two nights in a row? Prepare recipes that can be easily transformed into another meal the next day – for example, shredded meat from roast chicken can be added to soups or salads, or used as a filling for sandwiches. Extra salmon fillets can be turned into fish cakes. Leftover rice can be used in fried rice or made into rice pudding.
- Take it slow. Slow cookers make it easy to prepare big batches of food – you can prep the ingredients the night before, put the pot in the fridge and then start the slow cooker the next morning. After a busy day, there’s nothing better than being greeted by the aromas of a hearty meal ready to be eaten.
- Try using convenience foods. There are now many products on the market that can help make it easier to get dinner on the table. It may cost a little extra, but take advantage of fresh and pre-washed or frozen fruits and vegetables, canned beans, pre-marinated meats or rotisserie chicken to help jumpstart your meals.
Dilemma: “My family members each like different foods.”
Solutions:
- Offer a variety of foods. You shouldn’t have to be a short order cook to please everybody’s tastes. It may require extra planning, but try to serve elements of everyone’s favourites in a meal. For example, pair your husband’s favourite dishes with your daughter’s favourite side (and your favourite dessert!) Better yet, try new foods and flavours together as a family – set aside one day per week to try a new recipe (there are lots on the FitNut website!) or a new food; you may discover some that your entire family enjoys!
- Don’t fret if your family doesn’t clean their plates. According to Ellyn Satter, a dietitian who specializes in eating competence and feeding relationships, there should be a division in responsibility when it comes to feeding – the parent is in charge of when, where and what to eat, while the child is responsible for how much they will eat. While it’s hard to not take it personally when your child refuses to eat a meal that you have prepared, remember that it can take more than 20 exposures to a new food before a child accepts it. As long as your child is not consistently skipping meals or falling off the growth curve, there is no need to worry. Don’t threaten, prod, bribe or scold your child into eating – it will only increase any negative feelings about food and make them pickier!
- Have your family “make it themselves”! Try recipes that allow for personalization. For example, lay out pizza toppings and whole wheat pitas or tortillas. Have your family top their “mini-pizzas” however they would like and bake in a 350˚F oven until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Tacos are another recipe that can be easily customized – skip the taco shells for taco salads!
Dilemma: “I don’t know how to cook.”
Solutions:
- Stick with the basics. Start with what you know how to make, then slowly expand your repertoire. Creating a “new” recipe can be as simple as swapping out some of the ingredients or tweaking the herbs and spices.
- Ask for help. You probably have a family member or a friend who is a great cook who would be willing to teach you a few techniques or how to make some of their signature dishes. If not, there are many cookbooks geared toward new cooks (like Cook!, the new Dietitians of Canada cookbook) or sign up for a cooking class at Superstore, Planet Organic, Chinook Learning Services, SAIT, Atco Blue Flame Kitchen or Cookbook Co. Cooks.
- Take your time. If you are new to cooking, it’s probably best to set time aside to practice during the weekend or holidays instead of trying new recipes or techniques after a stressful day at work!
Dilemma: “Healthy eating is too expensive.”
Solutions:
- Keep it simple. With all the buzz around “superfoods” like pomegranate and quinoa, it’s easy to think that only wealthy people can afford to eat healthy. Frozen vegetables and fruit, dried beans, grain products and canned fish are all inexpensive and nutritious foods that can be kept for a long time.
- Buy in bulk. Dipping into the bulk bins is a great way to save money because you can buy only as much as you need and don’t have to pay for extra packaging. Buying food in big packages can be convenient, but if you are not going to be able to eat it all or if having extra food around is going to cause you to overindulge, then the sale price isn’t actually a bargain.
- Become a coupon clipper. Peruse the weekly flyers to find the best deals – they may also inspire you to try new ingredients or remind you of recipes you haven’t made in a while.
- Saving time can also help you save money! Many time-saving tips like menu planning, cooking in big batches and making good use of the freezer can help you lower your food costs as well.
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