Meals are a great time to bond with family. Getting dinner on the table doesn’t have to be hard. ONIE is here to help make mealtime easy so you can focus on family time. We can freshen up your dinner table with our versions of kid-friendly recipes that your whole family will enjoy. We also have a few tips to make the most out of family mealtimes. We can help fill your dinner table with smiles with these easy, healthy recipes.
The benefits of family mealtimes
With busy schedules, dinnertime may be the only part of the day when everyone can catch up and connect. Family mealtimes are a great way to build relationships and create memories over good food. Eating meals together can be good for physical, emotional, and mental health.
Make the most of family dinners
Not sure how to get the family together at dinnertime? Here are a few tips to help you make family dinners do-able.
- Choose family dinner nights ahead of time.
It may not be possible to eat together every night. That is OK! Perfection isn’t the goal here. If you mark days on your calendar that you all can eat together, you will be more likely to stick with it.
- Be flexible with the time and place.
How about making meals ahead of time? Have you ever tried choosing recipes that don’t require a lot of hands-on kitchen time? Slow cooker recipes can save you time and you can still feed your family a home-cooked meal. If you have weeknight activities to attend, try packing the meal and making it a picnic! Family meals count as long as you are together and connecting. Time and location are flexible.
- Get everyone involved.
Make family dinner a group effort! Everyone can help out to make the meal a shared accomplishment. Kids can help set the table, wash produce, and more! Check here for more ideas on how kids can help in the kitchen.
- Focus on each other.
Take this time to enjoy the food with the ones you love. If you find that television or cell phones are a distraction at dinnertime, try out a screen-free dinner. Ask everyone questions about their day. Check here for ideas on getting the conversation started!
- Make mealtimes for learning.
Discuss the different foods on the plate with your kids. You can ask about the food colors, shapes, or whether it comes from an animal or plant source. Ask them to teach you something they have learned today.
Recipes
One of the hardest parts of making family mealtime happen can be figuring out what to eat. Here are a few fresh family favorite recipes we love.
These crispy fish sticks are quick and easy to make. Kids love to dip them in their favorite sauces! Ask your kids to help by crushing the saltine crackers for the breading!
This recipe is a fun and flavorful version of mac and cheese. Even better, spaghetti squash helps get your veggies for the day! It is a great way to add veggies to any spaghetti dish. Save time by cooking squash in the microwave, but WATCH OUT! That squash can get HOT!
This recipe works with whole-wheat tortillas or corn tortillas. Choose your family’s favorite! These taquitos are ready in just 20 minutes and clean up is SUPER easy! More time for family fun.
This bake is a tasty way to try new veggies. Get your kids involved by asking them to add the mix to the pan and sprinkle the cheese on top!
How do you make your meals family time? What works for you on a busy schedule? We would love for you to share your tips and tricks below. Looking for a few more ideas? Check here.