Do you find yourself saying this!? Probably we all say it from time to time.
Face it, life is busy!
Whether you are traveling for dance recitals, after school activities or sporting events, or staying late at work, or trying to find time to squeeze in some exercise, many families these days are constantly on the go – thus mealtime often suffers. Many patients tell us that they struggle to find time to make dinner, let alone a healthy sustainable one.
As a result, you may find yourselves stopping at a fast-food restaurant or running home to throw something together at 9pm.
Doing either of these things repeatedly will take its toll on your health and that of your family. Throwing together a dinner quickly can cause a feeling of frustration, being overwhelmed, or rushed and maybe a little unorganized! Stopping for that quick bite when you know the choices are unhealthy, may leave us unsatisfied, bloated, and guilty as we know we are not making the best choices for ourselves or our families.
We understand that stopping at the drive-thru sounds like the easiest option at the time but let’s take a look at some of the nutritional facts related to a stop at good ol’ McDonalds:
A classic order for kids is chicken nuggets. On the surface, the first ingredient in the McNugget is chicken, however McNuggets are reported to have a very mediocre 0.046 protein ratio with 57% of its caloric value coming from fat, meaning the nuggets contain more than double fat vs protein calories.
This = junk!
NOT protein!
Doubly fried – if you can believe it! According to McDonald’s, their nuggets are battered and fried before being frozen, and are shipped to each restaurant where they are again fried before being served to customers. Consuming these nuggets provides a double helping of their hydrogenated canola-blend oil.
Eating fried foods has been linked to numerous health problems like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity. When we look at it that way, it doesn’t sound like a very nutritious meal for active, growing children, does it?
We know it can be hard to manage the stresses of work, after school obligations, and everything in between – but we want to help you figure out ways to stop this cycle!
Simple Recipe Ideas:
Here are some recipes to try that are not only nutritious but yummy AND simple to make!
Hummus Chicken Bento Box
What you need: 1 cooked chicken breast, 1 cucumber, 2 pita breads, 1 cup hummus, 1-pint grape tomatoes, 1 6oz. jar kalamata olives
What to do: Slice the cucumbers and chicken. Cut the pita bread into triangles. Divide the chicken breast, hummus, cucumber, tomatoes, olives, and pita triangles between four containers. Enjoy on the go or in the car! Travels well!
Chicken Quesadillas
What you need: 6 tortillas of your choice (we like the Siete brand or Samis Bakery GF); 2 cups of your favorite shredded cheese such as cheddar or Mexican mix); 1 lb. chicken breast cut into small pieces, 1 tbsp olive oil, ½ large bell pepper, diced, ½ yellow onion, diced; 1 tbsp taco seasoning (we like Savory Spices – not packaged mixes); 1 tbsp butter
What to do: Preheat pan with oil on medium heat. Add chicken and taco seasoning, tossing to coat. Cook for about 4 minutes. Add in bell pepper and onion, cook for another 5 minutes. Set aside. In same pan, add a bit of butter and place a tortilla on top. On half of the tortilla add cheese, the chicken mixture, and cover with more cheese. Fold the tortilla over to close. Once the tortilla is golden, flip, and cook a few more minutes until golden and cheese has melted. Repeat the same steps with the rest of quesadillas. We like to make these with all sorts of other veggies such as mushrooms and spinach; chopped broccoli and cheddar; or whatever your favorite combination is. These are fast and easy to make and can even be taken on the go! Serve with avocado slices or some salsa and enjoy!
Meatballs with Zoodles
What you need:
Meatballs: 1 lb. ground turkey or beef, 1/3 cup almond flour, 1 large egg, 1 tbsp garlic powder, 1 tbsp nutritional yeast or ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese, 1 small, chopped onion, ½ tsp dried oregano, ½ tsp dried basil, 2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley
Other Ingredients: 4 zucchinis, 24 oz of your favorite marinara sauce (we like Primal Kitchen or authentic Italian varieties.)
What to do: Preheat oven to 400F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl, mix all of the meatball ingredients until well combined. Roll into 1-inch balls and place them on baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes. Meanwhile, spiralize the zucchinis (There are some good spiralizers by Oxo or Briefton).
If meal prepping: Place the raw meatballs evenly into the meal prep bowls topping with cold marinara sauce. Do not freeze zoodles – as they get watery. Spiralize the zoodles over the weekend and place in a towel-lined bowl in fridge until ready to use.
If you are eating right away after pressing out extra liquid into a towel, sauté the zucchini noodles in olive oil over medium heat for about 2 minutes and heat the marinara sauce before serving. Serve meatballs atop zoodles topped with marinara.
Thai Peanut Chicken Wraps
What you need:
For the chicken wraps: 3 cups coleslaw mix, 1 cup shredded carrots, 1/3 cup roasted peanuts, 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, 2 cooked chicken breasts, chopped or sliced, 6 large tortillas (we like the Siete brand)
For the peanut sauce: ½ cup organic peanut butter, 2 Tbsp soy sauce or liquid aminos, 1 Tbsp rice vinegar, 1 Tbsp brown sugar or honey, 2 tsp chili garlic sauce (or hot sauce), 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice, 3 cloves garlic, minced, 4 Tbsp whole fat coconut milk (canned) – adjust as needed.
What to do: In a medium bowl, whisk together the peanut sauce ingredients. In another bowl, add the cabbage, carrots, cilantro, and peanuts. Pour the sauce over the mixture and toss together. Let this sit while you prepare the tortillas and chicken. Heat the tortillas for about 1 minute in a skillet. Divide the chicken and slaw mixture between each tortilla. Roll tightly, securing with toothpicks if necessary. Enjoy with brown rice or quinoa.
Shredded Burritos
What you need: 1 lb. beef or chicken, cooked and shredded*, 1 cup black beans, ¼ cup of your favorite salsa, ½ onion, chopped, 1 cup corn (fresh or frozen), tortillas (we like GF), 1 can enchilada sauce (or make your own), ½ cup shredded cheese.
*To make shredded beef: we like chuck roast, seasoned with salt and pepper, roasted in oven or crock pot for about 3-4 hours. Shred with a fork into beef juices. For chicken, roast boneless chicken pieces (or whole chicken) in oven or crock pot for a few hours. Shred into juices. You can add spices, broth, or even wine for added taste to both.
You can also make this with leftover steak or chicken and just slice it thinly.
What to do: Preheat oven to 350F. Mix together meat, beans, salsa, corn, and onion. Coat the bottom of the pan with enchilada sauce. Add meat mixture to tortilla and tightly roll up. Place in baking pan tightly together. Top with the rest of the enchilada sauce and sprinkle the top with cheese. Place covered in the oven for 25 minutes. Serve with your favorite rice and enjoy!
Stuffed Bell Peppers
What you need: 8 bell peppers, 1.5 lbs. ground beef (cooked and drained), 1 onion, chopped, 2 cloves of garlic, chopped, 1 8-oz can of tomato sauce, 1 cup brown rice, cooked, shredded cheddar cheese, salt, pepper, garlic powder, cumin, and chili powder to taste
What to do: Preheat oven to 375. Cut top off peppers and clean, place on baking sheet. In a bowl, combine the beef, onion, rice, tomato sauce, add spices and mix. Stuff each pepper with the beef mixture, almost to the top. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese, packing down lightly. Bake for 30 – 40 minutes until heated through and cheese is melted.
Remember that sharing a meal is such a great way to bring people together.
Try committing to sharing a glow and grow at meantime – one thing that made your day brighter and one thing that you wish could have gone differently.
This can give you an opportunity to problem solve for future situations and share some great things too.
We hope that these recipes can relieve some of the stress that comes with making dinner for the busy family lifestyle by allowing for you to prep beforehand and get a little ahead of the game. Feel free to email us your go-to family dinner ideas too!