Quick and Easy Dinner Menu Ideas for the Family
It is a popular belief that families that eat together share a closer relationship than those that don’t. However, there’s plenty of research that highlights other not-so-well-known benefits of eating meals together as a family – healthy eating habits in kids and parents, lower stress levels and better grades are just a few of them. Besides, preparing a yummy dinner every day is far from a chore when you have these quick, easy to prepare recipes and dinner menu ideas for the family to get you started. Watch the kids make a beeline for the dinner table!
Quick and Easy Dinner Menu Ideas for the Family
Design the Perfect Dinner Menu
The perfect family dinner menu consists of the following courses:
Quiche bites, cucumber with hummus, deviled eggs, tomato and basil finger sandwiches and chicken and pepper egg rolls
Chicken noodle soup, black bean soup, Italian meatball soup, cream of tomato soup and butternut squash soup
Grilled vegetable and garlic bread salad, macaroni salad, Cobb salad, shrimp and greens salad and creamy pasta salad
Baked macaroni and cheese, cheesy chicken spaghetti casserole, hamburger casserole, pork chops and hamburger stew
Ice cream balls, apple pie, bread and butter pudding, strawberry cupcakes and chocolate chip cookies
Manchego, baguette and Humboldt Fog
If you’re in a hurry to get dinner on the table, you could always do without one or more of these courses. In that case, you could try these interesting and delicious healthy dinner ideas that will appeal to everyone.
1. Spinach Ravioli Lasagna with Cauliflower on the side
Ingredients- Frozen chopped spinach
- Frozen cheese ravioli
- Shredded mozzarella
- Marinara sauce
- A head of cauliflower
- Minced garlic
- Olive oil
- Salt to taste
- Make two layers of spinach, ravioli, mozzarella and marinara sauce in a baking pan and bake for about 35 minutes at 400°F.
- Chop the cauliflower and toss with salt, olive oil and garlic.
- Spread it on a baking pan and roast in oven for about 20 minutes while the lasagna is bubbling.
It’s a great way to make your child eat his veggies!
2. Chicken Pot Pie
Ingredients- Chicken leftovers
- Root vegetables
- Frozen puff pastry dough
- All-purpose flour
- Egg whites
- 2% milk
- Unsalted butter
- Preheat oven to 430°F.
- Roll out thin pieces of the puff pastry and cut into round slices to fit over 1-cup oven bowls. Keep it chilled and covered.
- Warm a saucepan over moderate heat and pour oil and butter into it.
- Add flour to the saucepan and whisk the mixture for a minute.
- Pour a slow stream of milk to it until the mixture simmers.
- Let it simmer until it thickens and add the remaining ingredients.
- Spoon the mixture into bowls and seal them with the pastry slices.
- Brush the tops of the pastry slices with egg white.
- Place the pot pies on a baking sheet and bake until they are golden brown.
These crowd pleasing dinner menu ideas are sure to make the kids’ mouths water!
