Tips For Cooking A Healthy Family Dinner

Tips For Cooking A Healthy Family Dinner

You likely want your family to live a happy and healthy life, but it’s unlikely you know a variety of ways to support a healthy lifestyle when it comes to nutritional habits.

Though health has been a topic of discussion for millions of Americans for generations, it seems that the right nutritional knowledge still evades most well-intentioned parents.

While you can’t possibly become an expert nutritionist in just a few minutes, you can absorb a few positive tips for cooking your family a healthy dinner every night.

Fight obesity with family dinners at the table

There are several psychological benefits of eating a family dinner around the table each night. Since we live in such a busy world, this may not always be possible.

You may have a small kitchen with which to work, or the family may work opposite schedules. No matter the actual challenge, make an effort to try to have a family dinner at least three times a week.

Eating around the table with family gives your kids a proper influence for their eating habits. As long as you eat your veggies, they will learn to do the same. Sitting down for a proper meal also helps to reduce the random snacking throughout the day.

It’s never a bad time to add greenery

What you cook for your family should be the main focus of a healthy mealtime. It’s never a wrong or bad time to add something green to your plate. Fresh spinach salads, broccoli, asparagus, and kale are all excellent for the body.

Your green foods provide valuable vitamins like A, C, and K. Often you’ll get a good dose of iron, fiber, and calcium as well.

Lean meats are the best source of protein

Your choice of meat could be cooked to perfection and made delectable, but you should be wary of the frequency of what you eat. Red meats may be heavy and could cause gastric problems if consumed in excess. Lean meats, on the other hand, are lighter to digest and you would also find that they could be more versatile. Different marinations and recipes at The Recipe Book and other similar blogs could be found to follow and improvise as per preferences.

So, keep in mind to not over-season your meats and slather family dinners in red meat sauces and fried chicken. Avoid chickens that may be pumped with steroids as they would contain lower nutritional value. Try and directly acquire your meats from village poultry farms. Organic, free-ranged chicken breasts, and other lean meats are the best source of protein without putting your heart at risk for damage.

Keep it light on the carbs

Though it may be tasty to have that homemade macaroni and cheese, mama’s mashed potatoes, and grilled corn on the cob, it isn’t the healthiest way to compose a good meal for the family. Loading your meal with carbs will only make you crash afterward.

You’re setting dad up to fall asleep in front of the television after dinner. This is not to say that you can’t ever eat these things, but don’t eat them all together. Also, keep the portion size reasonable.

Balance your meals with a variety of foods

Build a balanced meal each night. Typically, you should have a lean protein, a veggie, and a carb. A balanced dinner will leave your family feeling fulfilled, and promote a good night’s sleep.

Kelly Tate
Latest posts by Kelly Tate (see all)