Easy Tips for Family Happy Dinner

Being a mother is very hard especially for those single moms like me, one problem that I encounter is making Dinner or foods for my kids. I found that most parents worrying about kid’s tastes were always changing and they still are. And sometimes they shift their good diet to Junk foods and that’s really bad.

And I try everything from scratch as often as possible, and I don’t often eat out due to budget constraints. Yes, our meals are always home cooked almost every meal and every day.  Our dinner range from something simple as Pork & beans over brown rice with some vegetables. If there appetite is in good mode they make some request such as chicken nuggets, past with sauce & salad (and yes, I make those things too), I have these Tips for easy family dinner.

 1. Always consistent with your mealtime rules

We do our full effort to cook foods for meals that everyone can eat,   and it’s their job to eat. Example if we are making Spaghetti for dinner, let make some plain chicken that anyone would like or maybe chicken and cheese with the set of tomato.  The chicken and cheese is for something picky eaters. We are making one meal so we are making same amount of food no matter what, but we need to make sure we have something for everyone in that meal. It’s like doing the same thing when we make pizza, making three pizzas so we make plain one and another bbq or chicken pizza.

2. Two thirds of meal is good enough

We know that sometimes there’s one part of the meal that kid doesn't like. Example, our youngest doesn’t like most of the meat, so at least we make sure that she’ll be eating alternative healthy foods like vegetables, and if needed always make an additional vegetable it means there’s one for everyone.  Bread not most often to serve for dinner because we know they will fill up on the bread and not eat the rest of the meal. If we say two thirds of the meal, one third of that is not bread.

3.  Dips are great way to feed everyone.

 Most requested by kids for their school snacks are Dip, and this is the best things to do and provide a wide variety. Try to alternate between a ranch veggie dip and fruit dip, When I make a ranch dip, I try to put up at least one vegetable that each child likes. The fresh veggies could include 4 to 5 of the following on every given day:  Grapes, tomatoes, cucumber, celery, baby carrots and black olives (Yes, I know those don’t count as a real vegetable but my kids love them,). I found out that my kids eat way more veggies and fruit when there’s a yummy dip.

4.    Let the kids make help

When I’m in the kitchen preparing and for cooking and sometimes my kids offer me a little help, I know it’s easier to do it by me. I find myself falling into the trap saying “No” or I don’t need any help for the reason of its faster and easier to do by myself when I’m cooking, but whenever possible let them help. Good for them to know their way around a kitchen, to have some little cooking skills and to take ownership or having part of the meal or even choosing meal. Like making Pizza is a good one for helping out, and baking is another great way to let the kids help. These kids are making proud to say that they made part in preparing a meal. And it makes them want to eat it too.