Healthy Family Dinners Everyone Will Actually Eat
Practical meals are key for weeknights. They can’t take too long, they need to be balanced and somewhat healthy, and appeal to a wide range of palettes (even the most picky)! It can feel impossible to find recipes that meet the criteria. These recipes focus on simple ingredients or popular meals a family may choose if getting takeout. The idea is comforting or familiar flavors so that the whole family can enjoy dinner together.
What Makes A Family Dinner “Healthy?”
It’s about balance, not perfection. Healthy meals include:
- Protein
- Vegetables
- Whole grains or starches
- Healthy fats
Ideally they are:
- Satisfying
- Balanced
- Familiar to kids
- Weeknight friendly
The Recipe List
1. Chipotle-Inspired Taco Salad
Mixed greens, corn off the cob, fresh Pico de Gallo, avocado, cotija cheese with seasoned ground beef. All tossed in a knock-off recipe of Chipotle’s vinaigrette. Customization is the key to appealing to everyone’s style and ability to choose what they eat. This is a great base recipe for a taco salad and gives you flexibility to have a topping spread that your family likes.
Why Your Family Will Love It
- Simple ingredients
- Fully customizable
- Taco flavors that kids love
Get the full recipe here: Chipotle-Inspired Taco Salad
2. Takeout-Style Chicken Teriyaki
A chicken teriyaki recipe that will match or beat your favorite local teriyaki joint. Authentic teriyaki flavor, made popular in Seattle. This sauce has no added sugar is altogether different from most teriyaki recipes out there. Serve with rice and sauteed vegetable to provide a delicious, balanced meal.
Why Your Family Will Love It
- Takeout flavor that everyone loves
- Simple flavors that appeal to kids
- Salty & saucy
Get the full recipe here: Takeout-style Chicken Teriyaki
3. Thai Steak & Noodle Salad
This salad is sweet, salty, crisp, full of umami flavor, and filling. When you want Thai, but the weather is warm and salad sounds better.
Why Your Family Will Love It
- Grilled steak that everyone loves
- Customizable with toppings
- Mild, sweet, and savory flavors that kids love
Get the full recipe here: Thai Steak & Noodle Salad
4. Chicken Pad Thai
Why Your Family Will Love It
- Addictive harmony of sweet, sour, savory, and salty flavors
- Loaded with chewy rice noodles
- Mild and comforting flavors that are far from boring
Get the full recipe here: Chicken Pad Thai
More Easy Dinner Ideas
Healthy family dinners don’t need to be complicated. Think of the meals everyone loves, whether eaten at home or out at a restaurant and find good recipes for those meals. With a few reliable recipes and simple ingredients, your family will be requesting these recipes on repeat.