Five simple dinner ideas
Eating as many family meals together as possible has a lot of benefits. Research shows that there’s a higher chance that kids will eat more vegetables and fruit, get more fibre and do better at school.
When you’re crunched for time, using healthy, convenient foods will cut down your prep time and can help keep weeknight dinners simple yet wholesome. Feel free to swap in your favourite vegetables (for the record, frozen is just as good as fresh.)
- Cheese tortellini tossed with jarred tomato sauce (choose a brand that is lower in sodium). Add in handfuls of baby spinach. Serve with your favourite bagged salad or cut veggies.
- Falafel wraps: Spread store-bought tzatziki or hummus on whole grain pita. Add premade falafel. Stuff pita with shredded lettuce, chopped cucumbers and tomatoes. Serve with a side of carrot sticks and pepper slices.
- Black bean quesadillas: Mash canned black beans with store-bought, fresh salsa until desired consistency. Sprinkle your favourite shredded cheese. Scoop the mixture into corn tortillas. Brush the outsides with olive oil. Lightly fry in a nonstick pan, or bake for 10 minutes in a 400F oven. Serve with sliced avocado and cherry tomatoes.
- Tuna melt: Mash canned light tuna with some mayo. Top on whole grain English muffins. Add slices of tomato. Sprinkle on your favourite cheese. Broil until the cheese melts. Serve with a side of steamed broccoli.
- Rotisserie chicken with a side of boiled, frozen peas and baked sweet potato wedges.
Looking for more inspiration? Check out dietitian Sarah Remmer’s Top Ten Weeknight Meals.
