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Are you looking for a fun family activity to do as a clan? Why not start with the dinner table — including the pregame kitchen work?
Sauteing and baking with your loved ones teaches kids valuable skills while helping cement your bond. Here are eight classic family recipes to cook together — each with unique twists.
Is there a child alive who doesn’t love pizza? Come to think of it, most adults go gaga for this treat, too.
Why call for delivery? Personalize your meal the easy way by selecting a store-bought crust and sauce. Do you have more time? Why not try making the dough at home, perhaps settling the thin crust versus deep dish debate once and for all?
Are you on a low-carb meal plan? You can make this classic keto-friendly by using a cauliflower crust instead of a traditional white flour one. You can also use almond flour and mozzarella cheese.
Pasta is another easy-to-make dish that’s perfect for little ones to master. Little tots love to play with the noodles, and few youngsters turn up their noses at classics like macaroni and cheese.
Like pizza, pasta is customizable for any taste. Try adding a few brightly colored peas and carrots to your primavera as a sneaky way to get your kids to eat more vegetables without kicking up too much of a fuss. Adding a few carrots to the sauce also increases their beta carotene intake, the building block of vitamin A, an essential nutrient for eye health.
You have low-carb options here, too, if you’re watching your weight. You can spiralize everything from butternut squash to zucchini to reduce the glycemic index of your meal. While “zoodles” don’t have the taste and texture of regular noodles, you might find you like them even more. You can also weave a few strands into your kids’ pasta to increase their veggie intake.
Have no fear if you’re among the vegetarian or vegan crowd. Today’s meat substitutes let you prepare this dish cruelty-free. You can find Beyond Ground “Beef” and similar brands on your grocer’s shelves.
If you have no such dietary restrictions, you can prepare this dish using any ground substance of choice, although pork and beef are the traditional choices. If you want to make this meal healthier, try Emeril’s version using ground turkey and oatmeal for lean protein and a hefty dose of fiber, both of which leave you feeling fuller long enough to pass on that midnight snack.
Chili is another dish you can customize any way your family likes. You can even choose your meat — or non-meat — variety the way you do with meatloaf.
This dish provides a sneaky way to get your kids to eat more vegetables. Chopping up mild bell peppers fine makes them indistinguishable from the rest of the sauce, and you could also grind in some carrots. Each red bell pepper has more vitamin C than an orange, providing a welcome immunity boost in today’s COVID-19 world.
When wintry winds arrive — and they will — warm your family’s heart with this comfort classic. It’s also the ideal meal for busy days. You can throw this dish together using only five ingredients if you have a cupboard that’s growing bare.
Soup could help you with your weight loss efforts. Eating broth or vegetable-based soups before a meal can help you consume fewer calories overall.
Wrapping up the main course list of family recipes to cook together is “Garfield’s” favorite food, lasagna. Modern technology means you no longer need hours to assemble this classic.
You can buy noodles designed to cook in the pan, saving you a step. Layer your meal with anything your children enjoy. Vegetarian families might enjoy a cheesy primavera version with tons of veggies, while more carnivorous clans can use pork or beef.
What’s life without dessert? When cooking together with family, why not throw in a little baking to end your meal on a high note?
Here’s another sneaky way to up your children’s consumption of plant-based foods. Your little one won’t balk at eating zucchini when you disguise it in chocolate cake.
I scream, you scream! If you thought this treat only came in a carton from the store, think again. You can have a blast making it with your kids.
You don’t even need a fancy machine — just a plastic bag. It only takes five minutes to whip up this recipe. Top it with some fresh fruit for added antioxidants and flavor.
Cooking together as a clan helps to cement your bond. Why not give these eight recipes a try and make your next dinnertime a true family affair?
