It’s week one of the Take Back Dinnertime Challenge from Real Simple. This week, the focus is on preparing healthy meals. Don’t miss the cookbook giveaway at the end of this post!
What exactly makes a healthy meal? Is it about avoiding extras like fat and sugar or including whole foods more often? While these things do matter — they are only part of the story. In order to maximize healthy meals in your home, it really is about keeping things simple.
Let me show you what I mean.
1. Focus on taste
According to a study published in the Journal of Consumer Research, people who were told an energy bar was healthy, were hungrier after eating than those who were told the same bar was “tasty.”
The truth? The word healthy can carry a lot of baggage for some people — especially those who have dieted or have not been exposed to many healthy foods.
And you can bet that kids get the message that healthy and taste do not coincide. I often hear parents tell kids to eat something because it’s “healthy” or “good for them.” Instead, focus on the good taste of healthful, whole foods and avoid making kids eat something in the name of nutrition.
According to The Family Nutrition and Physical Activity Report from the American Dietetic Association, a majority of children said they would eat more healthfully if the food tasted better.
2. Focus on nutrition positives, not negatives
When I talk to people about their diet, they usually start with the list of foods they think are no-no’s. According to The Family Nutrition and Physical Activity Report, families are more aware of what they should not eat than what they should eat.
So instead of focusing on the foods to avoid, get creative by finding ways to include foods that add health and great taste including the items below.
3. Experiment with fruits, veggies, and whole grains
When I first started cooking, I would steam veggies and add little fat. Needless to say, no one wanted to touch them. But then I discovered roasted veggies and it changed everything.
Experiment with cooking veggies whether it be roasting, baking, stir-frying or eating them raw with some dip. Research shows that children are slower to like veggies than other foods so frequent exposure is key. Serve fruit with meals as well — it requires no preparation and kids love it. And don’t forget to experiment with the array of whole grains out on the market.
To ensure nutritional variety, include at least one fruit or veggie rich in vitamin A and vitamin C daily and make half your grains whole.
4. Vary your protein sources
Lean meats are great but there are many other nutritious protein sources. Try cooking beans (black, kidney, garbanzo and pinto beans) more often or include them as a side for dinner. Beans are packed with B vitamins, iron and fiber and Dietary Guidelines recommend 3 cups per week.
Throw some fish in the mix (the main source of omega 3 fatty acids DHA/EPA) whether it’s salmon, shrimp, or good old tuna. And don’t forget nuts and nut butters which work well for last-minute dinners or a kids’ night. Eggs make a great quick dinner too!
5. Use healthy fats to add flavor
Fat adds flavor to every dish — and kids need it. Use healthy oils like olive and canola for salad dressing and cooking. Add nuts and avocado to salads and make guacamole and hummus for dipping.
6. Keep ingredients simple and whole
When I first started cooking I bought Alice Water’s book, The Art of Simple Food, which emphasizes the use of simple and fresh ingredients. At the time I thought cooking had to be complicated with many ingredients so this message was just what I needed.
This is what healthy dinner meals are all about — using fresh, real food. It solves the taste problem and spoils even the tiniest of palates.
For everything you wanted to know about feeding a family, check out Fearless Feeding: How to Raise Healthy Eaters From High Chair to High School
I struggle with catering to my husband’s tastes…he wants to be healthy, but gravitates toward calorie-laden foods. As an RD, I don’t want to be the food police and I want him to enjoy our meals…but I also know we need to be making better choices.
The hardest thing for us is working around our schedules. I work nights, so if I’m making dinner its made for lunch and then re-heated. If my husband is cooking, then its all on him. Since we almost never have family meals, its hard to institute guidelines that stick.
I have the same problem as Jessica Z. My husband wasn’t raised eating vegetables or really even fruits. Pizza, chicken nuggets, and convenience foods only. And even when his grandmother cooked healthy foods, she would cook different “kid foods” for my husband and his brother. I’m having the hardest time re-training him.
I “like” real simple and raising healthy eaters on Facebook.
My biggest challenge is time since I have a 5 year old and a 1 year old. I struggle to make it all healthy when I have people grabbing at me while cooking.
I already “Like” you, but I was happy to tweet this article.
I was happy to share this to my readers on facebook and I can’t wait to read the book “The Art of Simple Foods”.
My husband and I LOVE to cook, and it really IS as simple as just finding new ways to prepare fruits and veggies. We have a large garden and LOVE having so many veggies that we don’t know what to do with it all. It inspires us to try new things.
My biggest challenge is my 2 year old, who has recently become extremely picky. I keep trying new things, but it’s discouraging to throw so much food away after every meal.
I have a toddler and I’m a working mom, so my challenge is making something healthy that can be done quickly. Also I have to mix it up because the toddler gets tired of eating something if I feed it too often to him.
The problem we have is knowing recipes. I can plan to make something tomorrow and go to the store today to get the ingredients. Or if I call my house husband early enough in the morning to take some meat out of the freezer and decide what to cook (although then its homemade fried chicken and mashed potatoes or hamburgers and french fries). But usually, its 430 and “what do you want to do for dinner?” Spaghetti? No? Well, let’s just get take-out.
Spaghetti is the only recipe I can think of on the spot and even then my husband isn’t happy without meat in the sauce. Maryann, I know you’ve aleady done a couple of posts on quick dinners. Sometimes I just don’t have the right ingredients. I can keep pasta and spaghetti sauce in the cupboard for months and it won’t spoil and I know it’s there. Of course like other have commented I also have the husband who loves his American diet. He doesn’t like the healthy recipes I find. I’ve asked him to find recipes that we could try and he doesn’t. Just thinking out loud here but I might get a list of recipes and make him pick 5 that we will put on the fridge and eat for the next 5 days.
Anyway, to wrap up this long comment is to say my biggest challenge when it comes to healthy meal preparation is when it’s crunch time I don’t know any healthy meals, that is to say I don’t have any go-to recipes that I can just whip up.
The hardest thing is getting my son to try new things. In addition, he likes all his food separate (so, peanut butter is fine and bread is fine, but don’t put the peanut butter on the bread), which makes getting him to eat things like chili and stir-fry very tough. He does eat all vegetables though….as long as they are separate and preferably raw.
I liked this on facebook.
Like other working moms with toddlers, I need to make dinner quickly, while he wants my attention after being away all day. And I wouldn’t call him “picky” but what he’ll eat on any given day is always changing! He seems to be very sensitive to textures and doesn’t want to “work too hard” to chew – so meat, nuts, raw veggies, etc. are all challenging. I tried roasted broccoli the other night and it was still too tough for him.
My oldest prefers tart/bitter and my youngest prefers sweet/mild flavors. Most meals I have to make a couple of side dishes to make sure everyone has a healthy option. But after working all day and having to clean up after cooking, sometimes it is too much.
My biggest challenge is coming up with something that everyone will like. Between my husband and my 3 kids, there are a lot of preferences. I typically make what I want most nights and they have to deal with it :-), but it is nice when everyone can agree that they thought dinner was delicious!
Finding time to do the prep work is the most difficult part for me. If I could plan recipes for the week and do a lot of the advance prep on Sunday — that would help.
I have two big challenges when it comes to preparing healthy meals. I have three kids ages 5, 2, and 8 months – so although I actually love to spend time in the kitchen slicing and dicing, it’s extremely difficult to make it all come together at the right time for us to sit down for dinner. This is compounded by the fact that all three are picky eaters. (Even the little guy is picky about baby food, which I’ve also been trying to make from scratch). My 5-year-old will not try ANYTHING new and still eats only the same handful of foods he’s eaten since he was a baby. He would rather skip dinner entirely and go to bed hungry than try a new food. My 2-year-old is slightly more willing to try things, but usually only single foods (not combination foods). For instance, she will eat a slice of cheese, a slice of ham, and a piece of bread, but not a ham and cheese sandwich. It becomes very frustrating trying to find time to make healthy meals only to have them instantly rejected without so much as a taste.
My biggest challenge is time! We come home, tired and hungry with a toddler to care for, freelance work to do and bed times we only dream of keeping… cooking and cleaning up afterwards can feel so overwhelming. Many good intention veggies have died in my fridge… and I love veggies and healthy food and love to cook… but not at the tale end of a loooong day on not enough sleep. Real simple’s 20 minute dinner recipes that laid out dinners for a week at a time and all had simple prep was great for us!
I told a freind (actually 3) about the healthy eater’s email updates!
I just fanned Real Simple and RSRHE on FB!
As you said above, “healthy” can mean a lot of things, and to me healthy dinners are providing nutritious choices from all of the food groups – and that has become my biggest challenge. Getting the main dish done and pouring a glass a milk is easy, it’s getting the veggies cooked (in a flavorful way, as you mention) and whole grains done all at the same time that keep me spinning a bit in the kitchen. Therefore, I love casseroles and one-dish dinners that bring all the food groups together! 🙂
My biggest challenge is trying not to substitute meat with cheese in a meatless meal.
My biggest challenge is picky eaters, as many others have said … unfortunately it’s me as much as my toddler. I’m afraid I have a lot of food prejudices that limit my family’s diet.
I struggle with coming up with a meal plan when I have a hard time finding time with a very busy and clingy toddler who also makes it hard to actually cook
My biggest challenge is my husband, he prefers red meat and eats very few veggies. I alternate with chicken and try to make fish once a week but get stuck in a rut easily. I’m really trying to encourage my kids to eat well but it’s a challenge when they see daddy won’t eat it. I’ve just subscribed to Real Simple magazine (helping my niece for a school fundraiser) and like their recipes so far. Thanks for the opportunity!
I subscribe via RSS.
I already follow you on FB and now follow Real Simple. Thanks!
Thanks for this post. As a personal chef and culinary instructor I often work with moms eager (desperate!) to get their kids to eat more veggies. I always counsel patience and love your first bit of advice. Focus on taste. If the food you prepare is boring the kids aren’t going to eat it.
My biggest challenge is finding meals that both my son (3) and my husband and I will eat. I am a vegan. My son will not touch vegetables. I would love for him to be a little more adventurous and healthy in his eating habits.
I struggle to get everyone to try new things. It seems that we make the same few foods over and over again.
I subscribe to your RSS
I like your site and Real Simple on Facebook. Thanks!
I struggle with my son not likely a wide variety of veggies.
I’m an email subscriber and also told my mom about the blog.
I like you on FB.
My biggest challenge is figuring out serving sizes…
On Sunday, I go to Costco & buy a pack of their chicken thights. I bake them with a littel ground pepper (I buy the Kosher meat, so it is already salted). I then package 3 in aluminum foil (I get about three 3 packs). For the rest of the week I reheat the thighs (95% success rate in not drying them out) & either pull a package of frozen veggies or a fresh microwaveable bag of veggies.
I then separate the meat from the bones & skin – serving the big peices to my husband, the medium pieces to myself, & the small pieces to my toddler (who eats them with gusto – so much that he gets more from my plate or my husbands plate, or doesn’t eat them at all) & I divvy the veggies half on my husband’s plate the other half on mine. Pulling pieces from each to put on my son’s plate. (Again, some days he will eat them, other days not so much – doesn’t matter the veg.)
So if almost half a bag a serving? If it is actually 2 servings, it is “bad” to eat 2 servings of veggies?
No, I don’t regularly get to rice/pasta/potatoes – just chicken & veggies.
Also is edamame (soy beans) a vegetable? corn? (I’ve been told that neither of those count as vegetables.)
Last night, I made this sauce & it was a hit:
2 lb. ground meat (I use turkey)
2 large onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans (28 oz.) crushed tomatoes (I use Muir Glen)
16 oz. can tomato sauce (I use Muir Glen)
2 Tbsp. mixed italian spices
salt & pepper to taste. (I don’t add any, I add crushed pepper flakes at the table to my own)
brown meat & onions, add garlic once the meat is no longer pink & the onions are soft. Add the tomatoes & spices, stir & simmer on low heat. (Until heated through or as long as you wish) serve over your favorite pasta. Freeze the leftovers.
Healthy? How much is a serving? How much pasta (Which is whole wheat)?
My biggest challenge is not getting in a rut fixing the same meals over and over. Thanks, Maureen (jnomaxx at hotmail dot com)
My biggest challenge is finding something my toddler will try. I find she is more willing to try new things if she helps out in the kitchen, but sometimes won’t even take a bite of something new!
I signed up to receive Raise Healthy Eaters via RSS.
I like Raise Healthy Eaters on Facebook.
My biggest challenge is time. I need to be able to walk in the door at 5:30 and have dinner on the table no later than 6:15. I kive kids who go to bed early.
Shared on FB 🙂
I also subscribe, so I forwarded the pudding pop recipe to a friend 🙂
Already a fan of RHE on FB, so I “liked” the RS page 🙂
Biggest challenge is time. We get home after 5:30 and getting something healthy prepared and fed to my kids before they are ready to go to bed around seven is tough.
Already a FB fan of RHE, so I liked Real Simple
My biggest challenge is having the time to prepare meals on weeknights when we get home from work/school.
I struggle to find vegetarian based meals that my toddler will eat. I feel like every dinner we eat includes either red meat, fish, or chicken (which we’re pretty good about rotating), but I’d love, love, love to find more dinner options that are “bean” based….that my toddler will eat. 🙂
I subscribe to your RSS feed, have shared it with my mom’s group, and I love your posts!
I already “like” Raise Healthy Eaters on FB and just liked Real Simple. I look forward to their posts as well!
Just shared this post! Thanks again for such great blog entries!
My biggest meal challenge is getting my “selective eater” to eat less sugar (in yogurt, drinks, popsicles). What are some good ways to satisfy his sweet tooth without refined sugar? He does like fruit but need more options.