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7 Solutions for Changing Your Family’s Diet

Back in the day, dinner time was family time. Meals were made, stories were told, and people gathered to be loved and nourished. In today’s world, times are different. Our fast-paced lifestyles with long commutes, late work nights and after school activities has limited the amount of time we spend with our loved ones.

Re-introducing family dinner into our busy schedules, promotes socialization, and the importance of food on our health and well-being.

Balancing mindful eating, proper nutrition and quality family time, is the ultimate solution to developing healthy eating habits. Consider these tips for a great new start to a happier, healthier New Year.

1. Plan Weekly 

Check work, school and activity schedules at the beginning of the week for a mutual dinner time. Dinner does not have to be the same time every evening. Find an hour between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. that works best for everyone. Eating later in the evening is less important than not eating at all. Create theme days such as Meatless Mondays or Tapas Tuesdays for eventful meals. Keep a calendar highlighting dinner time and post in a central location.

2. Seek Non-Traditional Dinners 

People’s perception of dinner varies. But, one common belief is that it’s a timely process. With the rise of fast casual restaurants and supermarket dining, you can pick-up take home meals that are great tasting, reasonably priced and nutritious. Try modifying meals that fit your time frame and lifestyle needs. Use foodservice options such as ready to eat (rotisserie chickens, sandwiches, salads), ready to heat (refrigerated soups, deli cooked chicken, salmon, or vegetables) or ready to cook (pre-marinated poultry, meats, seafood and packaged vegetables). These meal types can help minimize time in the kitchen and maximize your time at the table.

3. Eat Food in its Natural State 

Back to basics is so cliché. However, minimally processed foods are in demand. Local farming and artisan made items are a viable option for freshness, seasonality, and nutrition. Organic foods are great for year round availability, quality standards, agricultural support and nutritive value as well. Food grown for taste rather than longevity allows us to enjoy the real flavors of food without unwanted extra ingredients. Try sprinkling your favorite spice on ground beef, turkey, or a salmon patty and pan sear for a few minutes on each side. Serve with raw vegetables and you’ve accomplished a quick, tasty, nutritious meal.

4. Simplify Recipes 

Use simple recipes and user-friendly cookware. The more ingredients in a recipe, the more complicated the meal becomes. Find recipes with three to five ingredients with easy to use cooking equipment such as crock pots, grills and stove top pots and pans. Develop cooking techniques that can help you “own” your recipe. Even the greatest chefs of the world would agree that their recipes, tools of the trade and individual practices, make for a perfect dish and a memorable feast.

5. Repurpose Meals 

Let each recipe determine the next. Make something once, and use it twice. Plan meals using recipes with similar and available ingredients. For example, tonight’s rotisserie chicken can be diced and used to top a green salad tomorrow. Using leftovers for the next night’s meal saves prep time, the amount of nights per week cooking and money too.

6. Participate Effortlessly 

Everyone must do their part at dinner time. Involve kids in food preparation and clean up. Assign age-appropriate tasks and offer incentives for completion. Working together teaches real-life skills for the future and helps parents meet the needs of their demanding job schedules of today.

 

7. Tune into Each Other 

Turn the phone, television and computer off. Take one hour a day to talk. Share about your day. Learn about family, cultural foods and traditions. What we eat, makes us who we are. Studies show family dinners support healthier eating, lowers the incidence of obesity and substance abuse among kids and increases academic performance. Conversations between kids and family may also reduce tension and stress in the home. Food may be nourishment for the body, but dining together is food for the heart and soul.

Jeanne M. Maglione, MS, RDN, director of Nutrition and Wellness at Mrs. Green’s Natural Market, is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist with 20+ years’ experience in natural foods, supplements and body care. She oversees a team of Nutrition and Wellness Advisors, who are in-store to provide complimentary nutritional education services to the Mrs. Green’s community. For upcoming events or store locations visit MrsGreens.com.