Meal Ideas To Share The Load
As I said in a previous post, in the past week I’ve talked to my female clients, friends, and sisters and I’ve noticed a common thread in our conversations around eating and meal time, especially of late, with all the ”togetherness” we’ve shared over the past several months.
I feel like a failure if my kids aren’t eating a well balanced meal.
It’s my responsibility to get a healthy dinner on the table and I just don’t have the energy or interest to keep doing it.
It's all on my shoulders...my kids' eating, my partner’s health.
How do we start to shed the role of “I have to do it all and be all to everyone”?
Let’s start in the kitchen and around the family table.
An options to shift the sole responsibilities of meal planning/prep/cleanup from yourself to the entire household could be to:
Ask the kids/partner to give you ideas for 3 breakfasts, lunches, and dinners.
Make a meal you want and let everyone else find their own food.
Ask kids/partner to take turns prepping/cleaning up the kitchen.
Here are some meal ideas to get you started:
Meal Ideas for the week.
The purpose of these Seven Days of eating is to offer support, normalize eating, help you to incorporate a wider variety of food, and push back on diet culture. I became a dietitian because I enjoy eating and making food. I want to help others enjoy and feel safe while eating and making food, too. I do this work to give people MORE options, not less.
Feed yourself and those you love.
Hearty Salad, Deconstructed. The components of this Niçoise salad are varied and abundant so that everyone can find at least one thing they like. And, as a perfect sidekick, I serve this zucchini bread. I can count on everyone to eat it and that brings me joy and satisfaction.
One Pan Tomato Stew. Shakshuka is a simple meal of eggs poached in a sauce of tomatoes. Served with a crusty bread or side of couscous and you’ve got a complete meal.
Nachos. Another sheet pan meal for the win. These nachos are constructed on a sheet pan and popped in the oven to finish off. I asked my husband to pick up fruit the other night on his way home from work. No one complained when he showed up with good, old fashioned canned fruit cocktail.
Sloppy Joes. I make a big batch of this recipe whenever I need to feed a crowd. Try this vegetarian version for a new twist on the old favorite. I like to serve it with a platter of chopped veggies - raw or quick pickled.
Pasta Dish. This recipe is just as a good cold as it is warm. Leftovers will save us. Roasted Shrimp and Orzo
Hummus Toast. is easy to make as a quick breakfast, lunch, dinner or snack. It’s begging to be dressed up with your favorite toppings.
Popcorn. I grew up eating popcorn for dinner almost every Sunday night. This recipe for Triple Cheese Popcorn is for when regular popped kernels won’t cut it. Add a side of grapes, sliced apples or pears to sweeten the deal.