Healthy meal ideas can be hard to think of on your own let alone if you've got a family to cook for. Pleasing everyone can be difficult and can make the task of shopping for meals and preparing meals even harder. Vegetables seem to be a tough one when it comes to getting the whole family to chow down on these nutritious items. So, how can you get your family to eat their veggies without it being a chore? Check out these four ways to "healthify" your meals while pleasing the masses. 1. Vegetable Buffet - Not everyone in your family will like all vegetables but everyone can benefit from the nutrients in them. Try a vegetable buffet where 3 to 5 vegetables are prepared separately. Incorporate spices such as garlic, rosemary and thyme along with olive oil or a small amount of salt and pepper to spice up vegetables. Prepare your choices in different ways from grilling to sauting and/or roasting. Green beans with sliced almonds tossed in Italian dressing, roasted squash planks marinated in salad dressing and topped with Parmesan cheese and baked sweet potato fries are all great ways to make these veggie interesting. Allow family members to scoop up the goodies of their choice. The vegetable buffet makes food fun and allows choice. These two things together make healthy eating seem no so mundane. 2. Say Yes to Soup - If you have eaters that do not like the site of a vegetable, you might want to try soups with veggies packed in them. This way these healthy culprits are out of sight but your family will still be getting the nutrients that they need. You can chop, finely chop and even puree vegetables if you need to. You can add finely diced vegetables such as mushrooms, onions, or peppers chopped up fine so the taste and texture is concealed or add chunks of squash, tomatoes and onions for a heartier look and feel. 3. Roll 'Em Up - You can disguise your vegetables in a number of ways by rolling them up into wraps or even in chicken breasts. Creating a wrap in a flavored or plain whole wheat tortilla shell allows you to add their favorite protein such as turkey, ham or beef and add in peppers, lettuce, asparagus, tomato, spinach and more. Create a wrap loaded with veggies, and finish with olive oil, salad dressing or mustard. Vegetables can also be stuffed into chicken breasts, fish or even filets of beef. Insert spinach, tomato and/or roasted red peppers. Combine with a small amount of feta, blue cheese or mozzarella to enhance flavor. 4. Super Salads - Big salads are a perfect way to combine healthy vegetables and loads of flavor into one bowl. In addition, allowing family members to choose their own ingredients means they get to pick what they like and still get the nutrients you want them to. Try using mixed greens, spinach or even chopped romaine as the lettuce base. Chop or slice carrots, mushrooms, broccoli, bell peppers, tomato and any vegetables you and your family like. Mix in seeds such as sunflower or pumpkin seeds to add texture and flavor. Nuts, fruit and cheese can also be added to create a distinct flavor filled meal. Don't forget your protein! Big salads are complete with your choice of fish, shell fish, chicken, pork or beef. The salad offers a way for everyone to take part in the meal and an easy option to appease many different appetites as well. Healthy eating is harder in these days of fast food, pizza and sweet treats. Incorporating vegetables has become even more important. Make food fun for you and the whole family. Incorporating new recipes for salads, vegetables, soup and more not only has your family eating healthy but keeps things interesting.
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