Presented by BetterHelp.
Doesn’t it seem like everyone is so busy these days? Even kids seem to have a dozen extracurricular activities and obligations that pull them in every direction. There’s nothing inherently wrong with broadening your horizons and trying new things, but making some time every week for family time is important.
We know it can be challenging to wrangle your whole family for dinnertime, but doing so can help instill healthy eating habits for the kids and everyone else. Getting the whole family involved in preparing can also foster togetherness—everyone likes contributing and feeling useful!
If your child is going through psychotherapy, you might be wondering what you can do to support them and help build their self-esteem. Cooking together can be a productive activity in that pursuit. If you’re wondering about potential therapy options for your child, BetterHelp has some helpful information.
All-American Breakfast
Think back to your childhood—what did you first learn to cook? You’re certainly not alone if your first culinary creations involved toast, scrambled eggs, or pancakes. If your repertoire is limited to breakfast items well into adulthood, there’s no judgment here!
Early Saturday or Sunday morning breakfast cooking is a great way to make some incredible memories with your family and start the day with a positive activity. You can even surprise family members with breakfast in bed and bask in their delight.
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Wait, did we just skip from breakfast to dessert? That depends on when you eventually eat the cookies, we suppose.
If you have young children, baking cookies together could be the perfect bonding experience. The little ones are still learning hand-eye coordination and building tactile skills, so consider allowing them to mold the dough and place the soon-to-be treats on the oven pan. If you want as little mess as possible, slice-and-bake cookie dough could be the perfect dessert introduction for your children. Don’t forget to wash those little hands before and after!
Skillet Lasagna
This takes a few steps, but it can go quicker with more pairs of hands. At the end of it all, you’ll have a hearty meal packed with traditional, beloved flavors.
While you make the delicious meat sauce, someone else can whisk what will end up being the creamy, flavorful cottage cheese mixture.
Next, of course, is the fun part: layering the lasagna into the skillet. Letting your kids witness this step is a great way for them to learn simple cause-and-effect relationships—just wait until they dig in!
Beef And Veggie Soup
If you have time, making a hearty soup (stew?) from scratch is one of the most rewarding tasks during the cold winter months. Have someone cut up fresh okra, corn, green beans, or another healthy additive while you get the meat cooking. If you really want to get ambitious, try making pasta from scratch.
Vegetarian Meals
Whether you’ve decided to go on a strictly vegetarian diet or want to introduce a few vegetarian meals per month, understand that you don’t have to compromise taste or heartiness. Going completely vegetarian is also easier on the environment than a diet that regularly includes red meat. Here are a couple of vegetarian meals you can try with your family.
Fried Rice
A classic vegetarian dish that almost everyone loves, this dish also doesn’t require as many ingredients as you might anticipate. Besides the rice, green beans, carrots, and onions, you might only need some kidney or navy beans for protein and fiber, along with plenty of seasoning.
Cheese And Black Bean Enchiladas
No meat? No problem! Sub in a splash of chicken or beef broth and add peppers, tomatoes, cheese, onions, mashed black beans, and Picante sauce to fill each tortilla. After baking, top with all the lettuce and sour cream your heart desires. Let some of your family members choose other toppings, like guacamole or pico de gallo, to make these vegetarian enchiladas pop.
Also Read: Cook Chinese At Home: 3 Simple Recipes For A Delicious Menu