During the week, it’s easy to get stuck in a rut when it comes to meal ideas and often, we often stick to the same few meals on repeat. When you’re cooking for family, too, meal choices can be much more refined, especially if you’re dealing with picky or fussy eaters!
We’ve put together some great new meal ideas that are perfect for family meal inspiration and, with recipes this easy, weeknights can be a whole less stressful. There’s something for everyone and not a complicated recipe in sight! So, if you need some easy and budget-friendly family meal inspiration, here are some easy, new meal ideas.
Spicy Lentil Dahl
The perfect winter warmer, spicy lentil dahl is a must for those chilly autumn evenings. Super easy to make and easy to adjust to suit different tastes, this dish is similar to both a soup and curry. Packed full of nutrients and taste, this is the perfect dish for family members of all ages.
Using a base of tomatoes and red lentils, it’s easy to add vegetables such as sweet potato, butternut squash, red pepper, aubergine or even pumpkin and, to make it less spicy, simply leave out the chillies! If you’re looking for family meal inspiration that requires little to no preparation or time spent standing over the hob, then this is the perfect dish.
BBQ Chicken Nachos
On a day where you’re family is busy and the thought of cooking is just a bit too much, then why not try an alternative to traditional nachos for a filling afternoon meal! Using the base for traditional nachos, the addition of tasty bbq chicken really makes this dish and is an instant crowd-pleaser, especially when using our Regal Smokey BBQ Sauce. Top the nachos with shredded bbq chicken, cheese, sour cream and thinly sliced avocado and red onion.
Hidden Broccoli Pasta
Children are fairly fussy and, if they spot vegetables on their dish, usually won’t eat it. But, one way to get your children to eat more vegetables is to hide them in some of their favourite dishes. Whilst this sounds a little strange, it helps children to get used to the taste of vegetables and can transform the dish into something that makes it more appealing for their taste buds and, when you’re looking for midweek family meal inspiration, this is a really quick and tasty dish to put together in no time.
To make hidden broccoli pasta, simply boil some pasta and whiz together a simple basil pesto, however, be sure to add a couple of tablespoons of soft cheese, a small head of cooked broccoli, cut into florets and a few handfuls of spinach to make it a very vibrant green colour. Because it is so colourful, it makes children more inclined to eat it and they get some of their daily veg portions too!
Roast Dinner With A Twist
The thought of a roast dinner in the week might leave you feeling uneasy, after all, they usually take a whole day to prepare. Roast dinners can also get a bit repetitive, so a midweek refresh is a great way to get some new family meal inspiration. Thankfully, there are some ways you can have all the goodness of a roast dinner, but with a twist to make it perfect for a mid-week meal.
To make a roast dinner with a twist, you’ll first need a whole chicken and a few tablespoons of our Regal Lemon & Herb Peri-Peri Seasoning Mix. Put your whole roast chicken on a roasting tray cover, using a few tbsp of oil. Then, massage a few tbsps of the seasoning mix onto the skin of the chicken, ensuring it is well covered. If you want to make your chicken extra tasty, lay on top of carrots, half-cut lemons and garlic cloves. Once your chicken is cooked thoroughly, serve with chargrilled corn on the cobs, seasoned greens and sweet potato mash for a delicious midweek meal that’s perfect for the whole family.
