Family Meal Ideas

Not sure how to change your cooking style? These easy ideas will ensure your family’s eating right and loving your home-cooked meals even more. The kids won’t even know they’re eating healthily!

Breakfast

• Swap sugary cereals for whole oat porridge or wholegrain muesli or cereals, and sprinkle fresh or dried fruit, nuts and seeds on top.

• Choose cereals with the Heart Foundation Tick for reassurance that you’re making a healthier choice.
• Stock the fridge with low-fat milk and reduced-fat yoghurt.

• Place margarine – not butter – on the table for toast. On the weekends, cook up mushrooms, scrambled eggs, tomatoes and baked beans, or melt low-fat cheese on top.

• Treat them to a fresh fruit smoothie made with low-fat milk or yoghurt.

Snacks and Lunchboxes

• Sandwiches are easy – use wholegrain or seeded breads and be sure to include salad. Swap butter for margarine, avocado or hummus. Pitta pockets are always popular.

• Make homemade pizzas (on pitta bread, with reduced-fat cheese) the night before and pack the leftovers in their lunch box.

• Pasta and rice salads are great for flavour and filling tummies. Add pulses or legumes for extra protein.

• Raisin bread with a little margarine is delicious at recess.

• Chop up crunchy raw vegetables for lunchtime. Mix up colours and flavours with carrot, celery, capsicum and cucumber.

• Include a bag of DIY popcorn without added salt or butter.

• Fresh fruit is a great afternoon pick-me-up, as are snack-sized canned fruit in natural juice.

Dinner

• Get the whole family involved in the kitchen – it’s a great way to spend time with them and teach them about the importance of healthy food.

• Try to add more fruits and vegetables to your cooking.  They’re an easy and tasty way to provide growing bodies with important vitamins, fibre and minerals.  Mix them into family staples such as spaghetti bolognaise and tuna casseroles and no one need know the difference. It’s worth knowing that frozen vegies are just as nutritious as fresh ones, so keep a few bags in the freezer and add them to stir-fries, casseroles or main meals.

• Get your kids to mash together potato, sweet potato and parsnip. Rather than butter, add a little olive oil or margarine for creaminess. Your family won’t be able to tell the difference.

• Dress salads with a simple mix of olive oil and lemon juice.

• Choose lean cuts of meat, and always serve chicken without the skin on.

• For a good fats boost, throw a handful of nuts and seeds into salads – extra crunch!

• If you put bread on the table, experiment with wholegrain varieties, and serve it with margarine not butter.

• If you’re pressed for time, look for ready-made meals in the supermarket that carry the Heart Foundation Tick.

Stuck for inspiration? Check out our range of free, healthy recipes that your family will love. Best of all, they’re easy to cook and don’t cost heaps to make.

In need of some quick tips for kid-friendly food? Check out our handy factsheet: perfect for sticking to the fridge door!