The time you spend with your family is precious. You don’t want to waste it on meal prep every weeknight. At the same time, you prefer to serve meals with a healthy kick. Food is meant to nourish your body, not leave you with an icky feeling.
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It’s the sensation you get within an hour of eating too much or something you knew wasn’t the best for you. Despite fast food being quick and easy, it won’t make your family feel well afterward. Consuming it regularly can also lead to the development of chronic diseases and obesity, aftereffects you definitely don’t want. When you need to whip up dishes that are easy and healthy, try these weeknight meal ideas.
Salmon and roasted broccoli platter in a sheet pan
Sheet Pan Salmon with Broccoli
An anti-inflammatory diet is one way to defend your body against free radicals and systemic inflammation. Foods like salmon, pumpkin, and blueberries are considered anti-inflammatory. Items that are low on the glycemic scale can also be considered anti-inflammatory since they don’t cause rapid spikes in blood sugar. In contrast, highly processed foods, such as chips and donuts, are pro-inflammatory.
Even seemingly innocent items like white pasta and bread can lead to systemic inflammation, which is when your immune system goes on overdrive. Eating anti-inflammatory foods helps prevent this while combating the negative effects of stress, poor sleep, and toxins in the environment. Salmon and broccoli are both known for being anti-inflammatory. Combining them in a sheet pan dinner makes for a tasty, simple, good-for-you meal.
You can add a flavorful baste to the meat that includes lemon and garlic. Alternatively, you can place fresh lemon and garlic slices on top of the salmon so the flavor bakes in. It takes less than 30 minutes to place the ingredients on a sheet pan and cook in the oven. Your family will be enjoying dinner in no time and will go to bed without the processed food hangover.
Hummus Greek Wraps
Here’s a dinner you can adapt to the vegetarians and carnivores in your family. Hummus Greek wraps use lettuce, cucumbers, grape tomatoes, hummus, feta cheese, and olive oil. The wraps are also spinach or whole wheat-based to increase the nutritional value. However, you can add a protein like skinless chicken breasts for those who prefer not to go meatless.
Making the meal takes around 25 minutes, which you can reduce with shortcuts like store-bought organic hummus. The hummus will provide protein, helping to keep everyone’s bellies feeling full. Meanwhile, the veggies will also add fiber and essential nutrients to your family’s diet.
If you do choose to add chicken, the meat will only increase the lean protein value. Plus, you’ll be getting a good source of iron. Wraps make a perfect warm-weather meal, but you might find they’re just as tasty during the winter. And when you’ve had a tough commute home in the snow, there’s nothing more satisfying than an easy-to-make dinner.
Naan Pizza
Around 11% of the population eats pizza on any random day. Most consume pizza at lunch and dinnertime, with over half of those meals coming from restaurants. Around one quarter of consumed pizza comes from grocery stores.
Obviously, the kind that comes from restaurants may not be the healthiest. Those pizzas are often delivered with extra fat, calories, and processed ingredients you can’t pronounce. While store-bought varieties can be less damaging, they’re not necessarily in the healthy food category. Frozen pizza, for instance, can also be ultra-processed.
If you want to serve your family a healthier alternative, try making it yourself. It doesn’t require advanced culinary skills, such as throwing pizza dough, as you can use naan bread instead. Top it with fresh shredded mozzarella, sliced tomatoes, and spinach. Bake it in the oven until the cheese melts and begins to brown. Other toppings you can try include rotisserie chicken, olives, green peppers, and fresh jalapenos.
Minestrone Soup
Soup is probably one of the simplest weeknight meals you can make. Nevertheless, the kind you buy at the store can be problematic. Depending on the brand, what’s in the can or box can be loaded with ingredients you don’t want. Extra sodium, even with light sodium varieties, is one of them.
Making your own soup with fresher ingredients might seem like a lot of work at first glance. After all, wouldn’t it be easier to just heat up a premade variety? Sure, but making minestrone from scratch doesn’t take as much time as you think.
You can use an organic broth and tomato paste to start. Add in sliced or chopped onions and garlic for flavor. The other vegetables you choose are up to you, but a few ideas include peas and potatoes. You’ll add the pasta and beans as you get the mixture warmed up, so you don’t overcook them. When all is said and done, you’ll spend 30 minutes or less before your meal is ready to serve.
Simple, Healthy Weeknight Meals
The thought of cooking at the end of a long day can have you reaching for the nearest takeout menu. While the food you get may make it easier to juggle your busy schedule, it isn’t necessarily the best nutrition. Preparing simple weeknight meals at home with fresher, whole ingredients is a better alternative. This approach is easy on the schedule and the waistline. The meal ideas above can give you a head start on tasty, simple, and nutritious dinners for the family.
