Cafeterias everywhere are hopping on the Meatless Monday
bandwagon. From elementary school to university, kids are, perhaps unwittingly,
part of a meatless movement. Cutting processed or red meat out of your diet at
least once a week helps manage your weight and reduces your risk of diabetes—plus,
it’s good for the environment.
Meatless Mondays aren’t just for cafeterias,
though. Bringing this tradition into your home encourages the healthy habit,
and it sparks a conversation with your kids about healthy, clean living. Choosing
recipes with healthy, protein-rich meat alternatives can become a fun family
challenge, and meatless meals introduce your kids to new ways to eat their
fruits and vegetables.
Meatless Monday isn’t the only way to get your kids involved
in dinnertime; letting your children choose the recipe, or even the main
ingredient, engages them, and includes them in the cooking process. The more
invested they are in the meal choice, the more likely they are to try it, even
if it has a few new ingredients.
One of our local partners, author of the House
of Bedlam cooking blog, suggests encouraging your kids to choose one new vegetable
a month and then working together to cook a meal that incorporates that
vegetable. Simple traditions like this one get your
family excited about food—even vegetables. And as most moms know, that’s no
easy task.
Even if no new foods are on the table, make a habit of
explaining what’s in your meal. If you made avocado chicken salad (yum), you
might want to share some facts about avocados, the different ways we can eat
them, and where they grow. You can even brainstorm other recipes with these
ingredients, which makes choosing meals for the rest of the week even easier.
Dinners for big families can get complicated. Between
fair-weather vegetarians, food allergies, and picky eaters, every meal choice
includes at least a little bickering. Try choosing a meal that everyone enjoys,
and commit one evening a month to making it together. Pizza and tacos are sure
to please, easy to make, and even easier to spice up if you get bored.
Integrating traditions into your family’s dinnertime routine
is a simple way to make meal times more meaningful. Adventures with your
family—especially in the kitchen—keep you connected as a team and excited about
spending time with each other.
* image courtesy of Shutterstock
