Having a hard time deciding what to make for dinner that’s both healthy and delicious (and hopefully the kids will enjoy, too)? Feeding your family healthy food does not mean it’s all about salads and vegetarian dishes. There are plenty of ways you can transform family favorites into healthier alternatives that the whole family can enjoy. Just a few ingredient adjustments can make foods like macaroni and cheese, pizza, and hot dogs transform into healthy versions with lower calorie and fat content and higher in fiber and nutrients. In addition, eating meals together as a family has a range of benefits, including better grades in school and forming healthier eating habits. Solve the daily dilemma of, “what’s for dinner?” by making meals that are a lot healthier than they appear with these healthy family-friendly recipe adjustments:

Family Menu Makeovers (picky eater approved)

Macaroni & Cheese:

–          Use 2 tablespoons of no-trans-fat margarine instead of 4 tablespoons of butter

–          Use low-fat milk instead of whole milk

–          Add a tablespoon or two of fat-free or light sour cream or low fat yogurt, if needed for creaminess

–          Add veggies on the side or in the macaroni (such as ½ cup of steamed broccoli per serving)

Hot Dogs:

–          Choose a reduced-fat hot dog (Ball Park Lite, Louis Rich Turkey Franks, and Hebrew National Reduced Fat are low-fat options)

–          Look for whole-wheat, or higher fiber bun options

–          Add onions and tomato, for added nutrition

–          Choose lower-fat and lower-calorie condiments such as ketchup or mustard

French Fries:

–          Choose lower-fat frozen French Fries

–          Bake them instead of frying

–          Complement this side dish with a fruit and a vegetable, so the family does not overdo the fries

Family-favorite Mexican-style dishes:

–          Use reduced-fat Jack and/or cheddar cheese

–          Work in beans every chance you get

–          Use extra-lean meat (super-lean ground beef, skinless chicken breast, lean pork trimmed of visible fat)

–          Use fat-free sour cream instead of regular

–          Use whole grains and vegetables (brown rice, whole-wheat tortillas, tomatoes, green peppers, etc.)

Pizza:

–          Use whole grain pizza dough options or switch it up with fun options like pita bread for a personal pizza

–          Try healthier meat options such as turkey pepperoni or chicken breasts

–          Use shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

–          Add plenty of your favorite vegetable toppings

Pasta dishes:

–          Use a whole-wheat pasta of your choice

–          Cook ingredients (such as meat and veggies) with olive oil instead of butter

–          Use lean meats such as skinless, boneless chicken breasts

–          Add plenty of your favorite veggies

–          Try olive oil and your favorite herbs/spices for flavor instead of cream-based sauces

 By Amy K. West, Skinny Gene Dietetic Intern from the WIC Program

One of my favorite family recipes is lasagna, and there’s many ways to modify a standard lasagna recipe to cut the fat and increase the nutritional value.  I’m not one to closely follow a recipe, but standard ingredients include:

Picture from myrecipes.com

12 lasagna noodles, uncooked

2 tablespoons olive oil1 (16 ounce) package Natural Italian Ground Sausage

1 onion

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 (24 ounce) jar marinara sauce

4 cups ricotta cheese

1 large egg

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1 teaspoon dried oregano

One of the first ways to help lower the fat content of lasagna is by altering the type of meat you use.  Many of us watching our fat intake know using turkey can help us consume less fat than if we were eating beef, but it also depends on what type of turkey you use.  4 oz of lean ground turkey or 85% lean turkey contains about 17g of fat for 4 oz.  For that same 4 oz of turkey, if you select a leaner version, 93% fat free, the turkey contains only 8 grams of fat.  You also have the option of using extra lean ground turkey (99% fat free), which contains only 1.5g of fat for 4 oz.

Another change you can make is using 1% cottage cheese (1g fat for 1/2 cup) instead of part skim ricotta cheese (9g for 1/2 cup) or using a more flavorful cheese like goat cheese or feta instead of mozzarella so you can use less, but still have a lot of flavor.

Sometimes when I cut the fat out of a recipe the flavor can be altered a bit, so I like to add crushed red pepper and a large mix of Italian seasonings.  Another factor to keep in mind is that the texture when cooking with less fat can change the final product, so add some new consistencies to the dish.  Try mushroom, roasted tomatoes or spinach, which will also add more nutrients.

Have fun experimenting!