Written by: Kirby Moir, RDN, LDN Food City Registered Dietitian 

We all know that families should eat together, but sometimes it’s tough to find the time. Work, school, sports practices, and other obligations can get in the way. Studies show that families who dine at home together are happier and healthier. Current research suggests that eating meals together as a family is beneficial to adolescents’ eating habits and that more frequent family meals have been found to lead to better dietary intake among children and adolescents. However, a common barrier to family meals is the lack of time in the week to prepare. 

Food City’ aims to offer nutritious and time-saving solutions to family dinnertime. From pre-cut vegetables to oven ready sides dishes, this can save time when meal planning.  Here are a few hearty meal options utilizing these time saving items that your whole family will love.

Slow cooker: A slow cooker is a great time-saving hack to enjoy a warm, home-cooked meal. Simply place all your ingredients in the cooker and leave it while you focus on other tasks for the day.  

Pair a pork tenderloin or roast with savory root vegetables like ShortCuts sweet potatoes.  

Sheet pan: A quick sheet pan meal provides a balanced family meal perfect for sharing. Start with a large baking sheet, pick your favorite ShortCuts to pair with sliced turkey kielbasa or chicken sausage. This pairs well with squash, broccoli, peppers, and onions. Spread across baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and bake.

Stir-fry: A versatile family favorite is stir-fry.  This is a great vegetable filled base that ShortCuts make easy to have ready in minutes. Start by heating oil in a large skillet, using aromatics like garlic and to infuse flavor.  Next add the stir-fry fry mixture of broccoli, zucchini, peppers, and onions – offering a good source of vitamin A & C and rich in fiber. Pair with meat like Certified Angus Beef top sirloin or pre-cooked shrimp. Finish with a flavorful sauce and pair with brown rice. 

Stew: Family meals that are made quickly can still be filled with flavor and offer a comforting meal. Stews offer a plethora of options for flavor pairings; a simple starting point is ShortCuts soup starters. This means pairing precut vegetables with beef sirloin or rotisserie chicken. Add aromatics, broth, and let this one pot meal deliver warming flavor for the whole family. 

Whether your family mealtime happens every night or once a week try some of these time saving techniques for your family meal.