Making Time for Family Meals

    Making Time for Family Meals

    Jacqueline Gomes, RDN, MBA

    Mealtime is a wonderful opportunity to strengthen family ties and pass on cultural traditions! A Harvard study found that eating family dinners together most or all days of the week was associated with eating more healthfully! Families generally consumed higher amounts of important nutrients such as calcium, fiber, iron, vitamins B6, B12, C and E, and consumed less overall fat, compared to families who “never” or “only sometimes” eat meals together.

    Encourage your kids to help prep meals, set the table and help with the dishes.

    Small children can do the following:

    • Snap the green beans, snap peas, or break the florets from broccoli and cauliflower.
    • Sprinkle herbs or other seasoning onto vegetables
    • Wash fruits and veggies before prepping or cooking
    • Tear lettuce leaves for salads and sandwiches
    • Mash the potatoes!

    What to Prepare?

    Family meals don’t have to be complicated, think soups and sandwiches, soups can be prepared on the weekends and heated throughout the week, they are easy to freeze too! Pack a variety of veggies into soup to create a powerfully nutritious meal.

    Sandwiches take minutes to prepare and typically a kid favorite – they’re transportable too so if you need to hit the field, you can easily wrap a sandwich to-go!

    No matter how simple or complex the meal, the important thing is to enjoy each other’s company and listen to each member of your family over a delicious meal.

    Steak Fajitas

    Quick Weeknight Steak Fajitas

    Prep: 15 minutes

    Cook: 10 minutes

    Makes: 4 servings

    Ingredients

    • 1.5 pounds Rancher’s Legend Premium Black Angus Beef Loin Sirloin Steak
    • 1 medium sweet onion
    • 2 Bell peppers, seeded and sliced
    • 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
    • 1 envelope Fajita seasoning
    • 2 tablespoon olive oil
    • 2 limes, juiced
    • ½ cup cilantro leaves, chopped
    • ¼ cup Mexican shredded cheese (optional)
    • 8 to 12 soft flour tortillas

    Directions:

    1. Trim any fat around the steak. Slice steak against the grain into strips, then cut strips into 2 inch pieces. Sprinkle ½ Fajita seasoning over steak and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Toss to coat and set aside.
    2. Meanwhile, slice up onion and bell peppers.
    3. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, add in onions, bell peppers and jalapeno pepper, cook until starting to soften, about 3 to 4 minutes.
    4. Turn heat to high, add in remaining fajita seasoning over vegetables and push vegetables to one side of pan. Now add in seasoned steak, cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until steak appears cooked to medium doneness. Toss all ingredients together.
    5. Squeeze the juice of one lime over steak and vegetables, add in cilantro and stir to combine. Remove from heat.
    6. Serve steak and vegetables with flour or corn tortillas with your desired toppings such as sour cream, cheese or salsa!

    Recipe by: Jacqueline Gomes, MBA, RDN