Quick, Easy and Nutritious Family Dinner Ideas

We often find ourselves running out of time by taking kids to school, going to work, fetching kids, getting groceries, cleaning and cooking and most of us tend to rush off to the nearest fast food outlet because we have run out of time!

Well there is a way to make a quick and nutritious meal without having to spend to much time in the kitchen.

If you don't have time to go to the store to buy groceries than you can buy your food online and have it delivered to your door.

Plan the week ahead and buy your groceries for the week.

Make two or three meals at a time and freeze them for the week ahead.

And if you can't do that then get a recipe that is quick and easy enough for you to do when you get home so that you have enough time to check on homework, eat with the family and still have some down time for yourself!

Living a fast paced lifestyle is about organising and managing your time correctly, especially when you have hungry mouths to feed so that you do not feel as if you are rushing around like a crazy person with no time to breathe.

You have got to be organised and planning ahead is important for healthy living but it does mean that you need to take a day to prep a few meals to avoid an unhealthy family.

Nutrition is important and it doesn't require a full night in the kitchen if you have the correct recipes.

This is also quick and easy! You can buy 2 minute noodles and the stir fry mix already cut and prepared at any grocery store. All you have to do is add strips to it, a chicken stock cube, a half cup of water, put on the lid and wait 15 minutes for it to cook.

If you add chicken it will take a little longer than the beef.

Fish cakes can be found in the frozen food section and they take 8 minutes to cook.

Beetroot, three bean salad and sweetcorn can be added along with instant mash. Instant mash is easy to make as you just add water and stir.

There is nutrition in the fish, beetroot and three bean salad. For kids to eat the beans just add a little chukney to the beans and mix. This will give it a sweet taste that kids might enjoy and if not than they have the corn too!

Prep time for this meals is 15 minutes!

This is a lazy macaroni and cheese but it is tasty enough and quick to make.

Put a pot of boiling water on the stove and add macaroni.

While that is cooking take 2 cups of milk and put it on the stove.

Make a paste out of 50ml flour and a drop of water

Add to the milk

Grate a half a block of cheddar cheese and stir it into the milk.

Keep stirring until it is thick enough and the cheese is blended in, add a little salt.

Macaroni will take 15 mins to cook, drain add cheese sauce and serve!

Should you have left over chicken or beef from a dinner before than all you need to do is buy a ready made pastry to make a chicken pie.

Add your chicken and gravy into an oven proof dish, put the puff pastry over the mixture and place it into the oven for 20 minutes.

Homemade burgers are also quick to make because all you have to do is take a pack of mince, add one onion, one egg and mix together. Once that is done shape it into a patty and put it onto the stove for 10 to 15mins while buttering the rolls, adding tomato, lettuce and a piece of onion.

You can serve it with salad or get frying chips that take 3 minutes to cook from frozen.

If you have an hour and a half then you can roast a chicken, broccoli, aubergines and pumpkin together in the oven. Put it on high and cover with foil to spead up the cooking process.

Just remember that chicken takes longer than beef to make, strips cook faster than chunks and vegetables such as broccoli, pumpkin, butternut and aubergines are quick in the oven.

Enjoy your extra time off by relaxing with a glass of wine!