June 7th, 2015

Looking to make some healthy changes to your lifestyle? What about trying to have more family meals?
Having meals together helps families to communicate and feel more connected. Research also suggests that children who have family meals more often eat a healthier diet! Cooking and eating together gives parents an opportunity to teach children food skills, share family traditions and find out about each other’s day. Here are some tips for successful family meals:
• Enjoy meals at the kitchen or dining room table away from distractions like TV and cell phones
• Plan meals ahead of time to avoid a scramble at the end of the day
• Choose simple meals that you will have time to prepare and enjoy with your family
• Include food from three or four of the food groups on Canada’s Food Guide
• Involve children in meal preparation and setting the table
• Keep food safety in mind – remind children to wash their hands before and after handling food
Families should eat together as often as possible, but sometimes life gets busy which makes that a hard goal to reach. Ideally, aim to have one meal together as a family each day (breakfast, lunch or dinner may work best depending on everyone’s schedules). If this sounds too difficult to fit in, start with a goal of one family meal each week and gradually work your way up to most of the days!
Need some ideas to get started? Try the recipe below or check out this Family-Friendly One Week Sample Menu Plan from EatRight Ontario: http://www.eatrightontario.ca/en/Articles/Menu-Planning/Family-Friendly-One-Week-Sample-Menu-Plan.aspx#.VGziMdh0y1s
Mac and “Squeese”
Preparation Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes Makes: 4 servings
Ingredients:

1 ½ cups (375 ml) whole grain macaroni, dry
1 Tbsp (15 ml) margarine
2 cups (500 ml) cubed butternut squash
½ cup (125 ml) low-fat milk
1 clove garlic, minced
½ cup (125 ml) shredded Swiss or cheddar cheese, reduced fat
2 Tbsp (30 ml) parmesan cheese
Directions:
1. Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and return to pot. Stir in margarine.
2. Meanwhile, place cubed squash in a separate pot and cover with water. Cover pot with lid and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until squash is very tender.
3. Drain squash and return to pot. Add milk and minced garlic. Mash squash using a potato masher or hand blender until it is combined with the milk and garlic and has a smooth, creamy texture.
4. Combine squash, pasta, shredded cheese and parmesan together and stir well to coat pasta.
5. Serve with green veggies such as salad, baked kale chips or steamed broccoli ‘trees’.
Recipe adapted from Kids Recipe Challenge by EatRight Ontario (www.eatrightontario.ca)