Family dinner ideas you can rely on

When you need to cook dinner for the whole family, turning to some favourite family meal recipes makes sense. Of course, many families have their go-to meals already, but making the same dishes again and again can lead to boredom among family members. If you want something a bit more inspiring, then check out these good family dinner ideas with simple-to-follow recipes available today.

Family dinner ideas UK households will love

Dinner ideas should be nutritious, tasty and something that everyone will enjoy eating together. When there are kids at the table, steering clear of very strong flavour combinations is often a wise move. More widely, you might want family dinner ideas you can prepare quickly after a day at work or school. There again, low-cost options to feed the entire family might be the priority. Either way, you’ll find some good family dinners with HelloFresh, including the delicious Cheesy Chorizo Pizza Inspired Chicken Pasta Bake, among others.

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Quick and easy dinner ideas for family mealtimes together

When time is pressing, and you have hungry mouths to feed, these are the sorts of quick family dinner ideas that will often work best. Many of them take less than 20 minutes to produce:

• Roasted pepper with chicken breast served with mushrooms and linguine
• Lightly spiced tomatoes with veggie mince served with mashed potato
• Shepherd’s pie served with broccoli stems and peas
• Bacon, mushroom and creamy pasta
• King prawn noodles with sugar snap peas
• Chicken breast with spinach and ricotta ravioli
• Spaghetti bolognese served with grated cheese
• Sausage casserole served with boiled potatoes

If you don’t have much time, then boil water in the kettle rather than on the hob. You can also dice vegetables —and any other ingredients that need to be chopped— a bit smaller than you normally would. These tips will help speed up cooking times.

Cheap, easy dinner ideas that won’t break the bank

Any dish that includes pasta can be made significantly cheaper by turning to freeze-dried pasta instead of fresh. Once it has been cooked and added to a tasty sauce, there isn’t much difference to a family pasta bake that’s made with low-cost pasta. 

If you want to cook a mince-based dish for an easy family meal, then use less meat than what the recipe calls for and make up the difference with beans, another filling source of protein. Kidney beans are good for this, especially in a cottage pie or shepherd’s pie, but the truth is any sort of bean will work. 

Freeze the mince you don’t use for another family meal. Just remember to defrost it well before you need to cook. If you cook a family meal with a cheaper cut of meat, then slow cook it since this will help to tenderise it or, for an even lower energy cost, marinade it before cooking to help do the same.

Healthy dinner ideas for family get-togethers

If you want to get more vegetables into your family’s diet, then recipes that use cauliflower rice are a good option. By serving chilli with riced cauliflower rather than traditional long-grain rice, you can feed the whole family in a way they’ll find delicious as well as healthy. Look for recipes that contain whole grains. For example, substitute whole-grain pasta for the usual variety you use when making family pasta dishes.

You can also find quinoa recipes and those with brown rice for the whole grain experience. Skinless chicken helps reduce the fat content in many recipes, but you can look for other sources of protein, such as seafood or salmon, in family dishes since they contain omega oils in different combinations. What’s more, they often make a much-welcomed change when served at a family mealtime. 

Good family dinners when there’s a vegetarian in the household

Cooking a separate dish for one or two vegetarians in the family gets away from the shared experience of family mealtimes. Try some vegetarian recipes that everyone can enjoy if you’re seeking family dinner ideas without meat.

Start with a pasta bake that doesn’t include mince or any other meat. Of course, Italian cuisine is full of dishes that use meat, but you can often substitute it for a veggie alternative or select a completely authentic pasta dish which has no animal-derived ingredients. For example, easy ciabatta bread pizza with mozzarella is a good recipe for vegetarians.

For a vegan pasta bake, try tomatoes and garlic or opt for a pesto recipe instead. For something that isn’t Italian, baked potatoes served with baked beans always constitute a family favourite, especially on a cold winter evening.

FAQs

What is a good big family dinner?

Big family dinner ideas need to please everyone, from kids to grandparents. Go-to options are heart-warming dishes, such as shepherd’s pie, toad-in-the-hole, spaghetti bolognese, casseroles, or jacket potatoes served with different toppings, as all of these are filling and delicious.

What is a family-style meal?

Family-style meals are shared. Usually, the food is served at the table rather than in the kitchen on plates. This way, members of the family can help themselves or pass serving dishes around to create a convivial atmosphere.

What is the magic of family meals?

Family meals are about spending time together for a shared experience. Magic family mealtimes might not happen every day of the week, so they should be savoured as quality time without rushing. This is why quick family dinner ideas can be so useful when you’re rushed, so the whole family can sit down together without having to wait too long for preparation.

What are some normal dinners?

Nowadays, typical family dinners that UK consumers eat often include international dishes, such as bolognese, chilli con carne, curry and stir-fries. That said, UK family dinner ideas often include British favourites like fish and chips, pie, and vegetable or sausage casseroles.

What is the most common dinner time for a family?

Most families have their dinner together sometime between 5-8 pm. Generally speaking, families with younger kids eat earlier, while those with teenagers eat later.