Easy and Healthy Dinner Idea for a Busy Family Week Night

Healthy dinners don't have to be complicated. I want to show you that even if you have to feel lots of hungry mouths who all have different tastes (including a couple of picky eaters), it's still possible to create easy and healthy dinners. 

The aim of this post isn't to give you recipes, but to inspire you with easy and healthy dinner ideas.

Busy Week Day Dinner

Tuesday night is one of our "after school activities" nights. Everyone seems to be doing a different activity so not everyone eats at the same time.

I get in from swimming late and have a few minutes to cook before Celeste and Sebastian (5) come home (and often need attention!)

Tonight I presented several "dishes". I often present things separately because if there's something someone doesn't like it doesn't "contaminate" the other food. (You know what I'm talking about right?)

Related: Healthy and Easy Dinner Idea with Crepes

Easy Dinner Idea Plate 1

Pan fried trout. Frustratingly only one of my kids eats fish but I'm currently aiming to eat fish 2-3 times a week. On those nights, I just make sure that there are other acceptable things available.

I fried the trout in some olive oil, making sure the skin was brown and crispy.

Easy Dinner Idea Plate 2

Cooked up leeks (cold). These are left over from yesterday. I was going to make a leek omelette but Sebastian was helping and managed to spill all the eggs on the floor!

I was just about to make them into an omlette today when Galen (9) pointed out that if I did, no-one (other than adults) would eat it. He has a point so I opted for...

Easy Dinner Idea Plate 3

Pea omlette. Made with frozen peas, eggs and a little grated parmesan. So simple. Finished off under the grill.

For a more complete recipe check out "spanish omelette bites". A fantastic way to use up left overs for a pic nic.

Easy Dinner Idea Plate 4

A jar of sweetcorn. My kids all love corn on the cob but it's really difficult to find here. Only one of them will eat it from the tin. I make sure I rinse it as I know they add sugar and salt which I think is unnecessary (and I can't buy tins without sugar or salt here.)

Easy Dinner Idea Plate 5

A head of broccoli chopped up. My fussy eater (Sebastian) is currently "off" broccoli. His twin, Celeste will only eat the stalk!

Easy Dinner Idea Plate 6

Portabello mushrooms fried in a little olive oil. Easy and delicious. Adults only! ;) 

Easy Dinner Idea Plate 7

Some left over beetroot, cooked in foil in the oven for 30 mins. (Not pictured.) Again adults only!

Easy Dinner Idea Plate 8

A cut up lebanese cucumber. (Skin removed as it's really tough and bitter, not like the longer cucumbers.)

Easy Dinner Idea Plate 9

Totally forgot about my new recipe "cashew mousse". Will have to have it for lunch tomorrow! (Soak cashews in water overnight then whizz up with lemon juice and garlic. It tastes quite like hummus. I'm looking forward to it!)

Water is the Best Drink for Dinner

Water is the best drink for kids. Especially with dinner. Sweet drinks can make the food taste bland and unappealing. If you want your kids to enjoy the fresh tastes of vegetables and healthy home cooked foods, present water rather than sugary drinks.

I also really enjoy water kefir, a fermented drink which is good for your "biome" (all those helpful bacteria and organisms in your gut).

I've only recently started making water kefir and currently no one else in the family likes it! (Oh well, more for me!)

Easy Dinner Meals

This is what each child actually ate:

Galen (9 "reformed fussy eater"). Some omelette and broccoli.

Dante (7 "my fish lover") trout, smaller piece of omelette, broccoli, followed by a banana.

Celeste (5 "normally eats anything but apparently doesn't like omelette) most of the sweetcorn, a few pieces of cucumber and some broccoli stalk.

Sebastian (5 "picky eater, carb junky, doesn't like vegetables") omelette (oh my goodness that's a miracle!) followed by an apple (he eats about 3 apples a day! They have to be green. I'd better get some more as I know there are only red ones left!)

Adults...a bit of everything!

Related: The Awesome Benefits of Family Meals

Dinner can be Easy and Healthy!

My motto is life is "easy and simple!" Healthy eating doesn't have to be complicated.

What Is Your Favourite Easy and Healthy Dinner?

Feel inspired! What are you going to cook for a easy and healthy dinner even if you have picky eaters and fussy children to feed?

Remember to include something that everyone can eat so that you don't have screaming starving children on your hands.