Delish and Nutrish: 3 Healthy Family Meals

Despite having access to an abundance of food, many Americans are not getting the nutrients they need. In fact, a recent stud conducted by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey found that US adults and children suffer from high rates of deficiency of A, B6, B12, C, D, E, iron, and folate.

Additionally, one-third of the American population is at risk for anemia or at least one vitamin deficiency. If you’re the cook in the house, you can turn this statistic around by cooking healthy family heals.

You don’t need to spend extra money on groceries or extra time in the kitchen to whip up healthy family meals. In fact, there are plenty of healthy family meals that are affordable and easy to make. Read on to learn more.

1. Mexican Quinoa

Does your family love Mexican food?

Instead of loading up on nachos and quesadillas, why not make your family some healthy Mexican quinoa instead. Mexican quinoa can be made in one pan. Here’s what you need for ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno, minced
1 cup quinoa
Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
1 cup vegetable broth
1 (15-ounce) can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (14.5 oz) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 cup corn kernels, frozen, roasted, or canned,
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 avocado, halved, seeded, peeled, and diced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Juice of one lime

To make the Mexican quinoa, heat up a large skillet and add in all of the ingredients. Serve immediately, and top with fresh avocado, cilantro, or tortilla strips.

2. Garlic Parmesan Zoodles

Everyone loves a hearty bowl of pasta, but all of that cheese and carbs can be unhealthy. If your family is craving pasta, we recommend whipping up some zoodles instead.

To make the zoodles, spiralize some whole cucumbers. Then, cook the zoodles with some garlic and sprinkle on some parmesan. If you want to make the meal vegan, you can sprinkle on some nutritional yeast instead. If you’re looking to add more protein, we recommend topping your zoodles with some lean chicken.

3. Thai Noodle Soup With Salmon

Salmon is a great food for getting your daily dose of omega-3s. While a lot of Thai recipes require a dozen or more ingredients, you can make Thai noodle soup with salmon with just five ingredients.

All you need are some salmon fillets (one for each family member), dried flat rice noodles, red Thai curry paste, and light coconut milk. Cook the salmon and noodles, then heat on the stove with coconut milk and curry paste. You can then add any vegetables you want. We recommend bok choy, cilantro, peppers, onions, and basil leaves.

You can check out family medicine here for more ideas on how to keep your family healthy.