Every family has a list of favourite dishes, but making the same thing week in, week out can be boring with a capital B. We all know that variety is the spice of life, so why not spice up family mealtimes by adding a new twist to an old favourite. It’s much easier than you think. Here are five new ways to dazzle them at dinner time:
New twist 1: Spaghetti bolognaise to Pasta bolognaise pie
Spaghetti bolognaise is a dish that can put a smile on the face of any child. A long-standing family favourite, kids love slurping on the long strands of spaghetti and splattering as much sauce on their faces as possible. But spaghetti bolognaise does have its limitations. So, take it up a notch and try Pasta bolognaise pie instead. It’s got all the traditional elements of a great spag bol but, being a pie, it will be a novelty for your kids!
New twist 2: Fried rice to Rainbow fried rice
What kid doesn’t relish the opportunity to dive into a bowl of fried rice? Especially when given the chance to dig in with a pair of chopsticks! Instead of serving up the usual, up the ante by making this Rainbow fried rice which has ingredients in every colour of the rainbow (yep, even indigo!). This dish will be a huge hit with toddlers as it’s not only delicious, but also pretty to look at. And shhh, it’s jam-packed full of goodness, too!
New twist 3: Macaroni cheese to Bacon and leek macaroni cheese
Macaroni cheese is always a sure dinner winner with kids who love its creamy, cheesy sauce. By adding protein and a vegetable to this staple dish you’re essentially creating a version that’s nutritionally better for your family than the norm. Your kids will love the new burst of flavour that comes with Bacon and leek macaroni cheese, so instead of serving up same ol’ mac and cheese, try this version instead.
New twist 4: Beef tacos to Fish tacos
Finger food at its finest, tacos are fun for kids – you don’t have to use a knife and fork to eat one and the more garnishes you can add to your tacos the better. But when beef mince gets a bit uninspiring, shake up your Mexican family banquet by serving Fish tacos as an alternative.
New twist 5: Lasagne to Roasted vegetable lasagne
Nothing says ‘good hearty food’ like a lasagne does and that’s why it’s always been a popular choice with families. Lasagne lends itself to batch cooking and can be frozen and re-heated with very little effort, which is another reason that this dish suits a busy family lifestyle. Sometimes it’s nice to take a break from the ordinary, which is why Roasted vegetable lasagne is the perfect way to modify a meal that everybody already loves.
TIP:
For more inspiring ways to create new twists on old family favourites, visit the Kidspot Kitchen. Simply type your favourite family meal into the search box, wait for the results to pop up, and abracadabra, a new family favourite meal idea is born.
I like the rainbow fried rice idea and seeing the link it’s actually our typical fried rice recipe, but naming it as such would be good for the imagination. Lasange recipe is a good one too.
I reckon vegetable lasagna would be a hit because it is very similar to normal lasagna just with veg instead of meat. Spag bol pie now that Sounds pretty delicious and what kid doesn’t like a pie. My kids love pies so this sounds like a great hit in our family.
Mmmm interesting ideas, I don’t know that my boys would be that into these to be honest but good ideas for those who kids are adventurous
Not sure how much my kiddies would like these…but will try… they are so used to traditional food like curry.. they are sometimes fussy with these kinds of dishes.
Some great new ideas here, just a pity there are no recipe links! I really like the sound of the bolognese pie and I’ve always wanted to give fish tacos a try, yum yum!
Oh the spaghetti bolg pie sounds interesting! I wonder, do you put pastry on the top and bottom? Vegetable lasagne, that sounds a yummy idea! I’ve been making a Chelsea Winter Pumpkin and Chicken lasagne lately and its devine!