Easy dinner ideas – tips for new meal ideas
Bored of Bolognese? Tired of Tuna bake?
These tips for new dinner ideas will brighten up your mealtimes and help to inspire your next midweek meal.
Use the season as your guide
Use the season to draw ingredient and recipe inspiration because springtime not only ushers in longer days and warm rays – but it also brings a lighter, more refreshing menu. So, perhaps it’s time to bring on the salads! A Moroccan spiced tomato and bulgar wheat salad is loaded with healthy and filling ingredients that are not only good for your body but for the planet too. Serve this vegan salad as a side with a beautifully cooked steak or with grilled halloumi as a meat-free Monday option. Or why not try a summery Watermelon, mint and feta salad? This refreshing and non-traditional salad incorporates fresh, sweet and salty flavours for something utterly unexpected. It pairs brilliantly with smoky grilled flavours such as Koftas and kebabs.
Pick a theme
If your menu gets a little repetitive, or you feel uninspired, it’s time to get the family involved in the meal planning. Themed days help to stay inspired and let everyone know what to expect. Base your themes on the day of the week and make it as fun as possible. Meatless Mondays, for example make a point of leaving meat off the menu and replace it with great protein alternatives such as beans, tofu, eggs and cheese. A great option for typically meat-attached members of the family is baked macaroni and cheese – it’s perfectly satisfying without any need for meat. From Traditional Tuesdays that show off your heritage or family classics to Wacky Wednesdays that encourage out of the box flavours, themes will really help to inspire you when you are not sure what to cook.
Do fast food at home
Sometimes being uninspired leads us down the road of fast food but instead of ordering it, use fast food menus for ideas. If your family’s go-to is the local chicken take-away, why not prepare some sticky chicken wings and tangy dipping sauce at home. Or if you find yourself thinking about a good old-fashioned burger and chips, nothing is stopping you from replicating your favourite recipe at home. Quick and easy recipes don’t have to be the same every week. Banish the boredom with these tips to help you find inspiration for every meal. For more recipe inspiration take a look at What’s for dinner. This Article was supplied by NP Digital.
