It’s not always easy getting family meals on the table, but the benefits of eating and connecting with others are well known. We believe in the power of connecting people through food they love. We share tips and recipes to make family meals easy, nutritious, and tasty.  

Involve the kids in meal prep  

Having kids help prepare dinner may take a little more effort and time, but, as they build their skills, it helps get meals on the table faster. Preparing meals teaches kids how to follow directions, work on reading recipes, measure, and build culinary skills. If they are invested in cooking the meal, they may be more excited to eat it. Here are some age-appropriate tasks.  

Prep early in the day 

Start your dinner prep in the morning when you know you’ll have a long workday or evening activities. Whether that is chopping vegetables or assembling a slow-cooker dish, a little morning prep can make evenings much easier. Here are some of our favorite slow-cooker recipes for your next busy night. Pair with a salad to have dinner on the table in minutes. 

Use fewer dishes 

A sink full of pots and pans can prevent people from preparing a home-cooked meal. Choose recipes that only use one pot, pan, or skillet to simplify your cleanup. Here are nutritious recipes that check that box. 

Batch cook or double recipes to reheat or repurpose

If you lose cooking momentum by mid-week, double recipes so you can either cook once and eat twice, or repurpose leftovers into something new. This is key to squeezing in one more family meal at home each week.  

Choose recipes with a short ingredient list and ready in 30 minutes or less

If a long list of ingredients is a real turnoff, these recipes are for you. These mealtime solutions feature familiar ingredients, most of which you likely have in your pantry or fridge. And chances are, if you want a short ingredient list, you may also be short on time. Thirty minutes or less from start to finish makes these recipes a win.  

Simple dishes for when you’re tired

Some evenings you feel too exhausted to do even a little bit of chopping. Lean on convenient and delicious foods during times like these. Pair them with just a couple of other ingredients to deliver a dinner with practically no effort. Here are some suggestions. 

• Pacific Foods plant-based chili with guacamole, plain Greek yogurt, and Late July multigrain tortilla chips 
• A leftover baked potato topped with canned black beans, cheese, and Pace salsa 
• Whole grain pasta, topped with Prego pasta sauce and any leftover cooked meat or poultry 
• A bagged salad topped with cherry tomatoes, and Swanson chicken—now available in convenient pouches 

We hope these tips and recipe collections help you gather and connect at family meals to enjoy delicious food made with ease. Want more tips? Check out Eat well for less.