Making WPF Dinners Fun!
Here are a few theme night ideas to make meal planning more engaging. Let your family decide on different themes throughout the week. By giving them choices, they are more likely to enjoy and embrace healthy meals.
Pizza Night - Pizza is arguably the most popular food in households everywhere. It is adaptable to different taste preferences and can be healthy and tasty too. You may have ideas of your own to add to this list, but here are some pizza ideas to get you started:
Baked Potato Bar - Possible toppings for a baked potato bar are endless. Take any of the other themes in this lesson and replace the base with a baked potato, and you will find a great variety of delicious ways to eat the humble potato. Think of tacos, pizza, nachos, or any topping you might like. There are no rules. Use the list below as a guide, and then come up with your own toppings.
Taco Night - Taco Tuesdays have been a popular social media theme for a few years now, but you can have a taco bar any night of the week. Use the guide below and have fun.
Sandwich Night - Let your imagination take your sandwiches to new heights. For a fuller meal, pair your favorite sandwich with your favorite soup. The guide below is just a starting point.
Burger Bar - Burgers are arguably one of the greatest sandwich inventions ever. Although restaurants everywhere will tell you that theirs is the best you’ll ever try, you can give them a run for their money. Check out the list below for possibilities to wow your household with homemade burgers.
Make Your Own Bowl - “Bowls” have been very popular in kitchens everywhere for the past several years. They are easily adaptable to individual preferences and tastes, and you can make them with endless combinations of ingredients. Below is a basic structure for your bowls.
New Food Night - Most of us eat the same six or seven dishes every week and occasionally try something new. Why not plan to have a new food night once a week? Base it around a new ethnic cuisine you have never tried or a recipe you found here in CNS Kitchen. Below are a few ideas.
Pizza Night - Pizza is arguably the most popular food in households everywhere. It is adaptable to different taste preferences and can be healthy and tasty too. You may have ideas of your own to add to this list, but here are some pizza ideas to get you started:
- Healthy pizza crust: Whole Wheat Pizza Dough (store-bought or homemade), cauliflower crust, large or small whole grain pita bread, Basic Polenta
- Sauce: tomato sauce (homemade or store-bought, no added oil), Vegan Pesto, or Cheese Sauce
- Vegetable toppings: bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, spinach, cherry tomatoes, olives, arugula, pineapple
- Other toppings: Millet Sausage Patties, beans, nuts/seeds, nutritional yeast
- More pizza ideas: Polenta Pizza with Pesto and Caramelized Onions, Pizza with Creamed Spinach, Sun-dried Tomatoes, Red Onion and Olives
Baked Potato Bar - Possible toppings for a baked potato bar are endless. Take any of the other themes in this lesson and replace the base with a baked potato, and you will find a great variety of delicious ways to eat the humble potato. Think of tacos, pizza, nachos, or any topping you might like. There are no rules. Use the list below as a guide, and then come up with your own toppings.
- Base: russet or sweet potatoes
- Vegetable toppings: steamed broccoli florets, corn, black beans, cherry tomatoes, green onions
- Sauces: salsa, Cheese Sauce, plain Greek-style plant-based yogurt or vegan sour cream
- Fresh herbs: chives, cilantro, basil
- Other: nutritional yeast
Taco Night - Taco Tuesdays have been a popular social media theme for a few years now, but you can have a taco bar any night of the week. Use the guide below and have fun.
- Base: corn or whole wheat tortillas
- Fillings: beans, lentils, chili, Jackfruit Taco Filling, Mushroom Taco Filling
- Vegetables: shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, sliced avocado, diced onions, bell peppers, corn, fresh sliced jalapeño peppers
- Sauces: salsa, guacamole, Roasted Jalapeño Sauce
- Other: lime wedges, chopped cilantro, pickled jalapeño peppers
Sandwich Night - Let your imagination take your sandwiches to new heights. For a fuller meal, pair your favorite sandwich with your favorite soup. The guide below is just a starting point.
- Bread: whole grain or sprouted grain bread, whole grain flatbread, tortillas, wraps
- Spreads: hummus, guacamole, other spreads (see the link below to CNS Kitchen recipes)
- Vegetables fillings: sliced tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, bell peppers, shredded carrots, slaw mix
- Protein: baked tempeh or tofu, No-Tuna Chickpea Salad, Lentil Bulgur Wheat Vegan Sloppy Joes, nut or seed butters
- Other: pickles, sprouts, pickle relish, Mayonnaise, mustard, salsa, catsup
Burger Bar - Burgers are arguably one of the greatest sandwich inventions ever. Although restaurants everywhere will tell you that theirs is the best you’ll ever try, you can give them a run for their money. Check out the list below for possibilities to wow your household with homemade burgers.
- WFPB burgers: Ten Plant-Based Burgers You Need To Try
- Buns: whole grain or sprouted grain burger buns
- Vegetable toppings: lettuce/green leafy vegetables, tomato slices, pickles, onions, sprouts, avocado slices
- Condiments/spreads: mustard, ketchup, Sun-dried Tomato Hummus, Pineapple Barbecue Sauce, salsa, Mayonnaise
- Other: sliced fresh or pickled jalapeños, fresh herbs like basil or cilantro
Make Your Own Bowl - “Bowls” have been very popular in kitchens everywhere for the past several years. They are easily adaptable to individual preferences and tastes, and you can make them with endless combinations of ingredients. Below is a basic structure for your bowls.
- Base: cooked rice, quinoa, or your favorite grain, pasta
- Vegetables: steamed, raw, roasted
- Sauce: Ranch Dressing, White Bean Pesto, salsa, Green Sauce
- Garnishes: chopped fresh herbs, green onions, pickled vegetables
- Finishing touches: hot sauce, everything bagel spice, Zaatar, Italian seasonings, nutritional yeast
New Food Night - Most of us eat the same six or seven dishes every week and occasionally try something new. Why not plan to have a new food night once a week? Base it around a new ethnic cuisine you have never tried or a recipe you found here in CNS Kitchen. Below are a few ideas.
- Try a new cuisine like Ethiopian, Vietnamese, or Japanese.
- Try new vegetables or new preparations of vegetables you currently like (e.g., roasted Brussels sprouts, steamed bok choy).
- Explore new grains like teff or millet.
- Experiment with different sauces or dressings like tahini, miso dressing, or homemade salsa.
- Mix and match these components according to your preferences and creativity!