The easiest way to put a stop to multiple meals for the family

Is making different dinners to accommodate fussy eaters doing your head in? This expert-approved hack can help save your sanity. 

How many meals do you make each night for dinner? Do you cook a single meal? Or maybe one for the kids, then one for the adults?

Or maybe you are one of the busy mums who finds themselves making multiple meals every single night to cater to every single person’s schedule and dietary preferences, and quite frankly, you are sick of it.

If this sounds familiar, and the irritation is palpable, I have good news for you! I am going to share with you a way to never have to make separate meals again.

All you need to do is adopt and master the simple art of deconstruction.

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"I don't want to eat that"

So often as parents and partners, we go above and beyond to deliver a nutritious and delicious meal to our loved ones, only to find out that someone or several people 'do not like' what's been prepared.

This can be demoralising, disappointing, and even a complete waste of precious time.

While the seemingly only option is to go on strike indefinitely and put a box of cereal and milk on the dinner table, there is another option.

Consider that a balanced meal contains the same components - protein, carbs, and vegetables. If you then simply serve three individual components at a meal, for example, the mince from the spaghetti or the chicken separate from the pasta or rice or vegetables or salad.

In general most family members will find one component of the dinner that they will eat, and you eliminate much time, stress, and hassle trying to make a single dish everyone ‘likes’ or is willing to eat.

RELATED: Help! This is the only meal my child eats

Meal times can be tricky for families with fussy eaters. Image: iStock

Think about the common meals you make for the family, burgers, pizza, pasta, stir fry, schnitzel - all can be deconstructed to offer a balanced and healthy meal everyone can enjoy their own way.

And in many cases, these meals are much easier to prepare, requiring fewer ingredients, steps, and time overall. Time you can use to do things for you, rather than for everyone else.

It also means that in general, you need to buy fewer ingredients, you can utilise pre-cut vegetables and salad as well as convenient appliances like an air fryer to make the entire meal process a lot smoother. Over time, you will also be able to train your loved ones to take part in meal prep, as the meals are simple to make and prepare.

And for those parents worried that the kids will only select the meat and bread, all you need to do is have a rule, at least one vegetable on the plate before bread or other extras. In general, as long as there is one type of salad or vegetable a child will eat served at each meal, you are on the right track.

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RELATED: Tips for fussy eaters and turning ‘those days’ around

Let’s look at some of the options you can deconstruct, and create an easy, serve-yourself meal.

Anything bolognaise sauce

If you take the time to make a batch of mince-based sauce, you then have several meals you can offer – whether it is adding pasta, Mexican, jacket or mashed potatoes or just grated cheese, if you grate vegetables to your mince, you have a number of meals ready to go.

Grilled chicken

It takes very little time to cook chicken strips or premade schnitzel in the air fryer, and served with wraps, salad, cooked vegetables or bread rolls and again you have a number of different meals ready to go.

Pizza

A few pizza bases or wraps, along with cut-up meats and vegetables and everyone can make their own pizza and make it as complex or simple as preferred for anything dinner ready in minutes.

Lean sausages or burgers

There is a growing range of lean burgers and sausages that can be served with salad or chopped vegetables, wholemeal bread or rolls, or vegetable chips baked in the oven or air-fryer for another balanced meal that requires minimal preparation.  

Poke Bowls

If your family enjoys Asian cuisine, and you are happy with a little mess, chopped fish, edamame, rice and vegetables can be made into a bowl or into rice paper rolls for a healthy and tasty meal.

Originally published as The easiest way to put a stop to multiple meals for the family