Parenting Win of the Week: Dinner Bowls FTW

Diving head first back into your school routine is always an abrupt change from the slow pace of summer. I have talked about it a lot, given my kids have been back in school for a month. And a big part of that change is family dinners. Gone are the more relaxed dinners of summer. Now, we are figuring out what time we can eat between sports and extracurriculars, who is making dinner, and if we are all eating together.

I go back and forth between thinking I need to make an elaborate healthy dinner (because I do like to cook) and being fed up with the whole thing.

The latter usually results in my kids wanting Chipotle, so I came up with a new idea. I told my kids that we could make Chipotle burrito bowls at home and they could tell me if I came close to the original.

Although my oldest wanted the steak spicier (notes for next time), it ended up being such a quick dinner, a healthier option, and everyone was happy. If you are in a rush, Trader Joe’s has 3-minute microwave rice, and I popped open a can of black beans, shredded some lettuce, and added cheese, sour cream, and salsa. You can include roasted corn, peppers, whatever you want.

I get a lot of my inspiration from What’s Gaby Cooking?, who is a big fan of making bowls. You’ll find so many on her site, from Chicken shawarma bowls and fajita bowls to Korean meatball bowls and fish taco bowls.

If you don’t feel like cooking too much, there are plenty of shortcuts to take — pre-shredded lettuce or pre-cut vegetables, rotisserie chicken, etc. It will still be healthier than the drive-thru. And if you make sauces or dressings, many of them could be made in advance if you decide that works for your family!

I hope this helps get you out of the dinner rut so early in the year.

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