20 easy and inexpensive family fish dishes

Fish: your health and budget ally

It is said to be good for the heart, memory, and sleep. Fish indeed contains a quantity of essential nutrients for the body. Vitamin A for eyesight, vitamin D for the bones and the immune system, omega 3 for high morale… Everything is good in fish!
ANSES recommends consuming it twice a week, alternating between fatty fish (salmon, sardines, mackerel, etc.) and lean fish (monkfish, cod, etc.).

On the budget side, the price per kilo of fish can sometimes be off-putting, because it is higher than that of meat. However, by opting for canned fish, you will significantly reduce the bill. These are of excellent quality and easy to prepare. We prefer to choose them naturally, in order to adapt them according to our desires. All you have to do is drain them and add them to your pies, in salads, or a plate of pasta.

Also read: 25 inexpensive family meals

How to prepare fish for a family dish?

Very often, it is not the taste of the fish that bothers you, but the fear of coming across a bone. To avoid this inconvenience, if you are not an expert in bone pliers, we advise you to ask your fishmonger to carry out this step. Also, rather than tackling a whole fish, start with already cut fillets, so you don’t have to lift them.

How to cook fish when you don’t like it?

To better appreciate fish and enhance its flavors, we love to accompany it with a spicy curry or saffron sauce, and small seasonal vegetables. Otherwise, try roasting it in the oven, with a crust of spices or salt. You will thus obtain a tasty dish, without adding fat.
In the category of family favorite baked dishes, we also ask for gratin. In addition to being generous and nourishing, it can be prepared in advance and from leftovers. Crumble the pieces of fish, mix it with its accompaniment (vegetables, rice, pasta, sauce), sprinkle with cheese or breadcrumbs, and brown in the oven. In a few minutes and without spending an extra euro, you get a new meal. More practical and economical, we haven’t found it!
Finally, to please the children, we don’t hesitate to focus on gourmet fish recipes like tuna bricks or tacos. With a goat cheese sauce and fresh vegetables, it’s the perfect recipe to brighten up a weeknight.

To follow: our selection of fish dishes to delight the whole family.