We found the perfect winter menu for a large family

How to make a winter menu for a large family?

Think seasonality

To stock up on nutrients, do good for the planet and set an example, we cook seasonally. This winter, carrots, cabbage, potatoes, apples and pears will be on the menu. Can you already imagine your children looking grim? Don’t worry, there are always tips to get them to like winter vegetables. Just prepare them like fries, or hide them in a cake and that’s it.

Think big

Seasonal products are ok. Now the question is how to feed your entire tribe without spending all day cooking. For this, there is only one solution: focus on XXL preparations and family winter dishes. Above all, we look for easy recipes that can serve 6 or 8 people, and above all, that are suitable for adults and children alike.
In this category, our favorite recipes are winter gratins, pasta, shepherd’s pie, quiches and risottos. On the sweet side, we tend to choose sweet tarts and cakes, which children love.

Get help

As a large family, you have one advantage: an army of little hands. Don’t hesitate to requisition your children who will be happy to help you (most of the time), and entrust them with tasks appropriate to their age. Who said you have to cook everything yourself?

Your special winter menu for large families

Getting children to eat vegetables? Too easy with a potato and sweet potato gratin. You can even replace a third of the purees with squash or carrot puree, just like that. Yes, it’s a bit of cheating, but it’s for a good cause.
Otherwise, accompany the gratin with a green salad to add vitamins and fiber. Choose iceberg salad or lettuce, rather than arugula. Children often struggle with bitterness.

On the protein side, very important for growth, we chose meatballs in sauce. As ground pork is inexpensive, it is perfect when you need to cook in large quantities without breaking the bank.
Note that shaping the meatballs may take time. It is therefore precisely for this step that it will be good to get help.

To finish, we finally offer you an apple pie. A classic, you might say, but one that we never tire of. The particularity being that there is no need for a mold for this rustic tart. Roll out the dough into a round shape, then fold the edges of the tart before baking. Simple and efficient.