Four-way Slow Cooker Shredded Beef is a good option for a family meal.
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As families return to fall routines, schedules are sure to fill up quickly. Before getting to the point of max capacity, consider celebrating National Family Meals Month by prioritizing nutritious plates with your loved ones.
Family meals may seem intimidating, but there are so many stress-free ways to fit time around the table into your week. Your Hy-Vee dietitians are pleased to make it easier to answer the question, “What’s for dinner?” with our free updated digital cookbook! This resource offers more than 60 recipes, including the Ground Beef Sweet Potato Skillet, which hits several food groups in just one dish.
Family meal benefits
Meals eaten as a family provide countless health advantages, such as promoting more nutritious and balanced plates. These meals also give parents the chance to model healthy food behaviors, which have been shown to influence children’s eating preferences. Plus, nutrition habits learned at a young age are often carried on for many years.
Time around the table allows everyone a chance to slow down and catch up after a busy day. Meals shared as a family often last longer, which can lead to eating more fruits and vegetables. On top of that, studies have found that this platform for staying connected with each other decreases the frequency of disordered eating, alcohol and substance use, violent behavior, and feelings of depression in adolescents.
Read on to learn how to make the most out of your eating even when days are full.
Julie Gallagher, registered dietitian at Hy-Vee.
Hy-Vee
Protein power
When planning meals, it’s important to think about options that will help everyone stay full and fueled for their activities. Protein plays a vital role by promoting satiety and helping to stabilize energy.
Including both plant-based and animal-based proteins provides a balanced diet and ensures all essential amino acids are being consumed. When eaten in moderation, beef is a protein source that can fit within a heart-healthy diet to provide several nutritional benefits.
Many cuts of beef meet the USDA’s standards to be classified as a lean protein source, which include less than 10 grams of fat, no more than 4.5 grams of saturated fat, and less than 95 milligrams of cholesterol per 3-ounce cooked serving. Bottom round roast is an excellent option when it comes to lean beef and is best for roasting or slow cooking. A 3-ounce cooked serving provides 25 grams of high-quality protein in just 170 calories. This versatile cut costs less and helps stretch the food budget.
Looking for inspiration on using bottom round roast in your next family meal? The Beef Checkoff has you covered with their Four-Way Slow Cooker Shredded Beef. This recipe is simple to follow with just a handful of ingredients, and can be transformed quickly into a Mexican, barbecue, Asian or Indian dish with a few modifications. Having staple recipes that are easy to adapt to taste preferences makes planning for mealtimes much easier.
How to make it work
Sometimes the schedule is just too full to have everyone dine together in the evening. On some days, the family meal may shift to first thing in the morning before everyone heads out the door. It can be as simple as pouring bowls of cereal, adding low-fat milk, and talking about the upcoming day.
With at least 12 grams of protein per cup serving, Magic Spoon cereal is a great option to keep all family members satisfied and sustained all morning. Magic Spoon offers a wide array of flavors, ensuring everyone can have their ideal bowl with little or no added sugar to prevent a mid-morning energy crash.
On days when there is no time for a meal together, you can still supply the family with nutritious, protein-packed options throughout the day. Whether family members are at school, work or home, afternoon hunger is common. Instead of grabbing a bag of chips on the way out the door, opt for a crunchy snack that provides protein such as Khloud Protein Popcorn or Protein Chips. These snacks deliver 7 grams of protein per serving and are made with 100% whole grains. For an even greater protein boost, mix a handful of nuts into the popcorn or dip the tortilla chips in hummus.
Even when dinner isn’t eaten together, making extra servings of a main dish earlier in the week and having cut fruits and vegetables in the fridge makes for a quick grab-and-go meal for each family member.
If you’re looking for more ideas on how to fit family meals into your schedule, Hy-Vee registered dietitians are ready to help create a plan that works for you. Reach out to our Discovery Call center at (515) 695-3121 or nutritionservices@hy-vee.com to get set up for a complimentary 30-minute Discovery Session.
Four-Way Slow Cooker Shredded Beef
Serves 6
Ingredients
1 beef bottom round roast, about 2 to 2-1/2 lbs
1 tbsp. vegetable oil, optional
1 large onion, chopped
2 tbsp. minced garlic
Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
1. For optional browning, heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot. Brown beef bottom round roast on all sides.
2. Place onion and garlic in 3-1/2 to 5 quart slow cooker; place roast on top. Cover and cook on high 5 to 6 hours or low 9 to 10 hours, or until roast is fork-tender.
3. Remove roast from slow cooker. Skim fat from cooking liquid, if necessary, and reserve 1 cup onion mixture. Shred beef with 2 forks. Combine shredded beef and reserved onion mixture. Season with salt and pepper, as desired. Continue as directed in recipe variations below, as desired.
Mexican Shredded Beef: Combine tomato or tomatillo salsa and beef mixture. Place in large microwave-safe bowl. Cover, vent and microwave until heated through, stirring occasionally. Serve in warmed flour or corn tortillas topped with pico de gallo, sliced avocados, shredded cheese, chopped cilantro, and/or chopped white or green onions.
BBQ Shredded Beef: Combine prepared barbecue sauce and beef mixture. Place in large microwave-safe bowl. Cover, vent and microwave until heated through, stirring occasionally. Serve on whole wheat rolls topped with creamy horseradish sauce, coleslaw, cheddar cheese slices, chopped green bell pepper, and/or canned French-fried onions.
Asian Shredded Beef: Combine prepared hoisin or teriyaki sauce and beef mixture. Place in large microwave-safe bowl. Cover, vent and microwave until heated through, stirring occasionally. Serve in lettuce or cabbage cups topped with shredded carrots, sliced cucumbers, chopped fresh cilantro or mint, sriracha or crushed red pepper flakes, and/or chopped peanuts.
Indian Shredded Beef: Combine prepared Indian cooking sauce, such as tikka masala or vindaloo. Place in large microwave-safe bowl. Cover, vent and microwave until heated through, stirring occasionally. Serve in naan or pita bread topped with toasted chopped pistachios or coconut, raisins, Greek yogurt or mango chutney, chopped fresh mint or cilantro, and/or sliced cucumbers or green onion.
Source: www.beefitswhatsfordinner.com/recipes/recipe/5726/four-way-slow-cooker-shredded-beef
