Our Favorite Bowl Recipes

Finding dinner ideas that make everyone in the family happy can sometimes feel like an impossible task. Between different preferences, schedules, and energy levels at the end of the day, it’s easy to fall into a rut with the same few meals on repeat. One of my favorite ways to simplify dinner while keeping everyone satisfied is by making bowls.

Bowls are a fun, flexible way to serve dinner that lets each family member customize their meal to their liking. You can prepare the main components such as the carbs and protein and then let everyone build their own version. This not only saves time but also helps reduce mealtime stress.

Here are three of my go-to bowl recipes that stay in regular rotation at our house, barbecue bowls, burrito bowls, and burger bowls. Each one is simple to prepare, easy to adapt to different preferences, and always a hit at the dinner table.

Barbecue Bowl

Ingredients

• Chicken

• 1 bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce

• Premade coleslaw

• Sweet potatoes

• Seasonings: salt, pepper

• Toppings of choice: shredded cheese, sliced avocado, carrots, black beans, pickles

Instructions

• Add chicken and enough BBQ sauce to cover to crockpot and cook on high for 3-4 hours. Once it’s done, shred chicken.

• Slice sweet potatoes and place on baking sheet. Drizzle with oil, salt, and pepper and bake on 420 degrees for about 20 minutes.

• Assemble bowls!

Burger Bowl

Ingredients

• Beef

  • Olive oil

  • 1lb ground beef

  • Seaosonings: 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon paprika, 1 tsp salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper

• Sauce

  • 1/3 cup mayonnaise

  • 2 tbsp ketchup

  • 1 tbsp mustard

  • 1 tbsp pickle juice

  • 1 tbsp dill relish

  • Seasonings, 1/4 tsp smoked paprika, 1/4 tsp onion powder, 1/4 tsp garlic powder

• Frozen fries or potatoes

• Toppings: lettuce, tomato, pickles, onions, shredded cheese

Instructions

• Cook fries according to package or slice potatoes into wedges and place on baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and seasoning of choice (salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika) and bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes.

• Heat a pan over medium-high heat and add oil. Add in ground beef and seasonings and cook until fully cooked through.

• Combine all sauce ingredients.

• Assemble bowls!

Burrito Bowl

Ingredients

• 1lb ground beef

• 1 packet taco seasoning

• Rice

• Toppings of choice: lettuce, tomato, shredded cheese, sour cream, avocado, Ranch, black olives, cilantro, jalapeños

Instructions

• Heat a pan over medium-high heat and add oil. Add in ground beef and taco seasoning and cook until fully cooked through.

• Cook rice according to package instructions.

• Assemble bowls!

We hope these ideas spark some mealtime inspiration for you! If you would like more support around meal planning, nutrition education, or your relationship with food, we are here to help! Go to the link below to schedule a session or contact us by phone or email to learn more about the services we provide.