Stuck in a dinner rut? Use your muffin tin to remix your family favorites! Dinner cups make meals kid friendly, perfectly portioned, and easy to take on the go. The best part? No recipe needed!
If your family loves Chicken Broccoli Rice Dinner, remix the flavors by combining shredded chicken, broccoli, onion, rice, and an egg, top it with cheese, and bake it in a muffin tin. What’s your family’s favorite meal? Follow these 5 simple steps to make your favorite dinner, in a cup.
Step 1: Choose a budget friendly protein.
This can be anything from your leftover rotisserie chicken to canned beans from your Better Pantry. Cooking your meat Sunday night can save time during the week! Some more budget-friendly protein options are eggs, fish, lean beef, turkey, and tofu.
Step 2: Add 2-3 veggies.
The more color the better! Buy fresh veggies a few days in advance or stock up on canned and frozen to have ready to go options. If your family loves peppers on pizza, this can work great in a cup! Some other veggies that work great in a dinner cup are peppers, onions, spinach, mushrooms, corn, and broccoli.
Step 3: Choose a whole grain.
MyPlate recommends making half of your grains whole grains. Whole grains create a more filling dinner cup. Pre-cook your grains according to the package directions. Some common whole grains include brown rice, whole grain pasta, and quinoa.
Step 4: Mix in a binder.
What is this and why do I need it? A binding agent helps your dinner in a cup, stay in a cup. In other words, binders are food items that hold it all together. Eggs work great! Other options include instant potato flakes mixed with low-fat milk, broth, or water, low-fat evaporated milk, low-fat cottage cheese, or tomato sauce.
Step 5: Fill, top, and enjoy!
Fill your lined muffin tin with your dinner mixture. Top with cheese if you’d like. Heat for 10-15 minutes at 350°F, or until hot and bubbly. If you are using raw meat, you will need to cook until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Sour cream, guacamole, salsa, sliced almonds, green onions, or your preferred toppings can be added at the table. Get creative and enjoy!
Creating a personalized dinner in a cup is easy and fun! Thinking ahead? Dinner cups are easy to freeze for next week’s dinner. Learn more about freezing foods here. Also, knife skills and cooking methods don’t have to be scary. We touch on this and more in our Cooking Basics blog.
Share your family inspired dinner in a cup, today!