Perfect Pairings to Complete Your Meal
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Tasty Mains Deserve a Friend
While many of the main dishes we eat in our family are filling on their own, occasionally we need a little something extra. When we do, I make sure that it’s equally as delicious if not more so. Just ask my husband. I literally have to make enough sides for a family of six most nights, just to satisfy his tendency to munch on whatever is leftover immediately after dinner …until there’s nothing left over. So much for meal prepping for the rest of the week.
Quick Tips:
- If dinner is a bit heavy (think pasta or casseroles), pair it with something light and fresh, like a salad or steamed vegetables with a squeeze of lemon.
- If meat is your main, consider balancing it with one healthy carb (think sweet potatoes) and vegetables (corn doesn’t count).
- Soups and stews practically beg to be served with crusty bread. Period.
When choosing which side would work best with our main, we mainly consider two things: how heavy the main will sit in our stomach, and what nutrients we may be lacking. For instance, if I’m serving a chicken breast to my husband and daughter, then I’ll do the classic meat, potato, and veggie combination. But if we are eating pot pie which is already pretty hearty on its own, we will either nix the side dish altogether, or do something contrasting, like a bright, refreshing arugula salad.
This is where meal-planning or taking advantage of your freezer can really save you from wasting a ton of food (and money). If you know what your main dishes are going to be, you can choose an appropriate side in advance. So many people leave the side-dishes to chance, leading to lettuce spoilage and rotten root veggies.