What types of side dishes do you serve with dinner?

[TKDmom]

I realize this is probably dependent on what you serve for dinner, but I need some fresh ideas. My default side dishes are greens beans or salad or carrots and dip. The hardest part of planning dinner is coming up with healthy, tasty, and easy side dishes. I want to incorporate more vegetables into our diet, but I can't spend a lot of time and effort on sides, and I want my kids to actually eat the veggies.

 

What types side dishes do you find yourself serving over and over again? :bigear:

[Spryte]

I could use some new ideas, too. I have picky eaters, so it can be tough.

 

For now, we eat a lot of black beans. Green beans are a staple side here, too. Peas are always a hit, and snow peas are a favorite that I often forget. I love salads, but DH and the kids... not so much.

 

Fruit salad is a big one here, too, but it seems to be losing its appeal.

 

Listening in for more ideas!

[ChristusG]

I seem to head for the same ones over and over....

 

green beans

salad

broccolli

mac-n-cheese

Stove Top stuffing (yeah, yeah, I know)

kernel corn or corn on the cob

 

I'd love some new ideas as well.

[KungFuPanda]

When in doubt, I do a salad bar (usually a dish of greens, then four other veggies). I have a dish that keeps things separate and everyone can make the salad they like. Leftovers can become something else or reappear in tomorrow's salad bar. I also like rice side dishes, potatoes, roasted veggies, and soups. When I'm bad I serve loaded French fries and am worshipped as a hero.

[StephanieZ]

Two vegetable or fruit dishes.

 

 

Standards:

Green salad

Fruit salad

Raw sliced veggies with or without dip

 

Some non routine faves:

Cucumber and carrot salad

Squash casserole

Grilled squash, sweet potatoes, peppers, etc

Sautéed sesame broccoli

Tomato, cucumber, basil salad

 

Just use food.com and search for the veggie you have in the garden or you love . . . Ideas abound. I love trying new veggie recipes.

 

My best trick to getting veggies into the kids is to serve a plate of raw yummy veggies as an appetizer. It always, always disappears before dinner is served. Typically, my 3 young, skinny kids will devour the equivalent of two or three large veggies and fruit before dinner is even served.

[Mama Geek]

This isn't a side but it will maybe help you vary your veggies some. You can brown chicken, ground beef or steak, pork or any other choice of meat with some onions. Then add in your choice of veggies...green beans, carrots, corn, brocolli, peas, beans, mushrooms, diced tomatoes. Get it hot and add shredded cheese and melt.

 

You can also put this over rice.

[Lily_Grace]

Dh cooks mostly, but here's our favorite sides:

 

rice

couscous

french cut green beans with italian dressing

Angel hair pasta or linguine tossed in a chili/garlic/butter sauce

salad

corn on the cob

twice baked potatoes (I cook them in the morning when it's cool)

german potato salad

twice baked sweet potatoes

spinach dip w/pita triangles

Balsamic carrots

tomato slices and mozzarella

[TN Mama]

Yes, it will depend on what's for dinner, but some popular sides here include: couscous, salad, beans, quinoa, asparagus, roasted potatoes, fresh veggies (in the summer, we loved just sliced tomatoes)...

[RahRah]

Sweet potato fries

Sweet potato rounds

Mash sweet potatoes

Broccoli

Cole Slaw

Mash cauliflower

Broccoli + cauliflower + carrots

Glazed baby carrots

Green beans

Cucumber, red onion & rice wine vinegar

Cucumber slices & ranch

Sliced tomatoes

Tomato salad

Dinner salad (lettuce, tomato, cucumber)

Corn on the cob (seasonal)

Zucchini & summer squash sauteed (with or without onions)

Fried onions (sauteed)

Spinach salad

Cooked spinach (with or without artichoke hearts; if with then also balsamic & EVOO in the sautee)

Red bliss potatoes (occasional)

Root vegetables (seasonal)

Red cabbage sauteed

Mixed vegetables (can be almost any assortment above)

Asparagus

Sugar snap peas

Peas (occasional)

[Garga]

I hate side dishes. I try to cook cassaroles as much as possible so it's all in one dish.

 

My go-to side dish is a salad. I make a big one (really big!) once or twice a week and we pick from it for the rest of the week.

[QueenCat]

There are usually two, if it's not a one-pot type of meal. One carb (Jasmine rice, long rice, wild rice, risotto, pasta, potatoes) and fruit or salad. We're not big vegie eaters (thank dh for that one) outside of salad. Most of our meals also include bread of some sort.

Edited August 22, 2011 by CathieC

[TammyinTN]

This is our list.

 

Couscous..at least once or twice a week

Parm risotto

Broccoli and cheese w/ a baked potato

Lima beans

Cinnamon/brown sugar carrots

Spanish style green beans

Pasta salads

 

And then all the regular stuff...corn, mashed potatoes, peas.

[Slartibartfast]

I usually make a side dish. I never make casseroles because I am allergic to milk and well...there isn't much point without the cheese. :lol:

 

Corn on the cob (best on the grill)

Green Beans

Mashed potatoes/sweet potatoes

Rice (usually basmati or wild rice)

Baked potato/sweet potato

peas

glazed carrots

pioneer woman's crash potatoes (my family's favorite)

asparagus

salad

grilled squash

Sometimes I make fried squash or fried green tomatoes but dh always seems to find that crazy so it isn't often.

roasted vegetables

Beans

sometimes sliced veggies like cucumber, or bell peppers or tomatoes

tabouleh

A relish of red onions, black beans, bell pepper, corn, jalapeno, tomatoes, cilantro and lime juice and bit of red wine vinegar

Asparagus risotto

greek salad

pasta salad

Quinoa

Edited August 22, 2011 by Sis

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

For my picky, everything-has-to-be-separate family, I make:

 

brown rice w/ a little butter to moisten it

quinoa cooked in chicken broth

mashed potatoes

oven baked potato wedges (shaken with olive oil before baking)

brown rice noodles, also with a little butter

Kashi 7 grain pilaf

peas

corn, on or off the cob

broccoli

edamame

 

One son will also eat:

 

baked sweet potatoes

cauliflower

cooked carrots

[Soror]

Simple around here- green beans, mashed potatoes, roasted potatoes, roasted broccoli, sauteed asparagus, peas w/ butter or lard and pepper, salads- chopped raw veggies(bell peppers- carrots- tomatoes), basmati rice, roasted sweet potato w/ cumin and chili, mashed sweet potatoes w/ cinnamon and butter, sautteed peppers, onions and mushrooms

[DusksAngel]

Our picks:

Salad

Corn on the Cob

Fruit Salad (whatever's cheap)

Carrots, Celery, Zucchini, Cucumbers, and/or Mushrooms with dip

Veggies with cheese sauce

Any frozen veggie blend (stir fries, normandy blend, cali blend, etc)

Sliced Tomatoes (sometimes with cottage cheese)

Green beans with bacon and onion

Baked Sweet Potatoes (although sometimes they become the meal)

Veggies with hummus (yum!)

Veggies with salsa

Chickpea Salad

Bread (I try to make a "healthier" variety)

Rice (fried, with soy sauce, with sweetener and milk)

Pasta Salad

Potato Salad

Coleslaw

Edamame

[rwjx2khsmj]

Our sides depend on what is available in our area. Right now that means watermelon, cantalope, tomatoes, carrots, broccoli, corn, peas, beans and squash.

[abbeyej]

I like serving a simple green salad first, since we definitely consume more salad (meaning fresh, raw veggies) if we start with salad. Side dishes during the meal are often:

 

Broccoli

--steamed and served with or without butter

--roasted in the oven

--as "slaw", shredded and tossed with a sesame soy salad dressing

Broccolini

--steamed

--sautéed

Asparagus

--usually roasted in the oven and served with a little lemon juice

Spinach

--sautéed in olive oil with garlic

--sautéed then mixed with a little cream and parmesan cheese

Cabbage (red or green)

--as "slaw", shredded and tossed with vinegar and a little oil and other seasonings

--cooked down alone or with apples, particularly to serve with pork dishes

--shredded and tossed into a stir-fry with other veggies and soy sauce

Green beans

--blanched and then lightly sautéed with butter

--roasted

Eggplant

--my family doesn't love eggplant, but they'll eat it roasted like this

Summer Squashes

--sautéed with onions and olive oil

--sautéed with onions, olive oil, tomatos, fresh basil, and a little cheese (feta or parmesan)

Winter Squashes

--usually baked with apple

Potatoes

--mashed

--cut, boiled, tossed with butter

--roasted

--baked

Sweet potatoes

--plain baked

--cut, tossed with olive oil, ginger, cinnamon and baked

--oven "fries"

Rice

--brown rice to serve with Indian or Asian dishes

--wild rice cooked in stock

Fresh fruit

Baked apples

[TKDmom]

Thanks everyone for all the ideas! I'm going to try out having a two-week repeating meal plan, complete with side dishes. It will make my life so much easier to have it all planned, especially if I know side dishes ahead so that I won't forget to make them.

 

When in doubt, I do a salad bar (usually a dish of greens, then four other veggies). I have a dish that keeps things separate and everyone can make the salad they like.

 

That sounds like a great idea! I hate how we waste salad, and it doesn't last long after it's mixed up (plus I hate dealing with one child whining because he got tomatoes, and another whining because he didn't get carrots...) Do you have a picture or a link of your dish?

[Jenny in Florida]

I don't do a lot of "side dishes." We're vegans, so the whole meat / starch / side dish model of a meal doesn't appear on plates here.

 

Instead, I tend to do meals that include a number of ingredients of various kinds and / or meals that are entirely made up of dishes other people would consider sides.

 

In the last couple of weeks, we've had the following meals (and others I can't remember off the top of my head):

 

- Baked potatoes, corn on the cob, glazed carrots, sliced fruit, cornbread muffins.

 

- Sort of a veggie snack aisle or buffet including carrot sticks, grape tomatoes, sliced canteloupe and watermelon, strawberries, kiwi, cucumber and olives along with a either a good loaf of bread or hummus and crackers.

 

- Black bean tacos with lettuce, tomato, bell pepper, onion, rice, salsa, etc.

 

- Channa masala with basmati, papadam, veggie samosas and onion chutney. (That's probably as close to a traditional meal as it gets around here.)

 

- Spaghetti with tomato sauce, garlic bread on the side.

 

During cooler weather, black bean soup with tortillas or chili with cornbread, etc.

[myfunnybunch]

We typically serve 2-3 sides. Always something green, a filler-upper (rice, bread, beans), and the third is usually another vegetable or something that particularly goes with the main dish.

 

We had roast chicken last night with coleslaw, fresh tomatoes with mozzarella, and watermelon. Other side combos we've served this week:

 

Kale

Coleslaw

Sweet potato biscuits

(with ribs)

 

Blackberry salsa

Spinach

Green salad

Rice

(with chicken)

 

Zucchini corn muffins

Chard

Watermelon

(with corn chowder)

 

Other favorites (in any combination):

Quinoa salad

Fresh corn

Black beans or barbecue beans

Brown rice

Sauteed or grilled veggies

Winter squash, cubed and baked

Light soups (Tomato soup, miso soup, potato-leek soup, squash soup...These can also be served as main dish soups, but if I serve them as a side I make less and put out smaller bowls.)

Cherry tomato salad (Toss cherry tomatoes, mozzarella balls and black olives in some olive oil and balsamic vinegar, s&p.)

Sliced fresh veggies, raw (sliced or cherry tomatoes, cucumber or carrot sticks, broccoli, and so on)

Fresh bread, biscuits or savory muffins

 

Many meals, I like the sides better than the main dish!

 

Cat

Edited August 22, 2011 by myfunnybunch
Love the Oxford comma

[ClassicCole]

Baked potato and baked sweet potato

corn salad

red, yellow, green bell peppers cut into strips with ranch dressing

cherry tomatoes sometimes stuffed with cream cheese

corn on the cob

candied carrots

sauteed zucchini/squash

roasted potatoes

sweet potato fries seasoned with chili powder

applesauce

beans of all sorts

rice

mac & cheese

platter of sliced fruits and cheeses

cottage cheese with fruit

soups

[MamaAkins]

green beans almondine

roasted asparagus

grilled corn on the cob

 

baked beans

black beans

 

grilled pineapple

rice--lots of different types & variations

couscous

orzo

 

pasta

 

salad

sliced cucumbers, celery & carrots

grilled veggies (zucchini, squash, mushrooms & onions)

steamed broccoli

 

 

bread--italian bread or biscuits or crescent rolls or cornbread

[happypamama]

salad -- we like Caesar salad, or mixed greens/romaine with bleu cheese, walnuts, and balsamic vinaigrette. DH is not a huge fan of garden salads, but I like those pretty well.

 

mozzarella and tomatoes with basil, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar

 

brussels sprouts -- pan-fried in butter -- my 6yo's favorite

roasted broccoli (or cauliflower)

peas -- boiled or steamed

lima beans -- boiled

sauteed spinach with a bit of lemon juice and garlic

roasted squash or sweet potatoes

homemade fries or potato latkes

[WistfulRidge]

:bigear:

 

Watching this thread with interest... I need to incorporate new sides dishes into our meals or I'll go crazy. DS and DH couldn't care less :glare:

Right now we're stuck in the rut of salad and/or corn with either mashed potatoes or macaroni (I eat mine with a little butter and parm, DS and DH eat theirs with ketchup :ack2:). Occasionally I'll make twice baked potatoes (if I remember to start them in time), cornbread, or biscuits. I really need to branch out veggie wise....

[Upward Journey]

None. Yup, that's correct. Absolutely none. We eat one pot meals or burritos almost exclusively. I hate to cook and I have to stretch a pound of meat for 6 people, so.......

 

It does make it tricky when we have company though because I have to suddenly cook meals that "normal" families eat :D

[foxbridgeacademy]

I'm not sure how "easy" or "healthy" but here is the favorite here.

 

I fry vidalia onins sliced thin with frozen (super thin kind ) green beans, celery, mushrooms, or whatever else I can think to put in it, and minced garlic . The key is to use real butter and sea salt. My daughter hates cooked veggies, especially green beans. This side came about from the frustration of trying to find some vegtable she would eat. I won't say she loves them, but she will eat all of what I give her. DS, DH, and every one I've cooked for loves it.

 

Also frozen asparagus in a buttered pan in the oven for 20 minutes is good.

[Parrothead]

Let's see...

 

Some kind of green salad

 

Some kind of starch:

buttered bread

white rice

brown rice

quinoa

couscous

potaotoes: mashed, fries, scalloped, au gratin, roasted with rosemary

pasta

egg noodles

 

Some kind of cooked veggie:

mixed veggies

green beans

cabbage: stir-fried, cole slaw, boiled

asparagus

broccoli

cauliflower

mushrooms

squash of all types

 

Sometimes we also have:

sweet potatoes: baked, fries

English peas

black eyed peas

lima beans

white acre peas

pinto beans

black beans

 

 

That is all I can think of right now.

[Carol in Cal.]

Usually two of these:

 

Oven roasted potato quarters and garlic

Oven fries

Rice pilaf

Brown rice pilaf

Baked potatoes (rarely--not popular with anyone but me)

Raw snow peas with sour cream dip

Romaine lettuce with Ceasar dressing

Mesclun with balsamic vinaigrette

Raw baby carrots

Radishes with kosher salt (and sometimes sweet butter)

Tomatoes quartered with balsamic vinegar and fresh basil (sometimes with mozzerella as well)

Radiccio with blue cheese, walnuts, and EVOO

Braising greens

Raw baby turnips

Raw fennel bulbs, sliced

Half steamed cabbage with apples and pickling spice

Cucumbers with sour cream (and fresh dill if we have it)

Baby cherry tomatoes

Strawberries

Strawberries sauteed with cinnamon

Apple slices

Jicama with lemon juice

Tangerines

Orange wedges

Pear slices with walnuts and blue or stilton cheese

Squash soup in little cups

Tomato soup with or without sour cream on top

Yogurt with chopped mint and shallots

Braised leeks

Spinach salad with apricot nectar dressing

Sauteed mushrooms with lemon juice, olive oil, and thyme (I keep a bag or jar of dried wild mushrooms around to add to this. Great flavor!)

Broccoli, sauteed and served with mayo and mustard

Brussel sprouts, sauteed and served with mayo and mustart (only DH will eat this, though)

Raw green beans

Lightly steamed green beans, cooled and mixed with shallots, Dijon mustard, and red wine vinegar

Artichoke salad

Steamed artichokes with mayo

Steamed asparagus with mayo

Sauteed asparagus in olive oil

Apricots

Peach slices

Watermelon chunks

Honeydew melon chunks

Edited August 23, 2011 by Carol in Cal.

[LucyStoner]

I tend to do meals that are one dish with lots of veggies and a little meat or protien; or a soup, both options most often with a salad on the side.

 

Some of my favorite salads are:

 

Spinach salad with fruit and goat cheese

Caesar style vinegarette on romaine with cheese

Chopped kale with peppers

Fruit with mint

Italian style chopped salad with garbanzo beans and salami etc

Three bean salad

Lentil salad with carrots and squash

 

Some samples for meals with side dishes, like say a roast chicken or steak night:

 

Roasted veggies

Greens with raisins

Asparagus is a favorite

Garlic roasted broccoli

Sauteed mushrooms

Honey baked lentils

Mashed potatoes

Mashed turnips

Roasted squash

[kitten18]

Green salad

Caprese salad

Roasted vegetables (broccoli, onions, asparagus, bell peppers, etc.)