What’s for dinner? It’s a question that’s often on everybody’s mind, as the day wanes and the workdays and school days come to a close.

There are a lot of answers to this question, but one of the most important ones involves looking at some of the basic items that you put in a lot of the best recipes for satisfying those empty stomachs at dinner time.

Let’s talk a little bit about some of the ingredients that are front and center in many of our dinner recipes!

Garlic

Garlic is a superfood, for one thing. It has a range of very nutritious chemicals and elements in it, which is one reason why it’s been so much a part of different global food cuisines like Italian, Thai, Chinese and Mexican food. But garlic is also a flavor addition, as well, with its own hearty flavor profile that adds to the deliciousness of many dinner options.

Vinegar

Vinegar has a bite to it. In fact, in its purest form, it’s effective as a household cleaner. But that doesn’t mean you can’t put it in dinner recipes.

In small amounts, vinegar adds to that overall flavor that you want in anything from meatloaf to lo mein. Specific types of balsamic vinegar are great for Italian meals and this is another handy thing to have in your kitchen. Add a splash to soups at the end to brighten the flavor!

Soy Sauce

Here, we’re getting into the Asian area of our dinner planning. One example is my Szechuan chicken recipe that features all of the above ingredients, along with another one that we’ll mention below.

Szechuan Peppercorns

Peppercorns are also a great addition to dinner dishes. They don’t add sodium or cholesterol or fat, or any of those other things that are problematic for so many people who are on diets or watching their weight. But they do pack a punch in terms of flavor. For Western dishes, black peppercorns are a go-to standard. For the above Szechuan chicken dish, we like to recommend using Szechuan peppercorns that have a different kind of flavor and go well with some of the other elements of this dish in particular.

Of course, you don’t want to neglect those bigger items that also go into the Szechuan chicken – the bell peppers and chunks of broccoli – but these smaller flavor providers have their necessary place as well. We love crafting these recipes, and putting together the right combinations for health and nutrition, so that busy families can take advantage of what we’ve learned over time! That also goes for learning, and playing, and working together as a family, at home and anywhere that you happen to be.

Take a look at my Feeding a Family page for more on meal planning and everything else for your family, including at-home learning ideas, and yes, a lot of recipes! From our family to yours – Bon Appetit!