Family Meal Challenge

I used to be a good cook. I think I still am a good cook, but I've become a very lazy cook, especially when it comes to feeding my children: Sofia (almost 4) and Jack & Liam (2.5 y old identical twin boys). I'm not sure when it became ok to feed them crappy lunch food for dinner too. Last night they had sausages, tater tots and frozen peas (mind you they prefer the peas served frozen and sadly it is the only vegetable they have eaten in a long time....)

Sure they eat some healthy foods (they love beans, eat lots of berries, take omega3 vitamins), get outside and run around alot and are physically healthy, but i know that if I don't make an effort to change they way I cook for them, I am setting them up for some unhealthy preferences.

So in an effort to switch things up, I have decided to embark on a 30 day meal challenge - it will start on May 15, for no other reason than I've already missed the first of the month and I don't want to wait until next month! I had read an article in Cookie magazine about a woman who tried this with her 2 children (a little older than mine) and thought the idea was interesting. After last night's dinner and an article in gourmet mag this month on 15 meals that take 15 minutes (there are 4 that I would definitely try with the family) I decided to try this myself.

For 30 days I will cook something new for dinner for our family. I am hoping to follow the following guidelines:

1. Should be able to be prepared in about 45 minutes.
2. Should be something that the adults and the children will eat (or parts of the meal at least)
3. Should include at least one fresh vegetable. Minimal packaged/processed foods. Would love to say none at all....
   
4. Children must try it, don't need to like it or eat the whole thing. I'll probably make some kind of reward/sticker chart for when they try something new.
5. Can not be something I have made before - so no ravioli and meatballs, which is a favorite.... and so easy. I'll certainly use ingredients I know they like, but want to try and get them to try new ways of eating.
   
6. Will post recipe along with photos as I go along
7. Will post responses from children and adults as well as how easy/hard it was to make, if I would make it again, would I change anything.
   
8. Children may not snack after 3:30pm - i need them pretty hungry! (dinner usually between 5:30-6:00)
9. No alternative if a child does not eat anything. Nowadays we will let them have a yogurt or cheese/crackers if they do not eat dinner. I think I need to not do that so they understand there is no alternative. this is why making sure each meal has something they will eat is important. This will be very difficult and not sure how I will handle a child who hungry an hour later. any suggestions??
   

So, over the next few days, I will be going through my cookbooks, magazines, and favorite website to get my 30 recipes together, get the kitchen/pantry ready and start talking it up with the kids. I will post the menu calendar as soon as I have it done.

Now, I had no intention of making this a "public" event, but after I spent 1 nap time trying to get recipes together, I found 8 that met my guidelines. If I am realistically going to get this organized by the 15th, I need to ask my friends for suggestions. Is there something you make that you think would work? Something you've been meaning to try? Please send them to me. I figured if I did make this public, perhaps I would get more input and also it will help keep me accountable & on track. We have no dietary restrictions.

Thanks!