While Father’s Day may look different this year, it can still be special!
Whether you’ll be celebrating on a smaller scale at home, or virtually, you can still put together a memorable Father’s day meal – without going over budget or sacrificing quality, to help celebrate dad.
I have 4 quarantine-approved recipes to share with you that get the whole family involved!
I did all of my shopping at ALDI (this post is sponsored by ALDI), which offers everything you need for Dad’s special day, from high-quality foods to delicious beverages too.
Main Course: Build Your Own Kabob Bar
This is an interactive, playful, and really versatile idea! You don’t need any specific ingredients to make these. Whatever you have in your fridge or freezer will work just fine, but I’ll give you some ideas in case you’re due for a trip to the store.
First, you’ll want to pick your proteins.
ALDI has a huge selection of meats and seafood to choose from – including organic and wild-caught options. They even have a line of vegetarian and vegan options called Earth Grown! Pick a couple for variety.
Here are some ideas: shrimp, steak, chicken, scallops, salmon, pork, or meatless versions.
Then, pick your vegetables.
ALDI offers a large array of produce, including organic options, at competitive prices. When picking vegetables for your kabobs, look for a variety of colors. Not only will this make the kabobs look pretty, but each different color vegetable contains different nutrients and antioxidants!
Here are some ideas: multi-colored bell peppers, white or purple onions, button mushrooms, zucchini, yellow squash, corn on the cob, Brussels sprouts, or cherry tomatoes. You can also include fruit if you want – like pineapple or peaches.
Next, prep your ingredients.
First, make sure your selections will fit on your skewers. If they are not already small in size, like shrimp or cherry tomatoes, cut them into bite-sized – about 1” x 1” pieces.
Also, marinate your proteins for mega-flavor! Put them in a zip top bag, and add your favorite sauce, like ALDI-exclusive Burman’s steak sauce or BBQ sauce. Add about 2 tablespoons per serving of meat.
If you don’t already have a bottle of sauce or marinade at home, here’s a simple recipe using what you likely have already in your kitchen: 1/4 cup Simply Nature organic olive oil, 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce, 1/4 cup raw honey, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon ginger powder.
Cover, flatten them out so the marinade covers all the meat, and refrigerate for at least 30 mins and up to 24 hours. Be sure to save some of the marinade to brush on top later if you’d like.
Time to cook!
Start by pre-heating your grill to medium-high heat. Then, set out skewers (if you’re using wooden skewers, pre-soak them in water 30 minutes), prepped proteins, and vegetables buffet style.
Have everyone take a skewer, and add on whatever proteins and vegetables they’d like. This recipe can get the whole family involved and provide an at-home activity that is fun and produces delicious results.
Grill the kabobs directly over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes total, turning 1/4 rotation every 2 to 3 minutes, or until the meat and/or fish is cooked throughout. After each rotation, brush kabobs with the marinade you used on the proteins to keep everything juicy and flavorful!
Side Dish: Grilled Fruit
[Get the recipe here.] This is a very adaptable recipe because just about any fruit can go on the grill as long as it is fairly firm and not overripe!
Fruit can be fragile so you’ll want to make sure the pieces you grill are large enough to maintain their structure as they get heated up and break down through cooking. If you want to save time in the kitchen, look for convenient, pre-sliced fruits at ALDI amongst their large array of fresh fruit to choose from.
Side Dish: Fire Roasted Corn & Black Bean Salad
[Get the recipe here.] This seasonal side dish uses fresh, sweet summer corn, both grilled and cut right off the cob for a rustic char flavor. It’s dressed with a lime cumin vinaigrette.
In this recipe, I used Simply Nature organic black beans to mix into the corn, bell pepper, and red onion. In the dressing, I used Simply Nature organic olive oil, Stonemill spices, and fresh lime juice.
Dessert: Summer Watermelon Pizza
[Get the recipe here.] This is the perfect crisp, refreshing dessert for a hot summer day!
Just slice a watermelon into pizza-sized circles, about 1″ thick, for the crust. You can use Simply Nature organic vanilla yogurt as the sauce (or you could use a coconut milk yogurt if you have a dairy sensitivity), and top it with fun and festive fruit.
Drinks
To wash all of that deliciousness down, pair it with options from the large beverage selection at ALDI.
For adults, try a refreshing Beermosa using beer from their wide selection of premium and imported brews and Nature’s Nectar orange juice (6-8oz orange juice to 12oz beer, typically a lighter beer is best for this).
For kids, set up a fun mocktail bar with Simply Nature organic juices, PurAqua sparkling water, and garnish with fresh fruit!
If you’re unable to celebrate in person, consider hosting a virtual party with your loved ones! Everyone can make the same recipes so it feels a bit more like you’re together, even from a distance.
For more fun information and tips, visit ALDI.us and be sure to share your recipe creations on social media using #ALDILOVE
