It’s not easy juggling our busy lives while trying to feed our families a hot, nutritious dinner every day. These quick and easy dinner ideas will help take the stress out of family mealtimes.
1. Plan a menu
This step does require some planning ahead of time, but it is well worth the effort. With this in mind, set aside some time over the weekend to plan your meals for the week ahead. This can be accomplished by:
Make a fast menu; go grocery shopping, and post the menu on your refrigerator.
Take a look at it every morning and remove any foods that need to be thawed.
Calculate how long it will take you to make the meal.
2. Befriend the crockpot
One of the simplest ways to prepare nutritious meals is to slow-cook your food. Your Crockpot in the kitchen is a lifesaver. Crock pots are a fantastic method to save time and money when cooking. They enable you to cook food slowly and with minimal supervision, which is ideal for folks with hectic schedules.
Put all of your ingredients in a crockpot, turn it on, and walk away for hours as it prepares your meal. This frees up time for other pursuits such as socializing or working out. You can have a nutritious meal ready before the kids can even say "mom..." with a little planning.
3. Easy pasta
Easy pasta is a very common dish. It is not only quick and easy to make, but it can also be made from ingredients that are always in your pantry. It can be served with any number of sauces and toppings, and it is a great way to get vegetables into your diet.
Pasta comes in many shapes and sizes, but the two most common are spaghetti and macaroni. Spaghetti noodles are long thin noodles that break easily when cooked while macaroni noodles are short, thick pasta tubes that hold their shape well when cooked.
The best way to cook pasta is in a large pot of boiling water with a pinch of salt. The water should be salted because the sauce that you are going to use will have salt in it, so the pasta will not need any additional seasoning. You can also add some oil or butter to the water before adding your pasta, this will help keep the noodles from sticking together while cooking.
4. Casserole is back!
Casseroles, like the crockpot, are ideal for days when you forget to plan ahead. They're also great for leftovers or just about anything else you can find in your pantry.
For a quick lunch, combine spaghetti, tuna, corn kernels, peas, and milk. Rice or potato casseroles are equally simple. Keep a few simple recipes on hand and adjust the ingredients to fit what you have on hand.
5. Incredible eggs
Eggs are a quick and easy way to make dinner. They are also a healthy option, as they are high in protein and low in fat. The best part is that there is no need for any cooking skills or experience because eggs can be cooked by anyone with the use of an oven or stovetop. Eggs can be used for breakfast, lunch, brunch, snack time, dinner time, and dessert time... they're perfect anytime!
6. Sandwich bar
On occasion, you may not have the time or energy to prepare a meal. Sandwiches, however, are a surprisingly nutritious supper that you can offer your family. The ingredients of a sandwich are usually nutritious and good for the body. It's also a quick and simple dinner to prepare if you're short on time or don't want to cook.
Put out some bread rolls (whole wheat is best).
Add a platter of cheese, ham, turkey, tuna, or any other favorite fillings.
Add another platter of chopped lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, and any other favorite veggies.
Now, let your kids put together their own sandwiches. Serve with some pretzels, a salad, or cut-up veggies and dip. This would be a little hopeful but worth a try.
7. Wrap it up
Wraps are an excellent choice for a quick dinner. You can fill them with anything you like. Cook some ground beef, drain it, and fill the wrap with it for a Mexican wrap. Chopped tomatoes, grated cheese, sour cream, or guacamole are all good additions.
You may also stuff it with a little warmed tuna, corn kernels, and mayonnaise. Scrambled eggs with chopped ham and tomatoes are another option. It also works well with leftover chicken, cheese, and lettuce.
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