25 Quick and Easy Weeknight Dinners

I know I’m not the only mom who occasionally (ahem!) forgets to plan a meal and stands staring into the fridge at 5pm, trying to figure out what to make using what we have in the fridge. And I also know I’m not the only mom who actually does sit down and plan a meal, including side dishes, and isn’t home in enough time to start the meal so we eat when we’re supposed to.

To combat this I pick easy weeknight meals and do as much prep work in advance as I can.

 

 

Prep in Advance

The first thing I began doing is to assume we will be held up, delayed or otherwise arrive home late if we are supposed to be out of the house anytime past 3pm.  Thanks to the kid’s evening activities on certain days of the week, we have to start dinner at 4pm and begin eating by 5 to leave on time for martial arts, guitar lessons, scouts and everything else.

If I know I am going to be out of the house in the afternoon any given day, I do any needed chopping, deboning, cooking rice and other needed tasks the night before or in the morning before we leave.  This means that a meal that can take 30-45 minutes to do can now take 10-30. This allows us to get out of the house on time for our 6pm Scout meeting even if our ‘supposed to be home by 3:30’ class or meeting extends to 4pm or later.

I store the prepped items in bowls or ziplock bags by meal, fish them out of the fridge when I get home, grab the recipe and get it done quickly.

 

 

A Note About Soy Sauce

Several of these recipes call for soy sauce.  If you don’t have any food allergies or intolerances, soy sauce is fine.  But if you are gluten-free, I recommend you use a gluten-free tamari (which contains soy) or coconut aminos.  If you are soy-free, use coconut aminos.

 

 

Chicken and Turkey

‘Bourbon’ Chicken from Intentionally Domestic

Summer Salad from Every Day Full

Easy Baked Chicken Nuggets from Whole New Mom

Nourishing Chicken and Broccoli from It’s A Love/Love Thing

Broccoli Cashew Chicken from Recipes to Nourish

Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken from Strength and Sunshine

Marinated Turkey Breast from The Fit Blog

 

Instant Pot Ginger Garlic Drumsticks from Living Sweet Moments

Honey Tabasco Lime Boiled Chicken Thighs from A Sprinkling of Cayenne

Simple Chicken and Vegetable Curry from Delicious Obsessions

Chicken Cabbage Stir-Fry from Wholesome Yum

Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken from Strength and Sunshine

Teriyaki Bowls from Every Day Full

Pineapple Ginger Chicken from Recipes to Nourish

 

 

Beef

Skirt Steak Fajitas from Delicious Obsessions

Eggroll in a Bowl from Intentionally Domestic

Ground Beef with Kale and Mushrooms from This Is So Good

Korean Beef Recipe from Having Fun Saving and Cooking

Taco Bowls from Every Day Full

Healthy and Easy Beef Fajitas from The Fit Blog

 

 

Everything Else

Classic French Ratatouille from Bacon is Magic

Scrumptious Super-Quick Pulled Pork from Lisa’s Counter Culture

Five Spice Pork with Broccoli, Carrots and Garlic Scapes from This Is So Good

Honey Sesame Seared Salmon from Delicious Obsessions

Baked Salmon with Maple Glaze from Having Fun Saving and Cooking