During weeknights, I have a set list with the same types of meals. This list has helped me get through the set time block we’ll call the ‘universal hour’ when one child tries to do homework, another is begging for a snack, and dinner hasn’t even started yet. These 34 dinners below are the only ones which have survived actual interactions with my children. They don’t go for anything fancy and they don’t put in much effort to be creative with the vegetables. These meals tend to be those that are eaten, get the least complaints, and do not lead to a second dinner at 7pm because someone said no.
I have learned the hard way that it is important to serve sauces and dressings separately. No one wants a sauced-on dinner. Keep the spice levels low and let the heat come from the table, not the pot. Families really eat the same six dinners on repeat. Repetition is fine. I have 34 weeknight dinners that I depend on. Under each dinner is its sales pitch, the signal that says it’s ready, and a swap for any headline ingredient your crew won’t eat or that you don’t have.
Contents
- 1) Sheet Pan Chicken Tenders
- 2) Spaghetti And Meatballs
- 3) Taco Night
- 4) Baked Ziti
- 5) Breakfast For Dinner
- 6) Personal Pizzas
- 7) Mac And Cheese
- 8) Mild Chicken Curry
- 9) Chicken Alfredo
- 10) Sloppy Joes
- 11) Chicken Parmesan
- 12) Cheeseburger Sliders
- 13) Cheese Quesadillas
- 14) Mini Meatloaves
- 15) Baked Potato Bar
- 16) Beef Pasta
- 17) Chicken Fried Rice
- 18) Meatball Pitas
- 19) Grilled Cheese And Soup
- 20) Mini Chicken Pot Pies
- 21) Fish Sticks
- 22) BBQ Chicken Flatbreads
- 23) Buttered Pasta
- 24) Chicken Enchiladas
- 25) Chicken Noodle Soup
- 26) Stuffed Peppers
- 27) Teriyaki Chicken Bowls
- 28) Mini Corn Dogs
- 29) Baked Chicken Drumsticks
- 30) Veggie Omelet
- 31) Mild Beef Chili
- 32) Tuna Pasta Bake
- 33) Sausage And Peppers
- 34) Pretzel Snack Dinner
1) Sheet Pan Chicken Tenders
Where Sheet Pan Chicken Tenders earn their spot: One pan and 8 minutes of prep. The leftovers are usable for lunch on Tuesday and Wednesday. Tenders are one of the proteins that every kid will agree on, and that’s a badge of honor.
Cut chicken breasts into strips lengthwise. Dredge them through flour, the egg wash, and finish with a coating of panko mixed with parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Spread on a sheet pan with a light coat of olive oil. Roast for 14-16 minutes at 425 degrees. Be sure to flip halfway. They are done when the coating is deep golden brown and crispy, and the thickest chicken piece reads 165 degrees F on an instant read. Serve with any dipping sauce of your choice (for us, it varies between ketchup, ranch, and honey mustard).
Swap: Instead of egg dredge, you could use mayo. All three statements seem a bit off but are technically correct and will do the job. Even the next day, boneless strips of chicken thighs are still juicer when stored in the lunchbox.
2) Spaghetti And Meatballs
Strong Point: Spaghetti and meatballs is easy to make in bulk and freeze, and the meatballs you are making tonight can also be used for meatball subs on Thursday! This is an automagic double batch prep meal for me.
Use a food processor to finely chop the carrot, quartered onion, and a garlic clove (this is the only method the carrot survives my kids’ inspection). Then mix with ground beef (1 pound), 1 egg, ¼ cup of breadcrumbs, salt and pepper to taste, and some grated parmesan. Form this mixture into meatballs that are 1.5 inches around and cook these for 6-8 minutes in a skillet, turning them halfway. Add some jarred marinara and let this simmer for 15 minutes. An instant-read thermometer should read 165°F when the meatballs are done and the sauce is thick (not watery). Serve the meatballs and sauce over spaghetti.
Ground turkey can be used, but you will need to add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the mixture, otherwise the meatballs will be dry. Rao’s marinara is a brand that I will allow you to splurge on for $4.
3) Taco Night
) Taco Night, earning its keep: Kids assembled their own dinners (i.e. what they constructed), and I have found this to be the most effective way to reduce dinner negotiations by around 80%.
Cook 1 pound ground beef and 1 chopped onion in a pan for about 6 to 8 minutes until there is no more pink beef. For flavor, leave some fat in the pan, and drain most of it before adding taco seasoning. Add a little water and simmer for about 3 – 4 minutes until the sauce thickens around the meat. For the tortillas, flour or corn, cook them in a dry skillet for about 30 seconds on each side. Set up individual containers for each of the toppings: shredded cheese, lettuce, tomato, sour cream, salsa, olives, refried beans and let the kids build their own.
You can use ground turkey or chicken, but don’t use the seasoning packet; instead you can make your own seasoning mix using cumin, chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, and salt. About 1 tablespoon per pound of meat.
4) Baked Ziti
Why Baked Ziti belongs here: There’s one casserole dish to wash, no serving utensils are needed, and leftovers are even better reheated. This is the dinner I’m bringing to my friend who just had a baby.
Begin by cooking one pound of ziti. Stop cooking when the pasta is just under al dente, as it will continue cooking in the oven. Drain the pasta and combine it with 1 jar (24 ounces) of marinara sauce, 1 cup of ricotta, 1 cup of shredded mozzarella, 1 egg (cracked), and a handful of grated parmesan. Mix these ingredients and then spread the mixture evenly in a baking dish. Add another 1 cup of mozzarella on top and then place the dish in the oven. The oven should be set to 400F and the dish should be cooked for 20-25 minutes. The dish will be finished when the top layer is golden and bubbly, in addition to the cheese beginning to brown in some areas.
Due to the low cost and higher amount of protein of cottage cheese in comparison to ricotta cheese, substitute cottage cheese for ricotta cheese. Stir in a half-pound of cooked Italian sausage if you want it meatier.
5) Breakfast For Dinner
The pitch for Breakfast For Dinner: This meal is for those evenings when preparing a proper dinner is out of the question. The kids will find it amusing that you said it’s breakfast for dinner instead of saying you caved. It’s a win-win!
Mix two cups of pancake batter (using boxed mix is totally fine). On the preheated griddle, pour batter for mini pancakes and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side. To know when to flip the pancakes, look for bubbles on the batter and dry edges. For bacon, cook it in the oven for 15-18 min at 400 degrees until it is as crispy as you want. For the scrambled eggs, use a small pan and low heat. If you want soft-curd eggs, it is recommended to stir continuously with a spatula.
If you have an iron, it would make your meal even more filling if you used waffles instead of pancakes. Just add an extra 10 minutes of cooking time.
6) Personal Pizzas
Rationale for selection this evening: the children prepare their own, and the children eat their own. They operate under the same dinner-night philosophy as taco nights, but with cheese. The kid did the work, so both are justified.
You can use pizza dough from the store, or you can use English muffins, or you can use naan for a base. Spread a tablespoon or two of pizza sauce on each and add mozzarella cheese. Let the kids customize their own toppings like pepperoni, mushrooms, peppers, olives, and pineapple if you’re that kind of person. Bages i 8-10 minutter ved 450 grader Fahrenheit. They’re done when you can see that the cheese is completely melted and the dough is dark golden around the edges.
Tortillas can also be a good base for individual thin-crust pizzas, and you can cook them for the same amount of time (5-7 mins) at the same temp. They end up being cracker-crisp, which the kids love.
7) Mac And Cheese
Where Mac And Cheese earn their spot: It’s the one food that always gets eaten in my house. Adding peas at the end of the cooking process is what transforms this meal from a simple snack into a complete dinner.
Bring salted water to a boil, then add 1 pound of elbow macaroni. Remove the macaroni when it reaches the desired firmness. While macaroni is cooking, prepare a basic sauce: In a separate saucepan, 4 tablespoons of butter and once that is melted, add in and whisk 4 tablespoons of flour. Once the flour is all blended in, allow that to cook for 1 minute and then add, in a gradual layer, 2 cups of milk that has been warmed. After that has all been added and mixed in, allow it to cook for another 3-4 minutes until it has thickened and is able to coat the back of the spoon. Once that is finished and has thickened, remove the saucepan from heat and stir in 3 cups of shredded sharp cheddar until all of the cheese has melted. Once that is finished, add the drained macaroni and frozen peas (the heat will thaw the peas within 30 seconds). Add salt to taste.
Swap: Box mac and cheese with peas stirred in still counts. I will not pretend otherwise. Adding an ounce of cream cheese to homemade hits a buttery, peak level richness.
Nathaniel’s Pantry Notes: The Same Six Dinners (Repetition Is the Strategy)
It’s common for new parents to save hundreds of dinner recipes on Pinterest. Then, they end up making the same half dozen meals for a year or more. I’ve seen this pattern in myself. I’ve seen it in my wife. I’ve seen it asking buddies what they do for dinner on Tuesdays. Everyone would say, “oh, you know, the usual,” and then throw out a list of half a dozen dinners.
The reality of kid-friendly dinners is that families who eat well during the week don’t have a thirty-recipe rotation. They rotate through six recipes. Repetition is what makes weeknight cooking sustainable. If you try to do something new every night, you will almost certainly end up ordering pizza three times a week and regretting it.
• Tacos. Some form of tortilla-plus-protein-plus-toppings. Variations on this theme cover most of the world’s cuisines and most of the kid-acceptance spectrum.
• Pasta with a sauce. Buttered, marinara with meat, baked, alfredo. The sauce changes; the format doesn’t.
• Sheet-pan chicken something. Tenders, drumsticks, thighs with vegetables. One pan, predictable timing, lunchbox leftovers.
• Soup or chili. The thing that simmers while you do other things and gets better as the week goes on.
• Breakfast for dinner. The escape hatch that exists because some Tuesdays are bad and pancakes are fine.
What’s NOT on the list is anything that requires a recipe you’ve never done or that would take more than 40 minutes on a weeknight, or that has the potential for a big “what IS this” from the kids. This is definitely not aspirational for the six-dinner rotation. This is really pushing it considering we both worked a nine hour day and are now two tired people who need food at 5:45. The weekend is when we do our ‘aspirational’ cooking. Tuesdays are about feeding people with no tears.
8) Mild Chicken Curry
What makes Mild Chicken Curry work: The flavours are sweet and smooth, and have a gentle spice. This is the curry that gets children interested in the dish. The mango chutney served in the side is the ultimate secret weapon.
Sauté the garlic and chopped onion in some olive oil for five minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of mild yellow curry powder (please specify Madras style, not vindaloo) and cook for 30 seconds or until you start to smell the fragrance from the powder. Add cubed chicken breast, a 14-oz can of coconut milk, and a tablespoon of tomato paste. Simmer for 15-18 minutes. The sauce should be done when it is thick, and the chicken has reached the safe temperature of 165°F, as indicated by your instant read thermometer. Serve it with rice and mango chutney.
To enhance the flavor profile, you may use boneless thighs which will require an additional 3–5 minutes of cooking time. If you prefer a more traditional flavor, you can omit the curry powder and substitute it with a tablespoon of butter chicken simmer sauce.
9) Chicken Alfredo
Why Chicken Alfredo is Worth it: The alfredo sauce is nice and creamy. This meal is an excellent way to get the broccoli consumed. It is also a good use of rotisserie chicken as it makes the meal a super quick 15 minute dinner!
Boil 1 pound of fettuccine until al dente. While it’s cooking, in a separate pan, combine 1.5 cups of heavy cream and 4 tablespoons of butter, and heat over low heat, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup of grated parmesan and a sprinkle of nutmeg (to taste) and stir until smoothe. Combine with the pasta, shredded rotisserie chicken, and a head of broccoli sliced into small florets and steamed for 4 minutes until the florets are bright green and just tender. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Half-and-half can be used instead of cream, which is also considered a compromise. For children who do not like the green tree vegetable, broccoli, peas may be used as an alternative.
10) Sloppy Joes
What Sloppy Joes get you: It has a sauce, it’s a bit sweet, and is easy to eat without a fork. If you make a double batch, the filling reheats well and can be used as a topping for baked potatoes on Tuesday.
Brown 1 lb of ground beef with an onion and a bell pepper (both diced), for about six to eight minutes. Drain the fat. Prepare the sauce by mixing together 1 cup of ketchup, 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, 1 tablespoon of mustard, and 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce, adding salt and pepper to taste. Cook the meat with the sauce for 10-12 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken and adhere to the meat (not too soupy, so it doesn’t soak the bun). Serve on a toasted hamburger bun.
Substitut vir kalkoen is reg. As an alternative to dealing with the buns, you can serve the filling over rice or even on a baked potato with cheese.
11) Chicken Parmesan
Reason it’s Chicken Parmesan: You get to skip the fryer and big clean up. It’s cheesy and crispy just as an added bonus. Let me tell you, I would fight for the leftover cutlet sandwich from the day before.
First, prepare the chicken: boneless chicken breasts should be flattened to half an inch thick. Next, bread the chicken by first coating with flour, then dipping into beaten egg, and finally coating with a mixture of panko and parmesan, salt, and pepper. Place on a wire rack on top of a baking sheet (to avoid steam) and bake at 425°F for 18-20 minutes (the rack will allow the bottoms to crisp rather than steam). Last step: for the last 5 minutes of cooking, take the chicken out, and put some marinara and shredded mozzarella on top of each cutlet. These are done when the coating is golden brown and the cheese has melted and developed a few brown spots.
Pounded-thin chicken thighs are also excellent options and tend to remain juicier. A few tablespoons of pesto mixed into the marinara might be an unsolicited adjustment, but it is one that all will enjoy.
12) Cheeseburger Sliders
**Why Cheeseburger Sliders belong here:** These are like weeknight burgers but in mini versions which makes it even more fun! With 12 sliders, my family has enough leftovers for school lunches.
Evenly spread 1 pound of ground beef across a sheet pan. Add seasoning and sprinkle to taste. Kog for 8-10 minutes at 400 degrees F. Add sliced American cheese on top and broil for 1-2 minutes or until cheese melts. Cut the sheet of beef into 12 squares the size of slider buns. Put pickles, mustard, and ketchup on Hawaiian rolls to make sandwiches.
Substitution: You could use ground turkey here, just add a tablespoon of olive oil. You can skip the broiler steps, just put the unmelted cheese on the meat for 1 minute and the cheese will melt.
13) Cheese Quesadillas
Cheese Quesadillas: Each quesadilla takes 5 minutes to make and do not require much thought to prepare. You can also add some beans to the mix to make it more appealing for dinner, although the kids won’t notice.
Set your stove to medium heat. Place the flour tortilla in the pan and add a big handful of shredded cheese, followed by a spoon of either mashed black beans or refried beans on one side. Fold the tortilla over to cover the cheese. Cook for about 2-3 minutes on each side. You will know that they’re done when the cheese has completely melted (look for bubbles around the edges of the pan) and the tortilla has a good amount of brown spots. Cut them into triangles and serve with salsa or sour cream.
Try using leftover taco meat or shredded rotisserie chicken. You might be surprised that whole-wheat tortillas don’t affect the kid acceptance rate as much.
14) Mini Meatloaves
The pitch for Mini Meatloaves: They have built-in portions, which means you don’t have to slice them, and they take half the time to cook compared to a whole loaf. The leftover meatloaf sandwiches made with toast are criminally underrated.
Incorporate one pound of ground beef, 1/4 cup of breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoons of milk, one egg, 1/4 cup of onion (finely chopped or grated), 2 tablespoons of ketchup, and salt and pepper to your liking. Separate the mixture into eight small loaves and transfer them to a sheet tray covered in foil. Top each one with a bit of ketchup and a touch of brown sugar. Kog i 22 til 25 minutter ved 190 grader C. The tops should be caramelized and the internal temperature should be 160°F.
An even more intriguing loaf can be made with a mixture of equal parts beef and pork. To make it more tangy, try a glaze of ketchup, cider vinegar, and brown sugar.
15) Baked Potato Bar
*What makes this a good choice for tonight?* The same toppings-bar magic as tacos and pizza! The kids choose as well as the kids eat. Plus, baked potatoes are basically free.
Take 6 russet potatoes and wash each one under cold water. When finished, use a fork to prick each potato and then coat each potato in olive oil and kosher salt before baking. Place the potatoes into the oven at a temperature of 425 degrees and let them bake for a time interval of 50 to 60 minutes. When completed, the potatoes should have a soft center and a crispy outside. Get individual serving bowls for guests and arrange the following toppings; butter, chives, and or scallions, as well as steamed or roasted broccoli, and some bacon bits. Also, chili would be a good addition, as well as a bowl to share of salt for sprinkling. Additionally, consider serving some cheese (shredded) and sour cream as optional toppings.
To reduce total cooking time, use the microwave. Potatoes should be pierced. They will take 10 minutes each in the microwave, and then finish in the oven at 425 degrees for 15 minutes to crisp the skins. Sweet potatoes are acceptable, but don’t expect more than 50% acceptance.
Nathaniel’s Pantry Notes: Hidden Vegetables (And Why You Should Stop)
For two years, I was the dad who blended carrots into the marinara. I put shredded zucchini in the meatballs. I made brownies with beets, a sentence I should never have to write. One day, my older child saw a plate with some cut up carrots and said, “Oh I like carrots,” and then ate all of them. What was never the point was the carrots in the meatballs. There were carrots on the plate.
Based on real tasting experiences, children develop preference as opposed to being tricked into what they eat. The last fifteen years of advertising to parents has made them think that hiding vegetables in foods is the only way to get children to eat their vegetables. They are wrong. The most effective means is to passively, quietly, and frequently offer vegetables.
• Serve the vegetable separately on the plate. Not mixed in, not hidden. Visible, on its own, with a small portion. Kids decide whether to eat it.
• Don’t comment on whether they ate it. Praising vegetable consumption sets up a power dynamic that backfires by age 5.
• Offer the same vegetable many times. The research is consistent: it takes ten to fifteen exposures for a kid to accept a new food. Don’t give up after three.
• Pair vegetables with something fatty or salty. Broccoli with melted cheese, carrots with hummus, peas with butter. Fat is a flavor delivery vehicle.
• Keep one or two vegetables they reliably like in the rotation. You’re not trying to convert them into adventurous eaters this week. You’re trying to feed them this week.
What is NOT on the list, on purpose, includes hiding things in muffins, smoothies with concealed spinach, and pasta sauce with 40% disguised veggies. All of these functions serve the purpose of someone gaining the nutrients. They do not assist the child in recognizing, liking, and eating real vegetables. If you want a child to eat vegetables by the age of twelve, start giving them vegetables at four. They don’t need to know the trick with the muffin.
16) Beef Pasta
Why Beef Pasta pulls its weight: One pot, fewer dishes, and the sauce clings to the pasta instead of pooling at the bottom of the bowl. This is the weeknight equivalent of Hamburger Helper if Hamburger Helper were actually good.
In a large pot, cook 1 pound of ground beef for 6 to 8 minutes. After that, drain the fat. Then, add a chopped onion and continue cooking for 4 minutes until it becomes soft. Next, add 1 jar (24 oz) marinara, 1.5 cups beef broth or water, and 1 pound of dry rotini. Once it reaches a boil, lower the heat to a simmer, cover the pot and cook for 12 to 14 minutes, stirring occasionally. The pasta should be done when the sauce has no watery liquid on the bottom. Then, mix in a cup of shredded mozzarella.
Considered to be the most outstanding talking bird of the world is the hoenderdistelspieël; Furthermore, to add more depth, Italian seasoning is mixed by the teaspoon in the marinara.
17) Chicken Fried Rice
What Chicken Fried Rice gets you: This is the dinner that comes from the fact there is leftover rice in the fridge and you are trying to figure out what to do with it. The kids love it because fried rice is basically savory cereal.
In a large skillet, warm 2 tablespoons of oil to medium-high heat. To one side, crack 2 eggs and scramble them for about half a minute. Add 2 cups of cold, cooked rice, and 1 cup of frozen peas & carrots. Stir-fry for about 4-5 minutes, breaking apart any clumps. Add cooked, diced chicken and 2-3 tablespoons of soy sauce, and toss for another 2 minutes. The rice is done when it is slightly brown and soy sauce is absorbed (not pooled) on the bottom.
Swap: No leftover rice? Make a batch and spread it on a sheet pan in the fridge for 30 minutes. If it gets wet and warm, it will turn mushy.
Quit simply following the steps of a recipe; instead you should try to comprehend the instructions provided.
20 lifetime-access video cooking lessons by Nathaniel for a one-time fee of $27.
18) Meatball Pitas
Where Meatball Pitas earn their spot: It takes only fifteen minutes to prepare dinner when you take frozen meatballs, pitas, and tzatziki and set up a pseudo-gyro shop experience. The kids think they are having something special. They’re not.
Pour 0.5 cup of marinara or tomato sauce into a skillet and add 12-16 frozen meatballs. Cover and heat over medium for 8-10 minutes. They will be done when sauce is bubbling and meatballs are heated through (use an instant-read thermometer to check 165°F). Pita pockets need to be heated for 30 seconds. Once done, fill each pita with 3-4 meatballs and some shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, and top with tzatziki or plain Greek yogurt. Hummus is also a great option.
Swap: Use turkey or chicken meatballs for a lighter version. Top it with feta if your children like cheese on everything.
19) Grilled Cheese And Soup
What makes Grilled Cheese And Soup work: Grilled Cheese and Soup is the ultimate no-effort meal, and everyone is totally fine with that.
Spread butter on 4 slices of bread. Take two slices of bread and place two slices of cheddar cheese (or any meltable cheese) between them, and butter the outsides. Assemble the sandwich in a nonstick frying pan on medium-low flame, cooking 3 to 4 minutes on each side. They are done when the bread is golden and crispy and all the cheese is melted (give it a little push down with a spatula to see if the cheese is stretched). Pour a can of tomato soup and some milk into a saucepan and heat for 5 minutes.
An upgrade that kids will love is a thin layer of pesto or apple butter in the grilled cheese. If your kids will accept it, butternut squash soup is a good substitute.
20) Mini Chicken Pot Pies
) Mini Chicken Pot, what it brings: Kids get their own pot pies in muffin tins or ramekins, and they cook in 20 minutes instead of an hour.
For the filling, melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan and add 4 tablespoons of flour. Cook for 1 minute. Gradually combine 1.5 cups chicken broth and half a cup of milk. Cook for another 3 minutes or until thickened. Then add 2 cups of cooked and shredded chicken, and 1 cup of peas and carrots. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon the mixture into muffin tins or into ramekins. Cover with biscuit dough (store bought is fine). Kog i 18 til 22 minutter ved 400 grader Fahrenheit. They are done when the biscuit tops are golden brown and the filling is bubbling up at the edges.
Use puff pastry instead of biscuits for a flakier top. For a vegetarian version, leave out the chicken and add a mix of mushrooms and white beans.
21) Fish Sticks
Reason for choosing this tonight: It feels like a real dinner when I properly reheat frozen fish sticks. Not every frozen food deserves respect; these do.
Place frozen fish sticks on a sheet pan (an uncrowded layer). Cook them for 15 to 18 minutes at 425 degrees; flip them over halfway through cooking. You can judge of the stick’s doneness based on the crispness of the coating. Centers should not be cold, so they should be hot all the way through. Fish sticks can be paired with ketchup, tartar sauce, or lemon wedges. For the full diner experience, throw oven fries on a second sheet pan.
To create swap from scratch, first cut the cod or tilapia into strips. Then, they should be coated in flour, then egg, and finally panko before baking them as instructed. Most kids are unable to tell the differences.
22) BBQ Chicken Flatbreads
Why BBQ Chicken Flatbreads belong here: It’s sweet and savory, and best of all, comes together quickly! It’s a meal I never tire of making and it’s requested by the kids all the time.
Use store bought naan or flatbread for the bottom layer. Spread 2 Tablespoons of barbecue sauce on each. Layer on some shredded cooked chicken (we recommend rotisserie), thin slices of red onion (or omit them if the kids complain), and a generous portion of shredded mozzarella. Bake for 8-10 minutes at 450 degrees. They are finished when the cheese is fully melted and just starting to brown, and the edges of the flatbread are crispy.
\em Swap: Use leftover pulled pork or chickpeas instead of chicken. Omit the red onions if kids hate them (they definitely will).
23) Buttered Pasta
Why Buttered Pasta makes the cut: This is the dinner I cook when I feel the most defeated. It also happens to be one of my kid’s favorite meals. That is a lesson I am still processing.
In salted water, boil one pound of spaghetti or any type of pasta until it reaches the al dente stage. Drain the pasta, but reserve half a cup of the water. Return the pasta to the pot, and add four tablespoons of butter and half a cup of grated parmesan cheese along with some of the reserved pasta water. Toss the pasta until the butter has fully melted and the cheese is glossy (as a result of the emulsification.) Finally, add more salt to your liking.
Add some frozen peas to the boiling pasta for the last 30 seconds and no one will even be the wiser. Adults appreciate the upgrade of brown butter (cook until butter smells like hazelnuts).
24) Chicken Enchiladas
Chicken Enchiladas, worthy of a spot: It’s great for make-aheads and the freezer, and some argue the leftovers may even be better than the original! I leave a pan of enchiladas for the babysitter for dinner too.
Mix together 3 cups of shredded, cooked chicken, 1 cup of cheese, 1/2 cup of sour cream, and 1/2 cup of mild enchilada sauce. Then, roll your tortillas and place them seam side down in a 9×13 baking pan. Top with 1 cup of enchilada sauce and 2 cups of cheese. Kog i 22 til 25 minutter ved 190 grader Celsius. You will know they are done when the cheese is fully melted and the sauce is bubbling.
To make this dish vegetarian, substitute chicken for black beans. Also, using salsa verde instead of red enchilada sauce will give your meal a brighter, tangier flavor.
25) Chicken Noodle Soup
*) Chicken Noodle Soup, the honest pitch:* Dinner tonight looks like a battle. One child is sick, the other is tired. Soup is loving and nurturing, and it’s a meal that nobody will fight you on.
Pour some olive oil into a pan and add the chopped onions, carrots, and celery.
Sauté them for about 6-8 minutes or until they have softened. Add 8 cups of chicken broth,
2 cups of shredded chicken (cooked), 1 teaspoon of dried thyme, and season to your liking
with salt and pepper. (Where I see the ‘Include’ coming from) Let this mixture simmer
and add 2 cups of egg noodles. Let that sit for about 6-8 minutes or until the noodles
are tender and the broth has reduced some. Lastly, add some lemon juice and parsley
for the finishing touches.
Replacement: Use a rotisserie chicken. Remove the meat for the soup and let the carcass simmer in the broth for about 20 minutes to enrich the flavor. The less noticed kid-friendly upgrade is replacing egg noodles with orzo!
Nathaniel’s Pantry Notes: The Lunchbox Carryover (Tonight’s Dinner, Tomorrow’s Lunch)
About a year ago, I started to notice I was cooking the same meal multiple times within a few days. For example, Tuesday’s chicken tenders made it into Wednesday’s lunchbox too. On Monday I had lunch with the enchiladas from Sunday, and the dinner-to-lunch pipeline was operational, but only for certain dinners. Others perished on the counter.
Assuming you made the appropriate dinner, Tuesday’s dinner is also Wednesday’s lunch… Some dinners can be eaten straight from the container during lunchtime. Other meals, however, break apart, get soggy, and become so unappealing that kids throw them away and choose whatever snacks are available in the vending machines. Knowing which dinners will be easy to pack is what differentiates true meal prepping from simply having leftovers that are likely to remain uneaten.
• Chicken tenders. The single best leftover protein for lunchboxes. Pack them cold with ketchup in a side container. Kids will eat them straight out of the box.
• Saucy pasta, not creamy pasta. Marinara-based, baked ziti, beef pasta. These hold up. Cream sauces (alfredo, mac and cheese) get gummy in a cold lunchbox.
• Enchiladas and burritos. Wrap-format dinners pack incredibly well. Cut them in half and put them in a hard container with a tortilla weight on top.
• Meatballs and rice. Two boxes: sauce in one, rice and meatballs in the other. Reheats in a microwave at school. Kid-tested.
• Drumsticks. Cold drumsticks are an underrated lunch and a complete protein. Pack with a dipping sauce and a slice of bread.
What’s not on the list? On purpose, anything fried that isn’t a sandwich (fish sticks get sad in a lunchbox), grilled cheese sandwiches (the bread sweats and gets gummy), and salads with dressing pre-mixed (you know why). As a rule of thumb, if it could get crispy, it won’t carry. If it is saucy, it will carry. If it’s got bread and is made fresh and together, it won’t carry. Pack accordingly.
26) Stuffed Peppers
Why Stuffed Peppers are Worth it: With stuffed peppers you are making it look like you put in so much effort into dinner, when, in fact, it is so easy! The filling is what kids eat first anyway.
To prepare the dish, slice the tops off 4 to 6 bell peppers and remove the seeds. Cook 1 pound of ground beef and chopped onions for 6 to 8 minutes or until the onions are browned. Combine the beef and onions with 1 cup of cooked rice and 1 cup of marinara sauce. Then, add a teaspoon of Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper to your liking. Fill the peppers and put them standing in a baking dish. Add shredded mozzarella on top. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit. The dish is complete when the cheese is melted and lightly browned and the peppers are tender, meaning a knife can be inserted easily.
Substitute with ground turkey or sausage. To make it easier for kids to accept them, slice the peppers in half lengthwise instead of keeping them whole. Half peppers appear less intimidating.
27) Teriyaki Chicken Bowls
What Teriyaki Chicken Bowls get you: Teriyaki is a reliable kid-friendly Asian flavor. The rice at the bottom captures all of the bowl’s contents.
First, prepare boneless chicken thighs by cutting them into small chunks. Then, in a heated skillet, add a little bit of oil to the pan and start searing the chicken for about 4 to 5 minutes until the edges turn golden brown and the centers turn white. After that, pour in half a cup of teriyaki sauce and allow it to simmer for about 2 to 3 minutes, or until the sauce thickens and coats the chicken. Finally, serve the chicken with rice and vegetables that you have steamed such as broccoli, edamame, or sugar snap peas.
Swap: Chicken breast works but watch it closely (3-4 minutes total). First, they pan-fry the tofu cubes, and then they glaze them. Works for the vegetarian child.
Free lesson · 3 min
View The Hot Pan Rule available at no charge in the Technique Library
28) Mini Corn Dogs
Why Mini Corn Dogs make the cut: Give these muffins a shot! You can avoid the hassle of buying frozen corn dogs and can skip the deep fryer since they cook up in the microwave perfectly. Best of all, they even store in the freezer like a corn dog would!
Begin by mixing together in a sizeable bowl: 1 cup of cornmeal, 1 cup of flour, 2 tablespoons of sugar, 1 tablespoon of baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Then, mix in 1 cup of milk, 1 egg, and 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Then, combine fully. Take 6 hot dogs and cut each into thirds. Place hot dog pieces into the batter in the greased mini muffin tins, and top with a little extra batter. Bake for 14 to 16 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. A toothpick test should yield no batter, and the tops should be golden brown to signal they are done.
Substitute boxed Jiffy corn muffin mix for the batter and save 5 minutes. Using sausage links in place of hot dogs offers a more adult variation.
29) Baked Chicken Drumsticks
Case for Baked Chicken Drumsticks: It is very affordable, easy to prepare, and kids get really excited about drumsticks. Young children, in particular, enjoy the most basic idea of chewing on meat off of a bone.
Eight (8) drumsticks should be dried with a paper towel. Combine them with some olive oil, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. The drumsticks should be placed on a wire rack that is placed over a sheet pan (the rack will allow the skin to get crispy all the way around the drumsticks). Cook for 35-40 minutes at 220 degrees Celsius. The drumsticks are done when the skin has turned dark and crispy and an instant read thermometer reads 175 in the thickest part.
For a sweet and sticky finish, brush on some barbecue sauce for the last 10 minutes of cooking. If you add a teaspoon of brown sugar to the spice mix, it will help with the caramelization.
30) Veggie Omelet
Why Veggie Omelet deserves its place: It’s simple, can be prepared in any sequence, and is sneaky enough to get kids to eat vegetables without having to make a separate side vegetable dish. In our home, dinner includes omelets.
Finely chop some bell pepper, a small handful of mushrooms, and some spinach. Sauté in butter for 4 to 5 minutes or until tender. Pour six beaten eggs (with salt and pepper) over the vegetables. Without stirring, let the bottom set for 4-5 minutes on low heat. Sprinkle some shredded cheese on one side, fold the other side over, and cook for one more minute to allow the cheese to melt. Slice into wedges to serve.
Skip the folding part of the omelet and instead, turn it into a frittata. Once the egg mixture is added on top of the veggies, put it in the oven for 12-15 minutes at 375°F. It’s simpler and serves more portions.
31) Mild Beef Chili
Why Mild Beef Chili Works: It’s a mild chili that kids will actually eat. The secret is to embrace the tomato and beef base and let the table do the spicing.
For six to eight minutes, brown one pound of ground beef, along with a chopped onion. Add two tablespoons of chili powder, one teaspoon of cumin, half a teaspoon of garlic powder, and some salt and pepper. Stir for 30 seconds, then add a 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes, a 15-ounce can of kidney beans, a 15-ounce can of black beans, and one cup of either water or beef broth. Simmer uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes. The chili will be done when it has thickened to be about the same consistency as a stew and the flavors have melded together.
Turkey mince or shredded chicken work as substitutions. Keep hot sauce, jalapeños, and sour cream on the table so adults can personalize their spice and not scare the kids.
32) Tuna Pasta Bake
The case for Tuna Pasta Bake: Cooking from the pantry but feel like an actual dinner. With two cans of tuna and one bag of pasta, you can make a casserole that serves a family of four and provides leftovers.
Boil 1 pound of penne or rotini until they are just under al dente and then drain. Mix the pasta with 2 drained cans of tuna, 1 cup of frozen peas, 1 can of cream of mushroom soup or cream of chicken soup, 1 cup of milk, 1 cup of shredded cheddar and add salt and pepper to taste. Pour the mixture into a baking dish, spread breadcrumbs and another half cup of cheese on top. Kog i 22-25 minutter ved 375 grader Fahrenheit. The casserole is complete when the top is golden brown and bubbling around the edges.
Instead of purchasing canned soup, you could prepare a quick béchamel (butter, flour, milk, cheese). While it isn’t absolutely necessary, it would be an improvement. For something fancier, you could use canned salmon.
33) Sausage And Peppers
Why sausage and peppers belong here: There are huge flavors involved and an easy clean-up. Plus, leftover sausage and peppers make for a great sub on a hoagie roll tomorrow.
Slice 1 pound of mild Italian sausage into half-inch rounds. Using a large skillet, sear 3-4 minutes until both sides are browned. Remove. In addition, include sliced red and yellow bell peppers, sliced onion, and one minced garlic clove. Stir occasionally and cook for 8-10 minutes until the vegetables are tender and start to char. Please return the sausage and add a half-cup of marinara. Simmer for 5 minutes. This can be served on rice, pasta, or in a hoagie roll.
Replace with sweet Italian sausage. For the adult portions, drizzle a little balsamic vinegar at the end.
34) Pretzel Snack Dinner
Where Pretzel Snack Dinner earns its spot: On those nights when you don’t really want to cook a full meal but you just need to get some food in everyone, this is the dinner for that! A well made snack platter is something that all ages will appreciate.
Prepare large platters with either hard or soft pretzels, cheese cubes, baby carrots, sliced apples and pears, cucumber slices, sliced turkey or salami, hummus, hard boiled eggs, and crackers. The focus should be on variety, not volume. One large portion feels less generous than multiple smaller portions of a variety of different items. Enjoy with chilled milk or sparkling water.
To enhance the experience and make it feel more like a real dinner, consider including a small bowl of warm soup. As for the dip, you can opt for hummus, yogurt, or peanut butter, which will keep it protein-positive.
I have made sheet-pan chicken tenders, BBQ chicken flatbreads, and buttered pasta the most often from this list. No questions asked, the chicken tenders get eaten and then the kids pack them for lunch the next day. My kids requested the flatbread and buttered pasta. Some nights I am just running on fumes, and they are happy and that’s the entire job done. For those of you that haven’t done this kind of rotation before, start with the chicken tenders and the snack-plate dinner. The snack plate is the dinner option for the nights when nothing else is going to cut it. You will figure it out eventually. Your kids will show you what they like based on what they eat.
