Quick and Easy Weekday Family Dinner Ideas

 As summer slowly starts to fade into fall, the kids are beginning to go back to school and engage in after-school activities and sports, which means fall routines are in full swing. Cue busy schedules and crazy calendars.

Do not sacrifice family time by skipping dinner together. Instead, drive past the drive-thru and gather around the dinner table for an evening meal together with these quick and easy weekday family dinner ideas.

Breakfast for Dinner

A super simple dinner win is serving up breakfast for dinner. There really isn’t anything simpler or more delicious than crispy bacon, fluffy scrambled eggs, and toast. You can also serve up a plate of sausage biscuits. One pan breakfasts are also quick and easy, so bust out your giant skillet and check out these breakfast recipes that are just as delicious for dinner:

• Buffalo Chorizo Breakfast Hash
• Chicken Chorizo Hash and Scrambled Eggs
• Meaty Breakfast Hash
• One Pan Breakfast Hash
• Paleo Breakfast Casserole with Chorizo
• Sweet Potato Hash
• Whole30 Breakfast Casserole

Burrito Bowls, Fajitas, and Tacos

A quick and easy back-to-school family dinner would be to observe Taco Tuesday. Ditch the popular taco drive-thru and instead, put together a build-your-own burrito bowl station. Include options like ground beef, chicken, or turkey. Then add bowls for different taco toppings like beans, cheese, guacamole, lettuce, onions, rice, salsa, sour cream, and tomatoes fresh from the farmers’ market.

You can even include hard or soft shells if family members prefer a handheld option instead of a burrito bowl. Include fun side dishes like chips and salsa with handcrafted guacamole, or you can whip up a big plate of layered nachos to munch on while everyone makes their culinary creations for your at-home family fiesta.

Casseroles

Casseroles are a great go-to family dinner because all you need to do is throw everything in a casserole dish and bake it in the oven. Plus, you usually get a hearty combination of protein, veggies, and carbohydrates, which makes for a balanced meal. Here are some casserole dishes to add to your weeknight dinner menu lineup:

• Budget-Friendly Tex-Mex Casserole
• Low-Carb Ground Beef Casserole
• Budget-Friendly Tex-Mex Casserole
• Paleo Buffalo Chicken Casserole
• Paleo Burrito Pie Casserole

Roasted Chicken

A roasted chicken may not seem like a quick or easy weekday family dinner idea, but if you roast a chicken for dinner one night, simply roast a second and serve the second chicken as the main course for dinner another night. Go through the fridge and put together a pan of mixed vegetables, toss in the oven with some cooking oil and all-purpose seasoning, and by the time everyone is washed up for dinner, your backup roasted chicken and one sheet pan veggies will be ready to eat. Bon appétit!

Spaghetti and Meatballs

That’s amore! Everyone loves a big plate of spaghetti and meatballs, and the best part about this dish is that it is incredibly easy to make. Boil water and drop in your spaghetti noodles, then while those are cooking, bake or pan-fry your beef or pork meatballs with your favorite pasta sauce and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese. A simple spaghetti and a mound of meatballs is a classic dish for a reason – it is so good. If you want to aim for everyone in your family to eat more vegetables, you can even skip the pasta and make zoodles instead with this recipe for Spaghetti and Meatballs.

Slow Cooker Anything

One of the easiest ways to make a quick and easy dinner is to start hours in advance, but because many of us do not have the time, we refer to handy kitchen appliances like a slow cooker to help with that.

Select what recipe you want to make the night before, then chop, dice, and slice all of your ingredients and add them to your slow cooker. Once the morning comes, set your slow cooker to low and let it cook for 8+ hours while everyone is at school and work. By the time you come home, dinner will be served. Dinner does not get much easier than that.

Here are some slow cooker ideas to use for your next weeknight family dinner meal:

• Baked Sweet Potatoes with Slow Cooker Carnitas
• Diced Apples Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
• Easy Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage
• Slow Cooker Barbacoa Burritos with Chimichurri Sauce
• Slow Cooker Beef and Bacon Chili

• Slow Cooker Beef Chuck Ragu
• Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
• Slow Cooker Carnitas Tacos
• Slow Cooker Shredded Beef
• The Best Slow Cooker Beef and Bean Chili

Busy school schedules and crazy calendars do not mean you have to skip a weeknight family dinner. Skip the drive-thrus and ordering in, and instead, keep it easy and quick with these family dinner ideas perfect for busy back-to-school nights.

Thank you, Ashley Martens, for this insightful article full of quick and easy weekday dinner inspiration! From hearty casseroles to flavorful taco nights, your ideas make it easier for busy families to skip the drive-thru and gather around the table. At US Wellness Meats, we’re proud to offer many of the quality ingredients that fit right into these recipes, like grass-fed ground beef, free-range chicken, sugar-free bacon, chorizo, and slow-cooker-friendly roasts. For more great reads from trusted voices like Ashley, visit our Discover Blog for recipes, tips, and inspiration to help you nourish your family well.