As a busy parent, you sometimes need to get a meal on the table in a jiffy. Do you find yourself turning to the drive-thru or takeout in such cases? If so, you could be spending too much money.
You don’t need much time to get some delicious vittles on the table. Here are 11 quick dinners for your family this week that will help you keep more green in your wallet.
1. Tex-Mex Pita Pizzas
Who doesn’t love pizza? This meal offers the ideal way for you to get your little ones to eat their veggies without protest — after all, they’re topping one of their favorite foods.
Using avocado instead of tomato sauce decreases the sugar content and provides a healthy dose of vitamin E to protect your family’s blood vessels and hearts. The black beans offer vegan protein, and nearly everyone enjoys the phytonutrient-rich corn and pepper blend.
2. Lobster and Boursin Cheese Ravioli
Do you want a meal that sounds like it belongs on the Four Seasons menu but is surprisingly easy to make? This lobster and Boursin cheese ravioli is elegant enough to serve at your next formal dinner party, but it won’t require you to spend hours slaving in the kitchen. For a fresh lobster, you can look at this at Get Maine Lobster to have it delivered to you.
Using prepackaged wonton wrappers makes preparing this dish a snap. Serve this dish up with some crusty french bread and olive oil for dipping for a luxurious dinner the whole family will enjoy.
3. Easy Lemon-Butter Fish
Eating more seafood benefits your family by getting you a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids critical for heart and neurological health. Plus, it doesn’t take long to cook, making it a busy-day win.
This meal only takes 20 minutes from start to finish. Add some rice and vegetables for a complete dinner your family will love.
4. Quick and Easy Creamy Herb Chicken
When you only have 15 minutes to prepare a hearty, comforting meal, reach for this recipe. Even though it’s creamy, you can make a dairy-free version if any of your family members has an allergy or you practice a vegan lifestyle.
For a super-comforting experience, serve this dish over mashed potatoes. Add fresh rosemary, thyme and parsley from your windowsill herb garden for unstoppable flavor.
5. Whole Roasted Cauliflower With Tahini Sauce
Do you need the perfect dish for meatless Monday? You can still make a roast — if it consists of a head of cauliflower. Prep time only takes 10 minutes, after which you can relax and enjoy the extra oven heat in the wintertime.
If you want to slash your prep time even further, you can purchase Zaatar spice instead of making it at home. The nuttiness of the tahini sauce can coax even reluctant kiddos to try a bite.
6. Roasted Veggie Grain Bowl
Here’s another dish that’s ideal for when you want to reduce your family’s meat consumption. You’ll get plenty of protein from chickpeas, quinoa and pepitas.
Best of all, you’ll get a nourishing amount of phytonutrients, particularly B-vitamins from the broccolini and other vegetables. The olive oil and maple syrup make this dish taste indulgent, not overly healthy.
7. 15-Minute Honey Garlic Chicken
If you have a fraction of an hour, you can prepare this dish instead of getting questionable drive-thru nuggets. You only need seven ingredients to assemble the main dish, making it perfect for when your cupboard starts to run bare.
Serve this dish over brown rice and add a side salad. If you like, drizzle a little lime juice to enhance the sweet and savory effect.
8. One-Skillet Lasagna
Did you think that lasagna took hours of preparation time? It doesn’t when you make it in a skillet.
You can modify this recipe to suit your family’s eating preferences. For example, if you avoid beef, substitute lean ground turkey or one of the newer plant-based ground “meats” on the market.
9. Honey-Garlic Shrimp Skillet
Here’s a dish that does double duty. It’s an easy weeknight meal, but it’s also elegant enough to serve guests at your next party. Since you arrange it on skewers, it’s a snap to carry at backyard barbecues.
For a more homestyle meal, serve this dish over rice. You can always put the sauce on the side for more reluctant little ones.
10. Quick and Easy Wonton Soup
Few things comfort your soul like a hot bowl of soup. Make this dish a routine part of your winter repertoire or any time of year that you need an edible hug.
What sets this recipe apart is the vegetables. While it calls for broccoli florets, you can add whatever you like to increase your antioxidant intake.
11. Easy Parmesan-Crusted Fish
You know the many benefits of eating more seafood. Another perk of this dish is getting most of the delicious goodness in only three minutes.
Besides the fish, you only need six ingredients to assemble this meal. The five minutes in the oven won’t heat your kitchen too much on hot summer days.
Delight Your Family With These 11 Quick Dinners
The next time you need a meal in a jiffy, please don’t turn to the drive-thru. Delight your family with one of these quick 11 dinners.