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Weeknights don't need any extra stress, so make feeding your family easy with my Easy Weeknight Family Dinner Recipes! I've collected together all my favorite easy family meals that take as little prep as possible for filling, satisfying suppers on even the busiest days. Plus, your kids will love them, too!
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When my kids were still little, we had one packed schedule. Football games, sports practice, school, work- there was hardly a day on the calendar where we weren't busy! With so much to get done every day, dinner started falling to the wayside.
Well, that wasn't acceptable! So right away, I got to preparing a whole bunch of cheap, easy dinner ideas for family-sized meals to make sure we never missed out on the foods we loved, no matter how busy the busy weeknight.
Now, I pass on those meals to you all, and your families! I hope each and every one of these easy family dinners makes your lives just that much easier. Plus, tell me in the comments about your favorite weeknight dinners!
Why You'll Love these Recipes
- As little prep as possible! These recipes are special selected for ease!
- Big portions to feed your whole family!
- Set-and-forget style cooking, both for slow cookers and simple casseroles.
- Hearty and filling all on their own; no need for lots of sides!
- Great for leftovers so you can get at least a few meals from every recipe.
Slow Cooker Dinner Recipes
Slow cooker recipes are some of my absolute favorite easy family meals. Pop the ingredients in the slow cooker, turn it on, and by dinner time, you've got a meal! So long as you have time to start them early, this is the easiest way to make dinner on a weeknight.
Casserole Recipes for Families
Casseroles are a classic when it comes to easy family supper ideas. They've got everything; kid friendly cheese sauce appeal, tons of protein and veggies, and best of all, pretty much no prep at all besides putting everything in a casserole dish! Plus, you've got a complete meal all in one dish, so no sides are necessary.
Easy Air Fryer Recipes
The air fryer can be used for packaged meals like chicken tenders and frozen pizza, sure- but it can also be used to make incredible homemade meals! Treat it like a sheet pan for easy roast meals!
Roast Recipes for Families
Roasts really are one of the best suppers out there, in my opinion! They're so mouthwatering, tender, and totally delicious, all while being super easy to make. My favorite is making a big roast on Monday and eating it all week!
Easy Suppers for the Family Tips
- Try slow cooker meals that you can start early. That way, you can leave dinner cooking safely away and it'll be all done and ready to serve by supper time.
- Make meals that last several days! Better yet, try recipes like my pulled pork that can be turned into all sorts of lunches for later, like pulled pork tacos, pulled pork pizza, and pulled pork nachos.
- Prep ahead of time by making big batches of rice, mashed potatoes, or pasta that can be used alongside leftovers!
- You can always save time by using rotisserie chicken in salad and sandwiches instead of roasting and shredding your own chicken breasts. You can also use my slow cooker rotisserie chicken or oven roasted whole chicken recipes to do this!
- Save time by prepping marinades ahead and storing the marinated meat in the freezer!
- Prioritize making meals that serve as a full dinner in one; that way you don't need to fuss with sides at all.
- See my School Lunch Ideas for Picky Eaters, and my make-ahead family dinner ideas, too!
Family Dinner Ideas
Easy Weeknight Dinners for Families FAQ
In my experience, it's always a great idea to stock up on ground beef, garlic, onions, potatoes, and carrots. These ingredients last a nice long time, and go into pretty much everything! Plus, you can cut up the veggies ahead of time to make prep even easier.
Save those leftovers, and repurpose them! Add a little extra cheddar cheese or milk to casserole and top it with some crackers for a fun twist on macaroni, or repurpose leftover Chinese chicken into Asian fusion tacos! Changing up leftovers makes them more enticing to eat for picky kids and adults alike.
Meal Prep Recipes
These recipes don't really make a full dinner on their own, but combine them with other ingredients and they make the perfect multi-purpose protein! Turn them into sandwiches, salads, burritos, tacos, and more!
If you enjoyed the recipes, leave a comment below!
John E Toler Jr says
Just started to get some of your recipes and they sound very good
Isabel Laessig says
Thank you, John! I hope you enjoy them!