10 ideas for quick, weeknight dinners to inspire you.

August 18, 2010 at 11:49 am | Posted in Food | 1 Comment

What’s for dinner? Inspired answers to a classic question. One of the  first thing my son asks me when I pick him up from school is, “What’s for dinner?” On the best days, I know what we’re having, my kids (who have big differences in what they like to eat and one is quintessentially picky) both like it, and it’s good for them. But with so, so, so many dinners to plan, I often don’t hit the mark, and I end up making the same thing over and over again, cooking only in the microwave,and forgetting to serve veggies. So here are 15 ideas gathered from Facebook friends to inspire you:

1. Plan ahead. Planning is half the battle for me (just coming up with ideas), but it makes such a difference. What seems to work best is if I can plan two weeks or a month of meals before making a grocery list. Sitting down and doing it stinks, but I get it done all at once for a full 14 to 30 days. Plus, once I have a calendar of meals done, I can recycle the ideas for future months. Now on to the fun meal ideas.
2. Mexican meals provide lots of easy and fun ideas such as tacos (make-your-own if the kids are old enough), bean and cheese burritos (which I wrap in paper towels and microwave for 30 seconds), nachos, huevos rancheros, beans and rice, fish or shrimp tacos, and quesadillas. My kids also like what we call “Mexican pizza” – an open tortilla, refried beans, and cheese, cooked under the broiler. You can sneak or not sneak good veggies in and serve with sides of tomato, lettuce, and avocado.
3. Pasta meals can be as simple as spaghetti with or without meatballs or macaroni and cheese (my kids like both Annie’s and Simply Organic brands)  or fancier but fast – chow mein, orchette boiled with broccoli and a sauce of anchovies, red pepper, and Parmesan, campanelli with saute of diced butternut squash, red pepper, red onion and Romano, or  penne with sauteed cherry tomatoes, marjoram and Parmasan (thanks to Jeremiah B. for the fancier suggestions).
4. Smorgasbord. We haven’t tried this but it sounds like a great idea, an antipasto inspired meal with meats and cheeses, breads, crackers, finger fruits and veggies.
5. Slow cooker. I got many suggestions for slow cooker meals – throw it in the morning, set it to go, and enjoy in the evening. Better Homes and Gardens and Parents are just two sites with ideas.
6. Surprisingly easy. These are ideas I wouldn’t have thought of for weekend meals but they came recommended as easy – sliders (small burgers with fixin’s), cheese quiche with salad, three-bean salad, baked or grilled fish, or baked drumsticks and coleslaw.
7. Make it meaty with sloppy joes, fried rice with leftover rice, veggis and leftover meat, “healthy” hot dogs, or a big piece of meat roasted with veggies around it.
8. Where’s the beef? Go meatless with frozen veggie burgers, beans and rice (my kids love Zataran’s Red Beans and Rice), and bean, lentil or vegetable soup.
9. Frozen favorites. I’ve seen more and more healthful frozen options which are great for a quick fix dinner. Try chicken nuggets (my kids like Earth’s Best), frozen ravioli, and pot pies (the healthful ones are expensive – Annie’s vegetarian one a little less so – but a nice treat).
10. Bend the rules. I try to make most weeknight meals nutritious and well-rounded. But generally on Fridays, we have “fun” foods that are more junky than nutritious (frozen burritos, fries, pizza). Bending the rules on one day makes for a nice break from thinking about making a good meal.

Thanks to Facebook friends for inspiration. I hope these ideas inspire  you, and I would love to hear about other weeknight dinner ideas  you have! Happy cooking.