Weeknights often mean everyone tumbles into the house at 6:00 pm after work, practice, rehearsal and commuting. Or the family trickles in one at a time – heading home from one obligation and then heading out to another. Weeknight dinners are tricky.
Handle all these shifting schedules with easy make-ahead meals and all-in-one family-friendly casseroles that anyone can pop in the oven. We also love recipes that welcome substitutions – making last-minute dinners a breeze. Bonus points for meals that make even better leftovers!
Soups
Soups are easy to make on the weekend and reheat as needed during the week. Some of our favorite recipes can be maybe start to finish in about 40 minutes!
Casseroles
A well-stocked pantry and a few easy techniques mean a quick casserole is just steps away. Some of these recipes work for make-ahead options, but others take so little time to pull together, they’re easy enough to make the night of.
A Special Shout-Out
We’ve put this gratin through the ringer – swapping in whatever veggies we have in the refrigerator and doubling or even tripling the batch for a full meal, plus excellent leftovers.
What are your tricks for feeding the family on busy weeknights? What dishes do you turn to that make things easier? Share your tips and suggestions in the comments section below.
