Weeknight Dinner Tips for Busy Families

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Prep

Taking time on Sunday to tackle preliminary chopping and cooking saves precious time during the week. Prepare as many meal elements as possible in advance. Get kids involved washing and chopping fruit, vegetables and herbs. Roast veggies. Make sides such as rice or quinoa. Make and freeze sauces in advance. Buy frozen fruits and vegetables to make cooking a cinch.

UTILIZE KITCHEN TOOLS Freezer

If spaghetti and meatballs are a family favorite, make a double batch of meatballs and sauce: freeze half for the following week

Slow Cooker

During busy nights filled with practices, a slow cooker is a super helpful tool. It’s quick to put ingredients in and try different combinations. The aroma of a fully prepared dinner when we get home is terrific! Go to This Week for Dinner for Jane Maynard’s tried-and-true slow cooker recipes for Carnitas Tacos and Korean Beef BBQ.

Grill

Grill extra meat and veggies on the weekend. Toss on salads, stir-fry, sides or sandwiches during the week.

Use Your Noodle

Ease into the week by designating Monday as “Pasta Night.” Use prepared meatballs or precooked sausage for a quick, easy meal.

Rethink Dinner

If a traditional family meal around the table is an ideal that seems out of reach, reimagine how dinner works best for your family. Bring a cooler to the park when picking kids up from practice. A picnic dinner after soccer could be a new tradition.

Kids love breakfast for dinner. An egg scramble, hearty oatmeal, or yogurt parfaits come together in minutes and are healthy options.

Put cut vegetables, fruit, and sandwich fixings on the table and fuel your crew with a healthy make-your-own salad and sandwich night.

Take Baby Steps

If you want healthy dinners, make them a priority, but don’t beat yourself up when life happens. Increase the number of times your family eats together by a day or two, be realistic, and choose strategies that work.

Cherie Gough is a former English teacher, journalist, and college admissions writing coach. She also enjoys writing about food!

— by Kimberly Blaker