Photograph Credit: Microsoft Images
Fitting in meals around shopping trips, school obligations, and soccer games is a game in itself.
On these busy nights, I plan quick meals to feed my family. Sometimes finding 30 minutes to cook is tough, but with 10 minutes of preparation in the morning or afternoon, I can serve my family a healthy supper at the busy dinner hour.
To give you a peek into our household, here are three quick meals I make on busy weeks.
Spaghetti and Meatballs
Afternoon Prep
Since frozen meatballs only need about 3-4 hours to simmer, I start preparing this meal after lunch.
Taking about 5 minutes, I place the frozen meatballs in the crock pot, add a jar of spaghetti sauce, and sprinkle in the spices – oregano, basil, and parsley. I then stir the ingredients, turn the crock pot setting to low, and leave it until dinner time.
Dinner Prep
Within 15 minutes, I can boil the water and make the spaghetti noodles. While the pasta is cooking, I fix a bowl of salad and make the garlic bread.
For the garlic bread, I butter the bread, sprinkle with garlic powder, and toast in the toaster oven. Buttering the bread before toasting keeps the bread soft, so my children will eat the entire slice. 🙂
Marinated Grilled Chicken
Morning or Afternoon Prep
During my morning or afternoon routine, I defrost 3-4 chicken breasts for about 10 minutes in the microwave. When complete, I slice the chicken breasts in half (horizontally) which makes 6-8 thin chicken breasts.
I add a bottle of teriyaki marinade to a gallon-size Ziploc bag and add the chicken. After closing the bag, I place it in a bowl (to catch any leaks) and put it in the refrigerator.
Dinner Prep
When the grill master (my husband, Paul) preheats the grill, I start the stuffing on the stove top and the vegetables in the microwave. While the food is grilling and cooking, we set the table. Within 20 minutes, dinner is ready, and we sit down to eat.
Smoked Sausage with Sides
Morning Prep
Transfer the smoked sausage link(s) from the freezer to the refrigerator.
Dinner Prep
Start the pasta (parmesan linguine, mac and cheese, or alfredo rotini) and the frozen vegetables cooking. Then I slice the defrosted sausages and cook in a skillet on the stove top over medium-heat. Within 15 minutes, dinner is complete and ready to be devoured.
By feeding my family using quick meals like spaghetti and meatballs, marinated grilled chicken, and smoked sausage with sides, I can serve my family dinner on busy nights while using time wisely.
A little preparation in the morning or afternoon eases the time constraints at the dinner hour. With a few quick meals, you, too, can survive busy nights while using time wisely. Happy cooking!
Question: What is a quick meal enjoyed by your family?
all sound great! meals are always an issue in our house with Connor and his sensory issues. makes it complicated to make family meals 🙁 maybe one day! *crossing fingers* i however LOVE spaghetti and meatballs!! yum!!!
I understand your situation, Jen. When we get together with our friends, who have a child on the spectrum, they eat with us. However, the child comes and goes from the table. My children struggled with “why do I have to sit here while he gets up and plays without finishing.” But after a family discussion about how other families handle situations differently, my kids just respect their family’s choice. Good lessons for my kiddos. Hang in there!