The spring time can be a busy time for families.  Whether it is after school activities, sports, or meetings, family dinners can often go by the wayside in favor of quick bites before you hop in the car or stops at fast food restaurants which are, let’s all face it and accept it, expensive.  If you often find yourself in this situation, then here are some quick and easy dinner suggestions that you can make ahead of time.  The best part of all is that there are more methods, so you can alter them for what works best for your family.

When you’ve got a busy week ahead, a little meal planning and spending a Saturday or Sunday making meals for the week is a great way to have meals ready to go for the week.  Even if you just prep the vegetables or cook the meat it can save a lot of time on weeknights. Another suggestion that is a great time saver is to take advantage of the days that you have time to make dinner and make double whatever dinner you are making. Then put the extra dinner in the freezer for another day.  

Quick and Easy Dinner 1: Walking Tacos

So, in our family, walking tacos go in plastic storage containers when we are on the go because we don’t purchase those mini bags of chips.  However, this dinner is easy to reheat and customizable.

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound of ground beef (or turkey or chicken)
  • Shredded lettuce
  • Diced tomato
  • Shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • salsa 
  • Sour cream
  • Your favorite corn chips

Directions:

1. Cook ground beef in a skillet according to the directions on the taco seasoning packet.

2.  If family members are going to be in and out of the home, then you can place the cooked meat in a slow cooker on warm.

3.  Set out the toppings and have everyone assemble their walking tacos into a bag or storage container. Take and go!

Quick and Easy Dinner 2: Egg Sandwiches

Like fast food but made at home, these are quick to put together and easy to transport. You can also make large batch and freeze some for another day.  Add a hashbrown patty and you’ve got breakfast for dinner.

Ingredients:

  • 8 eggs
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons of heavy cream, half & half, or milk
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp pepper
  • 1 package of pre-cooked sausage patties (or cook your own patties)
  • 6 slices of sharp cheddar cheese (or your favorite)
  • 6 English muffins

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease the bottom of a 9 by 9 pan.

2.  In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, heavy cream, salt, and pepper.

3.  Pour the egg mixture into the pan and place in the oven.

4.  Cook for about fifteen minutes.

5.  Meanwhile, heat up the sausage. (Alternatively, cook the sausage in a pan if you are not using the pre-cooked kind.)

6.  Slice the english muffins and lightly toast in a toaster.

7.  When the eggs are cooked, divide into six servings.

8.  To assemble the sandwiches:  Put a slice of cheese, egg, and then sausage on an English muffin and then top with the other half of the muffin.

9.  You can eat immediately or wrap in foil to keep warm.

Quick and Easy Dinner 3: Rotisserie Chicken Wraps

Rotisserie chicken is a great time saver.  Pick one up in the deli section of a grocery store to enjoy the flavors of a slow roasted chicken without having to do the work yourself.  Add a package of your favorite tortillas to your cart and you’ve got dinner.

Your basic ingredients include:

  • Shredded rotisserie chicken
  • Romaine lettuce
  • Cheese of your choice
  • Flour tortillas

You can easily customize a wrap with flavors your family enjoys.  Grab some romaine lettuce, toss with a Caesar dressing, add some parmesan cheese and you’ve got all the ingredients for a Caesar chicken wrap.

To make an Italian wrap mix some mayo with sun dried tomatoes to spread on the tortilla.  Top with shredded chicken, lettuce, parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, and tomatoes.

You can make some chicken ranch wraps by tossing the shredded chicken in a bowl with some ranch dressing, cheddar cheese, crumbled bacon, and lettuce.

While the wraps above can be eaten at room temperature, this next one is best served warm.  Chicken parmesan wraps require ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry.  To make them, toss the shredded chicken with some jarred marinara sauce.  Spread on flour tortilla and add mozzarella cheese, some parmesan, and a sprinkle of Italian seasoning.  Melt some butter on a pan  on the stovetop and warm the wraps just until the cheese is melted.

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