Last updated on November 22nd, 2024
A friend once said to me, “you know, a question I will probably ask myself until the end of time is, What Should I Cook For Dinner?” And I thought, yip I am going to be asking that question too! We all want to make that daily decision much easier, right? Yes! So here you are, a lovely list of 12 easy, family-friendly, weeknight meals that you can browse through when you find yourself asking yourself that question!
1. Tasty Tuscan Chicken
A deliciously creamy, tomato-y sauce with chicken and fresh baby spinach, this Tasty Tuscan Chicken recipe is sure to be a weeknight favourite! I have made it with and without the mushrooms and maybe I am a little biased but it tastes way better with mushrooms, #justsaying. My family loved this recipe except for the spinach, that threw the kids a little of course, you know, the greenery in a dish seems to have that affect on little people. My Pro tip here, is to leave it out for picky eaters 🙂
2. Creamy Parmesan Chicken Bake
A tasty chicken recipe that is kid-friendly! What makes it kid-friendly? There are just a handful of ingredients, so it is super simple! And kids love simple food with no fancy ingredients, generally speaking right?!
3. Easy Egg Fried Rice
What on earth to make for dinner? There is nothing in the fridge or freezer and dinner is looking like spaghetti on toast. Or Bovril. Or maybe just butter. Until you read this easy egg-fried rice recipe and you start doing a little shimmy shake with your shoulders. And the reason you’re shimmy shaking is because you don’t need very much at all to shimmy shake this all together.
4. Cream of Chicken Soup
A dinner with basic pantry ingredients, this cream of chicken soup recipe really is soup for the soul! My kids love the simplicity of it and I love the fact that it comes together in 20 minutes.
5. Easy Chicken Alfredo Pasta Bake
An easy and tasty chicken bake making the perfect family meal. Made with chicken breasts or rotisserie chicken and basic pantry ingredients, this recipe can be made ahead of time and is perfect for freezing. It is a super creamy, super cheesy Chicken Alfredo Pasta Bake!
6. Best Ever Hungarian Goulash with Sour Cream
Hungarian Goulash. Oh my. Why did it take me so long to make this? It is so easy, so tasty, so simple. Lately I have been challenging myself to make at least one new recipe every week or at least to repeat a non-traditional dish that we have enjoyed in the past. The idea of a goulash popped into my mind and I’m so glad it did. I am now HOOKED on this dish. It is quickly becoming a regular feature on our meal plan.
7. 20-Minute Creamy Tomato and Bacon Pasta
In December we did a camping trip around South Africa and the intention with meals was to keep them SUPER simple, trying to use the least amount of pots and dishes as possible! Anyway, this 5-ingredient, 20-minute recipe was one I made up on the way with a few basic supplies.
8. Macaroni Cheese
A delightfully easy Macaroni Cheese recipe that you can whip up with basic pantry and fridge staples, with the option of adding extra tasty ingredients to maximise on flavour. The cheese sauce is the heart of this Macaroni Cheese recipe and if you have never made a cheese sauce before, never fear because I have written detailed instructions to ensure you make a creamy cheese sauce, first time!
9. 5-Ingredient Butternut Soup
Probably the easiest soup you’ll ever make. In fact, no, it IS the easiest soup you will ever make. There are not frills to this 5-ingredient butternut soup but the taste is amazing! I always maintain that adding more ingredients to a dish doesn’t always make it taste better. Less ingredients means you get to taste the ingredients that ARE there!
10. Bacon and Basil Pesto Pasta
This recipe is again a 5-ingredient recipe. I am LOVING cooking with just 5-ingredients (okay we’re not counting, salt, pepper and olive oil okay?). I mean 5 ingredients – all our brains can cope with that right?
11. 20-Minute Chicken Teriyaki with Only 5 Ingredients
So, this Teriyaki Chicken recipe got the thumbs up of approval from my husband and he doesn’t give a thumbs up too easily, let me tell ya! Also, the great thing about 5 ingredient meals, is that it revolutionises your shopping list. You only have to go and get FIVE things. It’s ridiculous. I love it. And, something I noticed as well, is that when you have less ingredients, you taste the ingredients – they don’t just meld into one flavour.
12. 20-Minute Creamy Smoked Salmon and Lemon Pasta
This you guys. This is your best friend in a recipe format. It is a creamy pasta full of smoked salmon, lemon (juice and zest), fresh Dill, cream and creme fraiche (I did say it was a creamy pasta!!), a dash of Chilli (which just adds flavour) and then a little salt and pepper. Let’s not forget the Parmesan. The Parmesan is critical and you can always add more if you like. I always add more.
13. Easy Beef Stroganoff
Beef Stroganoff is such a classic recipe and has such a distinct taste, it is impossible not to love this creamy Russian dish. Okay, except for the mushrooms, I would say my kids LOVE this recipe. I know as they get older though, they will get more tolerant of them but for now, this still serves as a wonderful family dinner.
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