Some nights, the last thing anybody wants to do is stare at a recipe while trying to figure out what’s for supper. After a long day, measuring spices, washing a mountain of dishes, and making three trips to the grocery store just isn’t happening. Thankfully, not every meal has to come from a cookbook.
I’m a big fan of meals that let you use whatever you’ve already got sitting in the refrigerator, freezer, or pantry. These kinds of dinners save money, reduce food waste, and honestly take a whole lot of stress out of cooking. Once you start thinking in combinations instead of recipes, dinner becomes much easier.
Build A Loaded Baked Potato
A baked potato is basically a blank canvas. Bake a few potatoes, then let everyone pile on their favorite toppings. It turns dinner into something fun without creating extra work for you.
Try toppings like:
- Shredded cheese
- Sour cream
- Butter
- Bacon bits
- Leftover taco meat
- Chili
- Broccoli
- Green onions
- Cottage cheese
- Salsa
Everyone gets exactly what they want, and you don’t have to follow a single recipe.
Make A Snack Board For Dinner
Who decided charcuterie boards were only for parties? Around here, a snack board counts as a perfectly acceptable dinner every now and then.
Mix together things like:
- Cheese cubes
- Crackers
- Fresh fruit
- Grapes
- Apple slices
- Baby carrots
- Cucumbers
- Hard-boiled eggs
- Deli meat
- Pickles
- Hummus
- Nuts
It’s colorful, easy to customize, and requires almost no cooking at all.
Create A Taco Bar
Instead of making one complicated meal, simply put ingredients in bowls and let everyone build their own tacos, burritos, or taco salads.
You can use:
- Ground beef
- Shredded chicken
- Black beans
- Rice
- Lettuce
- Tomatoes
- Cheese
- Salsa
- Guacamole
- Tortillas
- Tortilla chips
It’s one of those dinners that somehow feels like more work than it actually is.
Turn Leftovers Into Grain Bowls
Don’t overlook yesterday’s leftovers. A little rice, quinoa, or even mashed potatoes can become the base for an entirely new meal.
Top your bowl with whatever you have available:
- Leftover vegetables
- Rotisserie chicken
- Steak
- Black beans
- Corn
- Avocado
- Fried egg
- Cheese
- Ranch or your favorite dressing
Every bowl comes out a little different, which keeps things interesting.
Breakfast For Supper
Breakfast foods are usually quick, inexpensive, and filling. Better yet, most families already keep the ingredients on hand.
Serve:
- Scrambled eggs
- Toast
- Pancakes
- Waffles
- Sausage
- Bacon
- Fruit
- Yogurt
Breakfast for dinner never seems to disappoint.
Pasta Without The Fuss
Pasta doesn’t have to mean spending hours making homemade sauce. Boil your favorite pasta and toss it with whatever sounds good.
Simple combinations include:
- Butter and Parmesan
- Olive oil, garlic, and spinach
- Jarred marinara
- Alfredo sauce
- Pesto
- Cherry tomatoes
- Grilled chicken
- Frozen vegetables
Dinner is on the table before anyone has time to complain they’re hungry.
Sheet Pan Suppers
This may be one of the easiest meals ever invented. Toss protein and vegetables onto one baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, season however you like, and roast everything together.
Some easy combinations include:
- Sausage and potatoes
- Chicken with broccoli
- Shrimp and asparagus
- Sweet potatoes with peppers
- Brussels sprouts with smoked sausage
Cleanup is almost as easy as the cooking.
Grilled Cheese And Soup
Sometimes the classics are classics for a reason. A grilled cheese sandwich alongside a bowl of tomato soup, potato soup, or vegetable soup makes a comforting meal that comes together fast.
Pair it with fresh fruit or a simple salad if you want to round things out, but honestly, it’s pretty satisfying all by itself.
Quesadillas Save The Day
Quesadillas are one of the easiest ways to use small amounts of leftovers. Almost anything tastes good tucked inside a tortilla with melted cheese.
Try adding:
- Chicken
- Ground beef
- Black beans
- Peppers
- Onions
- Spinach
- Mushrooms
- Leftover roasted vegetables
Serve with salsa or sour cream, and dinner is done.
Rice Bowls With Whatever You Have
Rice stretches ingredients beautifully, especially when groceries are running low. Start with cooked rice and simply add whatever protein and vegetables need to be used up.
Finish everything with soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, barbecue sauce, hot sauce, or ranch dressing. There really aren’t many wrong answers.
Keep A “Dinner Formula” Instead Of Recipes
One trick that makes weeknight cooking much easier is thinking about meals in simple formulas instead of exact instructions.
Most dinners can be built using four basic parts:
- A protein
- A starch
- A vegetable
- A sauce or seasoning
For example, grilled chicken + rice + green beans + barbecue sauce becomes dinner. Ground beef + potatoes + corn + shredded cheese becomes dinner. Once you start seeing these combinations, you’ll realize you already know far more meals than you thought.
Don’t Overcomplicate Supper
Social media has convinced us every meal needs fifteen ingredients and beautiful presentation, but real life doesn’t usually work that way. Some of the best family dinners come from using what’s already in the kitchen instead of making another trip to the grocery store.
The next time you’re tempted to search for a complicated recipe, open the refrigerator first. You might already have everything you need to make a delicious meal without measuring a single teaspoon. Sometimes the easiest dinners become the ones your family asks for again and again.