8 Simple Dinner Ideas

You know that I'm a big fan of feeding my people delicious food - right!?!  

I really do love making food they love.  However, I do not love spending hours in the kitchen.  Ideally, I like for the meal to take about 30 minutes to prep, eat and clean up that takes under 30 minutes.  I often prep/chop a little during Leo's nap time in the afternoon and that makes the actual dinner prep really quick at dinner time.  Kevin is usually home before dinner to hang out with the kids so I can cook solo.  He also helps out after dinner so I can close down the kitchen for the night.

Let me share some simple dinner ideas with you that we've eaten lately.  You'll notice that grilling season is in full swing over here.  That means that Kevin buys the meat.  I marinate it.  He grills it and I make the sides.  It's my favorite dinner season.

1. Build your own pasta bowl

Everyone makes their personalized pasta on their plate.  Pasta, marinara, meat and fresh parmesan cheese were the options.  Roasted broccoli and fruit as sides.  My kids said this is their favorite meal of all time.

2. Hammy Cheesy Eggs

Another family favorite.  Scrambled eggs topped with deli sliced ham and sharp cheddar cheese.  Roasted red potatoes and onions as a side and fruit.  The kids eat the potatoes with ketchup.  This is the perfect way to finish up the end of package of ham deli meat and a great way to use up your last potatoes.  A clean out the fridge meal that is still delicious.

3. Steak & sides.

Kevin grilled and I make all the yummy sides.  White & Wild Grain Rice from a box, fruit, homemade crusty bread and a big salad.

We were extra proud of our salad because we grew this lettuce.  I added feta, all the veggies and balsamic.

4. Taco Night

Ground beef taco meat on mall Street Taco soft shells.  Toppings - pepperjack cheese, lettuce, onions, salsa, sour cream and roasted veggies.  We all ate fruit and chips and salsa.

5. Breakfast for dinner

Waffles from a mix, bacon, scrambled eggs and fruit.  A winning combination that everyone loves.  I do plain waffles for Kevin and Leo and chocolate chip waffles for everyone else.

6. Steak & Sides

Kevin grilled steak and I roasted veggies, added fruit and made cornbread casserole.

7. Veggie Lo Mein

I love the veggie lo mein in the freezer section at Sams.  It comes packaged in single serve sizes.  3 of them work for us for dinner.  I add in tons of veggies and it's so good.

8. Taco Salad

This was SO SO GOOD.  My family ate soft shells or nachos and I made myself a big taco salad.  All the toppings and homemade pickled onions.  I think I could eat this every day.

Lastly, my friend Liz has the best free printable gift tags to attach to food you make for friends or family.  I printed off a bunch, cut them out and have them in a kitchen drawer ready to attach food that I deliver.  I took dinner to a friend over the weekend.  I attached a label to the top.  It looked so much nicer than a post it note or a sharpie scribbled note.  I added washi tape for a little extra something.

Head over here: This Little Home of Mine: Free Printable Food Gift Tags - you just have to enter your email and they will arrive in your inbox.  I am so excited to use these!

What's for dinner at your house this week?  Which of these meals would your family enjoy most?