Top 10 Quick, Easy Dinners

If you'd like to try dining in more like our family, you'll need some tricks up your sleeve.

Because some days you'll get off work late, or your toddler will refuse to be happy unless you're sitting on the couch cuddling with her, or you'll remember something you were supposed to get done for work or for church and it has to be done today, and it's going to take all afternoon to finish, or the day will be so beautiful that you want to spend it playing outside instead of staying inside chopping onions. On those days, you'll want to have items on-hand that you can use to throw together quick, easy dinners. Here are some of our favorites!

1. Baked Potatoes with Chili: I usually bake the potatoes in the oven, which does take some time, but it doesn't take much effort. Here's how I prep them. Then we heat up a can or 2 of turkey chili (just get whatever kind you like best) and pour it on top. Sometimes if I'm feeling really ambitious, I shred up some cheese to put on top too.

2. Big Salads: We always have a big container of spinach in the fridge, and we put all kinds of things on top. We really like these. And craisins, nuts, lunchmeat, goldfish crackers, avocados, salsa, whatever we feel like throwing on there. This is easy and customizable, so we can each have our favorites.

3. Grilled Cheese and Soup: Always have bread, cheese, butter, and cans of your family's favorite soups, and you'll always be ready for this yummy, easy meal. Great for a cold day!

4. Picnics: If it's a nice day, and you want to spend time with your family, pack up some sandwiches, carrots, fruit, and water bottles, and head to the park. No one will complain. I promise. We probably do this once a week during the summer! It also works to eat on a picnic blanket on the living room floor if it's cold or rainy out.

5. Frozen Chicken Pot Pie: Not quick when you actually make it, but it makes enough filling for that first day and 2 more pies! We always have these in the freezer! I usually make this on a Saturday or Sunday when Mr. M is home because it is a lot of peeling and chopping. But it's so great to have a busy day and just pull a pot pie out of the freezer and know you'll have a delicious meal soon without any effort! Recipe here.

6. Spaghetti: Don't feel like cooking? Can you bring yourself to boil some water? Cause that's about all you need to do to make spaghetti. I usually use a jar of pasta sauce and add ground turkey and sliced mushrooms and zucchini, which doesn't take long, but you don't even have to do that if you don't want to. Then we often make a simple salad on the side, since we always have spinach.

7. Cereal: This doesn't happen very often, but I'll be honest and say it does happen occasionally, probably once a month or so. I used to feel guilty about it, but I'm over it. I try to keep a variety of lower-sugar cereals in the house for days when even boiling water is too much for me. This is probably one of Super B's favorite dinners.

8. Stir-fry: SUPER easy! I always keep frozen stir-fry veggies in the freezer. Making white rice or quinoa takes about 15-20 minutes and brown rice take 45-50 minutes, so we vary what we eat our stir-fry on based on the time we have to cook. Sometimes I add shrimp which also thaws out and cooks quickly.

9. Wraps: We usually have whole grain tortillas in the house, or flatbread wraps. We add lunchmeat, spinach or lettuce, other veggies, cheese, dressing, whatever we have on hand. Most of the time we eat this with a side of fruit.

10.LEFTOVERS!!! Don't forget leftovers! I don't even want to think about how much food we wasted before this year. Now we eat everything we cook, and I LOVE being able to say "Leftovers for dinner tonight!" Because it's easy for me, and it cleans out my refrigerator!

Happy quick cooking!