Every parent has that one recipe they turn to when they need to get dinner on the table with minimum fuss and maximum chance the kids will actually eat it. We were curious what other families cook on those busy weeknights, so we asked Mykidstime parents to share their go-to meals. Here are 15 tasty ideas for standby easy dinners for the family, straight from the parents who rely on them.
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#1. Pasta
- “Pasta and pesto with fresh peppers, tomatoes and cheese.” – Kirsty
- “Linguini in zucchini sauce & creamy tortellini in spinach.” – Val
- Tracey Lynn recommends “Hamburger helper and honey butter biscuits.”
In our house, pasta with courgette, lemon and capers is a standby we cook regularly.
Recommended Reading: 9 Simple Pasta Recipes for Kids to Prepare in No Time
#2. Soup
“Soup. Never fails,” says Marinda, while Shannon’s standby is grilled cheese and soup, and Nikki says pumpkin soup never fails for her.
The great thing about soup is you can prep it in advance, defrost it quickly from the freezer, or rustle one up in under half an hour. Our own standby quick pea and ham soup has just four ingredients: onion, bacon bits, frozen peas and ham stock.
Recommended Reading: 16 Splendid Soup Recipes That Kids Will Love
#3. Chicken Stir-fry
“I dice the chicken and throw in whatever vegetables I have on hand,” advises Kelly.
This is a great way to use up leftover chicken from a roast dinner. If you don’t have a stir-in sauce to hand, just mix some grated ginger, soy sauce, lime and a spoonful of brown sugar for a very quick stir-fry sauce.
#4. Chicken Chow Mein
“Chicken chow mein is my standby because it’s a one-pot meal and pretty much just a throw-in-and-leave thing,” says Jade.
If you marinate your chicken before cooking, it will tenderise it nicely too — a small step that makes a big difference to a simple midweek meal.
Recommended Reading: 25 Super Scrummy Easy Chicken Recipes
#5. Sausages
Maura says “sausages with potatoes, beans, red onion and gravy” is a standby in her house.
We always keep a packet of sausages in the freezer just in case, for example grilled sausages with mashed potato and peas. Sometimes we make a red onion marmalade using olive oil, sliced red onion and a spoonful of brown sugar to caramelise the onions.
Recommended Reading: Homemade Sausages
#6. Spaghetti Bolognese
One family favourite is spaghetti bolognese. Using a mix of pork and beef mince in the ragu helps lighten it up a little.
Or make some yummy meatballs with lamb or beef mince, and you’ve got spaghetti & meatballs on the table in no time.
#7. Chicken & Leek Pie
Another handy freezer staple is a packet of ready-made shortcrust pastry.
After a roast chicken dinner, combine the leftovers with bacon, leek and mushrooms in a white sauce, then bake with a pastry top for an easy chicken & leek pie. Make one big pie, or use ramekins or mini pie dishes for individual portions.
#8. Macaroni & Cheese
Chandra’s suggestion of mac and cheese with chicken breast and green beans sounds like a delicious, balanced meal.
To make macaroni and cheese extra tasty, add bacon bits and leek, and finish with a breadcrumb topping.
#9. Chicken Vol-au-Vents
Elaine swears by “chicken vol-au-vents with creamy mash and veg. Yum.”
Vol-au-vent or puff pastry cases are handy to keep in the fridge or freezer — you can rustle up chicken vol-au-vents very quickly by making a tasty filling.
Recommended Reading: 10 More Go-To Family Dinner Ideas Every Parent Should Know
#10. Burgers
Make homemade burgers quickly by mixing your chosen mince (or mixed beans blitzed in a food processor for a veggie version) with an egg and a handful of breadcrumbs. Keeping ends of bread whizzed up into breadcrumbs in the freezer is a handy trick too. Optional extras include:
- finely chopped onion or shallot
- whatever herbs you have
- a small spoonful of mustard
- some grated apple, if doing pork burgers
- a dash of Worcestershire sauce
Wash your hands and get stuck into the mix to shape your burger patties. Mini burgers are a great option if you’re cooking for younger kids too.
#11. Homemade Pizza
“I’ve got a bread maker, so the dough isn’t too much of a chore,” says Bunty.
Christine keeps pizza in the freezer as a backup plan: “It’s always in the freezer and I use it if they ever refuse to eat what I’ve cooked… like if I make something with ground beef, my 10-year-old won’t eat it, so she gets pizza that night.”
Try a quick pizza dough recipe, or switch things up with a smoked salmon pizza for a change.
#12. Lasagne
Ask some kids what their desert island meal would be, and lasagne comes up a lot. If you’ve never made it from scratch before, it’s much easier than you’d think — a super delicious, super easy lasagne recipe is well worth trying.
#13. Chicken Curry
For a quick curry option, keep a jar of curry paste (not sauce) in the store cupboard. Rustle up a curry by adding onion, fresh ginger, your choice of meat and veg, then finish the sauce with a tin of coconut milk, or a tin of tomatoes with a squirt of tomato purée and water.
#14. Shepherd’s Pie
If it’s lamb mince, it’s shepherd’s pie; if it’s beef, it’s cottage pie. Whatever you call it, the classic mince-on-the-bottom, mash-on-top combination is the ultimate comfort food. Add grated veggies to the mince mix while cooking to sneak in some extra vegetables.
#15. Rice and Veggies
“Rice with soy sauce and veggies,” says Ashley.
Roast leftovers make a great quick stir-fry base. For a Korean-style sauce, simply mix BBQ sauce with chilli sauce and soy sauce.
Recommended Reading: 50 Ideas for Easy Family Dinners
Over to you now — what’s your standby recipe for easy dinners? Share it with us in the comments below.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes a good standby dinner recipe?
A good standby recipe is quick to prepare, uses ingredients you’re likely to have on hand or can keep in the freezer, and is something the whole family will eat without a fuss. Simplicity and reliability matter more than anything fancy.
Can these meals be prepped or frozen in advance?
Many of them can. Soups, bolognese, chicken pie fillings and burger patties all freeze well, so you can batch-cook on a quieter day and simply defrost and reheat on busy evenings.
How can I get kids involved in making these dinners?
Simple tasks like shaping burger patties, stirring sauces, or adding toppings to homemade pizza are great ways to get kids helping in the kitchen, even on a weeknight when time is tight.
What if my child is a picky eater?
Standby meals work well for picky eaters because you already know the family will eat them. Keeping one or two reliable backups, like homemade pizza or plain pasta, on hand for nights when a new dish doesn’t land well can take the pressure off.
Related Articles
- 9 Simple Pasta Recipes for Kids to Prepare in No Time
- 16 Splendid Soup Recipes That Kids Will Love
- 25 Super Scrummy Easy Chicken Recipes
- 10 More Go-To Family Dinner Ideas Every Parent Should Know
- 50 Ideas for Easy Family Dinners
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