Finding time to prepare a delicious and nutritious dinner for a large family can feel like a daunting task. However, with these quick and easy dinner recipes you can whip up satisfying meals that will please even the pickiest eaters in no time.
As a homeschooling mom of 7 kids, I am busy! Between school, church activites, sports and keeping up with the house, my time to make dinner is limited. Quick and easy dinner recipes are a life saver for me and today I wanted to share with you 10 go-to meals that I make for my family.
1. Spaghetti – This meal is cheap, cheap, cheap and so fast to throw together. A pound of spaghetti noodles, a jar of spaghetti sauce, and a pound of hamburger is all you need to put this meal together. I like to serve mine with some french bread, usually bought already made from Walmart. Sometimes I add veggies, sometimes I don’t.
2. Homemade Mac and Cheese – I grew up eating this and it was one of my favorite meals. Made with 2 pounds of pasta, some milk, and one large brick of Velveeta cheese, this is sure to be a favorite. Simply boil the pasta until al dente. Drain the pasta and then pour 1.5-2 cups of milk into the bottom of the pan. Add the cheese to the pan and stir until the cheese is melty. Sometimes I will chunk the cheese up as I stir it, other times I chop it before I add it to the pan. Once the cheese is melted, dump the pasta back into the pan and stir to combine the noodles and the cheese. So good!
3. Meat and Potatoes – We came up with this one pot meal when we needed to use up some of the canned food we had in our pantry. We cooked 2 pounds of hamburger (use 1 if your family is smaller), dumped in a couple cans of chopped or sliced potatoes and a couple cans of mixed veggies. Let this cook until the potatoes and veggies are warm, then top with some shredded cheese and let it melt.
4. Breakfast – Breakfast is so easy and fast to cook. Sometimes I make breakfast casserole for dinner. Other times I will make pancakes and eggs, and sometimes we enjoy easy breakfast burritos make with sausage, eggs, cheese and tortillas.
5. Beans, Rice and Smokies – If you have a few cans of black beans, some minute rice and a bag of lil’ smokies, you can throw this meal together in 20 minutes or less. While the rice is cooking, brown the smokies in a pan. My kids enjoy it best when I cut the smokies in 2 or 3 pieces before cooking. Then to the browned smokies, dump both cans of black beans. Add a little water (1/3 of the can) to each can to rinse it out and dump the water into the pan to make a sauce. Serve the beans and lil’ smokies over the rice. We like to top ours with cajun seasoning or hot sauce, and sometimes we add a slab of butter to melt over the top.
6. Cream Cheese Chicken – This meal could not be more simple. Put some chicken breasts in your crockpot and top with a brick or 2 of cream cheese. You decide how much chicken and cheese you want. Then turn on the crockpot and cook the chicken until it’s shreddable. Then shred the chicken and mix it all together. Serve it over the top of noodles or rice.
7. Roast – Beef or pork roast is an easy way to feed a crowd. You can make the classic roast, potatoes or carrots by adding some chopped potatoes and baby carrots into the crockpot when you cook the meat. Or, cook the meat, shred it up, then serve it on some buns for a sandwich dinner. This isn’t difficult. Simply place the roast into the crockpot, add some liquid and seasonings, then cook on low or high until the meat is shreddable, usually 8-10 hours on low for thawed meat.
8. Steaks – Steaks can be a little pricey but they are so fast to cook and make a special treat every once in a while. You can grill them, fry them, air-fry them, cook them in the broiler or in the slow cooker. Add a few sides of veggies and you have a whole meal.
9. Egg Roll in a Bowl – My family loves this meal. It is so cheap and super nutritious. I cook a pound of breakfast sausage, add in a head of thinly chopped cabbage and some shredded carrots. You can use the precut bags of coleslaw mix if you want to make it even easier. If I have onions around I will slice those and add them in too. Then I pour a little soy sauce over the top. Add a bit of water and put the lid on to wilt the cabbage. You can eat it as is or serve over rice.
10. Quesadillas – These are so easy that kids can make them themselves. My kids often make them for snacks or lunches when I don’t have anything cooked. Start with a flour or corn tortilla, fill it with cheese and then cook it until the outside is crunchy. If you use a corn tortilla, they are extra yummy when fried in some melted butter. You can also add any meat or veggies your family prefers but mine like them best with only cheese.
With these 10 quick and easy dinner recipes, feeding a large family has never been simpler. So the next time you’re pressed for time but still want to serve a delicious and satisfying dinner, give one of these recipes a try. Your family will thank you!
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