It’s the end of the day, everyone’s running on empty, and dinner needs to happen now, without extra prep, negotiation or washing up. So below I have listed 10 easy family dinners for busy weeknights that may help you; designed for real-life, low-energy evenings: minimal effort, flexible for different ages and appetites, and easy to serve “family style” so everyone can build a plate that works for them.
They prioritise:
- Minimal prep
- Familiar textures plus “choose-your-own” serving (helpful for fussy phases)
- Nutritional balance (without aiming for perfection)
10 Easy Family Dinners
1. Picky plates
This is always my number one recommendation! Fridge raid, ‘picky plates’ are quite often the easiest for everyone. They require minimal prep, everyone gets a bit of something they like and there aren’t lots of pots and pans to clear up at the end of it.
Here’s how to create a balanced ‘picky plate’
- Carbohydrate – Crackers, oat cakes, leftover pasta/potatoes, toast/bagels/pitta/crumpets, anything you might have in your freezer stash – e.g. savoury muffins, pancakes or my veg-packed savoury flapjacks
- Protein/iron-rich food – Cubes/slices of cheese, leftover meat/beans, hummus, yoghurt dip
- Fruit/vegetable – Raw veggie sticks (pepper, cucumber, carrots – for older kids) or any leftover cooked veggies, or a handful of frozen veggies heated, fruit kebabs (if you’re feeling creative!), a handful of raisins, chopped dates or other dried fruits
- Additional extras – For older children you could add a handful of nuts (for younger children offer ground nuts as an optional “sprinkles” to add on top of yoghurt, or into hummus)
2. Toast + toppings
One of the most simple meals that can actually provide plenty of variety and nutrition. There are SO many ways to provide variety within a really simple meal. This can be a weekly staple that can still be varied each time to add extra nutrition and to gently introduce new foods in a super low-pressure way. Here are some examples:
- Offer a variety- Don’t be afraid to vary the bread you offer. Pull whatever you have from the freezer – pitta, seeded toast, wraps, bagels, or crumpets, and offer a selection. Serving a little variety allows everyone a choice and is an incredibly simple way to introduce new textures without changing the rest of the meal. You don’t need multiple options every time, but changing the type week-to-week keeps things fresh.
- Toppings – Again, pull out whatever you can find in the fridge/freezer and give everyone a little bit of what they fancy. You can check out my favourite 10 healthy toast toppings here.
3. Pesto pasta
Pesto pasta is the ultimate easy weeknight dinner. My number one tip to make this as nutritious as it can possibly be is my ultimate green pesto recipe! Making a batch of this to keep in the freezer can be a game-changer for when you need a super quick, nutritious meal.
Other ways that you can vary up this meal week to week are to change the shape of pasta you offer it with. You can even serve it on toast or with potatoes if you’ve had a pasta heavy week or you fancy something a little different.
4. Wraps and dips
Wraps are versatile, easy and can be served alongside a variety of nutritious dips. They can be fun for kids and help to introduce variety in a low-pressure way.
This can be a really low-effort meal – serve some wraps alongside a variety of ‘toppings’ or dips and let everyone design their own.
I’ve got a blog with three iron-rich dips for babies and toddlers. Here are some other ideas for dips offer along with wraps:
- Yoghurt
- Cream cheese
- Butter bean hummus
- Nut butters
- Smashed avocado
- Tinned mackerel ‘pate’ – mixed with a little yoghurt or cream cheese and a squeeze of lemon
- Smashed peas – check out the recipe in my book ‘How to Feed Your Family’
To add to this and make a more substantial meal, some other sides you can offer are:
- Fruit and veggie sticks
- Leftover meats/sauces
- Veggie/regular sausages
5. Pitta pizzas
Pitta pizzas are always a go-to in our house when we need something quick, easy and balanced. They can be a great opportunity for little ones to get involved and help prepare, and also for giving them autonomy by choosing which toppings they add to their pizza.
Here are some tips for making pitta pizzas a balanced meal that everyone can enjoy:
- Get the kids involved – let them spread the tomato sauce and sprinkle the cheese on their pizza
- Set up a toppings ‘buffet’ with a selection of different toppings – e.g. sweetcorn, peppers, olives, ham, tuna, chicken, mushrooms, pesto – or anything else your little one may enjoy and let them choose what, and how much they put on.
- Serve a simple dip alongside – e.g. a yoghurt dip (add lemon/garlic for additional flavour), or melted butter or pesto.
- Add some veggie or fruit sticks as well for extra colour and nutrition
Check out my super easy pitta pizza recipe here. You could also make pizza wraps or my air fryer pizza toasts, for an equally simple meal.
6. Fish fingers and frozen veg
Whilst fish fingers are often considered an ultra-processed food, they can absolutely be a nutritious part of a balanced diet, and a great opportunity to help little ones enjoy fish. You can choose options that are simply made from fish, breadcrumbs and some spices, as well as some Omega-3 options that can provide an important source of omega-3 in your little one’s diet.
If your children enjoy fish fingers – it’s absolutely nothing to feel guilty about! Fish fingers, served alongside some mixed frozen vegetables and some potatoes, toast or pasta can provide a super simple and balanced meal.
Whilst shop bought fish fingers are totally fine to opt for, if you ARE feeling like making your own – this family friendly fish finger recipe is a winner to have in your freezer!
7. Beans on toast
Sometimes, the most basic meal is the most comforting. Baked beans are another food that can get a bad reputation for being an ultra-processed food, but that really doesn’t tell the whole story! Baked beans provide protein, fibre, iron, zinc and B vitamins. If you opt for lower sugar/salt options, they can be a really nutrient-dense food. Served on toast and sprinkled with some cheese, they provide a really balanced meal.
Let’s look at the nutrition that this simple meal provides. One slice of whole grain bread, with 4 tablespoons of baked beans and a 20g sprinkling of cheddar cheese provides:
- Protein – ~11-12g, almost 80% of the entire daily requirements for a 1-3 year old
- Fibre – ~6-7g, meeting almost 40% of the daily requirements of a 2 year old
- Iron ~1.8-2mg of iron* – that’s around 25-30% of the daily requirement of a 2 year old
- Calcium ~160-180mg of iron – almost 45% of the daily requirement of a 2 year old
* Pair with a source of vitamin C, such as orange, kiwi, strawberries or pepper slices to help absorption.
If you’re feeling inspired, or you have a little extra time, you can try my simple homemade baked beans and mini jacket potatoes recipe.
8. ‘Make your own’ jacket potatoes
Anything that involves ‘make your own’ is usually a good recipe for fussy eaters and for tired parents! ‘Make your own’ jacket potatoes can be a fun way to serve some familiar foods and to encourage extra nutrition, or simply as an opportunity to expose some new foods.
Use microwave baked potatoes (or leftover boiled potatoes) and put the fillings in little bowls for everyone to choose.
Topping ideas (mix + match):
- Protein/iron: baked beans, lentil chilli (leftovers!), tuna + sweetcorn, salmon, chickpeas, hummus, grated cheese, yoghurt/Greek yoghurt
- Veg: sweetcorn, peas, leftover roasted veg, cucumber sticks, pepper strips, grated carrot
- Extra flavour: pesto, tomato salsa, butter, olive oil, lemon
Make sure there’s something for everyone at the table, and let everyone choose what and how much they want.
My family friendly stuffed jacket potato recipe is a fun twist on this classic recipe, for the days when you’ve got a little extra time and motivation!
9. Breakfast for dinner
This is something we opt for regularly in our house, and it always goes down well with the kids. Even when the fridge/freezer are mostly empty, I can usually pull together some sort of porridge with all the ‘extras’ to make it that bit more satisfying and nutrient dense. I’ve written about my favourite porridge recipes for the family, but here are some of the ways I like to jazz up porridge in our house:
- Add nut butters and mixed seeds for extra protein, fibre, iron and zinc
- Add at least one (most of the time more) portions of fruit/veg – e.g. grated carrot and raisins, grated apple, any frozen fruits from the freezer or chopped dried fruits from the cupboard
- I offer some plain yoghurt alongside for extra calories, protein and calcium
I love to set up a ‘porridge buffet’ where I just put out all of the topping options on the table, and everyone builds their own. It works so well for giving them control and encouraging extra nutrition.
Other ways you can do ‘breakfast for dinner,’ depending on what you have available are:
- Pancakes – tap into a freezer stash and serve along with a variety of sweet/savoury sides. Here are 10 pancake recipes for babies and toddlers to make ahead and keep in the freezer
- Eggs (in any form) on toast – serve with alongside toast, avocado, fruit or veg sticks
- Yoghurt/smoothie bowls – this can be a good option for days when they don’t really have a big appetite. Offer some yoghurt with a variety of toppings – chopped fruits, nut butters, mixed seeds. My toddler friendly granola recipe can be a great addition for some extra nutrition
10. Leftovers/batch cooked meals
It may seem obvious, but leftovers are the easiest go-to meal to plan for the days when all you have time for is to reheat something and put it on the table. However, leftovers can also be a great way to add variety by changing up how you serve something, or what you serve it alongside. This is great for exposure because it presents a familiar taste in a new format!
- Leftover bolognese/stew: Serve on top of a jacket potato or toast instead of pasta, or serve inside a wrap with cheese like a burrito.
- Leftover curry: Serve alongside a naan bread or pitta for dipping, instead of rice.
- Leftover mashed potato: Mix with some tinned fish or cheese, shape into patties and pan-fry for simple potato cakes. My simple salmon and potato tots are a great option – particularly for babies and toddlers!
- Leftover roast chicken/meat: Chop or shred it and serve cold on a “picky plate,” or melt it into a quick quesadilla (toasted wrap) with some cheese and sweetcorn.
- Leftover roasted veggies: Blitz them up with a little stock or cream cheese to create a veggie pasta sauce
Remember, you are doing a fantastic job. If your child eats a simple, predictable meal calmly, that is a huge win. Try to let go of the pressure on yourself and any expectation to cook from scratch every day. Focus on ingredients and meals that you and your family enjoy and keep things simple.