Sometimes the question: What should I make for dinner tonight is just too. Fucking. Much. This is why I have compiled an epic amount of the laziest dinner ideas for those nights when I just cannot (and really just don’t wanna) to cook dinner for my family.
To generate this list of dinner ideas for when you don’t want to cook (not really) I did the following:
I polled my Instagram followers, my Facebook followers, and even some of my favorite blogger parent friends to get their favorite go-to meals to add more variety to the never-ending question of, “what should I make for dinner tonight?”
Some of the links below contain affiliate linking, which means that at no extra cost to you, I may earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. You can read my full disclosure policy here.
Save recipes to a Trello Board Easily and Quickly
How to Save Recipes to a Trello Board
How to Save These Easy Dinner Ideas Conveniently
You’re gonna wanna store this list of easy dinner ideas somewhere that you can reference it when you’re staring down the barrel of 5 o’clock and just. Don’t. Wanna.
Bookmark this page.
Download one of these easy meal planning printables from my shop
Weekly Meal Planner | What The Fuck Are We Eating Meal Planner
$1.99
Or pin it to your favorite Pinterest recipe board.
(A handy pin is below and there’s another one after the list of dinner ideas)
But if you want to get even more organized with what the f to make for dinner, lucky you, I’ve got a super simple way for you to keep and track all these quick dinner ideas in the palm of your hand. And on your laptop.
(I’m talking about My Lazy Bitch Meal Planning Course…but we’ll get to that).
Why I Made This Awesome List of Dinner Recipes (You Probably Don’t Care But You Might!)
Fun Fact: Just after grad school I remember reading an article in the New York Times about easy summer meals you can make in 10 minutes or less. It was comprehensive AF of all the quickest and easiest dinners that you can make (101 of them actually!). After all, lazy summer dinner ideas are the gift that keeps giving!
I printed that list out and highlighted all the ones that I wanted to try that summer.
Lucky for you, I found it here (and bookmarked it this time for myself!)
I think I made it through like…three of them. And then lost the list somewhere.
I think it was because it wasn’t organized in a way that I could figure out what I had in my pantry that I could cook with or even by type of cuisine.
I’m fixing that for you here by separating these dishes into categories. They’re a bit random, but so is life and what you have readily available in your pantry.
A Note About My Easy Dinner Ideas Sources:
When polling the lazy cooking dinner masses I asked them to include their blog link or their Instagram handle if they wanted to, because they’re doing all of us a solid and I want to make sure you know who these lazy cooks are (and can thank them if you love their suggestion when it’s possible).
Almost all of them are moms, and if they don’t have a link just know they are a trusted mom or dad friend who doesn’t give a fuck and wants to make some dinner fast.
I also was aiming for the kind of recipes that you don’t have to write down. Like. The kind you can KNOW that you can throw it together at the last second based on a quick glance at your fridge and pantry.
Grocery list | What The Fuck Do We Need at the Grocery Store? A Checklist
$1.99
Some, on the other hand, are links to actual recipes. But I made sure they’re also super quick and painless.
When I set about to find what to make for dinner tonight that fall into the dgaf category I made three criteria:
- The lazy dinner recipes cannot require a lot of prep. So ideally – no or very minimal chopping/peeling. Store bought pre-chopped veggies or canned food/frozen food is the best for this kind of dinner. In other words basic AF and minimal prep.
- The quick dinner ideas must be somewhat healthy. Or at least have some mix of veggies and carbs and protein.
- Bonus if the easy dinner ideas are toddler/kid friendly
- Extra Bonus if they are budget-friendly (and most are).
Lazy Cooking Ingredients You Should Have On Hand
If you’re gonna make a dgaf dinner you may as well embrace what it takes to prepare one, and that means simple ingredients that at the most, require you to open a can, cut open a bag, or open a box.
Things like:
- Frozen Chopped Onions (I hadn’t heard of this until a friend texted me the below pic and said “I wouldn’t cook half as much if it weren’t for these babies right here”)
- Pre-chopped veggies such as carrots, zucchini, and also onions although be mindful of expiration dates.
- Canned foods such as: beans, artichoke hearts, chopped tomatoes, and soup stock or low sodium soup.
- Jarred things such as minced garlic, olives, pickles (My kids love pickles and worst-case scenario they can be served with grilled cheese as a “veggie” bc I dgaf.)
- Other Frozen foods such as: Organic corn, cauliflower rice, broccoli, string beans, and frozen peas tend to keep really well through the freezing process. Frozen cooked rice and pasta is also a time saver (but can not be a budget saver in the long run).
- Cartons of soup stock and soups.
- Herbs that you have frozen into little cubes (When I get a big thing of basil from the store I chop the rest up and freeze it for future use).
- A garlic press to make chopping garlic easier, peeled garlic, and while some food purists say jarred garlic isn’t great – I know plenty of chefs who use it in their home kitchens and it will do the trick in a pinch. Especially if it’s between making a delicious nutritious dinner or ordering out again bc the idea of peeling and chopping garlic doesn’t… appeal (see what I did there?)
Where to Save These Lazy Recipes for What’s For Dinner
Meal planning is kind of a big deal in my house. Even when it comes to making sure I have some staples on hand for the nights when I have no interest (or time) to cook dinner.
This Lazy Bitch meal planner helps me keep track of everything that I need, that I use on a regular basis, and that helps me keep my staples for grocery shopping every week.
I highly recommend trying it out as a place to save these recipes.
I want to introduce you to one of the most powerful tools I have as a mom.
And on top of that, I want to show you how to use it.
If you have any interest in coming up on a 5:30 dinner time and not simply dumping cereal into a bowl and calling it dinner, then my Lazy Bitch Meal Planning System might be for you.
Here’s a little bit about it…
Let’s Make Some Lazy Fucking Dinners, Ya’ll!
**** DGAF MOM in front of the name of the recipe comes from my very own lazy cooking inspiration ****
Easy Chicken Recipes for Dinner
DGAF Rotisserie Chicken Salad: Rotisserie chicken chopped up, tossed with a pre-chopped salad in a bag. Serve with rolls or bread.
Teresa shared this one pan Chicken Sourdough and Bacon Recipe from Food and Wine
Emily recommends this ridiculously simple Pesto Chicken Bake Recipe from Simply Sissom:
My blogging buddy, Liz, from the parenting blog Worth Writing For has this YUMMY Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs recipe:
Easy as Fuck Fajitas from Beck from Mom Beach: One package of Tyson’s grilled and ready chicken strips frozen, package of ready chopped vegetables such as peppers and onions (grocery stores have this usually and call it fajita mix), fajita spices like salt , pepper, lime juice and chili powder.
Combine vegetables and spices into a skillet and heat for 5 minutes, add in the chicken and stir all for another 10 minutes or until chicken is no longer frozen. Unfrozen chicken is faster. Serve with tortillas, cheese, guacamole, salsa, black beans or anything you want. My picky toddler loves these fajitas!!
But when that doesn’t work, of course I’ve prepared a lot more dinner ideas for picky eaters. These super easy recipes definitely did the trick for me and I think it’ll work for you too!
DGAF Mom Recommended – Change Your Life Chicken: (above) from the Lazy Genius Collective (one pan, virtually no clean up. Some light chopping)
Oven-Baked Frozen Chicken (yes frozen!) from Lacey from Simply Quiet Mama:
My favorite easy and healthy dinner is chicken, rice, and veggies. I pop a few frozen chicken breasts (drizzled with olive oil and garlic pepper or Italian dressing) covered into the oven for an hour and 10 minutes at 400F. As they’re finishing up, I throw some 5 minute rice in a pot and warm up some frozen veggies. My husband loves it, and more importantly, my 3 year old loves it.
Lazy Crock Pot Mango Pineapple Chicken by Navywife.crazylife: Combine in crock pot:• mango salsa• canned pineapple (drained)• boneless chicken. Serve over rice. I’ve also added chopped red and green peppers when I had some in the fridge. I’ve never actually timed it, seems to be about 4-6 hours depending on how soon you want to eat. I’ve done it in 30 minutes in an Instant pot.
Lazy Spicy Rotisserie Chicken by Poovanesh from Family Growth Life Blog
I buy a store-bought rotisserie chicken. I hack off the breasts and pop them in the food processor. Add mayo and a few chopped green chilies to spice it up. Use as a filling for a wrap ( add chopped up lettuce) or a quesadilla which I toast. I also sometimes just add the chopped up chicken and chilies to rice which I always have in my freezer.
Simple Rotisserie Chicken and Rice by Keyona from Professional Momma
Store bought rotisserie chicken paired with Uncle Ben’s 90 sec wild rice, and a package of steam-able frozen broccoli florets. Dinner is ready in 7 minutes flat (the time it takes for the broccoli to cook). I add herbs and margarine to the broccoli and viola!
Tracy recommends – One Pan Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Recipe from The Girl Who Ate Everything:
DGAF MOM Chicken Dinner Comfort Food: Trader Joe’s Breaded chicken, Trader Joe’s frozen mac n cheese, frozen broccoli in a bag (or pre-chopped broccoli boiled)
DGAF Italian Dinner Recipes
Easy AF Make-Your-Own Pizzas by Eric:
Homemade sauce (easier to make than you think and involves no cooking), wood Fire crusts or flatbread from Trader Joe’s, and sliced or shredded mozzarella. Cook in toaster oven to avoid heating up kitchen and top with basil from our garden at the end. So good it didn’t need any other toppings. Also, one batch of sauce can be used for pasta or more pizza within two weeks.
Lazy fucking Ravioli Napoli Style by Donna_riama: My fav quick dinner is pre-made ravioli cooked in napoli sauce.
DGAF Mom Trader Joe’s Frozen Lasagna: (It’s really good!) add a side of frozen or fresh veggies such as string beans, broccoli, or brussle sprouts.
Simple AF Meatball Pasta Bake by Sasha from Life’s Carousel:
Frozen Meatballs. Uncooked Pasta (any type). Spaghetti Sauce (red sauce or even Alfredo works too). Frozen veggies. Shredded cheese (mozzarella, cheddar, colby… any type!).
Water (just fill the empty sauce jar and use that amount).
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Mix together all the ingredients, except the cheese, in a casserole dish.
Tightly cover with foil and put in oven for 35 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle shredded cheese on top (as much or as little as you want). Bake uncovered for 10 minutes. Serve!This is also a great meal to freeze or for leftovers for lunch the next day.
Lazy Effing Spaghetti by Keyona: I buy the onions and bell peppers already chopped. I use jarred Prego spaghetti sauce and the spaghetti noodles that are pot-sized.
This One Pot Spaghetti recipe that Tracy Recommends from Skinny Taste! It’s great for a one-pot meal prep.
Lazy Cheesy Bread by Kerrie: Mozzarella cheese, butter, bread, and marinara sauce. Bake in the toaster oven.
Lazier French Bread Pizzas (also) by Kerrie: For our leftover meat sauce, I make mini “French bread” pizzas. A package of frozen Texas toast.
Put it on a baking sheet. warm the leftover sauce and spoon onto the bread. Top with mozzarella cheese. Bake at 400 for about 10 minutes.
Lazy Costco Ravioli by Jess: Costco’s frozen spinach mozzarella ravioli tossed with a can of stewed tomatoes and a bag of something frozen and green, broccoli or green beans normally- can be done in 10 minutes, meat free and yum.
DGAF MOM Spaghetti Lazy AF Style: Spaghetti noodles, Kirkland organic spaghetti sauce, jar garlic, and spices.
Easy AF Asian Dinner Recipes
DGAF Mom Recommended: This ridiculously easy Egg Roll in a Bowl from the Mostly Homemade Mom is from fridge to table in about 15 minutes.
Easy Chicken and Veggies Stir-fry by Joanne:
Cut up some chicken breasts into bite sized cubes, cook in evoo, add in a bag of frozen stir fry veggies and seasoning of choice. I add onion and garlic powder and soy sauce. Sometimes I’ll do brown rice in the rice cooker or if I have it I’ll use the microwave brown rice and dump it all in a bowl!
Easy Mexican Food Recipes
Mexican food offers a lot of variety and can be thrown together quickly (and tends to be a hit with the kiddos). Here’s how some moms are making their lazy Mexican dinners.
Don’t Wanna Cook Chicken Salad Quesadillas by Elizabeth: Canned chicken, mix with cumin, oregano, paprika and mayonnaise until a texture. Not runny, but similar to tuna.
Spread on tortillas and add shredded cheese. Put another tortilla on top. Fry in oil for about three minutes each side.
Easy Taco Night by Emily: Which is brown rice (in rice cooker), ground beef or turkey in pan with taco seasoning, can of refried black beans (Annie’s organics), guacamole (avocados, shallots, lime juice, tomatoes, salt, garlic powder).
We don’t actually eat them as tacos— the kids mix all the above and eat it like a rice bowl. If I’m feeling in the mood I throw it on lettuce and make it a salad.
Lazy Turkey Tacos by Erin: Brown ground turkey, add TJ’s taco seasoning and canned tomatoes, heat up some black beans, and have avocado, cheese, Greek yogurt, and whatever else on the side.
I serve them deconstructed on plates with little compartments for the kiddos and they love it. ❤️ Literally takes 10 minutes.
DGAF Mom Deconstructed tacos: Ground turkey/beef/pork/chicken, canned pinto beans, frozen rice (or instant pot rice), tortillas, cheese, sour cream, and pre-made guacamole (or I quickly smash some avocados and salt/lime them).
Simple Taco Bowls by Lacey: It’s basically refried beans, Spanish rice, corn tortilla, salsa, cheese, and seasoned beef.
Super easy, super quick, and super toddler approved. My favorite part of this meal is the way we heat up our tortillas.
We tear them up, throw them in a skillet with some butter, and let them heat to a crisp.
Pre-prepped fajitas mix from Publix (or any grocery store) Livinglittlejohn: The pre-prepped fajitas mix from Publix is so good! It’s already fixed and packaged and we just dump it in the skillet! You can serve it over rice and make a fajita bowl out of it or cut the carbs and eat it alone!
Easy Mexican- Quesadillas by Tracy: Black beans/guacamole/lime rice all deconstructed for the littles and then make bowls for adults.
You can make salsa chicken in the slow cooker too (a jar of salsa over chicken breasts, cook all day and then shred to add to quesadillas).
DGAF Mom Costco Organic Frozen Burritos: Add a side of frozen corn (boiled and topped with butter) I sometimes chop this up and top it over a pre-cut salad bag and add sour cream and salsa for a quick “burrito salad.”
Check out more Instant Pot Chicken Recipes Here.
Taco Macaroni by Mindy: Make shells and cheese and basic taco meat at the same time. Add sour cream into the shells.
Layer the macaroni mix with the meat and shredded cheese in a casserole dish. Bake 15 minutes, top with crumbled tortillas and more cheese. Bake until cheese is melted. Serve with salsa.
What to Make for Dinner Tonight? The Breakfast Edish
There’s nothing like having breakfast for dinner. Throwing together some scrambled eggs, some bagels or waffles.
I love adding a smoothie in the mix for some veggies and fruit and extra protein (sneaking an avocado in for extra silky smooth smoothies is great for kiddos too!)
Egg Sandwiches by Christina – The kids love’em and it’s a 5-minute meal. Sunny-side up egg, slap it between 2 pieces of toast.
I’m lucky my kids like veggies so I usually put spinach and/or avocado on there too but not always. I make a wrap version for myself.
Lazy Avocado Toast by Lolavur: I make an egg in my microwave, and toast a piece toast with some avocado done ✅ (PS. this is a SUPER bold move to cook an egg in a microwave. I don’t recommend doing this in, say, a shared space like an office or something.)
Paleo Eggs and Rice by Wholehealthchelsi: I love fried cauliflower rice with eggs, peppers, celery, onion and spinach!
Breakfast for Dinner by Everlastbyerika: Eggs, hash browns (the frozen southwest cubes potatoes with onion and bell peppers are amazing) and I always keep frozen sausage on hand!
DGAF Breakfast for Dinner: This is aways different but we rotate between frozen pancakes/waffles/bagels, sausage or bacon, eggs or egg sandwiches, smoothies with spinach or kale to get some veggies in, fresh fruit or bananas. (Sometimes we’ll saute some broccoli too).
Check out some other awesome breakfast for dinner ideas here.
Seafood Dinner Ideas to Make In A Flash
There’s something about cooking shellfish and some white fish that makes it a super simple go-to dish and also kinda feels fancy and also kinda levels up your home cooking game.
Shrimp and Broccoli by Kelly: My go-to weeknight dinner is: frozen raw shrimp already shelled/deveined; sautéed with garlic and butter or olive oil, lemon.
Bag of frozen broccoli, steamed. Done! And if I need a carb, I’ll heat up some frozen brown rice from TJs. Total time is 10-15 minutes for a complete meal
Shrimp and Green Beans by Mary Beth:
I buy one of those big bags of pre-cooked frozen shrimp and I throw a bunch in a pan with butter and garlic and a mess of string beans. We all love it and it literally takes like 7 minutes.
DGAF Mom – Tilapia Fish Tacos
Tilapia is so cheap and a mild-tasting fish). Salt and pepper the fish, fry in olive oil for about 3 – 5 min on each side (until white and somewhat crisp).
Serve with sour cream mixed with lime juice and salt. I toss it over a salad of pre-chopped cabbage and the boys eat it with tortillas and cheese.
What to Make for Dinner Tonight: Weeknight Dinner Favorites
DGAF MOM Meatballs, veggies and rice: Aidells teriyaki meatballs, veggie of choice (broccoli or string beans for us usually) and frozen rice in a bag (or rice from a rice cooker/instant pot.
This is one of my hubbies favorites.
Hamburger Rice Casserole by Brenton: Brown a pound of hamburger (or ground turkey), combine with a can of cream of celery, a can of corn, a can of French cut green beans (drain both), and a cup of minute rice. Cook covered for 45 minutes at 350.
Easy AF Pork Tenderloin by Cynthia – tossed with whatever seasonings and veggies you like (chunked onion and bell pepper usually), toss it in the oven, make a salad. Eat.
Easy Baked Vegetarian Tofu and Veggies by Nina: I buy bags of pre-chopped veggies and extra firm tofu and throw them all on a baking sheet at 375 for 20 min.
Sprinkle with garlic powder and olive oil. Healthy and ridic fast & easy. Pro tip: use parchment paper on your baking sheet so you don’t have to wash it afterward.
DGAF Mom Mish Mash (What My hubby calls it) – Black beans, pre-chopped/washed kale sautéed with olive oil and garlic.
Mix with frozen rice/minute rice/instant pot rice. Add cheese or sour cream to taste or mix with scrambled eggs for extra protein.
Grilled Cheese Lazy Style by Talie: Grilled cheese and boxed tomato soup or basic pasta with marinara sauce
Frozen Veggie Pasta Dishes by Unwholesome_mommy: Birdseye frozen veggie pasta dishes! Microwave for 4 minutes, throw some fruit on the side and dinner is done!
Also, gluten-free/dairy-free (some are dairy-free, not all) my food allergy kiddo.
Also, quesadillas with lunch meat as protein. So lazy. So great.
Anna from Abrazo and Coze has a Throw-Together-Chilli: Brown ground meat (whatever ground meat you have in the freezer).
When meat is cooked, add in frozen chopped onions.Once onions are softened, add in one large can of diced tomatoes, one large can of crushed tomatoes, and optionally one can of tomato soup. Stir till combined.
Add 2-3 cans of beans. Add 3 Tbsp (or 1-2 packets) of chili spice mix. Cook till it bubbles. Serve with toast.
Substitutions: If you have no meat, add in extra beans, or a can of lentils. To extend the meal, add cooked plain pasta or rice.
For variety, add in chopped peppers with the onions (frozen pre-chopped or fresh).
Snack Dinner by Tracy: This is an anything goes dinner. Cheese, crackers, grapes and other fruit, some pepperoni slices or fresh bread.
We eat outside all the time during the summer and this is one of our go to meals. Highly recommend this method if it’s too hot to cook.
Easy Fucking Meatball Stroganoff by Jess:
Frozen meatballs, a can of cream of mushroom soup, egg noodles, bag of frozen green things on the side or bag salad. Can make hamburgers and do the same.
Another Easy Meat Dinner by Jess: You can buy meat on sale, season it, and then freeze it, better if you get it vacuum sealed but then you just brown it/ stick it in the oven. I do chicken, and pork this way. Ground beef I cook first (taco seasoning, Italian seasoning) then freeze done, to put out for fast stuff.
Viral Tik Tok Easy Dinners
I would be remiss if I didn’t at least touch on some of the trends of fast and easy dinners that make their way through Pinterest and Tik Tok and Instagram.
For some reason, the TikTok meals tend to have that virality that is really unmatched so I’m creating this section here for some of the best ones as they come across my FYP…And please do not hesitate to comment below and drop a link to your favorite easy Tik Tok meals too.
Tik Tok Feta Pasta
The one that really introduced me to lazy cooking via Tik Tok.
You can search Tik Tok, or even Google the recipe but seriously it’s too easy to even consider going down that rabbit hole because I’m dropping the recipe (which I have memorized by heart we’ve done it so many times!)
Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. In a giant pot or cast iron dutch oven, dump a box of washed cherry tomatoes season with your favorite Italian herbs – I usually use oregano, thyme, basil and some garlic salt. You can also quickly rough chop some garlic or just throw the whole cloves in there bc you like to season with your heart. e.
Add a block of feta cheese * crumbled does not work as well. Also, Goat cheese works okay too.
Season the feta, and drizzle olive oil.
Bake for 40 minutes while you do other shit and boil water. Once the cheese/tomatoes are done, pour the pasta over it and mix to combine.
Add in some fresh basil and pasta water if it’s a bit dry. Here’s a recipe with some additional substitutions and ideas for how to improve it or add additional veggies etc.
Tik Tok Pesto Eggs
Sourdough toast layered with ricotta cheese.
And then you fry eggs in pesto sauce. Like IN the pesto sauce. Read the whole recipe here!
The Green Goddess Cabbage Salad
First shared by Baked By Melissa this salad does require you to chop the fuck out of some cabbage but it is worth every moment of it when you dive into that salad dressing. Make-ahead for easy lazy lunches during the week.
Serve it with corn tortillas or the best way is really with pantry staples like tortilla chips.
The Tik Tok Ramen with Milk and an Egg
There are a lot of Ramen recipes that have gone viral on Tik Tok but I find this one to be one of the easiest and laziest and is done for you (and super cheap too!) The egg and milk h are cooked with the heat of the noodles for a savory yummy meal. Check out the recipe here.
It’s something the whole family can enjoy and is one of our favorite easy recipes.
Tik Tok Salmon Rice
Emily Mariko landed on the viral scene with this rendition of using leftover salmon and white rice to major viral success. this has become a go-to recipe for us when we have leftovers and for good reason!
It’s so yummy. Sometimes I’ll make Salmon JUST to make it this way. It works really well with a lot of different fish too and even canned tuna! Just be careful not to overdo it.
There was another viral TikTok where a girl ate this every day for weeks and ended up with mercury poisoning. Sigh.
Tik tok user Amy Wilichowski introduced us to the Pesto eggs which is so simple it’s stupid. In stead of cooking oil, you simply cook your eggs in a bit of pesto (jarred is fine! ).
Cook your eggs however you like. (I personally like to fry them) and then top on a tortilla, some toast, or eat them just as is.
It’s delicious and a really nice way to mix up breakfast.
Not sure what to make for dinner tonight? This is a healthy dinner idea perfect for a or busy weeknight that can be made any time of the day, is a crowd-pleaser, and even kid-friendly.
With simple ingredients you might already have in your fridge…you can toss it together and eat within minutes.
Tik Tok Million Dollar Spaghetti
Million-dollar spaghetti is a popular pasta dish that has gained a lot of attention on TikTok. It’s a hearty and flavorful baked pasta dish that typically features spaghetti, ground beef, marinara sauce, and a variety of cheeses.
To make million-dollar spaghetti, you’ll first cook the spaghetti according to the package directions. While the spaghetti is cooking, you’ll brown ground beef in a skillet with garlic, onion, and Italian seasoning. Once the beef is cooked through, add marinara sauce and let it simmer for a few minutes.
Next, you’ll layer the cooked spaghetti in a large baking dish and top it with the beef and sauce mixture. Then, you’ll add a layer of cream cheese and a layer of shredded mozzarella cheese. Repeat the layers until all of the ingredients are used up, ending with a layer of mozzarella cheese.
Bake the million dollar spaghetti in the oven until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Some variations of this dish may include additional ingredients such as spinach, mushrooms, or ricotta cheese.
The name “million dollar spaghetti” is a bit of a misnomer, as the dish only tastes like a million dollars rather than costing that much!
More Lazy Dinner Ideas for When You Are Over It But Still Need to Eat
The Budget friendly version of this is playing a game I like to call go shopping in the freezer and the pantry.
It’s sort of inspired by the show Chopped, where you are given a set of ingredients, and contestants are forced to create something delicious out of a really (often) odd combination.
Often pasta, beans, and sauce (with olive oil) are a go-to for this. Also, eggs, or simple sandwiches (i’m talking the classic – peanut butter and jelly, friend ) Can at least take off some of the pressure of figuring out what to make for dinner.
Here are some more delicious ideas:
Grilled cheese and tomato soup:
A timeless combo that requires minimal effort. Make it extra special by using different types of cheese and adding herbs or spices to the tomato soup. We personally like a little red pepper flakes. Level it up by adding packaged gnocci to the tomato soup as a new stand alone meal or to complement the grilled cheese.
Mac and Cheese – DGAF Mom style:
Whip up a quick and cheesy pasta dish by combining cooked macaroni with your favorite cheese sauce. Customize it by adding bacon, veggies, or a sprinkle of breadcrumbs. Obviously not all boxed mac and cheese is created equal so we have preferences. But for me (and my kids) the combo is pretty simple:
Pasta of your choice
Shredded cheddar cheese (about a cup)
cream cheese (about 1/3rd of a cup)
Parmesan cheese (about 1/4th of a cup)
And pasta water from the pasta
Mix and salt and pep to taste. It is so quick, and my kids love it! Simply top with green onions and some more grated parmesan cheese.
Add edamame for protein or a quick microwave broccoli bag and dinner is served!
Veggie Stir Fry:
Throw together a medley of colorful vegetables like bell peppers, broccoli, carrots, and snap peas. Sauté them in a hot pan with garlic, soy sauce, and a dash of sesame oil. Serve over steamed rice or noodles. This is a great way to clean out your fridge of all the veggies that might go bad.
I personally love this plan of just grating all the veggies and incorporating them into the rice like this recipe from Tik toker Emily :
One-Pot Wonders
More one-pot wonders to keep you and your family fed tonight when you just don’t have the energy to cook!
Pasta aglio e olio:
Cook spaghetti according to package instructions, then toss it in a pan with olive oil, garlic, red pepper flakes, and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. This classic Italian dish is quick, easy, and full of flavor. Simple full of flavor and an Italian version of the chopped it’s something that even the laziest of lazy cooks can throw together in a pinch.
Chili con carne:
Brown ground beef or turkey in a pot; add onions, garlic, beans, diced tomatoes, and chili powder. Simmer for a while (you’ll know it’s ready when it thickens slightly), and you have a hearty, no-fuss chili. Keeping some of these no-fuss ingredients on hand is a great way to make sure you always have the energy to at least open and dump something into a pot.
Be a Lazy Bitch and Still Make Dinner
Don’t just come here and scroll this list and figure out what to eat for dinner TONIGHT. Do it forever. Like every week with my Lazy Bitch Meal Planner Course.
You can check out more here.
Or download one of my meal planning templates here!
Weekly Meal Planner | What The Fuck Are We Eating Meal Planner
$1.99
What’s your family favorite dinner for busy weeknights? The one that you throw together at the last second when you just don’t know what to make for dinner, or when you just can’t even be bothered to cook anything too fancy (but that’s still delicious af?)
Comment below or the next time that you’re checking out this list of easy meals.
Check Out These Other Posts from the DGAF Mom
Don’t Give a (Sheet) What’s For Dinner? 71 Sheet Pan Dinner Recipes for Easy Meals
How to Deal With a Picky Eater
The Best Chicken Breast Instant Pot Recipes (Make ‘Em with Frozen Chicken Too! )
The Only Easy Meal Planner Template You’ll Ever Need
The Best Chicken Dinner Ideas for When You’re Sick of Making Chicken
What is Meal Planning and Why Do You Need to Do it?
31 No Bullsh*t Ways to Win as a Working Mom
Easy Date Night Ideas to Keep the Spark Alive
Life-Changing Laundry Hacks to Handle Your Laundry Mountain for Good
Mom Hacks to Help You Get More Shit Done
Great Last-Minute Gift Ideas for Dad
