Easy Dinner Ideas for Families on the Go

We've purchased our family pool passes for the season and are planning on spending a lot of evenings at the pool. This means that our dinner on those nights needs to be quick and entail little clean up. I've been giving some thought about how I will compensate for our nights out. Here are the ideas I've rounded up.

 

photo credit: qmnonic

Double the amount I make for dinner - This one I'll do for sure.


When I make dinner,  I'll double the portion when I can. It doesn't take any more time to boil three cups of pasta as it does six, for example. This allows freezing the extra and have a healthy dinner available for busy nights.

Use slow cookers and pressure cookers - I may occasionally do this.

These special pieces of kitchen equipment can be invaluable for the hurried cook. Ironically, the slow cooker can help those who need dinner to be ready quickly. You throw the ingredients in, and the food cooks itself during the day or overnight.

Pressure cookers can also be a life-saver. If you get held up and can't get home in time to start a roast or assemble a soup or stew, a pressure cooker can cook even frozen foods in less than half the time of conventional cooking. Even beef or chicken stock can be made in less than 45 minutes. Pressure cookers are also helpful for those who want to incorporate whole grains and beans into their diets. These foods take a long time on the stove top, but are ready quickly in a pressure cooker.

Plan ahead - I do this as much as possible, but I can see falling off the wagon right in the middle of our busy season.

Take some time each week to plan your meals. Check your grocery store's flyer for specials or look online, and make up a shopping list and meal plan for the week. This can help prevent you getting caught off guard.

Frozen meats - We do this one a lot already.

Keeping a bag of fish fillets in the freezer can be a life-saver on busy nights. Fish cooks quickly whether it's been thawed or not, and it's a versatile food that goes well with many flavors. Frozen chicken tenders are helpful, too - they cook up a lot faster than full chicken breasts.

Eat raw and cold foods - I've already warned the family about this. And, as a bonus, I've stocked up on paper plates and paper cups so that we can dine and dash.

One way to cut down on cooking time is not to cook! Break out the dips (which you can keep on hand) like hummus, salsa, or even just ranch dressing, and put out a plate of raw vegetables, cheeses, pita wedges, corn tortillas, and fruits. Roll up deli meats with cheese and apples, or set out crackers, cream cheese, and sliced veggies.

How do you change up your summer dinner time plans?