Quick family dinners

I love my crockpot....invest in one that is programmable! it will be a complete godsend!

Tacos is always a go to here... as well as baked chicken breasts, sometimes breaded sometimes not.

Due to my work schedule slow cooker meals never worked for me either. What I ended up doing (when the meals allow for it) is I will cook the meal in the slow cooker during the night while we are asleep and throw it in the fridge when we wake up. That way when I get home from work all we need to do is re-heat. It helped broaden what meals fit into our busy schedule.

I can set my crockpot on low for 10 hours - best roast ever! Another thing that really helps for quick preparation is making things in bulk in advance. I have been known to cook 6 lbs of chicken at a time (put frozen breasts in in the crock pot with taco seasoning and salsa for 10 hours. When it is cooked, it shreds so easily and is tender and tasty!) . We use half or 1/3 of it, then I freeze the rest for chicken tacos, chicken enchiladas, chicken salad, etc. (I know, it seems like a lot, but I've got 5 boys and a husband. We go through an insane amount of food around here!) I've done the same with ground beef (with onions, a little garlic, salt and pepper) in the crock pot, but you kind of need to be around to stir it or else you end up with one dense meatloaf, then I can use it for tacos, beef stroganoff, etc. Cooking in bulk and in advance really helps me out!
Good luck!

We mostly do meat, potato and veg type meals. They only take about 30 minutes to cook. I buy McCormick's marinade packets or throw together some easy homemade marinade (takes 5 min tops) in the morning, add the meat so it can soak all day. When I come home, I line a 9x13 baking pan with foil, place the meat evenly in the dish and then cook for 20-30 minutes (depending on what it is). While that's cooking, I boil potatoes or make a rice pilaf and also boil some broccoli or green beans. Voila. Done!

Fish is the quickest dinner. I buy a pound or so of haddock/cod, top that with a little miracle whip (or mayo) and cover with a snack bag of salt and vinegar kettle chips that have been crushed up. Bake that at 350 for about 12 minutes. Meanwhile cook a bag of rice in the microwave and throw together a Caesar salad and dinner's on the table in no time.

On the weekends, I sometimes will put together a casserole so it's ready to cook during the week. There's also spaghetti or American Chop Suey, which doesn't take too long.

I'm also thinking about asking for a crock pot with timer for Christmas. I don't mind putting frozen meat in but things still end up a little tough or overcooked at times.

OP I am in the same boat as you - I leave early in the morning and get home around 6 or 6:30. I have a 3 year old and 6 year old who are both moderately picky, they will try the family meal but would far prefer I make them grilled cheese or scrambled eggs every night for dinner. There are nights where it is easier for me to go ahead and feed them and then make a less kid friendly meal for my husband and I to eat later, but the kids are getting older so their bed time is a little later and that often puts us at eating around 8:30 or 9:00 which I don't like for myself.

So anyway, here are some of the things I do. As I mentioned above and someone else did as well - cooking in bulk. On the weekends, making chicken breasts in the crockpot to shred and use as fillings in a variety of other meals later on. I also buy and cook family packs of ground beef, then portion it into about 1 lb servings in ziplock bags to throw in the freezer. This is the perfect amount to throw in a skillet for tacos, or into spaghetti sauce, or (heaven forbid) a box of Hamburger Helper (which my kids eat like champs).

I make stir fry a lot, because my kids will eat the components even if they won't eat the whole thing all together. So I will cook the chicken and veggies in a pan, then pull some out for the kids before putting the sauce in. Then I serve them the rice (which they love just plain) with the plain chicken, snow peas and carrots for example. Then I give them a small serving of the full meal with the sauce and ask them to try it plain first, then with the sauce and see which they like better. I've had some good luck with that, they've opted on a number of occasions to eat the actual coconut curry chicken or sweet and sour chicken rather than just the rice, meat and veggies.

Crockpot is perfect if out of the house 10-11 hours. It means you can put the meat in frozen and let'er rip. I tend to do chicken breasts/thighs this way, they come out tender and delicious. Also, whole pork or beef roasts, etc.

I agree with you on starting from frozen, and also that this is the perfect amount of time for pork and beef roasts. I haven't had luck with chicken breasts in the crockpot for that long, I usually find them dry when I return.

I am actually trying today frozen chicken breasts (like 8 of them), a bag of frozen corn kernels, taco seasoning, juice of two limes, can of rotel, and cilantro. I'm having the babysitter turn it to warm when she gets there with my son, so I think it will be about 7.5 hours on low, which I hope will be ok.

I'm going to shred that and serve it tonight over rice ala Chipotle bowls, but will use the leftovers for enchilada filling for some freezer meals I need to make for some families going through tough times. I also use this filling for tortilla soup quite often.

This sounds good, will have to give it a try, thanks

Bump (need ideas too! At work so will need to read through these tonight!)

I chop/slice a bunch of veggies on the weekend so I can have them for stir fry, fajitas, or quick side dishes throughout the week. It also encourages me to snack on them or take them for lunch, so win-win. Onion and pepper slices, carrot coins, broccoli/cauliflower florets.

I mainly use my crockpot for soups, stews, and chili (mainly in the fall/winter). I pre-assemble everything in the pot at night and refrigerate, then throw it in the warming part in the morning and let it heat on low all day. I don't do roasts because I find them to end up dry and overcooked also. I've heard this can be a problem with newer crockpots.

We also eat a lot of brinner (breakfast for dinner). There are a ton of make ahead breakfast casseroles. The one I use most often is to roll out a can of crescents, top with cooked sausage, whatever veggies you like, 6 eggs beaten with 1 cup milk, pour over top, cover with cheese, bake at 375 until set.

Shepherd's pie: Brown up some ground meat, add some frozen peas and carrots, a little flour whisked into some beef broth to thicken, a little milk, pour into a pie plate, cover with mashed potatoes (instant, leftover, made from scratch that night...doesn't matter) or mashed cauliflower (if you're carb-conscious), sprinkle with paprika and bake at 400 until top starts to brown.

Stuffed peppers can be made the night before, best if the peppers are blanched.

Homemade pizza: Either make a big pizza with Pillsbury pizza crust, jarred sauce, whatever I have on hand for quick toppings (Johnsonville makes frozen Italian sausage slices that are awesome) Or, you can do individual pizzas using tortillas. Lightly brush with oil, top with whatever, bake at 400 until cheese melts. We eat those more than I care to admit, mostly because no one complains because they pick their own toppings.

Most of all, meal planning! That way you don't have to think about it when you get home from work, you can just get dinner on the table.

Busy week, but want good food go to idea:

I like good food, healthful--but loathe coming home late to have to create a meal and clean up the mess. On Sunday of a busy week I will plan on cooking

choose 2 proteins (ex: chicken, and fish) ( think 2+lbs at a time)
--Sautee/Bake with onions garlic, herbs/seasoning of your taste
--Put enough for dinner aside, store the rest in separate containers in the fridge.

Choose 2 starches ( pasta, rice, or farro)
--Cook according to your taste ( I like to cook rice and farro in broth)
--Put enough for dinner aside, store the rest in separate containers in the fridge.

Choose 3-4 veggies
--Cut and clean(prep) all veggies
--Put enough for dinner aside, store the rest in separate containers in the fridge.

In one skillet add butter/olive oil, add your protein and veggies, and sautee until veggies are the desired texture...add starch into the sautee--add butter, or broth if you like sauce. Serve.

This can give you variations of 5 minute meals for 2-3 days. It's delicious, and everyone loves it!

Crockpot is perfect if out of the house 10-11 hours. It means you can put the meat in frozen and let'er rip. I tend to do chicken breasts/thighs this way, they come out tender and delicious. Also, whole pork or beef roasts, etc.

I agree with you on starting from frozen, and also that this is the perfect amount of time for pork and beef roasts. I haven't had luck with chicken breasts in the crockpot for that long, I usually find them dry when I return.

I am actually trying today frozen chicken breasts (like 8 of them), a bag of frozen corn kernels, taco seasoning, juice of two limes, can of rotel, and cilantro. I'm having the babysitter turn it to warm when she gets there with my son, so I think it will be about 7.5 hours on low, which I hope will be ok.

I'm going to shred that and serve it tonight over rice ala Chipotle bowls, but will use the leftovers for enchilada filling for some freezer meals I need to make for some families going through tough times. I also use this filling for tortilla soup quite often.

My dinner last night turned out really well - the 7 hours on Low for the frozen chicken in the crockpot wasn't too long, then it sat on Warm for another hour or so till I got home and was able to shred it all up.


The whole batch:



My serving last night:


Oh and since this is about family dinners - my kids did eat it, which I thought they would but you never know. I let them make their own bowls so they liked spooning in the rice, pulling the chicken apart with their fingers, and then sprinkling the cheese on top with some sour cream. I think we will do this kind of meal more often...