Hi All,

What does everyone make on busy nights?  Many times our family is running around until 7:30 and when we get home its late and everyone is starving!  Any suggestions?  I do use a slow cooker a couple of times a week, but that can get old.  Any tips are appreciated!  Thanks.

On really bad busy nights turn into sandwich nights. I stock up on health cold cuts, breads and I pre make some salads in the morning and stick them in the fridge to chill.  Another thing we do on busy nights would be eggs---they are fast, tasty and nutritious. I do use my slow cooker, but that is more of a winter thing for me. We also grill year round, so I might make a simple marinade and toss in some chicken, or small steaks, or some seafood, when we come home the grill goes on, my daughter sets the table and starts veggies, and I start grilling. We always have bags of pre cooked brown rice from Trader Joe's and some fruit to round everything out. And when it gets really bad, we do a Subway run.

Debbie

 Do you have one of those George Foreman Grills?  I can cook fish, chicken, lean beef and veggie at the same time.  In my house it is just my hubby and me.  So I can place seasoned meat or fish and then some chopped fresh veggies (note carrots will take a bit longer to cook so you might start those first then add the less denser veggies) on the other side of the grill.

Depending on the size of your family you might need two.

 Do you have time to premake something the night before?

For example  the menu is meatloaf, mash potatoes, gravy and veggie (either canned, frozen or fresh)

I mix up meatloaf and cover it and place in the fridge.  When I get home the next night, I either shape in small oval loaves or muffin tins.  It will bake up in 20-30 minutes. 

Or

After mixing the meatloaf,  you can shape them either in small loaves or put in  muffin a muffin pan and cover and place in the fridge and then when the oven gets to the temp just pop them in the oven.

I peel the pototoes, put them in the pan I am going to cook them in with water and put in the fridge . Then when I get home I put the pan on stove and turn it on.   

To make the gravy I take a can of beef broth and make a corn starch and water slurry to thicken it.

The fix whatever veggie.

So if you can premix things and put in the fridge and finish the next day. But it does take some preplanning.

I have even premade the meatloaf mixture and freeze it.  My husband and I will buy 2 pounds of ground turkey and we mix 1 pound up as meatloaf  and the other pound up as sausage and then place in the portion size we need then place in freezer bags or containers and freeze.

Just take a look at what you make and like see what can be made ahead and frozen or or premade the night before.

Usually while the meal I am cooking for that night, I can premake the next night's meal.  Because you have done the prep work for that night's meal and all you are doing is cooking the meal, you might have time to prep the next night's meal.