We’re all sick of cooking dinner too, especially with the July heat. Since we’re all struggling to get excited about more home cooked meals, we thought we’d focus on fun. We hope these 5 easy meals gor the week ahead are ones that will make dinnertime enjoyable for your whole family too.
At top: Creamy Chicken Enchilada potato skins
Related: Is it safe to eat in restaurants yet? Especially with kids? Here’s what the experts say.
Fun dinner idea: Eat the rainbow
Try to see if you can get all the colors of the rainbow on one plate, as a fun dinner challenge. You could roast veggies or have a raw veggie and fruit bar with dips, or cook up a big bowl of this tasty Pasta Primavera at Cooking Classy. It’s bright and easy and perfect for a warm summer night.
Fun dinner idea: DIY pizza night
We love our DIY pizza nights at my house, where we set out toppings that range from All The Meats to tons of veggies. Everyone writes their name on the parchment paper next to their pizza while it cooks in the oven, and we each get a custom dinner that we know we’re going to like. If you’re looking for even more inspiration for an out-of-the-box flavor combo, try this BBQ Jackfruit Pizza at The Anti-Cancer Kitchen. Such a great way to use up any canned jackfruit you might have in the pantry.
Related: 5 of our favorite Trader Joe’s summer barbecue picks
Fun dinner idea: Party food!
Search through our archives for some of our top recommendations for game day food or Oscar night menus — even New Year’s Eve menus! — for some fun and festive party food that’s not usually served for weeknight dinner. I’d start with these delicious Creamy Chicken Enchilada potato skins that Stacie developed for us, because OMG yum.
Fun dinner idea: Charcuterie board
A charcuterie board is such a fun grab-and-go style dinner, that it will probably surprise your kids into eating dinner without complaining. This charcuterie board at Katy’s Cookin focuses on fruit, cheese, crackers, and meat…but we’ve seen other creative ideas like chicken nuggets, PB&J sandwiches, or even a breakfast-themed board with waffles, fruits, and toppings. Fun.
Fun dinner idea: Crazy toppings for your burgers
If you search our archives for burgers, you’ll see that we’re big fans. And we love to switch things up every once in a while with the option of some unexpected toppings for those who are brave enough. You can get tons of ideas from this post on burger toppings from around the world, get inspiration from your own favorite restaurant, or try this Fried Mozzarella and Caramelized Peach Caprese Burger at Halfbaked Harvest, above, if you’re really looking for big, big flavor.
