How is it that even with schooling from home and almost no social outings, I still feel frazzled when it comes to getting dinner on the table? To make things easier, I’m planning 5 make-ahead meals this week. These can be prepped over the weekend and stored in the fridge, so you can pull them out to cook — with minimal prep time –when your family is ready for dinner.

Or even better, your family can pull them out to cook. Right?

So grab your pen and grocery list, because next week’s meal plan is ready.

Related: Comfort food dinners for a tough fall

This week we’ll combine #MeatlessMonday and breakfast-for-dinner with this Wild Mushroom and Leek Strata at Gather and Dine. Mix the filling together over the weekend and store in an airtight container in the fridge. Pour it over the bread the night before, and stash in the fridge. When you’re ready to eat, just pop it in the oven to cook. And of course, you could always add some sausage or bacon to the mix if you’d like.

For a hearty but not heavy dinner, I love this Beef Bourguignon recipe at Keeping It Simple. It’s a meaty, veggie-rich stew that just says “cold weather food” to me. This is a slow-cooker recipe, so you can make it early in the day and let it simmer until dinner. Or, I’ll make a huge batch over the weekend and store it in freezer bags for  a quick, no-fuss dinner ready any time I want it. Grab some baguettes at the grocery to serve on the side, and you’re set.

Related: The easiest, most versatile slow cooker pulled chicken recipe that the whole family swears by

Make-ahead meals don’t have to be all casseroles and soups. Grab your knives and spices and prep these grilled Moroccan skewers at Killing Thyme early in the day, while the kids are napping or doing school work. At dinnertime, all you need to do is toss them on the grill. That said, if you wanted to go ahead and cook them early they wouldn’t be half bad served cold over salad, or in a pita wrap for dinner.

Related: 5 dinners we love that are all made in the Instant Pot

This creamy, cheesy chicken tetrazzini recipe at The Cozy Cook is always a kid-friendly win in our house. I mean, it’s hard to go wrong with noodles, chicken, and cheese. This is another recipe that I’d double (or, ahem, triple) over the weekend then store in my freezer for a quick, homemade dinner plan on a night I’m just not prepared.

Tip: Grab a rotisserie chicken to make that step even easier, then save money by buying the other ingredients in bulk. So easy.

Yes, even nachos can be a make-ahead dinner! Just prep all your toppings ahead of time. Over the weekend, grill the chicken, brown the ground beef, or cook the pork in your slow cooker and save it until you need it. Or, use spicy tofu, like in this vegan nachos recipe at Up Beet Kitchen. You can make them on sheet pans and melt the cheese in the oven, or just pop them in the microwave. Super easy!

Make a fantastic guacamole early in the day, and press plastic wrap on top of it to keep it fresh. (Though it is pretty quick to mash an avocado and just sprinkle in some salt and lemon juice if you prefer to make it on the spot.)

At dinner time, just set out all the toppings you like along with the basic  plate of nachos and let everyone DIY their own plate. Whoo! Dinner, done.

Tags: chicken, dinner, easy recipes, make-ahead, meal plans, quick recipes, recipes, sheet pan meals, tofu, vegan, vegetarian