The holiday season is here in full force, and it can be sooo busy. So, we’ve found 5 great make-ahead dinners that will get you through these busy weeknights without too much stress.
Use that extra time to go to holiday parties, get some shopping done, or just have a board game night with your family! So grab a pen, make your shopping list, and stock up on ingredients before the weekend’s over to make your weeknights that much easier.
At top: Cheesy Broccoli Rice Casserole at My Casual Pantry; Crispy Beef Burritos at Josie and Nina
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For #MeatlessMonday, these Spinach Lasagna Rolls at She Loves Biscotti are a great option. When you have some downtime earlier in the day (or even over the weekend) you can prep the rolls, then just heat them up when you are ready to eat. Pro tip: if you decide to add ground beef, make double so you can have it for the burritos (below) too.
Make a big batch of these Crispy Beef Burritos at Josie and Nina early in the week. If you need a quick dinner at the last minute, you can pull them out and heat them up. For those of us running to practices or club meetings during the week, this is a good way to avoid the fast-food line and still get a tasty dinner on the go.
Korean flavors may be unfamiliar to some kids, but my own have gone nuts for gochujang sauce recently. And I love that these Korean BBQ Sliders at The Oven Light can be assembled ahead of time, then put in the oven to warm at dinnertime. These are also perfect if you’re supposed to bring an appetizer or dinner to a holiday party this month!
Related: 5 make-ahead school lunch recipes you can store in the freezer for easy school mornings
They’re kind of old-school, but I love a good casserole. They’re the perfect make-ahead dish, because you can put them in the freezer and pull them out when you need an easy dinner. I’d make 2-3 of these and freeze them all, then you can have Cheesy Broccoli Rice Casserole at My Casual Pantry for dinner with zero work for the next few weeks.
This Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili at Food Faith Fitness is a nice variation from beef chili, and it’s a great dinner for a busy weeknight. I’d serve it with chips and salsa, guacamole or queso on the side, to help fill up kids who might not want to eat a lot of soup—plus, bonus for the hidden veggies they get in the salsa and guacamole.
