Easy Meal Ideas for a Busy Week

I’ve always thought the hardest part of making dinner is simply figuring out what to make. While I’m pretty good at planning a week’s menu in advance, there are still days when 4:30 rolls around, and I’m scrambling for supper ideas. Sound familiar?

Here are some of my tried-and-true easy meal ideas for a busy week. These recipes are quick to whip up, save you from stress on hectic nights, and often leave leftovers for lunch or the weekend. The hardest part of these meals is just remembering to take the meat out of the freezer ahead of time. But even that problem can be solved with an Instant Pot in many cases.

Taco Soup

Taco soup has saved our dinners many times over the years! It’s ALWAYS a hit and oh so simple. Even my 11-year-old can make it. When I make it, I usually double the recipe and freeze half. It’s perfect for those days when “future me” has forgotten about dinner or I’m gone all day. Plus, having it in the freezer, has come in clutch a few times when someone needs a Meal Train.

Pro Tip: These are my favorite freezer containers for soups: They’re sturdy, space-saving, and keep your soup fresh longer. For smaller portion sizes I love the Souper Cube containers and use them for everything from soups to freezing already prepped veggies. For larger portions to give away I keep these containers on hand also.

BONUS TIP: Taco soup makes the perfect meal to bless a friend who’s overwhelmed by life. Drop off a frozen container with all the fixin’s—like shredded cheese, sour cream, and tortilla chips—and include some paper bowls. Say something like, “This is for one of those nights when you just don’t have it in you to figure out dinner or do dishes.” And it’s a good option for families with gluten or dairy issues.

Baked Potato Bar

Potatoes are one of the things I grow in abundance each year and store throughout the winter. So, they make their way into many of our meals!

I use both Russet and Red potatoes—whichever I happen to grab from the bin. Occasionally, I’ll toss in a couple of sweet potatoes, since one of my kids prefers them if we have any in the pantry.

Baked Potato Bar: It’s an easy meal idea for busy nights, feeds even the pickiest eaters, is super filling, and quick to throw together. I love this option because I cook the potatoes in the Instant Pot, and they’re ready even if I’m not home! For busy evenings when I’m running someone to riding lessons or football practice, I set the timer for the potatoes and designate a “Mommy’s helper” to pull out the toppings we need when it’s time to eat.

Instant Pot directions for baked potatoes.

Favorite Potato Bar Toppings:

• Butter & sour cream (of course!)
• Leftover veggies: Broccoli, corn, mixed vegetables—you get the idea.
• Leftover meat: Taco meat, ground beef, grilled chicken, sausage, bacon, etc.
• Shredded Cheese
• Chili… or even that leftover taco soup
• Homemade Ranch dressing, Bibibop sauce (I’m pretty sure this stuff has crack, MSG, or some other terrible ingredient in it, because it’s AMAZING on everything!), or BBQ sauce

Tip: A baked potato bar is a fantastic budget-friendly meal. Even if you don’t grow your own, potatoes are inexpensive. Plus, this is an excellent way to use up leftovers in the fridge, so nothing goes to waste!

Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Pulled pork is a fantastic choice for an easy meal idea that everyone will enjoy. If you remember to take it out of the freezer to defrost, the crockpot works perfectly—I just toss it in there in the morning and let it cook all day. But if you forget to defrost it (been there!), that trusty Instant Pot saves the day… again.

Make sure you put a bag of coleslaw mix on your grocery order with some hamburger buns for ultimate ease… and don’t forget to add the cheese!

TIP: Pulled Pork is one of my go-to meals for when we have company. It’s feeds many and doesn’t take a lot of time to prep in the kitchen, which allows for more time to visit with friends.

Rice Bowls

This is one of our staple meals that we probably have about once a week in some form or another. Much like the baked potato bar, it’s simple to prepare and lets everyone customize their bowls with toppings they love. You can use whatever rice-ish options you have on hand… including riced cauliflower. Honestly, cauliflower is not my kids favorite, but my husband and I don’t mind it. Quinoa is our favorite swap!

Rice bowls are quick, flexible, and perfect for busy evenings. Whether you’re juggling work, sports practice or just don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen, this easy meal idea is one we always come back to.

Favorite Toppings:

• Steak, Grilled chicken, Fish, Etc.
• Thinly Sliced Cucumbers
• Shredded Carrots
• Green Onions
• Shredded Cheese
• Avocado
• Black Beans
• Peas / Edamame
• Cabbage
• Fresh Squeezed Lime
• Cilantro
• Homemade Ranch dressing, Chili Sauce, and again… Bibibop sauce

Fancy Ramen

What started as plain, “good’ole normal ramen” turned into something we now call Fancy Ramen—it’s ramen, but fancier!

You can use any basic ramen noodles you have in your pantry or grab from the grocery store—just skip the seasoning packet. While I’ve used Nissan ramen many times, these are my daughter’s favorite noodles for ramen.

Start by sautéing fresh ginger and minced garlic in butter, then add bone broth to cook the noodles. It doesn’t matter whether you use beef or chicken bone broth, and since it’s all about your preferred broth-to-noodle ratio, measure the broth with your heart!

I often use the same toppings and ingredients as we do for Rice Bowls, which means one prep session for both meals. Just make a little extra and pop it in the fridge for another night.

• Grilled chicken
• Avocado
• Thinly Sliced Cucumbers
• Shredded Carrots
• Green Onions
• soft boiled or scrambled eggs
• Peas / Edamame
• Cabbage
• Fresh Squeezed Lime
• red bell pepper
• Salt/pepper to taste
• Cilantro

Well, I hope this have given you some inspiration for some upcoming busy days. All of these easy meal ideas are flexible, quick to prepare, and use simple, budget-friendly ingredients that are perfect for hectic schedules. Whether you’re meal-prepping or looking for a quick dinner solution, these ideas can keep your weeknight meals stress-free.

How about you…. what are your favorite go to meals? We’d love to know what you have found makes for a simple meal on a busy day.

Blessings my friend, and my you always have A Craving for Home!

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