Easy Dinnertime Ideas for Busy Parents

By Megan Wallace, RD | Pediatric & Family Nutrition

Read more about Megan Wallace on our Daily Nutrition page.

There is an unmistakable buzz that the start of September usually carries with it. It has that ‘back to school’ or ‘starting in daycare’ energy, where change is coming and excitement is building for new beginnings. Summer is ending, which means we are moving back to more structure.

As a dietitian and mom, this shows up both in my work and in my home. Clients come to chat about what to eat/serve for dinner after their busy day, how to make meal plans, and how to adjust for picky eaters. And as a mom, I also feel the scramble to sort out our weekly meal plans, accounting for soccer practices, swimming lessons, and the like. 

As we head into fall, one of the most helpful things we can do for kids is simply bring back a predictable rhythm around food. For children attending childcare or out-of-school care, routine is part of daily life. 

For many families, that might look like:

Breakfast → Childcare (AM Snack, Lunch, PM Snack) → Dinner → Bedtime Snack

Dinner doesn’t need to happen at exactly the same time every day. The idea is simply to create regular opportunities to eat so kids know another meal or snack is coming.

For dinner, make it easy with a simple formula: 

Carbohydrate + Protein + Vegetables + Fruit 

Then add sauces, dips, cheese, herbs or other extras that make it taste good. Some nights that might be chicken, roasted potatoes, and broccoli. Other nights it might be scrambled eggs, toast, and berries.

And that is just fine. Both count as dinner. 

 

Here are a few easy dinners to add to your Fall Rotation (that are most certainly showing up in mine!)

1. Build-Your-Own-Taco Bowls (Or wraps):

Start with rice, quinoa or another grain and put out whatever taco-inspired toppings you have available:

• Ground beef, pork, chicken, beans, or lentils
• Shredded cheese
• Corn
• Tomatoes
• Peppers
• Avocado
• Salsa
• Greek yogurt or sour cream
• Tortilla chips

I love build-your-own meals for families because everyone gets to interact with the same meal without every plate needing to look identical.

A child might choose rice, meat, cheese and corn while an adult piles on all the toppings. That’s okay. Exposure still counts.

2. Sheet Pan Chicken, Potatoes & Veggies

Add chicken thighs or breasts, chopped potatoes, and a couple of vegetables to a sheet pan. Toss with olive oil and your favourite seasoning and roast everything together.

Short on time? Use baby potatoes and pre-cut vegetables.

Add a dip or sauce your kids already enjoy and dinner is done.

3. Breakfast for Dinner

This deserves a permanent place in the busy-night rotation. 

Try:

Scrambled eggs, toast, and fruit.

Pancakes, Greek yogurt, and berries.

Egg and cheese breakfast sandwiches, with sliced cucumbers.

Breakfast foods are often familiar and well accepted by kids, they’re quick to prepare, and eggs and dairy make it easy to add protein without much cooking.

There is absolutely no rule that dinner needs to look like “dinner.”

4. DIY Pita Pizza

Put out whole grain pitas or naan, pizza sauce, shredded cheese, and a few toppings and let everyone build their own.

Bake until the cheese is bubbly and serve alongside sliced fruit, veggies and dip, or a simple salad.

Tip: If you have time, this is a really easy one to get kids involved in! 

5. Rotisserie Chicken Dinner

This is your reminder that convenience foods are allowed. Grab a rotisserie chicken and pair it with microwave rice or potatoes, frozen vegetables and a favourite sauce.

You could also turn the chicken into wraps, quesadillas, sandwiches or a quick chicken Caesar salad the following day. Using shortcuts doesn’t make a meal less nutritious. 

6. Snack Plate Dinner

Some evenings there is no dinner plan. Enter: the snack plate.

Try combining a few things you already have: crackers or pita, cheese, hard-boiled eggs,  fruit , veggies and hummus. Or leftover chicken, naan, cucumber, berries and tzatziki.

This works particularly well when everyone is heading in different directions for activities.

It doesn’t need to look fancy. Put it on a plate and call it dinner.

7. The 15-Minute Pasta 

Cook your favourite pasta and add a protein and a vegetable.

Try:

Pasta with pesto, chicken, and frozen peas

Pasta with marinara, ground meat, and spinach

Pasta with olive oil, parmesan, white beans, and broccoli

Frozen vegetables are especially handy here because you can toss them directly into the pasta water for the last few minutes of cooking. One pot for the win! 

 

You don’t need to “win” September

The transition back to school, childcare, work, and activities can feel like a lot. Food doesn’t need to become another thing you have to perfect.

Start with rhythm. Pick four or five dinners your family already likes. Keep a couple of emergency meals in the pantry or freezer. Repeat meals.

And remember that feeding kids isn’t about creating a perfectly balanced plate at every single meal. We’re looking at the bigger picture: offering a variety of foods over time, creating regular opportunities to eat, and helping kids build a comfortable, positive relationship with food.

 

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Recipe of the Month

Sheet Pan Chicken & Egg Fried Rice

Serves: 5-6
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 whole eggs, whisked
• 2 cups cooked white rice (day-old or freshly steamed)
• 1 cup peas and carrots (drained canned, thawed frozen, or lightly steamed fresh)
• 1 cup diced snap peas
• 3 tbsp sesame oil
• ⅓ cup soy sauce
• Green onions, sliced, for garnish 

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and lightly grease a large sheet pan.
2. Mix sesame oil & soy sauce together in a small bowl and set aside.
3. Spread the chicken in a single layer on the pan, season with salt and pepper, and bake for 5 minutes.
4. Remove the pan, pour the whisked eggs around the chicken, and return to the oven for 3–5 minutes, until the eggs are set.
5. Break the eggs into small pieces using a spatula.
6. Add the cooked rice, peas and carrots (and any other ‘firmer veggie’ you have on hand – see note). Drizzle with the sesame oil and soy sauce, then toss everything together until evenly coated.
7. Sprinkle with green onions and bake for another 5 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the rice begins to brown around the edges.
8. Toss once more and serve warm. 

Tips

• Chilled or freshly steamed rice both work. Moist rice gives the best texture when baked.
• You can easily add other vegetables like broccoli, mushrooms, zucchini, cauliflower, or green beans. If using firmer vegetables, chop into smaller pieces first so they cook through in the short baking time.
• For a little heat, stir in a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes before the final bake.