It has happened to all of us. Dinner time rolls around, and there you are – standing in front of the refrigerator or pantry, wondering what to make. You have a hungry family waiting, and no menu plan. What are you to do?
The good news is that with a few pantry staples on hand, you can usually pull something together pretty easily. You would think that because I am a food blogger and talk about food all day, that dinner is always perfectly planned at my house and on the table at 5:30 on the dot. But in reality, it’s so much different than that. Especially when I have a lot of assignments due and I’ve been in the kitchen cooking all day long. More often than not, I’m that girl who finds herself in front of the fridge, wondering what to make.
I have come up with a few tips that have saved dinnertime for my family on more than one occasion. Perdue Chicken challenged me to come up with Ten Tips to K.I.S.S – Keep It Simply Smart. Dinnertime can definitely be made simple and easy by having the right things in your fridge, freezer and pantry. Here are my Top Ten items to keep on hand that will make dinnertime a breeze.
1 – Frozen Shredded Chicken
I recently did a post with 24 ways to use frozen chicken. And I learned that not everyone knows that you can freeze cooked, shredded chicken. This is a must have in my kitchen. Not only does it save you on those nights when you don’t know what to make, but it also saves you tons of time when you are in a dinnertime crunch. (Pictured – Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos)
2 – Frozen Cooked Ground Beef
Along the same lines, you can also freeze cooked ground beef. Season some up with taco seasoning to keep on hand for easy taco night. Or keep it plain to throw into a different recipe. For a lighter option, try swapping ground beef for ground chicken.
(Pictured – Ramen Vegetable Beef Skillet)
3 – Beans
I always have several different kinds of canned beans on hand. They can be used to beef up other recipes, or they can be the star of the show. You can also cook dried beans and then keep them in the freezer, but my freezer is much to small. So canned beans have a permanent place in my pantry. (Pictured – Grilled Corn and Black Bean Salad)
4 – Tortillas
When all else fails, quesadillas are always an easy dinner option!! (Pictured – Sweet Potato-Chicken Quesadillas)
5 – Pizza Dough
My favorite pizza dough can be kept in the fridge for up to 14 days, so we almost always have some in the refrigerator. It’s definitely easy to throw together when time is short or when you don’t know what else to make. If you want to keep it really simple, you can buy refrigerated pizza dough that you can keep in your fridge for emergencies. (Pictured – Antipasto Pizza)
6 – Pasta
Pasta can be the most simple dinner. You can make a sauce to go with it, or even simply serving it with butter and a bit of Parmesan cheese is a hit at our house. Pasta is a weekly thing for us – and is also perfect for quick lunches! (Pictured – Vegetable Ribbon Pasta)
7 – Rice & Grains
Rice or grains (like quinoa or barley) can help to bulk up a dinner, or they can be the main star. While risotto seems intimidating to some, it’s actually one of the easiest things to make. It just takes the patience to stir for about 30 minutes! (Pictured – Butternut Squash Risotto)
8 – Canned Salmon or Tuna
When you don’t have the time to thaw that chicken breast in your freezer, a can of tuna is an easy, fast way to whip up a meal. (Pictured – French Style Tuna Melts)
9 – Bread
We never go without bread on hand. Whether for lunch or for dinner, there is probably at least one sandwich made in our house daily. Everything from peanut butter and jelly to paninis – you can almost always pull something together to make it a sandwich night! (Pictured – Egg Salad BLTs)
10 – Pancake Mix
Whether homemade or store bought, when all else fails, do breakfast for dinner!! (Pictured – Homemade Pancake Mix)
——————-
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simply smart = salads, fresh & raw diced veggies, beans or tempeh, viola dinner in minutes and no oven requied
Lovely dishes! Simply delicious.
Cheers,
Rosa
Keep a well-stocked fridge and pantry, and there are endless possibilities for dinners that can be made in just minutes!
This is such a great post about making easy, healthy dinners! I always have my pantry stocked with staples and a few simple things in my fridge that can help me make a meal in no time. And I always have salad ingredients on hand for one of the easiest, no cook dinners – a nice big salad with veggies!!
Meat is always pulled out the night before, if using and I always keep my pantry stocked. . . If i’m getting low on something I use alot, there’s always another Bottle/Box waiting in the pantry
Meal planning helps making dinner easy.
Meal planning for sure otherwise I scramble.
Similar to #10, we try to keep eggs on hand all the time so we can always do breakfast for dinner. In fact tonight we’re having Huevos Rancheros!
I keep it simply smart at dinner by planning ahead and keeping base ingredients in the kitchen at all times. As a result, I shop for produce, meat, and special ingredients on a weekly basis. Not only is dinner simple for so is shopping.
Thanks for your tips. Love the blog.
I keep certain staple ingredients (tortillas, pizza dough, canned beans and quinoa) on hand for quick, easy meals.
https://twitter.com/eknight74/status/227393401694343168
I tweeted about the giveaway! https://twitter.com/kn1tfaced/status/227398228780396545
I keep it simple–especially in the summer–by keeping core ingredients on-hand for maybe 4 days out, so there’s not much waste.
Ikeep low fat lunchmeat, cream cheese, and tortillas for quick pinwheels
I cook dried beans and then freeze them – saves a TON of time when I want to throw dinner together. I also keep frozen meats (sometimes I cook and freeze) on hand, as well as fresh fruits and veggies at all times!
Eggs. You can do a ton of quick things with them. Thanks!
Plan, plan, and more planning! I always plan my menu the week before and try to think about any ingredients that I need to use up before they go bad. I also read through every recipe (learned the hard way) to make sure I’ll have enough time and that nothing needs to be prepped the night before. It also helps that I love to cook, so being in the kitchen is very enjoyable for me!
I make sure that I cook at least 2 dishes a week that will result in leftovers. That way I’m not cooking every day.
Rotisserie chicken is a must have for “keeping it simple summer suppers”. I also try to keep a list of cool suppers to eat during the hot summer!
cook lots and freeze the extras for an easy meal some other time!
I try to prep things for dinner throughout the day when I have a spare moment, or freeze some meals for desperate times. If all else fails, it’s BFD! Breakfast for Dinner!
I always keep breakfast items on hand for easy dinners. Eggs, bacon, pancake mix. Everyone’s always happy to have that. Thanks for the giveaway!
miyax15 at yahoo dot com
Great suggestions! Ty for the giveaway!
Meat usually is the thing that I get caught on, so I buy my chicken in bulk at Costco and then break that down into smaller portions in ziplock freezer bags, I then add marinates and freeze, when it thaws, it marinates……it then goes straight to the grill, add some salad and you’re done!
I also like to make sure that there is extra left over for lunches.
I tend to cook too much now that there are only 2 of us to plan for, so I try to make enough for 2 complete meals and either freeze half, tuck away for a couple days later, or have for my lunches. Saves tons of time & heating up the kitchen again.
In the summer I like to grill chicken and steak on Sunday afternoon, and then I can slice it over salads, or make wraps or paninis over the next few days.
I like to keep lots of frozen meat in the freezer – easy to whip up a quick meal with a protein and veggie!
I tweeted (@kelseygossett) “Check out the new #SweepstakesEntry at Taste and Tell blog here: http://www.tasteandtellblog.com/2012/07/dinner-made-easy/#comment-44757“
I freeze any leftover chopped onions or peppers in the freezer to save and use for another recipe later on. Saves time too!
I tweeted about the giveaway https://twitter.com/thespiffycookie/status/227429196178284544
I keep a pretty substantial pantry, carryover from the days when I had 4 children at home, always hungry!!! So at any given time I can whip up a pasta, grain, bean or meat dish simply by pulling from my pantry. I do try and plan what I am making for dinner in advance, but in a busy houslehold of 2 teens and 2 working parents, surprises are continually happening. One of my best “fast” meals incorporates ground meat of any variety, generally I use ground chicken, 3 packages of Ramen(any flavor) and a bag of frozen vegetables (oriental, mixed or whatever you ave on hand). Brown the meat in a large pot or dutch oven and add one packet of the seasoning from Ramen. Add the Ramen, broken up, along with 3 cups of water and the vegetables. Sprinkle the remianing 2 packages of Ramen seasoning over and stir to combine. Cover and reduce the heat to a simmer and stir occasionally for about 15 minutes, until noodles are tender and vegeatables are crisp tender. Splash a tablespoon of sesame oil, and soy and season with pepper to taste. Serve as is or with a tomato salad.
Simply Smart are always wraps for us. Any meat, any veggies, any dressing or sauce and simply wrap it in a tortilla! We love it!
A well stocked pantry and freezer are my saving grace at dinner time. It is easy to throw something together when you are prepared.
I plan my meals for a week and buy all the ingredients, but I also have ingredients on hand for a few simple meals just in case my schedule changes and I need to throw dinner together more quickly than I planned– chicken taco soup with rotissierie chicken and canned tomatoes and beans and frozen corn, waffles and berries, or pasta and fresh veggies.
That tortilla is making me starving! I like to keep ingredients on hand too, just so it’s easy to whip up something right away.
I always have shredded chicken and cooked bacon in the freezer to add to any meal. Plus, I make lots of servings of dishes so my small family can usually get 2-3 meals out of one thing!
Oh my! I’m officially hungry…again! lol ^_^
Tweeted your giveaway!
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When pork shoulder roasts are on sale I come home from the store and put the roast in the oven and roast it at 250 for about 12 hours ( about 5-7 lb. roast). I shred the meat and use it for pulled pork, cafe rio dinner and mexican meat mix. If I am not going to use it right away it is puat in the freezer and ready for me to use in any of these yummy recipes saving me so much time.
I think planning ahead is important. I love having frozen cooked chicken on hand for busy (or lazy
) nights too!
I try to plan out dinner the day before if not then that morning.
Simple dinners here means under 30 minutes when possible and not a lot of pans. One pot meals are even better!
I believe washing and chopping produce for salads the day you shop is helpful. Also, meal planning and keeping pantry staples. Also it is helpful to always have ingredients for 2 simple meals on hand.
I keep it simple by using my crock pot. I’ve used it to roast a chicken, bake potatoes, or make soup for dinner, all with just some quick prep.
Cook all of my ground beef at once (with onions) and put them in freezer bags with individual portion sizes. It makes cooking so much faster and would be great with your ground beef recipes!
You and I have totally similar pantry staples (minus the meat!). Canned beans and tortillas are my lifesavers, as are eggs and sweet potatoes!
My crockpot is my most valuable KISS helper! I’ll often throw in some chicken breast with a little bit of chicken stock for flavor and then use in a recipe or eat alone for dinner!
I always make sure to have extra dinners in the freezer–spaghetti sauce is a big one!!
I like to keep it simple by having easy sides on hand like microwaveable quinoa and brown rice!
Prep what I can when I can. If I have a recipe that call for chopped onions then I try and chop extra and store in plastic storage containers in the fridge to use later in the week. I do the same And like you said I try and cook extra chicken, ground beef, etc. when I make something and freeze the rest for later recipe.
I make it easy to heat up homemade burrtios by filling tortillas with black beans and chickpeas along with other vegetables and thy make it easy to heat it up quickly whenever I want !
Always keep breakfast food items on hand and try to keet some comfort food items on hand and/or in the freezer
Tweeted: https://twitter.com/jenron1/status/227544136666992640
I always have cooked shredded / diced chicken, browned seasoned ground beef, taco meat, sloopy joes in my freezer. I also always keep diced veggie … Bell peppers,, onions, celery, carrots for quick fixes.
I always keep eggs around. Lots of ways to keep it simple wth eggs.
I cook veggies in big batches so they’re all ready to be heated up
Loved the ideas. Never thought of freezing cooked chicken. How exactly do you do it and how long does it keep? how do you use it recipes? Thanks!
@Annie, after cooking and shredding the chicken, I just portion it off into ziplock bags and freeze. When I need it, it thaws pretty fast, or if I’m really in a crunch, I’ll defrost it in the microwave. I’m not sure how long it lasts, (I generally go through mine pretty fast), but I’d guess 3-6 months.
I don’t have a lot of time so I try to keep my pantry well stocked so I can whip up easy dinner ideas pretty fast.
I always have a box of pasta & a jar of spaghetti sauce in my cupboard for nights I “forget” to go to the store
I meal plan 2 weeks at a time since we don’t live close to a grocery store. We don’t always follow the plan, but comin home from work knowing what I need to make and that we already have all the ingredients ready makes cooking at home ap much easier!
i keep my pantry well-stocked when items are on sale, and try not to waster anything.
i tweeted – https://twitter.com/onitnaram/status/227660572559286274
I always keep ingredients in my pantry for pasta putanesca. Fast and super delish. There are always chili ingredients available as well. I know everyone will eat it and it can be made in less than 30 min.
homemade mac & cheese (pasta, sandwich cheese, milk & butter), breakfast for dinner (pancakes or omelet/tortilla/frittata),
welsh rarebit (cheddar cheese soup, old english spread & saltines),
homemade chicken soup, chili, corn chowder or my hamburger, onion and potato hash are my usual “go to’s” when I’m not prepared, but my biggest help is knowing what I want to make when I get home!
I try to always have a backup meal in stock. Like frozen fish and tortillas for fast fish tacos. Great for days when you can’t bear to go back to the grocery store.
great post Deborah! So helpful and great giveaway too!
Keeping a well stocked pantry and fridge is what makes dinners easy for me!
Have at least one dinner, usually leftovers from a large pot or casserole, in the freezer for an emergency meal. I also cook grains in quantity and freeze any leftovers to toss in a salad and turn it into a meal.
My last minute dinner is pasta.
eggs are always a great quick and easy option!
I try to have a menu plan for a month so I can eat the foods we like but already know what I need to get in advance for that meal and thaw the right meat. I also try to keep a fast meal on hand just in case I can’t get the meal I wanted for a few nights.
I try to always have a meal plan…that way I can use ingredients during the same week so nothing goes bad. Also, I try and prepare anything I can, like chopping vegetables or thawing meats, in advance so all I have to do is come home and cook!
Making a weekly meal planner and having everything on hand.
Love your dinners ideas, especially freezing shredded chicken. I like to freeze leftovers in individual serving sizes for quick lunches.
Keep It Simply Smart by planning ahead. If you know what you’re preparing for a meal and have all the ingredients on hand, it’s a huge time saver. Thanks!
I keep it simple in my kitchen with fresh veggies and easy salads. Especially in the hot summer
I tweeted this giveaway! https://twitter.com/keshakeke/status/228033096849711104
Meal planning makes my life sooo easy… I know that I have the ingredients to make it whenever I would like
I make a monthly meal plan and I include lots of leftover days (both the straight up reheated kind as well as the reinvented kind) to make evenings easier. Right now I’m pregnant and our meal plan got VERY basic because my taste buds are going crazy. For example, last night’s plan was Chicken, Baked Sweet Potato, & Veggies. I ended up making it more interesting by topping the chicken with some leftover black bean-corn salsa and cheddar, but since I couldn’t rely on that being appealing when I made the plan 3 weeks ago I just left the entree as basic chicken.
Keep It Simply Smart by doing prep work on the weekends. I try to plan out my menu and do my grocery shopping on the weekends and then for meals earlier in the week, I do the prep work so that when I get home from work it will be quick and easy to throw everything together. I don’t always remember/have time, but when I do, it’s definitely worth it!
i buy roast chicken and make 3-4 different meals from it! easy peasy
I plan ahead too and I try to keep it healthy and simple, salads for example
whirlwindofsurprises(at)yahoo(dot)ca
Whirlwind of Surprises
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whirlwindofsurprises(at)yahoo(dot)ca
Whirlwind of Surprises
Love the cooked chicken and beef idea. You would allways have a quick meal at your finders. My go to quick and easy meal is French Dips. I always have sliced roast beef on hand.
I like to double recipes so we can eat part of it for dinner, and put the rest in the freezer for another night.
I keep shredded cooked chicken, beef and pork in the freezer at all times. My freezer always has different varieties of cooked beans too. Pantry has plenty of pastas and grains. Now if I just had the energy at the end of the day to actually get myself in gear and use them!!
I couldn’t pick which one of these recipe was my favorite. I’d see one and think, yep…this is it. Then I’d see the next one. Definitely salivating now.
I always have dried mushrooms on hand to spontaneously whip up a tasty pasta or risotto.
I keep it simple and healthy in the kitchen by eating a lot of salads, fresh fruit, and breakfast items for dinner!
Cook once, eat twice. Make more of a basic ingredient (say, chicken) for dinner 1, then use that ingredient in tomorrow’s recipe.
I like to make a big roast chicken on Sunday and have enough leftover chicken for at least two more meals throughout the week. Not having to cook chicken for each meal is a big time saver. I also love to make a big batch of spaghetti sauce and freeze it in old sour cream containers. Then, thaw it and add to any kind of pasta for a super quick and easy meal.
i keep it simple & smart by using my crock pot a lot!
i tweeted here:
https://twitter.com/bellows22/status/228698442451546113
I try to plan meals in advance so I cut down on the decision-making time.
I menu-plan, and also prep ahead as much as I can.
I do weekly meal plan and pre-cook some ingredients during weekend.
tcarolinep at gmail dot com
https://twitter.com/tcarolinep/status/229077305279004672
@Jessie C., correct tweet link here.https://twitter.com/tcarolinep/status/229082414494928896
i save time by buying pre-chopped onions since i use them all the time and hate cutting them anyway
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“I am receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for submitting this comment.”
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thismomwins@gmail.com
“I am receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for submitting this comment.”
i meal plan too! i also try to plan meals that will use each other’s ingredients so i cut down on waste.
https://twitter.com/DesMoinesDealin/status/229303065461792770
i make a meal plan every week so i know in advance what i’m cooking at dinner each night
katherinedibello (at) gmail (dot) com
I keep a folder of recipes and pull out however many I’ll need in the coming week – usually based on what food I have on hand or what’s on sale at the store.
Meal planning every week
https://twitter.com/HappyTina0115/status/230457991567118336
I Keep It Simply Smart in the kitchen when it comes to dinner time by cooking ahead of time. When I make won ton, I double the recipe and freeze 1/2 of it for another day.
amy [at] utry [dot] it
tweeted about this giveaway: https://twitter.com/uTry_it/status/230564909795115008
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I cook meals ahead of time and freeze or when I cook, I make a large amount and freeze the rest for another day. I also shop for the week (meal planning)
I cut up vegetables and freeze them in 2 cup containers. I also do this with homemade stocks.
We always have eggs on hand and like your tip, we have breakfast for dinner only making everyone a specially ordered omelet with whatever cheese, veggies and meat we have on hand.
Do prep work ahead of time – chopping, dicing, washing etc. Always have breakfast items on hand for quick ‘breakfast for dinner’ nights
I Tweeted: https://twitter.com/jenron1/status/231755897049849856
I make double batches and freeze the extra. That way I’m only cooking once.
I think the key is keeping a well-stocked pantry. I also have LOTS of chicken in the and I can cook that up in just 5 minutes using my George Foreman grill – LOVE that thing! I also make a lot of quick and easy pasta dishes, and salads with quinoa or couscous. It’s fun to be creative and a huge plus when the family loves the meal.
I tweeted about the giveaway: https://twitter.com/365DaysofBaking/status/231778852106563584
To keep it simple during the hot summer months I use our outdoor grill and grill up some chicken or pork, pair it with green salad and dinner is served!
I keep it simple by menu planning on the weekend. Helps keep it simple at the store too! And we also always have breakfast for dinner as a back-up plan…just in case!
I keep it simple by knowing what I’m cooking or baking the day before and having all my ingredients ready.
Tweeted this giveaway!
https://twitter.com/MakeupFanatic27/status/231946909659578368
Lots of beans, rice and veggies. Healthy vegan meals <3
i prep as much as i can beforehand
https://twitter.com/karinaroselee/status/233324239577550850
I try to do things in parallel. I love to cook pasta and canned tuna to save time too. Thanks for the tips and giveaway.
songyueyu at gmail
tweet: https://twitter.com/syytta/status/234246082215964672
songyueyu at gmail
tweeted: The crock pot is my biggest time saver – love crock pot dinners!
I make it simple by having a protein and I try to incorporate fruits and veggies into every meal! Thanks for a chance to win and have a great day!
kmassmanATgmailDOTcom
My slow cooker is my lifesaver. When I know I am going to have a busy day I can toss in meat and veggies from the freezer and know I will have a satisfying meal at dinner time.
Tweet – https://twitter.com/willitara/status/237351143393607681
i buy pregrill chicken and i use in everything from a chicken wrap to grill chicken salad i been use it chick potpie
https://twitter.com/purplelover04/status/237934609671802881
I try to make meals that use similar ingredients to make the most of my space evert week
If you can buy it prepared, that is what I do. Sliced mushrooms, diced tomatoes, cubed tofu, etc. Sure you pay a little more but my time is worth it!
I tweeted here: https://twitter.com/MsTofuFairy/status/238358093833048064
I plan dinners in the summer a week in advance so I’m not stressing out or rushing around at the last minute.
pokergrl8 at gmail.com
https://twitter.com/aes529/status/238369515983998976
I’m obsessively organized so I make the most of my time in the kitchen by having everything organized, plan meals, do ahead/in bulk as much as possible and shop with a list at the grocery store.
I redid the contents of my cupboards & drawers so that I have the things I use most closest to where I use them.
Thanks for the contest.
“I am receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for submitting this comment.”
blogged: http://slehan.blogspot.com/2012/08/win-100-cookingcom-gc-from-blogher-823.html
“I am receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for submitting this comment.”
I make double batches of a few meals each month so I have a few nights I can just pull something out of the freezer and re-heat.
https://twitter.com/LAMusing/status/238500215739527168
Meal planning saves time and money!
When I bring home fresh produce I prep some of it (clean & tear lettuce, chop onions, etc) and keep it in the fridge or freezer so it doesn’t take so long to make week night meals. WHen you think about it, it doesn’t take that much longer to chop 2 or 3 onions at once than it does to chop one. It’s been a big time saver and de-stresser for me.
I am receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for submitting this comment.
tweet
https://twitter.com/dmarie824/status/238719675813474304
I like to meal plan and the 30 minute meals.
I do meal planning for every week so i get in and out of the kitchen! Thanks for a super giveaway!
Tweeted:
https://twitter.com/anashct3/status/238822853405995008
Thanks for the chance to win!
email: anashct1 [at] yahoo [dot] com