Busy school night? Here’s how to get dinner on the table fast!
I’ll write this quickly because we are all busy and need to just get right meat of to the “how to get dinner on the table fast!”
These are my tried and true tips – methods I use now more than ever!
How to get dinner on the table fast!
Here’s the simplified version, and I’ll elaborate below.
- Make anything you can, especially the main dish, ahead of time.
- At meal time, warm up simple veggie side dishes.
- Or get out greens and dressing for a salad.
- Wash fruit and put it on the table.
- Eat.
1. Make anything you can ahead of time.
This means, build your casserole when you have spare minutes and put it into the fridge to bake at meal time. It means smoke or grill your meat and put it in the crock pot to stay warm until dinner time. It means put something in the crock pot before you leave for work in the morning. It means put burritos together to warm up at dinnertime. Do anything you can when you have a few minutes to get ahead.
2. At mealtime, warm up simple veggie side dishes.
I always have frozen green beans, peas, and corn in my freezer. These cook very quickly! Fresh broccoli is easy and fast to steam while I’m getting everything else out for dinner. Or…
3. Get out greens and dressing for a salad.
I buy pre-washed spring mix and spinach and keep them in the fridge at all times. It’s ready to throw on the table to go with our meals, and it takes no effort!
4. Wash fruit and put it on the table.
Grapes, strawberries, blackberries, pears – whatever you have on hand – wash it and throw it on the table (or slice it if needed, then throw it on the table). This is one of the easiest side dish options you can provide for your meal!
5. Eat.
Because that’s it. Your meal came together so quickly!
You taught me to not obsess over meals and to just focus on simple, healthy eating. I made it way too complicated! I love the idea of serving the salad greens right out of the plastic container. And putting the fruit bowl on the table. I admit to using paper plates when things get too hectic. Thank you for your articles. May God bless your family!