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Hunting for dinner ideas? Whether you find yourself in the kitchen at 6:00 p.m wondering “what should I make for dinner tonight” OR your family can never agree on one meal, dinner can be one of the most hectic parts of the day. As a working mom of 3 kids, I get it.
With picky eaters and food allergies, making one meal for everyone in my house seemed impossible for so long! Learning how to meal plan and prep helped me get a handle on the dinner fiasco. A few years ago I started sharing my meal plans with the world and I’ve been able to help thousands of other families do the same.
So goodbye to living as a short order cook in your own home, and hello to fresh, simple meals that everyone can agree on. Grab your free meal plan here.
When it comes to finding dinner ideas that work for the whole family it’s important to incorporate at least one item everyone will enjoy, whether it’s the entree or side dish.
I like making self serve meals like tacos, loaded potato, and burgers bars since they include a variety of healthy options and everyone can build their own plate with the ingredients they love most.
How to Plan Healthy Family Meals for a Week
With busy lives and kids, enjoying a meal with your family hinges on two important factors:
- A meal plan prepared in advance
- Recipes your family will actually enjoy and eat
And lucky for you- I’ve got BOTH!
Meal planning goes a little differently for everyone, but the most effective method for me is to set aside time at the beginning of the week to plan 5-6 days worth of meals, leaving the other days open for leftovers or family plans. I go more in detail about it here:
If you’re on the lookout for a completed meal plan with shopping lists and prep guides, you’ll find it in our family meal plans.
Now for the real reason, you’re here, recipes you can cook for dinner tonight!
What to Cook for Dinner Tonight
When you’re wondering what to make… I’ve got everything from chicken dinner ideas to beef, to tacos and so much more!
Recipe: Healthy Chicken Nuggets (or these Gluten Free Chicken Nuggets)
Chicken nuggets are the one food I’ve never seen a child turn away and this healthy baked version is perfect for both kids and adults.
Recipe: Chicken Spaghetti Squash
This is a great switch from my usual spaghetti squash with Bolognese sauce. Cook the spaghetti squash beforehand to cut down on kitchen time.
Recipe: Healthy Teriyaki Chicken
The healthier, baked version of everyone’s favorite Asian take-out.
Recipe: Buffalo Chicken Quesadillas (see the recipe below)
Made with my easy slow cooker buffalo chicken the hardest part is choosing whether you want them with Ranch or Blue cheese dressing. Maybe both?
Recipes Using Ground Beef
The possibilities are endless when it comes to dinner ideas using ground beef!
Quick tip – If you’re planning to make a few of these recipes this week, then you can prep a few pounds of ground beef in the slow cooker to save you time in the kitchen each night.
Recipe: Beef Goulash Recipe
One of the only recipes I can expect no complaints, only clean plates.
Recipe: Beef Bolognese
The one recipe my kids can’t get enough of. Does anyone else experience this phenomenon with pasta and meat sauce?
Recipe: Taco Pizza Recipe
What better way to use up those Taco Tuesday leftovers?
Recipe: Instant Pot Chili Mac
Ground beef + canned beans + tomatoes + pasta and BAM! Dinner is done!
Quick & Easy Recipes
Homemade Nachos Recipe: Easy Family Dinner Idea
Pick up a rotisserie chicken from the grocery, use some of the meat for these nachos and the rest to make chicken salad for lunches.
Spiralized Zucchini and Tomatoes
Healthier noodles, made with Zucchini paired with tomatoes and a delicious blend of spices.
Easy Spaghetti Carbonara Recipe
Comfort food in all its simplicity! And that homemade homemade Carbonara Sauce is everything you ever hoped for in a pasta.
Easy Buffalo Chicken Sliders
Sliders stuffed with shredded chicken in a tangy, smoky sauce, melted cheese, and homemade Ranch dressing.
So who’s ready for some hassle-free meals? I say we start with these Buffalo Chicken Quesadillas you can totally make for dinner tonight.
PrintEasy Dinner Ideas for Tonight | EPIC Chicken Quesadillas
Quick & Easy dinner ideas for tonight that your whole family will love. Use what you already have on hand with these easy recipes, starting with classic beef tacos, for an epic taco night!
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 12 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Cuisine: Tacos
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- ¾ cup buffalo sauce
- 8 8-inch flour tortillas
- 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
- ½ cup blue cheese crumbles
- Butter, for grilling
- Blue cheese or Ranch dressing, for serving
Instructions
- Place the chicken breasts into the dish of a slow cooker. Pour the buffalo sauce over the chicken, and stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours or high for 4 to 5 hours.
- Once the chicken is cooked through, shred the meat with two forks and toss to coat with the sauce.
- Place the tortillas on a flat surface. Top 4 tortillas with the chicken, Cheddar cheese, and blue cheese. Assemble the quesadillas.
- In a large skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. One at a time, place the quesadillas into the skillet and grill for 3 minutes or until the cheese begins to melt. Flip and grill for another 3 minutes or until the cheese is completely melted. Remove from the skillet and repeat with remaining quesadillas.
- Slice and serve Ranch or Blue cheese dressing.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 quesadilla
- Calories: 655
- Sugar: 1.3g
- Sodium: 1775.1mg
- Fat: 27.1g
- Saturated Fat: 11.8g
- Trans Fat: 0.3g
- Carbohydrates: 56g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 45.1g
- Cholesterol: 134.1mg
Keywords: dinner ideas, family dinner ideas, dinner ideas for kids, what should I make for dinner tonight, dinner recipes
More Family Dinner Ideas
I’m all about cooking with what you have on hand, so if you’re looking for something starting a specific ingredient, I have you covered in the posts below. Be sure to click over for the recipe you need today or pin the posts to save for the next time you are standing in front of the fridge trying to come up with a dinner idea for tonight.
Chicken Dinner ideas – Quick, easy and delicious meals using chicken breasts, thighs, drumsticks or even the whole bird!
Dinner Ideas with Ground Beef – Wondering what to make with that pound of ground beef you have thawing the fridge? Here’s a collection of family favorite recipes to try.
Shrimp Dinner Ideas – 10 amazing kid-friendly recipes made with shrimp. Plus, a few tips for cooking shrimp so they come out perfect every single time.
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Jillian Leslie
This is so easy and absolutely delicious! Thanks, Laura!
★★★★★
Camber
The quesadillas are a great idea and I can’t wait to try the American Goulash!
★★★★★
Joanna Jones-Heron
I made the American Goulash dinner idea and my family LOVED it. thanks for the suggestions, this post is now my go-to for family-friendly recipe ideas.
★★★★★