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    Home » Recipe Roundups

    27 Family Friendly Dinners That Are Easy to Meal Prep

    Published: Jun 13, 2026 by Emmeline Kemperyd · post_comments]

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    Finding family-friendly dinners that are easy to prepare can make weeknight meals a breeze. With 27 simple recipes, you can enjoy a variety of flavors while keeping meal prep quick and stress-free. These dishes are designed to please everyone at the table, making dinner time enjoyable for the whole family.

    Vegetarian Chili Sin Carne with Black Beans

    Easy Vegetarian Chili Sin Carne with Black Beans
    Photo credit: always use butter

    This Vegetarian Chili Sin Carne is packed with chili flavor and plenty of veggies like zucchini, eggplant, and green bell pepper. Ready in just 40 minutes, it's full of flavor and different textures, and it comes together with just a few easy steps.

    Get the recipe

    Baked Chicken Drumsticks & Veggies

    Drumsticks and veggies.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    This sheet-pan dinner is perfect for easy weeknight meals. With just a little chopping to begin, everything cooks together with chicken, veggies, and plenty of sauce, making cleanup a breeze.

    Get the recipe

    Rigatoni Bolognese

    Rigatoni Bolognese.
    Photo Credit: The Almond Eater.

    Rigatoni Bolognese is a delicious one-pot dish that's easy to make. This classic Italian meat sauce is perfect for weeknight dinners or special occasions, especially when paired with rigatoni pasta.

    Get the Recipe

    Slow Cooker Land Your Man Baked Beans

    Slow Cooker Land Your Man Baked Beans.
    Photo Credit: The Magical Slow Cooker.

    This dish features filling ingredients like ground beef, bell peppers, and onions. The seasonings really bring it all together, making it a meal that everyone will want seconds of.

    Get the Recipe

    Meatballs without Breadcrumbs and Eggs

    Meatballs without Breadcrumbs and Eggs
    Photo Credit: always use butter.

    These meatballs are easy to make and can be done in less than an hour. You can prepare them on the stove, in an air fryer, or in the oven, and they'll turn out juicy and full of flavor.

    Get the recipe

    Eggplant Moussaka

    Eggplant moussaka.
    Photo credit: Emmeline Kemperyd.

    Eggplant Moussaka is a simple dinner packed with vegetables, ground beef or lamb, and plenty of cheese on top. This version skips the potatoes and Bechamel sauce, using more eggplant instead, creating a healthy and tasty Mediterranean meal.

    Get the recipe

    Lamb Meatballs with Cilantro & Lemon

    Lamb meatballs.
    Photo credit: Emmeline Kemperyd.

    Lamb meatballs are easy to make and full of fresh lemon and cilantro flavor. They pair well with mashed potatoes or can be served as appetizers at gatherings, and they've been a hit in my home for years.

    Get the recipe

    Instant Pot Chicken Parmesan Pasta

    Instant Pot Chicken Parmesan Pasta
    Photo Credit: Eating In An Instant.

    Chicken parmesan pasta in the Instant Pot is a simple dinner that combines pasta and chicken breast into a quick, one-pot meal. It's perfect for busy nights when you want something tasty without a lot of work.

    Get the recipe

    Chicken Alfredo Lasagna

    Chicken Alfredo Lasagna on a white dish.
    Photo Credit: Midwest Foodie.

    Chicken Alfredo Lasagna brings together creamy Alfredo sauce, tender noodles, and lots of gooey cheese with shredded rotisserie chicken. It's a comforting meal that's quick to prepare and sure to please everyone.

    Get the recipe

    Slow Cooker Bruschetta Chicken

    Slow Cooker Bruschetta Chicken.
    Photo Credit: The Magical Slow Cooker.

    Chicken cooked in a flavorful mix of tomatoes and garlic, then covered with melted mozzarella cheese. This dish features a tasty homemade tomato sauce that gives it a classic Italian touch.

    Get the Recipe

    Hamburger Rice Casserole

    Hamburger Rice Casserole.
    Photo Credit: Deliciously Homecooked.

    This hamburger rice casserole is a simple and tasty dish that everyone in the family will enjoy. Made with ground beef and paired with steamed broccoli, it's the perfect comfort food for any night.

    Get the Recipe

    Spanish Chicken Stew

    Spanish chicken stew with rice.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    This chicken stew is simple to prepare using rotisserie chicken and is full of fresh lemon and rosemary flavors. It's a great option for a cozy dinner that doesn't require much effort.

    Get the recipe

    Slow Cooker Alpine Chicken

    Slow Cooker Alpine Chicken.
    Photo Credit: The Magical Slow Cooker.

    This creamy chicken dish features Swiss cheese, stuffing mix, and crunchy almonds. It's a great way to use stove-top stuffing creatively in the slow cooker.

    Get the Recipe

    Cottage Pie with Ground Beef

    Cottage Pie with Ground Beef.
    Photo Credit: Masala Herb.

    This is an easy ground meat pie prepared with ground beef. Without peas but still super flavorful!

    Get the Recipe

    Pesto Chicken Quinoa Bowl

    Pesto Chicken Quinoa Bowl.
    Photo credit: Fresh Apron.

    The Pesto Chicken Quinoa Bowl is a simple meal that you can whip up any night. It takes under 30 minutes to prepare and is packed with great flavors.

    Get the recipe

    Crock Pot Southwest Chicken Chili

    Crock Pot Southwest Chicken Chili.
    Photo Credit: Happy Simple Living.

    Southwest Chicken Chili is a family favorite that's simple to make in a slow cooker. It combines tender chicken with a zesty broth, corn, tomatoes, chipotle chiles, and two types of beans.

    Get the Recipe

    Turkey Burgers

    An air fryer turkey burger.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    This turkey burger is unlike any other you'll find. It's a simple and tasty option that's perfect for easy meal prep.

    Get the recipe

    Crockpot Tuscan Chicken

    Crockpot Tuscan Chicken.
    Photo Credit: Gypsy Plate.

    This chicken is covered in a rich, creamy sauce packed with Mediterranean flavors. It's a simple and tasty dinner that you can prepare ahead of time for a busy weeknight.

    Get the Recipe

    Panera Bread Thai Chicken Soup

    Panera Bread Thai Chicken Soup.
    Photo Credit: Food Hussy.

    This Thai Chicken Soup is a comforting dish that's great for chilly days. It's packed with chicken, carrots, shiitake mushrooms, red bell peppers, and edamame, all simmered in a flavorful coconut broth with a hint of Thai yellow curry.

    Get the Recipe

    3-Ingredient Chili

    Chili.
    Photo credit: Manila Spoon.

    This chili is simple to prepare and can be made on the stovetop or in a slow cooker. It's a flavorful dish that everyone in the family will enjoy.

    Get the recipe

    Red Pesto Pasta Salad with Veggies

    Red pesto pasta.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    This red pesto pasta is quick to prepare, taking less than 30 minutes with only 15 minutes of hands-on time. It's loaded with veggies and flavor, and you can enjoy it hot or cold, whether you use homemade or store-bought pesto.

    Get the recipe

    Easy Chicken Broccoli Casserole

    Easy Chicken Broccoli Casserole.
    Photo Credit: Recipes from a Pantry.

    Chicken Broccoli Casserole is simple to prepare in advance for quick weeknight meals. It's creamy, filling, and packed with flavors that everyone in the family will enjoy.

    Get the Recipe

    Slow Cooker Vietnamese Pulled Pork Banh Mi

    Slow Cooker Vietnamese Pulled Pork Banh Mi.
    Photo Credit: Delightful Plate.

    This pulled pork banh mi is a Vietnamese sandwich made with a crispy baguette filled with juicy pulled pork, crunchy pickled veggies, and a zesty sriracha mayo. Using a slow cooker for the pork makes this sandwich super easy to prepare.

    Get the Recipe

    Marry Me Chicken Pasta

    A detailed shot of Marry Me Chicken Pasta.
    Photo Credit: Borrowed Bites.

    Marry Me Chicken Pasta is a great option for busy weeknights. This one-pot dish features tender chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, and garlic in a creamy sauce, topped with parmesan and fresh basil.

    Get the recipe

    Instant Pot Bolognese

    A bowl of instant pot bolognese served over pasta.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    This Instant Pot bolognese is a quick and easy way to enjoy a classic pasta sauce. With just a few simple pantry ingredients, you can whip up a rich and hearty meal in no time.

    Get the recipe

    Crème Fraîche Carbonara

    Fake carbonara.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    This is a delicious twist on carbonara that packs in even more flavor than the traditional version. It's a great option for easy meal prep, making dinner simple and satisfying.

    Get the recipe

    Grilled Lemon Basil Chicken

    Grilled lemon chicken.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    This Lemon Chicken Marinade is quick to whip up using simple and healthy ingredients. Perfect for grilling, pan frying, or baking, it keeps the chicken juicy and full of flavor with olive oil, lemon, and basil.

    Get the recipe

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    About Emmeline Kemperyd

    Emmeline Kemperyd is a writer, food blogger, recipe creator and food photographer and the founder of alwaysusebutter.com. She has 20+ years experience creating and simplifying recipes so they taste good, and are quick, easy, and approachable. She is a regular contributor to MSN and her work has been featured by The Guardian, Well+Good, Vulture, SheKnows, Good Men Project, and The Feed Feed, among others.

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