By Courtney Minor
Published Feb 15, 2025
These easy family dinner ideas get everyone excited to gather around the table! No matter how large or small your family is, these dinner recipes are sure to leave everyone satisfied. Whether you’re looking to make something quick, cheap, easy, or healthy (or all of the above), these fun weeknight meals will serve your family well.
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Easy Dinner Ideas for the Whole Family
Family always comes first here, and that means having a delicious dinner together every night. It’s not always easy getting dinner on the table when things get busy, but these family-friendly meals help me out a lot.
I like to whip up tried-and-true family favorite dinner recipes, like baked spaghetti , birria tacos , Crockpot chicken , hamburger casserole , and so much more. One pot dinners and 30 minute meals are my go-to on weeknights, leaving the extra special meals for Sunday nights. And I’m always ready for weekly taco night or burger night .
Dig into this list of easy family dinner ideas, and you’ll always have something new and delicious to cook up for everyone. Even the pickiest of eaters won’t be able to resist these favorites!
Baked Chicken Tacos
Family Favorite Weeknight Dinners
Let’s kick off this list of easy dinner ideas for families with our favorite weeknight recipes. These meals are simple enough to make any night of the week, even after a busy day!
- Baked Chicken Tacos : Made in less than 30 minutes, the spicy shredded chicken filling bakes up nice and crispy in taco shells, and it makes enough for a large family.
- Crispy Baked Chicken Thighs : Chicken thighs are coated in panko breadcrumbs and baked in the oven to create an ultra crunchy main dish.
- Sausage Alfredo Pasta : Fettuccine alfredo with Italian sausage is a creamy and delicious pasta dinner that cooks up fast.
- Butter Burgers : We love these juicy, cheesy, buttery burgers for weeknights, and they’re sure to be a hit with the whole family!
- Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs : This chicken recipe is sweet, spicy, and tangy, making the perfect dish for any night of the week.
- Salsa Verde Chicken : This 30-minute baked chicken recipe is packed full of Mexican flavors that are sure to satisfy. We just love how quickly this recipe comes together!
- Baked Ziti : This dish has been a family favorite for years! You only need about 5 ingredients, and it makes the cheesiest pasta dish.
- Chicken Alfredo : On the table in less than 30 minutes, this classic recipe is incredibly creamy and just so good.
- Lasagna with Meat Sauce : This is one of our go-to family dinner recipes because it’s so easy to make, it’s deliciously cheesy, and it serves about 10 people–enough for a big family or leftovers!
Stovetop Burgers
Quick Family Dinner Ideas
Whip up any of these delicious, family-friendly dinner recipes in just 30 minutes or less. We know you don’t have time for a complicated recipe, so we’re giving you the fast recipes only!
- Stovetop Burgers : Cook the perfect juicy burgers indoors in 20 minutes for a quick and easy family meal.
- Beef Lo Mein : Juicy beef, veggies, noodles, and a tasty sauce cook up faster than any takeout or delivery service.
- Baked Ranch Chicken : 5 ingredients and 30 minutes are all you need for this ranch and bacon coated chicken. No family member can resist this creamy dish!
- Skillet Chicken con Queso : Cheesy rice is loaded with cilantro, pico de gallo, and green chiles, then topped with taco-seasoned chicken, all in one pot.
- Chili Mac : One pot and 30 minutes gets you this easy family dinner idea that no kid will be able to pass up. Cheesy macaroni and hearty chili all in one!
- Steak and Potatoes : We love this mix of savory steak bites and herb-y potatoes because it cooks so fast, making weeknight dinners a breeze!
- Sour Cream Noodle Bake : Egg noodles, sour cream, ground beef, marinara, and so much more is packed into this yummy casserole that’s perfect for families.
- Beef Taquitos : Super quick and easy with just a few ingredients, this recipe makes for a fun dinner the kids will enjoy eating.
- Smothered Pork Chops : The creamiest sauce coats these pork chops, and everything is made in one pan. What’s not to love?
- Crispy Chicken Sandwich : Skip the drive-thru and make the most amazing sandwiches right at home. This dinner is ready surprisingly fast!
Stuffed Peppers
Healthy Dinner Ideas for a Family
You can feed your family something for supper that’s tasty, easy, and good for you! These lighter and healthier versions of family favorites are sure to hit the spot.
- Stuffed Peppers : Rice, lean ground beef, spices, and tomato sauce are stuffed inside bell peppers and baked in the oven. It’s a low-carb family meal that everyone will devour.
- Oven Fried Chicken Breast : Lean chicken breast gets beautifully crispy in the oven to create a lighter version of fried chicken you can enjoy on weeknights.
- Mexican Zucchini Boats : Seasoned beef, black beans, and veggies are loaded into zucchini shells to make this keto-friendly family dinner.
- Weight Watchers Lasagna : The secret to this healthier lasagna is that it’s stuffed with hidden veggies, like carrots and zucchini. Sneak in those veggies for the picky eaters!
- Seasoned Chicken Breast : We love how much flavor a simple seasoning mix can add to juicy chicken. This main dish is healthy enough and tasty enough to eat every week!
- Barbacoa Burrito Bowls : These easy bowls are loaded with good-for-you ingredients, like cauliflower rice, veggies, and Greek yogurt, plus the most delicious beef.
- Air Fryer Breaded Tilapia : Serve these crispy pieces of fish with tasty veggies for a simple family dinner idea.
Swiss Chicken Bake
Cheap and Easy Family Meals
These family dinner ideas only require a few ingredients, and they’re mostly pantry staples and other stuff you probably already have in your kitchen. That means budget-friendly meals!
- Swiss Chicken Bake : Creamy, cheesy, and made with just 5 ingredients, this dinner recipe will be ready in no time!
- Cacio e Pepe : Everyone in the family is going to love how cheesy this simple pasta recipe is! Super quick, just a few ingredients, and beyond tasty.
- Easy Chicken Marinara : Crispy chicken, marinara, cheese, and pasta makes a cheap and easy meal the whole family will love.
- Chicken and Noodles : Shredded chicken and peas are mixed in with creamy noodles to make a dinner that’s ready fast. The little ones always love this simple meal!
- Caesar Chicken : We love how incredibly creamy this chicken is, and it only requires 4 ingredients. Talk about a family meal that won’t break the bank!
- Crockpot Mexican Shredded Chicken : Corn, black beans, salsa, and chicken cook up without any work, so it’ll be ready at dinner time for tacos or burrito bowls.
- Baked Italian Chicken : Bake up some chicken breasts covered in Italian dressing, add some cheese, and this main dish will be ready to serve with veggies, rice, or pasta.
- Air Fryer Chicken Thighs : All you need are some chicken thighs and seasonings to make this quick recipe. No need to run to the grocery store to buy extra ingredients!
Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings
Family-Friendly Crockpot Recipes
We love using the slow cooker to make dinners that the whole family will love. It’s hands-off, it makes larger portions, and it basically cooks dinner for you!
- Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings : Minimal prep is required for this creamy, cozy dish. Biscuit dough dumplings, chicken, and veggies cook up together so beautifully!
- Crockpot Spaghetti Casserole : Spaghetti is always a hit at dinnertime with the family, and using our slow cooker makes it super easy to prep and cook.
- Crockpot Ranch Chicken : Toss 4 ingredients into the Crockpot and a delicious meal will be ready before you know it!
- Crockpot Meatloaf : The tangy ketchup glaze is the perfect finish to this family favorite recipe, and it’s so good paired with mashed potatoes.
- Crockpot Taco Soup : Everything you love about tacos is in this tasty soup. It slow cooks to perfection, and this recipe makes a nice big batch!
- Crockpot Chicken and Rice : A creamy sauce and lots of cheese coat this simple chicken and rice dinner, which we love for weeknights with the family.
- Crockpot Baked Ziti : We needed another way to make our favorite ziti, because it’s just that good!
- Crockpot Chicken Tetrazzini : This creamy pasta with chicken and mushrooms is so simple and comforting.
Baked Mostaccioli
Dinner Ideas for a Large Family
If you’ve got a crowd to feed, these family dinner recipes are just what you need! Each of these tasty recipes serves at least 8 people, so no one will go hungry.
- Baked Mostaccioli : You can’t beat the simple combo of pasta, cheese, and sauce! Prep is quick, and it bakes up into the cheesiest family dinner.
- Crockpot Chicken Burritos : Whip up this delicious burrito filling in a slow cooker for a fun Mexican dinner night with the family. It makes plenty for everyone!
- Stuffed Shells : This pasta dish comes together as easily as any casserole, filled with jumbo shells, meat sauce, and plenty of cheese.
- Seafood Lasagna : Forget the ground beef (for today)! A mix of shrimp and crab fills up this creamy lasagna that gets wonderfully hot and bubbly in the oven.
- Chicken Spaghetti : This baked spaghetti is made with a creamy filling, shredded chicken, and a cheesy breadcrumb topping.
- Baked Chili Dogs : We love these dogs loaded with cheese and chili! They’re ready in about 30 minutes, and it’s enough to feed a crowd.
- Ravioli Lasagna : This recipe uses cheese raviolis instead of lasagna noodles for a dish that’s stuffed full of goodness!
- Chicken Parmesan Pasta : This one-pan pasta can feed a family of 8, and it’s ready in 30 minutes. We just love the crispy bites of chicken!
- Mexican Mac and Cheese : Spicy sausage, green chiles, tomatoes, and cheese are loaded into this creamy casserole.
- Slow Cooker Beef Tacos : Cooking up a big batch of taco meat in the Crockpot is so easy, and you can make as many tacos as you need!
Homemade Meatballs
Sunday Family Dinner Ideas
Make Sunday dinner with the family extra special with these ideas. There’s a little extra time to cook something nice, and these meals are all so comforting too.
- Homemade Meatballs : These meatballs are a family-favorite recipe that take any pasta dish up a notch. Make it a weekly tradition to serve these up with a bowl of spaghetti!
- Pineapple Ham : This is one of our favorite main dishes for all sorts of occasions, from big holidays to Sunday nights with the family.
- Breaded Pork Chops : These may be a simple dish, but they always feel special when we’re gathered around the table with loved ones.
- Beef Tenderloin : The garlic and herb butter bakes deliciously into the beef to create a melt-in-your-mouth dish that is sure to satisfy.
- Red Wine Pot Roast : Truly juicy, savory, and cozy, this pot roast with veggies is the perfect meal.
- Crockpot Chicken and Gravy : The gravy in this recipe is so mouth-wateringly delicious, you’ll want to make sure you sop up every bit.
- Beef Pot Pie : Beef and veggies in a flavor-packed sauce, a flakey crust, and super easy prep. There’s no better dish to serve for Sunday family dinner!
- Kentucky Fried Chicken : Who needs the drive-thru when you have everything you need to make crispy fried chicken at home? Serve it up with all the fixins’ and you’ll have one happy family!
All of these easy family dinner ideas are perfect for weeknights. With so many good recipes to choose from, you’ll be able to try something new for months to come. But trust me, you’ll find some family favorites here the kids will beg you to make week after week!
More Dinner Ideas for the Family
Still looking for more delicious meals? You’re in the right place! We specialize in easy dinner ideas, so you’ll never run out of recipes to try out. Here are some more of our favorites, whether you prefer ground beef, chicken, casseroles, or meatless options.
40 Easy Ground Beef Recipes (Dinner Ideas)
30+ Meatless Dinner Ideas for Meatless Mondays
40 Air Fryer Dinner Recipes
20 Chicken Casserole Recipes
By Becky Hardin
Published Jul 12, 2017
This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.
Essential Grocery List
It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!
It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.
However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.
In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.
I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List
What to Buy at the Grocery Store
This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.
When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.
So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Fresh Produce
- Apples
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Avocados
- Bell Peppers
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Garlic
- Lemons/Limes
- Onion
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
GRAINS
- Breadcrumbs
- Pasta
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Sandwich Bread
- Tortillas
MEAT/PROTEIN
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Ground Beef
- Sliced Turkey
- Lunch Meat
DAIRY
- Butter
- Sliced Cheese
- Shredded Cheese
- Milk
- Sour Cream
- Greek Yogurt
BAKING GOODS
- Baking powder
- Baking Soda
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Flour
- Honey
- Vanilla Extract
- Dry Yeast
- Chocolate Chips
- Cocoa Powder
- Powdered Sugar
FREEZER
- Fruit and Berries
- Frozen Veggies (Corn, Peas, Broccoli, etc)
- Juice Concentrate
- Pizza or Other Convenience Meals
- Pie Crust
- Cookie Dough
CANNED/DRIED GOODS
- Chicken stock/broth
- Salsa
- Diced Tomatoes
- Jam/Jelly
- Peanut Butter
- Pasta Sauce
- Beans (Black Beans, Chickpeas, Baked Beans, etc)
- Soups
- Tuna
- Green Chiles
- Canned Veggies
- Coffee or Tea
Get more details on the best non-perishable and pantry foods
CONDIMENTS/SPICES
- Black Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Cinnamon
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayo
- Nutmeg
- Paprika
- Salt (Course Sea Salt and Kosher Salt)
- Soy Sauce
- Steak Sauce
- Hot Sauce/ Buffalo Sauce
- Salad Dressings
OILS/VINEGARS
- Apple cider vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Coconut Oil
- Olive Oil
- Vegetable/Canola Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- White Vinegar
- Cooking Wine
- White Wine Vinegar
SNACKS
- Crackers
- Nuts
- Quick Oats
- Popcorn
- Tortilla Chips
- Cereal
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Click ☝🏻 for my FREE Grocery List Printable!
I hope this essential grocery list can help you buy what you need and make your home cooking so much easier!
Stock Your Kitchen
Find more ideas for your grocery list, stock up your kitchen, and print more cooking guides and charts to keep handy!
Non-Perishable Foods to Stock Up On
Frozen Vegetables to Stock Up On (and Recipes to Make)
Ultimate List of Cooking Herbs for Your Kitchen
Ultimate List of Cooking Spices for Your Kitchen
Cooking Oil 101: Types of Cooking Oils to Use
26 Types of Pasta and When to Use Them
What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season?
Meat Temperature Chart (Free Printable)
How to Meal Prep (Guide for Beginners)
Basic Cooking Measurements & Kitchen Conversion Chart
