Weeknight dinners are a challenge. It’s when folks are the most hungry and tired but the least able to solve either problem because…well, because they are hungry and tired. What busy families need on chaotic weeknights is a head start on dinner preparations. What ingredients can give your mealtimes a boost? Here are some great examples:
Frozen Meatballs
A bag of good frozen meatballs can be the starting point for dozens of quality meals that everyone in the family will love. Using frozen meatballs cuts prep time significantly and helps get dinner on the table fast. Just imagine the possibilities:
- Spaghetti and meatballs
- Meatball subs
- Sweet and Sour meatballs
- BBQ meatballs
- Grilled meatballs
- And so many more.
You can throw meatballs in the crockpot in the morning and let them simmer all day or toss them in a pot or the oven and cook them on the spot. Either way, when it’s time to feed the hungry masses, you can get food on the table pronto. They’re great with a variety of flavor combinations, so you’ll love their versatility. You’ll never be short of meal possibilities with a bag of frozen meatballs on hand.
Frozen Shrimp
If any ingredient rivals meatballs for speed and versatility, it’s frozen shrimp. Shrimp is a powerful little protein. Cuisines around the world feature shrimp, so flavor combos are plentiful. Plus, shrimp really cooks fast. Plain, uncooked, frozen shrimp can be sauteed or boiled straight without thawing in under 20 minutes, as can frozen shrimp that’s been breaded or otherwise prepared. Both are healthy and nutritious. With shrimp in your freezer, you have a head start on meals such as the following:
- Shrimp salads
- Pastas such as shrimp alfredo or shrimp mac and cheese
- Shrimp tacos
- Shrimp sandwiches such as po’boys or sliders
The list could go on and on.
Eggs
Eggs are endlessly versatile. While you might instinctively turn to eggs for breakfast, we challenge you to do the same from dinner. It’s easy to create delicious, healthy dinners when you start with eggs. Sure, all your favorite breakfast foods can be served for dinner, but that’s not all. Try eggs for dinner in the following ways:
- Quiche and a dinner salad (better yet, toss some frozen baby shrimp into that quiche for a real treat)
- A savory frittata
- Egg salad sandwiches
- Fried rice with ham and eggs
Plus, adding eggs to flour and water makes pancakes, and who doesn’t love pancakes any time of day?
Get a Boost on Dinner
Use these kitchen staples to give your dinner prep a boost this week.
