Ultimate Blog Challenge Day 1: Simple Meals That Make Life Easier When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking

I would like to welcome you to the Ultimate Blog Challenge Day 1: I don’t know about for your family but for mine there are some days when cooking just feels like too much. More times than not in the morning in my home the sink is already full, and if Charlie is home he is hungry, and the idea of standing over the stove for an hour just isn’t happening. On days like that, I remind myself that dinner doesn’t have to be complicated to be good.

That’s where these easy simple meals for busy families come in. They are the kind of meals that help you get through the day without stress, without a lot of dishes, and without overthinking it. They also help us stay on a budget and allows everyone to eat when they want.

Breakfast-for-Dinner Saves the Day

One of the easiest ways to make life simpler is to flip the menu. Breakfast-for-dinner is something I always come back to when I don’t feel like cooking. My favorite breakfast meal at night is either French Toast David makes me or my dad’s Fried Egg and Bacon Sandwich on light ie white Bread with Mayo and Mustard.

David would prefer Pancakes, and Charlie likes my mom’s scrambled eggs, toast for me but Biscuits for David, bacon for Gerald and Sausage for me. Waffles are also a quick, familiar, and comforting meal for dinner. It doesn’t take much effort, but it still feels like a real meal at the end of a long day.

Rotisserie Chicken Makes Everything Easier

A store-bought rotisserie chicken can turn into several meals without much effort at all. It’s also something I need to purchase and see if my family would eat it because my mother in law uses it when she makes Tiny Noodles for Charlie and David.

You can also use it for chicken sandwiches, mix it into rice bowls, toss it into pasta, or add it to a simple soup. It stretches further than you think, and it saves time when you need it most. I’ve also heard people use it when making Chicken Salad.

One-Pot Meals for Less Cleanup

In a busy home like mine some nights, the real problem isn’t cooking—it’s the cleanup afterward. One-pot meals are perfect for those days. Pasta, sauce, and protein can all cook together in one pan, which means fewer dishes and less stress when dinner is done. As well as less drama when it comes time to clean the kitchen.

Snack Plate Dinners (No Rules Required)

Not every dinner has to look traditional. Sometimes the easiest solution is a snack plate. I like this idea for dinner because everyone can pick out what they want on there plate and nothing is wasted and they can make a extra plate for lunch the next day.

I like to use Cheese, and crackers. fruit, deli meat, vegetables, or leftovers can all come together into a simple meal that gets everyone fed without a lot of effort.

I like to use Cheese, and crackers. David likes to add fruit to his plate. We add deli meat of our choice for David it’s Roast Beef or Bologna and for me I like Oven Roasted Turkey and Black Forest Ham just like Charlie. If your family will eat vegetables, you can add them to your snack plates but my family will not eat them. For me more times than not my snack plate consists of leftovers which can all come together into a simple meal that gets everyone fed without a lot of effort.

Slow Cooker Days

Is a Godsend in my home because not only am I a wife and mom I’m a business owner and have to take care of my brother so using the slow cooker when I know the day is going to be busy, is a Godsend because the slow cooker can take over allowing me to tend to other task.

I like knowing I can put everything in earlier in the day and come back to a warm meal that is ready when we are. It takes the pressure off dinner time completely. Life gets busy, and not every meal needs to be fancy or complicated. Some days are about survival, not perfection. Feeding your family in a simple, stress-free way is more than enough.

Save this for your next “don’t feel like cooking” day and pin it for later.