can I please ask for suggestions..

[bannanahammock]

... for quick meal ideas.

First time poster - please be kind.

I have recently gone back to work 4 days a week, ds is 2.
I'm finding it a real struggle with quick meal ideas/prep for us all to be able to sit down together in the evenings. I finish at 4 by the time I get ds from mil/nursery and home it's 4:30, and he's ready for food.
I do try to cook a double portion I.e spaghetti bolognese, freeze some then it's just the pasta to cook up on the day. But we are starting to eat the same two/three meals every week and I think we're both getting bored of it!
Please can you lovely lot help me out with some (fairly) quick meal ideas I can whip up.

[Ricekrispie22]

Packet couscous takes about 10mins to prepare by letting it soak in boiled water. When it's done, I add cooked prawns/feta cheese/tinned chickpeas or pre-grilled chicken breast with some chopped veggies like cherry tomatoes or peppers.

This 10 minute paella fried rice is awesome www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/6010/paella-fried-rice

This is great but I substitute mozzarella for the goats cheese. www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/4404/easy-stuffed-peppers

This recipe is for one but can easily be multiplied to feed more. It's super quick and always a winner when the dc have friends round. www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/8035/smoky-bacon-pot-noodle-for-one

This is really tasty and I like the fact that it doesn't use any fancy ingredients www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/764635/superfast-pad-thai

Gnocchi is quicker than pasta to cook, so I often substitute it in recipes if I know I'm going to be pressed for time www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/speedy-mediterranean-gnocchi

[looliloo]

Last night my little boy had this for tea..

Mushrooms, frozen sweet corn and peas and grated carrot fried in a little butter, then mixed with cream cheese and put on toast with oregano sprinkled on top.

Didn't look especially appealing but he liked it and it took less than 10 minutes!

Have you got a slow cooker? You can put it on it the morning then it's ready when you get home 😍

[AtleastitsnotMonday]

Fritata made with left over veg, or frozen peas, sweetcorn, ham or chicken (basically everything and everything that needs using up!)
Stir fry veg with rice noodles, and prawns or salmon or omelette strips.
Tuna pasta with peas and sweetcorn
Pasta with cream cheese, smoked salmon and peas.
Grilled, butterflied chicken breasts with garlic and herbs with salad and coleslaw.
Hob top bean stew. Fry off a couple of handfuls of frozen soffritto mix, some garlic purée and chilli if you like it, add a can of chopped tomato and a can of mixed beans, some chopped herbs and leave to bubble. Serve with cous cous, rice, potato or anything actually.
Pitta pizzas
Grilled haloumi in ciabatta with salad
Spread cod fillets with mango chutney and bake on an oven tray

[TinklyLittleLaugh]

Some great recipes and ideas here: I am sending some to my student daughters.

[bannanahammock]

Thank you so much, there's some great ideas!
I like to plan what we have before I do the food shop or I just end up buying and cooking the same old stuff.
Thank you all.