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Original poster

What’s for dinner AND is it from a packet/box?

246 replies

Bigpinksweater · 15/10/2025 17:48

Be honest!

These threads usually attract replies from busy mums saying ‘aubergine orzo with lemon chicken’ and I think ‘from scratch, at 5pm, with 2 hungry kids??’

Please let me know!

OP posts:
HostaCentral · 15/10/2025 22:47

Home made chicken soup, the broth kind. Enough left over for another dinner or a few lunches too. I make it in a big stock pot. Oh, the stock was shop bought, but fresh ready made, not cube.

34ransum · 15/10/2025 22:33

Home made chicken dippers, broccoli, corn on the cob, mixed beans from a can. Simples.

HeyThereDelila · 15/10/2025 21:35

Lamb steaks, mashed potatoes and vegetables with gravy for the three of us. Gravy involved a stock cube. Added in red wine, flour, redcurrant jelly and cooking water from the carrots.

DH and I are on mat/pat leave at the moment awaiting the arrival of DC2, so can spend a bit longer on meals in the week.

FarmersWifeOf30Years · 15/10/2025 21:13

Sausages from the butchers,mash, carrots, peas, onion gravy, apple sauce all home made and British. Though to be honest I do tend to mix in a few ready made items to make life easier, for example tomorrow is British beef steaks with a ready made sauce and oven chips.

HelenaWaiting · 15/10/2025 21:07

Jerk chicken, rice and peas, plantain, chopped salad. From scratch, but there are four adults in the house and we take it in turns.

Statsinyoureyes · 15/10/2025 21:07

Well, today we had homemade lasagne (made a hidden veg sauce yesterday, cooked with frier mince today, portion of homemade cheese sauce from freezer as I always do double, and shop-bought fresh lasagne sheets), and a homemade sponge pudding with homemade jam (by my brother, not me) and birds custard. But, yesterday was tesco pizza. So, balance 😁

Zanatdy · 15/10/2025 21:03

HansHolbein · 15/10/2025 17:53

Chilli con carne, jacket potato, and salad. Yes, the chilli is from scratch - been in the slow cooker all day.

This is what I had too, not slow cooker though. Was very nice.

Pleasegodgotosleep · 15/10/2025 21:03

I've spent the day batch cooking to fill up the chest freezer for the next term - to make it easier for school night/homework/clubs.

I've made chicken tika masala, sausage & mozarella pasta sauce, bolegnese, chilli, taco mince and smoked sausage mac & cheese.

After that i didn't want to ast any of them so we had a mince round out of a box with oven chips 🤣

Youcanpayit · 15/10/2025 21:01

I had a Fray Bentos pie. Minced beef and onion. On its own in a bowl with a spoon. I ate it all. I regret nothing.

DareMe · 15/10/2025 21:00

Mushrooms with garlic butter from Tesco (fresh veg section), stir fried with some olive oil, a diced chicken breast, fresh garlic, fresh spinach and purple mangetout. So pretty much from scratch. Made two portions so will have the same tomorrow night.

CasperGutman · 15/10/2025 20:56

Pizza. From a box, because we've both been at work all day and have five different after school activities (two for each of two children, plus one for DW) to fit in.

Dweetfidilove · 15/10/2025 20:53

PrissyGalore · 15/10/2025 18:56

My dh is just about to serve up fried cod loin with butter bean mash and greens! Sounds pinch but took about 20 minutes to do.

I've never heard of s butter beans mash, but I love butter beans so will be trying this 👌🏾

FlippityFloppityFlump · 15/10/2025 20:49

DS had bacon, mushroom and cheese omelette with tomatoes, peas and (randomly) half an avacado.
I had leftover chilli with cauliflower rice.

DH didn't fancy chilli so had a fish finger butty

michealsmum1998 · 15/10/2025 20:47

Tinned tomato soup with toasted cheese sandwich and it was yummy

Hohumdedum · 15/10/2025 20:44

Vegetable chilli and rice, from scratch for me. DC won't eat it though so sandwiches, tuna, and various fruit and veg sticks for them. Tbh DC isn't a huge fan of much cooked food and would happily have sandwiches for every meal. At least the bread is from the breadmaker.

CheeseWisely · 15/10/2025 20:40

DH, the cook in our house, is out. DS had pre-prepared lentil curry and rice, since he went to bed I’ve had a bag of hula hoops and shop bought samosa. About to embark on a packet of Jaffa Cakes. Living the dream.

Createausername1970 · 15/10/2025 20:38

Chinese all you can eat buffet.

It was lush

I am bursting.

ThePoshUns · 15/10/2025 20:36

KittyRannaldini · 15/10/2025 18:04

That sounds good, would you share the recipe?

Show quote history

I don’t know if this is allowed. It’s from Sarah Rossi new slow cooker recipe book.

What’s for dinner AND is it from a packet/box?
What’s for dinner AND is it from a packet/box?
Overthebow · 15/10/2025 20:32

Spaghetti bolognese, sauce made from scratch as I don’t like to use jarred pasta sauces as they’re not very nice. I didn’t make the spaghetti from scratch though.

Floundering66 · 15/10/2025 20:27

Pork chops, mash (ready made) and veg - I work 9-5 and have a two year old that screams at me the whole time I’m cooking and then refuses to eat 90% of the meal.

ShiftySquirrel · 15/10/2025 20:27

Jacket spuds for three of us and left over macaroni cheese for the other one.

FurForksSake · 15/10/2025 20:26

In an extra moment of smug I’ve knocked up a dozen Yorkshire puddings with my left over batter from road in the hole. That’s three Sundays worth of them. They freeze and reheat so easily it would be criminal to waste the batter. My batter is a mug each of milk, eggs and flour and a big pinch of salt. Beaten with the electric hand whisk and left to stand for as long as possible. Easy.

Greenwriter76 · 15/10/2025 20:25

I did pasta (from packet) with a homemade tomato sauce, sausages (from frozen) & fresh red pepper. Plus garlic bread (from frozen). DD had a pizza (from frozen).
We both work. I’m part time and I do enjoy cooking but I do the majority of it plus school lunch and am limited for time some days, so we have a mix of frozen / fresh / homemade stuff - whatever I fancy or can be bothered to do!

Icanttakethisanymore · 15/10/2025 20:24

We made pizzas using dough we buy frozen (so it’s not got loads of rubbish in it). With them we had home made coleslaw (didn’t make the mayo) and crudités.

NewHat · 15/10/2025 20:23

We had spaghetti and meatballs.

Pork mince, herbs, breadcrumbs and an egg.
Tinned tomatoes, red onions, garlic, wine, basil, chilli.
spaghetti.

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