Easy teas for new term

[Blueeyedgirl21]

Hi all
Wondering if anyone has any easy tea ideas for when it’s back to work/school etc and life gets busy. I don’t have a lot of time to prep but don’t mind food shopping, I actually want to reduce the amount we spend as we seem to constantly have full cupboards but need to pop to the shop for ingredients

Not fussy really, trying to reduce meat intake also. things we have for tea on rotation at the moment: chicken salad with crusty bread, pasta bake with Quorn and spinach (using jar sauce), spag bol (dp makes this into a big production with a thousand ingredients), roast dinner (again seems to end up costing a fortune), shop bought pies and quiches with veg and potato, enchiladas, veggie chilli and rice, burgers with sides (ends up again in a trip to the shop for all sorts), we have a couple of things from the one roasting tin cookbook but I always forget to look in it. Basically does anyone have quick, cheap ideas or even slow cooker ideas where you don’t have to end up spending a fortune on meat and ingredients - can maybe buy in bulk and use up as the weeks go on?

Thanks for any ideas !!!!!

Have a look on Pinterest for the crock pot dump meals.
I tend to do things such as veggie burger with wedges, onion rings and salad, bangers and mash with carrots, toasted sandwiches and salad.
I try and write a three week menu out that I can pick and mix from

Chilli
Shepherds pie
Pizza

I make a massive pan of tom sauce every couple of weeks, then portion it up and put it in the freezer. Then just defrost and add veg and quorn, or beans etc to have with rice or pasta. Hate having to cook every night.

I find pies expensive and not not great value tbh a you don’t get much protein in them. Although they’re great as an occasional treat.

Maybe try doing a risotto, takes around 30 mins to cook, and can add in season veg or frozen peas which are cheap and nutritious.

Jacket pots with omelette and veg.

Look at where the bulk of your money goes and see what you can sub for cheaper quicker things.

Maybe a big pot of home made soup - butternut squash and bean, plus some toasted pitta breads strips?

Stir fry is my go to for a speedy dinner. Buy the ready chopped fresh stir fry packs. I always have rice noodles in the cupboard because they are so quick to do. I like to keep it simple sauce wise. I add some chopped pineapple to the stirfry and then add soy and sweet chilli sauce before serving. I usually add chicken but if you want to reduce meat tofu or cashews are good to.
I’m also a big fan of frittata for using up bits and bobs and I bake in the oven so very little hands on time.
Other speedy options
Linguine with garlic mushrooms and blue cheese
Pasta with cream cheese, smoked salmon and brocolli
Penne arabiata
Tomato and mozzarella tart (sheet of ready rolled puff, score boarder, cover centre with sliced tomato, mozzarella and drizzle of pesto) then bake.
Salmon cooked in foil parcels with lime juice, ginger, spring onions and garlic.
Cod wrapped in Parma ham
Lemon, garlic and herb grilled chicken.
Chicken stuffed with Boursin wrapped in bacon.
Tuna pasta bake (to speed this up I keep a batch of tomato sauce and bag of breadcrumbs in the freezer so when it come to the actual meal I just cook the pasta, mix with the tuna, sweet corn, peppers (olives if you like them), combine with the sauce and top with the breadcrumbs and cheese.
All get served with rice, cous cous, new potato’s, flat breads and fresh veg or salad

Have a look at BBC Good Food if you haven't already, I get a lot of recipes from there.

A couple of ideas:
Couscous with halloumi + herby roasted veg.
Stir fry (the bag of veg) with straight to work noodles, with some soy sauce and five spice.
These are both good because you can just use whatever veg or protein you have in the fridge, no specific ingredients needed.

Slow cooker - chicken chasseur, chicken or veg curry, fajitas. Dump everything in the morning and you have fall apart tender ingredients by dinner time!

Chilli
Shepherds pie
Toad in the hole
Sausage casserole
vegetable moussaka - does take a bit of preparation.
salmon , veg.

I did a nice spinach pasta bake, very quick. Steam the spinach. fry onions, a tin of tomatoes, cayenne pepper, stir in spinach and line in a glass dish. Top with cooked pasta, then sprinkle a mix of breadcrumbs mixed with some butter and mature chedder on the top. Then bake,

Batch cooked curries are my go-to for an easy meal.

Easy school night dinners:

1.) Breaded fish (Youngs or supermarket own) oven baked with oven baked sweet potato fries, peas and carrots.
Do similar with venison burgers (call them rissoles so the family don't expect the bread rolls and all the stuff that goes with burgers
2.) Tray bake chicken legs rubbed with whatever herbs or spices your family likes - we do fresh rosemary lemon and garlic or jerk spices with brown sugar. Chop up some veg including baby potatoes and toss in a spoonful of olive oil seasoned if you want, and place them around the chicken legs. Bake for 45 mins-1 hour.
3.) salmon slices glazed with soy and sweet chilli. Bake for 20 mins. meanwhile cook egg noodles and steam some veg - baby corn and sugar snaps or broccoli and carrots etc. Toss the noodles in a bit of sesame oil, soy and sweet chilli.

Scrambled eggs on toast
Beans on toast
Soup
Omelette with bagged salad

I don't know how relevant it is to everyone, but at the end of last term I realised I was feeding Daughter 2 mains a day.
She would have main cooked meal at school with a pudding, then come home and I would cook a main meal too and she would eat it and have a pudding.

I realised very simple and easy salads: a bagged salad from Lidl with some cheese and a bread roll
Or sandwiches: deli filler like egg mayo or coronation chicken or left over slow cooker meals for fillings are nice.
Even tinned things on toast: all kids love cheesy beans in toast according to daughter.
I think it probably more than enough for mains of an evening for her, when added to calories of school meals. If that makes sense to anyone.

Sometimes, I think we lose perspective on what constitutes a meal.

My easy, no faff meals, are omlettes, beans on toast, soup and a crusty roll. Things like that.

The other option is to make something twice as big as you need and have the leftovers for another night.