5 Healthy Meals for Busy Weeknights

This week we are making meal that are easy to reheat or serve later. We’ve got pastas, casseroles, sandwiches, and more.

5 Healthy Meals for Busy Weeknights

Fall is in full swing along with all the busyness that comes with it. Our family can’t always sit down to eat together. Yet even on busy days, with a little planning, I can have a healthy dinner ready. 

This means the meal tastes just as good warmed up as it did hot off the stove. I also like to make balanced healthy meals that are tasty enough to keep the complaining at bay.

I find that pastas, casseroles, rice bowls, skillet dinners, and sandwiches work best for prepping now for eating later. They also need minimal sides, if any. The variety of flavors and textures are satisfying, leaving just enough room for a (healthy-ish) dessert.

  • Pasta With Turkey Meatballs and Roasted Vegetables

    Pasta With Turkey Meatballs and Roasted Vegetables
    Coco Morante

    We eat pasta weekly, and with this recipe, I love that it has both vegetables and a lean protein, turkey. Feel free to use whatever vegetables you have on hand. The bite-sized meatballs can be made ahead of time and frozen. Leftovers reheat well for a great lunch.

  • Cauliflower Pasta Bake

    Cauliflower Pasta Bake
    Sally Vargas

    This cheesy, vegetarian pasta casserole is a no-brainer for busy nights when the family can’t all sit down together for dinner. It rewarms perfectly and makes enough to pack for lunch the next day. Roasting the cauliflower before baking the casserole adds to the depth of flavor. Crumbled Ritz crackers mixed with parmesan cheese add that pleasing crunch factor. Feel free to use whole wheat pasta for a nutritional boost. 

  • Ginger Pork Rice Bowls

    Ginger Pork Rice Bowls
    Nick Evans

    I love rice bowls for weeknight meals because of how flavorful and customizable they are. This simple sauce uses fresh ginger, soy sauce, and garlic. That's it! I usually double the rice and make it in the Instant Pot. The toppings are simple and fresh: herbs, cucumbers, and carrots. Store each component separately and have everyone pick out their own toppings when they're ready to eat. 

  • Apple Cider Chicken Thighs with Sweet Potatoes

    Apple Cider Chicken Thighs with Sweet Potatoes
    Nick Evans

    Skillet meals are a weeknight winner. This recipe has only nine ingredients and that includes salt and pepper! Cooking the vegetables in the same skillet with the chicken creates a lot of flavor without any extra effort. Crisp the chicken skin side-down in the well-oiled cast iron skillet, flip them over, and add cubed sweet potatoes, sliced onions, and apple cider vinegar. Bake it in the oven and serve it with rice or pasta. The skin will stay crispy until it gets refrigerated. Warm in the oven to regain its crispness.

    Continue to 5 of 6 below.
  • Salmon Burgers with Chive and Lemon Mayonnaise

    Perfect salmon burger on a wooden board.
    Sally Vargas.

    Salmon burgers are an all-in-one meal that reheats easily and makes every member of our family happy. Fresh salmon fillets are pulsed in the food processor and mixed with herbs, Panko breadcrumbs, and an egg. The patties can be made ahead and frozen to make dinner time even easier. Just remember to thaw them in the refrigerator for at least four hours before frying them. Enjoy them in a bun or serve them over greens.

  • Weekend Baking: Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

    Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
    Elise Bauer

    Cookies are the ultimate grab-n-go dessert. Packed with oatmeal, pecans, coconut, and chocolate chips, this cookie is hearty, satisfying, and comforting. It’s the perfect treat for long hectic days. Scoop the cookie dough ahead of time and freeze them in zip top bags. Bake them whenever the craving strikes.