{"id":169048,"date":"2024-05-14T03:45:00","date_gmt":"2024-05-14T10:45:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sunset.com\/?p=169048"},"modified":"2024-05-19T23:25:49","modified_gmt":"2024-05-20T06:25:49","slug":"meal-prep-dinner-ideas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sunset.com\/food-wine\/kitchen-assistant\/meal-prep-dinner-ideas","title":{"rendered":"20 Make-Ahead Meals to Simplify Dinnertime"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

After a long day at work, nobody wants to spend hours in the kitchen with cooking time and cleanup. But you can eat well<\/a> despite the most chaotic of calendars. And that doesn\u2019t mean you have to break the bank on takeout or delivery every weeknight. A little bit of planning ahead can set your menu for the week so you have home-cooked dinners<\/a> prepared and ready to serve<\/a>.\u00a0You’ll be grateful for trying these meal-prep dinner ideas. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leftovers sometimes taste even better than the dish did on the first day as flavors steep, like lemony pistachio flavors melding together as pesto infuses this penne dish<\/a>. Opt for simple recipes like this hassle-free one-pan dinner<\/a> that packs in lots of protein and vegetables, or take advantage of a free weekend to tend to a Dutch oven for a big batch of juicy and rich wine-braised beef short ribs<\/a> that will feed you and your family<\/a> throughout the whole week. Plant-based eaters will love these tofu rice bowls<\/a>\u2014just prep ingredients ahead before topping with a creamy tahini sauce the day of.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gone are the days of eating sad microwave dinners, and don\u2019t even get me started about boring plain chicken and rice. Try these 20 meal-prep dinner ideas to nourish your body and soul on busy days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Make-Ahead Dishes for Weekday Dinners<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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