Do you have theme night at your house? I mentioned using theme nights in my 10 kitchen tips for busy moms. They make it quick and easy to throw together a meal plan because they narrow down your choices. So I thought I would put together a quick theme night round up for you to plan your meals from.
Meatless Night
We all know that ditching the meat is an easy way to save some $$ on the grocery budget. Meatless meals don’t have to be tasteless though. Here are some great options!
Meatless Spaghetti – We love mushrooms so this would work well for us.
Meatless Stuffed Peppers – Stuffed peppers are always great and the beans in this recipe make it cheap, but also full of protein.
Grilled Cheese – There’s something so comforting about a gooey grilled cheese. Check out this “grown-up” grilled cheese recipe.
Beans – Again these are simple and cheap….Don’t stick with just pintos or kidney beans. Try to branch out some!
Need more ideas? Here is a post for 200 Meatless Meals!
Italian
Who doesn’t love the taste of Italian? Yum. It’s one of my favorites but I sub the pasta with Dreamfields noodles or zucchini noodles. Still yummy!
Lasagna – Tired of the typical lasagna? Try these roll-ups instead.
Tortellini Soup – My oldest is a huge tortellini lover so this would hit the spot with her.
Chicken Marsala – This is one of my favorites! It’s my go-to order at any Italian restaurant.
Pizza – Pizza is always a favorite here. I typically use this crust from Gwen’s Nest. Check out some different recipes here and here.
Mexican
We love Mexican here. There’s just something about cheesy gooey Mexican food that makes the world seem better right? I use low-carb wraps for burrito shells, but I do still eat organic tortilla chips on occasion.
Smothered Burrito – Who doesn’t love a yummy burrito? You can always change it up by swapping out the fillings.
Pork Carnitas – A couple of years ago our Mexican restaurant started making pork carnitas and I was in love! This version can be made at home, and even in your slow cooker!
Nachos – Everyone loves nachos right? These are made on a sheet pan, making them quick and easy!
Quesadillas – These are so versatile, but I love this recipe!
Of course, if you are going to have a true Mexican meal don’t forget the queso and salsa!
Soup Night
Ah soup…..what’s not to love? It’s typically easy to make and clean up is a breeze because it’s all one pot. Plus there’s almost always leftovers!
Cheeseburger Soup – Creamy and delicious this one is made in the Instant Pot!
Potato Soup – I don’t splurge often on potatoes, but when I do it’s usually in potato soup.
Chili Relleno Soup – This is one of our family’s favorites.
Chicken & Rice soup – I would use Basmati rice in this recipe. It’s my favorite!
Chili – Chili is so comforting and can be served a variety of ways. Try it over chips, with grilled cheese, or even over baked potatoes.
Breakfast
This one would definitely top my husband’s list. He loves breakfast ANY time of the day, and the kids are usually good with it too.
Breakfast Rice – Don’t knock it until you try it! Use egg whites for a low-fat dish.
Breakfast Casserole – This just screams comfort food to me, plus it’s low-carb so that’s a plus.
Pancakes – Let everyone experiment with their own toppings!
Leftover Night
I will call this one “Mama’s night off.” Of course, it’s not completely true, but it’s pretty close!
Asian
Stir Fry, Egg Rolls, and Fortune Cookies…..Oh My! For added fun pick up some chopsticks.
Beef & Broccoli Stir Fry – Stir fry is nice because it’s usually all done in one dish. Want to make it even faster? Check out my rice trick!
Egg Roll in a Bowl – This is one of my FAVORITE healthy recipes and it goes together super quick!
Kids Cook Night
I would call this one “Mama’s Night Off” too but it’s usually “Mama cleans a big mess” night here. That’s okay though because…..life skills. A quick search on Pinterest will give your kiddos tons of meals to pick from or check out my favorite cookbook for kids.
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Kids Choice Night
Because sometimes we even have to let the littles pick. Here are a few kid favorites:
Seafood Night
I’ll admit this is not a favorite at our house, but I’m really trying.
Garlicky Baked Shrimp – I’m a huge shrimp lover so this one would be awesome for me. Other people that live here are still coming on board with this.
Salmon – Salmon is super healthy and if cooked right it won’t have that “fishy” flavor so that’s a plus here.
Fish Tacos – A sneaky way to get your fish in.
Family Favorite
Always keep a list of those family favorites to throw in. This way you don’t have to hear “I don’t like it” EVERY night. Here are a couple of ours…….
So there you have it….My suggestions for theme night dinners. Do you have any you would like to add? If so be sure to comment and let me know!
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