131 Dinner Ideas for the Whole Family

A Long List of Family Dinner Ideas to Make Mealtime Easy Plus Recipes!

Published in

Good Writer

5 min readMay 23, 2024

Are you tired of the same old dinner routine? Looking for new inspiration to make your family meals more exciting and enjoyable? Look no further! I’ve compiled a list of 131 dinner ideas that are perfect for busy moms and busy wives who prefer classic, homestyle, comfort dishes. With these ideas, you’ll have plenty of options to keep your family dinners fresh and delightful. Plus, we’ve included two delicious recipes at the end to get you started! AND a helpful guide that gives you over 500 dinner ideas!

The List of 131 Dinner Ideas

Here are 131 dinner ideas to inspire your meal planning and make every family dinner new and delicious:

1. Spaghetti Bolognese
2. Chicken Alfredo
3. Beef Stroganoff
4. Baked Ziti
5. Chicken Pot Pie
6. Lasagna
7. Meatloaf
8. Beef Tacos
9. Chicken Tacos
10. Vegetable Stir-Fry
11. Beef Stir-Fry
12. Chicken Stir-Fry
13. Shrimp Scampi
14. Grilled Salmon
15. Chicken Parmesan
16. Beef Stew
17. Chicken Stew
18. Chili
19. BBQ Ribs
20. Pulled Pork Sandwiches
21. BBQ Chicken
22. Roast Chicken
23. Roast Beef
24. Roast Pork
25. Shepherd’s Pie
26. Pot Roast
27. Beef and Broccoli
28. Chicken and Broccoli
29. Shrimp and Broccoli
30. Turkey Burgers
31. Beef Burgers
32. Veggie Burgers
33. Chicken Quesadillas
34. Beef Quesadillas
35. Vegetable Quesadillas
36. Chicken Fajitas
37. Beef Fajitas
38. Shrimp Fajitas
39. Chicken and Rice Casserole
40. Beef and Rice Casserole
41. Tuna Casserole
42. Chicken Enchiladas
43. Beef Enchiladas
44. Vegetarian Enchiladas
45. Chicken Fried Rice
46. Shrimp Fried Rice
47. Vegetable Fried Rice
48. Chicken Marsala
49. Beef Marsala
50. Shrimp Marsala
51. Chicken Piccata
52. Beef Piccata
53. Shrimp Piccata
54. Chicken Kiev
55. Beef Wellington
56. Shrimp Kabobs
57. Chicken Kabobs
58. Vegetable Kabobs
59. Chicken Tikka Masala
60. Beef Tikka Masala
61. Vegetable Tikka Masala
62. Chicken Curry
63. Beef Curry
64. Vegetable Curry
65. Chicken Vindaloo
66. Beef Vindaloo
67. Vegetable Vindaloo
68. Chicken Souvlaki
69. Beef Souvlaki
70. Vegetable Souvlaki
71. Chicken Gyros
72. Beef Gyros
73. Falafel
74. Chicken Shawarma
75. Beef Shawarma
76. Stuffed Peppers
77. Stuffed Zucchini
78. Stuffed Eggplant
79. Chicken Cordon Bleu
80. Beef Cordon Bleu
81. Eggplant Parmesan
82. Chicken Florentine
83. Beef Florentine
84. Shrimp Florentine
85. Chicken Francese
86. Beef Francese
87. Shrimp Francese
88. Chicken Scarpariello
89. Beef Scarpariello
90. Shrimp Scarpariello
91. Chicken Cacciatore
92. Beef Cacciatore
93. Vegetable Cacciatore
94. Chicken Milanese
95. Beef Milanese
96. Eggplant Milanese
97. Chicken Saltimbocca
98. Beef Saltimbocca
99. Pork Saltimbocca
100. Chicken Teriyaki
101. Beef Teriyaki
102. Shrimp Teriyaki
103. Chicken Satay
104. Beef Satay
105. Shrimp Satay
106. Chicken Szechuan
107. Beef Szechuan
108. Shrimp Szechuan
109. Chicken Pad Thai
110. Beef Pad Thai
111. Shrimp Pad Thai
112. Chicken Ramen
113. Beef Ramen
114. Vegetable Ramen
115. Chicken Pho
116. Beef Pho
117. Vegetable Pho
118. Chicken Tortilla Soup
119. Beef Tortilla Soup
120. Vegetable Tortilla Soup
121. Chicken Gumbo
122. Beef Gumbo
123. Seafood Gumbo
124. Chicken Jambalaya
125. Beef Jambalaya
126. Shrimp Jambalaya
127. Chicken and Dumplings
128. Beef and Dumplings
129. Vegetable and Dumplings
130. Chicken Alfredo Pizza
131. Margherita Pizza

Click here to get over 500 easy family dinner ideas at your fingertips!

To learn how to meal plan and really get the most out of dinner time: Read here:

Weekly Family Meal Plan

See How Meal Planning Simplifies Your Week

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Delicious Recipes to Get You Started

Here are two delightful recipes to try out from our extensive list. These dishes are sure to become family favorites!

Chicken Parmesan

Ingredients:
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 cups marinara sauce
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs, beaten
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh basil for garnish

Instructions:
1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Dredge each piece in flour, dip in beaten eggs, and coat with breadcrumbs mixed with Parmesan cheese.
3. In a large skillet, heat some oil over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken breasts until golden brown on both sides, about 4–5 minutes per side.
4. Transfer the chicken to a baking dish. Pour marinara sauce over the top and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 20–25 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the cheese is bubbly.
6. Garnish with fresh basil before serving.

We prefer to serve our over a bed of pasta with extra sauce!

Shrimp Scampi

Ingredients:
- 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Cooked pasta or crusty bread for serving

Instructions:
1. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
2. Add the shrimp and cook until pink and opaque, about 2–3 minutes per side.
3. Stir in the white wine and lemon juice, and cook for another 2 minutes.
4. Season with salt and pepper, and stir in the chopped parsley.
5. Serve over cooked pasta or with crusty bread.

With these 131 dinner ideas, you’ll be ahead of the meal planning game for family meals. From classic comfort dishes to exciting new recipes, there’s something for everyone. Try out the Chicken Parmesan and Shrimp Scampi recipes to get started! If you are interested in more help getting started meal planning, Click here to get over 500 easy family dinner ideas at your fingertips!

If you enjoyed this, please leave a comment on what you thought! I love hearing new ideas! Thank you so much for reading!

For more advice on easy dinner ideas, daily recipes, meal plans, and learning about the myriad of health benefits offered by natural foods, follow me, Homemaker Recipes. I’m here to help busy moms, health enthusiasts, and everyone in between discover the joys and benefits of home cooking for themselves and their family! After all, home is where the best things are made!