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When Thursday night rolls around, the idea of making another meal is daunting! That's why easy recipes are my go to on these busy evenings! These 25 Thursday Night Dinner Ideas are quick, simple, satisfying, and healthy! When you think you just can't make one more meal, these recipes will come to the rescue!Thursdays are an interesting day of the week! It's only one more day until the weekend, and yet it's still a weeknight.
If you have kids, you're likely still shuffling them around from one practice or another, or finishing up homework. The weekend looks so close, yet still seems so far away!
While you may be tempted to get take-out, your might want to save your pennies for going out on the weekend!
My Thursday Night Dinner Tradition
When I lived close to my dad, Thursdays were the night my husband and I went to his house for a relaxing evening. He always prepared us an amazing home-cooked Indian meal. It was such a nice end to the week.
We used to spend a few hours eating together, chatting, catching up on the week, and sometimes watching a movie or whatever happened to be on TV.
It was seriously one of my favorite parts of the week. It was totally relaxing because my dad like the most relaxed, calming person on the planet, and we have an amazing relationship which I am so grateful for! Plus it was nice not to have to cook for a night after a long week of work!
Now that we don't have the luxury of spending our Thursday evenings with my dad because we live in another state, we have a different sort of tradition!
I prepare an ultra simple meal for the family, and when we're done, we give my dad a call or do FaceTime to catch up! It's not quite the same, but it's still nice to see his face every Thursday night!
If you're looking for a few super simple recipes to prepare to take you through the end of the week, I've got you covered! Some of these recipes are even ones that my dad would prepare for my husband and I!
Top Tips for Easy and Quick Thursday Night Dinner Ideas
- Prepare easy recipes you already know and love! This isn't the day to try a complicated new recipe!
- Choose recipes with simple ingredients! The fewer the ingredients, the less daunting it will feel to prepare.
- Use spice mixes! Instead of pulling out 10 different spices for a dish, use a simple spice mix like Italian Seasoning, Curry Powder, or Chili Powder, plus some salt and pepper!
- Use quick cooking methods. For example Instant Pot recipes, or stove-top recipes will be much quicker to prepare than oven baked recipes that take 30-40 minutes.
- Use up the fresh produce you have from earlier in the week. This a great night to prepare a simple stir-fry using up all those extra veggies you didn't get to use during the earlier part of the week.
What are the best recipes to prepare for busy Thursday nights?
- Pasta dishes: With a simple sauce, and some boiling water to prepare the pasta, you have a super simple meal.
- Breakfast for dinner: Everyone loves having breakfast for dinner! Scramble some eggs, and make some pancakes! It just might be the family's favorite meal of the week!
- Stir-Fries: As mentioned above, use up the extra food from the week to prepare a stir-fry with a simple sauce.
- Pizza: I know we think of pizza for take-out, but making your own pizza at home, is fast, easy, and takes no time at all!
- Hearty Salads: Prepare a simple and hearty salad, top with your favorite protein and serve with warm whole wheat bread.
- Sandwiches: Quick and easy, sandwiches can be made to feel more like a dinner when you pack in some special ingredients such as a fancy cheese, or fresh veggies.
25 Easy Thursday Night Dinner Ideas
Healthy Pasta Recipes
These quick and easy healthy pasta recipes come together in less than 30 minutes, and use simple pantry ingredients. The fresh veggies added can be easily substituted for frozen, or use the veggies you have in your fridge!
Breakfast for Dinner
Why not make breakfast for dinner? Breakfast options like pancakes, waffles, eggs, or frittatas are simple to make, and often we don't get to enjoy them on a weekday morning! Try switching things up, and making one of these super simple recipes for dinner!
Quick Vegetable Stir-Fry Recipes
They key to making a quick vegetable stir-fry is to use a rice cooker to prepare the rice for serving. Or my trick is to use the frozen bags of brown rice that only take 3 minutes to heat in the microwave. Preparing the vegetables and a simple sauce takes no time at all! You can have dinner ready in 20 minutes!
Easy Homemade Pizza Recipes
Who doesn't love making their own homemade pizza? This is a great way to get the family involved in the kitchen and take some of the work off of yourself. Have your family chop fresh veggies for their pizza, then give them each their own crust, so they can add their sauce, cheese and toppings! Or try one of these super simple homemade pizza recipes that are on the healthier side too!
Healthy and Hearty Salads
A great way to get in your veggies for the day, these healthy and hearty salads are quick to make, and also are a very balanced meal. Made with tons of fresh ingredients, plus lean protein, these salads make for a super filling dinner!
Protein Rich Sandwiches That Are Ready in a Jiffy
One of my favorite go-to dinners when I have absolutely no energy, is a simple sandwich! These easy and quick to make sandwiches bring a gourmet feel to your Thursday evening.
I hope you were able to find some inspiration for your Thursday night dinner slump!
