5 Quick Dinner Ideas For Teachers

Try one of these five quick dinner ideas when you are too tired to cook but do not want to spend money on takeout.

Check out these quick dinner ideas for busy teachers. Somedays I just don’t have the energy to make a real dinner for myself or my husband. I compiled a list of my quick and easy dinner ideas for when you have one of THOSE days.

You know those days when you never sat down once, remembered to eat lunch, or use the bathroom? Yes – those days are more common than teachers care to admit.

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Quick Dinner Ideas

Meal # 1 – Sandwich and Chips

A sandwich is a quick meal that takes almost no time to prepare. You can use deli meat, leftover meat from the previous night, or cook up some quick chicken in the oven or air fryer. Go vegetarian and use hummus and veggies, or go super simple with a classic peanut butter and jam.

Meal #2 – Grilled Cheese and Pickles

This is not the same as a regular sandwich because it’s a warm and delicious treat. If you have a portable grill or panini maker it will save you some dishes. Make it even more satisfying by pairing it with a hot bowl of tomato soup.

Meal #3 – Eggs and Toast

Eggs are a quick and easy dinner. You can go fancy with over easy or fast with boiled. Throw some toast in the toaster and you are set! You can even boil some eggs ahead of time to keep in the fridge and make some quick egg salad sandwiches. Or, if you have wraps on hand, make some scrambled eggs and throw them in a wrap with some veggies for a delicious and filling meal.

Meal #4 – Soup and Toast

During the winter, I eat my weight in soup. I cannot get enough warm food during the cold Canadian winter months. Open the can, heat up the contents, and make some toast. Voila! Make it extra special and cook up some cheese toast in the oven or air fryer.

Meal #5 – Cereal

Find a bowl and make yourself some hot or cold cereal. Add some fruit, nuts, seeds, and milk of your choice to make this meal more complete. If you’re even more pressed for time, you can prepare cold oats ahead of time that are easy to grab and go.

Meal #6 – Popcorn (Ok, not really, but maybe?)

Did anyone else watch Scandal? In my first few years of teaching, Olivia Pope’s dinner of choice was a frequent flyer in my kitchen. I remember coming home and thinking it required too much energy to open the cupboard, located the popcorn, and put it in the microwave. I definitely try to take better care of my body nowadays, but a popcorn dinner definitely happens sometimes.

Additional Quick Dinner Ideas

Make a quick pizza using a pita or tortilla and your favourite toppings.
Pick up a rotisserie chicken and use it for wraps and quesadillas, or add it to some boxed chicken noodle soup for extra protein.
Make a big batch of a casserole, soup, or pasta dish on the weekend, and have the leftovers for dinner.
If you enjoy tacos, spaghetti, or lasagna, precook your beef ahead of time and freeze it, so it’s ready to use.
Premake stir fry sauce ahead of time and get your veggies chopped on the weekend for a quick weekday stir fry.
This Creamy Tortellini Soup from Damn Delicious is phenomenal and great for leftovers.
Pro Home Cooks has some great videos on 15-minute meals.
Taste of Home has 80 Contest-Winning Dinners That Are Ready in 30 Minutes or Less
A Plus Teaching has a list of Easy Dinner Ideas for Teachers.
Bored Teachers has some meal prep ideas for teachers.
Take advantage of your slow cooker! The Recipe Rebel has a list of 30+ dump-and-go slow cooker recipes.
Remember that not all meals need to be complete with meat! This baked ravioli dish is easy to whip up and is filling and delicious.
Frugal Fit Mom has some great, affordable recipes that are easy to whip up on a busy night.
See Mindy Mom is another YouTube channel that gives good budget meal ideas.

Helpful Kitchen Tools

Quick dinner ideas do not have to be difficult; it’s not necessary to make extravagant and complicated meals every night, nor is it necessary to have meals that require dozens of different ingredients. Keeping it simple will not only save your sanity, but it will help you get more accomplished – including rest and self-care – in the long run.

I hope that you remember these quick dinner ideas for teachers the next time you think about picking up dinner. Save time and money by making something quick at home – and take care of your mental and physical health in the process.