I don’t know what it’s like in your house. For us, dinner to bedtime is the craziest, most chaotic chunk of our day. Of course, this is the time of day when I am feeling low on time, energy, and patience.
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Fall is my favorite season. We celebrate my birthday, cozy up, enjoy sipping on hot chocolate, and participate in all the fun fall things! So, when it comes to figuring out dinner this week, it usually feels overwhelming and, quite honestly, annoying.
Which is exactly why I started planning fall themed dinner nights. A super simple and flexible system that our family really enjoys. It also brings structure to our busy nights. I am confident your family will also appreciate fall themed dinner nights!
At the end of this post, go ahead and grab your free printable to make fall meal prep easy-peasy.
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Fall Themed Dinner Nights
So, what’s so great about themed dinner nights?
Mom brain gets the best of me. These days, I have to write everything down or I will forget. Before planning themed dinner nights, there were so many times when I was scratching my head, wondering what in the world I was going to cook for dinner.
So planning themed dinner nights has been a tremendous help. It makes meal planning easier while also keeping dinners fun and predictable for the family.
If it is Monday, I know that it is Meatless Monday night. Dinner themes help remind me what is on the menu for the night.
So if you are looking for fall themed dinner inspiration, this is just for you!
Meatless Monday
I love meat, but every once in a while, I like to take a break and whip up a meatless meal. Starting the week with a nourishing light dinner feels good. Fall is great for soups, casseroles, and bowls that don’t require meat! Some of our favorite meatless Monday dishes are:
These meals are healthy, budget-friendly, and filling for your family.
Taco Tuesday
Here’s a themed dinner night everyone knows and loves. Taco Tuesday is great because it is so easy to customize. No pressure to prepare traditional tacos on Tuesday. Give these Taco Tuesday ideas a try:
Taco Tuesday is a staple in our dinner themes lineup because it is quick, easy to customize, and everyone’s favorite.
Warm & Cozy Wednesday
Think soups, stews, or anything in the crockpot. My favorite part about warm and cozy Wednesday is that it feels like a little break halfway through the week (which I seem to need just about every week!). Meals that you can set and forget are the best and amazing for busy days and nights. Here are some of our favorite easy family meals:
If you find yourself wondering what’s for dinner this week, something cozy is just the ticket.
Think Less Thursday
By Thursday, my brain is normally exhausted, and I look forward to Friday (when we make meals especially easy). So Think Less Thursday is my night to pull out the no-brainer dinners while still nourishing my family and feeding them something real. That is important to me. No new recipes and nothing complicated. Just easy family meals that I can make with my eyes closed.
Here are our fall favorites:
- Skillet Chicken and Sweet Potatoes
- Sweet Potato Sausage Breakfast Casserole (we love having breakfast for dinner!)
- Apple Bacon and Cheddar Grilled Cheese (we love this served with tomato soup!)
- Pumpkin Pasta
Easy family meals are my specialty on Thursday nights.
Fun Friday
I typically don’t cook dinner on Fridays. Most Fridays, we order out. If we are trying to save money while keeping dinner at home easy, homemade pizza nights or sandwiches are our go-to.
- Butternut Squash Pizza with Carmelized Onions
- Turkey Cranberry Cream Cheese Sandwich
- Honey Butter, Sausage, and Apple Pizza
Friday nights are for relaxing. Even when doing themed dinner nights, I still give myself grace on this night. If we are not choosing to eat out, I am choosing something that is both fun and simple.
Sheet Pan Saturday
I love a good sheet pan meal. Recipes that call for me to chop things up, throw them in a pan, and bake them are my kind of meals.
I don’t know what it is, but when veggies are baked and served with the meal, rather than as a side, my kids are more enticed to eat them. This is why sheet pan meals are made frequently around here. Here are some easy family meals we love and whip up all the time during the fall season:
- Sheet Pan Chicken Sausage and Harvest Veggies
- Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas (ALSO a great meal for Taco Tuesday)
- Autumn Sausage Veggie and Apple Sheet Pan Dinner
You will appreciate these quick oven magic recipes. Another bonus about sheet pan meals is that they make the cleanup process super quick.
Slow Cooker Sunday
No matter what time of year it is, Sundays are my days to clean and catch up on laundry (that feels never-ending). Then I have some weeks where I am feeling lazy and just want to snuggle up on the couch with my kids. Whatever mood I am in, nothing is cozier than a slow cooker Sunday. Meals that you can dump in the crockpot are gold. Whether you want to spend your day in your lounge clothes or go out and partake in fun fall activities, you will appreciate meals that are warm and low-maintenance.
Give these meals a try:
I look forward to Sundays because it is my time to recharge, rest, and prepare for the new week. Family dinner night on Sundays is fabulous because it is the one night where I can catch up on things around the house, lounge around, or do both and not worry about carving out time to whip up a hot meal.
Grab Your Free Fall Themed Dinner Nights Planner
Want to give fall themed dinner nights a try this season? I created a fall themed dinner nights planner to help you plan your meals throughout the week.
Sign up below to download your Fall Meal Planner.
I am always on the hunt for easy new dinner ideas. What are your favorite dinner themes? I am especially curious to know what your pizza favorites are. I love hearing what other moms are cooking.
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