Dinner Ideas for Busy Nights

No-cook dinners are great solutions on those hectic days you don't have time to cook. They're also incredibly refreshing on hot summer days -- not having to heat the house by using the oven and eating something crisp and refreshing is the perfect meal on a summer evening.

Here are a few no-cook dinner ideas that will help you put nutritious food on the table that your whole family will enjoy.  

​Spring Rolls

Vietnamese rice paper wraps only need to be dunked into the water to soften first. Then you can fill them with fresh vegetables and any leftover chicken, tofu, or seafood that you have to make spring rolls. If you have creamy peanut butter, you can make a dipping sauce with the addition of honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, tamari, garlic, and water as needed to adjust the consistency.

Sandwiches

The possibilities are endless when it comes to sandwich fillings. Use whatever you have on hand to make a great sandwich, and pair a side salad for some extra nutrients. Use leftover hummus or pesto to smear onto your bread to give your sandwiches an upgraded restaurant taste.

​Wraps

Wraps also offer infinite combinations. Take your leftover baked salmon from last night and wrap it up with kale and Caesar dressing. Using wraps can help you tie up loose ends with leftovers of all kinds to make unique meals.

​Salads

The right kind of salad can be a filling meal on its own or with leftover soup. Try adding drained and rinsed white beans to a Caprese salad to give it more substance, create a cobb salad, or take your Asian leftovers to put atop a salad.

​Raw Pad Thai

​If your zucchini needs to be used up, spiralize it and make it the base for a raw version of Pad Thai. This zesty dish will have crunchy textures and loads of flavor, making eating vegetables enjoyable.

​Stuffed Avocados or Tomatoes

While avocado toast is easy enough, it still requires cooking. But if you stuff your avocados with tuna salad, egg salad, or other leftovers, you'll be putting them to good use without turning on your oven or stove. The same goes for tomatoes. Hollow them out and fill them with your filling of choice. 

Pasta Salad

When you have leftover cooked pasta, keeping it separate from the sauce when stored in your fridge is best. This keeps it from getting mushy and gives you an easy way to throw together a pasta salad in a pinch. Use up dressings, veggies, shredded rotisserie chicken, and anything else in this simple, no-cook meal.

With these no-cook dinner ideas, you and your family can still eat well, even on the busiest of nights. 

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