5 Family-Friendly Sheet Pan Dinners from Andrea Mathis of Beautiful Eats & Things
When it comes to feeding her family of four, Andrea Mathis, the voice behind the sites Beautiful Eats & Things and Little Eats & Things, has a secret weapon that makes dinnertime feel totally doable on the busiest of nights: Sheet pan dinners.
The registered dietician and mom of two regularly slots them into her meal plan, because they’re quick, easy, and everyone’s excited to dig in — who doesn’t love roasted food? Here, Andrea shares a week’s meal plan with us, and tells us how she does it.
A Week of Nutritionist-Approved, Family-Friendly Sheet Pan Dinners
As a wife and busy mom to two rambunctious toddler boys, dinnertime can be challenging. Most days are filled with unexpected situations that make calmly preparing a wholesome meal for my family difficult. On these busy nights, I rely on the ease and convenience of sheet pan meals!
Sheet pan meals are my fave because they are quick, simple, and require almost zero cleanup. All you have to do is toss a few ingredients onto a baking sheet, pop it in the oven, and in no time at all you have a delicious meal that your family will love.
Monday: Teriyaki Ginger Sesame Chicken & Broccoli
This sesame chicken recipe never gets old in our home. The kids love the combination of the ginger and teriyaki sauce, and I love that it provides my family with a hefty serving of wholesome veggies! You can eat this dish as-is, or you can place it on top of a serving of rice or quinoa.
Get the recipe: Teriyaki Ginger Sesame Chicken & Broccoli
Tuesday: Shrimp Tacos
Hurray for Taco Tuesday! Every Tuesday, we like to have tacos for dinner, but going back to beef and cheese each week can get a little repetitive. These shrimp tacos are the perfect way to switch things up, and they’re super-easy to make. Just toss the shrimp with cumin (and chili powder, if you like spice), and roast for a few minutes until they’re pink and juicy. When done, pile them into warm corn tortillas, and top with a few of your favorite fresh toppings such as crunchy cabbage slaw, creamy avocado, and sour cream!
Get the recipe: Shrimp Tacos
Wednesday: Honey-Glazed Pork Chops with Sweet Potatoes & Apples
A couple of items that I always keep on hand are apples and sweet potatoes. My family can’t get enough of them, which is why this pork chop dish is one of their favorites. It contains the perfect balance of sweet and savory flavors, which satisfies both my husband’s and my kids’ tastebuds! To take this recipe to the next level, drizzle a little additional honey over the sweet potatoes and apples before serving.
Get the recipe: Honey-Glazed Pork Chops with Sweet Potatoes & Apples
Thursday: Black Bean & Corn Quesadillas
Who doesn’t love quesadillas? They’re always fun to make, especially when you get the whole family involved. This sheet pan version allows you to make several quesadillas at one time. It’s the perfect solution for getting all the food onto the table while it’s hot — and cooking it all quickly on busy weeknights.
Get the recipe: Black Bean & Corn Quesadillas
Friday: Sheet Pan Crispy Salmon and Potatoes
This salmon recipe is a nice upgrade from your average fish-n-chips. The fish is paired with thin slices of crispy red potato rounds and tender asparagus spears, making this a complete and wholesome meal that the whole family will enjoy.
Get the recipe: Sheet Pan Crispy Salmon and Potatoes
Thanks so much, Andrea! Follow her at Beautiful Eats & Things and Little Eats & Things, as well as Instagram and Twitter.
Meal planning isn’t always easy — especially if you’re just getting started. But we’re firm believers that it’s the secret to stress-free weeknight dinners. We want to help you find inspiration and ease some of the pain points that come with getting dinner on the table night after night, whether you’re cooking one or a family of four or five. Every week we share a new meal plan solution specifically customized for you from reader requests or from a guest contributor, for Next Week’s Meal Plan!