School holidays have a funny way of arriving before your out-of-office does. Your kids are home, their energy is high, and your calendar is still full of meetings, deadlines and emails. Dinner, however, still needs to happen — ideally without stress, complaints or another takeaway night.

The good news? Holiday dinners don’t need to be elaborate to be nourishing, comforting and family-friendly. With a little planning and a few go-to meals, you can get through the working week with ease (and your sanity intact).

Here are easy, realistic dinner ideas for school holidays when you’re working full-time.

1. One-pan wonders (Minimal cleanup, maximum relief)

When you’re tired after a long day, fewer dishes matter.

Try:

• Chicken tray bake with potatoes, carrots and olive oil

• Sausage and veggie roast with sweet potato and peppers

• Salmon fillets with lemon, green beans and baby potatoes

Everything goes into one pan, into the oven, and dinner is ready while you answer the last few emails.

Holiday pro tip: Let kids help season or arrange the veggies — it keeps them busy and more invested in eating it.

2. Build-your-own dinners (less complaining)

School holidays often come with shifting appetites and opinions. Build-your-own meals allow everyone to customise without extra effort from you.

Easy options:

• Taco or burrito bowls with rice, mince or beans, grated cheese and avo

• Pita or wrap nights with chicken strips, hummus and salad

• Mini DIY pizzas using wraps or English muffins

You prep the basics, they assemble their own plates. Win-win.

3. Freezer-friendly favourites

If there’s ever a time to lean on the freezer, it’s during school holidays.

Keep on rotation:

• Spaghetti bolognese or lentil mince

• Mild curries or butter chicken

• Lasagne or cottage pie

Batch-cook over a weekend or lean on meals you’ve already frozen. Pair with a quick salad or steamed veggies and dinner is done.

4. Breakfast-for-dinner nights

Fun for kids, comforting for adults, and usually very quick.

Ideas:

• Scrambled eggs with toast and fruit

• Omelettes loaded with cheese and veggies

• Pancakes with yoghurt and berries

It feels like a treat but still counts as a proper meal — especially on nights when everyone’s running low on energy.

5. Five-ingredient pasta dinners

Pasta is a school-holiday staple for a reason. It’s fast, filling and endlessly adaptable.

Simple combinations:

• Pasta, pesto, chicken and cherry tomatoes

• Creamy mushroom pasta with spinach

• Tomato pasta with hidden grated veggies

Add protein if needed, but keep it simple. The goal is dinner on the table, not perfection.

6. Slow cooker or pressure cooker saves

Let dinner cook itself while you work.

Set-and-forget ideas:

• Pulled chicken for wraps or rice bowls

• Beef stew or chicken soup

• Mild dhal or curry

By the time work ends, the house smells comforting and dinner is already waiting.

7. “Snack plate” dinners (Yes, they count)

Some days call for low-effort nourishment.

Create a balanced plate with:

• Crackers or toast

• Cheese, hummus or yoghurt

• Cut fruit and veggies

• Boiled eggs or rotisserie chicken

Think of it as a grazing board for kids — easy, flexible and surprisingly satisfying.

School holidays are not the time to add pressure to already full days. Your kids don’t need gourmet meals — they need consistency, nourishment and a calm parent at the end of the day.

Easy dinners, repeated meals and simple wins are more than enough during this season.

You’re doing the best you can — and that’s already a lot.

ALSO SEE:

Food noise: what it is and how to quiet it for better wellbeing

Featured Image: DupePhoto