Get ready to cook less and savor more delicious dinners! Explore these easy dinner ideas you can whip up just once and enjoy as 3 unique meals.
It can be tempting to skip dinner prep. If you're only cooking for one or two, making an entire dinner can seem overwhelming or maybe even pointless. And most recipes make 4 to 8 servings. Even if it’s good the first time, you may not be thrilled at the thought of eating the same leftovers night after night.
But if you’re skipping dinner regularly—or reaching for the same easy “meal,” like a bowl of cereal—you may be missing out on key nutrients. That means less energy. And it can put you at greater risk of health problems.
Instead of skipping dinner or opting for convenience, try some easy dinner ideas. With a dash of creativity, you can prepare one delicious dish and enjoy it 3 ways. This approach saves you time and minimizes food waste, all while making mealtime a breeze.
Meal prep strategy: Cook one dish, serve it many ways
Start by cooking a large batch of your base meal. This could be a protein like grilled chicken or a big batch of roasted or stir-fried vegetables. Then think about how to transform these into different dishes throughout the week. Wraps, salads, stir-fries, and soups make easy and healthy meal makeovers.
So, say goodbye to boring leftovers! Check out these 6 base meals served 3 different ways:
Start by roasting a chicken at home. It’s easy—just be sure to use a meat thermometer to avoid under- or overcooking. Set the chicken in a roasting pan in a 400-degree oven, and when the internal chicken temp reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit, it’s done! (A 4-5 pound chicken will take about an hour and a half.)
- Roasted chicken meal 1: Roasted chicken dinner
Serve your chicken along with roasted vegetables and diced potatoes. Or steam some frozen veggies for easier meal prep.
- Roasted chicken meal 2: Salad with chicken
Add leftover chicken to a fresh salad with greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, and your favorite dressing. For a healthier dressing, try making your own vinaigrette.
- Roasted chicken meal 3: Chicken soup
Use the remaining chicken and bones to make a hearty chicken soup. Add noodles and chopped veggies like carrots, celery, onions, and garlic. Fresh herbs like thyme, bay leaf, parsley, and sage will elevate your soup.
Vegetables like onions, bell peppers, broccoli, mushrooms, snap peas, garlic, and carrots are great for stir-fries. Add edamame or a side of lentils for an extra boost of protein.
- Stir-fried vegetables meal 1: Stir-fry with rice
Stir-fry vegetables of your choice. Serve over brown rice.
- Stir-fried vegetables meal 2: Vegetable wraps
Use the leftover stir-fried vegetables in whole grain wraps with hummus or your favorite sauce.
- Stir-fried vegetables meal 3: Vegetable soup
Add the remaining stir-fried vegetables to a broth to make a vegetable soup.
3. Ground meat
Lean ground beef, chicken, or turkey can be used in these meals.
- Ground meat meal 1: Tacos
Cook the ground meat with taco seasoning and serve with tortillas and toppings like tomatoes, lettuce, cheese, and salsa.
- Ground meat meal 2: Tex-Mex spaghetti
Combine leftover ground meat with a can of diced tomatoes, green chiles, and some broth to make a sauce. Serve over whole grain spaghetti noodles or spaghetti squash.
- Ground meat meal 3: Stuffed peppers
Mix the remaining ground meat with rice and stuff into bell peppers, then bake.
4. Lentils
Cook a big batch of dried lentils or buy them ready-made.
- Lentil meal 1: Lentil stew
Make a hearty lentil stew with vegetables and spices.
- Lentil meal 2: Lentil tacos
Use leftover lentils as a filling for tacos by placing them in a warm corn tortilla and topping with salsa and avocado.
- Lentil meal 3: Lentil salad
Mix the remaining lentils with chopped vegetables, feta cheese, and a balsamic vinaigrette dressing.
5. Sweet potatoes
Baking several sweet potatoes at once takes the same time as baking just one.
- Sweet potatoes meal 1: Baked sweet potatoes
Serve baked sweet potatoes with a side of steamed broccoli and grilled chicken.
- Sweet potatoes meal 2: Sweet potato and black bean tacos
Use leftover sweet potatoes in corn tortillas and top with black beans, corn, and avocado.
- Sweet potatoes meal 3: Sweet potato soup
Blend the remaining sweet potatoes with vegetable broth and spices to make a creamy soup.
6. Chili
Make a hearty meat and bean chili or a vibrant veggie-loaded one.
- Chili meal 1: Chili bowl
Serve the chili as a classic bowl with toppings like shredded cheese, sour cream (or plain yogurt), and green onions.
- Chili meal 2: Stuffed baked potatoes
Bake some potatoes and stuff them with leftover chili. Top with cheese, green onions, and a dollop of sour cream or plain yogurt.
- Chili meal 3: Chili nachos
Top whole grain tortilla chips with chili and cheddar cheese, fresh tomatoes, bell peppers, and any veggies you like!
If you don’t have much experience in the kitchen, try borrowing a cookbook from your local library. Many include basic cooking techniques to get you started. You can also find plenty of healthy recipes online.
Looking for more ways to add variety to your meals? Check out these 6 adventurous (and delicious) ways to escape a boring diet.
Remember, with this meal prep method, you only need to cook a few times a week. But you can still enjoy a variety of flavors and textures. Embrace cooking the easy way and transform your leftovers into exciting new meals!
Not a Silver&Fit® member? Learn more about everything the program has to offer, including more helpful healthy living tips like this, here on our website.
This information is not intended to take the place of regular medical care or advice. Please check with your doctor before using this information or beginning any self-care program. Images used for this article do not depict any members of the Silver&Fit program.
References
Clegg, M. E., & Williams, E. A. (2018). Optimizing nutrition in older people. Maturitas, 112, 34–38. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.maturitas.2018.04.001
Darnton, J. (2017, January 11). Economical, healthy, easy and homemade: Create your own shortcuts and cook once, eat many times. Michigan State University Extension. https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/economical_healthy_easy_and_homemade_create_your_own_shortcuts_and_cook_onc
Medline Plus. (2024, March 13). Nutrition for older adults. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Library of Medicine. https://medlineplus.gov/nutritionforolderadults.html
Reese, J. (2023, October 12). Cook smarter, not harder: Nine time-saving cooking tips – ask an expert. Utah State University Extension. https://extension.usu.edu/news/nine-time-saving-cooking-tips
Tvedt, A. (2024, June 18). Batch cooking with protein. South Dakota State University Extension. https://extension.sdstate.edu/batch-cooking-protein
This article was written by Keleigh Somes, edited by Jason Nielsen, and clinically reviewed by Elizabeth Thompson, MPH, RDN, on June 19, 2025.
