99+ Dinner Ideas!

I know. You cook every day. And yet, you still can’t think of a single thing to cook for dinner tonight.

UPDATED FOR 2024.

Three days in a row, I received phone calls from three different friends.

“What are you making for supper?” they each asked.

After the third phone call, I decided it was time to do something about this. Why, after cooking dinner for over a decade, do we still need dinner ideas?

Does this happen to you too? Often, I get into a phase where I’ll make the same 10 dinners over and over again. Suddenly, I remember a dinner I used to make years ago…and get excited!

We all suffer from dinner boredom. No matter if you’re a newlywed or if you’ve been cooking a long time…we all need new ideas (or reminders about our old ideas!). The list below isn’t a list of recipes (although occasionally I linked to a recipe on the site). It’s simply inspiration, to get rid of the “What should I make for dinner” conundrum. Obviously, you can use these ideas for lunch too.

Some of these are ideas for super simple dinners (like hot dogs or eggs) while others are what I call “a really great dinner” (a soup, main, and a vegetable). What they have in common is that they’re family-friendly. They’ve actually been compiled after speaking to over 30 people! Mix and match whatever suits your family’s needs.

Thanks to everyone that contributed. Please leave a comment at the end with your own dinner ideas!

1. Meatballs and Spaghetti (or Guilt Free version). (A version of this popular recipe is also featured in Dinner Done!)
2. Meat Manicotti + Salad
3. Meatball Subs
4. Tacos (with No Bean Meat Chili) + Guacamole + Corn + Salsa
5. Ground Beef in Pitas + Israeli Salad + Red Cabbage Salad
6. Spaghetti Bolognese or Penne with Meat Sauce + Cut Vegetable Sticks with Dressing (here is a one pot version)
7. Mock Stuffed Cabbage
8. Sloppy Joes (optional: substitute a baked potato for the bun)
9. Pepper Steak + Rice
10. Meat and Vegetable Lasagna
11. Chinese Meatballs + Rice + Edamame
12. Burgers + Toppings (avocado, fried onions, sauces) + Sweet Potato Wedges
13. Beef Kabobs + Roasted Cauliflower and Techina + Sweet Potato Fries or Couscous
14. Shredded Beef Pizza + Green Salad
15. Grilled Sandwich Steaks in Pita (hummus, lettuce, pickles) + Fried Couscous
16. Hot Dogs + Buns + Corn on the Cob + optional Hot Dog Toppings (sauteed onion and peppers with bbq sauce, sauerkraut, crispy pastrami, and Russian dressing…)
17. Hot Dog Burnt Ends + French Fries + Cut Veggies
18. Shredded Beef Sandwiches + Onion Rings + Coleslaw 
19. Minute Steak + Mashed Potatoes + Salad
20. Mongolian Beef + Rice + Green Beans
21. Beef Stew + Orzo
22. Beef and Broccoli + Lo Mein
23. Flanken Meat Soup + Rolls
24. Yemenite Beef Soup 
25. Pot Roast + Potatoes + Roasted Root Vegetables
26. Teriyaki Steaks + Roasted Broccoli
27. Sausages Sheet Pan Dinner
28. Steak Milanese + Mashed Potatoes + Roasted Cherry Tomatoes + Onion Rings
29. Instapot Cozy Meat Pasta + Salad
30. Crispy Beef + Rice

1. Chicken Stir Fry + Lo Mein
2. Grilled Chicken + Rice and Vermicelli + Roasted Zucchini
3. Grilled Chicken in Baguette + Slaw/Pickles + Veggies
4. Grilled Chicken (using Pereg Chicken Spice) + Roasted Broccoli + Roasted Eggplant with Techina
5. Pesto Chicken Salad (lettuce, beets, carrots)
6. Cream of Chicken Soup + Grilled Chicken Salad
7. Chicken Skewers + Couscous + Zucchini Soup
8. Chicken and Pastrami Roll-Ups + Butternut Squash Soup
9. Pesto Chicken Fajitas
10. Shawarma Chicken + Israeli Salad + Roasted Eggplant + Techina
11. Sesame Chicken + Rice + Stir Fried Vegetables
12. 9×13 Poppers + Rice + Dipping Sauce + Vegetable Salad
13. Cauliflower Soup + Chicken Marsala + Asparagus + Mashed Potatoes or Orzo
14. Honey Mustard Chicken Cutlets + Roasted Potatoes
15. Buffalo Chicken Cutlets + Sweet Potatoes + Cole Slaw
16. Baked Pretzel Chicken + Bow Tie Noodles (with pesto and tomatoes)
17. 9×13 Chicken, Rice, & Potatoes
18. Sweet Buff Schnitz Sandwiches + French Fries
19. Schnitzel Wraps (chummus, lettuce, fried onions, tomatoes, coleslaw, and Russian dressing)
20. Schnitzel Salad (lettuce, schnitzel, crispy pastrami, tomato, breaded cauliflower, Caesar dressing)
21. Grilled Chicken Wraps + Cauliflower Popcorn
22. Deli Roll Wraps
23. Turkey Lettuce Salad
24. Turkey Sandwiches + Split Pea Soup
25. Breaded Chicken on Bone + Crispy Potatoes + Salad
26. Grilled Baby Chicken  + Grilled Onions + Quinoa
27. Southern Fried Chicken + Sweet and Sour Zucchini + Mini Potato Knishes + Broccoli Soup
28. Whole Chicken + Roasted Potatoes
29. Baked Chicken and Farfel (one pan in the oven)
30. One Pan Chicken + Green Salad
31. Freezer One Pan Chicken and Potatoes in the Oven
32. Buffalo/BBQ Wings + Onion Rings  
33. Sticky Chicken Drumsticks (lollipops) + French Fries + Salad
34. Broiled Chicken Drumsticks + Salad + Roasted Veggies + Couscous
35. Duck Sauce Chicken Legs + Fried Rice + Sugar Snap Peas
36. Chicken Paella
37. Baked Sesame Garlic Schnitzel + Sesame Noodles/Orzo + Grilled Vegetables
38. Chicken Burger Bowl + Quinoa + Sweet Potatoes
39. One Pan Chicken Nuggets and French Fries
40. Honey Garlic Confit Chicken + Rice + Green Beans
41. One Pan Potatoes and Drumettes
42. Flavor Bomb Pesto Chicken Caesar Salad

1. Mushroom Barley Soup + Mini Pizzas
2. Mushroom/Broccoli/Pizza Calzones + Greek Salad
3. Eggplant Parmigiana + Onion Soup + Garlic Knots
4. Deep Dish Spelt Pizza + French Fries + Feta Cheese Salad
5. Sushi + Cauliflower Pizza
6. Pancakes + Eggs + Yogurts
7. Avocado Panini or Tuna Melts
8. Avocado Toast Bar
9. Cheese Latkes + Onion Soup + Tuna Steak + Salad
10. Onion Soup + Mac and Cheese + Fresh Cut Veggies
11. Onion Board + Eggs + Israeli Salad
12. Baked Ziti/Penne ala Vodka/Pizza Pasta +  Cauliflower or Mushroom Soup
13. Homemade Pizza + Salad + Soup
14. Pancakes/Waffles + Fruit Shakes + Cut Fruit (Melon)
15. Gnocchi or Ravioli
16. Quesadillas
17. Stuffed Spinach Shells or Spinach Lasagna
18. Eggplant and Techina + Falafel + Israeli Salad
19. Quinoa + Zucchini Noodles + Salmon
20. Pareve Chulent + Potato Kugel + Kishke
21. Home Fries + Bagels + Eggs + Spreads
22. Avocado Toast + Tomato Salad + Ice Coffee
23. Frittata + Mixed Green Salad
24. Stir Fry Tofu
25. Breaded Tofu + Cauliflower Rice
26. Shakshuka + Rolls + Israeli Salad  
27. Chickpea Burgers
28. Falafel + Pita + Salads + Chummus + Techina
29. Pad Thai
30. No Pot Ziti

1. Salmon Arayes
2. Salmon + Fettuccine
3. Baked Turbo (baby halibut) + Salad + Mushrooms
4. Zucchini Soup + Salmon Burger + Rolls + Salad
5. Fish Tacos + Avocados + Cabbage Slaw
6. Twice Baked Potatoes Stuffed with Cheese and Spinach/Broccoli + Fish
7. Baked Breaded Flounder + Sweet Potato Cubes + Roasted Broccoli
8. Baked Barramundi + Rice + Creamed Spinach
9. Honey Mustard Salmon + Broccoli Bourekas
10. Potato Soup + Garlic Bread + Seared Tuna + Salad
11. Baked Branzino + Basmati Rice + Greek Salad
12. Salmon Stir Fry + Quinoa Salad
13. Breaded Salmon + Baked Broccoli Cheese + Potatoes
14. Marinated Salmon on Skewers + Bowtie Noodles + Broccoli
15. Moroccan Fish + Bread + Soup
16. Salmon + Rice + Broccoli
17. Dill Salmon + Salad + Garlic Rolls
18. Moroccan Fish + Rice
19. Poke Bowl