18 Quick & Easy 5-Minute Meals, Perfect For A Lazy Dinner

Here are 18 quick 5-minute family meals perfect for lazy dinners! These meals take just 5 minutes of prep time (and occasionally some oven time), and every single one has been tested for quality by our kids.

We’ve all been there – a hectic day, kids crying, and it’s you’re just too tired to make dinner. (But of course, this never happens to you!).

Luckily, because we’ve been there, we’ve developed a list of “lazy dinners” (aka quick five minute meals) you can have on hand for those days. They’re especially perfect when you’ve run out of  Make-Ahead Freezer Meals and haven’t had a chance to put any more together.

We do monthly meal planning in our home, and we make sure to plan one of these meals each week. That way, if a day happens to be busy, we can switch things around, but we know we’ll have the ingredients on hand. These quick five-minute meals are also all frugal enough to stick to your $42 weekly grocery budget.

If you’re looking for more ideas than these quick five minute meals, check out these great cookbooks on Amazon and these 15 Tips for Parents of Fussy Eaters.

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Quick Five-Minute Meals

These quick five minute meals take just 5 minutes of prep time (and occasionally some oven time), and every single one has been tested for quality by our kids, the most renowned and difficult-to-please eaters in the field!

And if your kids like making their food, then they’ll love these Kid-Friendly Charcuterie Board Ideas!

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Pigs In a Blanket

• One package Lil Smokies
• Two packages refrigerated Pillsbury crescent rolls

Cut each crescent roll in half length-wise, and wrap the strip around a Lil’ Smoky. Bake in the oven according to the directions on the crescent rolls package. These delicious crescent-wrapped Lil’ Smokies make for a crowd-pleasing appetizer, perfect for any gathering or game-day event.

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Chili Cheese Bread

• Two slices of bread
• Canned chili

Toast two slices of bread in the toaster, and warm up chili in the microwave. Pour the chili onto the bread and top with grated cheese, tomatoes, onion, garlic, lettuce, and whatever else sounds good. (This recipe is a quick lunch lazy version of Navajo Tacos.)

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Nachos

• Bag of tortilla chips
• Can of refried beans
• Grated cheese

Pile tortilla chips on the plate. Scoop on refried beans and sprinkle on cheese. Heat in the microwave until the cheese is melted. This super quick and easy nacho recipe is a flavorful snack that’s perfect for sharing with friends or enjoying a cozy movie night at home.

You can elevate your nachos by making these Ohio Nachos.

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Taco Salad – Quick Five Meal

• Bag of Fritos corn chips
• Can of kidney beans
• Lettuce
• Cheese
• Ranch dressing

Pile the Fritos on your bowl or plate. Layer with kidney and green beans, cheese, lettuce, and tomatoes, and top with ranch dressing. Simple! This easy-to-assemble Frito salad is not only a quick solution for a satisfying meal, but also a delicious combination of textures and flavors that everyone will enjoy.

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Ham & Cheese Rollups

• One can refrigerated crescent rolls
• Grated cheese
• Ham lunch meat
• Alfredo or cheese sauce

Chop ham into small squares. Unroll crescent rolls and sprinkle ham and grated cheese onto them.  Roll the crescent rolls and bake them according to the instructions on the package. While baking, warm up the sauce and use it to top the completed rolls.

You can get in-depth instructions here.

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Bagel Pizzas

• Bagel
• Tomato/pasta sauce
• Grated cheese
• Pizza toppings

Slice each bagel in half.  Spread on tomato/pasta sauce and sprinkle grated cheese. Allow kids to top the pizza with their favorites! (Pepperoni, ham, etc.) Tip: you could also do this with English muffins instead of bagels as another simple and quick five-minute meal.

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Pepperoni Rolls-Quick Five Meal

• Can of refrigerated Pillsbury crescent rolls
• Sliced pepperoni

Tiffany lived in West Virginia for a while, which is the home of the pepperoni roll! While WV has some amazing ways to create these culinary delights, we’re all about easy in our home. Just roll up slices of pepperoni into the crescent rolls and bake in the oven according to the instructions on the package.

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Pepperoni Pizza Muffins

• Muffin tin
• Can of refrigerated Pillsbury biscuits
• Pasta/spaghetti sauce
• Grated cheese
• Sliced pepperoni

Grease the muffin tin. Peel apart the biscuits and put half in each muffin space. Slather on some sauce, top with cheese and pepperoni, then pop in the oven according to the directtions for the biscuits. Voila – super easy!

You can get in-depth directions here.

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Quesadillas – Quick Five Meal

• Tortilla shells
• Grated cheese
• Canned chicken

Sprinkle grated cheese and canned chicken onto tortilla shells. You can warm up in the microwave or cook on a frying pan or griddle. Serve with salsa, avocados, rice, or whatever sounds good!  Sometimes we use refried beans or ham lunch meat instead of the canned chicken.

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Egg Toast

• Slice of bread
• Egg
• Slice of cheese
• Slice of lunch meat

Use a cup to take a circle out of the middle of the bread. Place on a frying pan and crack the egg into the empty circle on the bread. Fry and then flip over to the other side. Place cheese and lunch meat over the egg until cooked through. You can also lightly toast the extra circle and top with butter.

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Grilled Cheese

• Two slices of bread
• Cheese
• Egg
• Lunch meat

Toast the English muffin in a bagel and fry the egg in a small frying pan. Then add a cheese slice and lunch meat. It’s a simple and quick five-minute meal! This breakfast sandwich is a delightful and healthy combination of warm, savory ingredients and vegetables that will kick-start your day with a burst of flavor.

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Homemade Egg McMuffins

• Egg
• English muffin
• Cheese
• Lunch meat

Cut an apple into thin slices. Next, put peanut butter on the tortilla (lightly fried if you have extra flavored), lay out apples, and sprinkle on cinnamon. If you have extra flavor and choose not to fry the tortilla, you can roll it up like a crêpe or a wrap. This delightful apple and peanut butter tortilla creation offers a versatile, filling, and satisfying snack that you can enjoy either as a crispy treat or a more flexible wrap.

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Apple-Cinnamon Breakfast Pizza – Quick Five Meal

• Tortilla
• Peanut butter
• Apple
• Cinnamon

Cut an apple into thin slices. Next, put peanut butter on the tortilla (lightly fried if you have extra flavored), lay out apples, and sprinkle on cinnamon. If you have extra flavor and choose not to fry the tortilla, you can roll it up like a crêpe or a wrap. This delightful apple and peanut butter tortilla creation offers a versatile, filling, and satisfying snack that you can enjoy either as a crispy treat or a more flexible wrap.

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Italian-Style Loaded Potato

• Potato
• 1/2 cup cottage cheese
• 1 cup baby spinach
• 1/4 cup marinara sauce
• Mozzarella cheese
• Italian herb blend

Microwave the potato for four to five minutes, (after poking holes into it with a fork). Then mix cottage cheese, spinach, and marinara sauce. Next, slice the cooked potato and stuff with the mixture. Then top with mozzarella cheese and an Italian herb blend. Last, microwave one more minute to five minutes to heat this quick five-minute meal through.

If you want a more intense baked potato (although it’ll take you longer than five minutes), give this Smoked Potatoes Recipe a try, or these Irish Nachos Pub-Style Potatoes.

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Avocado & Egg Toast

• Slice of bread
• Avocado
• Egg
• Parmesan cheese
• Fresh herbs

Toast the bread and slice the avocado. Fry the egg in a small frying pan. Place the egg or tuna and avocado slices on the toast, then top with Parmesan cheese and fresh herbs. This delightful open-faced sandwich and salad is not only visually appealing but also a tasty, healthy lunch filling and satisfying choice for a quick and nutritious meal.

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Chicken Burrito – Quick Five Meal

• Tortillas
• Canned chicken
• Diced avocado
• Grated cheese
• Cilantro

Mix canned chicken, avocado, cheese, and cilantro. Spread evenly onto tortillas and roll up. Fry until golden brown on each side. Bonus: make a few at once and freeze for later. These crispy chicken and avocado rolls not only make for a delicious snack or meal but also provide a convenient freezer-friendly option for quick bites.

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Super Sweet Potato

• Sweet potato
• Eggs
• Cilantro
• Avocado
• Salsa
• Greek yogurt.

Microwave sweet potato after poking holes into it.  Scramble eggs. Slice sweet potato open, scoop out insides, and mix with eggs. Stuff back into the shell and top with the veggies and remaining ingredients. It’s a perfect quick and healthy just five minutes meal!

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Oven Baked Tostadas

• Tortillas
• Refried beans
• Cheese
• Lettuce
• Tomato

Bake tortillas (brushed with olive oil first) at 400 degrees for just a couple of minutes on each side (they will continue to crisp as they cook until they cool). Top with refried beans, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes red onion, and any other desired toppings.

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An earlier version of this post was written by Tiffany on The Crazy Shopping Cart

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