We make enchiladas all the time - they're great because you can tailor them to people's tastes as well as whatever you have in the fridge. I use the large burrito size tortillas, spread a 2-inch wide stripe of refried beans down the center, then top with any of the following in any amount: browned ground beef or turkey, leftover chicken or steak, diced green or red peppers, hot peppers if you like them, a handful of frozen corn or peas (no need to defrost), any other beans (black, small red beans, pinto), diced onion, etc. You won't use all of these things - just pick what you like or what you have. Then fold the 2 sides up, overlapping slightly, and secure with a toothpick. If you are marking one or two because of what they contain or don't contain (for the kid who doesn't like onion, for example), use 2 toothpicks. Or, put less in each one and roll them up into a narrower cylinder to eat with your hands vs. knife/fork. Put them in a low casserole or on a cookie sheet. I top them with bottled enchilada sauce if you want, or make my own with some tomato puree and added cumin & coriander, then add some shredded cheddar or Mexican/taco cheese. Bake at 350 for maybe 20 minutes. I make extra sauce and throw some of it in a pot of brown rice instead of some of the water, and let the flavors infuse the rice. You can do the enchiladas ahead of time and refrigerate. Or, start the rice which takes 40 minutes, then build the enchiladas in 20 minutes and bake for 20 more. Done.
Stir fry is quick - again, you can use what you have. I start the rice with a little soy sauce and Chinese 5-spice powder or ginger in the water, then chop up veggies. You can use chicken or steak strips if you like meat. If you like firm tofu, cut it in cubes (or buy it that way) and marinate tofu or meat for an hour or overnight in some soy sauce (low sodium is fine), then drain and reserve that marinade. Cut up the veggies you want and group in small bowls according to cooking times (this can be done ahead). The longest are carrots and broccoli florets, next are pepper strips (any color) and celery, next are onion strips or rings and zucchini, last are mushrooms/water chestnuts/bamboo shoots/baby corn. Just use what you have/like. I throw some canola or peanut oil in the skillet and start the tofu or meat, gently turning to fry all sides until golden brown - meat should be just cooked through but not dried out. Remove from skillet, add the longest cooking veggies first and stir fry for 2 minutes, then add the next batch for 2 minutes, etc. If you want to make a sauce, while the veggies are cooking, take the reserved soy sauce and add some cornstarch and mix. Make a broth (chicken or veggie) or used prepared brother or water, adding ginger and/or Chinese 5-spice powder and some cooking wine or sherry if you like, about 3/4 cup. Remove all the veggies and put with the tofu/meat, mix the cornstarch/soysauce mix with a little broth and stir, then pour into the skillet and add the rest of the liquid. Whisk until it thickens, add the cooked veggies and anything that just needed heating (like water chestnuts or the baby corn), toss to heat through, and serve. It's a good recipe to get kids to try new veggies.
Salad bars and taco bars - quick and fun. Most chopping can be done hours before. Think outside the box - chickpeas, beans, cheese cubes, sunflower seeds. You'd be surprised what kids will try when they can put them on their food themselves. Invest in a compartmentalized tray or a bunch of small bowls and small spoons.
Quiches and frittatas - easy and economical (eggs are pretty cheap) and a good use of leftovers. You'll see recipes for "leftover spaghetti frittata" and so on.
Individual "muffins" - put pretty much anything in sprayed muffin tins: omelet fixings (peppers, onion & cheese), pizza-type toppings (peppers, pepperoni, spinach), leftover ham or chicken, diced tomatoes, etc. Mix up some eggs and a little milk, pour into the muffin tins, and bake until set & lightly browned - you get individual hand-held egg sandwiches, like a fast-food meal but healthier. I've seen those for on-the-go breakfasts too.
Homemade pizza - buy the raw dough and roll out, or use prepared crusts or naan bread, then throw on whatever each person wants. Slice up frozen meatballs, use veggies, etc.
Crockpot meals. A friend gets her kids to eat pretty much anything by chopping it up and putting it in a vegetable soup. The less they like something, the smaller she chops it.
The kids in our family love my own chicken nuggets - use chicken tenders as is or cut into nugget sized pieces. Dip in egg and then whole wheat breadcrumbs or half panko/half wheat germ. Quick fry in olive or canola oil and then put on a rack in a baking sheet. Finish in the oven, 350 for maybe 15 minutes. You get the crispy outside without needing to stand over the frying pan, and using the rack keeps the nuggets from sitting in oil and lets the heat circulate underneath. I serve those with sweet potato oven fries or with any other kind of potato: slice in wedges, then mix up some olive oil with herbs of choice (we like dill or chili powder but you can use anything that goes with whatever veggie you are using) or just salt/pepper. Bake on a cookie sheet for about 20 minutes, turning once. You can also add to the potatoes any of the following: broccoli florets, cauliflower florets, onion (cut in quarters), or thick cuts of carrot or butternut squash. For thinner veggies, add for the last 10 minutes of baking: green beans, broccolini, zucchini, asparagus.
