Today’s episode is full of ideas for those nights when you’ve come in from an activity or one of your kids has had a meltdown and by the time you have soothed them it’s late to start cooking, or you’re just knackered and really don’t want to cook. On lots of those nights we might order in, or pick up some ready meals on the way home. And there’s nothing wrong with that some of the time. But when you're fed up of shelling out big bucks for delivery and ready meals seem to take just as long as cooking, you need some inspiration for quick dinners.

This episode runs through a bunch of ideas, so you can pick and choose and get some things into your store cupboard or freezer to be ready for the next evening of overwhelm.

Links in this episode:

Pinwheels: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/pizza-puff-pinwheels

Korean pancakes with sauce: https://www.maangchi.com/recipe/yachaejeon

Beryl Shereshewsky's ramen roundup: https://www.beryl.nyc/index.php/2025/05/19/21-instant-noodles-from-around-the-world/

Storecupboard swedish meatball sauce: https://www.tamingtwins.com/swedish-meatballs/

Carbonara base recipe to adapt: https://scrummylane.com/really-good-classic-pasta-carbonara/

Kate Hall's video on freezing jacket potatoes: https://www.instagram.com/canifreezeit/reel/ClrFqiVoLqm/

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat