I have a confession to make: When we at Stuff first started conceiving of Dinner Sorted, I had some pretty selfish motivations. As those of you who read this newsletter regularly will know, I am in the same boat as many readers: I have a busy full time job, a stretched budget and a young, sometimes quite fussy, family to feed. I was very keen on the idea of spending part of my paid working week to find five family-friendly meals that would hopefully alleviate some of that dinner time stress.

Not every recipe I’ve published in Dinner Sorted has been a hit with my whānau, but I am pleased to report that over the course of this year I have served up more than a few meals that have become family favourites. This week, I bring you the five meals that, after running in Dinner Sorted this year, I’ve made again and again and again.

This is the final Dinner Sorted for 2023. We’ll be back on January 15 with more simple, seasonal delicious recipes – hopefully some will enter your whānau’s regular roster.

If you enjoy these recipes and you don’t already do so, please do click below to sign up for the Dinner Sorted newsletter, which delivers eight recipes to get you through the week direct to your inbox every Saturday morning.

Beef chow mein

Get the recipe here

Absolutely bursting with flavour, this comes together very quickly.

Pasta & vege bake with garlic bread crust

Get the recipe here

A comforting and endlessly adaptable dish.

Butter chicken with broccoli rice

Get the recipe here

Authentic? No. Loved by my 7-year-old? Yes.

Lemon pepper crumbed fish burgers with potato rounds

Get the recipe here

I used to buy frozen fish patties. No longer.

30-minute chilli beans

Get the recipe here

We love these with rice or corn chips.