This is a very big cookbook with a massive array of recipes. All recipes are easy to follow and there truly is something for everyone in this book

Family Dinners is a treasure trove of recipes! I love all the pictures because there are plenty, they are stunning and enticing. They capture the beauty of the dish as well the ambiance that’s created when families come together around a meal. The chapter on kitchen essentials is great because it’s more than what you should have in your kitchen; it covers how to properly care for your kitchen tools. Each chapter covers various themes, or topics, such as weeknight wonders, comfort classics, hands off, around the world (and there are so many recipes from all over the world gathered in here), from the garden, and elevated (explore your passions, artistic side, or take your time to create intricate dishes). The appendix is full of extras as well that you won’t want to miss. I am in love with this collection of recipes. They all seem fairly easy to follow with everyday ingredients that you can find in most grocery stores.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley and all opinions expressed are solely my own, freely given.

This is a thick cookbook that reads more like a resource because there are so many recipes. Since there's not a focus it's more like an "anything you could want to cook" cookbook. With that said, the pictures are beautiful and make me want to cook every recipe. I haven't tried any of the recipes so I can't speak to how easy they are to make or how successful the directions are or I would be in making them. It's a very straight forward cookbook so if you want just recipes and no fluff this one is for you.

This is a very informative and well put together cookbook with tons of interesting recipes and great photos. I’d recommend it to anyone looking for a new cookbook. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

If you’ve ever dreamed of simplifying dinnertime without sacrificing flavor, Family Dinners: The Ultimate Cookbook is here to make your life easier and tastier. Packed with over 300 recipes, this cookbook covers everything from no-fuss weeknight dinners to impressive meals for special occasions. Whether you’re a fan of comfort foods like Sunday roasts or looking to keep it light with Garlic Broccoli Shrimp Stir-Fry, there’s a recipe for every craving. The best part? These meals require minimal prep and use affordable, everyday ingredients—perfect for busy schedules and budgets. Plus, clever tips for repurposing leftovers mean you’ll waste less and enjoy more.

What really sets this cookbook apart is its ability to cater to both picky eaters and adventurous palates. With recipes like Slow-Cooker Bolognese and mess-free Honey Mustard Chicken, it’s clear these dishes are designed with real families in mind. The variety ensures no one gets bored, and the ease of preparation makes even hectic weeknights feel manageable. Whether you’re embracing one-sheet meals or whipping up a 30-minute masterpiece, this cookbook is your go-to guide for making dinnertime stress-free and delicious. Forget takeout—this is home cooking at its best!

2.5 stars

I was very conflicted reading this cookbook, as I went into this looking for recipes that I could add to my weeknight dinner rotation. In fact, in the introduction, the author says "This book intents to lower the bar slightly, so that the unquestionable rewards of putting something nutritious and delicious on the table each and every night for one's family becomes a bit easier to remain focused upon."

However, the one word I kept coming back to is "disconnected."

While the goal for this book is to make family dinner seem more accessible, this is not for a family with two working parents or young children. In the "Weeknight Wonders" section, there is a strange mix of very simple and uninspired dishes (BBQ Chicken Sandwiches - do I really need a cookbook for that?), and dishes I would never ever have the energy to make after a long day of work and daycare pickup (Red Snapper With Tomatillo Sauce).

There were some recipes that sounded delightful and manageable: pork fried rice, Roasted Duck Breast With Cranberry Mostarda and Crispy Kale, Veal Schnitzel & Spatzle in a lemon & caper beurre blanc (although there was no picture for this recipe), while other dishes sounded absolutely horrid; Peanut Butter & Bacon Oats with Fried Eggs (NO THANK YOU) and Spiced Buttermilk Stew (why would I have 8 cups of buttermilk??).

In the Elevated Section, the meals are supposed to be "substantial enough to provide leftovers for the next night's meal," but the first recipe is for
"Everything spice tuna with scallion cream cheese." While the dish looks delicious in the attached picture, this would not be able to nourish my family of four, but would be a wonderful appetizer for a fancier dinner party.

I understand that this cookbook is trying to get people to think outside of the box, but ingredients such as lobster, capon, and RABBIT are not accessible to the average person that might be looking for more dinner inspiration.

So many recipies I want to try out!
I always find cookbooks hit and miss, but these recipes just hit the spot and the instructions are clear and easy to follow.
Cannot wait to get started!

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. An impressive cookbook with lots of great recipes to try.

This is an enormous book — over 800 pages and over 300 recipes. It is not by an author but by the publisher, and seems to be a compilation of recipes from other books they have published. I noticed a very specific mashed potato pizza recipe from a book I just reviewed and realized it was the same recipe and photo and that they were just now publishing his cookbook as well. I could not find any attribution to the original authors or cookbooks.

The organization is somewhat haphazard. I couldn’t really figure out how it’s organized. There is a photo for every recipe but no nutritional information. The recipes are rather long and with the full page photos, it means one recipe can take up three pages easily. I personally really dislike using cookbooks where you have to keep flipping back and forth. I prefer simple instructions and a small photo right on the page so it’s easy to follow and feels quick and doable when I’m cooking for the family at the end of a long day.

The other thing is that these don’t really feel like family dinners. They are all kinds of meals but not what I’d consider family dinners — large, simple meals to feed a crowd. I also wouldn’t necessarily call them quick or easy. Some are, but they’re all over the place.

It’s definitely got some good recipes and is worth checking out, but I’m not sure who it would make the best fit for. If you are new to cooking this one cookbook could give you an enormous cache of recipes though.

I read a temporary digital loan of this book via netgalley.

If you need a recipe for Grilled Cheese or a corn dog and you think a Mashed Potato, Bacon and Scallions Pizza sounds yummy this will be the cookbook for you. I liked the kitchen essentials and kitchen secrets chapter in the beginning. I thank Cider Mill Press for the opportunity to read and review this cookbook!

Who doesn't appreciate a home-cooked meal? With 300 quick and easy recipes, you are certain to find something the entire family will enjoy. I appreciated the wide variety of meals offered, ranging from Korean, Italian, Japanese Indian, many more. Most of the recipes are simple, with easy steps and pictures to guide you in making a delicious meal. Many of the dishes new to me, such as Potjiekos, Dafina, and Doenjang Jjigae, as well as many everyday staples like Beef stroganoff and grilled cheese. My family particularly enjoyed the Coconut Curry Chicken Noodle soup, Swedish meatballs, and Banana Walnut French toast. There is something for every meal, including instructions on how to make your own Tortillas, Pizza Dough, and even Pickled Red Onions.
I appreciated that it included so many pictures that accurately represented the meals. However, I wish they were organized to find what you are looking for by chicken, beef, or even by ethnicity. This wonderful cookbook would make the perfect gift!
Thank you Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoyed this book very much, and look forward to making some new recipes! The recipes were easy to follow and seems like something even a beginner cook would be able to make. The book is very well written and well organized!

This is a huge tomb with an excellent range of dinners that should suit all, though my family would throw a hissy fit if they were served Avocado Toast for dinner as some 'meals' were more snacks than family dinners.
I did like the descriptions of the different vinegars and their uses at the beginning and also some of the sauces in the appendix though that did seem a bit jumbled as though all the afterthoughts are thrown into one section. The index at the back was the savour as it was well catalogued with more than just the names of the dishes being there, each was also indexed by ingredient.
Overall it is a good reference book. Some of the recipes were simplistic and some had ingredients that could only be sourced via specialist shops (certainly the case in the UK), therefore this was more a basic coverall book rather than an inspiring one.

Colossal. With this book, you cannot run out of ideas for what to have for dinner.
It is titled Family Dinners but the recipes are easy to adjust to two or three people in general.
A very good selection of meals/recipes.

This book is a tome! Coming in at over 800 pages, there is something for everyone here. Separated into sections specific to how much time you have available, the recipes are an amazing mix of diets and cultures to inspire any cook. I especially appreciate that there are dishes that those who work from home can start during their lunch break and have ready when they clock out. The elevated section takes your cooking up a notch for special occasions, and From the Garden gives ideas for adding vegetables to the table for even the pickiest of kids. The appendix is a treasure trove of recipes for sauces, staples, spice mixes, and many more items that could be purchased allowing a full homemade meal should time and inclination lead you to that. The pictures included give a great example for plating and how the food should look. This one recipe book is a resource for the whole year. I read this ebook through NetGalley.

I received an ARC of this cookbook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a great cookbook. It features a lot of recipes and they're all easy to make and delicious. They also require ingredients that are easy to find!

Immediately excited with the book photography, this was a great read. The recipes are well structured and easy to follow, and the book is well written, with both education and interesting tidbits. The first recipe on our table was the chili, shrimp and basil salad. The flavors were glorious, and it was well received by everyone at the table. The garden sesame noodles are spectacular, as are the korean chicken thighs and the tagine. For lunch tomorrow, we have made the curried chicken salad. On tasting, while making, I think it will be a hit! The recipes are simple, and the ingredient lists are not complex or hard to find in the regular store. I highly recommend!
Thank you to Cider Mill Press for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Everything looks yummy! Overall, the book was well written and I did really enjoy it. Thank you for this advance reading copy!

Thank you to NetGalley and Cider Mill Press for the opportunity to read an advanced reader's copy of this cookbook for an honest review.

I have been on a major cookbook kick recently, and “Family Dinners: The Ultimate Cookbook (Quick and Easy Weeknight Meals for the Whole Family)” by Cider Mill Press caught my attention because cooking during the work week can be super stressful at times.

This cookbook offers 300 quick and easy recipes that promise to satisfy the whole family. I was pleasantly surprised by the array of different cuisines and ingredients used so I could find just the right recipes to try with my family. I found the recipes were easy to follow with not too many steps from start to finish. Some of the meals had ingredients that were a little exotic and not in a standard pantry, but there were so many recipes to choose from that I could just skip over ones that I knew my family wouldn’t care for.

My favorite sections of this cookbook were Around the World and From the Garden. Since my family eats mostly pescetarian meals, I was pleased to see many meatless and fish-forward meals. The Crispy Salmon Rice was a major hit in my house with the sweet and tangy pomegranate sauce. Plus, it was super easy to put together since I had all the ingredients on hand. I have the recipes for Broken Past Soup, Garlic & Basil Baked Cod, Baked Egg Casserole, Turkish Pides, and Rosti Egg in a Hole on my upcoming meal plans for March!

I did deduct one star because my digital version didn’t include pictures of all of the recipes. I’m a visual learner and rely on the photos to know what the end product is supposed to look like, so I’m always a little disappointed when cookbooks don’t show pictures of all of the recipes featured.

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by this cookbook and highly recommend it to any home cook wanting to make a delicious home cooked meal for their family during the busy work week.

Very nice cookbook. I found many recipes I plan to make. The photo sin the book were really nice representations of the meals. This book would make a nice gift.