really need help with dinner on "gym nights"

Our oldest DD is on a competitive gymnastics team. She practices 9 hours a week. The gym is an hour drive from our home. So when I leave the house (with all three children) at 2:45 on Monday, Thursday, and Friday, I don't get home till 8:10. Once a week, we can stop at my mom's and eat. The other two nights, we need to either come home and eat or be able to have something in the truck. I'm not a big fan of them eating in the truck, especially dinner, so I'd much rather eat when we get home! Typically, they are okay to wait until we get home, especially provided they get a good snack on the way up (which I'm fine with them having in the truck), but they don't want to wait long after getting home. Plus, I don't want them eating dinner any later than 8:15.

I'm posting in the veg. recipe forum because we are a special kind of vegetarian. I don't know if we really have a name. LOL WE don't do any meat or meat products *except* seafood. We don't do "cheese substitutes." We just leave it off entirely.

I'm looking for anything that will be warm or cold and ready to eat 5 minutes after walking in the door. I'm okay with crock-pot recipes, but a little nervous about it being on while we are gone. I'm okay with lighter dinners because on those days, I can always make a bigger lunch. Right now, I'm not sure what DH's schedule will be. Sometimes he goes with us; sometimes he stays home. If he is home, he's fine with meal prep, esp. if I leave a recipe/menu. I'm really trying to lay off the microwave too. So could this be a pretty difficult vegetarian-healthy eating situation?

Ideas?

[flowermama]

This was written awhile ago , but I was wondering if you still need ideas? How's making the meals on those nights been going?

What about pasta with sauce? You could make up several types of sauces (tomato, pesto, etc.) and put them in the freezer in portions that are the amount you need for one family sized serving. Put a bag of sauce down the night before. When you got home, you'd just have to throw some pasta to boil, warm up the sauce, and serve supper. Maybe you could even pre-prep some garlic bread and have it in the fridge ready to throw in the oven.

[Singingmom]

Could you plan leftovers for those 2 nights? Make double batches of 2 meals each week?

[RealLifeMama]

How about making some yummy bean and and spinach burritoes and freeze them? You can pop them in a toaster oven.

Yu can make a nice rice and bean or couscous and bean salad and let it marinate and then serve with bread and a fruit salad.