'Dad Dinner' is the new dinnertime trend you should know about

Move over Girl Dinner, there’s a new food trend in town showing that Aussie dads really can cook. Introducing… Dad Dinner.

Unlike Girl Dinner, made famous for its ‘anything goes’ approach to cooking with a seemingly random assortment of snacks and foods, Dad Dinner is about hacking your way to the perfect family dinner with as little effort as possible.

Ash Wicks (aka Jampikelets), who is a recent Dad Dinner leader, TikTok comedian and one-half of the Two Doting Dad’s podcast with Matty J, tells Yahoo Lifestyle that the trend is taking over his household with fuss-free recipes now on the weekly rotation.

“I’ll be the first to admit that cooking dinner for the family after a massive day isn’t my favourite thing on the evening to-do list. But if you can take one thing away from Dad Dinner, it’s about working smarter, not harder with your meals,” he says.

“For me, I want to be able to cook a quick dinner while I’m chatting with my wife and kids with the footy on in the background, without stressing about countless steps and ingredients.”

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The Sydney father-of-two recently discovered a new hack in the kitchen with meal kit delivery service; EveryPlate.

“My little ones are 4 and 2, so when they want something to eat, they want it now,” he shares. "EveryPlate has been my secret weapon for dinners lately. Their new prep-in 10 recipes have got me serving up dinner before the kids even finish saying ‘I’m hungry’.”

'Cooking shouldn't have to feel like a chore'

Ash went on to say that his love of Dad Dinner stems from his wanting to change the perceptions that many people have of dads in the kitchen.

“Dads get a bit of a bad rap when it comes to dinner time. A classic sausage sandwich with tomato sauce or even a cheese toastie is what might come to mind when you hear dad yell, “Dinner’s ready!” he jokes.

“I want my family to be excited when they hear dad’s cooking dinner. And for me, cooking shouldn’t have to feel like a chore.”

With grocery costs skyrocketing and supermarkets becoming even busier in the lead-up to Christmas, Dad Dinner also provides an opportunity to help save on both stress and money.

“Shopping for food costs an absolute bomb at the moment which makes things really hard when you’re also trying to save for Christmas presents,” Ash adds. “EveryPlate delivers exactly what you need for dinner, straight to your door, from just $4.44 per plate. That means no more supermarket stress - win-win.”

Ash’s final words of advice for curious cooks wanting to try Dad Dinner? Pick the kid-friendly options and just give it a go.

“If your kids are fussy eaters, finding something they like can be a bit of a challenge,” he says. “Recipe reviews have been super useful for me to see what other people’s kids are loving, and EveryPlate even marks heaps of recipes as Kid-Friendly.

“There’s also merit in just having a crack. The best Dad Dinners only have a few steps and little prep so any parent can be a hero in the kitchen, whatever their cooking skills.”

Watch this space, as Dad Dinner is set to take over for 2024 - you heard it here first.

You can find Ash’s Dad Dinner hacks on his Instagram and TikTok.

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