It reminded everyone of the dinners they grew up with

To fit this recipe into a busy week, you can mix the meatloaf the night before, shape it, and store it covered in the fridge; just pull it out while the oven preheats and add a few extra minutes of baking time. For a lighter version, swap half of the ground beef for ground turkey or chicken, adding an extra tablespoon of olive oil to keep it from drying out. If you need to make it dairy-free, use broth instead of milk in the breadcrumb mixture. For a gluten-free option, use gluten-free breadcrumbs or crushed gluten-free crackers. You can also change the flavor profile by using barbecue sauce instead of ketchup in the glaze, or adding a handful of shredded cheddar to the meat mixture for a cheesier loaf. Veggie-wise, finely grated carrot or zucchini can be mixed into the meatloaf for extra nutrition—just squeeze out excess moisture first. If your evenings are especially hectic, bake the potatoes on a separate sheet pan so you can pull them out early if they’re done before the meatloaf, or double the potatoes so you have extras ready for lunches or breakfast hash the next day.