Give yourself a break this fall by cooking these easy back to school dinner recipes in batches. With sheet pan meals, bowls, and simple recipes you can get the whole family involved in, there are a lot of back to school recipe hacks. We get it, not everyone has hours to spend at the stove as things get busier and the days get shorter.
So, we’ve got nine recipes you can try for quick and easy weeknight dinners. Every bit helps during the seasonal mayhem, and these easy back to school recipes will be dinnertime saviors.
Fancy Fish Sticks
Don’t shy away if you’re not into fish — you can use this recipe with chicken, pork, or even tofu! These go from frozen to air-fryer or oven, so make a big batch ahead of time for an easy weeknight dinner.
Chicken Quesadillas with Guacamole and Pico de Gallo
Quesadillas are easy to prepare, fun to make, and delicious, also a favorite among picky eaters for their simplicity. This makes them a great choice to get your kids in the kitchen and teach some basic cooking skills.
Chicken Caprese
This Chicken Caprese recipe from Chef Jackie Page is evidence that a recipe doesn’t need to be complicated to be delicious and look great on the plate.
Summer Squash Galette
As summer comes to an end, make the most of the seasonal produce you don’t know what to do with. Store-bought phyllo or puff pastry dough makes this galette an easy choice for a back-to-school dinner.
Turkey and Black Bean Burger with Sweet Potato Fries
Healthy but hardy, turkey and black bean burgers are a delicious and healthy alternative to traditional burgers, along with the side of sweet potato fries
Pan-Roasted Carrots with Tahini Sauce
Kids aren’t known for their love of vegetables. However, this take on roasted carrots just might get them to like them! A simple oven roast is one of the best quick meals with a lot of leftovers.
Mom’s Basic Chili
Chili is the king of leftovers-ready meals. Make a batch, store it in the freezer, and you’re good to go for weeks. Also, make it with whichever beans you like, cannelini, northern, garbanzo…Basic doesn’t have to mean sacrificing deliciousness!
Summer Salad
A refreshing plate of greens for the whole table, proving that an easy back to school dinner doesn’t have to be unhealthy. Stock up on zucchini, cucumbers, and tomatoes and chop your way toward a fresh and healthy farm-to-table meal.
Honey Mustard Chicken with Celery Root Slaw
Honey gives chicken some extra flavor and savory flair. The side of herby, delicious celery root coleslaw adds something more to the plate, and to the dinner.
Story by Jordan Snowden and Emma Riva / Photography by Laura Petrilla and Dave Bryce
Subscribe to TABLE Magazine‘s print edition.