Back to School Menu + Shopping List
The first week of September always feels like a fresh start. As the unofficial kick-off of the back to school season, this week marks the beginning of many new daily rhythms easing our way into fall. If you’ve got school-aged kiddos, there’s no doubt this particular back to school season looks much different than expected. Whether your kids are learning in-person or online, we know a lot of you are juggling a million things right now, so we want to keep mealtimes as easy as possible.
With that, we’ve put together a weekly menu with dinners that all come together in 20-minutes flat. No overly complicated ingredient lists, no hours-long prep work—just simple, delicious, and good for you, too.
WEEKNIGHT MENU FAVORITES
recipe by Lindsey Maitland via A Cup of Joe
Buratta and Broccoli Sheet Pan Dinner
Sheet pan dinners are always a win, and we’ve made this particular recipe no less than a dozen times and counting. It’s a vegetarian meal that is still entirely filling, and it’s just one of our favorites from the Healthyish cookbook by Lindsey Maitland Hunt. Keep in mind that this recipe is super customizable, so feel free to use whatever veggies, bread, and cheese combo you already have on hand.
recipe & photo via Cooking with Manali
Creamy Tomato Basil Pasta
When it comes to super quick and easy dinners, most home cooks swear by their Instant Pot, including Cook with Manali. In this recipe, she shares a creamy pasta option that feels straight out of a neighborhood Italian restaurant. Plus, she also includes steps for stovetop cooking for anyone not on the Instant Pot bandwagon.
recipe & photo via What’s Gabby Cooking
Thai Chicken Pizza
Pizza is the perfect option for nights when you need dinner on the table with minimal effort required. But if you’re looking to mix it up from the classic cheese or pepperoni, this Thai Chicken variation is always a safe bet. Save yourself TONS of prep time by grabbing a store-bought pizza dough and rotisserie chicken to whip this meal up in minutes.
recipe & photo via Jessica in the Kitchen
Black Bean and Corn Quesadillas
Here’s the deal: sometimes you need dinner FAST, and that’s where these bean and veggie-loaded quesadillas come in. They’re ready in just 15 minutes, and you can customize them for each eater at your table. Jessica shares a vegan quesadillas option, but you can easily swap in chicken and dairy to suit your tastes.
SNACK
recipe & photo via Pinch of Yum
Curry Hummus
Who’s ready for the ultimate after school snack? This curry hummus is not only super easy to make, but it goes well with just about everything. Dip veggies, olives, pita chips, tortilla chips, or any of your snacking faves!
TO BAKE
recipe & photo via Love & Lemons
No-Knead Bread
While homemade bread may not seem like a quick to-do, we promise this one is so much simpler than it looks. You’ll combine a couple of ingredients the night before, let the dough sit for at least 12 hours, and pop it in the oven the following day. No kneading whatsoever!
TO SIP
recipe & photo via Naturally Ella
Bourbon, Lemon & Honey
When we say this is the easiest cocktail to make, we mean the absolute easiest! Just measure out your bourbon, honey, and fresh lemon juice, give it a quick shake, and enjoy. Try using a high-quality honey for the best flavor and sweeten to your personal tastes.
BY: ANASTASIA CASEY