The school year is upon us, so it’s time to start thinking about quick and easy recipes for busy weeknights. In this blog post, I’ll share some of our favorite back-to-school recipes along with a few new ones we will be trying this year.
Need ideas for every meal, including snack options?
No problem!
I’ve included everything you need for healthy breakfasts, lunches, snacks and easy weeknight dinners.
Since our summer schedule is typically much more relaxed, it’s always kind of nice to get back to structured days. And, while the school year is definitely busier, I am always ready for fall because (as long as I plan ahead) it’s wonderfully predictable.
So, if you’re like me and like to plan ahead, reduce stress, and make mealtime an easy (and healthy!) event, be sure to check out the recipes below!
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Easy Back To School Breakfast Recipes
These breakfast recipes are a great way to start your day! No blood sugar crashes, hungry bellies in class, or hard to make recipes here, just easy, healthy, and delicious choices.
Some you can even make the night before and heat up quickly if you need to get out the door fast!
Breakfast Recipes To Try:
- Easy Baked French Toast
- Gluten-Free Mini Quiche
- Healthy Breakfast Hash from Son Shine Kitchen
- Broccoli Cheese Egg Muffins from The Healthy Epicurean
- Zucchini And Carrot Slice from Recipe Pocket
Looking for more? Check out these easy breakfast recipes!
Healthy Back To School Lunch Recipes
Your kids will love these lunch recipes. Not only are they healthy and taste sooo good, but they’re also really colorful too!
Whether you’re looking for colorful sandwiches, tasty roll-ups, a snack pack to enjoy a little bit of everything, a fun avocado roll, or warm soup you can heat up and put in a thermos, you’ll find it here 😉
Lunch Recipes To Try:
- Butternut Squash Soup (With Bacon!)
- Healthy Rainbow Sandwiches from In The Playroom
- Rainbow Veggie Pinwheels from The Healthy Epicurean
- Avocado Roll from Broke Bank Vegan
- Protein Snack Pack from The Forked Spoon
Need a few more lunch recipes? No problem, you’ll love these!
Delicious Back To School Dinner Recipes
I don’t know about you, but during the busy school season, I don’t have the time or energy to make complicated meals. And, even though we have the occasional (not homemade) pizza night, I really want to make sure the majority of the food we eat is healthy and nourishing.
So, if you feel the same and need a few new dinner ideas, check out these recipes!
Dinner Recipes To Try:
- Healthy Spaghetti Squash Burrito Bowl
- Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup from Healthy Seasonal Recipes
- Skillet Lasagna from Valerie’s Kitchen
- White Chicken Chili from Dinner At The Zoo
- Fajita Tacos from Profusion Curry
Thinking of planning a few weeks ahead? Here are more dinner recipes to add to your list!
Healthy Snack Ideas
Ok, so we’ve covered the three main meals of the day, and now we’ll move on to snacks.
Now, I don’t personally let my kids snack all day because that’s not exactly healthy, but there are times (especially when they are more active) that they need a little something extra.
So, here are a few tried and true favorites that help fill them up and keep them going.
I hope they help keep little bellies (or teenagers!) full in your house too 😉
Snack Recipes To Try:
- Easy Banana Bread Muffins
- Instant Pot Greek Yogurt from Blackberry Babe
- Gluten-Free Cheez Its Copycat from Liv Gluten-Free
- Easy Oil Free Hummus from I Heart Vegetables
- Kids Charcuterie Board from The Aussie Home Cook
- Dehydrated Apples from Fresh Off The Grid
Looking for ways to add more fruit or veggies? These snack recipes are perfect for that!
Time Saving Tips For Meal Prep
Whether you homeschool, public school, virtual school, or private school, I think everyone has busy seasons and wishes they had more time (or a chef at home) to make meal preparation easier.
But, since that’s not possible for a lot of us, here are some tips that might help you put healthy food on your table and save time doing it!
1.Make a meal plan and grocery list
Not only will making a meal plan and grocery list save you time and money at the grocery store, you will also know exactly what’s on the menu for that day/night. No more decision fatigue in regards to what’s for dinner, it will already be planned out!
2.Make a double batch
It doesn’t take much more time at all to make a double batch of your meal or snack but this can save you a ton of time (and money!). If you don’t want to eat the same meal for a few days in a row you could always freeze it for those extra busy times when you need something extra quick.
3.Cut raw veggies for the week
Some veggies may not stay fresh for the whole week, but vegetables like carrots, celery, and bell peppers will usually be ok. By cutting a large amount of veggies at once you can have them readily available for lunches, snacks, or meals when you need them.
4.Plan one day a week (or every other week) to prep
Cooking a bunch of meals may not seem like a fun thing to do on your day off, but if you set aside a few hours for meal preparation, I promise you will be glad you did. To make the process even easier, enlist the help of your kids, partner, or even a friend.
Getting together with a friend/family member every week or every other week and meal prepping is a great way to make a large number of meals and catch up with each other. That way, you both have food for the next week and it seems like less of a chore!
Back To School Recipe Wrap Up…
I hope these recipes will help you in those times of life when you’re on the go and need something quick and easy!
With just a little preparation you can have healthy meals and snacks for your family so you can make sure they’re getting the nutrition and fuel they need to keep them healthy, active, and happy.
And you can save time, money, and your sanity!
Have a great school year 🙂