Back to school brings with it a plethora of emotions for the kids heading into another year: nerves and some excitement that summer is over. I feel pressure to keep it all together, but for me really. Paperwork to fill out, school supplies to buy, and busy evenings of homework and extracurriculiars.
Planning easy comforting meals is one of the most important things I can do for myself and my family. A time to not push my family to try wildly different dishes. Right now we are all coping with enough newness. That doesn't mean we will eat the same old thing each night. I make change from our favorites but I make it interesting. I'll make a slightly different stir fry, buy cool shapes of pasta or add another bunch of spices.
Below are dinners that are all on the table in 30 minutes, and hopefully will all make everyone's night just a little bit better. To help us lean into these easy family faves that will help everyone keep it all together.
1. Lemon Pepper Chicken Breasts
There's no genius move than coating chicken breasts in flour. It adds texture for some added crunch and helps keep the moisture in. The pan sauce makes this dish creamy and makes the butter really come through.
2. Garam Masala Fish Sticks
Realistically, it's been a minute since I've eaten fish sticks. If you haven't made it yourself, this homemade version beats the freezer section hands down. Slice cut cod into equal sized pieces, dust with spices, then bake them until they are crispy. If you want an even crispier option, then use the air fryer.
3. Burger Salad
All that delicious burger stuff (patty, toppings, sauce) — keep it, and make that a dinner salad. But iceberg lettuce adds a nice crunch and use your favorite lettuce and whatever tomatoes you have handy. Spend some time and enjoy the most delicious tasting burger you have ever had.
4. Buffalo Chicken Tacos
Tortilla wrap takes your classic buffalo chicken delights without the need for an oven! This is exactly the type of low effort/high reward weeknight dinner we all crave — rotisserie chicken and a bag of coleslaw mix.
5. Chop Suey
This Chinese American favorite is satisfying enough to grab your wok. Stir fried loads of chicken thighs and vegetables and coated with a pantry sauce which will have you licking the plate. Serve with rice.
6. Microwave Red Curry Poached Salmon
With poached salmon in an aromatics curry sauce this was sounding like it would need multiple pans and an oven, but the microwave does all the heavy lifting in this family meal. It serves best with jasmine rice and chopped herbs.
7. Ultimate French Bread Pizza
Soft wide French bread is a welcome break from pre baked pizza crusts. It doesn't require the added work, and it gives off deep dish vibes. Let your favorite toppings place on top and make an extra one for tomorrow's lunch.
8. Skillet Cacio e Pepe Tortellini With Wilted Greens
Skip the pot of boiling water and make an easy dinner even easier. Olive oil is used to cook a frozen tortellini skillet directly. Serve topped with your favourite cheese and add in your favourite greens, like baby spinach or chopped kale, when stirred in.
9. Paccheri with Quick Sausage Ragu
Serve the family something new — with a new-to-them pasta shape. This is a thick, tubular pasta that will hold up to a whole lotta thick and meaty sauces, like this ragu. So in this version italian sausage is browned and mixed with spices, tomato paste, pasta water and heavy cream for a comforting, hearty meal.
10. Easy Beef Bulgogi
Anything salty sweet beef is an always weeknight winner. Recipe developer Cecilia Hae-Jin Lee says "Bulgogi is a marinated and grilled beef that's popular at Korean restaurants, but it's easy to make at home." Go for marbled beef and sear that cast iron skillet really well. Serve with banchan and rice.
11. Creamy Miso Mushroom Pasta
Miso makes a great additional flavoring to pasta. Fermented soybeans make for a white miso which rounds out the pasta and mushroom dish without overpowering. Grocery store or no grocery store, you'll find it in the refrigerated section, most likely alongside the tofu.
12. Creamy Chicken Florentine
This skillet chicken recipe is quick, easy, and lusciously creamy — it also provides a new take on chicken breasts. As a bonus, spinach is added to the sauce, so if you don't want to make a salad, you don't have to.
13. Instant Pot Eggplant Chickpea Stew
Once the weather cools, the Instant Pot is in heavy use — I need super fast and easy meals. While eggplant isn't an easy veggie to cook, let this be the one that helps you ignore entirely the worried looks and, instead, go all out. Lastly, you can make the meal vegan by using plant based feta cheese as a topping.
14. Sheet Pan Shrimp and Asparagus
Shrimp and Asparagus cook notoriously fast. Garlic butter sauce over top, and it all comes together in a mouth water to family meal. Serve it with pasta or rice.
15. BLT Wraps
Use warm weather and ripe tomatoes (and maybe even a chicken, since roasting will exclude the odor from your house!) to make some easy back to school meals. Tasty lunches could be made with leftovers, obviously. Slice turkey and add for heartier meal.
16. Creamy Cavatappi
It sounds fancy but this is really a mac and cheese. It required no roux, just a thick, creamy, cheesy sauce that gets made on the stovetop. When the pasta boils, set the timer and don't necessarily overcook it.
17. Sheet Pan Gnocchi with Zucchini, Tomatoes, and Bell Peppers
Gnocchi is not the same, not all pasta is the same. Roasting gnocchi on a sheet pan ensures you don't lose flavor while cooking the pasta without it becoming over soaked with moisture. Quick cooking vegetables make sure everything is done the same time.
18. Antipasto Salad
This is a flavour packed salad that is no cook. It's also a great emergency meal because you can stock all the ingredients in your pantry and have dinner ready in minutes.
19. Easy Avocado and Black Bean Quesadillas
I'm constantly looking for ways to get my family to eat more beans and one of the coolest ways to do it is to spread it between a crispy tortilla. Canned beans will never again be wasted on bland beans and will be begging for more of this black bean filling.
20. Sheet Pan Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
Grilled cheese seems to be something I make on the regular and making all of them at once seems like a dream come true. Toasting the bread quickly and evenly, first preheat the sheet pan.
21. Easy Pork Fried Rice
For those weeknights fried rice is definitely the way to go. The pork loin and frozen veggies make this a barely any chopping recipe. Try fry the rice on the weekend to give yourself time for it to chill and dry before frying.
22. Hot Ham and Cheese Sliders
This easy meal gets a buttery upgrade for slider buns. You let it cool, then brush it with compound butter, spread it over the buns, and pop them in the oven till the ham is warm and the cheese is melted. It pairs nicely with crunchy carrot sticks and dinner will disappear in a minute.
23. Air Fryer Salmon
We are well aware of how the air fryer creates a wicked tater tot, but that's not all it can do; it can also salvage you weeknight. Get salmon filets with the skin on them so you can help fight the problem of overcooking. No air fryer? Give this easy brown sugar salmon recipe a try.
24. Smashburger
Smashburgers for dinner, it's time to get out the griddle. Let the kids mix the sauce before they set out the toppings. So, these burgers cook quickly and you're going to have to pay attention.
25. Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad
While school may be in session, that doesn't mean you have to take the grill off. That means I like to marinate the chicken and chop the lettuce the night before if we're all hungry and tired so dinner is just a few minutes away.
