35+ Back-To-School Dinners: Fast, Faster & Fastest!
Inside: Need easy, back-to-school dinners? Get 35+ fast, faster, and fastest meal ideas for busy families. Perfect for school nights when time is tight.
The school year has started, and it might feel like a whirlwind of homework, sports practices, and permission slips you forgot to sign. And somewhere in there, you’re supposed to…make dinner?
Let’s make that easier. I’ve rounded up 35+ ideas that work for real life, whether you have a little bit of time or barely any at all. They’re grouped into three categories:
- FAST: Meals that take about 30 minutes to prep.
- FASTER: Meals that take only 15-20 minutes to make, with just a smidge of cooking.
- FASTEST: Zero cooking. Just assemble and eat.
Plus, there are bonus ideas for the slow cooker when you need to set it and forget and the Instant Pot–when you forgot to set it and forget it in the morning and need something speedy. Let’s dig in.
FAST
All of these Real Mom Nutrition favorites are family-friendly and take 30 minutes (or less!) to make.
- Baked Turkey Tacos
- Stir-Fry Veggies with Noodles
- Spaghetti Carbonara
- Sheet Pan Chicken Sausage & Veggies
- Cozy Sausage Pasta
- Shortcut Meatball Subs (vegetarian option)
More 30-minute meals we like:
- Egg Roll Tacos: I make these on our griddle so I can cook four at once.
- Mahi Mahi with Lemon: We add chopped bell peppers or asparagus near the end and serve everything over couscous.
- Easy Vegetable Teriyaki Stir-Fry: I keep pre-cooked rice pouches on hand for this kind of meal.
- The Best Turkey Burgers
- Ridiculously Good Air Fryer Salmon: Serve it with some instant rice and steamed veggies.
FASTER
These are super-simple meal ideas that need just a short amount of time in the oven or on the stove.
- Breakfast for Dinner: It’s fun and somehow feels no-fuss. I like to serve it with smoothies to get extra fruit and veggies. Here’s some recipe inspiration:
- Quesadillas: Filling ideas include refried or black bean, rotisserie chicken, leftover roasted veggies, fresh or frozen spinach, and cheese to hold it all together.
- Flatbread Pizza: Any flat-ish bread can be pizza with sauce, a sprinkle of cheese, and whatever toppings you can dig out of the fridge. Put it under the broiler until melty and bubbly.
- Mac-n-Cheese: Stir in some cooked frozen veggies, tuna or salmon, or leftover chopped chicken (or not). Here’s my four-minute version: Instant Pot Mac-n-Cheese.
- Eggs: They’re filling, rich in high-quality protein, and endlessly flexible: scramble them, fry them, bake them into muffins. Serve with fruit or a little green salad, plus some bread or toast. Here are two recipes:
- Soup: Boxed, canned, or leftover homemade from the freezer. Serve it with grilled cheese sandwiches or some crusty bread.
More fast, quick-cook meal ideas:
- Sheet pan nachos: Cover a sheet pan with tortilla chips, add (drained and rinsed) beans and shredded cheese, put under the broiler until melty, then top with dollops of sour cream, salsa, guacamole, and other favorite toppings.
- Ham & Cheese Sliders: Leftovers are perfect for lunch boxes the next day. Serve with a bagged salad or fruit smoothies.
FASTEST
These are all no-cook, no-bake, and no-fuss. They will not win you any culinary awards, but they get the job done.
- Snack-Dinner Board: Grab odds and ends from the fridge and pantry and pile it onto a platter, tray, or baking sheet. Let everyone serve themselves and consider it done.
- Bagged Salad + Protein: Start with a salad kit (I like the ones with crunchy toppings and a good dressing) and add a protein like some rotisserie chicken, chickpeas, tuna or salmon from a pouch.
- Yogurt Bowls: Put out a DIY yogurt or oatmeal bar with toppings like fruit, granola, and other things that need to be eaten.
- Cereal-Plus: Start with a plain, whole grain cereal and top with sliced fruit, chopped nuts, and seeds like pumpkin or hemp seeds.
- Fancy Toast: Spread toasted slices of bread (the thicker and heartier the better) with mashed avocado, a fried egg, and sprinkle of chili flakes. Or spread with hummus and top with roasted veggies. Or peanut butter and sliced strawberries or bananas.
- Hummus Plate: Put out store-bought or homemade hummus with crackers and vegetables like cucumbers and baby carrots. Add nuts, dried fruit, and anything else you’d like to the plate.
“I need to set it and forget it.”
Meals that cook in the slow cooker while you’re out doing other things.
- Slow Cooker Lasagna: This is done in just a couple hours, so it’s perfect to prep in before a soccer game or back-to-school night, so you can come home and dig in.
- Slow Cooker Taco Meat: This makes some for tonight, and some to stash away in the freezer.
- Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Sandwiches: Place a pound or two of boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs in the slow cooker and add a cup of BBQ sauce. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Drain excess moisture, shred the chicken, and serve it topped with more BBQ sauce on buns.
More slow cooker meals we like:
“Whoops, I forgot to set it and forget it.”
If you forgot to put everything in the crock pot in the morning (me, always), here are some dinners you can make in your Instant Pot instead.
- Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup: Even better, this recipe starts with frozen chicken!
- Instant Pot Beefy Bowties: This one is a hit with my kids especially.
- Instant Pot Dumpling Soup: Thick, cozy, and comforting.
More Instant Pot recipes we like:
- Instant Pot Beef Stroganoff: A hall-of-fame favorite for my gang.
- Instant Pot Butter Chicken: I serve this with roasted broccoli and store-bought naan.
