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A School Week’s Worth of Back to School Dinner Ideas

Taco Noodle Bake

It’s that time of year that parents love and hate at the same time… back-to-school. I remember the days of getting back on a morning schedule, heading to the bus stop on time and how exhausted I was by the end of the day. That’s when having an easy dinner recipe in my recipe box came in handy.

What kid doesn’t love chicken fingers? Opening a frozen bag is easy, but Stephen Lee Parker’s (LaGrange, GA) Lee’s Chicken Fingers recipe is so much better.

“This is my son’s favorite,” shares Stephen Lee. “I created this after trying a tempura batter recipe for frying vegetables. It looks like it is going to take a lot of time because of all the ingredients, but it is really quick and easy.”

The mix of herbs and spices is subtle but super flavorful. Ginger ale in the tempura batter gives these chicken fingers a slightly sweet taste. Serve with BBQ sauce, ketchup or honey mustard for dipping and you’ll have happy kids.

Hollie Cameron (Sparks, NV) puts an Italian twist on sloppy joes with her Sloppy Italians. “Easy and a family favorite,” reveals Hollie.

This is a seriously quick and easy sandwich. Prep is done in under 10 minutes. The hardest part is browning the ground beef. The meat is put into a hot dog roll, covered in cheese and baked until the cheese is gooey and golden brown. A simple dinner on a busy day.

“While we were moving into our new home, I whipped this up because we didn’t have much to work with,” explains Amy Cox (Melbourne, FL). “Everything was still packed, so I had to find something easy, but filling for dinner. My husband couldn’t get enough and the kids loved it! It’s now a must-have every other Friday night at our house.”

These hearty Philly Cheesesteak Calzones are a must-try for any fan of Philly cheesesteaks. Mushrooms, green peppers, onion, mozzarella cheese, provolone cheese, and rare roast beef are stuffed inside pizza dough and baked. How easy is that?!

The recipe makes two calzones so definitely enough to feed a crowd. If you’re cooking for a few, just cut the recipe in half. You should definitely add deli roast beef to your shopping list this week.

Tiffany Ash’s (Woodburn, IN) Chicken Burritos are a quick and easy weeknight meal even a beginner cook can prepare. “My husband loves burritos, so I created this recipe a while back and it seems like every week he wants me to make them,” says Tiffany.

All the filling ingredients cook in one large pot which makes clean up a breeze. The seasoning from the Spanish rice and Rotel give these a little kick. Pan-frying the burrito melts the cheese and sour cream. It mixes with all the other ingredients and makes these so good.

Everyone will love Jenni K.’s (Carlton, MN) Taco Noodle Bake. “This is an easy, flavorful meal to throw together on the weeknights,” thinks Jenni. “You can make it as spicy, or not, as you’d like.”

Yum, this dinner casserole is cheesy and full of so much flavor. The seasonings (like garlic, taco seasoning, cayenne), along with fresh onions make the meat mixture super yummy. The noodles, with Jenni’s cheese mixture, is nice and creamy.

If you’re in the throes of back-to-school scheduling (or if you are already thinking ahead to September), these recipes will help remove some of the daily chaos and figure out what’s for dinner. It’s a school week’s worth of meal ideas! Want more? Check out this back-to-school recipe collection. Happy Pinching!