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Life with kids is busy all the time, but there's nothing quite like the frenzy of back-to-school season. There are new schedules, a flurry of activities, and oh yeah, you gotta feed 'em in between, too. But after prepping breakfast, packing their school lunch, and giving them after-school snacks, by the time you get to dinner, you're just exhausted. What's a parent to do?
Enter: these back-to-school dinners that busy moms swear by. They're all easy, fast (seriously, like some as little as 15 minutes!), and most importantly, they're kid-friendly recipes. Ree Drummond home schooled and fed four hungry kids at the same time for years, so she knows a thing or two about this topic. You'll find several of The Pioneer Woman's go-to recipes on this list like her famous chicken spaghetti: "My kids love this dish. Therefore, I love this dish," she once explained. Plus, you can make it in advance!
Don't be afraid to rely on those handy kitchen appliances, either. You can make fresh, flavorful food from scratch if you rely on healthy air fryer recipes, easy slow cooker ideas, and Instant Pot meals to help you save time. And of course, there's a few genius store-bought hacks sprinkled in for good measure. So take a deep breath, scroll through these ideas, and make that grocery list. Family dinner will be served and the kids are gonna like it, too.
Chicken Spaghetti
Bookmark this one! This casserole has chicken, cheese, pasta, and a few sneaky vegetables. You can use store-bought rotisserie chicken to save time and assemble it a day advance or freeze it for a future reheat.
Get Ree's Chicken Spaghetti recipe.
Pizza Bagels
You know what's faster than ordering pizza? Making your own version with bagels! And since they're individual servings, no one will fight over which toppings they want because you can customize each.
Get the Pizza Bagels recipe.
Chili Mac and Cheese
You'll find no shortage of 30-minute meals to choose from. But when you serve chili and mac and cheese at the same time in one dish, that should be your top pick.
Get Ree's Chili Mac and Cheese recipe.
Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
Instead of using the frozen kind, you can make crispy chicken tenders and use your air fryer to speed up the process. They're healthier this way, but don't worry, you don't have to tell the kids that.
Get the Air Fryer Chicken Tenders recipe.
Slow Cooker Chicken Alfredo
Set it in the morning and come back after school to find a creamy, comforting pasta ready for you. The result features tender chicken, perfectly cooked rigatoni, and a rich parmesan sauce.
Get Ree's Slow Cooker Chicken Alfredo recipe.
Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry
Another takeout classic that your kids probably love and you can actually make in the time it takes you to order and have a restaurant deliver. It's much healthier, too!
Get Ree's Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry recipe.
Sheet Pan Gnocchi
If you have the kind of kids that don't mind their veggies (first of all, lucky you!), then this is the kind of meal for you. Just sling a bunch on a sheet pan with gnocchi and let the oven do the work for you.
Get the Sheet Pan Gnocchi recipe.
Hamburger Casserole
"If your kids are like mine and enjoy any sort of saucy, beefy, cheesy pasta, they'll positively love this hamburger casserole," Ree says. You can assemble it the day before and just add the crispy onions right before you bake.
Get Ree's Hamburger Casserole recipe.
Lemon Pasta
One-pot meals are easy to prep and save on dishes. All you need are a few easy ingredients and you can get dinner on the table in just 25 minutes.
Get the Lemon Pasta recipe.
Air Fryer Fish
Yes, you can skip the frozen fish sticks and make your own crispy, golden "fried" fish with your air fryer instead. No messy oil splatter, no processed additives, just a tasty kid-friendly meal in 30 minutes.
Get the Air Fryer Fish recipe.
Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes
The kids might get a little sloppy, but making these is anything but. It takes just 20 minutes of prep these and then the slow cooker make them all saucy.
Get Ree's Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes recipe.
Shrimp and Veggie Quesadillas
Quesadillas are the comfort food the Drummond kids can't go without. You can basically make them any which way you want: practically any meat, veggies, and cheese combo will work.
Get Ree's Shrimp and Veggie Quesadillas recipe.
Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan
Think you're too busy to make chicken parm on a weeknight? Think again! Put a jar of store-bought marinara to work and use your air fryer to get it on the table in just 30 minutes.
Get the Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan recipe.
Hamburger Soup
Hamburger soup is an excellent way to fill up their bellies and sneak in a lot of vegetables without them noticing. This soup is very forgiving, so you can use basically anything you've got in the fridge.
Get Ree's Hamburger Soup recipe.
Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
Did you know that you can make mac and cheese from scratch in the same time it would take the boxed version? You don't even need to boil the pasta separately!
Get the Instant Pot Mac and Cheese recipe.
Pasta with Tomato Cream Sauce
Another way to turn canned or jarred sauce into an easy masterpiece is doctoring it up a little bit with cream, onion, and garlic. You can add chicken, shrimp, or veggies, too.
Get Ree's Pasta with Tomato Cream Sauce recipe.
Turkey Burgers
Burgers are a no-brainer! You can make them any which way and they'll be done in about 15 minutes. Try turkey, chicken, or pork to mix it up! Serve them with an easy veggie side and dinner is ready.
Get the Turkey Burgers recipe.
Dumpling Soup
Frozen store-bought dumplings make it incredibly easy to get dinner on the table. Five minutes of prep and 15 minutes in total is all you need to make it.
Get the Dumpling Soup recipe.
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