Don’t let the stress of getting back into the school routine overwhelm you! We’ve got 5 handy tips to help the whole family eat well while transitioning from the lazy days of summer into the hectic pace of life with school back in session, wading through homework and running around for all the extra curricular activities for the kiddos.
PLAN AHEAD
It will take some extra time to work on this until you get into the habit of doing it, but carve out an hour one morning each weekend to plan your menus for the week and work out the grocery list as you go through the menu. Get it done before the week starts! This will not only save you time in the long run, but will most likely save you some money too because you are less likely to impulse buy if you have a plan before you shop.
Download our handy MENU PLANNER and GROCERY LIST!
SAVE TIME
We’ve all bought those “time-saving” pieces of kitchen equipment that get used once or twice, but then get left on the shelf to collect dust. Well, it’s time to dust them off and start planning ways to use them and quick cooking methods to help get a good meal on the table each night without sacrificing all your spare time. Instant Pots, air fryers, slow cookers and sheet pan cooking are still incredibly popular with lots of great inspiration on the world wide web to help you along. Check out these great recipes we’ve developed to get you started:
Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
LEFTOVERS ARE KEY
We know, we know! Not all foods make great leftover meals, but there are some that really do. When you are working out your weekly menu over that steaming mug of coffee Sunday morning before the house stirs, think about what items would make good leftovers for lunch the next day or could be repurposed into another meal later in the week. Roasting a chicken for dinner one night? Pull the leftover meat off the bone and whip up a salad, soup or sandwich utilizing the leftover pieces.
Here’s some recipe inspiration with leftover chicken:
Air Fryer Southwestern Egg Rolls
CONVENIENCE IS WORTH IT
Buying items that are more convenient are often a little more expensive, but often worth the extra time it gives you to not have to do the extra cooking or preparation. Figure a quick cooking or convenience item into your weekly shopping list to help cut down on prep time and allow you to get meals on the table quicker without sacrificing valuable time. Springer Mountain Farms has a full line of fully cooked chicken products that can help here along with a few recipes to get you started:
Air Fryer Gluten Free Buffalo Chicken Wraps
Broccoli, Cauliflower Rice & Chicken Casserole
DOUBLE UP & FREEZE
Got a great casserole recipe that freezes well? Double the recipe, making 2 dishes, so that you can freeze one for another meal later in the month. Check out these 3 recipes from the Springer Mountain Farms test kitchen that would work well for this handy tip!
Cheesy Chicken Pimento Mac ‘n’ Cheese Casserole
