Now that we’re a couple of weeks into the school year, the shift from summer’s relaxed pace to the busy rhythm of school nights is probably starting to feel real. Bedtimes are back, mornings are early, lunches are being packed, and dinner can feel like one more thing to figure out, especially if you’re juggling after-school activities and sports schedules.
To help you get through these first weeks with less stress (and fewer last-minute takeout runs), here are 8 practical tips to make dinner easier and more organized.
1. Prep in Advance (Even Just a Little!)
A little prep goes a long way this time of year. Find 30–60 minutes on the weekend or during a quiet morning or evening to get a few basics ready:
-
Chop a few nights’ worth of veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots)
-
Make a big bowl of salad for 2–3 nights
-
Cook a batch of rice, quinoa, or roasted sweet potatoes
-
Prepare 1–2 proteins (baked chicken, ground beef, or salmon for other meals)
Even if batch cooking isn’t usually your thing, doing a small amount will make your weeknights run smoother and help everyone settle into the new routine.
2. Make One-Pan & Sheet Pan Dinners
Keep dinners as simple as possible during these first few weeks back at school. We love one-pot and sheet-pan meals — they combine proteins, veggies, and carbs in one dish, which means less prep and minimal cleanup.
Think Sheet Pan Fajitas, One-Pot Pasta, or a simple chicken & veggie bake.
💡 Dinner Daily Tip: If you’re a member, search for “sheet pan,” “easy,” or “one pot” in your menu to find quick options. You can log in here.
3. Double Up on Recipes
To give yourself a break from cooking, plan a few dinners that can do double duty by cooking twice the amount. For instance, if your weekly plan calls for a roast chicken, make two and save one for a later meal. It takes almost no extra time to put a second chicken in the oven, giving you another dinner that’s ready in advance with minimal effort. Or, if you’re making a casserole, increase the quantities so you can have a second dinner later in the week. You can also freeze the extra portion for those inevitable hectic evenings, reducing stress and saving time.
By thinking ahead, you can reduce stress and scrambling during the dinner hour. It will also help you eat better. When you have a plan in place, there’s no need to resort to takeout or open the DoorDash app, and you will undoubtedly save money on food.
4. Plan a Simple Dinner or No-Cook Night
Give yourself permission to plan at least one low-effort dinner night a week.
For us, this was often a toasted sandwich night: leftover proteins, lots of veggies (cucumbers, shredded carrots, tomatoes, avocado), and a fun spread like hummus or guacamole. Serve with fruit salad and call it done.
Or maybe you make it a weekly ritual to have “Breakfast for Dinner” giving it a fun twist so kids look forward to it.
Give it a fun name so kids look forward to it, and enjoy a lower stress (but still healthy) night.
5. Set Up a Healthy Pre-Dinner Snack Station
Depending on the ages of your kids, this tip can help reduce your stress during the dinner hour. With new after-school activities and schedules, kids often come home hungry and wanting to eat something, typically before you’ve had a chance to start making dinner. To keep them satisfied without ruining their appetites, and without creating another task for you during an already hectic time, I found it helpful to have some ready-to-go snacks they could get themselves or that I could quickly grab from the fridge (no thinking required).
Create a dedicated space in your fridge or pantry that they can reach (depending on their ages) with snacks that are already approved by you. Healthy options such as:
-
Pre-washed fruit
-
Whole-grain crackers & cheese
-
Baby carrots + hummus
-
Yogurt cups
- Cheese sticks
- Apple slices with peanut or nut butters
This keeps them satisfied without spoiling dinner and buys you 20–30 minutes of uninterrupted cooking time.
6. Make Breakfast the Night Before
Although this tip isn’t about dinner, it’s something I found incredibly useful as we settled back into routines at the start of the school year. Having a simple plan for breakfast—or better yet, making something the night before—can be a big stress buster as everyone adjusts to earlier mornings. Our favorites were overnight oats in the slow cooker, hard-boiled eggs with a bowl of fruit salad, or a breakfast casserole cooked the night before.
You probably won’t want to do this every night, but having a few mornings where breakfast is already planned out can help streamline your mornings, making it easier for everyone to get out the door on time.
7. Pull Out the Slow Cooker
Similar to one-pot or sheet pan dinners, your slow cooker can be a huge time saver when you’re busy or your evenings are unpredictable. If you’re too busy to pull everything together in the morning, try prepping the meal the night before.
Place all the ingredients in the insert and store it in the fridge overnight. Then, in the morning, just pop the pre-prepped insert into the cooker and turn it on. By the end of the day, you’ll have a ready-to-go meal waiting on your counter. If you followed Tip #1, you can add the salad or veggies you’ve already prepped in the fridge to complete your meal. You’ll feel so organized, and your family will enjoy a healthy dinner with minimal stress!
If you’re a Dinner Daily member, you can find lots of slow cooker options by searching your menu. For inspiration, check out this easy slow cooker recipe:
8. Have a Weekly Plan for Easy Meals
Doing dinner on the fly is one of the fastest ways to add stress to your week (and overspend on takeout). Take a few minutes before the week starts to plan your meals, even just three or four nights.
If planning meals feels overwhelming, let The Dinner Daily take care of it for you. Our weekly plans are personalized to your preferences, tailored to your family size, and built around what’s on sale at your grocery store — saving you time, money, and mental energy. No more last-minute scrambles, just straightforward, affordable meals designed to fit your family’s needs.
You can try it free for 14 days and see how much easier your weeknights feel. 👉 Get Your Free Trial Here
The back-to-school season is a time of transition, and with these 8 tips, you can significantly ease the stress of family meals and save valuable time. By focusing on preparation, doing a few key things in advance, and having a plan, you’ll find that dinner can be an enjoyable and meaningful part of your day, even as everyone adjusts to the new school year.
