31 Easy Back to School Night Dinner Ideas for Busy Weeknights
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Balancing busy school nights with the need to serve up nutritious and tasty dinners can be a challenge for any family. That’s why having a handful of easy, go-to recipes can be a game-changer during the school year.
In this post, we’ll share some dinner ideas that are quick to prepare, satisfying, and sure to please the whole family.
From one-pan meals that minimize cleanup to slow cooker dishes that are ready when you get home, these recipes will help take the stress out of weeknight cooking.
Easy School Night Dinners
Skip the tortilla and savor the delicious burrito filling in a skillet dinner! Quick, easy, and packed with flavor, Ground Beef Burrito Bowl Skillet is the perfect one-pan meal for busy weeknights.
Quick Air Fryer Blackened Chicken Tenders are delightfully crispy on the outside while staying juicy and tender on the inside. With a homemade blackened seasoning, you can prepare and cook them in less than 15 minutes.
This Kid-Friendly Instant Pot Chili is the ideal dinner for a busy weeknight. It's a mild chili that kids will enjoy, making it a hit with the whole family.
Simplify dinner with this Chili Cheese Dog Bake. It combines hot dogs, chili, and cheese baked together in a casserole pan, making it easy to serve cheddar cheese-topped chili dogs to the whole family with minimal prep. This chili dog casserole is simple, kid-friendly, and perfect for busy nights.
Tortellini in Parmesan Cream Sauce with Spinach and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Cheese tortellini are mixed with a simple Parmesan cream sauce, spinach, and sun-dried tomatoes for a delicious meal. This easy dinner is ready in less than 30 minutes, making it perfect for busy weeknights!
Change up spaghetti night with this easy taco spaghetti. It's a filling dinner idea that doesn't take long to make.
An easy bake that you can put together in no time. This cheesy tortellini bake is filling, flavorful, and fun.
A few ingredients are all you need for this easy teriyaki chicken bowl. It's a simple but filling meal the family can enjoy throughout the week.
Spruce up a jar of alfredo sauce and make this chicken alfredo in the instant pot for those days when you need something quick and easy.
These pan fried pork chops are made in the stovetop and ready to eat in just 30 minutes. Pair the chops with your favorite sides and you have a filling dinner for busy night.
Season and cook chicken in the air fryer for a flavorful dinner that's easy for school nights and busy weekends.
Here's an easy weeknight dinner that you can have ready in about 30 minutes. The family will love the seasoned chicken.
These breaded pork chops use panko breadcrumbs and seasoning to give them some extra flavor. They're ready in minutes and perfect for when you want something easy and filling.
Made in the air fryer, you don't need much to make these chicken thighs. The flavorful chicken is made in the air fryer for a quick and easy dinner idea.
Enjoy a restaurant experience at home with this grilled chicken dish. It'll taste like you spent all day seasoning the chicken and making it, but it's prepped and cooked in just 30 minutes.
Enjoy the simplicity of garlic butter noodles with chicken—a delicious combination of tender chicken, pasta, and a rich garlic butter sauce. This easy dish is both satisfying and flavorful, perfect for any night of the week!
Turn traditional sloppy joes into a flavorful sandwich that even the kids will love! These sloppy joes go with a pizza flavor rather than the traditional BBQ flavor.
Make your own hamburger helper at home with just a few ingredients and a little bit of time. It's a filling dinner idea that's perfect for school nights.
Make cod in the air fryer to get something easy and delicious ready for dinner. You can serve with veggies for a complete meal.
Quick, easy, and filling. It doesn't get much better than that! This one pot family dinner will be a hit on school nights.
Another one pot meal the family will love is this garlic sausage pasta. It's an easy weeknight dinner that doesn't take long to cook.
Make chicken fajitas in the air fryer for a tasty weekday dinner. No stove required!
Store bought ingredients make this easy bake the perfect weeknight dinner. No need to fuss over homemade sauces.
With only 5 ingredients needed, this crispy Ritz chicken bake is easy to make and delicious. It will have everyone asking for more!
Just toss the chicken and vegetables on a pan, season, and bake for an oh so easy meal.
An easy weeknight dinner solution that's sure to get the family excited. Everyone will be asking for seconds!
Easy 10 Minute Creamy Chipotle Shredded (Pulled) Chicken Tacos Recipe
Here's a super easy school night dinner that takes only 10 minutes. The whole family will love it.
Make your own pizzas at home with your favorite toppings. Use store bought dough to make it simple.
A flavorful and filling casserole is always an option when you want something easy for dinner. This chicken and rice dish will be a hit with the family.
Instead of pizzas on pizza night, make a pizza casserole. It's filling, easy to make, and oh so tasty.
