These fantastic back to school recipes are a great way to start the school year with easy sheet pan dishes, one pot meals and family favorites like cheeseburger pasta, bagel dogs and chicken and rice casserole.
Get the school year off to a good start with quick and easy dinners that the whole family will love.
At the end of every summer I start counting down the days until the kids are back in school. However, when they are back in school I have to get used to brand new schedules. School nights means busier nights as the kids start up their extracurricular activities and want help with homework.
Easy back to school recipes are a must this time of year. No one wants to come home from a busy day to have an even busier evening, and then still worry about what to make for dinner.
These 40 back to school recipes should help you out tremendously. Many can be prepped and stored in the freezer until you are ready for them, which makes things a lot easier. Just don’t forget to pull them out to thaw.
There are a lot of slow cooker meals that you can prepare early and will be hot and ready at dinner time. Other recipes are quick and easy, require minimal ingredients and can be made with just a few dishes. These recipes will help you save time without sacrificing flavor.
One pot meals and sheet pan dinners are my go-to for the beginning of the school year. They make life easier while getting used to a new schedule. Give these back to school dinners a try and leave any other ideas you have in the comments below!
40 Back to School Recipes
Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf
This bacon wrapped meatloaf is ground beef mixed with breadcrumbs and seasonings, then covered in bacon slices and baked until golden brown. A unique twist on the classic recipe that will earn you rave reviews!
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Bagel Dogs
This recipe for bagel dogs is made with homemade bagel dough which is wrapped around hot dogs and baked to golden brown perfection. A great snack or meal that the kids will absolutely love!
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Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Chicken Breast (One Pan Meal)
This recipe for bacon wrapped stuffed chicken breast with roasted potatoes is a quick and easy one pan meal that's sure to please any crowd! The chicken is stuffed with an incredible combination of three cheeses, garlic and herbs.
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Baked Chicken Parmesan
This baked chicken parmesan is golden brown crispy chicken breasts smothered in marinara sauce and melted cheese. A lighter take on the classic chicken parmesan that tastes like something you’d get in a restaurant!
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Calzone Recipe
This homemade calzone recipe is a mixture of sausage, pepperoni and bell peppers, all baked inside pizza dough with plenty of melted cheese. Calzones are the perfect food for a party, they’re hand held, hearty and totally delicious.
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Balsamic Chicken
This balsamic chicken is chicken thighs coated in a sweet and savory glaze and roasted to perfection along with potatoes and asparagus. An easy one pan meal that’s sure to please the whole family!
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Buffalo Chicken Sliders
These buffalo chicken sliders are warm sandwiches filled with shredded buffalo chicken, ranch sauce, lettuce and tomato. The ultimate party snack!
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Cheeseburger Casserole
This cheeseburger casserole is ground beef, bacon, macaroni and plenty of cheese, all baked together to perfection. A quick and easy dinner option that's always a hit with both kids and adults!
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Cheeseburger Pasta
This cheeseburger pasta is a hearty recipe of ground beef, shells and cheese in a savory tomato sauce, topped off with bacon and pickles. All the flavors of a bacon cheeseburger in a comforting pasta dish!
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Chicken and Rice Casserole
This classic chicken and rice casserole recipe is a one pan meal that’s full of tender chicken and creamy rice, all baked together to perfection.
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Chicken Broccoli Casserole
This chicken broccoli casserole is a one pot meal with sauteed chicken, rice, broccoli florets and cheese, finished off with a crunchy topping. A comfort food classic that's quick to make and always gets rave reviews!
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Chicken Taquitos (Baked or Fried)
These chicken taquitos are stuffed with seasoned shredded chicken and cheese, then baked or fried to crispy perfection. Serve these taquitos with your favorite dipping sauces for a fun party snack or meal!
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Chili Mac
This one pot chili mac is a blend of ground beef, macaroni, beans, tomatoes and spices, all topped off with plenty of melted cheese. An easy dinner option that’s family friendly and on the table in 30 minutes!
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Cornflake Chicken
This recipe for cornflake chicken is strips of chicken breast coated in seasoned crushed cornflakes and baked to crispy perfection. These chicken fingers are easy to make and are a big hit with both kids and adults!
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Fried Shrimp Tacos with Avocado Relish
This recipe for fried shrimp tacos is a pile of crispy shrimp that’s layered with cilantro lime cabbage slaw and avocado relish then stuffed inside warm flour tortillas. It’s a quick and easy meal that tastes like it came from a restaurant!
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Greek Chicken and Potatoes
This Greek chicken and potatoes is a one pan meal with marinated garlic and herb chicken and tender potatoes, all roasted to golden brown perfection. A super easy dinner for a busy weeknight.
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Ham and Cheese Sliders
These ham and cheese sliders are Hawaiian rolls topped with plenty of sliced ham, swiss cheese and an onion poppy seed butter, then baked to gooey perfection. The ultimate party snack to feed a crowd!
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Hamburger Casserole
This hamburger casserole is ground beef and mushrooms in tomato sauce, tossed with pasta and topped with melted cheese. A comfort food classic that's great for feeding a crowd, and can be easily customized to your tastes!
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Italian Chicken
This Italian chicken is coated in a crispy parmesan crust and baked to perfection along with potatoes. An easy sheet pan dinner that the whole family will love!
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Ham Casserole
This ham casserole is egg noodles, broccoli and diced ham in a creamy sauce, all topped with cheese and baked to golden brown perfection. A comfort food classic that's the perfect way to use up leftover ham!
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Mexican Casserole
This Mexican casserole is made with ground beef, tortillas, vegetables and cheese, all layered together and baked to golden brown perfection. A quick and easy dinner for busy weeknights!
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Moo Shu Chicken
This recipe for moo shu chicken is a quick and easy dinner option that tastes so much better than take out!
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One Pot Chicken and Shrimp Gumbo
A one pot gumbo full of shrimp, chicken, sausage and vegetables that’s ready in 30 minutes.
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One Pot Chicken and Rice Bake
This one pot chicken and rice bake combines chicken with creamy parmesan rice and butternut squash for a complete healthy meal with less dishes to clean.
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Pizza Casserole
This pizza casserole is pasta simmered in tomato sauce with pepperoni, sausage, olives and bell peppers, then topped with cheese and baked to golden brown perfection. A family friendly dinner option that always gets rave reviews!
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Shish Kabob Recipe
This shish kabob recipe features tender marinated beef, peppers and onions, all skewered together and grilled to perfection. Shish kabobs are a quick and easy meal option that can also be cooked in the oven during cooler weather months.
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Salsa Chicken
This salsa chicken is chicken breasts coated in taco seasoning, salsa and cheese, then baked to perfection. A quick and easy meal that the whole family is sure to love.
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Shrimp Chow Mein (One Pot Meal)
This recipe for shrimp chow mein is a quick and easy one pot meal with plenty of stir fried shrimp and vegetables tossed with noodles and a simple sauce.
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Slow Cooker Beef Stew
This slow cooker beef stew is loaded with chunks of tender beef, potatoes, carrots and peas. It’s a hearty and comforting one pot meal where the crock pot does all of the work!
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Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff
This slow cooker beef stroganoff is tender beef, mushrooms and egg noodles, all tossed in a savory creamy sauce. An easy crock pot dinner that’s pure comfort food!
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Slow Cooker Carnitas Tacos
These slow cooker carnitas tacos are tender chunks of pork cooked in a crock pot, then stuffed into warm corn tortillas with red onion and cilantro. An easy and authentic meal that's even better than what you would get at a restaurant.
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Slow Cooker Chili
This slow cooker chili is a blend of beef, beans, tomatoes and spices, all simmered together in the crock pot for a rich and hearty dish. Crock pot chili is perfect for parties and any occasion where you need to feed a crowd!
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Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese
This recipe for slow cooker mac and cheese is a blend of tender pasta with two types of cheese and plenty of seasonings, all cooked together to creamy and cheesy perfection. It's the easiest crock pot macaroni and cheese ever!
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Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
This slow cooker pulled pork is coated in a homemade spice rub, then simmered in the crock pot until tender. Shred the meat and add BBQ sauce, then dinner is ready to serve!
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Slow Cooker Salisbury Steak
This slow cooker salisbury steak recipe is made with tender beef patties topped with mushroom gravy. Classic comfort food that’s super simple to make!
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Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes
These slow cooker sloppy joes are made with ground beef, tomato sauce, brown sugar and spices, all cooked to savory perfection. An easy crock pot meal that’s kid friendly and perfect for serving a crowd.
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Spanish Chicken
This Spanish chicken is spiced chicken thighs roasted with potatoes, bell peppers and chorizo. A simple and satisfying one pan meal that tastes like it came from a fancy restaurant!
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Stromboli Recipe
This stromboli recipe is tender dough stuffed with tomato sauce, cheese and Italian meats, then baked to golden brown perfection. It’s a quick and easy dinner that’s ready in just 30 minutes!
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Taco Sliders
These taco sliders are sandwiches stuffed with taco meat and cheese, then brushed with garlic butter and baked to perfection. Serve with salsa and guacamole for a party snack that will earn rave reviews.
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Vegetable Lasagna
This vegetable lasagna is layers of noodles, veggies, marinara sauce and three different kinds of cheese, all baked to golden brown perfection. A vegetarian main course option that's perfect for feeding a crowd.
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Save yourself time and effort with these fantastic recipes. Your family will love these amazing meals and you will love how much easier these recipes make your life. Give them a try today!
Wow, what a great list! I see so many tasty things that my family would love to it.
I’m already on a hunt for dinner suggestions because school starts back next week. Between all of the kids different after-school activities, I have to plan ahead and find easy meal recipes. I’m going to check these out, they all look and sound divine.
Dinner can be a constant struggle for us. Thank you for sharing all of these recipes! I can’t wait to test some out.
Back to school phrase makes me cringe lol. I will have to register the kids soon and shop for things. These recipes would come in handy.
Whoa! That’s a lot of great recipes! I am overwhelmed as to where to start to dig in! Thanks for this great list.
You seriously made my day! I love when I start to see BACK TO SCHOOL things because um, I ADORE FALL and that just means, FALL WILL BE HERE SOON!!! Also, 1000% checking out the chicken shawarma!
Wow, what a collection! I almost licked the screen. Can’t wait to try that jerk chicken to start.
So many amazing recipes I need to pin. I love this roundup! Especially the great sandwich ideas. I always love making a good old fashion sandwich!
Going back to school can mean busy days and nights for the whole family! I think having meal plans and dinner ideas will make it so much easier! Loving these recipes!
Gosh these look great! I like how easy they are to create, going to line our back to school meal planning soon! Thanks for sharing these recipes
These recipes will give us something new to create for dinner and allow us to spend more time together as a family.
These recipes all look great. I need to get busy with more meal planning with school in mind. We get very busy and the worst part of my day is figuring out what’s for dinner on the fly.
Now this is an amazing list of dinner ideas! I have to admit I need to sit and go through them all one by one and save some to make for myself!
What a fantastic collection of meals for back to school. I’m putting them on the menu and getting things planned out. Thanks!
Awesome list. I must try a few of those noodle recipes.
I am SO pinning this. There are so many drool-worthy recipes in here! I’m not going back to school, nor do I have children yet, but these are perfect for ME! Thank you!!
Oh man, I’m already hungry, and looking at these photos made my stomach growl. I’d be happy with any of these dishes! I’ll be trying some out for sure.
It soon will be that time of year for more hearty meals being fixed. Pasta is always a hit and a cheap way to feed a family. Skillet meals are great one mess clean up.
Great list! They look like a lot of fun recipes!
These all look so good! Not sure which to try first!