Janna's Secret to Surviving Back-to-School Season? Keep It Simple.

As summer winds down and school starts back, life has a way of speeding up overnight.

The relaxed mornings are replaced with alarm clocks. Afternoons become a race between work, school pickups, homework, sports, and trying to figure out what's for dinner before everyone is hungry.

People often ask if I meal plan.

The honest answer?

Not really.

I wish I were the person who remembered to put something in the crockpot before leaving the house, but that's just not me. Most afternoons I'm asking the same question everyone else is: "What's for dinner?"

I've learned that having a few easy staples on hand makes all the difference.  Brett mans the grill or the fryer outside and the kids love what he cooks up.  I've learned not to try and compete with that and lean in to my strengths... I own a cafe...so that's sandwiches, handhelds, wraps - anything fresh and quick while also satisfying. 

One of my favorites is grabbing a prepared roast or pulled pork from the grocery store deli. One package can turn into several meals:

• BBQ sandwiches one night.
• Tacos the next.
• Roast and mashed potatoes one night - One package of roast beef feeds about 4 people.
• Shredded beef sandwiches the next 
• Quesadillas, wraps or grilled cheese when everyone is running in different directions.

We also love:

• Caesar Salad Smash Tacos
• Pizza Kits - fun activity plus a meal all in one!
• Meatball subs - just frozen meatballs, your favorite marinara, bread and cheese - done! - use any leftovers with some noodles for spaghetti and meatballs.

Add a bagged salad, roasted vegetables (we love sweet potatoes!), fresh fruit, or even a simple pasta salad, and dinner is done.

When I don't even have time for that, that's where All the Fixin's comes in.

Keeping one of our homemade casseroles in the freezer has saved dinner more times than I can count. We love the stuffed shells or the chicken enchilada, but they are all so good! Pop it in the oven, toss together a salad, and you've got a homemade meal without spending your evening cooking.

Busy mornings are the same way. I always love having muffins ready for a quick breakfast with fruit and coffee before everyone heads out the door.

I've realized that feeding your family well isn't about making everything from scratch.

It's about making memories around the table without adding more stress to your day.

If our casseroles, muffins, sandwiches, or grab-and-go meals help make your week just a little easier, then we've done exactly what we set out to do.

Here's to a school year filled with full schedules, full hearts... and hopefully a few easier dinners.  Share some of your quick evening meal go-tos in the comments!

Add a pizza kit to your meal rotation for a fun activity + dinner all in one!

We love our outdoor kitchen - get the kids involved and put your husband to work with at least one meal per week! Photo:  Julie Freeman Photography

Clearly everyone is in a good mood here - but that's not always the case.  Line up some quick and easy meals before everyone gets hangry!  Photo:  Julie Freeman Photography