30 Easy Back to School Recipes for Busy Weeknight Dinners

Back to school time means less time for dinner, so these easy back to school recipes are here to save the day! From Instant Pot and slow cooker recipes to one pan meals, these dinners are quick and easy without lacking on flavor.

Can it really be time for the kids to go back to school already?? As always, I feel like summer has passed us by in the blink of an eye!

Unfortunately, with the beginning of the school year also comes busy schedules and little time for dinner preparation. This time of year makes me crave easy dinners that require little work and time. That’s where these easy dinner recipes come in. Your food can be much more tasteful if you complement it with the best dinnerware from archute.com.

One Pan Meals

What could be better than throwing all of your ingredients into one pot and the end result is a delicious One Pot Pasta with Shrimp Sausage and Vodka Sauce loaded with flavor!? You can find the recipe here.

This One Pan Baked Grouper takes seconds to put together and seconds to clean up, while still being absolutely delicious! You can’t ask for more in an easy back to school recipe! You can find the recipe here.

This Spinach Artichoke Dip One Pot Pasta is the perfect dinner for busy weeknights! Fresh tortellini is cooked in a creamy, cheesy sauce with chicken – SO good! You can find the recipe here.

Slow Cooker Meals

This easy Slow Cooker Pineapple Pulled Pork has tons of tropical flavor that is perfect for any busy weeknight! Piled high with barbecue sauce an a slice of pineapple, it makes great tacos or even sliders! You can find the recipe here.

Have this tasty Mongolian Beef ready when you get home from work, thanks to your crockpot! Salty, a little sweet and a touch of heat make this the perfect at-home version of take out. You can find the recipe here.

This Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff is a wonderful alternative to the traditional stove top method. This crock pot recipe is the best! You can find the recipe here.

You can’t talk about back to school recipes without mentioning this Slow Cooker Italian Chicken. It’s the perfect dish when you just don’t have time to make dinner. You can find the recipe here.

This Slow Cooker Pot Roast recipe is the best one out there. Throw a seasoned chuck roast into the crockpot and cook it all day long. Dinner is ready when you get home! You can find the recipe here.

This Slow Cooker Bolognese cooks all day long in the crockpot. Hearty and rich, this is one of the best back to school recipes! You can find the recipe here.

What could be better than comfort food after a long day? Comfort food that’s ready when you get home from work! You can find the recipe for this Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings here.

This Slow Cooker Brisket and Gravy can be done in the oven or a slow cooker. A four ingredient recipe makes for another one of those great back to school recipes! You can find the recipe here.

This Amish Beef and Noodles recipe can be made in a slow cooker or an Instant Pot. Served over mashed potatoes, it’s an easy and loved dinner! You can find the recipe here.

Instant Pot Meals

I’ll never make ribs another way again other than in my pressure cooker- thanks to the Instant Pot, these Instant Pot Ribs are “fall off the bone” tender! So quick and easy. You can find the recipe here.

This Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice soup is incredibly easy to make- making it perfect for lunches and quick dinners. The Instant Pot has this soup ready in under 30 minutes. You can find the recipe here.

This Buffalo Chicken Chili is the perfect way to warm up a cold night. Packed with flavor and spice, this is one of the back to school recipes that you don’t want to miss out on! You can find the recipe here.

Carnitas are even better when made in the pressure cooker! I use my Instant Pot to make the juiciest, most tender carnitas shredded pork in just over an hour. You can find the recipe here.

These Instant Pot French Dip Sandwiches are insanely good and one of my favorite back to school recipes. You can find the recipe here.

This Instant Pot Chili recipe is fantastic! Chock full of ground beef, beans and big flavors- just throw everything in your Instant Pot, and in 30 minutes you’ll have a delicious chili that tastes like it’s been slow cooking all day! You can find the recipe here.

This Instant Pot Beef Stew Pasta is an excellent way to have a meal full of comforting flavors ready in an instant! You can find the recipe here.

Quick and Easy Meals

This Chicken and Spinach Manicotti is super easy to make, and smothered in a Copycat Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce. Just what you’re looking for in easy back to school recipes! You can find the recipe here.

This easy Grilled Honey Mustard Chicken is the best honey mustard chicken recipe! Made with a delicious and flavorful honey mustard marinade, it’s a grilled chicken recipe that can’t be beat! You can find the recipe here.

You can’t talk about back to school recipes without mentioning these Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs. They are a guaranteed family hit! Tender chicken thighs are cooked until browned and crispy, then drizzled with a sweet and salty sauce that ends up deliciously sticky in the pan. You can find the recipe here.

This easy Cream of Mushroom Chicken is baked with sour cream and sherry, yielding tender, juicy chicken breasts! Back to school recipes don’t get easier than this! You can find the recipe here.

This Chicken (or Veal) Parmigiana is a fast weeknight meal that is authentic Italian! You can find the recipe here.

Pan-Seared Salmon with Lemon White Wine Butter Sauce is moist and delicious, and the sauce is a wonderful accompaniment to both elements of the meal! You can find the recipe here.

Equipment needed to make these Back to School Dinner Ideas:

[easyazon_link identifier=”B00FLYWNYQ” locale=”US” tag=”gogogogo03-20″]Instant Pot[/easyazon_link] – The Instany Pot will literally be your life saver on busy weeknights. It cuts down the cooking time tremendously!
[easyazon_link identifier=”B00B7N00JU” locale=”US” tag=”gogogogo03-20″]Slow Cooker[/easyazon_link] – There is nothing better than coming home to dinner already being finished in the slow cooker!
[easyazon_link identifier=”B0049C2S32″ locale=”US” tag=”gogogogo03-20″]Sheet Pans[/easyazon_link] – A lot of one pan (or sheet pan) meals only require a sheet pan, so make sure you have a nice set!