Easy Back-to-School Meal Ideas

This post is sponsored by BabbleBoxx.

Back to school means back to our hectic fall routines. Homework, practices, games, and evening lessons keep us running, so I'm always looking for easy meal solutions. I've discovered a few new items that are helping me to simplify mealtimes during the back-to-school season.

Back to School Meal Ideas

I love using fresh dough in my meals, but I hate how long it takes to mix, proof, and shape. It's definitely not something I can pull off on a busy weeknight. That's where Jus-Rol comes into play. Jus-Rol has been creating fresh dough rolled on parchment paper since 1954. This allows for quick prep time, predictable baking results, and easy cleanup.

Jus-Rol is made in the USA with the finest US and imported ingredients and comes in a variety of options. Jus-Rol’s Puff Pastry is Non-GMO, with no artificial flavors or colors, high fructose corn syrup, or bleached flour. It's also a great option for vegans and vegetarians. I started with Jus-Rol Puff Pastry Dough and decided to make my own puffed strudels.

The flaky, layered Jus-Rol Puff Pastry dough is available in the refrigerated dairy case and is ready to bake. There's no need to thaw. Just unroll the baking paper and you're ready to go. Thanks to the parchment paper, handling this dough is so easy. And, you can bake right on the paper since it's safe up to 425 degrees F.

To make your own puffed pastry strudels:

Ingredients:

• Jus-Rol Puff Pastry dough
• ¾ cup preserves (+ 1-2 tsp. cornstarch for a thicker consistency)
• 1 Egg
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1.5 tbsp salted butter
• 1.5 tbsp milk
• ½ tsp vanilla extract

Instructions to prepare the icing:

1. Melt butter
2. Mix butter, powdered sugar, milk, and extract.
   Tip: You don't want it too thin, it shouldn't be runny. Add more milk if it's too thick and more sugar if it's too thin.
3. Pour icing into a resealable sandwich bag. Once you're ready to ice your pastries, simply snip off a small triangle tip to create a piping bag.

Instructions to prepare pastry strudels:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Unfold Jus-Rol Puff Pastry dough
3. Cut dough into even-sized rectangles (you should have enough for 12 rectangles to create 6 full strudels (you'll need two rectangles per strudel).
4. Place 1-2 tbsp of your favorite preserve on half of the rectangles. Leave at least ½" border all the way around. Be careful not to overfill. You can mix a little cornstarch with the preserve to thicken it a bit if you'd like.
5. Whisk the egg and brush it onto the edges around the jam.
6. Layer a rectangle of dough over the filled side to create a sandwich.
7. Press edges together with a fork to create a crimped seam.
8. Brush eggwash onto the top of the pastry.
9. Bake according to package directions (about 15 minutes).
10. Let cool just a bit and then peel parchment paper before icing.
11. Drizzle with icing and enjoy!

Don't they look amazing?! My kids are absolutely thrilled and they're so easy to make. Jus-Rol Puff Pastry was perfect for this sweet confection, but you could also make savory recipes too.

Another awesome Jus Rol product I discovered was their Family Size Pizza Crust. This dough, also on parchment paper, unrolls to perfectly fill a full-sized rectangular baking sheet.

Like their Puff Pastry, Jus-Rol's Large Family Size Pizza Crust is Non-GMO, with no artificial flavors or colors, high fructose corn syrup, or bleached flour. You can simply add your favorite ingredients and bake. It makes family pizza night so easy and clean-up is a breeze since you're not rolling out dough with a rolling pin and flour.

We did a simple pizza with our favorite jarred sauce, fresh mozzarella pearls, pepperoni, and fresh basil. It turned out perfectly. Not having to fuss with homemade dough saved a ton of time and made this one of my new go-to weeknight meals.

Ready for another super simple weeknight meal? This one is so quick and it's so tasty, thanks to Minute Rice. I've been a fan of Minute Rice Cups for a while and love them for quick side dishes and snacks.

Minute Rice Cups are fast and easy to prepare which means you can spend less time cooking and more time enjoying your family. They're so easy to pop into the microwave and add so much texture and flavor to your meals.

I paired Minute’s Chicken & Herb Seasoned Rice Cups with a rotisserie chicken and some steam-in-bag broccoli for a complete, yummy chicken and rice meal. You could also bake chicken or use your slow cooker or instant pot if you have time.

Minute’s Chicken & Herb Seasoned Rice Cup was so savory and tasty. The carrots, onion, and garlic added such great flavor and it tasted even better than any rice dish I could have created myself. It was expertly seasoned. Best of all, it was ready in just one minute! Plus, the cups are BPA-free and 100% recyclable.

I wouldn't have thought crepes would be a quick breakfast idea, but thanks to Farin’UP, they are now. Farin'UP is the U.S. subsidiary of the oldest family-run mill in Luxembourg. They specialize in natural baking and breakfast mixes, as well as Protein Balls and Bars mixes

One of the first things I noticed was their packaging. Not only is it 100% recyclable, it's also multi-use and resealable. You simply pour out what you need, then put the rest back into the pantry. Even if the bag falls over, there's no mess.

To make a delicious and impressive breakfast for your family, all you need is Farin'UP French Crepes Mix. All you have to do is add milk, follow the directions on the package and you'll have crepes in less than 5 minutes.

I added a little powdered sugar and some fresh berries and my kids gobbled these up! This was their first experience with crepes but it certainly won't be the last now that I know about Farin'UP mixes.

Here's a quick snack idea from Farin'UP. Their Protein Balls Mix: Fruits are incredibly easy to make and they're no-bake. Like their French Crepes Mix, almost everything you need is right in the resealable bag.

I measured the amount I wanted to make and poured the protein balls mix into a bowl. The rest of the bagged mix went right back into the pantry for next time. All I had to do was add a bit of honey to this plant-based protein, gluten-free mix and I had a homemade snack ready in just about a minute.

You can purchase Farin'UP mixes at Publix, Stop & Shop, Giant, Safeway, United, Central Market, Lowes, on Amazon, and on their website. If you shop their site, be sure to use code BTS22INF01 for 15% off sitewide (valid until Sept 22, 2022).

What are your easy back-to-school meal ideas?