Food and Recipes Quick and Easy Dinner Quick Back-to-School Dinner Recipes By Southern Living Editors Southern Living Editors Since 1966, the editors of Southern Living have been carrying out the mission of the brand: to bring enjoyment, fulfillment, and inspiration to our readers by celebrating life in the South. We inspire creativity in their homes, their kitchens, their gardens, and their personal style. We are a friend they can trust, a guide to the seasons, a helping hand during the holidays, and a relentless champion of the Southern way of life. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on July 1, 2021 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Greg DuPree We know back-to-school season is already a hassle, so we rounded up some kid-friendly recipes to help with meal prep. These quick back-to-school dinners will keep the whole family happy with delicious classics like grilled cheese and tomato soup or shrimp fried rice. We've even included a few recipes that have clever twists to please the grown-up palate like our Sheet Pan Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese. Whatever your schedule is like, these quick back-to-school dinners can be ready in an hour or less. We've got your weeknight dinner menu covered with these quick recipes. 01 of 15 Chicken and Herbed Cornmeal Dumplings Hector Manuel Sanchez Recipe: Chicken and Herbed Cornmeal Dumplings Move over chicken noodle soup, there's a new recipe in town. With only 40 minutes in total prep and cook time, this dish will be your new go-to dinner. 02 of 15 Shrimp Fried Rice Greg DuPree Recipe: Shrimp Fried Rice Fresh green beans and shrimp combine for an easy weeknight dish. Store the leftovers in the fridge for a quick lunch later on. 03 of 15 Grilled Chicken Tacos Wynn Myers; Prop Styling: Lauren Smith Ford Recipe: Grilled Chicken Tacos Here's a delicious (and healthy) change of pace from the usual ground beef tacos. 04 of 15 Pizza Spaghetti Casserole Beth Dreiling; Styling: Lisa Powell Bailey Recipe: Pizza Spaghetti Casserole Your kids will love this combo dish of their two favorite meals, and you'll love that you can make it ahead and store until it's time to dig in. 05 of 15 Chicken Fingers Coated With Cheesy Snack Crackers Sheri Castle Recipe: Chicken Fingers Coated With Cheesy Snack Crackers You probably already have the ingredients for this recipe in your kitchen. After just 15 minutes in the oven, these chicken fingers are golden and oh-so delicious. Pro Tip: Let them cool for five minutes before serving. 06 of 15 Quick BBQ Chicken Pizzas Jason Wallis; Styling: Cindy Barr Recipe: Quick BBQ Chicken Pizzas Pizza is always a family-favorite dish. Why not step it up a notch with sautéed veggies and BBQ chicken? 07 of 15 Buttermilk Chicken and Waffles Jennifer Davick; Styling: Lydia Degaris Pursell Recipe: Buttermilk Chicken and Waffles If your kids like breakfast, then they'll love this twist on waffles for dinner. These bite-sized chicken and waffles are an easy meal to prepare when you're craving something sweet and salty. 08 of 15 Ham and Cheese Sliders Photography and Styling: Karen Rankin Recipe: Ham and Cheese Sliders Ham and Cheese Sliders are a classic dish good for any day of the week. Pair with a side of veggies for a simple weeknight dinner. 09 of 15 Broccoli-Cheddar Soup Southern Living Recipe: Broccoli-Cheddar Soup Your kids won't even know they're eating veggies in this warm, creamy Broccoli-Cheddar Soup. Top it off with some croutons for added crunch. 10 of 15 Classic Grilled Cheese Stephen DeVries, Prop Styling: Missie Neville Crawford; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Classic Grilled Cheese Some nights just call for the easiest of meals. Pair our Classic Grilled Cheese with the best tomato soup recipe for the ultimate comforting dinner. 11 of 15 Sheet Pan Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Sheet Pan Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese You can't beat a creamy mac and cheese recipe. This one even has a surprise ingredient: Butternut Squash. 12 of 15 Air Fryer Popcorn Shrimp Southern Living Recipe: Air Fryer Popcorn Shrimp Crispy, poppable, and ready in just 30 minutes! You'll never pan fry shrimp again. 13 of 15 Buttermilk Chicken Tenders with Roasted Potatoes and Green Beans Greg DuPree Recipe: Buttermilk Chicken Tenders with Roasted Potatoes and Green Beans Consider this your healthier alternative to fast-food chicken tenders and fries. The best part? It's just as tasty. 14 of 15 Mini Deep-Dish Pizzas Southern Living Recipe: Mini Deep-Dish Pizzas Bite-sized and customizable, these Mini Deep-Dish Pizzas are a fun way to get the kids involved in the kitchen. 15 of 15 Grilled Cheeseburger Nachos Caitlin Bensel; Prop Styling: Lucy Barr; Food Styling: Liz Mervosh Recipe: Grilled Cheeseburger Nachos This dish is the ultimate finger food. The kids will love this fun take on nachos, and you'll love using leftover cookout ingredients to make it. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit