School has started again and although time is a luxury, preparing a balanced dinner some days is the same.
After tackling the endless list of daily tasks and busy nights of school commutes, sports practice, tutoring, late-night homework, and everything in between, it can seem nearly impossible to prepare a nutritious or balanced dinner. And sitting down and catching up on the rest is often left until the weekend.
To help you get a head start on the busy school year, here are a few local chains and restaurants that offer family packs and prepped meals for a quick and easy meal that goes beyond your typical bucket of chicken and sides or a box of pizza.
Family meals are ready-to-eat meals with larger portions that can be served immediately after pickup. Prepared meals may need to be reheated and can be stored for later use.
Of course, restaurants strongly recommend ordering meals well in advance, while family packs and meals are usually delivered the same day.
Carabba’s Italian Grill
2779 Capital Circle NE; 850-297-1100;carrabbas.com
Chain restaurant Carabba’s Italian Grill on Capital Circle offers a handful of family-style meals to choose from. Starting at $40, the Italian-inspired franchise offers a family-style spaghetti dinner, salmon capperi (wood-grilled salmon with oven-roasted cherry tomatoes, basil, capers and lemon butter sauce) and chicken marsala (wood-grilled and topped with mushrooms and Lombardo Marsala wine sauce). If that doesn’t appeal to you, you can choose from a range of creamy and flavorful pasta and meat dishes. Main dishes come with a side salad and choice of bread. These dishes typically serve up to four people.
Clean Eatz
1000 Railroad Ave.; 850-999-1384; cleaneatz.com
As the name suggests, Clean Eatz on Railroad Avenue offers fully prepared meals that you can take home or heat up at work. If you have picky eaters, these meals may just be for adults looking for a convenient way to avoid dinosaur nuggets and cheesy pasta. Each week, the restaurant releases a new menu with six different entrees to choose from. When you place your order online, you can expect to pick up your meals within the next few days to consume during the busy week.
For example, this week’s deal includes a bowl of stuffed green peppers filled with brown rice, ground beef, and tomatoes. Clean Eatz’s pricing model differs depending on the number of meals you purchase. If you purchase nine meals, you’ll pay $8.45 per bowl.
The Cook
1303 Thomasville Road; 850-329-6591; elcocinerotlh.com
El Cocinero Mexican restaurant on Thomasville Road offers taco kits in two portion sizes: 12 ($50) or 20 ($75) Tacos. The taco kits allow you to choose your tortilla and then up to three protein fillings, including Baja chicken, carne asada, and grilled portobello and chayote squash. Tacos come with toppings like cilantro, queso cotija, lime, tomato, onion, and jalapenos. The taco boxes can be ordered online and picked up or delivered at your convenience.
Moe’s Southwest Grill
Moe’s Southwest Grill has six locations in Tallahassee; moes.com
Moe’s Southwest Grill, a Tex-Mex restaurant chain, offers a build-your-own taco, nacho and fajita meal kit that typically serves four to six people and starts at $37.99. The “nacho kit” includes chips, your choice of two proteins, two bowls of queso, beans, pico de gallo, sour cream, jalapeños and salsa. When you pay, you can order a gallon of tea or lemonade and a sweet treat to top off the meal. According to its website, Moe’s Southwest Grill offers pickup, drive-thru, curbside service and delivery.
Italian Restaurant Olive Garden
1103 Apalachee Parkway; 850-878-2949; olivegarden.com
Olive Garden offers family packs and family pans for dinner. Family packs, which include two different thick pans of lasagna, are served with the famous breadsticks and house salad. The packs come in two servings, the regular serving typically serves four to six people and costs $63.99. The large family lasagna typically serves 12 people and costs $94.99. For main dishes, the family pans notably include a few different Alfredos (chicken, chicken tortellini, shrimp and fettuccine). Other dishes include chicken or shrimp scampi served with sautéed vegetables, a creamy scampi or garlic sauce on a bed of angel hair pasta. Appetizers are available, and the pans typically serve four to six people.
Outback Steakhouse
1820 Raymond Diehl Road; 850-385-1998; outback.com
Australian chain Outback Steakhouse, home of the Bloomin’ Onion, is offering “Bloomin’ Bundle Meals” starting at $50 for four people or $70 for six people. The bundle meals include grilled chicken, center cut sirloin steak, coconut and grilled prawns as the main protein. The bundles are served with a family-style Caesar or house salad, your choice of two sides (“Australian” fries, mixed vegetables and mashed potatoes) and two of the signature honey wheat breads.
Smorgasbord Catering Co.
1123 Thomasville Road; 850-404-2466; smorgasbordcatering.com
The new breakfast and lunch spot on the ground floor of the Midtown Readers building, Smorgasbord Catering Co., also offers a nice selection of family meals. If you’re looking to indulge your taste buds, you might be interested in the chicken tikka masala with basmati rice and buttered naan (marinated boneless chicken pieces in a creamy red sauce), which serves four for $60. Other items on the menu include the Cuban dish “arroz con pollo,” which is served with fried plantains and black beans. According to the website, pickup and delivery is available Tuesday through Friday evenings at 1122 Thomasville Road. Same-day orders are not available, so plan to order ahead.
Social Kitchen
2910 Kerry Forest Parkway; 850-894-6261; socialkitchentlh.com
The Social Kitchen on Kerry Forest Parkway offers chef-prepared meals that are easy to take home and heat up for 30 minutes. As previously reported in the Tallahassee Democrat, menus are updated weekly and kept “fresh” with seasonal vegetables and ingredients, giving guests a variety of options for dinner and lunch. Meals can be ordered online and picked up every Monday at the store on Kerry Forest Parkway or at the Capital City Country Club banquet hall, 1601 Golf Terrace Drive. Meals are offered at a set price of $35 for a serving for two and $60 for four servings. Menus are posted on the website for up to three weeks to give customers time to plan. Meals can be delivered for free with a minimum order of $95. This week’s menu includes pineapple chicken, mushroom ravioli or herbed pork tenderloin. Upgrades to a three-course meal are available.
Sonny’s BBQ
Sonny’s BBQ has three locations in Tallahassee; sonnysbbq.com
Sonny’s BBQ offers family feast and “build your own” packages. The “family feast” includes pulled pork, brisket, BBQ chicken and “sweet and smokey St. Louis ribs.” Sides include barbecue beans, coleslaw, crinkle-cut fries, cornbread and four sweet teas. The feast typically serves four and costs $52.99. The other packages increase in price depending on how much meat you want to add. Carryout, delivery and pickup are available.
Did I miss one of your favorites? Let me know at [email protected].
Kyla A. Sanford covers food and entertainment for the Tallahassee Democrat.
