The dog days of summer are coming to an end and with school and sports starting up again, it can be a challenge for parents to put three square meals on the table.
Lifestyle expert Limor Suss shared some of her favorite meals and food hacks that are both kid- and time-friendly and will help the weekday run a little more smoothly.
“Back to school is a stressful time for everyone, and the more you plan, the easier the days go,” Suss, a mother of two who lives in New York City, told Fox News Digital.
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“Meal planning is a great way to reduce the stress that comes with deciding what to serve,” she said.
It doesn’t have to be complicated, nor does it require much foresight.
“One of my favorite tricks is to take leftovers from the night before and make salads in a mason jar for lunch the next day,” she said.
To do this, you layer a dressing or sauce on the bottom of the jar and then layer the rest of the food on top. The next day, the jar can be shaken or poured into a bowl and consumed at lunchtime.
Involving children in meal planning – and, to an appropriate extent, in meal preparation – is another way to make mealtime run more smoothly, says Süß.
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“My son now knows how to make omelets and says his omelets are the best, so he wants to make them all the time,” she said. “It’s about getting them involved.”
Meals like a taco board or taco bar – where everyone can build their own tacos – are a way to get dinner on the table quickly while giving kids some independence in their food choices.
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These taco bars “don’t have to be elaborate,” she said, but should include a protein filling and other toppings.
An even simpler variation for taco night is the “walking taco,” where a bag of chips serves as the taco shell.
“A quick after-school snack idea is walking tacos,” she said. “Just take your favorite chip bags and add ground beef, cheese, sour cream, avocado and your favorite toppings.”
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On busy nights, you can save a lot of time by converting frozen or prepared foods into another dish, says Suss.
One of her favorite dishes is something she calls “DIY Chinese Takeout.”
A healthier and cheaper alternative to ordering food, Suss’ version of takeaway is based on frozen food.
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“I love turning frozen chicken nuggets into a completely different dish,” she said.
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This is much faster than breading and frying chicken by hand – and it’s also very quick to prepare.