How I’m adapting to the virtual return to school

How I'm Adapting to the Virtual Return to School

To say back-to-school looks different this year is an understatement. I have two kids who are going back to elementary school virtually and one starting in-person preschool. While the spring virtual learning was relatively light in terms of required attendance at any given time, this fall their schedules will be more strict—and they won't have the same schedules.

Normally, I look forward to the return to school because it's the return to some kind of routine. It's the time of year when the slow cooker becomes your best friend, and the farmer's market is full of the best late-summer produce and early fall fruits and vegetables. This year, I'm going to be relying even more on crockpot meals, Sunday casseroles that I can freeze, and batch cooking meals so we can freeze half. And of course, pizza night with a movie will become a regular part of our routine every week.

Bowls of any kind are great for picky-eaters, or for kids whose tastes change from one day to the next. Use rice, pasta, or other grains as your base, then let them build their own bowls with meat, beans, cheese, veggies, and your other favorite toppings.

The big change this year is that we're going to have to feed our kids three times a day every day, and neither my wife or I have time to spend an hour in the kitchen each day making sure everyone eats lunch. There's something about packing lunches and snacks and putting them into lunch boxes in the fridge that feels like less work, so the kids can grab and eat without much help from us.

To save time in the mornings, overnight breakfasts or make-ahead breakfasts are a huge time-saver. We'll make a batch of mini omelets in muffin tins or mini breakfast burritos (both of which you can freeze), or a batch of overnight oatmeal.

With all the anxiety around the return to school, I am hoping food can be one less worry. How are you preparing for the school year? Share with us by tagging us on Instagram @thespruceeats!

- Eric Handelsman
General Manager and Vice President, The Spruce Eats