3 easy, delicious dinner ideas for back-to-school season

September is here and it seems like families are busier than ever. It doesn’t matter if your kids are in preschool, university or something in between—this is a hectic time of year, and a lot of our customers are looking for quick and easy ways to serve a nutritious meal every night. Each of the four VG brothers has school-aged children, so trust us—we know what we’re talking about!

Here are three simple, delicious dinner ideas you can prepare in 30 minutes or less. VG Meats also offers a wide variety of hearty, delicious prepared meals for your convenience. Happy back-to-school season, everyone! We hope to see you in Simcoe or Stoney Creek soon.

Pork chops with grilled vegetables

This summertime favourite translates well to the fall months—just change up your flavour profile and use seasonal vegetables! It’s as simple as adding a great spice blend to some pork chops and placing them on one side of your grill, then placing your favourite vegetables (yellow beans, zucchini, sliced eggplant, whatever works) on the other side. A little bit of garlic, salt and olive oil is all you need for your sides—you can put larger vegetables straight on the grill and wrap smaller pieces in foil packets. In less than 15 minutes, dinner is served! And by cooking your meat and vegetables outdoors on the BBQ instead of in your kitchen, you’ll cut down on dishes, too.

Pro tip: if you want a heartier meal, add fresh dinner rolls, some potatoes, steamed corn or a side of rice.

Chicken tacos

Everyone loves taco night! Start with some leftover chicken (or throw some boneless chicken pieces on the grill with taco seasoning, if you don’t have leftovers—you can slice or shred it before serving). Put together some toppings: guacamole or sliced avocados, sour cream, diced tomatoes or salsa, chopped red onions, shredded purple cabbage, iceberg lettuce, diced bell peppers, hot sauce and whatever else your family enjoys. Lay out your toppings along with some tortillas, grab that chicken and let your family build their own tacos. Yum!

Pro tip: if you include plenty of vegetables as toppings, these tacos are all you need for dinner. If your family prefers a heartier meal, add a side of Mexican rice.

Slow cooker beef stew

It’s not too early in the season to use your slow cooker! A little prep work, a bit of waiting and like magic, dinner is served. We recommend offering a great sourdough or whole grain bread along with this dish (salted butter is a must, too). Here’s a great recipe to try—you can personalize this formula by adding different seasonings or vegetables to suit your family’s taste. We like adding parsnips and frozen peas to the mix, plus plenty of thyme. Our tender Ontario stewing beef is the perfect starting point for any stew—enjoy!

Pro tip: pasture-raised poultry is 15% off this month, so stock up now and make chicken stew as well.

Thanks so much for reading and happy Back to School season to all of the kids, parents and teachers in our community. Remember, VG Meats offers home delivery to over 60 locations in the Hamilton, Halton, Niagara, Haldimand and Norfolk County areas. This service is FREE on large orders—if you have any questions, please let us know! We’d be glad to help.