\n<\/p>\n
As summer starts to wind down, it\u2019s time to trade our clam bakes and poolside snacks for packed lunches and quick dinners before soccer practice. It\u2019s a mental \u2014\u00a0and culinary \u2014\u00a0shift that can be a welcome return to routine! First we just have to remember what our routines are.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
With two young kids, The Kitchn Senior Food Editor Kristina Razon and her husband know this dance all too well. \u201cWe have to figure out how to get back into the swing of things and navigate new daily routines: separate school drop-offs, pick-ups, playdates, and other to-dos,\u201d she says. \u201cSo we need to be smart about how we spend our time. Luckily, I have a meal shortcut.\u201d Target Good & Gather<\/a> makes some of her favorites: With high-quality ingredients, big flavors, and affordable prices, Good & Gather groceries help Kristina and her husband feed the whole family \u2014\u00a0wherever mealtime takes them. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n On busy mornings before school, a hot (and portable!) breakfast sends the kids off to class satisfied. \u201cThese waffles<\/a> are great when we\u2019re rushing around getting ready,\u201d Kristina says. \u201cI serve them with maple syrup for dipping, and my son can easily pull them apart and enjoy.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Back-to-school can be so hectic that parents forget to feed themselves, but these late-summer-in-a-bowl ravioli<\/a> are Kristina\u2019s solution to that. \u201cI love a quick WFH lunch that feels like I\u2019ve done just a bit more than heating up leftovers,\u201d she says. \u201cTossed with butter and shredded Parm, these make my desk lunch feel just a smidge fancy.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Rotisserie chicken is already a kitchen hero, and this shredded cooked chicken<\/a> means that school lunches are most of the way prepped. \u201cWhen I\u2019m feeling short on inspiration, I\u2019ll make quesadillas,\u201d Kristina says. \u201cI simply add a handful of this shredded chicken and cheddar cheese to a flour tortilla and cook until melted and toasty. It\u2019s a surefire hit.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Meal shortcuts don\u2019t get shorter than perfectly fluffy, fragrant rice<\/a> in 90 seconds. \u201cWe\u2019re a big rice family over here, and this heat-and-serve option helps me get dinner on the table so much faster,\u201d Kristina says. Try it as the base for a clean-out-the-fridge stir fry or top it with a chili oil-fried egg for a quick and satisfying lunch.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n These sweet, nutritious snacks are your new favorite antidote to the 3 p.m. slump \u2014\u00a0oh, and kids love them too! \u201cI pack school lunches five days a week, so I\u2019m always on the hunt for inspiration,\u201d Kristina says. \u201cThese granola bites<\/a> fit perfectly into my kids\u2019 lunch boxes and help fill them up during their action-packed days.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n