7 expert meal hacks to ease the back-to-school bustle

The back-to-school season can be a hectic time for parents juggling school runs, work responsibilities and day-to-day home tasks. With so much on your plate, planning and cooking meals may slip down your priority list. To help manage this busy period, culinary expert and Bob Evans^® spokesperson Kristina Vänni has seven clever cooking hacks for making mealtime easier and more efficient.

1. Make a sweet breakfast topping in minutes

Have a spoonful or two of honey left in a glass jar? Add a tablespoon or so of butter and a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg. Place in the microwave on high power for about 30 seconds and voilà! You’ve just made a delicious topping for pancakes, waffles, French toast or biscuits perfect for breakfast and weekend brunch.

2. Cook breakfast sandwiches with minimal cleanup

Breakfast sandwiches are a delicious and simple meal packed with protein to fuel your family throughout the morning. However, making them can leave your stovetop greasy. Vänni recommends cooking Bob Evans^® Pork Sausage Patties with a mesh screen over the pan to contain splatter.

Bonus tip: As the sausage cooks, split precooked biscuits in half and lay them cut side down on the shield. When the sausage patties are done, the biscuits will be warm, soft and ready to use for the best-ever breakfast sandwiches.

3. Test your baked goods with spaghetti

Baking a cake for a kid’s birthday party or muffins for an after school snack? It’s always important to test your baked goods for doneness before removing them from the oven. Don’t have a skewer or toothpick on hand? No problem! In a pinch, grab a piece of uncooked spaghetti to test your cakes.

4. Avoid watered-down punch with large cubes

When making a bowl of punch for a sporting event or school celebration, the last thing you want is a watered-down beverage. Instead of using regular-sized ice cubes, which melt quickly, opt for larger ice cubes. You can easily make your own giant ice cubes by freezing water in a jumbo muffin tin.

5. Spice up dinner sides with leftover chips

Don’t throw away the leftover tortilla chips and crumbs at the bottom of the bag! Instead, use them to enhance your Bob Evans^® Single-Serve Macaroni & Cheese.

After microwaving the mac and cheese, stir in a quarter teaspoon of taco seasoning or chipotle powder and let it stand for two minutes. Once the dish is ready to serve, crush the chips in the bag and sprinkle the tasty crumbs on top. This adds a unique boost of texture and flavor to your favorite quick and easy mac and cheese meal!

6. Grate cheese with ease

Before grating cheese, wipe the grater with a little cooking oil. This will keep the shreds from sticking to the grater and make it much easier to clean when you’re done!

7. Keep your rolls warm with hidden aluminum foil

When serving dinner rolls, hide a piece of aluminum foil under a decorative napkin in your roll basket. This will help the rolls stay hot longer while still maintaining the aesthetic of your dinner table setting.

Embrace the back-to-school season with confidence by using these easy, stress-free hacks to spend less time cooking and cleaning while creating meals that will have your family asking for seconds! For more mealtime tips and tricks and to find fresh, quick-to-table breakfast and dinner products, visit www.BobEvansGrocery.com.