Back-to-School Meal Planning Made Simple (and Sanity-Saving)

Laura's Lean Beef - August 15, 2025

Ah, back-to-school season - the magical time of year when you suddenly find yourself juggling school drop-offs, after-school activities, homework help, and the occasional “Why is there glitter in the dog’s fur?” mystery. With everyone’s schedules in overdrive, it’s no wonder mealtime can feel like a daily obstacle course.

The good news? Dinner doesn’t have to be another stress point. With Laura’s Lean Beef, you can whip up fast, flavorful, and family-approved meals that keep everyone full and happy - without sacrificing your sanity.

1. Plan Once, Eat All Week

Batch cooking is your best friend during the school year. Cook a big batch of Laura’s Lean 92% or 96% Lean Ground Beef on Sunday and portion it out for tacos, pasta, or skillet meals throughout the week. A little prep up front means fewer “What’s for dinner?” panic moments later.

2. Keep Ingredients Flexible

Laura’s Lean is like the little black dress of the dinner table - it goes with anything. From stir-fries to stuffed peppers, you can swap veggies and flavors based on what’s in your fridge (or what your picky eater will agree to this week).

3. Go for 30-Minute Wonders

Between soccer practice and math homework, you need dinners that come together fast. Recipes like our One-Pot Spaghetti with Meat Sauce or Cheesy Beef Taco Crescent Cups get dinner on the table in 30 minutes or less - leaving you more time to supervise science projects (or, let’s be honest, scroll in peace for 10 minutes).

4. Make it a Family Affair

Kids are more likely to eat what they help make. Have them tear lettuce for taco night, measure spices, or set the table. With Laura’s Lean, you can feel good about letting them help because you’re starting with a clean, wholesome protein - no added hormones, no antibiotics ever.

5. Double Up for the Freezer

If you’re already cooking, make twice as much and freeze half. Future You will thank Present You when dinner’s ready in minutes on a night you forgot the PTA meeting was tonight.

The Bottom Line

Back-to-school season might be chaos, but dinner doesn’t have to be. With Laura’s Lean, you’ve got an easy, versatile, and better-for-you protein that helps you pull together meals the whole family will love - fast.

So go ahead, reclaim your evenings, skip the drive-thru, and savor the moment your crew digs into dinner without complaint. (We can’t promise they’ll remember their gym shoes tomorrow, but hey - one victory at a time.)

5 Quick Back-to-School Recipes with Laura’s Lean

1. One-Pot Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

Ingredients (serves ~4)

1 lb. Laura’s Lean Ground Beef
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes (or a mix of crushed & tomato sauce)
1–2 tbsp tomato paste (optional, for richness)
3–4 cups beef broth or water (enough to cook the pasta)
8–12 oz pasta (spaghetti, linguine or short pasta)
1 tsp Italian seasoning (oregano/basil mix), salt & pepper to taste
Grated Parmesan and fresh basil for serving (optional)

Instructions

Brown the ground beef with onion and garlic in a large, oven-safe pot or Dutch oven; drain if needed.
Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste (if using), Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Add pasta and enough broth/water to cover.
Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender (about 12–20 minutes, depending on pasta). Add more liquid if needed.
Serve topped with grated Parmesan and basil.

2. Cheesy Beef Taco Crescent Cups

Ingredients (makes ~12 cups)

1 lb. Laura’s Lean Ground Beef
1 packet taco seasoning (or homemade mix)
2 tubes crescent roll dough (or one sheet crescent dough per recipe variant)
1/2–3/4 cup enchilada or taco sauce
1/2 cup canned corn (drained)
1/2 cup black beans (drained & rinsed)
1/2 cup diced tomatoes (or salsa)
3/4–1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a 12-cup muffin tin. Unroll crescent dough and press portions into each muffin cup to form a shell.
Brown beef, drain, then stir in taco seasoning and enchilada/taco sauce. Mix in corn, black beans and diced tomatoes.
Spoon beef mixture into crescent cups, top with shredded cheese. Bake 12–16 minutes until dough is golden and cheese melts. Cool slightly and remove from tin.

3. Asian (Ground Beef) Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients (serves ~4)

1 lb. Laura’s Lean Ground Beef
1 tbsp cooking oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup hoisin sauce (or a mix of hoisin + soy sauce)
1–2 tsp grated fresh ginger (or 1/2 tsp ground)
1/2 cup shredded carrots and/or chopped water chestnuts for crunch
16 butter/Bibb or Boston lettuce leaves
Green onions and sesame seeds for garnish (optional)
Instructions (paraphrased from lauraslean.com)
Heat oil in a skillet; sauté onion briefly, add ground beef and cook until browned. Drain if necessary.
Add garlic, ginger, hoisin (and a splash of soy sauce if you like), shredded carrots and water chestnuts; toss and heat through for 2–3 minutes.
Spoon mixture into lettuce leaves; top with green onion and sesame seeds. Serve family-style so everyone builds their own wraps.

Instructions:

Cook beef and garlic until browned.
Stir in soy sauce, hoisin, and sesame oil.
Spoon into lettuce leaves and top with carrots and green onions.

4. Beef & Veggie Stir-Fry (Healthy Stir Fry)

Ingredients (serves ~4)

1 lb. Laura’s Lean Ground Beef
2 cups mixed stir-fry vegetables (broccoli, bell peppers, snap peas, carrots)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp grated ginger
1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil (or neutral oil)
1 tsp sugar or honey (optional, to balance)
1 tbsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp water (optional slurry to thicken)
Cooked rice or noodles, for serving
Sliced green onions for garnish

Instructions

Brown the beef in a wok or large skillet; remove and set aside, draining excess fat if needed.
Add a splash of oil, sauté garlic and ginger, then add veggies and stir-fry until crisp-tender.
Return beef to the pan, stir in soy sauce, sesame oil and a touch of sweetener; add cornstarch slurry if you want a thicker sauce.
Toss with cooked rice or noodles and garnish with green onions.

5. Classic Beef Sloppy Joes (Simple Sloppy Joes)

Ingredients (serves ~4–6)

1 lb. Laura’s Lean Ground Beef
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup ketchup (or tomato sauce + seasonings)
1–2 tbsp brown sugar (to taste)
1 tbsp mustard or 1 tsp dry mustard (optional)
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce or white vinegar (optional, for tang)
Salt & pepper to taste
Hamburger buns or rolls

Instructions

Sauté onion and garlic until softened, add ground beef and cook until no pink remains; drain if necessary.
Stir in ketchup, brown sugar, mustard and Worcestershire (or vinegar); simmer 10-15 minutes to meld flavors and thicken slightly.
Spoon onto buns and serve. (This recipe also adapts well to a slow cooker for hands-off dinners.)