Back to School Nights.

It’s no wonder so many parents fall back on fast food or frozen entrees once the school year begins. With a new soccer practice scheduled here and piano lessons there, getting back into the thick of things seems more daunting than ever. And just like your kids’ homework, it always seems harder than last year. But don’t let those end of summertime blues get you down. Here are some tips that will put you ahead of the class on busy school nights.

Soup it to ‘em. Using low-sodium chicken broth and some creative meat, poultry and vegetable combos, you can have a warm meal in minutes. Chop ingredients into bite sized pieces and cook in your broth. Add kid-friendly favs like pasta stars, California Ripe Olives or mini-meatballs if you really want to make the grade.

Cut with class. Smaller pieces of food cook quicker than larger ones. Not interested in waiting for a whole baked potato? Try quartering new potatoes and roasting for a shorter period of time like in this recipe Galician Roasted Potatoes. Slice pieces of steak, chicken or fish and add them to stir fries, pastas or pilafs instead of roasting whole cuts.

Dress for success. Get some work out of the way at the beginning of the week, by marinating your foods in advance. Marinate meats and chicken for a day or two before you plan on cooking them. Marinated vegetables and seafood will tenderize in the dressing if you give them enough time, so you don’t have to worry about accurate cooking times to yield perfect result. Give it a try with this Overnight Vegetables recipe. Of course, if you marinate a can of California Ripe Olives , you’ll always have it ready to toss into salad or pasta for a quick fix.

Do your homework. Stock your pantry and freezer with plenty of reliable flavors that you can use on the fly. Things like tuna, beans, tomato pasta and California Ripe Olives will easily spruce up pasta night in no time flat.

Use a cheat sheet. Much mid-week meal anxiety if brought on by that stressful question, “what am I going to cook tonight?” Avoid that altogether by planning ahead. Write up a weekly, or better yet, monthly recipe calendar. Rotate favorites like Pan Roasted Artichoke Chicken and Sweet and Savory Lamb Bulgur throughout the week so that you can better plan your shopping and prep work.