5 Superfast Dinners For Those Nights When *Everyone* Has An After-School Activity

We’ve all been there: it’s 5:30 pm, you just picked your last kid up from after school or sports, and you’re driving home when it hits you: you have no idea what’s for dinner. When everyone in the family has a busy schedule, it can be hard if not impossible to stay on top of meal planning, but don’t worry: with simple, delicious Hillshire Farm lunch meats, plus a few more fridge staples, you’ve got options. We love using Hillshire Farm cold cuts in recipes because they’re versatile, easy to prep, and come double-sealed for freshness in an air-tight reusable container. They’re so kid-friendly, in fact, that you might not even have to help make dinner (cue exploding head emoji).

Here are five meal ideas you can whip up in minutes that’ll have the whole family begging for seconds — seriously.

Charcuterie Board

I’m sorry, is this a five-star French restaurant, or my own cluttered dining room? Charcuterie boards are not only super easy, but impossibly chic, thanks to their frequent appearances at schmancy parties. Simply lug out your largest cutting board or platter and arrange slices of fresh, artfully pre-folded Hillshire Farm ham or turkey slices alongside your favorite cheeses and bite-sized fruits and veggies. Chop some bread into triangles, toss ‘em in a bowl, and voila — a delicious, balanced, no-cook dinner that’ll please foodies and picky kids alike!

Grilled Ham and Cheese Sandwiches

Grilled cheese is a tried-and-true lunch staple, but all it takes to dress it up for dinner is a little added flair, in the form of Hillshire Farm turkey or ham slices. The great thing about “fancy” grilled cheese is not only that it’s a one-pan MVP with barely any clean-up, but that kids can prep and make them with little to no help. We love the easy, intuitive packaging of Hillshire Farm lunch meats that keeps food fresh while allowing little hands to open and close the airtight lid. Younger kids can make the sandwiches, while older kids can work the grill. That means you can sit back with your favorite beverage toasting yourself for your genius.

DIY Hawaiian Pizza

Relax, we’re not talking artisanal brick oven, fancy pants pizza here. We’re talking throw-some-premade-dough-on-a-baking-pan-and-call-it-a-night pizza. The great news is, it’s just as yummy — and way more fun. After all, there’s nothing kids love more than spilling — we mean, spreading — sauce on a round of refrigerated dough and tossing cheese on it like they’re operating a confetti cannon. Add some cut-up Ultra Thin Sliced Honey Ham Lunch Meat slices and you’ve got yourself a Hawaiian-themed feast without the airfare. Leis encouraged but not included.

Ham and Cheese Crescent Ring

This is another one that sounds (and looks!) fancy but is super easy to throw together with pre-made refrigerated crescent rolls. Just preheat the oven to 375 and arrange the crescent dough on an ungreased cookie sheet, placing the triangles in a ring with points toward the outside and wide ends overlapping. Fill with cheese of your choice and shredded Hillshire Farm Ultra Thin-Sliced Honey Ham and fold the points over the filling to “seal.” Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the filling is bubbling and the dough is golden brown.

“Kitchen Sink” Salads

Yes, we know, the word “salad” can strike fear in the hearts of children. But this is the ultimate hack to get kids to have their vegetables and eat them too! Just set out a bunch of chopped lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, avocados, carrots — whatever you’ve got loitering around the crisper drawer — and let your kids design their own custom bowls, adding strips of their favorite lunch meat, shredded cheese, bacon bits, or sliced hard-boiled eggs for delicious, brain-building protein. Top it all off with store bought dressing and a couple of croutons and you’ve got yourself an easy, delicious, no-bake dinner. Now that’s what we call a win-win.

*Except for those naturally occurring in celery juice powder and sea salt