Back-To-School Meals Made Easy

School is back in session for some – and right around the corner for others. With soccer practice, debate club, dance rehearsal, PTA meetings and everything in between, meal time can be stressful and leave you scrambling to make sure everyone is fed. With a little preparation, you can save yourself the panic!

FoodSaver Fresh Preservation System can help you streamline your family's meals and make the most of your leftovers. For example, when preparing dinner, consider doubling up on your recipes. You can either take your extras to lunch or take the extras and vacuum seal them for another day or even another month.

Here's an easy recipe the entire family will love: Cilantro Lime Chicken tacos! They are the perfect meal to prepare ahead of time for those busy school nights. Just grab a Crock-Pot® Slow Cooker and a gallon size FoodSaver® bag.

Cilantro Lime Chicken Tacos

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 7-8 hours on low, or 4 hours on high

Serving: 4

Ingredients:

1½ lbs. chicken breasts, chopped

½ white onion, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 cup black beans, drained

1 cup frozen corn, drained

4 oz. green chilies

1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped

Juice of two limes

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 cup cilantro, chopped

2 tsp. cumin

Cooking Directions:

1) Add all your ingredients to a gallon-size FoodSaver® Bag and toss. Be sure to place the meat in last, so it's the first ingredient added into your Crock-Pot® Slow Cooker.

2) Seal and freeze. When you're ready to cook, thaw overnight in your refrigerator before placing the meal into your Crock-Pot® Slow Cooker.

3) To cook, add the thawed ingredients from the FoodSaver® Bag to Crock-Pot® Slow Cooker.

4) Cover, cook on low heat setting for 7-8 hours on low or 4 hours on high. Serve on top of tortillas for tacos, or with rice. If desired, garnish with extra lime or cilantro.

For the families with jam-packed after school schedules, keeping the kids full and focused can be tricky. Try vacuum sealing fruits and veggies for a hassle-free after school snack. Cut up your veggies and fruit beforehand, and separate them into proper snack size portions. Once prepped, seal them with a FoodSaver Fresh Preservation System.