My family’s schedule is picking up now that summer is in full swing. Even though my kids are little (4.5 years & 10 months), I find that we are constantly on the go. Whether we are at the pool, a playground, or simply playing outside after naps, having quick dinners that don’t take a lot of time to prep and clean-up is a must!

A go-to quick meal at our house is sheet pan dinners. These are great because they only require a large sheet pan, oil, seasonings, and a variety of meat and vegetables. I love that I can mix the ingredients together right on the pan and then place it in the oven for 20-30 minutes. I use the Easy Roasted Vegetables recipe as my base and then add in a protein to turn it into a full meal.

Some of our favorite vegetables to use are green beans, potatoes, asparagus, broccoli, onions, turnips, carrots, and peppers. Chicken sausage is my favorite protein to cut up into discs to add with the vegetables. Since the sausage is pre-cooked, it makes a quick meal. If I have extra time, I use chicken thighs or chicken breasts. Because the chicken is raw before cooking compared to the pre-cooked sausages, I adjust the cooking time by 10-20 minutes and use a meat thermometer to check for doneness.

As much as I love to cook, I would rather spend as much time as I can outside with my kids enjoying the summer sun. Sheet pan meals help me do just that! What quick recipes do you enjoy making to squeeze the most out of your summer days?