When Dinner Needs to Be Easy
2 Simple Recipes for Busy Caregivers
September has a way of reminding us that the seasons are changing. The days are still warm, but the evenings begin to cool, the leaves start to turn, and we find ourselves reaching for the familiar flavors of fall.
For caregivers, though, the changing seasons can also mean another busy season of appointments, errands, schedules and responsibilities.
And sometimes, dinner just needs to be easy.
When you're caring for someone else, it's easy to put your own needs at the bottom of the list—including eating a meal that actually nourishes you. That's why we're sharing two simple recipes that bring a little taste of September to the table without requiring hours in the kitchen.
🍎 Apple & Sausage Sheet-Pan Dinner
One pan. A handful of ingredients. Very little cleanup.
This comforting combination of savory sausage, sweet apples, sweet potatoes and roasted vegetables feels like fall without requiring a complicated recipe. Everything goes onto one sheet pan, gets tossed with a simple maple-Dijon dressing and goes into the oven.
[Print the Apple & Sausage Sheet-Pan Dinner Recipe PDF]
And don't be afraid to make it your own. Use whatever vegetables you have on hand, swap in a different kind of sausage, or take a shortcut with pre-cut vegetables. The goal isn't perfection—the goal is getting something good on the table.
🍏 A Little Something Sweet: Simple Cinnamon Apple Crisp
Nothing says September quite like the smell of apples and cinnamon baking in the oven.
This simple apple crisp is warm, comforting and wonderfully uncomplicated. It also makes a great make-ahead dessert, afternoon treat or breakfast-for-dessert kind of moment.
[Print the Simple Cinnamon Apple Crisp Recipe PDF]
And here's our favorite shortcut: you don't even have to peel the apples. Leaving the skins on saves a little time and adds texture and fiber.
Give Yourself Permission to Keep It Simple
Caregiving can make even ordinary tasks feel like one more thing on an already-full list. Meals don't need to be elaborate to be nourishing, and taking a shortcut isn't something to feel guilty about.
Buy the pre-cut vegetables. Make enough for leftovers. Use what you already have in the refrigerator. Let someone else bring dinner once in a while.
And if all you manage today is a warm meal and a few quiet minutes to enjoy it, that's enough.
This September, as the seasons begin to shift, we hope you'll remember to make a little room for yourself, too.
Because caregivers need care, too.
