Back-to-School Lunches, Sheet-Pan Dinners, and Finding Joy in the Kitchen with Hillary Dixler CanavanHillary Dixler Canavan returns to Not From Concentrate as the show’s first repeat guest! Nearly one year after her first appearance, Hillary joins Catherine for a timely conversation about feeding our families, and ourselves, during the back-to-school rush.They talk about letting go of picture-perfect lunchboxes, choosing foods children will reliably eat at school, and adding joy without adding much work. Hillary shares her genuinely life-changing trick for assembling and freezing sandwiches in advance, plus easy ways to bring protein and variety into packed lunches.The conversation also ventures into cooking with kids, why project-based kitchen activities may be more manageable than everyday “help,” and the value of teaching practical cooking skills when children are ready.Then Hillary previews Sheet Pan Month in her newsletter, What Are We Having? She and Catherine even develop a Green Goddess chicken, gnocchi, and broccoli dinner in real time. Finally, they discuss finding creativity through constraints, clearing physical clutter, and using audiobooks to make cooking feel restorative.In this episodeWhy a successful lunch is one your child can actually eat within the school’s allotted timeLetting go of elaborate, photo-ready lunchboxesThe difference between “school foods” and foods children will eat at homeEasy protein ideas, including mini Chomps, cheese, hummus, and beansLow-effort ways to make lunch feel special with food picks, stickers, and notesFinding genuine points of connection based on the interests you share with your childWhy cooking with kids can be easier as a planned projectTeaching age-appropriate kitchen skills without rushing the processEstablishing helpful structure around meals and snacksHillary’s forthcoming Sheet Pan MonthDeveloping a Green Goddess chicken, gnocchi, and broccoli sheet-pan dinnerWhy a delicious sauce can make a simple meal feel restaurant-worthyMaking and freezing school-lunch sandwiches in advanceUsing themes, limitations, and what you already have to spark creativityDecluttering the kitchen before the school year beginsHow audiobooks can transform dinner preparation into something worth anticipatingHillary’s freezer-sandwich methodAssemble sandwiches in batches, return them to their original packaging or place them in a freezer-safe reusable bag, and freeze. In the morning, put a frozen sandwich directly into an insulated lunch bag. It should thaw by lunchtime while helping keep the rest of the lunch cool.Freezer-friendly combinations include:Ham and cheeseTurkey and cheeseBagel with cream cheeseCream cheese and jelly, with optional chia seedsPeanut butter and jelly, where permittedAudiobooks mentionedYesteryearThe Compound by Aisling RawleRuth Ware’s mysteries and thrillersThe Searcher by Tana FrenchFind HillarySubscribe to What Are We Having? at whatarewehaving.substack.com.Follow Hillary on Instagram at @hillarydixlercanavan.