Food and Beverage
School Day Fuel
Last Updated on September 6, 2025 by Daily News Staff
(Family Features) From packing lunchboxes to after-school snacking and evening meals, school days can get hectic in the kitchen – in a hurry. Saving valuable time is of the essence for busy families looking to stave off hunger without sacrificing nutrition or flavor.
To help make delicious yet nutritious meals a reality all day long, consider these recipes for Shrimp Spaghetti at the family dinner table, Potato Pizza Puffs for fuel after school and Celery and Whipped Ricotta with Drizzled Honey and Dried Apricots, perfect for sending in a lunchbox or enjoying while finishing homework.
For recipes that fuel families throughout the school year and beyond, visit Culinary.net.
Save School Night Dinners
Don’t sacrifice flavor on those hectic weeknights. Instead, turn to this Shrimp Spaghetti recipe that keeps dinnertime simple and delicious while saving precious time for homework and special moments as a family.
Find more quick dinner solutions at Culinary.net.
Shrimp Spaghetti
Recipe courtesy of “Cookin’ Savvy”
Servings: 4-6
- 1 pound spaghetti noodles
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup avocado oil
- 1 package (12 ounces) raw shrimp
- 2 tablespoons garlic powder, divided
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 cup frozen or fresh spinach
- bread, for serving
- Cook spaghetti noodles according to package instructions.
- In skillet over medium heat, add butter, avocado oil and shrimp. Mix in 1 tablespoon garlic powder and paprika. Remove shrimp after they begin to turn pink; set aside.
- Add chicken broth, Parmesan, heavy cream, remaining garlic powder, onion powder and spinach to skillet and mix well. Add shrimp back to skillet to finish cooking. Mix in noodles and serve with bread.
A Savory, Satisfying After-School Snack
When the school day ends, quick and nutritious snacks can help keep your kids fueled and focused to tackle homework and after-school activities. These Potato Pizza Puffs – a fusion of classic pizza flavors in a convenient, flaky vessel – are baked to golden perfection and served alongside a tangy marinara sauce that easily elevates the snacking experience to new heights.
Powered by energy-packed potatoes, which are an excellent source of vitamin C and have more potassium than a banana, these puffs are a surefire hit for pizza lovers everywhere. Plus, potatoes are naturally fat-free, cholesterol-free and sodium-free with only 110 calories per 5.3-ounce serving, meaning you can feel good about serving them to your kids as part of every meal of the day.
Find more recipes for the school year ahead at EatWisconsinPotatoes.com.
Potato Pizza Puffs
Recipe courtesy of Potatoes USA
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 8 minutes
Servings: 12
- 1 medium (5.3 ounces) Wisconsin russet potato
- 2 cups cold water
- 3 whole garlic cloves, crushed (optional)
- 1 sheet frozen puff pastry dough
- nonstick cooking spray
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup pepperoni
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 cup marinara sauce
- Wash and scrub potato thoroughly. Pat dry and thinly slice into 1/8-inch rounds.
- Place sliced potatoes in saucepan and cover with cold water. Add crushed garlic cloves to the water, if desired.
- Parboil potatoes 5 minutes until slightly tender.
- Thaw puff pastry and roll out slightly with rolling pin. Cut into 12 equal strips.
- On foil-lined tray generously sprayed with nonstick cooking spray, sprinkle with Parmesan and Italian seasoning then shingle 3-4 par-cooked potato slices with 3-4 pepperoni slices. Top slices with mozzarella followed by puff pastry strip. Push edges of pastry down onto foil to slightly “seal” puffs, keeping contents within pastry.
- In air fryer set at 400 F, bake 7-8 minutes.
- Wait for cheese to cool before removing puffs from tray. Gently peel potato pizza puffs off foil. Serve with marinara sauce.
Add This Nutritious Snack to Lunchboxes and After-School Menus
All that homework and those draining school sports practices sometimes require a little boost of energy from a fresh, delicious snack. To keep your little ones (or big ones) going, try Celery and Whipped Ricotta with Drizzled Honey and Dried Apricots for a quick bite that’s equal parts filling and nutritious.
Packed with flavor and low in calories, celery is a smart choice for snacking in the afternoon or taking to school in a lunchbox. It’s made up of 95% water and is naturally hydrating and high in fiber to keep students feeling full and refreshed.
Available year-round, Dandy Celery from Duda Farm Fresh Foods is a perfect solution as it redefines what celery can be – crispier, sweeter and less stringy – through a legacy of quality, innovation and consistency in celery cultivation since 1926.
Visit DudaFresh.com to find more quick and easy solutions for after-school snacking and meals throughout busy school days.
Celery and Whipped Ricotta with Drizzled Honey and Dried Apricots
Prep time: 5 minutes
Servings: 1
- Dandy Celery sticks (4-5 inches)
- 2 tablespoons whipped ricotta cheese
- 6-7 dried apricot slices
- 1 tablespoon honey
- Using piping bag or freezer bag with one corner removed, fill celery sticks with ricotta cheese.
- Place dried apricot slices evenly across top of spread. Drizzle honey on top.
- Chill until ready to serve.
SOURCE:
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Cool Down This Summer with a Sweet Slushie
(Family Features) Each season throughout the year seems to
have its own “flavor,” and summer is no exception. Hamburgers and hot dogs off
the grill, refreshing watermelon at snack time and cool, delicious ice cream on
warm evenings.
While many people think of sweetpotatoes during the
holidays, you can make this sweet vegetable a key ingredient all year-round –
including summertime. As one of the most versatile veggies you can find,
they’re easy to add to a variety of recipes while enhancing flavor and boosting
nutrition content.
Sweetpotatoes can be your summer staple in both simple and
elevated recipes alike, as well as in both sweet and savory dishes. They can be
cooked or prepared in several ways: on the stove, baked, microwaved, grilled or
slow cooked.
Or, for an easy way to cool down in the heat, try them in a
creamy drink like this Sweetpotato Summer Slushie. It may surprise you, but
sweetpotatoes are ideal for sipping – smoothies and cocktails are both
crowd-pleasers, especially during sweltering summer days. This refreshing treat
can be made with or without the boozy kick; just break out the blender and kick
back in the sunshine.
To discover more ways to cook and enjoy sweetpotatoes all
summer long, visit ncsweetpotatoes.com.
Watch video to see how to make this recipe!
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5xyuKDlklQ?si=JiKNgtk78Vc8NiMU&controls=0]
Recipe courtesy of the North
Carolina Sweetpotato Commission
- 1 cup cooked,
mashed North
Carolina Sweetpotatoes - 1 cup
pineapple juice - 1/2 cup orange
juice - 1/4 cup lemon
juice - 1/4 cup coconut
milk - 2-3 tablespoons
simple syrup or honey (adjust to taste) - 1 teaspoon
vanilla extract - 2 cups crushed
ice - 2 ounces
spiced rum, coconut rum or bourbon (optional) - pineapple
slices or orange wedges, for garnish (optional)
- In blender, blend sweetpotatoes, pineapple juice, orange
juice, lemon juice, coconut milk, simple syrup or honey, vanilla extract and
ice until smooth and slushy. - Pour into glasses and serve.
- For alcoholic version: Add spiced rum, coconut rum or
bourbon after blending. Pulse in blender or stir after blending for layered
effect. - Garnish with pineapple slices or orange wedges, if desired.
SOURCE:
North Carolina Sweetpotato Commission
Food and Beverage
McDonald’s Fried Apple Pie Returns June 23—A Limited-Time Summer Throwback
McDonald’s is bringing back its OG Fried Apple Pie starting June 23 for a limited time at participating restaurants nationwide—plus a 35-foot pie photo stop on Route 66 near Chicago.
Summer tends to fly by, but certain bites slow time down. McDonald’s is betting its Fried Apple Pie is one of them.
According to a new announcement from McDonald’s USA, the OG Fried Apple Pie returns to participating restaurants nationwide starting June 23 for a limited time. The classic dessert is described as featuring a signature filling made with 100% American-grown apples, wrapped in the same golden, crunchy, flaky fried crust longtime fans remember.
Why the Fried Apple Pie comeback matters
McDonald’s is framing the return as a nostalgia play with a patriotic twist, tying the seasonal rollout to the lead-up to America’s 250th birthday. If you grew up hearing people talk about “the fried pies,” this is the moment they mean: hot, sweet, and unmistakably old-school.
And if you’ve never tried it? McDonald’s is positioning June 23 as your entry point—an “if you know, you know” menu item that’s meant to feel like a summer memory in dessert form.
A classic that started as a family recipe
The company also shared a bit of origin story: the Fried Apple Pie traces back to the 1960s, when East Tennessee McDonald’s Owner/Operator Litton Cochran created a fried apple hand pie that became a local favorite. Over time, it made its way into McDonald’s history.
Eric Cochran, a McDonald’s Owner/Operator, said the pie is one of those foods that “take you back,” and credited his grandparents—Litton and Jo Cochran—with helping shape the recipe when McDonald’s founder Ray Kroc was looking for a dessert that would resonate with customers.
The 35-foot Fried Apple Pie (yes, really)
To make the return feel like a road-trip moment, McDonald’s is also unveiling a giant roadside installation: The McDonald’s Largest Fried Apple Pie, a 35-foot version of the dessert placed along Route 66—built to be a photo stop.
Fans can snap a selfie and pick up a McDonald’s souvenir map at:
- 920 N Broadway St., Joliet, IL 60435 (just outside Chicago)
If you’re near Chicagoland, here are the dates
- Kickoff event (June 23): 3:30–6:00 p.m. CT, with live music, an ice-cold Coca-Cola, and complimentary Arch Cards
- June 23–July 4: The installation remains up through the holiday stretch
How to get it
McDonald’s says the Fried Apple Pie will be available all day at participating restaurants nationwide, and can also be ordered via the McDonald’s App, while supplies last.If your summer plans include a long drive, a late-night snack run, or just chasing a little nostalgia, June 23 might be the date to circle. Some menu items are built for convenience—this one is built for the detour.
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Nourishing Our Heroes: Eight Years of Impact at Phoenix VA’s Veggies for Veterans
Pair Summer Favorites with a Simple
Potato Salad
(Family Features) Ideal for
neighborhood cookouts, quick family dinners and anything in between, potato
salad is a tried-and-true summer favorite. This version from Cookin’ Savvy
comes together in a snap so you can spend more time enjoying the sun and less
time in the kitchen. Pair this easy potato salad with more warm-weather recipe
inspiration found at Culinary.net.
Watch video to see how to make this recipe!
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhUIPGWfbrw?si=UJ2zY8g_aHMcWTsV&controls=0]
Potato Salad
Recipe courtesy of “Cookin’ Savvy”
Servings: 4-6
- 3 pounds
potatoes - 4 boiled
eggs, coarsely chopped - 2 dill
pickles - 1 tablespoon
garlic powder - 1 tablespoon
onion powder - 1 package
(2 1/2 ounces) real bacon pieces - 2 cups
mayonnaise - 2 tablespoons
mustard - salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
- smoked paprika, for garnish
- Coarsely chop potatoes. In Dutch
oven, boil until fork tender. Drain then add coarsely chopped eggs and pickles. - Add garlic powder, onion powder,
bacon pieces, mayonnaise and mustard. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Mix well. - Transfer to large bowl and
refrigerate 1-2 hours. Garnish with smoked paprika.
SOURCE:
Nourishing Our Heroes: Eight Years of Impact at Phoenix VA’s Veggies for Veterans
Nourishing Our Heroes: Eight Years of Impact at Phoenix VA’s Veggies for Veterans
