As busy parents send their kids back to school, they’ll be looking for ways to keep family meals quick, easy and healthy. Pasta is a good, complex carb and provides kids with steady energy, keeping them satisfied and ready to study. Healthy lunches don’t have to be expensive or time-consuming. To help parents survive the back to school season, Barilla offers three easy, delicious and nutritious pasta lunchbox recipes with Barilla Ready Pasta, which offers perfect pasta in just 60 seconds and is made with three simple ingredients.

Super Easy Mac & Cheese with Ready Pasta Elbows (above)
Servings: 2
Prep Time: 1 min
Cook Time: 4 min

Ingredients
1 pouch Barilla Ready Pasta Elbows
1 ½ cups heavy cream
1 ½ cups cheddar cheese
Salt and white pepper (to taste)

Instructions

1. In a large skillet, heat the heavy cream until it simmers; season with salt and pepper.
2. Tear Ready Pasta pouch open and add the pasta to the skillet; cook for one minute or until the pasta is heated through.
3. Remove the skillet from heat and add the cheese.
4. Gently stir everything together until the cheese has melted into the cream. It’s time to eat!

Lunchbox Italian Style Pasta Salad with Ready Pasta Rotini
Servings: 2
Prep Time: 2 min
Cook Time: 1 min

Ingredients
1 pouch Barilla Ready Pasta Rotini
¼ cup Italian dressing
1 cup grape tomatoes
Basil, shredded
Salt and pepper (to taste)
2 tablespoons of Asiago cheese or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, shredded

Instructions

1. Tear corner of Ready Pasta pouch to vent, then microwave 60 seconds.
2. Cut tomatoes in half and combine with pasta, adding in Italian dressing and basil.
3. Season with salt and pepper, top with cheese and enjoy.

Cheesy Tomato & Basil Rotini with Ready Pasta
Servings: 2
Prep Time: 1 min
Cook Time: 4 min

Ingredients 
1 pouch Barilla Ready Pasta Rotini
½ jar of Barilla Tomato Basil sauce
2 basil leaves, julienne
¼ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated

Instructions

1. In a microwave-safe bowl mix tomato sauce and basil and heat in the microwave for 2 minutes.
2. Then tear corner of Ready Pasta pouch to vent, heat in microwave for 1 minute.
3. Toss pasta with sauce, stir and top with cheese before serving.

Alternatively, you can also cook on the stovetop:

1. Heat sauce with ¼ cup of water in pan.
2. Knead Ready Pasta pouch then combine with sauce in the pan over high heat until sauce is bubbling and perfectly coating pasta (about 2-3 min).
3. Turn off heat, stir in basil and top with cheese before serving. Enjoy!