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The average parent loses nearly 7,000 minutes a year in the car when the school season is in session.
A new survey of 2,000 U.S. millennial parents of school-aged kids found that simply driving their kids to and from their school activities consumes an average of 38 minutes a day.
Over the course of an average 180-day school year, that adds up to 6,858 minutes — the equivalent of nearly 15 eight-hour workdays spent behind the wheel.
Commissioned by Bob Evans and conducted by Talker Research, this research found that just over three-quarters (77%) of parents said the back-to-school season makes everyday life feel more hectic and unpredictable.
Balancing their own schedule with their child’s schedule causes the most friction for their households (52%).
The survey also explored other challenges that parents face during the back-to-school season.
Topping the list is the rising prices of school supplies and materials (55%). Nearly three-fourths (71%) of parents said overall back-to-school spending has increased compared to last year.
Other challenges parents face include adjusting to new school-year routines (42%) and planning and preparing weekday meals (41%).
With challenges come compromises, as parents sacrifice their personal time/hobbies (49%) and sleep (40%) to make everything fit together during the back-to-school season.
Parents are focused on lowering their personal stress levels, saying they would find easy-to-prepare meals (53%), getting more sleep (52%), and assistance with grocery shopping (49%) helpful in reducing stress during the back-to-school season.
“When you look at the numbers, parents are spending the equivalent of nearly three full workweeks each school year just driving to and from activities,” said Jason Roche, vice president, Bob Evans Farms portfolio. “That kind of time commitment is exactly why dinner needs to fit easily into their day with comforting meal options that help weeknights run smoothly.”
When it comes to dinnertime during the back-to-school season, the majority of parents (90%) have felt challenged to come up with new and appealing dinner ideas.
Parents believe time and planning constraints (50%), having a picky eater (46%), and decision fatigue (45%) cause challenges at dinnertime.
And nearly a third (30%) of parents find themselves worrying multiple times per day about what to make for dinner during the school week.
Seventy-one percent of parents have had to completely rethink how they prepare dinner during weeknights as a result of their child’s school and extracurricular schedule, with over half (54%) stating they have less time than they’d like to prepare dinner.
The reality is that parents spend around 35 minutes preparing dinner during weeknights, and families are eating together about four times a week. As a result, parents feel like they’ve overextended themselves by preparing and cooking dinner for their families (66%).
Nearly 80% of parents (78%) are likely to lean on quick and easy meals during the back-to-school season to save time.
The use of quick meals may stay steady for some. Over half of parents (58%) found their use of pre-made or easy-to-prepare meal components increased compared to last school year.
“Quick and delicious meal solutions that fit into a family’s schedule can make a meaningful difference during the week,” said Roche. “When dinner is already handled, it gives families more freedom to move through their day and focus on what matters most to them.”
Research methodology:
Talker Research surveyed 2,000 U.S. millennial parents of school-aged kids who have access to the internet; the survey was commissioned by Bob Evans and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between May 28 – June 4, 2026.
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