On your busiest night, keep your real food kitchen simple with a fast and easy sheet pan side dish for crispy baby potatoes to go with dinner!

Fast & Easy Sheet Pan Crispy Baby Potatoes

Real food in the real world…

It isn’t just a tag line for the blog. I truly set out to create this space to show parents that it actually was possible to get real, whole foods on the table, even though we live in a time where parents both have to work outside the home sometimes. A world where kids are at school all day and have activities that bring joy to their hearts afterwards. A world where the grocery budget needs to stay in check so that we can afford balance in other areas of our households. I know there are a slew of parents out there just want to make the switch to real food, but are afraid of either not having enough time to actually do it, or wondering if they can even afford it. I’m here to tell you that it is possible!

Eating real food in the real world doesn’t have to be complicated!

So let’s not complicate this thing. One of the things I learned real quick after having kids is that sometimes the simplest of meals turns out to be the family favorite. Earlier this summer I was lamenting to my husband about how bad I felt that I was serving grilled chicken and these crispy little potatoes for the third time that week. It was one of those weeks that pulled us in different directions for varies activities and my brain could only process simple. One of the girls overheard the dinner menu plan and exclaimed a big “yahoo!” I was floored. I thought she was being facetious, but she was dead serious.

A weekday household favorite

Turns out all 3 girls were pumped that evening for dinner. They didn’t need a fancy casserole. They didn’t need pizza. Sometimes kids just love simple, real food that is cooked in a way that makes it taste delicious. So that is why I’m blogging this simple little recipe. I was tempted to skip it, because really it’s just roasted potatoes. But if this message helps even just one mom take the pressure off your dinner menu to give you the grace to make something as simple as grilled chicken and crispy potatoes this week, it will be worth the time!

A simple real food shortcut

These little guys are such a great prep hack. While we love a big russet potato, these little baby new potatoes require less prep to none at all! They are pre-washed and I just slice them in half for cooking. The soft, creamy center is a little kid’s dream, and they get crispy and sweet when you cook them the right way.

The Method :: Prepping the Crispy Potatoes

Part of cooking them in a way that will yield super flavorful potatoes is prepping the properly. And it is simpler than you think! A little olive oil, salt, and pepper, and that’s it! I also like to take the extra step to turn all of the potatoes cut side down so that part gets maximum crispiness. You could also just shake the tray up with the seasoning and oil and leave it be too. I did leave instructions in the recipe for other ways to season the potatoes to change things up too. From Ranch Seasoning to Italian Seasoning or taco seasoning, the sky is the limit!

The Method :: Roasting or Air Frying the Crispy Potatoes

You can use a regular oven setting to roast or convection or air fry. I love the air fry setting on my oven for this recipe. Roasting at a higher temp yields the same crispiness too! If you’re using a regular oven setting at 450 degrees, bake the potatoes until fork tender and crispy, about 20 minutes. If you are using the air fry or convection oven setting, cook at 425 degrees for 20 minutes, until fork tender and golden brown crispy. You can air fry an additional 5-7 minutes if you want them deeper golden and crispier.

Let’s talk leftovers!

Because this little recipe is more than just dinner! Sometimes I end up with some leftover potatoes, and the girls bicker over who gets to have them for lunch the next day. If you have a big crew or older kids, double up onto 2 sheet pans so you can cook once and eat twice. Warm them back up in the oven the next day, or pack them up cold in a lunchbox!