With the school year fast approaching, here are some tips to keep your family healthy and happy during this important fall transition. There can be many stresses for both kids and parents when starting a new school year. The anxiety of wondering if they will be in a class with their friends, not knowing their new teacher, where their classrooms are, and even what subjects they will be learning in school. Every grade has its own set of challenges, from elementary to high school. As the American Academy of Pediatrics notes, preparing early and creating structure at home can ease the transition for both parents and children. To give your family the tools to succeed, there are several things you can do at home to start the new school year off right and maybe even get your family into healthier habits!
Get those ZZZs
No matter their age, it’s extremely important to ease kids into the transition of a new school year. Implementing a regular bedtime and wake-up schedule a week or two before the first day of school will get them used to a routine after their summer break. Getting between 8-10 hours of sleep a night is imperative for a child’s ability to stay focused, maintain concentration, and even improve academic performance. Sticking with an agreed-upon weekday and weekend schedule is the first step to raising a successful student. For more ideas on creating a healthy sleep routing, check out these back-to-school sleep tips from the Sleep Foundation.
An Apple a Day
Although the old adage “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” might not have any scientific proof, it is important to provide healthy meals for you and your kids during the school year. Let’s face it: some kids are picky eaters, and it can be a struggle to get them to eat anything not heavily processed and laden with high sugar content. According to MyPlate.gov, offering a variety of healthy choices and involving kids in planning meals can increase interest in nutritious options. Try these ideas for healthy and quick breakfasts, lunches, snacks, and dinners!
Breakfast
Need ideas for quick and easy breakfasts? Breakfast helps boost metabolism for the day and improve brain function (including memorization, concentration, performing better on tests, increasing hand-eye coordination skills, and even creativity). Eating breakfast gives everyone a jumpstart for a good day!
- Overnight Oats: Let each kid pick out their favorite flavor combinations and have them help put their breakfasts together the night before! These overnight oat recipes are sure to get any kid’s approval.
- Whole Grain Waffles with Peanut or Almond Butter and Dark Chocolate Chips: Many popular brands carry more nutritious whole grain frozen waffles, and after a minute or so in the toaster, create a yummy breakfast! Add some nut butters and extra energy from dark chocolate chips, your kids will be begging for these every morning!
- Egg Cups: Mix together ten eggs with your favorite toppings like cheese, peppers, onions, sausage, spinach, bacon bits, ham, or zucchini. Pour into muffin tins and bake at 350 for about 20 minutes until the eggs are fully cooked. Store in plastic bags in the fridge or freezer for an easy, microwavable breakfast or snack!
Sites like Budget Bytes and 100 Days of Real Food offer tons of kid-approved, prep-ahead breakfast ideas that make mornings smoother as well as great options for the other meals of the day.
Lunch
When packing a lunch for school or work, try something healthy that can be done the night before!
- Turkey Roll-Ups: Upgrade your everyday lunch meat and cheese with these quick roll-ups! Try switching up your meats and cheeses for different flavors to keep lunch interesting.
- Bento Box: The ultimate pick and mix! Purchase reusable meal prep containers and fill them with their favorite snacks to create a balanced lunch. Some simple combinations you can try are grapes, cheese sticks, mini carrots with hummus and pita chips, strawberries, yogurt, turkey lunch meat rolled up with cheese sticks, celery sticks with peanut butter, hard-boiled eggs, apple slices with peanut butter, clementine, and pasta salad.
- Taco Salad: Have Taco Tuesday whenever you want with this easy shell-less taco salad. Make with turkey meat for a less fat option.
Dinners
Dinners can be the most hectic time for families, but it’s also an opportunity to sit down and talk about the day. Since the week is already stressful enough, cooking ahead can help alleviate the pressure of the never-ending question, “What’s for dinner?”.
- One Sheet Dinners: One of the easiest ways to cook dinner is using one pan, a sheet of aluminum foil, and heating up JUST the oven. Try sausage and peppers served with rice, chicken thighs with broccoli, or even pork tenderloin with carrots, potatoes, and herbs.
- Slow Cooker Dinners: If you haven’t invested in a slow cooker, it’s one of the most convenient ways to cook dinner! Prep your meals ahead of time and freeze them. When you’re ready, turn on the slow cooker before you head to school and work, and by the time you get home, there’s a healthy meal waiting for you at the end of a long day! Some family favorites are Chicken and Wild Rice Soup, Ground Turkey Pasta Bake, and Vegetarian Quesadillas.
- Casseroles: Let’s not forget the good ole casserole! Casseroles are a great way to create a meal in one pan and can be frozen for future use. Swap noodles for Zucchini in a Zucchini Chicken Enchilada Casserole, hearty Shepherd’s Pie for the winter, or check out a low-carb Spaghetti Squash Pizza Casserole!
Conclusion
By incorporating these simple yet effective strategies into your family’s routine, you’re setting the stage for a healthier and happier school year. Remember, small steps can lead to big results. Prioritize sleep, fuel your bodies with nutritious food, and create a supportive home environment. If back-to-school nerves are running high, these tips from the Child Mind Institute can help families manage anxiety and build resilience. With a strong foundation, your family is equipped to tackle the academic challenges and social adventures that lie ahead. So, let’s make this school year a resounding success! Stay healthy, happy, and organized.
Ready to make this school year your family’s healthiest yet? Explore more tips, join Zion HealthShare, or call us at (888) 920-8466 to learn how we support families like yours.
Zion HealthShare is not an insurance company. Neither this publication nor membership in Zion HealthShare are offered by an insurance company. Visit ZionHealthShare.org to view your state-specific notice.
Current as of: December 20, 2025