Starting a new school year can bring stress for kids and parents alike, from concerns about class assignments and teachers to adjusting to new routines. Each grade level presents its own challenges, but you can empower your family with tools for success by implementing simple, healthy habits at home.
As the school year approaches, here are tips to ensure your family stays healthy and happy during this important transition.
Get those ZZZs
Regardless of age, easing kids into the new school year is crucial.
Start a consistent bedtime routine a week or two before school starts to establish a routine. Aim for 8-10 hours of sleep each night to enhance focus and academic performance. Maintaining a set schedule on weekdays and weekends is key to fostering student success.
An Apple a Day
While the saying “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” lacks scientific proof, prioritizing nutritious meals for you and your kids during the school year is crucial. Given that some kids are picky eaters, it can be challenging to steer them away from heavily processed, sugary foods. Try these healthy and quick meal ideas for breakfasts, lunches, snacks, and dinners!
Breakfast
Looking for quick breakfast ideas? Breakfast boosts metabolism and enhances brain function, aiding in memory, concentration, test performance, hand-eye coordination, and creativity. Starting the day with breakfast sets everyone up for success!
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!
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!
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