Back to School: 8 Tips and Tricks
Back-to-school season can be stressful and hectic—key parts of your child’s day such as eating a nutritious lunch can be easy to overlook. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of tips to help your transition to the new school year be as smooth as possible!
Tip #1: Practice post-grocery proactive-ness.
Mornings can be hectic—especially with trying to get kids out the door to school on time. A bit of planning can go a long way! When you’re putting away just-bought groceries, wash and cut your fruit and veggies into school-sized snacks, and place them into plastic containers so that they can be ready when you need them.
Tip #2: Organize, organize, organize!
Keep all your lunch-making supplies like lunch boxes, Tupperware, napkins, and everything else you need in the same area of your kitchen for easy access.
Tip #3: Prepare, prepare, prepare!
Don’t let leftovers go to waste—pack them up in microwave-safe containers or a thermos for your kids to take to school the next day. No leftovers? No problem! Making sandwiches and wraps the night before will seriously free up your morning schedule.
Tip #4: Keep your pantry stocked.
Life happens—we get it. Sometimes you don’t get the chance to prepare a lunch ahead of time. This is why keeping a stocked pantry with readily available snacks for your kids is key in times of a lunch emergency.
Tip #5: Get your kids involved with grocery shopping!
Try taking your kids to the grocery store with you when you go shopping for lunch supplies. Involve them with picking out different veggies, fruits, and snacks—show them that shopping can be fun!
Tip #6: Get your kids to also help with preparing lunches.
When it comes to involving your kids, why limit yourself to a grocery store run? Involving your kids in the preparation of their lunches will also help get them excited about nutrition. Big kids can help with making sandwiches or wraps, and the little ones can help with putting veggies in Tupperware containers. Being involved in making their lunches will make for less of a chance that they’ll come home with uneaten food.
Tip #7: Practice food safety.
Most kids don’t have access to a fridge at school to store their food, so it’s likely that whatever they bring will be sitting at room temperature all day. It’s important to take steps to make sure that their food will stay safe to eat. Try putting a frozen juice box or water bottle in their lunch box to keep it cold. Thermoses are also great for keeping food such as soup or chili warm. Also, make sure that anything that needs to be heated up is in a microwaveable dish.
Tip #8: Be allergy aware!
Check with your child’s school for a list of allergies when preparing lunches.