HEALTHY KIDS · AUGUST 2018
How to Kick Off a Healthy School Year for Your Family
Believe it or not , the summer is almost over . That means it ’ s time to trade in the beach towels for backpacks , and the lazy pool days for packed sports schedules . But , just because your routine is about to ramp up , it doesn ’ t mean your family ’ s health has to pay the price .
Yes , the kids will be busier and your schedule as the designated family chauffeur is going to fill up fast . But , with a little planning and organization , your family can still eat healthy and clean amidst all the chaos .
By Jenn Baxter
PLAN AHEAD
First , make sure you set aside some time to plan your meals ahead of time . Sunday is a great day to do this since it sets you up for the week . Sit down with your favorite recipes — whether they ’ re from Pinterest , magazines or your grandma — and write out a list of all the ingredients you ’ ll need . To make things even easier and more efficient , group your list items into categories that match the departments in the grocery store — dairy , meats , produce , beverages , etc . Make sure you also set the coming week ’ s recipes aside somewhere where they ’ ll be easily accessible . This could be on a cookbook stand on your kitchen counter , tacked to a pegboard on the wall , or even pinned to a separate board on Pinterest .
PREP AHEAD
Once you ’ ve picked out your healthy and clean meals for the week and done your grocery shopping , get some of your prep work out of the way ahead of time . Chop up vegetables and fruits , cook up dry ingredients like quinoa or rice , and marinate meats and seafood in preparation for the week ’ s meals . Then , store the ingredients in the fridge until you need them . If you ’ re feeling extra ambitious , you can even cook some of your meals ahead of time , so all you have to do is reheat them during the week .
CHOOSE A DINNER TIME
Because everyone has such busy schedules these days , family dinners often fall by the wayside . But it ’ s never been more important to sit down and have some quality time with your family . So choose a time that works best with your family ’ s schedule , when everyone can sit down together . It may require a little finagling and creative scheduling , but even if you end up eating a little earlier or later than you ’ d like , it will be worth it when you ’ re all together .
GET YOURSELF SOME HELP
If you ’ re overwhelmed by the thought of planning healthy meals for your family five ( or seven ) days a week , get yourself some help by using a meal planning or meal delivery service . Companies like Hello Fresh , Plated , and Blue Apron will send you everything you need to make easy and deliciously healthy meals for your family . Just go online and pick out your recipes , and a box with all the pre-measured ingredients will come straight to your doorstep .
PACK HEALTHY LUNCHES
Keeping your kids ’ lunches healthy may be the most challenging part of your backto-school routine since not everyone is as excited about kale as you are . But there are still ways to keep their lunches healthy . Make sure to pack them with plenty of protein with foods like organic turkey breast , non-GMO cheese sticks , nuts like almonds and cashews , or protein bars . Add in some healthy sweets like strawberries , blueberries , or apples . And , of course , encourage them to choose water over soda by offering options like flavored water , sparkling water , or water enhancer packs that they can carry with them .
And at the end of the day , if you do have to order pizza one night or swing through the Chick-Fil-A drive through , remember , it ’ s not the end of the world .
Make sure you extend yourself the same patience that you would to a family member or a close friend . And don ’ t stress yourself out if some nights it ’ s all about convenience . Just try to stick to healthier options like organic , gluten-free , and sugar-free , and give yourself the grace to start again tomorrow !
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