Top Tips for Back-to-School

Vacations are over, the days are getting shorter and the back-to-school buzz is in the air! Manage the stress of this transition with my top five tips for back-to-school. 

 

• Plan your meals and grocery shopping.

 

I know, I know… broken record here, and this won’t be the last time you read those words! But, this is honestly THE BEST habit to set your food environment up for success. Planning in advance helps avoid those 5 pm evenings staring at the fridge wondering what the heck you’re going to make for dinner, and the desperate search on UberEats or drive through McD’s to grab something quick. It saves time and money when you know what’s on the week’s menu. 

 

• Cook in batches on the weekends.

 

This tip ties in nicely with tip #1. Part of planning your meals can be batch cooking on the weekends to stock your fridge or freezer for the week. My favorite meals to batch cook are chili, casseroles, stews, curries, soups and tomato sauce for a quick pasta meal. 

 

• Plan balanced, on-the-go breakfasts.

 

Planning again? Yes! Plan a breakfast the day before that the fam can eat at home or on the road to school or work. Overnight oats or a fruit and yogurt parfait are easy to make the night before and keep in the fridge. Other quick breakfasts include a banana and peanut butter rolled in a tortilla or a hard-boiled egg with a granola bar and fruit. 

 

• Make snacks easy to access.

 

This one can help facilitate older kids and teens to prepare their lunches too, so well worth the effort to set up! Assign a section of the fridge and pantry for easy-to-grab snacks. Think things like yogurt and cheese, cut up vegetables and fruits with hummus, pre-portioned trail mix, granola bars, crackers, etc. 

 

• Learn to live with the chaos.

 

Didn’t get to planning this week? Not sure what to make for dinner tonight? Sometimes, even with the best intentions, we find ourselves at 5 pm with no idea what to make. That’s OK! That’s life and the best thing to do is embrace those moments and give ourselves grace. A bowl of cereal for dinner once in a while never hurt anybody, so don’t stress those times.

 

Jenn Giurgevich is the founder of Spark Nutrition & Health, a virtual nutrition consulting business.
Visit www.sparknutritionandhealth.ca for more information.