One thing that can get out of control when it comes back to school time is meals! For me the chaos hours of 4-6p are the worst. Knowing that, I need to make sure I start preparing for it now! Here’s some tips! back toschool3.jpg

  1. Start limiting snacks now. My kids are grazers, they get it from me. They are so used to just going and grabbing a quick snack throughout the day before they go outside to play. The older kids are way past school snack time, so getting them back in the routine of eating a good breakfast and not “expecting” a snack at 10am is something we start working on now.
  2. Decide some good breakfasts to have on hand just in case the mornings are rough at first! Some things you can make ahead are:
    1. Pancakes
    2. Muffins
    3. Waffles
    4. French Toast- cook it up, cool then freeze
    5. Breakfast Burritos- choice of meat, veggies, cheese, scrambled eggs in a burrito then freeze. Make a big batch. Only takes a minute or two to warm in microwave.
    6. Granola bars made yourself
    7. Crock pot or freezer meal breakfast casserole
    8. Breakfast bites- use muffin tin and layer tater tots, choice of meat/veggie diced thin, cover with scrambled egg mixture then covered with cheese. Put in oven 350 degrees. Freeze, warms well in microwave for just a few minutes.
    9. Have the ingredients for smoothies on hand. Yogurt, orange juice, fruit, can add veggies or granola. Only take a few minutes to mix and can enjoy on the go.
  3. Have a snack ready for when they get home or off the bus. Using a clear container in your fridge with portioned amounts or a bin in your pantry will help. You can get this all ready the night before as well and could make enough for a week. Think about high protein snacks for those that had lunch early. Boiled eggs, protein balls, fruit and peanut butter are easy ideas.
  4. Plan on simple meals until you have a routine down for school nights. Crock pot meals, freezer meals, or quick casserole/grill meals are wonderful. Meal planning and knowing your schedule helps a ton! Create a place in your kitchen to let everyone know what supper will be. I use a photo frame with some scrapbook paper behind the glass. This way I can use a dry erase marker to write on the glass.. super easy!

 

What are you favorite tips or meals for back to school? I’d love to hear!

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