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!
- 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.
- Decide some good breakfasts to have on hand just in case the mornings are rough at first! Some things you can make ahead are:
- Pancakes
- Muffins
- Waffles
- French Toast- cook it up, cool then freeze
- 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.
- Granola bars made yourself
- Crock pot or freezer meal breakfast casserole
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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!