Healthy Back to School Meals for Busy Parents
With summer winding down and the start of school around the corner, now is the time to start planning for a happy and healthy year ahead. Proper meal planning can be a huge help in making sure you and your family have healthy meals. Below are some tips that make it easier.
1. Stay energized all day long.
It’s often said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so make sure your family is eating a wholeso
me breakfast daily. Fruit and whole grain toast are options when in a hurry, and protein-filled eggs can leave you full and energized for the busy day ahead. Our Bacon and Egg Breakfast Pasta is a fun way to get your energy producing carbs and protein in one dish.
2. Make packable lunches in advance.
Save time and money by prepping lunches in advance if possible. Making a healthy, packable lunch can be easy – try these Veggie and Cheddar Egg “Muffins” with Tubetti, our ABC (Apple, Broccoli, Cheddar) Alphabet Pasta Salad or Chicken, Broccoli, & Cheddar Mac and Cheese Squares for a healthy, easy to carry lunch that kids and adults alike will love.
3. Pack in healthy veggies at dinner.
Making a healthy dinner doesn’t have to cost you lots of time and money. A veggie-filled meal is a great way to get essential health benefits without a high expense or heavy prep work. This Green Beans, Carrots, and Gemelli Pasta with Sherry Vinaigrette and Italian Wedding Soup with Swiss Chard, Carrots, & Tomatoes are both healthy, veggie filled meals that take less than 30 minutes to make and are under 300 calories!
4. Look at your week ahead.
With after school activities and busy work schedules, some days it might feel impossible to have a healthy dinner. But you can still have a healthy meal on these crazy days. Sundays can be a good opportunity to meal plan for the week and prepare a meal or two in advance that can be frozen for those days when you don’t have time to cook. For example, if you make a big lasagna to freeze, consider making two for extra meal planning! Click here for a list of recipes that are great for making in advance.
5. Prep Healthy Snacks Ahead of Time.
It’s so easy for kids and adults to reach for unhealthy snacks when we are starving or pressed for time. It can happen at work or after school. Stay one step ahead of unhealthy snacking by having nutritious snacks prepared and ready. Veggies and hummus, pre-cut fruit, or these Herbed Lasagna Chips are all great options!
6. Take Advantage of Local Farmers Markets.
Fall farmers markets are great resources for shopping local and getting the freshest fruits and veggies for all of your meals, not to mention a fun way to get children involved in meal preparation and inspire them to try new foods. Need some inspiration on how to use all that fresh produce? Read our blog post and watch our video below!
