4 Back to School Meal Planning Hacks
If you’re like most, you’re probably not looking forward to the hustle and bustle of back-to-school meal planning. When your schedule picks up it's easy to resort to freezer meals or eating out. Here are some of my best nutritionist tips for keeping your kids (and yourself) eating healthy even in the midst of all the craziness life brings!
Plan Plan Plan!
You've heard the saying "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail" right? That's pretty accurate when it comes to eating well when you're busy. Scheduling some time out on a Sunday afternoon (or any other day) to plan out your meals for the week and do a big shop can make a huge difference. Grab a free meal-planning chart on Pinterest, print it out and plan every last meal and snack for each day. While you’re add it, write down any meal ideas that come to mind to make your meal planning easier next week. Additionally, we have meal plans available.
Have Enough Containers Before You Prep
There's nothing worse than prepping a huge batch of chilli and having nothing to put it in! Be sure to buy enough containers, preferably glass to avoid toxins in plastic, to make meal prep easier. Have as many containers as meals and snacks you'll be eating out throughout the week. If dinners are at home, you won't need individual containers for this. Have containers to keep snacks like cut up peppers, cucumbers and hummus on hand.
Don't Be Afraid to Repeat Meals
It can seem boring repeating meals during the week, but you can easily spice things up by changing up your seasonings and adding fresh herbs to make your meals less boring! Try out different recipes such as cashew, coconut milk or tahini-based sauces.
Choose Healthy Packaged Snacks or Prep in Bulk
It can be confusing trying to find healthy snacks without modified-this and hydrogenated-that. Here’s what I recommend doing:
Look for minimal ingredients
Always consult the ingredient list, not just nutrition facts
Avoid anything “hydrogenated”, “sugar-free” (usually replaced with artificial sweeteners), “low-fat” (usually high sugar) or “enriched” with synthetic nutrients.
Remember “trans-fat free” isn’t always true. They can still add trans fats up to 0.5g.
Look for snacks with natural fats and protein to keep your kids, and yourself, full.
Make your own snacks (ideas below!)
Breakfast Ideas:
Paleo waffles (you could try freezing them)
Egg muffins or Egg bake with veggies using dairy-free milk
Homemade granola with coconut yogurt, fresh fruit and almond butter
Lunch Ideas:
Whole food snack boxes made with pieces of whole chicken, fruits, seeds and gluten-free crackers
Coconut or brown rice flour wraps with beans, salsa, avocado and peppers
Salmon bites with cauliflower rice and roasted red peppers
Dinner Ideas:
Instant pot chicken or ribs with vegetables and natural BBQ sauce
Brown rice with sautéed vegetables and sugar-free, gluten-free stir-fry sauce
Whole roasted chicken with roasted butternut squash and balsamic asparagus
Snack Ideas:
Chocolate energy balls
Paleo granola bars
Almond flour muffins
Homemade hummus with carrots or Mary’s crackers
Snack boxes (P.S. I have a recipe collection with 25 whole-food snack box recipes available for purchase that your kids will love! They include quick finger-meals, energy bites, and other clean treats. Email me at asher@flourishnaturalwellness.com)
If you’re looking for more support to help you put healthy meals together as life gets busier, reach out to us! We offer meal plans and recipe collections to make meal prepping a breeze!
Asher Kleiber
Registered Holistic Nutritionist™
