Back to School Cool

By: Alannah Codrington

It is officially back to school and back to routine! With the start of school that can bring changes in the amount of leisure time we have and can change our eating habits as well.

Just like with our school and work schedules it's also important to establish good time management habits for eating and making lunch from the beginning of the school year so they can stick with us to the end.

Here are some tips to get us back into a lunch making routine…

Plan your lunches for the week!

Meal planning can help us stay on track with various health goals and ensure that we're getting a healthy variety of foods in our diet. It can also help us avoid getting into the cycle of making the same lunches over and over again. Start on Sunday night and write down the different lunches and snacks you want to have in the following week. Take this time to look and see if the ingredients are there to make the lunches and make a shopping list too. That way we don't have to go to the grocery store multiple times per week and we can save some time.

Get the kids to join in and help too!

Have the kids join in with making a routine too! Sometimes doing it ourselves may be faster, however getting kids to take part in any way regardless of how small can help them feel more responsible and perhaps more likely to appreciate and eat what they help make for themselves.

Prepare the night before!

We all know how rushed our mornings can be at times. Try fully making lunch or at least prepping as much of lunch the night before. Perhaps what was eaten for dinner can be packed up and eaten for lunch some days too. Think of the time saved in the morning!

Be inspired!

Let's be real, thinking about what to eat everyday can seem like a task every week if you're all out of ideas. Luckily there are soo many places to look for inspiration! Now is the perfect time to look through a magazine or book, read articles online, scroll through pinterests, instagram, and find a cool food blog, they will all have a back-to-school features for September.

Get the right tools for the job!

Back to school season, means back to school sales! Scope out the best deals for lunch and breakfast storage containers. Ideally glass containers are the best options because unlike plastics, they don't contain heavy chemicals that leech into our foods when they are heated. From a thermos for hearty soups, to bento-style containers that can store a sandwich and yummy snacks having the right tools for the job, give us more lunch idea options.

Yes we know life gets hectic with all the homework, extracurricular activities, work, cleaning and cooking. So why not give some of our tips a try! You know here at CookSmart we are all about getting kids involved in the cooking and cleaning up of meals too!

After School School Programs are here! Some have even already started! Don’t forget to register your kids, there are still some spots left!

Enjoy and remember…..

Keep Cooking!

A yummy grain bowl!