A Back-To-School Meal Routine That Is Nutritious And Works For Busy Schedules

Getting kids back into a routine can be no small feat—bedtime routines need to be re-established, there are sports schedules to juggle, and homework that needs to get done. Parenting in 2024 is no easy task. And, yes, feeding your kids properly is another item on that Mt. Everest sized to-do list. I want to help—at least with the food side of parenting—and let you know it doesn’t have to be such a chore. In fact, it can actually be simple, efficient, cost effective and dare I say nutritious and delicious too? Yup, I did. It can be all of these things. Follow these four simple steps for an easy weekday routine to keep your kids healthy and happy, without overwhelming you in the process.

Have a Nightly “Special”, Plan Your Menu for the Week:

Carve out some time over the weekend or better yet at the end of the previous week, to plan the next week's dinner menu. You can even share it with your family and let them know what the “special” is for each night. From there, create a grocery list and block out time to shop with a little extra time post shopping—it doesn’t need to be longer than 30 minutes—to do a little ingredient prepping. Ingredient prepping versus meal prepping can look like this: hard boiling eggs, grilling chicken and cutting into strips, making overnight oats for the week, washing and chopping lettuce, and chopping veggies. These basic ingredient prepped items allow you to “assemble” meals versus spend too much time cooking each night. Good nutrition is of course of utmost importance when making a menu for the week. Choosing nutrient-dense foods with adequate protein, fiber, healthy fat and vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients is key to helping your kids grow healthy and stay energized. Lutein is a key nutrient I focus on for kids to help support vision performance and brain health. Lutein, a carotenoid that acts as a potent antioxidant, plays a starring role in supporting eye health. Found abundantly in the retina— there is three times as much lutein in the retina compared to what is found in blood—lutein acts as a natural shield against harmful blue light and ultraviolet rays. During the developmental years, lutein aids in the formation of healthy eye structures, setting the stage for optimal vision, making childhood a critical time for intake as well. Adequate lutein intake in childhood can have a lasting impact, contributing to a reduced risk of vision problems as one ages. The Lutemax 2020 Kid’s Supplementation Study: Efficacy for eye health and cognitive performance support found that supplementation in kids for 6 months significantly increased lutein and zeaxanthin status, increased visual processing speed and reduced eye strain and fatigue as a result of digital device use. It also improved aspects of cognitive health. Lutein is critical throughout the lifecycle. Two of my favorite lutein-rich foods to ingredient prep are: roasted broccoli and hard-boiled eggs.

Use Leftovers for Lunch Boxes:

Now that your kids are enjoying your dinners, why not serve them for lunch the next day? You’ll want to plan your dinners taking into consideration having leftovers for lunches, snacks and even breakfast. For example, let’s say you plan for Monday’s “special” to be grass-fed meatballs, chickpea pasta and roasted broccoli, you’ll want to plan on making double (or triple depending on you family) to use in lunchboxes the next day. Mini meatballs are especially kid friendly in a lunchbox. You can even use these foods for yourself as well. For example, roasted broccoli is easily added to an egg scramble or thrown on top of the salad you’re bringing to work. Between the items you ingredient prep ahead of time and doubling up dinners, there should be plenty of foods available to meal assemble all week long.

Get the Kids Cooking:

Getting the kids involved in shopping and food preparation increases the likelihood that they will eat the food. Bring them to the grocery store, let them pick out a new fruit or veggie and have them help with the ingredient prepping post shop as well. There are lots of great kitchen tools that are kid friendly and they serve as the perfect way to introduce your kids to cooking while empowering them at the same time. You can have them wash the vegetables, mix ingredients, or take the items out of the fridge. This can make meal time and prep more fun and less of a struggle. Dips are always a good way to get kids mixing—they all seem to love mixing. Red peppers are the perfect lutein-rich dipping tool.

Skip the Juice, Blend Up a Smoothie:

Instead of throwing in a juice box to the lunchbox, try swapping in a nutrient-dense smoothie. Juice boxes may contribute a tiny bit of nutritional value, but for the most part, they’re pure sugar. Smoothies, on the other hand, made with nutrient-dense fruits and veggies retain not only the nutrients such as vitamin C and lutein but also fiber, which kids don’t generally get enough of. Kids love this avocado banana smoothie made with lutein-rich spinach.