Let’s be honest, how many of us have kept up with our kids nutritional goals and guidelines over the summer to keep them at their prime optimal functioning? Yeah not me. #MomFail. Lol While we’re talking about getting back into a school routine and we know that bedtime and wake up time are important. Another component that we need to discuss is nutrition and providing healthy snacks and lunches for our kiddos.
I know for me I’ve been eating a lot of sandwiches and quesadillas that I make on the stove really quickly. I haven’t seen many fruits or vegetables for the last month and I definitely have to get back into a healthier routine.
We all know the food pyramid. We all love the food pyramid if you’re my age you had the food pyramid shoved down your throat in second, third and fourth grade.
It used to be a pyramid and it was seen as a plate with a little dividers and every divider is a different color which reminds you of which category as food you’re supposed to be eating from. Honestly do what works.
I’ve heard people talk about making sure you’re eating the rainbow where you have your vegetables that are red yellow green you’re eating your protein, you are making sure you’re getting enough calcium which might be through dairy.
There are so many different ways that we can make sure that our kids are getting the right amount of the nutrients that they need. That it definitely isn’t rocket science for you.
“Cute” aka Visually Appealing Healthy Snacks
Some cute snacks that my mom used to make for me that definitely made it more interesting for me to want to eat were things like celery with cream cheese and little raisins stuck inside them or celery with peanut butter. My mom used to cut my sandwiches into squares and sometimes hearts. She got really creative with making my food look attractive so that I want to eat it.
And most of the time it worked. I know when my son was in elementary school he started to fight me on certain vegetables. I won this battle by buying a juicer and letting him put whatever he wanted into it to juice and then secretly adding things like spinach or a little extra protein powder or things like that that I knew would enhance his nutritional needs.
We always saved a little bit for the very end of our juicing and we used to tell people we were making vampire juice because once you put the beads in it change the color of his juice into red. He thought that was awesome. And so did I because my kid was eating meat. Sorry kid if you’re reading this right now yes I tricked you. No, I don’t feel guilty about it. You’re nice and healthy so you’re welcome!
Let’s Talk Lunch!
SIDE BAR. Lunch is also important. Sometimes an attractive lunchbox with some cool containers is all your kid needs to feel a little bit more positive about eating their healthy snacks and lunch. I can tell you that bringing them into the conversation and having them help pack their healthy snacks and lunches is definitely a win. And it’s not a big deal if you add a small cookie or a little brownie to their lunches. Some sugar is going to be detrimental to them.
I definitely noticed, specifically with middle school and high school as they start to make their own lunches, the conscious choices that they’re making to only put things in there that make them happy is definitely factoring into their nutrition. It may be my personal opinion, I think they’re probably other people around me who agree but an energy drink for a six grader is unnecessary.
It’s unhealthy, it gives them an abnormal spike in their hormones/energy levels and when the levels drop they’re left suffering the side effects from those chemicals in their body. It makes it harder for them to concentrate, it makes it harder for them to focus and it definitely doesn’t help them in any way. Starbucks is fun and easy but the caffeine levels can be difficult to navigate. However they do have some good pre-made snack options as well. Eggs and cheese and other little to go yummies.
Liquid Healthy Snacks Are Possible!!
Having conversations with your kids about healthy sleeping, drinking water, exercising and overall well-being will get them further than stopping at Starbucks every morning for a double espresso because they can’t seem to wake up and stay focused for the day.
Healthy snacks can be of the liquid version too.
There are tons of protein shakes out there but you could look into helping your kid get the vitamins and nutrients they need every morning on their way to school. Or after a full day of learning.
Before we knew that raw eggs were bad for us, my mom used to make my brother and I smoothies for breakfast on the way to school.
She used eggs and yes they were raw, and no I did not die(and neither did my brother!). She would put frozen fruit inside them, sometimes yogurt, sometimes honey, sometimes oats. The win-win in this scenario was I didn’t have to wake up 15 minutes earlier in the morning to eat a quotation mark, a well rounded breakfast quotation mark and my mom knew that I was getting some extra vitamins and nutrients I needed by way of our sneaky smoothie concoctions.
Premade & Prepping are Ways We Conquer Healthy Choices
Premade breakfast and lunches for the win! My boyfriend is more than obsessed with breakfast burritos. He likes to scramble up an entire carton of eggs mixed with spinach and mushrooms and tomatoes and cheese and pre-wrap some in his tortillas and then individually wrap them in tinfoil so that he can grab and go for breakfast sometimes he’ll even freeze them and defrost them on the weekends when he has a little extra time.
I am a huge meal prepper myself. I have seven or eight of my favorite recipes saved on my H-E-B online shopping app. When I’m running low on all of my frozen lunches I simply go to my H-E-B website, go to my favorites list and click select all. And depending on what my timeframe looks like I either have it delivered to my house at 8 AM on a Sunday morning. (And let me tell you that that five dollar delivery fee is worth every single penny.)
If I’ve got more time on my hands I have no problem driving up to HEB and picking it up curbside as well. Just so you know HEB did not pay me to talk about my H-E-B grocery shopping list. I wish they would because I spent all my money there and they might as well give me at least a discount. HINT HINT. (Anybody from H-E-B if you’re reading this, hook me up!)
Anyways I have about 50 of those meal prep to go containers in (also bought at H-E-B) and I get started on Sunday morning prepping all of my meals. I’ve actually gotten a pretty good system down, some things go straight into being baked, other things I do go in the air fryer, other things have to be sliced and diced and prepped and then cooked on the stove. Don’t mess with me on my meal prepping Sunday mornings. I am in beast mode. I get it done and after about 3 to 4 hours I have 40 to 50 individual meals ready for me to put in the freezer and take to work or eat at night when I don’t feel like cooking.
Making some healthy snack “to go” boxes can be fun too. Like your own ready made lunchables for your kids. Take some reusable containers and add some crackers, turkey meat, sliced cheese and nuts for a good wholesome snack they can grab and take somewhere to nosh on. Maybe some hummus, celery, cheese and other delights to entice your little snackers. Ask your kids to get involved and you will find much more engagement in eating the snacks and even making them! Whatever you try. Get creative and make some healthy snacks!