Meal-Prep Hacks for the First Week Back to School and Beyond

Setting up for breakfast before going to bed will save time and stress in the morning.

• For example, use the timer on your coffee machine.
• If you are having cereal, put out the bowls and spoons along with the cereal boxes.
• Have washed berries in a bowl ready to grab from the fridge.

Packing lunches the night before also means that parents can enjoy their food instead of scrambling to get lunchboxes ready.

• Make waffles from scratch and freeze them. Then, in the morning, just pop them in your toaster oven, and you are set.
• Also, you can make hard-boiled eggs the night before and store them in the fridge.

Prepare lunch-packing bins on Sundays. Keep one in the fridge stocked with things like string cheese, yogurt, veggies, and washed fruit and one on the counter with items like granola bars, nuts, and single-serve applesauce pouches.

You can pick other ingredients/foods, but this gives them a good start and streamlines the process because everything is quick to grab and pack.

Have prepared one balanced snack after school and then tell kids that the next opportunity to eat will be at dinner.

Make sure that the snack has protein, high fiber carbohydrate, and some fat to keep little tummies satisfied.

Some examples would be plain Greek yogurt + granola + fruit or veggies + hummus + oatmeal cookie or half of an egg salad sandwich + milk

For a crunchy snack that packs more nutrients than chips or cookies, set up a DIY trail mix bar and let your kids make their own:

• Put out favorite nuts, seeds, dried fruit, dark chocolate chips, pretzels, whole-grain cereal, dehydrated fruits, etc.
• Give your child small reusable containers or wax paper bags to assemble their own trail mix.
• Make multiple bags to store for quick grab-and-go snacks for days to come.

• A lot of people get discouraged thinking meal prep has to mean prepping everything or nothing. Find a middle ground that works for you.
• Prep the bare minimum—have raw veggies ready to roast and protein ready to cook. Grains like rice will last all week when prepped in advance!
• Having a few staples ready will hold you accountable, encouraging you to stick with your plan, but also provide flexibility to modify as life happens throughout the week.

Keep your freezer stocked with dinner items like pasta sauce, chili, soup, and curries.

A well-stocked freezer will save you from that dreaded 5 p.m. scramble of trying to decide if you can piece together a meal or if you should order in.