For a quick make-ahead weekday breakfast that works in a lunch box, too, assemble yogurt parfaits in a jar. They're protein-rich, nutritious, and kid-friendly.The steps:<ul><li>Spoon 3/4 cup Greek yogurt into a jar with a lid. </li><li>Drizzle 1 to 2 teaspoons maple syrup over the yogurt, top with 1/3 cup melted frozen raspberries, and finish with a spoonful of granola or toasted nuts. </li><li>Cover with a lid and refrigerate until ready to eat.</li></ul>

Make a portable breakfast parfait

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

Make a DIY trail mix bar

<ul><li>A lot of people get discouraged thinking meal prep has to mean prepping everything or nothing. Find a middle ground that works for you.</li><li>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!</li><li>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.</li></ul>

Prep (but don't cook everything) on Sunday

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.

Freeze batches of dinner soups, sauces, and curries

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

Freeze your breakfast favorites

Setting up for breakfast before going to bed will save time and stress in the morning. <ul><li>For example, use the timer on your coffee machine.</li><li>If you are having cereal, put out the bowls and spoons along with the cereal boxes. </li><li>Have washed berries in a bowl ready to grab from the fridge. </li></ul>Packing lunches the night before also means that parents can enjoy their food instead of scrambling to get lunchboxes ready.

Set up for breakfast before bed

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

Schedule afternoon snacks

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.

Encourage your kids to prep their lunches

<ul><li>Setting aside an hour or two on a Saturday or Sunday will help you tremendously during the school week.</li><li>Look on Pinterest, flip through your favorite magazines, or look online to search for recipes. Create a menu for the week.</li><li>Once you have some dinner recipe inspiration, write a grocery list and go shopping.</li><li>Feel free to get your kids involved too.</li></ul>

Set your menu for the week

Back to school resources & advice for parents

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Back to School Basics for Parents

Back to school: easy tips for breakfast, lunch, snacks

Getting back into the school routine can be stressful and daunting for parents, not least when there's that added pressure to give your kids the nutrition their brains need to thrive. Follow these easy tips for breakfast, lunch, snacks, and dinner and you'll be golden for that first week and onwards.