Yesterday was our official back to school day. My girls were given their new school supplies (my almost two year old got her first all-her-own crayons and washable markers – she was thrilled). The day was spent coloring, doing math and reading, and making special treats.
And as we start making the transition to structured, busy school days and fall food, I realized that there are unique challenges to this season. For a mother keeping track of a lot of things at once, it can be challenging to keep a nourishing, well-rounded meal on the table at breakfast, lunch and dinner. Some of us have little’s at home who need snacks, children at school who need packed lunches, and both or one of parents of the family working outside the home. And then there are us who work at home too, which adds it’s own challenges.
All to say, I think we can easily take a month of looking at this topic of “Nourishing Back to School Recipes”. I, as well as my contributors will be sharing recipes and strategies in how to make the back to school season a nourishing one too.
I will be sharing a lot of fun (and hopefully useful to you) recipes, and I am looking forward to my guest contributors posts too. I’d love for you to share specific topics you’d like me, or one of the contributors to cover related to this certain season.
And if you don’t have children in school? There are still going to be a lot of recipes and ideas that you will find helpful too.
On this same note, I will be hosting a different and separate “carnival” (like Pennywise Platter) on the 21st where all of you can share your ideas on the topic of “Nourishing Packable Meals”. My hope is for us to share our favorite recipes and ideas for packable lunches that are nourishing too. So often our lunches are composed of unhealthy foods. Please join in!
You can bookmark (or pin on pinterest) this post, as I will update this page to include links to all future posts on this topic.
I will be doing a monthly blog theme for the rest of the year, which I really look forward to. So stay tuned for more!
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I would love ideas for breakfast. When I am trying to pack my husband’s lunch and get him out the door, get three (soon to be four) up, dressed, and to the table, dishes done, and laundry started, it seems like it is all too easy for it to be 10:00 before we are starting school!
Heidi,
I relate. Hopefully some of my recipes and ideas can help both of us. 😉
Heidi, i’ve got two ideas for you. I’ve recently been told by a couple of friends that they use their crock pot to make oatmeal, steel cut oats or quinoa cereal. They set it before bed and it’s ready in the morning. Slice up a banana and throw in a handful of raisins and a little french vanilla stevia or maple syrup and you’re good to go. Also, (if you’re egg free this won’t help you) boil a dozen eggs before bed, peel and refrigerate. Throw on a plate with fruit and a muffin and voila! Breakfast in 2 mins. Also, your hubby can grab a couple to eat as he heads out the door. Hope that helps. (I have 4 as well, 2 at home two in school)
Love this idea! We are a mostly stay at home and homeschool type but I seem to often struggle for lunches and snacks! Will be thinking on some ideas and checking back for new ones 😉
Jen,
So glad! I am really excited about the topic.
Great idea for a theme, lots of good topics could be covered. I would love to hear about dinner ideas that are nourishing but don’t take forever to get on the table after getting home from a full work day and dealing with practice and game pick-ups after 5:00. Crock-pot recipes, make-ahead meals, etc. Thank you!!!
Great ideas!
This is a simple on that I just read about last night and my mom used to do this when I was little. Get 4lbs of ground beef, 4 onions and 4 cloves of garlic. Chop, mince and brown. Separate it Ziploc freezer bags, 2 cups per bag. Freeze. Anytime you’re in a hurry for a meal throw a bag in the sink and cover it with water. It’ll be thawed by the time you have the remaining ingredients of your meal cut up. You can quickly add a few ingredients to make tacos or taco salad, sloppy joes, shepherd’s pie or even hamburger soup. You’ll have supper on the table in no time.
I do this, too. But I found, to thaw the meat in time, it had to be flat (3/4″-ish) in the ziploc (I do 1 lb. per bag). Bags of flattened beef in a stack. Easy to store. (I rarely use ziploc bags, but have never found a substitute for things like this.)
I’m so excited about this!!! We started back to school three weeks ago, and I’ve been struggling with making decent meals. I feel like I have the same menu every week where each day has it’s own personal meal. For example, we eat pizza on Saturdays, leftovers on Sundays, fresh veggies from the farmer’s market on Tuesdays, etc. It’s one less thing for me to think about or plan. :O) I’m looking forward to some new ideas that are simple & nourishing!! :O)
Having a plan definitely helps!
This would be so helpful as we have a tendency to get stuck in a rut when it comes to lunches for school.
Me too, me too. It’s been fun trying out new things recently.
I am so excited to see this! I work at home plus have a 2nd and 5th grader who are very active in sports so I am always struggling to find healthy meals that can be packed in lunch boxes or quickly put on the table. One snack item that works really well for me is making fruit smoothies. Easy enough to put a banana in along with coconut milk and some ground hemp seed for protein plus a lot of antioxidant rich foods they wouldn’t eat otherwise like blueberries and blackberries.
We adore smoothies too.
I am so excited for this! I struggle with lunch the most. It is so tough coming up with something nourishing but semi-quick during our homeschooling. I can’t wait for all your ideas, I know they will be great!
I need help with easy, healthy, and yummy lunches and snacks that are not processed. I tend to fall into a rut and my creativity flies out the door.
My current favourite quick at home or office snack is avocado with good quality tinned tuna or salmon, plus some walnuts or other nuts, topped with olive oil, salt, pepper and a little vinegar or lemon juiice. It’s obviously not that good for small kids’ school lunches, but it’s great for a quick home or office lunch.
Another quick home lunch my kids like is a handful of rice cooked in stock, with an egg or two swirled through – quick, easy and nourishing.
I’m also going to try these mini frittatas this week, as an alternative to sandwiches:
http://www.goodchefbadchef.com.au/recipes/311
I think they could quite easily be made grain-free too.
Great topic!! As a mom of 3 young ones and cooking with food allergies I have been wondering how I am going to keep preparing all this food with school starting (and remain my sanity LOL). We are coming off a period of time of being on a grain-free diet for healing and are introducing small amounts of gluten free grains. I would love breakfast ideas, options for gluten and dairy allergies would be great.
I’m excited to read more! I usually make enough dinner the night before to have leftovers for lunch. For me that’s the easiest because all that I have to do to get lunch ready is warm food up and steam a veggie. When that doesn’t work into the plan I make smoothies and sandwiches. As for snacking, we’re trying out the French’s food idea of 4 meals a day (3 and one after school snack for the kids- Adults only eat 3). So far it’s working out great, and boy do my kids make sure to fill up at meal times!
What a great topic! Both of my children have the convenience of a microwave in their classrooms. Now, the jury is still out on microwaves for me but it definitely broadens the types of food I can send in their lunches. I would love some ideas for things they can bring that are wheat free and can replace the dreaded sandwich. We don’t have any wheat allergies but are trying to get off it as much as possible. Lunches are especially challenging when you don’t want to use bread. Any suggestions would be lovely!!