I don’t know about you, but I thought when the kids went back to school that life would slow down. Boy was I wrong! Between drop offs, pick up, virtual school for Addie, in person school for Lawson, therapies, and all the household and work responsibilities- I sometimes feel overwhelmed with making meals or snacks. Surely I’m not alone! I often look for fast back to school food ideas whenever school starts until we get into the swing of things.
If you’re like me and trying to get fast back to school food ideas for your family, look no further. I’ve got some great foods that you can incorporate in your family’s busy schedule.
Feeding America
If you didn’t know, September is Hunger Action Month. During this time, Feeding America and the
national public come together to raise awareness and inspire action to help people that are facing
the impossible choices of hunger. As a former teacher, I saw hunger often with students. I was so glad to see that our school district offered free meals and would send students home with bags of food each weekend. Food shouldn’t be an impossible choice. For millions of people in America, meals aren’t based on what they want to eat. They’re a choice between food and other important needs like medicine, electricity, or childcare.
Veggies Made Great
There are many times where my schedule is so busy and I just don’t have time to make lunch. It gets tiring grabbing fast food, and honestly, it gets expensive. Being able to grab something that’s nutritious and quick is so helpful for me. I love Veggies Made Great products for a quick snack or even fast lunch. The Egg White Fritatas are perfect when I’m running back and forth from school drop off, therapies, pick up, and more. They have 5g of protein and only 70 calories per serving, plus they’re keto friendly.
Veggies Made Great’s Double Chocolate Muffins are everyone’s favorite in our house. I love packing half in a lunchbox for Lawson on school days and saving the other half for when he comes home as a snack. I definitely have been known to sneak one as a quick veggie-rich breakfast too. They’re just so good! Zucchini and carrots are the first two ingredients (great for picky eaters) and each has nearly 30% veggies! When you try them, don’t forget to get your Veggies Made Great coupons before you go to the store!
Mighty Sesame Organic & Harissa Tahini
Lawson and Mathew both use Bento boxes for their lunches. Though Lawson is only 3 and Mathew is a grown man, we pack their lunches at the same time in the evenings, so many times they have similar lunches. We love doing charcuterie type lunches and always try to include a veggie. Carrots, snap peas, bell pepper, broccoli, or cauliflower are great in lunches with a side of Mighty Sesame Organic Tahini or Mighty Sesame Organic Harissa Tahini. They make a delicious dip with lots of flavor and are an excellent source of protein. It’s a nice change of pace from ranch dip!
King Arthur Baking Company
I grew up with a dad that worked many night shifts. When he would take off work, he would go to the grocery store, grab things to make breakfast, and make us a big, hot meal. Now that I’m an adult, I find myself wanting to do the same for my family. One time saver for back to school meals is making pancakes after dinner. My family loves the King Arthur Buttermilk and Confetti Pancake Mixes because I can make pancakes at night, put them in some baggies, and we can heat them up in the morning. I like them because all I have to do is add water and mix. They taste so good, are nice and fluffy, and I am grateful for how fast they are to make.
Minute Rice
We’ve been using Minute Rice for years. It’s fast and convenient- something this mama needs for meal time. With cooler temps around the corner, I love making a quick Arroz con Leche (aka Rice Pudding) with White Minute Rice. I just take 1 minute to heat it, add milk, cinnamon, and some sugar to have a breakfast treat I can take with me in the car on busy mornings. I just eat it straight out of the cup!
For lunch time I love the Minute Rice Brown & Wild Rice. I usually have some leftover meat from dinner and I mix it with rice for Lawson. It’s a great way to get healthy foods into his body so he can fuel up for the second half of the day. The boy has lots of energy!
