Check out these meal prep hacks that will save you time and energy as you transition into the back-to-school routine!
This post contains affiliate links. That means that if you make a purchase after clicking on a link, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost from you.
Whether you are a busy parent or student, getting into the back-to-school routine can feel stressful or overwhelming. New routines, figuring out daily meals and homework can all get difficult to manage. One way to make this transition easier is to build time-saving meal prepping skills so you can have grab-and-go healthy lunches and snacks throughout school the year. Take a peek below for some convenient meal prepping hacks that will keep busy bellies nourished while also helping you save time and energy during the school year.
1. Plan Your Meals
Grab a weekly meal planner like my FREE digital weekly meal planner set and jot down your menu ideas for the week. Choosing 1 main course option for lunch, a snack choice along with a fruit and/or veggie option can be a great way to build a balanced lunchbox. For example, a main course of turkey and hummus wrap, side of carrots and a dip along with a snack size bag of whole grain crackers can be a great pick. If you're a parent, you can get your kids involved in selecting what food options they would like to have through the week. Once your list is complete, you can grocery shop and start prepping your meals!
2. Create A Weekly Snack Station
If you have a free counter space area or shelf in the fridge, you can build a mini grab-and-go snack station. For example, you can place small baskets on the counter labeled fruit, snack bars and crackers. In your fridge, you can place yogurt, string cheese and pre-sliced veggie cups on an easily visible shelf. This way, if you're a parent, your kids can easily grab pack their own snacks. If you're a student, you can conveniently pack your snacks on-the-go. You can update the items every week based off of your budget and preferences.
3. Make Ahead Freezer Sandwiches
Save time and effort by making sandwiches ahead of time and freezing them for the week. Some great ones to freeze include peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, chicken salad club sandwiches and egg and cheese English muffin sandwiches. Once your sandwiches are prepped, add 1-2 in an airtight baggie labeled with the name of each sandwich type. These sandwiches can be a grab-and-go option that will thaw by lunch time.
4. Build Your Own Lunchables
Create your own homemade lunchables by filling sections of a bento box (click this link for 15% off your purchase) with nourishing finger food choices. You can choose food items from each of the different food groups to create a balanced lunchable. You can select 1-2 proteins, 1 grain, 1 vegetable, 1 fruit and a dessert. For students, this can be an easy, throw together lunch that takes just a few minutes. For parents, this can be a fun lunch idea to get your kids involved in. You can provide your kids with a list of categorized food options and they can circle which options they would like for their own lunchable. To get started, check out my No-Cook Lunch Bento Box recipe or take a peek below for some lunchable ideas:
1. Mediterranean Lunchable:
Grain: Whole Grain pita slices
Veggies + dip: Hummus + bell pepper slices
Protein: Lemon garlic chicken strips
Fruit: Grapes
Dessert: Mini muffin
2. Veggie Pizza Lunchable:
Grain: Whole wheat english muffin
Protein: Shredded mozerella cheese
Dip/sauce: Tomato sauce
Veggies: Mushroom and baby spinach
Fruit: orange
Dessert: banana and oat cookie
3. Fiesta Lunchable
Grain: Seasoned brown rice
Protein: Lean ground beef , shredded chicken or black beans and cheese
Veggies & dip/sauce: corn, cucumber, and tomato salad and salsa
Fruit: mango chunks
Dessert: Small chocolate chip muffin
Hungry for more information ? Check out my previous posts below!
Let's connect! Share some your favorite back-to-school recipes on Instagram with the hashtag #doseofnutrition