10 Tips for a Healthy School Year

This year this topic has a double meaning. 

Not only will my little one be in preschool this year, but mama herself will be attending Massage school. So I have been looking hard for some easy, healthy recipes to keep the both of us going for the school year. 

I've found that planning and healthy shopping can help make the transitions easy!

1. The Sneaky Chef: This website is indespensible for getting kids (and adults) to eat healthy, We devour the  Cold Sesame Noodles, and the honey bbq chicken nuggets. They would all be great for a school lunch!
2. Set Limits: Every kid is going to want some snacks. Try out healthy options like fruit leather, my little one is quite sure that the Cliff Z Bars are equal to a chocolate bar!
3. Make Extra, choose dinner options that easily transfer to lunch. Brown rice is good cold, as is roasted chicken. We often will make potatoes here that are great added to a lunch meal. I'll saute veggies leftover from dinner and serve with some soy sauce and leftover rice! Be creative!
4. Cook for the week: I'll make a pasta salad loaded with veggies and serve it every day, I'll mix up the veggies to different ones everyday and add some cheese. Its a big favorite around here, and I can never seem to make enough of it.
5. Get your checkups: Get your well child visits out of the way, make your appointments now, everybody is going to be racing to make their last minute appointments after school begins, if you start them now you'll be ahead of the crowd, and your child won't have to worry about last minute vaccines. Last year Annabella was forced to get four shots in one day because I had to start work. I want to avoid those situations as much as possible
6. Get active: Start exercising together!, its easy to loose track when it comes to homework and school friends and hopefully kids are playing sports. But for the bookworms, try to plan family activities like a weekly hike. Not only is it great exercising, but you can notice all the different Seconal changes that occur!
7. Limit TV: Start limiting hours in front of the television now so that kids are ready to forfeit time in front of the screen for time in front of the books, start family reading hours! Everyone in the family will benefit!
8. Eat Breakfast: It is the most important meal of the day, practice getting up early and cooking whole meals, whether it be a quick oatmeal or some hearty pancakes! Practice getting two to three food groups in! 
9. Get Bedtime in order: Healthy Bedtime routines lead to healthy sleep, experts recommend turning off the television at least an hour before bedtime (hmm great time to get that family reading in?)
10. GO VEG!: Try eating one vegetarian meal a week, its good for you and the environment. Also its EASY! Substitute meat for tofu, or just eat veggies for the night. Want a real challenge? Try going RAW one night a week!

Good luck with the school year! Remember after 30 days it REALLY becomes a habit. So start those habits now and it will be second nature by the time school comes around! Starting these habits are good for not just the school year but good for life!

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Transitions Lenses blogging program, for a gift card worth $50. For more information on how you can participate, click here

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