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Back to School Balance

Ah, the back to school transition has begun. As the slow pace of summer starts to kick into high gear it is easy to fall into old ruts and routines. Transitional times, can also be the ideal time to create new routines and habits. So before school and work are back in full swing take a few minutes and ask yourself “What do I want this year to look like for myself and my family?” As a registered dietitian nutritionist, I have the health of your family in mind as I invite you to contemplate this question. Think about this transitional time as an opportunity to really focus on simple and easy ways to eat well and live well as a balance to the full swing of daily living.

Eating Well to Live Well

As you focus on your meal planning and grocery shopping, think about what motivates you. Most of us would like to have more energy and focus – for both ourselves and our family. Here are a few things to keep in mind to add balance to back to school busyness:

1. Plan snacks that refuel your body. Schedule snack time into your low energy points of the day. My favorite go to snack is trail mix. I buy a variety of essential ingredients from the bulk section – dried fruit, nuts and seeds, and something salty or sweet. In my family, we all create our own personal blend. These then get labeled and stored in glass jars on our pantry shelf to grab when we need it.
2. Know your limits. Sometimes it is just plain hard to get a full meal on the table. Eating well to live well is about reducing your stress, not adding to it! Give yourself permission to keep it simple. Grains can be made made in large batches and stored for 5 days in the refrigerator or freeze them. Top them with a veggie and a protein cooked in a simmer sauce, such as the Maya Kaimal Tikka Masala Simmer Sauce, great with both chicken or chickpeas. On a jam packed night, I am loving the Healthy Living Cooking Kits – tasty, locally and organically order ahead meal kits.
3. Choose nutrient dense “powerhouse” ingredients to add to what you are already eating. The Good Mix is a superfood blend of nuts and seeds that can be soaked overnight and eaten with yogurt or applesauce as a great breakfast option or add it directly to a smoothie, cereal, or a homemade energy bite. Note…the link goes to the correct recipe but it seems to be indexed wrong in the link wording. No time for making energy bites? Keep a stock of nutrient dense bars on hand in your pantry, your bag, and your car!! Rx bars and Lara bars are popular in my house and I love the simplicity of the ingredients.
4. Support the busyness of your life. Nourishment is not only about the food you eat, it is about the practice of self-care. Kids and adults need down time and good sleep especially when life is in full gear. Good Day Chocolate Kids Calm is a magnesium-rich supplement that can be useful when kids are just too wound up to wind down. Adults need down time too! Natural Vitality CALM powdered magnesium helps your body stay calm when stress is kicking in.

Written for Healthy Living by Kimberly Evans MS RD.
Kimberly Evans is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and food enthusiast with over 30 years of experience in helping clients achieve health as a lifestyle. She firmly believes the “good life” should be every day life. Kimberly has a life long love of ballet, running and yoga. Kimberly is passionate about making it easy to connect to multiple sources of nourishment to support your health and vitality.