We are nearing the time of year when early mornings and stress collide as you and your family get ready to go back to school. If you’re not prepared for the schedule changes, this new shift can hit you like a ton of bricks, the change of a healthy lifestyle can feel overwhelming, and your energy tank may always be on empty.  Here are 4 tips to help you make a smooth transition getting back-to-school ready and maintaining your healthy lifestyle:

  • Plan ahead. Planning takes time, so you may need to find an extended break like a weekend day to plan ahead. Create menus, shopping lists, and schedules so you know what to eat and when you are going to have breaks to exercise or de-stress. It may seem tedious at first but it will really help you in the long run. Taking the thought out of food and what to do in your downtime is important as a busy family so you are not wasting extra minutes during the day trying to figure it out. Efficiently managing your time also allows you more room for rest, exercise, or doing an activity that helps you de-stress.
  • Buy convenience foods. It’s important when building your list to find foods that will be fast when your schedule gets busy. Grocery stores have really enhanced healthy prepared foods to help you get where you need to go when you don’t have time to do it yourself. These foods are great when you have a packed schedule or when you forget to go shopping the week prior. You can easily find frozen, pre-prepared, or shelf-stable products like canned tuna, trail mix, granola bars, pre-cut fruits and vegetables, and even pre-cooked grains that can all help complete a meal and cut down prep time. For emergencies, stock enough of these shelf-stable/frozen products to get you out of a pinch weeks down the road.
  • Use fast cooking methods. Our website, Jan Tilley’s Healthy Meals for Hurried Families cookbook (on sale for $10 during the month of August!), and our dietitians can offer many quick recipes that fit your meal plan and lifestyle. In general, slow cooker recipes, one-pan meals, and stir fry dishes are great options that can get your family seated and eating healthy in 30 minutes or less. Come see us if you want more specific tips!
  • Establish rituals. Sometimes you just have to make the time. Negotiable habits like watching TV, scrolling through social media, or checking your work emails outside of work need to be sacrificed to get in a work out, get enough sleep, or to make time to de-stress. Now is the time to really look at what rituals you have and what you can change (even if they are 10 minutes increments) to establish a healthier lifestyle.