Sending the kids back to school is always fraught with mixed feelings often including stress. It’s getting the family ready, making sure they have food, dropping or sending them off, then there’s pick up, sports training, and getting dinner on the table all while you’re trying to run the world at work or manage a household. It’s a lot. That’s why we have 5 food tips for heading back to school and work so you can ease yourself into getting back in the swing of things.

1. Plan ahead

Forget the stress by planning meals for the week ahead of time, take the time to write out a meal plan, and include everything from lunch ideas for the kids AND yourself, around dinners that are easy to prepare after the school pick up & homework session.

It’s an easy way to make sure you have what you need on hand, give yourself one less thing to think about in the afternoon, and because the kids know what’s on the menu, you can avoid the constant question of ‘What’s for dinner?’

2. Start the day the right way

Breakfast is a critical part of healthy eating, it sets us up with the energy needed to power through busy days whether they’re at the office or running around the playground. Brekky doesn’t have to be complicated to be healthy & nourishing.

In summer, try things like smoothies, bircher muesli and overnight oats, and as we eventually get back into winter, try eggs on toast or rolled oats.

3. Keep lunchboxes fresh & easy

This goes for kids & grown ups alike. Salads, sandwiches, and left overs all make great meals for lunchtime, we even have customers who send Dineamic tray meals with their kids for lunch sometimes! Its just a case of asking a teacher to give them a zap in the microwave.

Regardless of what you choose, go for a balance of veggies, carbs & protein. Go for a range of colours to ensure a diverse range of nutrients, and don’t be afraid of things like veggie sticks with nut butters or healthy dip options to complement the meal.

4. Skip the cooking

Back to school means back to work for many parents, so when you’re wrangling the troops and getting back to busy days at work, it’s a good idea to have meals on hand that involve minimal cooking. There are a raft of ways to skip the shopping, chopping, cooking and cleaning, Dineamic is one of them of course.

Some of our favourite family dinners include:

Mexican fiesta – think burritos, tacos or nachos made with our Chicken Burrito Mix or our Beef Chilli Con Carne.

Thai ‘takeaway’ – for fast Thai flavour, try our Thai Yellow Chicken Curry or Thai Green Chicken Curry. Just add rice, and top with fresh coriander & sliced Chilli.

Indian Curry night – Try our Korma Lamb Curry or Butter Chicken Curry with rice & greens. For a little something extra, grab some pappadums from the supermarket & zap them in the microwave before serving.

5. Get moving!

Amongst the craziness, it can be easy to skip exercising but try to keep active even if it’s something like going for a walk as a family in the evening. This is a great way to catch up with the family & check in on how the day went, plus it’s away from distractions like the TV or your phone so you’re really present and listening to how everyone is.

Many people find that they sleep better when they’ve got some exercise and the family time is an added bonus!