For most of us, we remember Labor Day marking the end of summer and the start of school. These days, we see more and more schools starting in August and by Labor Day, everyone is back “in the swing.” While this is somewhat of a relief to most parents we know, domestic harmony may be slightly less than perfect as the groans and moans start from the kids. We’ve put together a list of ways to make the transition back to school easy!
- Eat well. Not just you – use what you know about solid nutrition to give the kiddos good energy and boost their brainpower throughout the day (don’t worry – we have tons of family-friendly ideas!)
- Get plenty of rest to boost immunity and fight off the avoidable colds that come with going back to school.
- Need some extra TLC? Join us for MyCambiati (new 12pm Friday session added, starting next week on 9/13!) or a cleanse class starting soon!
Get Plenty of Rest
For many, the end of summer and heading back to school means going back to a regular routine (which we know is a relief to many parents!). Use that to your advantage and focus on a regular sleep schedule for the whole family. Routine is key – give it a chance to succeed by going to sleep at the same time each night. Getting adequate rest is crucial for all of us, especially to bolster immune function – extra important once kids start bringing home all those extra germs from the classroom!
Step Away From the Junk Food…
We think it’s a shame that a lot of “kid friendly” food is basically garbage. Devoid of nutrients and full of processed carbs, bad fats, and lots of sugar (or sugar substitutes), it’s a shock kids can make it through the school day at all. While we know most kids aren’t perfectly CambiatiClean, we have some great ways to enhance the whole family’s health and wellbeing.
Snack smart. A general rule of thumb when preparing a balanced meal or snack we love is to practice “no naked carbs.” For example, it would mean combining apple slices with almond butter, or crackers (preferably seed based and/or gluten free) with hummus. This makes for a more satisfying snack, balanced blood sugar and longer lasting energy (without the crash!).
And of course – boost brainpower for kids of all ages with a good breakfast! If you’re like most, your house is a bit chaotic in the morning (to say the least). Shakes are a great tool that can be made ahead and tailored to even the most finicky eater’s preference. (For kids, don’t worry too much about measuring fruits and be liberal with the healthy fats.) Try this recipe for a Strawberry Cucumber Mint shake!
Here are some of our favorite CambiatiClean meal and snack ideas for kids of all ages:
- PaleoBars make great snacks or emergency breakfast when everything has gone haywire.
- Quinoa salads work great cold in a lunch – try this Spicy Quinoa Recipe (skip the jalepenos if your family doesn’t like spicy!)
- Nori roll ups: mash avocado and julienned veggies onto a large piece of toasted nori, roll and chop into bite sized pieces. This is also a fun way to get everyone involved in lunch making!
- Who doesn’t love Meatballs? Make a batch for dinner the
ight before and use the leftovers for lunches. - For dessert? How about a beautiful piece of fruit, or if you’re feeling fancy – fruit skewers?
- Gluten free crackers or chopped veggies and hummus or guacamole
- Sliced apple or carrots with almond butter (trust us, it’s yummy!)
And skip the sugar and empty calories with juices – invest in a good reusable water bottle instead. PaleoReds and C+ (mixed together it tastes like fruit punch and boosts immune function to boot!) is a great substitute. Kids love it!
Want even more family friendly ideas? We’re always adding to our Cambiati Pinterest boards, and check our Facebook for new ideas from the Cambiati Community!