This week's back-to-school challenge is Meal Prep! If you missed our first week of the back-to-school series, read my last blog post to get all the info on Getting Your Kids' Clothing Organized. We also have a free Back to School Reset Checklist you can download.
Life looks so different when kids are at school for the majority of the day. Having systems in place to help them eat a healthy breakfast and after-school snack and then independently prep a healthy lunch makes such a difference in both a parent's and a kid's day. Resetting an entire pantry can be a big undertaking if you've never done it before. If you haven't tackled your pantry organization yet, don't worry. Just focus on the areas of the pantry that affect your morning and after-school routines. Here are the 3 zones that should be looked at for a reset. As you analyze each space, keep your list handy for groceries - as well as baskets or bins that might help you better create zones.
Back to School Reset
Creating a Breakfast Zone
This is an area where a little bit of planning and structure will save so much decision-making time and create healthier and happier mornings. There are so many systems that work for different people. Decide now what yours will be.
Do you want to have breakfast at a set time? Set a daily reminder and make it happen.
Do you want to make breakfast for your family each morning? Plan ahead with meal planning and schedule prep time into your morning routine.
Do you want your kids to independently prep their own breakfast? Talk with them about what they want to learn how to make and teach them. Have them give their feedback on your shopping list.
Are mornings super fast-paced and do you need the quickest approach? Plan quick meals (cold cereal, frozen waffles, yogurt and granola, toast, hard-boiled eggs, etc) and organize zones in your freezer, fridge, and pantry so it is easy to grab what you need.
Snack Zone
I have found that having a snack drawer with easy-to-grab, healthy options makes a huge difference for my kids. We are usually running around from the second they get home from school, so grabbing a quick snack is super nice and convenient. I love having them in a drawer when possible because it is separate from the pantry. My kids know the snack drawer is only for lunch prep and after-school on-the-go situations. Wherever you end up putting it…creating a snack zone in your pantry, a drawer, or a cabinet will help your kids know what items are acceptable for after-school grabbing as well as lunch making. See this before and after we did on Shea McGee's snack drawer!
Lunch Packing Zone
Plan healthy options kids will eat and place all meal prep items close to each other. I keep thermoses, paper bags, napkins, Ziploc baggies, little jokes and notes I like to sneak in their lunches, etc. all in one spot. If they use a reusable lunch bag, I like to have a lunchbox cleaning zone.
To help kids prep their own lunches, I like to teach my kids the elements of a healthy lunch. Whether it is baskets in the pantry or fridge with a label explaining how many of each item they can pack, a list reminding them of what constitutes a healthy lunch, or pre-packing our lunches together at the beginning of the week, there are many easy ways to help kids take ownership of prepping healthy lunches on their own.
Separate by:
Proteins: Choose 1
Fruits and Vegetables: Choose 2
Dairy: Choose 1
Establish systems with your kids that will work for your family. Will it work best to make their lunch for the next day right when they get home from school and empty their lunch bag? Is right before bed a better time to prep for the following day? Will your kids be more successful if you prep for an entire week on Sunday by putting veggies and fruit in baggies and freezing PB&J sandwiches? Try to find a system that will work for your schedules and food preferences and make your space work for you.
Once you have reset these three zones and your grocery shopping list is full, plan your family feast for Sunday as well. We like to get Martinelli's and toast to the new school year. We also have a tradition of making fondue. Whatever it is, get that grocery order made and plan your trip to Costco or anywhere else you need to go.
Here are some of my favorite things I use to organize the food zones in my kitchen:
Glass jars for oatmeal, malt o meal, and other breakfast items.
Fruit basket to keep fresh, washed fruit for grab and go lunches.
Plastic bag drawer organizers to keep in the lunch packing zone.
OXO cereal containers are my favorite.
Acrylic drawer dividers for the snack drawer.
Bamboo drawer dividers for the snack drawer.
Acrylic snack bins for pantries or drawers.
Black bin clip to label and identify what is in each bin (which also makes restocking much easier).
Turntable for fruit leathers, granola bars, etc.
Water hyacinth bin for storing snacks on a pantry shelf.
Black metal bin for storing snacks on a pantry shelf (depending on your pantry aesthetic).
Jen is the founder of Reset Your Nest, a Professional Home Organizing Business in Utah (servicing Salt Lake City, Park City, Ogden, Alpine, Highland, Mapleton, and St. George). She loves creating order and systems out of chaos and is known for bringing a beautiful aesthetic as well as easy to maintain function to any space. She shares her tips and tricks on Instagram @reset_your_nest.
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