It’s that time of year again! A new year has begun, which means new routines are being established. Along with the fresh start and excitement of a new season comes waking up earlier, rushing to prepare for the day and feeling stressed about balancing all of the day’s responsibilities. With all of this going on, the last thing on our minds may be finding time to eat well, exercise and think about our health. However, with the added chaos a new year can bring, our bodies need attention now more than ever! GUIDE is providing a mini-series of blogs containing some tips for taking care of your body during the back-to-school rush.
Too often, one of the first things that we do when we’re crunched for time or feeling stressed is begin to neglect how we eat. How easy is it to skip breakfast to rush out the door in the morning or grab a packaged snack when we’re in a hurry? We’ve all been there. Unfortunately, skipping meals and not eating well can lead to unintended consequences throughout the day, such as difficulty paying attention, sugar crashes and decreased energy.
With the back-to-school pressure on, our bodies need nourishment to keep us going. Below are a few helpful hints organized by mealtime to simplify nutrition goals.
Breakfast
Pro tip: Don’t skip it! Try whole grains, Greek yogurt or eggs to keep you full until lunch.
Did you know? Eggs are a nutrient-rich protein source and don’t raise cholesterol levels as much as previously believed. Learn more helpful nutrition facts here.
Lunch
Pro tip: Forget the packaged lunches and cafeteria line. Instead, take control of your lunch and pack from home! Though the task of packing lunch every morning may sound somewhat daunting, this can be lessened by meal prepping on Sundays for the entire week.
Did you know? One way to create a better balance in our eating habits is to include foods of various colors in each meal. Green foods, mainly vegetables, contain the detox mineral Sulphur, as well as water and fiber. White foods, in nutritional terms, means high protein and low fat. Learn about the other colors to incorporate in your meals here.
Snacks
Pro tip: Try whole fruits and vegetables, nuts, cheese or yogurt for a snack.
Did you know? Just because a packaged snack claims to be healthy, it doesn’t mean that it is. Food labels are notorious for being misleading and difficult to understand. Learn how to demystify food labels here.
Dinner
Pro tip: Make preparing dinner a family activity. Allowing kids to help set the table or prepare parts of the meal can give them something to do and teach them new skills while also getting dinner done faster.
Did you know? Youth who eat more dinners with their families are less likely to try alcohol, tobacco and other drugs and engage in other risky behaviors. Learn more about this and get some tips for positive family mealtime here.
Want to make a change but not sure where to start? Take it step by step. Introduce just one of these things each week in your new back-to-school routine and see how it goes!
You can now view our other blog posts in this series, Back to School: Getting ACTIVE and Back to School: Powering Your Brain.