Back to School Recipes and Scheduling Hacks

Aug 30, 2022

It’s that time of year again! BACK TO SCHOOL! Time for some back-to-school recipes and scheduling ideas to keep you sane. For some folks, this feels like a joyous time when you can return your kiddos to the care and teaching of others. For others this can feel like a dreadful time of figuring out schedules and most importantly, “What the heck is everyone going to eat??” This blog will provide some helpful scheduling tips so you don’t burnout now that school is back in session and some easy back to school recipes healthy enough to nourish you and your family.

 

Back to School Time Management Hacks

 

Before we get into the recipes let’s dive into some practical scheduling and mindset work that will help make getting to those back-to-school recipes much easier. The go-to plan that helps me make sure I have time for the have-to, need-to, and get-to items, is scheduling and planning my weeks ahead of time in fifteen-minute time blocks. 

When you block your schedule by fifteen minutes it is much easier to see where you have pockets of time to add in additional things that are important to you, such as meal prepping for yourself and your kids. Even scheduling self-care activities as simple as five minutes alone or walking outside. Knowing your schedule intimately allows you to prevent burnout and understand your capacity to say yes to more or no. 

How often do you say yes to something and then look at your schedule and think “Shoot, I am double, maybe even triple booked.”? This will create more physical and emotional space for all you hold dear and help you to honor your commitments to yourself and others. Another layer that is more mindset-based is writing about the week ahead in the first person as if it has already happened. For example: say you have a meeting with your boss this upcoming Wednesday and you’re worried about how it will go. Your journal for the week would look something like this, “I am so grateful the meeting with my boss was a huge success, the communication was clear and the best possible outcome was reached for all. I have enjoyed the connections with my partner and my kids this week. The week felt effortless and I was able to accomplish everything that needed to get done including taking care of myself.” See what I added in there? Be sure to include exactly how you want to feel!!

Ok now on to the recipes!

 

Easy Back-to-School Lunches

 

Before we get to some new things I would first like to draw your attention to the blog I wrote on this topic last year for some secret gems.

Now here are some new recipes from Team Beachbody for you! 

Macaroni and Cheese With Broccoli

Ingredients:Three Cheese Macaroni Casserole

  • 4 oz. dry whole wheat elbow macaroni (or pasta)
  • 4 tsp. organic grass-fed butter (or organic coconut oil)
  • 2 Tbsp. unbleached whole wheat flour
  • 1½ cups unsweetened almond milk
  • 1¼ cups freshly grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese
  • 3 cups cooked chopped chicken breast, boneless, skinless
  • 6 cups chopped broccoli florets, steamed
  • 1 tsp. sea salt (or Himalayan salt)
  • ½ tsp. ground black pepper

Instructions:

  1. Cook macaroni according to package directions. (Do not use salt or oil if suggested in directions.) Set aside.
  2. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.
  3. Add flour; cook, whisking constantly, for 1 minute, or until brown (don’t let it burn).
  4. Slowly whisk in almond milk; cook, whisking constantly, for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the mixture thickens and there are no lumps.
  5. Reduce heat to low. Add cheese; cook, whisking constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until melted.
  6. Add macaroni, chicken, broccoli, salt, and pepper; cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute, or until heated through.
  7. Serve immediately.

Almond Crusted Chicken Fingers with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce

Ingredients:Homemade chicken nuggets

  • 2 Tbsp. raw honey
  • 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
  • 2 tsp. rice wine vinegar
  • Nonstick cooking spray or olive oil cooking spray
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 Tbsp. water
  • 1 lb. raw chicken breast tenders, skinless
  • 1 cup whole wheat Panko bread crumbs (Japanese-style bread crumbs)
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped sliced raw almonds
  • 1 dash sea salt or Himalayan salt
  • 1 dash of ground black pepper

Instructions:

  1. Combine honey, mustard, and vinegar in a small bowl; mix well. Chill.
  2. Preheat the oven to 425° F.
  3. Line the baking sheet with foil; lightly coat with spray.
  4. Combine eggs and water in a medium shallow bowl; whisk to blend.
  5. Soak chicken in the egg mixture for 30 minutes, turning once; set aside.
  6. Combine bread crumbs, almonds, salt, and pepper in a large resealable plastic bag; shake to combine.
  7. Working with a few pieces at a time, lift chicken from the egg mixture, letting excess drip back into the bowl, and drop it into the bag containing the bread crumb mixture. Seal bag and shake to coat; repeat with remaining chicken.
  8. Place chicken on a prepared baking sheet. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, turning after 10 minutes, until no longer pink in the middle and golden brown.
  9. Serve with honey mustard dipping sauce.

 

Hacks for Back to School Snacks

 

Here is a link for 26 easy snack recipes for kids. I will highlight my two favorites below! 

Raspberry Chia Pudding

Ingredients:

Raspberry Chia Pudding

  • 2 cups unsweetened almond milk
  • 2 tsp. honey
  • ½ cup chia seeds
  • 2 cups fresh (or frozen) raspberries (reserve 8 for garnish)
  • Fresh mint leaves (for garnish; optional)

Instructions:

  1. Combine almond milk, honey, chia seeds, and raspberries in a medium bowl; mix well.
  2. Cover bowl; refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight, mixing after 2 hours.
  3. Place chia seed mixture in small serving glasses or bowls; garnish with raspberries and mint leaves if desired.

Blueberry Oatmeal Banana Blender Muffins

Ingredients:

  • Nonstick cooking spray optional
  • 1 cup reduced-fat (2%) plain Greek yogurt
  • 3 Tbsp. honey
  • 2 large very ripe bananas cut into chunks
  • 2 large eggs
  • ½ tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • 2 cups dry rolled oatsnutribullet
  • 1½ tsp. baking powder
  • ½ tsp. baking soda
  • ½ tsp. sea salt (or Himalayan salt)
  • 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
  • ⅔ cup chopped raw walnuts

Instructions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350° F.
  2. Prepare 12 muffin cups by lining with muffin papers or lightly coating with spray.
  3. Place yogurt, honey, bananas, eggs, extract, oats, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a blender (or food processor); cover. Blend until smooth, scraping once or twice, as needed.
  4. Gently fold in blueberries and walnuts.
  5. Evenly divide batter among prepared muffin cups.
  6. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
  7. Transfer muffins to rack; cool.

 

Back-to-School Recipes for Dinner

 

Brit + Co has some awesome fifteen-minute meals to make back-to-school dinners feel like a breeze. 

Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry

Ingredients:

For the marinade:

  • 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tsp cornflour (corn starch)
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 1 tsp rice vinegar

For the stir fry:

  • 1 beef fillet steak (300 g, 10 oz)
  • 1 broccoli head
  • 1/2 onion
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 1 tsp ginger puree
  • 1 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 1 tsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 2 nests of egg noodles

Instructions:

  1. Start by making the marinade. In a bowl, combine one tablespoon of light soy sauce, one tablespoon of dark soy sauce, half a tablespoon of corn flour, and half a tablespoon of sesame oil, and stir.
  2. Use a meat tenderizer to bash the beef strips really well, until almost flat.
  3. Add them to the marinade, cover the bowl with kitchen foil and leave to rest for at least an hour.
  4. Boil the noodles according to the package instructions. Drain the water, add a splash of sesame oil and toss well. Set aside.
  5. Add half of the vegetable oil to the wok and fry the beef strips in batches, about 2 minutes on each side, until cooked through.
  6. Remove from the wok and set aside.
  7. Add the remaining vegetable oil to the wok, chop the onion, garlic, and ginger and fry for about 30 seconds.
  8. Break the broccoli into small florets, add to the wok and stir fry for 2 minutes.
  9. Combine all the ingredients for the sauce: soy sauces, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and sugar, then pour it over the broccoli.
  10. Add the beef and noodles, stir well to combine, add the chopped parsley and remove from the heat.
  11. Serve immediately.

If you feel like you are wanting more recipes, tips, and tricks on mental health, mindset, relationships, and a roadmap to living your healthiest life, I have many more tips and tools for your toolbox where those came from. I hope this information was useful and finds you in a space of the heart. 

Love and Light Always,

Sarah

– Sarah Savino is my recommended Wellness, Mindset and Nutrition Coach who resides in Colorado but has a community of clients she guides and manages nationally. She has her frequent retreats that her clients are encouraged but not required to attend and someone who knows first hand how it is to be overworked and overweight. She is a living truth that once within the right community and with the right guide, everything is possible. She can be reached:

Dr. Shakib, your Irvine Posture Chiropractor