Healthy Back-to-School Meals and Snacks for Busy Families

With the back-to-school season in full swing, busy schedules can make it challenging to prioritize healthy, balanced meals for the whole family. While it may be tempting to grab some takeout on the way home from picking up the kids after school, or opening that food delivery app after a long work day, a simple nourishing home cooked meal may be easier than you think! 

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Like all things in life, we sometimes need some gentle encouragement and helpful ideas to remain aligned with our goals. That’s where your Salvo Health Registered Dietitian comes in.

Benefits of Cooking at Home

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• Lower sodium content: Less sodium means lower blood pressure over time, something our heart and vessels can appreciate.
• Cost savings: A study found that cooking more meals at home saved households up to $330 per month¹. 
• Ability to enhance nutritional quality: Throw that extra handful of spinach or sprinkle of chopped nuts.

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While there are plenty of benefits to cooking at home, making it work during a busy week often comes down to keeping meals simple.

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What Makes a Meal “Simple”?

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A “simple” meal can be defined by a few key things: minimal steps, minimal ingredients, and most importantly, minimal clean up. Here are a few categories of my go-to simple meals that practically do the work for you. I encourage you to use these ideas for inspiration and create a more personalized recipe bank of your own to pick from. Some of my favorite keywords while searching for healthy recipes are:

• Mediterranean-style
• High protein
• High fiber 
• Macro-friendly

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Slow Cooker Meals 

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Perhaps the best feeling is to walk into your house after a long day and smell the comforting aroma of a home cooked meal waiting for you. Dump your ingredients in the crockpot before your day, set it to low, and dinner is served! 

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Examples: 

• Fiesta pulled chicken: Add chicken breast, 1 jar of salsa, and 1 taco seasoning packet to your crockpot and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Shred chicken with 2 forks and add to tortillas, rice, or a salad.
• Pot roast: Add roughly chopped onion, carrots, and potatoes with a large chuck roast and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Add fresh herbs, garlic cloves, and seasoning of choice for extra flavor.
• Italian sausage: Add whole sweet or hot italian sausage with thinly sliced peppers and onions. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Serve on a fresh roll or with a side of pasta. 

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Sheet Pan Meals

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The best option for reducing clean up on those extra chaotic nights. Lay some parchment paper down, pick your protein and carb combo, and get to preheating! 

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Examples: 

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• Fajitas: Protein of choice, peppers, onions, and a packet of taco seasoning roasted together and thrown into a tortilla. 
• Sausage and veggies: Brussel sprouts, red onion, broccoli with ¼ pieces of sausage roasted with olive oil, and Italian seasoning.
• Salmon and potatoes: Mini potatoes cubed and coated in olive oil and seasonings of choice paired with a salmon fillet and fresh lemon.

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Dinner Bowls

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A weekday staple in my house. A proper dinner bowl consists of three components: base, protein, and fun, flavorful toppings. This opens doors for creativity, family inclusiveness, and dietary adjustments. There is a bowl out there for everyone! 

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Examples: 

• At-home Chipotle bowls: Rice or any whole grain as the base, shredded chicken or ground beef, sautéed peppers and onions, and all the classic taco toppings. 
• Poke bowls: Sticky rice or jasmine rice as the base, imitation crab meat, baked salmon, or sushi-grade raw tuna, cucumber, shredded carrot, green onion, and spicy mayo. (Think what goes inside a California roll!)
• Cottage cheese bowls: Cottage cheese as the base, drained and rinsed beans, a handful of leafy greens, cherry tomatoes, kimchi, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar.

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Snacks

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Creating a healthy snack does not have to be complicated. The goal is to create a snack that is satisfying, will reduce hunger for a long period of time, and stabilize blood sugars to get you through the remainder of the day. Use a combo of three different nutrients: fats, protein, fiber. 

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Examples: 

• Apple nachos: Thinly sliced apples (fiber), drizzled with peanut butter (fat), and sprinkled with chopped nuts or granola of choice (protein). 
• Turkey crunch roll up: Turkey slices (protein) spread with cream cheese (fat) and long slice of cucumber in the middle (fiber). 
• Buffalo chickpea dip: Mashed chickpeas (fiber) mixed with greek yogurt (protein and fat) with ranch seasoning and buffalo sauce. 

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I hope these ideas came with a big breath of relief. Despite what you may see on the internet, cooking healthy, balanced meals at home does not require fancy equipment, ingredients, or extensive time. Remember that you are worth a delicious home cooked meal, even on the most hectic of days. Now let’s eat! 

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FAQs:

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1. What if I don’t have a slow cooker? 

No slow cooker? No problem! You can simmer these recipes on the stovetop over low heat for a longer period of time. Just be sure to stay home and keep an eye on the pot, as you would with any stovetop cooking. 

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2. Are canned beans ok to use in recipes? 

Canned beans are a great shelf-stable option to increase protein and fiber in the diet. Drain and rinse to remove excess salt before cooking. 

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3. Are frozen vegetables worse than fresh? 

Nope! They have virtually the same nutritional value as fresh vegetables but come with less prep, cook time, and spoilage. 

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