My Plant-Based Family

Eating Whole Food, Plant-Based Diet recipes, On a Budget.

Back to School

3 Back to School Tips

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Back to School

Going back to school after summer vacation can be very stressful for both kids and parents. Even if you kids have been in daycare all summer there is still a big transition. In addition to all of your other duties now you have to worry about home work, after school activities, making sure everyone has everything they need when you leave the house in the morning.

Did I sign that folder and the other billion papers the school sent home?

3 Back to School Tips

Back to School Tips

Truthfully, getting started is probably the hardest part. I’ve been handling this back to school dance for over 10 years (remember I have older kids) and have some great back to school tips to make it a little easier for you.

1. Establish New Routines

By the time the first report card comes home you won’t think twice about your daily routine but as school is starting it can get overwhelming. Talk through everything that needs to be done in the morning before you leave for school, after school and at bed time then make lists. Reserve the list for things that are non-negotiable. Then every day you can ask your child, is the morning list done, after school list, bed time list instead of asking about each specific item on the list.

Our morning list would say:

  • Eat Breakfast
  • Get Dressed (with shoes on)
  • Brush Teeth
  • Get Lunch
  • Get Backpack

Your list might be bigger or smaller. We’ve got little boys, they just want to watch cartoons and play. If they get their list done they will have free time. When our older kids lived at home their morning list included morning chores and making their own lunches.

Come up with appropriate list for after school that may include cleaning out lunch boxes or doing homework. You may want them to pick out their clothes for the next day or that may be on their bed time list. It’s a good idea to put things like “find shoes” or “put backpack away” on the bed time list.

Don’t assume that older kids won’t benefit from lists. I don’t know how many calls I’ve gotten from our older kids saying they forgot their lunch, P.E. uniform, homework, etc. When they ask if they can hang out with friends ask them if they have completed their list.

2. Plan Easy Meals

During seasons of change I find it best to stick to simple meals. It’s OK to try new recipes but keep it simple; Lasagna is probably too ambitious but spaghetti is perfect. You may find your kids ravenously hungry or uninterested for a while. They are probably goofing off a lot during lunch and wanting to eat a big snack after school and ignore dinner or they skip snack and are STARVING at dinner time.

If you have Crock Pot meals or Instant Pot meals to rely on that may make it easier. Soup, pasta and casseroles are easy meals at our house but sometimes we end up with sandwiches and cereal. Between working full-time, running a business on the side and being a wife and mommy cereal can be a life saver.

3. Work Ahead and in Batches

I don’t know about you but I feel like I’m running behind a lot of the time. I have to be very intentional about working ahead. You can get your kids help by preparing a week’s worth of snack on the weekend to use during the week. I will buy large bags pretzels and place them in individual containers for the week.. Then each morning I can send my son to the pantry to grab the snack for that day.

You can also do this with you kids clothes for the week. Pick out a full set of clothes for every day so your child can grab their clothes and get dressed on their own. You can even add hair accessories if you do that sort of thing. You can hang the whole outfit on hangers or buy one of these hanging dividers. This can be a great reminder if you child needs to take money on Wednesday for popcorn, just put it with the clothes for that day.

I also like to prepare a few days of lunch ahead of time. I’ll make lunches for up to three days so I can just grab and go. You can do this trick with dinners too. If you are really in the groove make a few dinners ahead or even individual meals.

Do you have a tip to add? What do feel like needs to be done to make the transition back to school a little easier? Don’t forget to follow my Back to School Pinterest Board for more inspiration.

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Lunch Box Check In

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I thought it was time I check in with a lunch box update! When school started last fall I posted lunch box recipes, tips, and even back to school meal plans, it was basically a two month event.

I’ve gotten a lot more lax about what I pack in my kids lunch boxes since then. Their lunches are always vegan and my little guy always has an allergy-friendly lunch box but I need more convenience these days. When school started our schedule was so different. I had a lot of extra time then, now I need easy items that are safe for my sons allergies.

snack and lunch

 

So Different

My 5 year old barely eats anything, he would skip lunch all together if I let him. My 4 year old eats everything. My boys are completely different with what they can (and will) eat. I’m constantly searching for things that make them both happy. I pack a minimum of 10 lunches per week (and 10 snacks per week).

The photo above is the 4 year old’s snack (on the left) and lunch (on the right). The mystery item in the lunch box is black eyed peas in case you are wondering. Everything is gluten-free!

They each get a main dish which may be half a sandwich, a rice-based casserole or sometimes a baked sweet potato. They each get fruit, typically apple slices, cuties, or blueberries depending on the season. Lastly, I like to pack something with a little crunch, this is their treat. My go-to crunchy snack has been Quaker Popped in the Apple Cinnamon flavor.

I found them in Walmart, I’ve been buying a lot of great gluten-free items there lately. I can pass them off as snack or dessert which makes my job easier.

Disclosure: This post was brought to you by Walmart, AMP, and Sverve. All opinions are my own.

The Gluten-Free Lunch Box Class

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School has started and I’m guessing you’ve already found yourself standing in the kitchen wondering what to pack for lunch. Whether you need to pack a lunch for yourself, your spouse or a child (or all of the above) it’s not an easy task. Throw in food restrictions and it gets harder.

Back to School Month

I strive to come up with tips and recipes to make it easier. If you are in the Phoenix area I have a special treat for you!

Gluten-Free Lunch Box Class

Save the Date

September 20th from 9:00 am to 11:00 am I’ll be hosting a Gluten-Free Lunch Box class in East Mesa!

This class will cover lunch box ideas for both children and adults. To make sure I meet your needs I’ll have you fill out a brief survey before the class (this will include allergies and food restrictions).

Loads of Information

You’ll receive 2 hours of instruction, light snacks, lots of great printouts including pretty printables to help make lunch packing easier on the whole family. I’ll be sharing all of my tips, favorite products and exclusive recipes. There is really too much information to mention here.

Prizes

Two attendees (depending on the number of registrants) will win Lunch Box Prize Packs that will include my favorite products!
This class isn’t just about kids lunch boxes, it’s also great for adults who take their lunches to work each day AND adults who eat at home but want a faster, easier solution to lunch time cooking and clean up.

At a Great Value

The class is $25 per person OR 2 people for $40! This class is worth it!

I had great feedback from the last class and I know this one will be even better!

Register Today

To register for the Gluten-Free Lunch Box class just send me an email and I’ll request payment through paypal. Space is limited! This class will fill up fast so register today!

Cookie Bars (Vegan, Gluten-Free and Nut-Free)

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I first made this recipe when I was trying to make cookies. It tasted good but the consistency was off. I tweaked it to develop the Sunbutter Cookie Recipe (also GF and Vegan) that I shared last week. This recipe is easier and works really well as Cookie Bars. They are very sturdy and perfect for lunch box packing. My kindergartener ate them daily after school.

Gluten-Free, Nut-Free, Vegan Cookie bars

I make this recipe with Sunbutter because my youngest son is allergic to peanuts and tree nuts. You could try this with peanut or almond butter if you are not allergic. Also, if you do not have brown rice flour and sorghum flour you could use a gluten-free baking mix. If you make it with any adaptations I’d love to hear how they go. I’m considering making them with oat flour next. I imagine they would work fine with wheat flour also but I haven’t tried it.

Gluten-Free, Nut-Free, Vegan Cookie bars

Cookie Bars

Ingredients

Do

  1. Cream Sunbutter and Sugar together.
  2. Dump the rest of the ingredients together, except chocolate chips.
  3. Mix well, adding extra rice milk if needed.
  4. If using chocolate chips mix them in or just sprinkle them on top.
  5. Pour into a 9×9 pan that is lined with parchment paper.
  6. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes.
  7. Allow to cool before removing from pan and cutting into bars. Store at room temperature in an airtight container for about 5 days.

Serve

This is perfect for an after school snack or in the lunch box.

The odd thing is that my super picky kid loved these and the one who eats everything didn’t like them. He doesn’t always want to try new things because of his food allergies so I don’t force it.

Do you need to work around various food allergies or restrictions? I try to make them as accommodating as possible. What restrictions do you deal with?

Yield: 8 bars

Cookie Bars

Gluten-Free, Nut-Free, Vegan Cookie bars

Gluten-Free, Nut-Free, Vegan Cookie Bars

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Additional Time 20 minutes
Total Time 47 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup SunButter
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup Brown Rice Flour
  • 1/2 cup Sorghum Flour
  • 1/2 tsp Xanthan Gum
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 1/8 cup rice milk
  • 1/2 cup Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (optional)

Instructions

  1. Cream Sunbutter and Sugar together.
  2. Dump the rest of the ingredients together, except chocolate chips.
  3. Mix well, adding extra rice milk if needed.
  4. If using chocolate chips mix them in or just sprinkle them on top.
  5. Pour into a 9×9 pan that is lined with parchment paper.
  6. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes.
  7. Allow to cool before removing from pan and cutting into bars. Store at room temperature in an airtight container for about 5 days.

Notes

You could try this with peanut or almond butter if you are not allergic. Also, if you do not have brown rice flour and sorghum flour you could use a gluten-free baking mix.

Did you make this recipe?

We'd love to see it! Tag us and use #MyPlantBasedFamily!

© Heather Mayes

5 Tips to Simplify your Lunch Box Routine and Printable

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Last year I created a fun printable to give you ideas of what to pack in your (or your kids) lunch box. You can find it along with 10 Tips to De-Stress your Lunch Box. It is a great list but it’s a big list. If you found yourself overwhelmed at all of the choices I’ve got a great solution for you.

Simplify

This year my mission is to simplify. I’ve created a NEW printable that gives fewer choices but makes lunch packing even easier.

I was inspired by the EasyLunchboxes I’ve been using. Rest assured, even if you aren’t using bento-style containers you can still benefit by simplifying your lunch packing routine. Get your Free Printable of the 2014 Lunch Box Guide!

The Plant-Based Lunch Box Guide for 2014

5 Tips to Simplify your Lunch Box Routine

1. Pack your Lunch the Night Before.

Why spend 15 minutes in the morning packing a lunch when you can pack it the night before. Even better, pack several days worth of lunches on Sunday night.

2. Make a Lunch Menu for the week.

Do your kids debate about what they are taking in the lunch. Sit down on Friday night and talk about what they want to eat the next week in their lunch boxes. You will have plenty of time on Saturday to buy any necessary ingredients. Use the New Lunch Box Guide to help with options.

3. Pick your Battles.

Let your child make some of the choices but it’s best if you give them guidelines. For example, tell them they can take a cookie in their lunch but only for two days, the other days they have to choose something else like pretzels or dried fruit.

4. Keep it Cool.

Consider when your child will be eating. Most schools begin lunch near 11:00 with kindergartners. Lunch progresses until the oldest kids get to have lunch. This has been as late at 12:30 for some of my kids. Make sure you pack foods that will taste good at room temperature or slightly cool if you are using an ice pack.

5. Label Everything.

My son has already lost his lunch box(es) multiple times this year. We have his main lunch box and two back ups. He is getting better now that we are a few weeks into school but having his first and last name on his lunch box is really important. Also, remember to label any water bottles or other items that may be separated during lunch time. I’m very familiar with our schools “Lost and Found” cabinet.

Don’t forget to print of the 2014 Lunch Box Guide! We like to hang it on the inside of our cupboard but you could also put it on the refrigerator or in your pantry. If you need more options check out last years guide.

 This page contains affiliate links.

Meal Plan Monday: Dinner in 30 Minutes or Less

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We are still celebrating Back to School month here at My Plant-Based Family. I know your kids may not have started school yet but I hope this month has given you some great ideas to get you ready. I’ve still got some things to share.

Back to School Month

We’ve had a Back to School Meal Plan that was filled with my quickest and easiest meals, and Batch Cooking Meal Plan that helped you prepare for the week ahead of time and a Crock Pot Week Meal Plan that used the Crock Pot every day.

This weeks Plant-Based Meal Plan fill focus on having dinner in 30 minutes or less. I’ll be using canned beans or beans that were previously cooked (I’ve got a few bags in my freezer). I’ll also “cheat” a little by cooking the Baked Potatoes in my Crock Pot.

Plant Based Diet Meal Plan

I don’t assign days to our dinners because I don’t always know what our schedule will be like. We have t ball on Monday’s and Wednesday’s but we also have a teenager and I never really know when we will be home. When he is home I make TWO dinners. He can eat a whole (4-5 person) dinner by himself. If you can relate please let me know.

All of these choices are fairly quick. I just use what is available and quick cooking.

Plant-Based Meal Plan

Pizza Pasta using seasonal veggies with steamed veggies on the side.

Gluten-Free Pancakes this recipe is only in Gabriel’s Fundraiser Cookbook. Get it now, it’s only available until the end of August. I may serve this with a Breakfast Stir Fry.

BBQ Chickpeas on top of Baked Potatoes with Steamed Veggies like broccoli, cauliflower and carrots.

Veggie Soup using whatever is around. I’ve been making soups ever few days for lunch. We’ve had Taco Soup, Enchilada Soup, Potato Soup, Broccoli and Potato Soup and more.

Simplified Red Lentil Curry used exclusively in my Custom Meal Plans. I’ll be serving this over quinoa, rice or potatoes.

There you have it, a Plant-Based Meal Plan with dinner in 30 minutes or less. You may have to be strategic but it can work.

I’ve got a few recipes coming up this week. I’ll give you a few hints. They are round, sweet and the perfect dessert for you kids lunch box! The are also vegan, gluten-free and nut free.