Give school lunches new life with these tasty, time-efficient meal hacks
NORTH TEXAS (CBSDFW.COM) - It's back-to-school time and mornings are often hectic. Here are some breakfast and school lunch ideas to make things easier when you're getting the kids out the door.
If cooking first thing in the morning is out of the question, consider a make-ahead recipe ready for kids to grab-and-go.
Enter: overnight oats! This easy breakfast is just as comforting and filling as oatmeal, but it doesn't require any cooking. Just like with no-bake desserts, it's an easy solution to enjoy all year-round.
So, how do you make overnight oats? It's simple. Just combine rolled oats with your liquid of choice before bed and let it sit overnight. Come morning, you'll have soft, chilled, oats ready for a bit of fresh berries, diced apples, nuts, raisins, or other dried fruits. A drizzle of honey or maple syrup adds a touch of sweetness. You can get as creative as you want!
Now from breakfast to a favorite for any kid -- lunch. Registered dietician Amy Goodson talks about some easy options that can work for your family.
Instead of trying to keep up with meal creativity amid after-school activities and homework, take your school lunch ideas from last night's leftovers.
Putting together school lunches requires a balance of creativity and consistency—and a little ingenuity. Here are some basics to keep in mind.
Try to transform leftovers into finger foods.
Look for recipes that will taste good at room temperature.
From leftovers to an even more important aspect preparation— packing.
Packing a school lunch may seem simple — pack what your kid likes to eat — but any parent will quickly tell you that it's not that simple.
CBS 11 rounded up a bunch of great school lunch ideas, tips on how to pack a lunch, and recommendations for great lunch boxes and food containers you can use.
Get crafty with packing, and always make the best use of space. There are plenty of affordable bento boxes, divided lunch boxes and cute food containers on the market.
The bottom line with packing your kid's lunch is that you want to pack something nutritious that will fuel them to have energy and do their best in school. And don't forget the most important thing of all, water. Kids need to hydrate and stay cool in school.
Good luck parents (and kids), you got this!
