Back-to-school tips for a stress-free transition back to classrooms

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There is something so bittersweet about Labour Day.

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It signals the end of summer vacations, seasonal fairs, carnival exhibitions – and back-to-school routines.

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In a few days, kids will be heading back to classrooms, and settling into spanking new schedules. Summer is destined to become a fond memory in just a few short weeks – and we are pretty sure parents and providers are starting to panic on what to make for breakfast and lunch.

The challenges are enormous: Between budgeting and juggling escalating food prices, there’s also the worry about fussy eaters or kids who have food allergies and food sensitivities.

Factor in the minefields faced at the supermarkets on a daily basis, and the tests are immense – people are already gearing up to provide nutritious sustenance at a time when need is greatest: According to recent Food Banks of Canada stats, the number of visits to food banks across Canada in March, 2022 was 1,462,795 – up 15% from the year before. And so much greater in 2023, with still a few months to the end of the year. Children have the greatest need.

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WHAT TO DO?

Don’t stress! – but do get into the habit of planning, starting with a shopping list. Plus – develop new shopping habits:

– Check out what’s on sale at the various stores. Buy in bulk – buy and share the costs with family and friends, especially when there are sales on canned goods, cooking oils, dry pastas.

– Learn to understand Best Before Dates – they are only guidelines and have plenty of wiggle room (not to be confused with Expiry Dates.)

– Shop in the early morning hours for marked down deals on proteins, like chicken or beef. These items can immediately be placed in the freezer, and used at a later date.

– Shop in the late afternoon or evening, when many hot table items are being marked down to half price, to be enjoyed within the next day or two.

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– Learn to cook in bulk – tonight’s dinner makes great leftovers for tomorrow’s lunch.

– Start breakfast the night before by laying out the dry products (such as cereals) or preparing such items as oatmeal for a quick reheat in the morning.

– Boil a dozen eggs in the early week, and have them ready to go in the morning.

– Invest in slow cookers that can have breakfasts and dinners ready in record time.

And always remember to think local for your daily menu ideas, says Ontario-based professional chef and working mom, Chef Corby-Sue Neumann. “Take advantage of what’s seasonal right now,” says Neumann, who reminds Canadians we’re heading into the harvest season, when nutritious foods – such as fresh corn on the cob, beans, etc., – are not only perfect for meals, “but can be preserved or canned for the coming months.”

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The University of Waterloo reports that eating locally “reduces the economic and environmental impacts,” of everything from food transportation to supporting local producers and farmers. Buying locally allows you take advantage of providing long-term food security, notes the university’s website.

Creating delicious, nutritious meals with local bounty isn’t difficult: You can make great soups and stews that can be divided into servings, and frozen for future use, adds Neumann, who has been a professional chef for more than 20 years, and is the culinary director for HelloFresh Canada (hellofresh.ca), where she heads up a team of menu planners, recipe developers and nutrition specialists. “It’s all in the planning.”

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BROWN BAG BASICS

Chef Neumann is mom to two children, now 17 and 21 years old. Originally from Australia, where she ran a food program in Sydney for several years, Neumann says she knows exactly what parents are up against with kids going back to school. “It’s all about food language, and learning to adapt – as well as keeping your children involved in the process.

“That’s why the food program I worked with continued to be such a great success not only for those who participated in it, but myself as well.”

Neumann is a big believer in food lists that especially help when you have a fussy eater. That said, just how important is it do make the child part of the food decision making process? “It depends on the age of the child, of course, but the parents are still the major decision makers.” Kids can start making their own lunch from ages 8 and up.

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What should a child’s school meal include? “Four main features: A starch, a protein, a vegetable and a fruit.”

Engage your child, she adds, especially if they are fussy eaters. “There’s a way to get children excited, keeping in mind a meal should not consist of a favourite treat but be a balanced, nutritious meal.”

Lastly – is it OK for a child to eat the same thing every day? “Short answer is – yes, at least for a little while. There’s a scientific term for this – food jag. It’s often reflective of a developmental stage in children between between the ages of 4 and 6 in particular. And it can last a few days or few weeks – and if it goes unchecked, can go on for years.”

Is this good for the child? Or adults for that matter? Research shows when you stick to one specific food, you may be depriving your body of essential nutrients and proteins, along with vitamins and minerals. So you can let your child get away with it, but for a short time.

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Tips and tricks for parents to address this issue, says Neumann is “creatively swap different foods: “A chocolate spread for a strawberry spread, or adding a protein like cheese to the spread….and remember, texture plays a strong role, along with taste.”

Ultimately, your implanting memories in a child’s school lunch: “The foods I create today have ties to my childhood in Australia, where my father was a chef…the smells and fragrances today take me back to the memories of eating lunch with my school friends and asking ‘what have you got?’ The Canada we are an incredibly diverse society and the smells and fragrances kids are being brought up with today will stay with them forever.”

So let’s make those memories delicious, says Neumann.

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