- Jessica Alfonso-Rodriguez of UF/IFAS recommends planning school meals now to reduce stress and ensure nutritious options during back-to-school transitions.
- Using frozen or canned produce and buying in-season fruits and proteins in bulk helps families maintain affordable, healthy meals year-round.
While summer is still in full swing, signs of the new school year are already here. One of the biggest back-to-school challenges for parents often starts in the kitchen.
Jessica Alfonso-Rodriguez is a registered dietitian and family and consumer sciences agent for the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS). In her role at UF/IFAS Extension Miami-Dade County, she helps families simplify mealtime preparation by sharing practical nutrition tips.
Q: Why should families start planning school meals now?
A: Planning school meals and snacks can feel overwhelming when there’s no system in place. Creating a simple, sustainable plan now can make the back-to-school transition less stressful and help ensure nutritious meals and snacks are always within reach.
Q: What are some quick and healthy breakfast ideas for busy mornings?
A: For an on-the-go, balanced breakfast, consider baking breakfast bars or muffins in advance, incorporating nutrient-dense ingredients like oats, dried fruit, seeds and nuts, or seed/nut butters. To incorporate veggies, bake colorful egg bites for the week or prepare individual smoothie freezer packs, ready to blend with milk or a fortified alternative.
For a quick night-before prep, you can lean on options like overnight oats or chia seed puddings with your children’s favorite fruits.
Q: What should parents look for when shopping and packing school lunches?
A: Look for ingredients low in added sugar, sodium and saturated fat and check the nutrition facts label to compare products. Choose items high in fiber, calcium, vitamin D, potassium and iron to provide nutrient-dense lunches.
Q: Healthy fruits, vegetables and proteins are expensive. What are some budget-friendly strategies you employ?
A: You can lean on frozen or canned fruits and vegetables. They offer the same nutritional benefits as fresh produce and often cost less, but be sure to choose varieties without added sugars, sodium and heavy syrups.
Buying in-season produce is also a great strategy to enjoy fruits and vegetables at their peak while getting a good price. Protein foods can often be purchased in bulk for a better price, or you can build more affordable protein into meals such as beans, lentils, nut and seed butters, edamame, tofu and eggs.
Q: What are some healthy after-school snack ideas?
A: A good rule of thumb is to include two food groups for a balanced snack, such as combining a protein and a quality carbohydrate for energy and to help you feel full between meals. Examples include string cheese and whole-grain crackers, apples and seed butter, a pre-made smoothie in an insulated container, and Greek yogurt with your children’s favorite fruit.
Q: What are some meal-prep hacks families can use during the school year?
A: Creating and maintaining a binder of meal ideas and go-to recipes, organized by categories, food groups, themes or family favorites, can go a long way toward reducing the guesswork of what to shop for and make for the upcoming week.