Top 3 tips: How to create a mealtime routine for going back to school

Back to routine and back to reality

If you’re a family with school-aged children, going back to school signifies the transition from fun summer nights to more consistent schedules.

Much of what little free time you have may be for meal prep, which can often be time consuming and stressful – but it doesn’t have to be. 

Check out our top tips for creating a mealtime routine that will help make going back to school easier for you and your family. 

Plan ahead: Keep a schedule visible

Let’s be honest: with school back in session, every minute counts. Between making breakfasts and lunches, dropping the kids off to school, working, and driving to extracurricular activities, when do you have time to grocery shop, let alone meal prep? 

Keeping a schedule visible for the whole family to see is key. Whether it be a whiteboard, a printed calendar, or digital one, making sure the weekly schedule is communicated clearly between family members is critical for getting food on the table – and on time. 

You can schedule your meal kit deliveries to suit the busiest time of week for your family and keep a fully-stocked fridge. 

You can even pre-plan and colour code who will be making each meal on each day of the week. 

Fresh Prep delivers to residents in BC and Alberta. Our weekly menu of 14 different recipes and dozens of easy lunch and snack options from local suppliers will keep you fed all day long.

Variety and reliability are key for creating a mealtime routine you’ll love

Dinners can get boring and repetitive if you don’t have time to get creative or plan ahead. Relying on a meal kit delivery service like Fresh Prep helps make meal planning easy. 

Each week, Fresh Prep has 14 different meal kit recipes for a variety of dietary preferences. You can also supplement your weekly recipe order with sides, snacks, desserts, beverages and grocery items with items from the Add-ons Menu.

Select your recipes up to four weeks in advance to spend less time planning. 

Launching just in time for back to school, Fresh Prep’s new family-friendly meal kits serve four with delicious recipes the whole family will love. Each month, a new set of these recipes will be available. 

To get you started with a mealtime routine you’ll love, these are the family-friendly recipes for September 2022: 

• Garlic Butter Shrimp Risotto Kit
• Spaghettini & Meatballs Kit
• Pesto Caprese Pasta Bake Kit
• BBQ Chicken Pita Kit 

Complete your family meals with new Fresh Prep sides including Garlic Bread, The Big Italian Salad, and The Big Classic Caesar Salad.

Make meal prep a fun family activity

Mealtimes can be a drag or a dream. One way to keep the kids entertained until dinner is to get them involved in the cooking. 

Fresh Prep meal kits come with fresh, pre-cut, pre-portioned ingredients to help make meal prep easier, no matter your age. Introduce your household to Fresh Prep to see how easy and fun cooking together can be. 

Many Fresh Prep recipes are available in our reusable meal kit container, the Fresh Prep Zero Waste Kit. Simply follow the instructions to pour, mix and prepare ingredients. 

Clean up is easy too: just rinse and put the containers in the dishwasher and pop them into your reusable cooler bag. They’ll be picked up with your next Fresh Prep delivery.

Love your mealtime routine

Summer days drifted away and now you’re set for school nights and beyond with Fresh Prep. 

By planning ahead, ensuring variety in your meals, and getting the whole family involved in cooking, you’re setting a foundation for a healthy relationship with food for a lifetime. 

Go from “ho hum” to “oh yum” by including Fresh Prep in your mealtime routine.