Our Nutrition-Savy Back To School Checklist

Your back to school checklist may abound with school supplies and clothing items. But what about good nutrition?  What will you stock in your kitchen to help your kids learn and feel their best this year?

Here is a list of what we will be stocking in our pantry this fall along with helpful links on where to find the exact items we use.  Perhaps it will give you some new ideas or remind you of things you still need!

Back To School Checklist For Healthy Lunches & Snacks

• Whole grain, high fiber, sandwich bread
• Variety of fresh and frozen fruit
• Dried fruit snacks or fruit leather
• Single-size servings of no-added-sugar applesauce
• Low sugar crunchy snacks, such as pretzels, tortilla chips or nuts
• Low fat, low sugar, organic yogurts
• Fresh salad ingredients (My oldest daughter enjoys salads and often asks to have them in her lunch.)

Tip: If your child particularly likes a certain healthy food, try to accommodate them in their school lunches.  This may mean investing in a thermos or budgeting some time to plan ahead. Bottom line: always encourage healthy eating whenever possible!

• Lunch bag/box that can accommodate several tupperware containers and an ice pack (when necessary). Some families like Bento Boxes on Amazon
• Re-freezable ice packs
• BPA-free water bottle(s) (We use stainless steal bottles.)
• Various sizes of tupperware-type containers
• “Lunchables”, pre-packaged lunches
• Candy
• Boxed fruit drinks
• Pre-packaged cookies
• Trans Fats (hydrogenated oils–Always check the ingredient list!)
• Artificial flavors and colors

Back To School Checklist For Healthy Breakfasts

• Old-Fashioned rolled oats — We use a TON of these to make various breakfast recipes and homemade cookies. See Dark Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
• A handful of quick healthy recipes that your kids will eat for breakfast.  Here are a few of our favorites: Breakfast Muesli Delight, Easy Oatmeal Pancakes,  Flaxseed Oatmeal
• Shaklee Meal Shakes for Kids (cocoa and vanilla) — I enjoy having a healthy fast-food option for those crazy slept-late kinda mornings! These also make great after-school snacks.
• Daily Multivitamin/Multimineral for kids (See kids multivitamin comparison here.)
• Chewable DHA supplement for healthy brains and focus (We use ShakleeKids Mighty Smart Choice.)
• Probiotics/Prebiotics to fortify the immune system (How is Your Child’s Gut Health?)
• Extra B-Complex, sustained release.  We use extra B’s on long, stressful days with our kids, especially until they get into the swing of the fall school schedule.
• Sugary, low fiber cereals
• Processed, pre-packaged breakfast items

Checklist For A Well-Prepared Herbal Medicine Cabinet

• Chewable or Sustained-Release Vitamin C 
• Peppermint/Ginger to soothe upset tummies
• Garlic/Rosemary tablets to prevent and ward off infections
• Stress Relief Complex-A blend of calming herbs and nutrients to help restless bodies & minds settle down at bedtime (We also use Chewable Cal-Mag.)
• A gentle herbal laxative, for the rare occasion when one of my kids needs a little help. 🙂

Other Back To School Nutrition Ideas, Supplies, Or Recipes?  Add Them In The Comments Below!