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USA Today: Back to School Magazine

USA Today Back to School Magazine

 

Back to school has been the primary focus these last few weeks and to continue with that theme, we thought we would suggest you check out the USA Today: Back to School Magazine. You can get the scoop on the latest snacks, clothing and products, along with some great articles to get you back in the swing of things.

If you run into our ad inside, you will be able to download your FREE back to school activity book! Read the online edition for these great articles and resources.

Happy reading and happy back to school!

 

USA Today Back to School Insides

6 Meal Planning Tips for a Successful Week

Meal Planning Tips

It’s challenging to juggle the day-to-day tasks of running a household. As the summer winds down and back to school is here, family schedules are bound to grow even busier. So, between work, school and extra-curricular activities, the best way to keep up is to maintain a structured routine when it comes to the daily grind. One of the most important things you can do to ultimately make your week less crazy, is to plan out meals for the week ahead of time. It’s tough to ensure that you’re providing healthy meals while also factoring in the time constraints during the week. So, all of this is taken into consideration when planning.

Here are some meal planning tips to organize your weekly meals to ensure less stress and even save you money:

  • Cut coupons – It’s worth it to look through coupons you have to help make decisions each week. If certain meats/fish or other items are on sale during a specific week, that can help you determine meals while cutting costs.
  • Plan your meals – Figure out what obligations or activities you have each night and plan accordingly. Select less time-consuming options such as salads, sandwiches, homemade healthy pizzas, crockpot concoctions, or even breakfast for dinner, on the busier nights.
  • Create your grocery list – As you set your weekly menu, jot down the items you will need to purchase at the store. Make sure to include your breakfast, snack, and lunch needs on your list.
  • Shop and don’t stray – Typically there will be days and times during the week where the grocery shelves are freshly stocked. This is the best time to shop! Figure out which time works best for you and don’t stray from your list!
  • Prepare meals ahead – Take some time during the weekend to go ahead and prep the meals (whether it be breakfast, lunch or dinner) ahead of time. This makes it even easier to stick to your menu and avoid chaos at meal time.
  • Get some help – If your spouse has some tasty recipes, try swapping off nights so that you are not stuck cooking dinner every night. You can also recruit your little helpers to assist with meal prep as well! They love to be involved and they may be more likely to eat it.

If you stray from meal planning, you are likely to end up eating out more frequently and spending more money! So, in the end, the system is a win-win. We found a site offering some great meal planning templates. Thanks Tip Junkie for sharing these great resources! If you prefer to do everything digital, we also found these ten meal planning apps for you to try.

If you need some simple, healthy meal ideas, we offer recipes every Monday on our blog or on our Facebook and Pinterest pages.

Are you an avid meal planner? What techniques and strategies do you have to share? 

 

Back to School Tips, Printable, and Video

Back to School

It’s back to school time and rather than throwing yourself into the ensuing chaos, try these simple tips to make your back to school time a little easier.

First, here are three simple back to school tips for success:

Tip 1: Don’t wait until the last minute. 

After buying school supplies, don’t wait until the night before school starts to label everything for your children. Plan ahead and pack their bags so all you need to do is grab and go on the first day of school.

Tip 2: Create a “masterpiece” wall.

Hang up your children’s favorite art and other school work. After awhile, rotate in new pieces and store the old in a file box.

Tip 3: Try on first day of school outfits ahead of time.

You don’t want clothing disagreements slowing down this busy morning!

Next, watch as Sir Rebrum talks about the importance of doing homework:

Now, make sure and download this back to school-themed coloring sheet for the kids:

Coloring Sheet Button

Lastly, you can also download our fun back to school activity book to ease the kids back into doing “work!”

 

So, now it’s time to get excited about back to school and all the fun to be had this year! Good luck!