A New Recipe, School's Out & Weekly Meal Ideas
Happy Friday!
School's out (or almost out), and if your house is anything like ours, schedules are changing, which means we’re moving into the new summer rhythms. Camps, travel, pool time, and more downtime (yay!), all of which can sometimes feel like just a different kind of busy. And all those changes are often accompanied by changes in appetite.
If you feel like your kids are suddenly asking for a snack more often, you're not alone. It’s normal for appetites to change, especially with less structure and more outdoor time. I don’t know about your kids, but being in the pool, a lake, or the ocean always made my kids hungrier than usual. It takes a little time to get used to the shift.
I know it can feel like you should be serving up color-coded snack trays that include things like homemade mini-muffins, fruit cut into cute shapes, and a homemade yogurt dip. (Totally ok if making snack boxes brings you joy).
But for many of us, that’s just not realistic. And it’s often downright stress-inducing. All that said, it’s important to remember that snacks look different for every family.
If you're looking for a few new snack ideas (or just a little inspiration to mix up your snacks and your kids’ snacks), we've got just what you need:
5 Snack-Time Tips for Kids (& Adults Too!)
Some of Our Favorite Summer Snacks
NEW: Berry Banana Smoothie Recipe – A 5-minute snack you can drink right away, pack, or freeze into popsicles.
Remember, there’s no one right way to do a snack. Whether you’re packing snack boxes with all the compartments or tossing a granola bar and yogurt squeezer in your bag on the way out the door, you’re doing great.
P.S.
Do you have a go-to summer snack that your kids especially like? Comment below! We’d love to hear what’s working at your house.
Weekly Meal Ideas/Meal Plan
Speaking of meal planning, did you have a chance to listen to our 100th podcast episode: Reboot Your Meal Planning?
Here’s what Anna’s cooking this week.
Dinner:
Easy Orange Ginger Salmon, Rice, Steamed Herbed Broccoli
Slow Cooker Chipotle Honey Chicken Tacos, Bagged Southwestern Salad
Pesto Chicken Pasta, Caesar Salad
Hamburgers, Elizabeth’s New Recipe Spring Salad with Asparagus, Pistachios and Parmesan, Sliced Watermelon
Lunch:
Ham/Cheese Sandwich, Chips, Green Grapes, Chocolate Chip Cookies
Leftover Chipotle Honey Chicken in a Thermos, Tortilla Chips, Shredded Cheese, Sliced Avocado, Orange Slices
SunButter and Jelly Sandwich, Chips, Carrots/Mini cucumbers/Dressing, Grapes, Chocolate chips
Breakfast:
Strawberry and Banana Smoothie, Bagel with Cream Cheese
Cereal, Milk, Banana with Sunbutter
Fried Egg and Cheese Sandwich on an English Muffin, Blueberries
Greek Yogurt, Granola, Strawberries
We’ll be back next week with more ways to take the frenzy out of feeding this summer.