It’s hard to believe that summer is almost over and my girls head back to school in a few weeks! Heading back-to-school means packing lunches and snacks for dance, soccer practice, play-dates and “snack week” responsibilities. I have tried to think of filling snacks that they will enjoy. I recently tried the Balance Bar mini energy bars which contain 7 grams of protein, 100 calories and 23 vitamins and minerals. The bars are soft, flavorful, satisfying, filling and easy to eat. They are the perfect size for kids or even parents who need a little something to hold them over while on-the-go. A bite of the cookie dough reminded me of the days I used to sneak bites of raw cookie dough while baking with my mom..yumm. The double chocolate is just as delicious for all the chocolate lovers out there. Unfortunately my oldest didn’t try them because they are produced on equipment that also processes peanuts, tree nuts, egg, wheat and sesame but my youngest is so excited to pack them in her Itzy Ritzy snack bag (to be featured in an upcoming food storage post).
Image by tastefully childish
Are you ready for back-to-school? Balance Bar® in partnership with the Macaroni Kid parent network surveyed more than 5,000 parents of schoolaged children and found that 61% of parents thought that Fall (aka Back to School) is the busiest time of year for their families.
What else did they find from this survey? Check it out:
• 77% of parents said they have 3 or more activities/events per week on average once school starts.
• 80% of respondents said once school starts, they will be planning more meals and attending more sporting events for their kids.
• And 57% of parents said they try to have one meal together each day as a family to help balance their schedules.
• 79% of parents reported that they pack their kids’ school lunches.
To help parents, Macaroni Kid provided some tips on how to better prepare for a school day and balance everyone’s schedules:
• Do a run through. Are your kids starting a new school or a new routine? Do a run through. Wake up “school time,” brush teeth, get dressed, pack lunch, have a schoolappropriate breakfast and maybe even drive or walk to school. Then, take those packed lunches and head to the park for a final summer break picnic.
• Plan the menus. Give your kids several options in each category and let them weigh in on what they’d like to find in their lunch boxes… you won’t have to guess each morning and they are far more likely to eat it if they’ve had a hand in selecting it. We love Balance Bar® minis to pack along for snacks!
• Clean your closets! Nothing gets you and the kids ready for smooth mornings like purged, well-organized closets.
• Start a good sleep routine early. Kids love to stay up late in the summer time (and who can blame them) but it makes for tougher mornings if kids are used to going to bed later and sleeping in past “school time” wake up.
• Set goals with your children for the upcoming school year. Whether it’s academics, sports, or extracurricular activities it’s great to help kids get motivated for success in the new school year.
Interested in hearing more tips on how to balance your schedule come this Fall? Join Balance Bar® Tuesday, August 20 at 2:00 PM EST/11:00 AM PST for a live, one-hour Twitter chat.
For more information visit www.Balance.com, Balance Bar on Facebook (www.facebook.com/BalanceBar), and Twitter (https://twitter.com/BalanceBar)
GIVEAWAY:
One lucky winner will win a box of Balance Bar mini energy bars and an Itzy Ritzy snack bag. Click the link to ENTER! The giveaway begins 8/18/ 2013 and will end at 11:59 pm on 8/26/2013.
Itzy Ritzy snack bags are machine washable and waterproof. Ideal for holding crackers and Balance Bar mini energy bars. Top right image by tastefully childish
Disclaimer: I received samples of Balance Bar mini energy bars and an Itzy Ritzy for the purpose of this review. All images, unless noted, and information in italics came from 360 PR.
Tags: back-to-school, balance bar, food store age, Giveaway, itzy ritzy, Kids, reusable snack bag, review, snacks
Tastefully Childish 