School's (Almost) Out For Summer!

Kids Choice Night: Hot Dogs + Pasta Salad + Apples + Tomatoes

We have just a few short weeks left before school is out for the summer. Whether the kids are going to be home or at camp all summer this likely means you’re going to have to start thinking about food a little more! Here are some tips to help keep everyone fueled up for summer fun:

• Drink plenty of water! Here in Charleston, SC temperatures are already in the 80’s during the day and it’s only going to get hotter. Send the kids to camp with a refillable water bottle. Depending on the camp and the age of the kid they may be responsible for refilling their own bottle so make sure you talk to them about it! If they are at home all day make sure you periodically encourage them to drink up.
• Plan meals to avoid running through the drive thru often. If your kids ate school lunches all year your grocery list and meal plan may start looking a little different as you now need to account for the additional food they will be eating. Have kids help you plan meals. We have a “Kids Choice Night” where each week one of the kids decides what we’re eating and helps to prepare it….be ready for some pretty creative ideas!
• Create snack bins. You know what’s going to happen. You will feed them lunch and 3 minutes later you’re going to hear those words…”I”m hungry, can I have a snack?”. Set aside one drawer in the fridge(cut up veggies, fruit, yogurt, cheese sticks, hard boiled eggs, individual cups of hummus and guacamole)  and one in the pantry (jerky, nuts, bars, crackers, olive pouches,popcorn) full of parent approved snacks that they can grab without asking you

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