Back to the Grind Part III

This is part three of getting back to the grind—helping you get organized and ready for back-to-school and Q4. The regular weekly recipes, shopping lists, and meal plans will resume in September!

We’re one week closer to the back-to-school season and getting back into routines. If you’re relaxing on a beach, save this for when you get back and continue enjoying your vacation.

If you’re in planning mode, today we’re getting ready for lunches for you and your kids. I don’t make recipes specifically for my kids’ lunches. I know some people do, but that’s not the norm for me. A few weeks ago, I started talking to my little one about what she wants in her lunch. I always find it helpful to go food shopping with my kids to make sure they have meals they’ll enjoy (and actually eat). Our staples are sliced red bell pepper, mozzarella balls, pretzels, and last year my oldest got into olives and roast beef sandwiches.

Today’s recipes are designed to inspire your back-to-the-grind lunches and make the morning scramble a little easier. A tip: Double up certain ingredients when you’re cooking dinner so you can eat them for lunch. I do this all the time with pasta, meatballs, and chicken.

Here’s what’s on the menu:

• Roasted Beet & Carrot Salad with Grilled Chicken

• Lentil Salad

• Green Goddess Chicken Salad

• Trio of Dips and Veggies

• Granola Bars

• Cookie Dough Bars

PS - Stay tuned for a special giveaway tomorrow!

Roasted Beet & Carrot Salad with Grilled Chicken

This salad is the best kind—it gets better the longer it sits. Bring it with you for a desk lunch you’ll look forward to all day. I recommend keeping the feta and crunchy topping separate until you’re ready to eat—otherwise things can get soggy. And this grilled chicken recipe is my all-time fave. It’s what made my daughter start eating chicken, so maybe it will work for your kids, too. For them, pair it with leftover noodles from the night before.

Lentil Salad

A great salad to pack for lunch, and it requires minimal chopping. Slice half a bell pepper for your kids and throw the rest in this salad for you. It’s packed with protein to keep you full, and you can easily pack a hard-boiled egg to serve on top of it.

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Green Goddess Chicken Salad

This is a great way to use up leftover chicken from the night before and enjoy it in a new way. If you’re making the Green Goddess Dip below, save some to make this chicken salad. If you’re vegan, use chickpeas instead. However you make it, you’ll look forward to this lunch all morning.

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Trio of Dips & Veggies

You know I love jars. Put your favorite dip in the bottom of a jar and cut some carrot sticks to put on top. Close the jar and you have a great little snack to bring to work.

• Hummus

• Tzatziki

• Green Goddess Dip

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Granola Bars

Making granola bars is so easy. It’s a great way to add ingredients you love (or want to get rid of) and adhere to school ingredient policies.

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Cookie Dough Bars

Another sweet treat that’s great for packing!! I like to keep these in the freezer for a bite of something sweet after dinner, but it’s a great way to add nourishment to lunchboxes. If your kid won’t be into it, save the bars for yourself and give them a few chocolate chips.

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