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The beginning of the school year is upon us, and many of us agree that maintaining a healthy lifestyle while meeting the many demands of the back-to-school season can be difficult. To help you navigate these waters, we’ve compiled eight tips for making this school year the cleanest and healthiest ever!

It’s for your child

Eat a healthy snack

As we get back into the routine of balancing family, friends, school, and extracurriculars, it’s not uncommon to find yourself with only a few minutes to grab a bite to eat before running off to the next activity. We can understand that it’s easy (and tempting) to grab something on the go, but most pantry or store snacks aren’t the best option for a healthy, filling meal.

Quick snacks which are designed for convenience tend to contain high levels of sugars, syrups, dyes (giving off those attractive colors), and preservatives. Unfortunately these can lead to a blood sugar spike and they don’t even help to satisfy hunger. However, an easy way around this is to prepare in advance and have nutritious options available when needed. For example, ones like fresh fruit kabobs, homemade trail mix and deviled eggs. If you need some inspiration for ideas be sure to check out this article!

Keep cleanliness at the forefront of your mind

School days can expose us to bacteria, germs, and toxins that we are not as accustomed to handling during an ordinary day at home. As a result, sicknesses spread so quickly once kids return to school. In spite of our best efforts to keep our families’ health safe, it can seem impossible to keep everything clean and sanitized all the time, especially when we have children.

Incorporating just a few essential practices can reduce the risk of illness and mitigate the effects of illness when one does contract it. You should teach your kids about germs and cleanliness and remind them to wash their hands after certain activities, such as using the restroom, going to recess, or coming home from school.

When soap and water are not easily accessible, send them to school with a convenient alternative, like our Moisturizing Hand Sanitizer. It is also possible to take preemptive measures to strengthen your child’s immune system and avoid things that might weaken it. To accomplish this, make sure your child is eating clean, whole foods and cutting out processed, sugary foods.

Don’t forget to take breaks

It is important to remember that mental health is just as important as physical health, and that starting a new school year can be stressful. As a result of having so many responsibilities, kids can be under a lot of pressure and stress. The effects of stress can be detrimental to everyone, but they are especially harmful to people who have not yet developed their bodies and brains.

We want our children to be able to handle the pressures that come with living in modern times, so how can we make sure they remain healthy? Taking regular breaks is a must; if you notice your child becoming overwhelmed by all they have on their plate, take some time out for activities that will help them relax such as socializing with friends, watching TV or indulging in a passion. Another thing to consider is that kids need open communication lines; let them know they can come to you whenever they need to talk about anything on their minds. Finally, teaching them good time management skills will help prevent any feelings of being overwhelmed; one way this could be done is by…

Develop a routine

We all function better with a routine, whether we’re kids or adults. Having a general idea of what has to be done in a day and how we’re going to accomplish it gives us a sense of control and direction that, when managed properly, can also mitigate feelings of stress and anxiety.

As part of your routine, you should include all of the essential elements of the day- such as doing homework or completing chores- but otherwise it should be as specific or as general as you and your child need. Make sure your schedule is realistic. Having a high bar or including too many tasks will result in a sense of satisfaction rather than frustration if the bar has been set too high. Routines are all different, but they should all include these basic elements:

Having a set wake-up time

Time for meals

Taking a break

Setting a bedtime

In the interest of the planet

Pack a lunch

No doubt, food waste in US schools is a significant issue. Figures from the World Wildlife Fund’s (WWF) 2019 Report demonstrate this, with an estimated 530,000 tons of food disposed of annually. By packing homemade lunches we can help reduce these alarming waste levels as well as keep better tabs on what our children are consuming. Avoiding processed foods and those normally low in nutrients and heavily laden with sugar will fortify our children’s immunity and mental health alike; at the same time helping to safeguard the environment.

Reusable containers should be used

The only thing better than a packed lunch is a lunch packed in sustainable, reusable containers. Although glass and bamboo utensils are on the rise, plastic is still the most common choice for quick meals and drinks on the go. It is astonishing how much waste is generated by just water bottles, but if you consider all the other ways we contribute to this problem (plastic bags, plastic wrap, plastic utensils, etc.), it is really quite alarming.

While it might seem daunting at first, switching to more sustainable containers is not only cleaner and safer (think about those phthalates), but it’s pretty easy.

Canteens made of glass or stainless steel that can be reused

Food containers made of cloth or silicone

Utensils made from bamboo

Straws made from bamboo or paper

Lunch boxes made of stainless steel

Make sure your school supplies are non-toxic

Generally, mainstream school supplies are not made with the environment in mind, so they are both harmful to the environment as well as potentially harmful to students who use them. Among the many hazardous chemicals in school supplies (folders, binders, backpacks, etc.) are plastic and vinyl. A wide range of health conditions have been linked to phthalates, including endocrine disruption, asthma, diabetes, cancer, and reproductive problems.

As phthalates are found in plastic to enhance flexibility and durability, they are also harmful to the environment, since their production involves high carbon emissions, and plastic takes hundreds of years to decompose.

When generic supplies are so expensive, you should consider healthier alternatives, like bioplastic and natural canvas, or phthalate-free, biodegradable, or recyclable solutions.

Inventory old supplies before buying new ones

Acknowledging that it can be difficult to find the most ecological materials for back-to-school shopping, take stock of what you already have lying around or can be reused. You may find that you purchased too many supplies last year, or have gently-worn items from an older child that can be passed down. Don’t throw caution to the wind when it comes to fulfilling your student’s school supply list; often, what’s requested is more than needed. Look for ways to reduce unnecessary purchases and opt for a sustainable strategy this back-to-school season.

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