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Back To School

How To Lighten Your Child’s Backpack

One of the keys to lighten your child’s school backpack is to choose 3-ring binders and notebooks that are lighter. The Diva shows you some new (and old school) products to lighten that load!

You can pick up the products featured in the video at stores such as Target, Office Depot and Staples, or just click on the links below to find the Mead Five Star products shown:
Five Star Flex NoteBinder – Notebook and Binder All-in-One
Five Star Advance Spiral Notebook (3-Subject)

 

SSD Backpack

Simple Ways To Make The First Day Of School Easier

SSD BTS Breakfast TipsThe first day of school is rapidly approaching for students, and the Simple Solutions Diva has some great Back-To-School breakfast ideas and helpful tips to get the kids ready for school!

Give Them A Great Breakfast!

Fuel those little brains with good, healthy breakfasts they will like and they will greet the day full & happy! Here are some easy breakfast ideas that are packed with protein:

Waffle Breakfast Sundae

 

Healthy Waffle Sundae for Breakfast, From SimpleSolutionsDiva.com.
Healthy Waffle Sundae for Breakfast, From SimpleSolutionsDiva.com.

No, this is not a super sweet sundae for breakfast, but one made with a whole wheat (or gluten free) waffle of your choice (toasted), topped with greek yogurt, sliced fruits (I used strawberries and bananas,) and you can sprinkle some granola on top (optional) for a yummy treat! The greek yogurt is high in protein, the fruit gives them the natural sugar and the granola is crunchy good!

For video instructions, view HERE!

Almond Cereal Bars

Almond Cereal Bars (Photo: Travis Rathbone for MyRecipes.com)
Almond Cereal Bars (Photo: Travis Rathbone for MyRecipes.com)

These are a great way to have cereal on the go – have a bar and glass of milk and you are set! And you know exactly what is in the cereal bar (and don’t tell the kids there’s bran in it – they don’t have to know!).

Ingredients:

  • 2/3 cup almond butter
  • 2/3 cup honey
  • 4 cups bran cereal flakes
  • 4 cups Cheerios cereal
  • 4 tablespoons chopped, dried cherries
  • 4 tablespoons chopped almonds (optional)

Directions:

Spray bottom and sides of a 9×13 baking pan with cooking spray.

In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the almond butter and honey. Microwave on high for 30-45 seconds – stir to combine.

In another, larger microwave-safe bowl, combine the cereals and the cherries (and almonds, if using) and microwave on high for 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds until the cereal mixture is warm.

Stir the almond-honey mixture over the cereal mixture. Be sure to stir until all cereal is thoroughly coated. Pour into greased pan and press mixture into the bottom of the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm. Cut into bars and serve, or save bars in plastic bags for later. Makes approximately 20 bars.

Adapted from MyRecipes.com.

Southwest Breakfast Wraps

Southwest Breakfast Wrap, from SimpleSolutionsDiva.com.
Southwest Breakfast Wrap, from SimpleSolutionsDiva.com.

These are a great grab & go breakfast for the kids!

Ingredients:

  • Tortilla Wrap (can use whole wheat wraps if desired)
  • 1 egg, scrambled – You can cook the egg in the microwave (in microwave safe cup!) on high for 1.5 minutes! (See video instructions HERE)
  • 2 teaspoons black beans, rinsed
  • Cheese
  • Salsa
  • 2-3 Spinach leaves, washed
  • Sour cream (if desired)

Directions:

Place tortilla on a microwave-safe plate. Top with cooked egg, cheese, beans, and salsa. Microwave on high for 30-45 seconds, or until tortilla is warm. Add sour cream and spinach leaves, then roll tortilla up!  Wrap them in tin foil and serve warm!

Breakfast Smoothie Ideas:

Click For These Breakfast Smoothie Recipes: (The Superfood, The Tropical, and The Strawberry & Banana)

Get Them To Bed Early!

clockDuring the summer, sleep schedules are crazy! Get them back on track by having them get to bed a little early every day for a week. Reduce the time in front of a TV or computer screen in the evening. Start the process by reading to them in bed (or have the children read to themselves), getting in bed 10 minutes earlier every day for the week leading up to school.

 

Calm The Nerves!

Many kids get worried about the start of school, or going to a new school or grade. The transition from middle school to high school (or elementary to middle) can be scary, so take advantage of the school orientations. Get a map of the school and highlight where the child’s classes will be (and what period) so they know exactly where they need to go. Talk to them about what they are excited about for school, and then find out if they are nervous about anything. Sometimes just hearing that everything will be OK from mom or dad can make things easier. For the little ones, leaving mom and dad is scary – Give them a laminated photo of the family that they can carry with them at school.

 

Nitty Gritty Basics For The Dorm Room

 

What do you pack for your first time in college? The Diva shares some simple basics for the dorm room that are “mom recommended” for college freshmen! Use this as a starting point for your student, taking into consideration their wants and likes!

This video is part of the series, “Heading Off To College” — simple tips & helpful hints to make it easier to send your students off to college!

SSD Dorm Basics

 

Create A College Emergency Kit

 

You get that dreaded call from your college freshman, “Mom, I’m sick! My head hurts!” (or stomach, or ears, etc.). What can you do? Send them off to college with an emergency kit, full of items they can use to combat some of the simplest, (yet most annoying) of health problems!

The Diva shows you how to assemble a kit, with Mom-Recommended items that might help your student help themselves!

Note: Items in the kit are suggestions – choose items that are appropriate for your student. If you know they have allergies, add in allergy medicine you know works for them. You know they get a sour stomach during mid-terms? Pack in some tummy meds that you know work.

This video is part of the “Heading Off To College” series, featuring simple tips and helpful hints to make it easier to send your students off to college!

SSD Emergency Kit

Make Your Morning Smoothie, The Simple Way


My family loves a good smoothie for breakfast, but sometimes the morning rush leaves us without enough time to assemble the smoothie! Check out the simple video tip above for a simple solution to that time problem!

 

My smoothie packets all assembled and ready to use in the morning!
My smoothie packets all assembled and ready to use in the morning!

Frozen Smoothie Packet Recipes:

Smoothie Flavor Combos – You are only limited by your imagination!

Our current favorite recipe includes banana, mango, pineapple, spinach, and coconut greek yogurt (mixed with apple juice)! My oldest says, “It is better than ice cream, and healthier, too!”

Other favorites include:

The Superfood Smoothie – strawberry, blueberry, chia seeds and apple juice or almond milk.

The Tropical – Mango, Pineapple, Coconut Yogurt mixed with organic acai juice.

Strawberry & Banana – mixed with vanilla yogurt and almond milk.

Another great tip when preparing your frozen smoothie packets: If you want to include yogurt in your smoothie, use an ice cube tray and make yogurt ice cubes. They make it easier to assemble your smoothie packets!

SSD Smoothie PAckets

A Sundae For Breakfast? Sure!

 

A breakfast sundae is simple and is fun for the kids, and you can feel good about serving it!

Breakfast Sundae from SimpleSolutionsDiva.com.
Breakfast Sundae from SimpleSolutionsDiva.com.

Breakfast Sundae

Ingredients:

  • Whole wheat waffle, toasted (I used frozen Eggo Whole Wheat Waffles)
  • Favorite yogurt (I used Oikos strawberry greek yogurt for extra protein)
  • Selection of favorite fruit, sliced & diced

Directions:

Place the toasted waffle on a plate. Top with yogurt and fruit. Serve to very hungry and excited children!

 

SSD Breakfast Sundae

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