By Family Features

Balancing schedules, supplies shopping, meal planning and more can make the back-to-school season one of the most hectic times of the year. Keeping stress at bay may be a little easier when you put a plan in place the entire family can follow.

Remember, making the transition as smooth as possible requires a team effort. Help make a new academic year easier on your little ones (and yourself) with these hacks.

Start Your Routines

Getting your kids into their school day routines may be a massive undertaking, but it’s often helpful to start weeks before the first bell rings. Set those alarms and encourage kiddos to treat each morning as if they’re going to class. In the evenings, practice prepping backpacks and outfits just as you would during the school year, and ensure children are going to sleep at the times they should on school nights.

Simplify School Lunches

Prepping lunchboxes to send to school doesn’t need to be a time-consuming affair. In fact, it can be one of the easiest parts of your routine with prepackaged options that help make packing lunches a breeze. Seek out solutions that help simplify the process like Kemps Smooth Cottage Cheese, a first-of-its-kind snack for kids made with 4% whole milk and blended with real fruit to create a smooth and creamy texture without the curds. Available in four-packs of 4-ounce cups in fun flavors like Mixed Berry, Strawberry and Strawberry Banana, it’s a healthy, convenient and versatile solution with probiotics and no high-fructose corn syrup. Plus, it’s high in protein to keep kids feeling full and focused throughout the school day.

Prep the Night Before

Stressful mornings can lead to less productive days. Instead, simplify mornings as much as possible by packing backpacks, prepping lunches and planning outfits in the evenings to save yourself time once that alarm goes off. Plus, you may be less likely to forget essentials like homework assignments or permission slips when you’re not in a rush.

Serve Nutritional After-School Snacks

Skip the temptation to stock the pantry with sugary grab-and-go treats. Instead, encourage good nutritional choices for your children after a day of learning by offering them healthier snacking solutions. For example, pairing cottage cheese with crackers or fresh fruit provides a protein punch without the added sugar of less healthy snack choices to keep little tummies full until it’s time for a family meal. 

Create a Family Calendar

The school year certainly isn’t the only time that calendars feel like they’re bursting at the seams, but the addition of after-school activities, field trips, parent-teacher conferences and more can be overwhelming if you’re not prepared. Find a scheduling solution that works for your family, whether it’s a dry-erase board in a mudroom or magnetic calendar on the fridge. Stay on top of upcoming events and activities by sitting down together once a week (or more) to write down everyone’s commitments and track important dates.

To learn more and find fun recipes, visit Kemps.com.