6 Healthy Dinner Tips to Start the School Year Off Right

It’s amazing, sometimes, just how quickly the bustle of the school year and its activities (soccer, dance lessons, open house, science fair projects) seem to take over our lives.

But all that busy is no reason to give up healthy meals, even if you are relying more on convenience foods now and then. Sitting down at the table is always a good thing. Here are six ways to keep some balance at the table, even when everything else seems like it’s off kilter!

1. Keep a pitcher full of water on the table. Keep glasses full, encourage everyone to drink up, and they will probably drink more water. Give it that restaurant flair by slicing a lemon, lime or an orange into the water for a hint of flavor. Have mint in the garden? Ice water with mint leaves is incredibly refreshing. Watch them ask for refills.
2. Portion servings before you sit down. Worried about refilling plates too many times? When you’re serving something a little decadent (French fries anyone?), figure out portion sizes ahead of time, and let everyone know how much they get. If you made more than enough (to have leftovers for other meals), leave that off the table and wrap it up even before you sit down.
3. No matter what else you serve always have a salad on the table. Sure, the darkest, leafiest greens are the healthiest, but even if your crowd likes iceberg lettuce, that’s better than no salad at all. If you dare, add a few leafy greens to the mix. Bit by bit, your family might discover that they love raw spinach in their salad.
4. Serve what your family likes. Sounds simple, but maybe now, as routine is getting reestablished, is not the time to experiment with that crazy recipe from your fancy cookbook. If your kids know that you’re serving up something loved and familiar, they’ll show up more willingly.
5. Don’t pack away the grill. Just because the leaves are falling doesn’t mean you have to stop grilling out. Prolong the great grilled flavor of food your family loves, keep the heat out of the kitchen (if we are honest, it can still be pretty hot in the Fall) and serve up healthy grilled food (meat and vegetables are great off the grill).
6. Fruit is always a great dessert. Fall means end of summer bounty. There may still be a few peaches in the markets, plums are abundant, fresh figs are available, and grapes are definitely fall fruit. Have a big bowl of fruit washed and ready to place in the center of the table for dessert. Encourage lingering—and more family conversation—by keeping the crowd at the table over a plate of sliced peaches or bunches of grapes.