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Haylie Duff Shares Her Secrets For a Successful Back to School Season

A Q&A Discussion with the Actress, TV Host and Mother

It’s that time of year again–time to send the kiddos back to school! While a new school year brings promise and excitement surrounding what’s ahead, it also can be a time of uneasy transition and stress. Between getting your kids ready in the morning to running around for afterschool activities, how do you ensure they’re still eating healthy? How can they–and you–ease in to their new schedule? What’s the best way to ensure you’re still squeezing in as much quality family time as you can? Haylie Duff of Real Girl’s Kitchen sat down with Libby’s recently to share her favorite tricks and helpful tips for making the back to school transition as seamless, healthy and fun as possible!

We can’t believe it’s already time for another school year! The transition from the beach to classroom can be a bit bittersweet as we say farewell to summer break. What are your tips for lessening the stress of back-to-school and making the transition smoother?

Well, since this is my first time “getting ready for back to school,” I’m getting lots of tips from other moms! One thing I have cracked down on is nap/bedtime routine. During the summer, we love to have long, leisurely meals outdoors. Since the sunlight lingers in the summer, Ryan’s bedtime has become later and later. I really believe that a scheduled kid is a happy kid so I am trying to stick with our normal hours in prep of the extra energy needed for school!

My other tip for getting rid of school prep stress is to pack everything the night before. I make most of Ryan’s lunch the night before so we can run out the door in the morning!

Planning ahead is key to smooth mornings, especially as you’re getting back into the swing of things. What’s your go-to make-ahead lunch?

I actually just made a cold pasta salad with Rotini pasta and Libby’s® Peas & Carrots Vegetable Cups. It was very simple and delicious and it holds up perfectly in the refrigerator. It is a perfect make-ahead lunch for kids!

Having tasty, fun and nutritious recipes can help us break free from lunchbox boredom. What are some ways to get creative and spice up lunch for the next day?

I have been seeing lots of creative lunches now that Ryan has started preschool…even pizza!

I really feel inspired by the colorful lunches. A classic and fun way to spice up lunch can mean a bunch of different things: cookie cutters for sandwiches, a surprise pop of color like purple carrots, or even their favorite little cookie tucked away somewhere.

After-school snacking = key to curing crankiness. What are your go-to snack recipes that will satisfy, but also leave room for dinner?

cheesy sweet corn and hatch chili muffins

We love seaweed snacks in our family! Fruit is also always a good idea, or something a bit creative like my Hatch Chili & Cheddar Corn Muffins! Sometimes they play so hard at school that their snack needs to be amped up a bit!

When entering a new school year, weekends are often cherished with quality family time, whether it be a short getaway, or lounging around in pajamas all day. What are some of your favorite weekend activities for the new season?

Ryan has been in her little baby pool NONSTOP! I think swimming is always a great idea because it really wears them out so that they are ready for bedtime! Even if the sun is still shining bright!

Between extracurricular activities, studying and homework, it can be a bit challenging and hectic to balance the never-ending to-do list. How do you manage everything, while also fitting in nutritious meals for the family?

A well-stocked pantry is my best friend when things get hectic over here! If you keep things like Libby’s® Vegetable Cups or Libby’s® Vegetable Pouches, good broths, pasta, rice, lentils, tomatoes, etc. in stock at all times, you can usually pull just about anything together!

Veggies are key to ensuring kids have a nutritious, balanced diet – but it can be tricky to get the youngsters to eat them. What are some tricks to sneak in vegetables?

lentil shepherd's pie

I think smoothies are a great way to sneak in greens! Sadly, Ryan won’t drink a smoothie. My Lentil Shepherd’s Pie with Libby’s® Vegetable Cups is a veeeery popular dish in my house! Ryan has loved lentils ever since she was a baby and I always sneak in as many more veggies as I can! I usually get away with it…unless I add broccoli, then that’s a no-go!

Food Waste Survival Guide for Back to School

By Dylan Bailey, MS

With the new school year comes new excitement and opportunity, as well as new challenges. Saving time and creating valuable family memories may be at the forefront of your mind especially with summer vacation in the rear-view mirror and backpacks filled with homework replacing beach bags filled with sunscreen. 

With the little available time you have this back-to-school season, Libby’s challenges you to do something easy and great for your family, with a strong educational lesson at its heart. We’re talking about minimizing food waste

Currently, it is estimated that 31% to 40% of food is thrown away after it has been harvested, which equates to more than 1,200 calories per person per day – those are some alarming numbers! We have some simple solutions, recipes and tips that you and your family can start to implement this new school year to reduce food waste. 

Never Waste a Dilla

southwestern chicken quesadillas

Finish the first day of school with this quick, easy, and inexpensive meal that is sure to get the whole family running to the dinner table. These Southwestern Chicken Quesadillas use full cans of Libby’s® Mixed Vegetables. Pop leftovers into an air-tight storage container and place into the fridge so you and your family can enjoy this tasty creation for lunch the next day. 

Meet your Meatloaf

mediterranean meatloaf

As summer moves to fall, you may want to think about a hearty meal to fuel all those after school activities. This flavorful Mediterranean Meatloaf made with Libby’s® Peas and Carrots is sure to provide everyone with a boost of energy and protein to keep muscles strong (including your brain!). Plan this meal a week in advance of shopping so you buy only the ingredients needed. 

Dish Some Casserole

cornbread chicken casserole

Casserole dishes are a great way to limit food waste and use leftovers. This Cornbread Chicken Casserole uses full cans of sweet corn, black beans, and tomato sauce to provide a bold, satisfying recipe the whole family will love. To use any leftovers of this recipe, try serving with Brown Butter Green Beans With Garlic Almond Bread Crumbs the next day. 

Some other tips we have to reduce food waste include:

  1. Plan your meals for the week before you go shopping and buy only the things needed for those meals.
  2. Consider your food packaging. Cans are 100% recyclable, which can limit waste to landfills and be re-used to make new products. 
  3. Find out how to store fruits and vegetables so they stay fresh longer inside or outside your refrigerator.
  4. Prepare and cook perishable items, then freeze them for use throughout the month.
  5. Learn the difference between “sell-by,” “use-by,” “best-by,” and expiration dates.
  6. Casseroles, stir-fries, frittatas, soups, and smoothies are great ways to use leftovers too.

 

Source: Reducing Wasted Food At Home. (2017, April 17). Retrieved August 09, 2017, from https://www.epa.gov/recycle/reducing-wasted-food-home

 

 

This Summer, Get Pin-spired by Libby's!

Our fans tell us they love to use Pinterest to prepare dinner parties and redecorate their homes on a budget. At Libby’s, we use Pinterest to motivate you to try delicious recipes, eat healthier and plan fun activities for your families. Get Pin-spired this summer with our board suggestions below to help you achieve your summertime goals!

Travel foreign lands

Whether you’re travelling halfway across the world or to the nearest U.S. city, Pinterest lets you access everything you need to plan your next vacation. You can use the search bar to find the best lodging options, restaurants and activities in your vacation destination.

Play endless family games

With the kids out of school for the summer, there will be more opportunities for you to plan family game nights or weekend outings. Pinterest offers a variety of family activity ideas, like arts and crafts projects or a visit to a national park. The possibilities for summer fun and learning are endless – just save all your favorite ideas to a “Just for Kids” board!

Eat well and eat often

Mealtime just got a little easier with the help of Pinterest. You can create different boards for each of your culinary needs – from dish type (salads, summer cooking, dessert) to cooking tool (crock pot, stir fry, grilling) to flavor (savory, sweet, spicy). The Libby’s Table Pinterest boards can help you get started – just repin any of our images to your own boards to create perfectly balanced and delicious meals for your family.

What is your favorite use for Pinterest? Let us know by commenting on our Facebook page!

Put Some Spring (Holiday) in your Step with Libby's

Whether you celebrate Easter or Passover, springtime holidays are the perfect excuse to gather the family together for a delicious meal. Libby’s® Fruits & Vegetables is making the meal planning process a little easier with our new Digital Recipe Box, an application on our Facebook page, that brings our recipes from your desktop to your tabletop! The Digital Recipe Box houses more than 100 recipes using Libby’s® products and allows you to share recipes with your Facebook friends, or email and print them out for future reference. The app makes it easy to plan meals by dish, ingredient or type of gathering. Through the advanced search features, you can easily add dishes like Corn and Potato Casserole or Peach Hand Pies to your Easter brunch or Passover Seder. If you prefer to create your own categories for recipes, the contents of our Digital Recipe Box are now also available on Pinterest. Do you struggle to find vegetarian options for a Meatless Monday challenge or kid-friendly dishes for that picky eater? Libby’s Table Pinterest boards can help you find exactly what you need to keep your family healthy and happy at the dinner table (and beyond.) Repin our recipes, health tips and suggestions for family activities to your own Pinterest page to share delicious food and fun family activities on your own boards. Once you have explored our app, please let us know how we’re doing! If you have any suggestions for recipes you would like to see in the Digital Recipe Box, send us an email at [email protected].