According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 79 million students will be heading back to school this fall. With the relaxing, and often even boring, summer break officially coming to a close, it will mean a drastic change for most families. The school year goes hand in hand with a busy family schedule – one that leaves many families unsure how to slow things down and make it a little less hectic.
“Families across the nation experience a major time crunch once the school bell rings,” explains Shawn Davis, otherwise known as Chef Big Shake, the founder of CBS Foods and The Original Shrimp Burger. “We only have so many hours in a day, and we have many things we need to fit into them. It’s crucial that we take the time to find ways to slow the pace, if only for our peace of mind.”
Here are 5 back-to-school time-saving tips that families can use to help slow the pace and help make life a little less hectic:
- Identify time wasters. While we all have many things we need to do each day, there are some that are outright time wasters. If we can eliminate those, we open up more time for those things that actually matter. A major time waster for many people is the amount of time they spend using social media sites. While it may be fun to keep up on what everyone is doing, it can chew up a lot of valuable time that could be used for more meaningful activities.
- Avoid over-scheduling. Children today are often bustled from school to sports to homework to other events, and back again. When parents need a day planner to keep up with everything their child has been scheduled to take part in, it’s time to re-think what’s going on. Pick one or two extra-curricular activities for children to take part in throughout the year, but avoid getting involved in so many that the enjoyment of participation is lost to exhaustion and feeling overwhelmed.
- Family night. Busy times make it that much more important to have a family night at least once a week. Having a weekly dedicated time where the family watches a movie together, plays games, or takes a nature walk strengthens the family bond.
- Involve kids. Many children are capable of doing more around the home than their parents likely give them credit for. Divvy up the chores and household tasks and make them a family affair. Try to get the kids involved in making dinner, as well. There are age-appropriate actions that just about every family member can take on. This will create a smoother-running home and will teach them skills that can last a lifetime.
- Simple meals. When people are too busy, one of the first things that tends to suffer is the family meal. Yet it is so important that families eat healthy meals at home, and that they sit down to eat them together. There are plenty of options for cutting time in preparing meals, such as batch cooking on Sunday afternoon, using a crockpot, and planning ahead. Meals can also be kept simple by including things like frozen shrimp burgers, which help put a nutritious and tasty meal on the table quickly.
“A shrimp burger and salad can become a healthy meal that the whole family will love, and it’s ready within minutes,” adds Davis. “Keeping them on hand means that even busy back-to-school families will have access to quick food right in the convenience of their own kitchen.”
The Original Shrimp Burger is available in five frozen varieties, including original, jalepeńo, Cajun, teriyaki, and Chesapeake Bay flavor. They are high in protein, low in fat, and a good source of Omega-3 fatty acids. In addition to shrimp burgers, CBS Foods also offers lobster sliders, lobster pot pie, and lobster mac and cheese in their product line. For more information on Chef Big Shake, or to visit the store locator, visit the site at www.ChefBigShake.com.
