Most school districts have opened for in-person education and parents are back working in the office, family meal preparations are slowly going back to pre-COVID days. However, the pressure for planning family meals has also resurfaced. That’s why easy and quick meal preparations are back gaining traction once again.

Healthy and simple meals for the kids as they go back to school are one of the vital tools necessary to successfully navigate the school year ahead. As parents prepare for their children’s in-person education this fall, these back-to-school food products are on top of their grocery lists:

Healthy Snacks

Parents’ quest in grocery stores for healthy foods for kids will continue as children go back to school. Healthy snacking is going to be big this school year as the health crisis continues to be a threat in our lives. Snacks for kids’ overall health and wellness can include homemade veggie and fruity snacks, salads, granola bars, muffins, and beet fries.

Easy-to-Prepare Meals

Meal preparations will be stressful for parents who are juggling work and taking care of their families at the same time as children go back to school. That’s why easy-to-prepare meals will be key. On-the-go breakfasts, such as baked oatmeal, packed lunches, like pita bread with hummus, and chicken wrap sandwiches for easy weeknight dinners, are just some of the easier meals that will be popular in the weeks ahead.

Foods That Improve Moods

Children’s school performance depends in part on the kind of food they eat in a day. That’s why quality foods that improve moods are greatly beneficial and will help children get through their school days. Mood-boosting foods, like plant-based and organic snacks, fruit smoothies, and protein and dairy food products, are just some of the food options kids will surely love.  

The return to office and face-to-face classes will again shift customer buying behavior. We have been used to having the luxury of time, cooking and preparing meals at home. Now as we slowly go back to our pre-COVID lives, families are finding meal solutions that are practical and of value. As parents prepare for the upcoming school year, this provides grocery retailers key opportunities to attract customers and keep them engaged in the hope of normalizing shopping patterns, whether in-store or online. It is expected that back-to-school spending will be bigger this year than last year. Retailers can have a share of this increased dollar spend by improving merchandising strategies on product assortments and optimizing promotions accompanied by personalized messaging.

The success of in-person, classroom learning depends on the full coordination of students, teachers, parents, and everyone involved in the educational system. Though the opening of schools can be challenging with all the evolving guidelines and restrictions, we could only hope for the better as we gear up for another busy school year ahead.