Back to School with Balance Bar {Review & Giveaway}

Disclosure: I was sent this product for free to taste and review, all the opinions are my own

 

I was recently sent Balance Bars to try.  My favorite is the cookie dough.  It was a nice size snack that left me satisfied and also had me feeling like I just had a really tasty treat!!   Anytime I eat something chocolately I feel like I am being really “bad” but Balance Bar mini energy bars are only 3 Weight Watcher Plus Points.  They make a great morning or afternoon snack!

I was also sent an Itzy Ritzy reusable snack bag.  I have been thinking about investing in something like these for a while.  I love the zipper, they are a great size so today I brought my grapes to work in my new Itzy Ritzy reusable snack bag exactly like in the photo!!

August is winding down and families are officially in “Back to School” mode, which includes packing lunches, soccer games, play-dates, homework and so much more! Balance Bar® in partnership with the Macaroni Kid parent network surveyed more than 5,000 parents of school-aged children and found that 61% of parents thought that Fall (aka Back to School) is the busiest time of year for their families.

What else did they find from this survey? Check it out:

• 77% of parents said they have 3 or more activities/events per week on average once school starts.
• 80% of respondents said once school starts, they will be planning more meals and attending more sporting events for their kids.
• And 57% of parents said they try to have one meal together each day as a family to help balance their schedules.
• 79% of parents reported that they pack their kids’ school lunches.

To help parents, Macaroni Kid provided some tips on how to better prepare for a school day and balance everyone’s schedules:

Do a run through.  Are your kids starting a new school or a new routine? Do a run through. Wake up “school time,” brush teeth, get dressed, pack lunch, have a school-appropriate breakfast and maybe even drive or walk to school.  Then, take those packed lunches and head to the park for a final summer break picnic.

• Plan the menus.  Give your kids several options in each category and let them weigh in on what they’d like to find in their lunchboxes… you won’t have to guess each morning and they are far more likely to eat it if they’ve had a hand in selecting it. We love Balance Bar® minis to pack along for snacks!
• Clean your closets! Nothing gets you and the kids ready for smooth mornings like purged, well-organized closets.
• Start a good sleep routine early. Kids love to stay up late in the summer time (and who can blame them) but it makes for tougher mornings if kids are used to going to bed later and sleeping in past “school time” wake up.
• Set goals with your children for the upcoming school year. Whether it’s academics, sports, or extracurricular activities it’s great to help kids get motivated for success in the new school year.

Are you on twitter???  Join Balance Bar’s Back to School Twitter Party tomorrow…Tuesday, August 20th at 2pm EST #Back2SchoolBalance  I’ll be there!!

Want to try your own Balance Bars?  All you have to do is enter below and you will WIN a box of Balance Bar Minis AND an Itzy Ritzy Reusable snack bag!!

 

 

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