Back to School: 4 Tips to Make Your Life Easier

Source: Photo by Elena Mozhvilo on Unsplash

It’s that time of year again – we just received our class assignments and school supplies lists for the upcoming year. We don’t go back to class until after Labor Day, but according to my social media timelines some kids are already starting to head back!

Here are a few of my tips to help make the back-to-school craziness go a little bit smoother:

Tip #1: School Supplies Upgrade

Order these labels and stick them on EVERYTHING: Avery Durable Labels.

I’ve been using them for years on school supplies, lunch boxes, water
bottles, plastic containers, ice packs, etc. They are dishwasher safe and hold
up really well after dozens and dozens of washes. I even have a water bottle
from 3 years ago that STILL has the label on it with Jack’s name. These things are invaluable, so keep a pack on hand!

Tip #2: Throw in a Load of Laundry

Hunt down the backpack and lunchboxes your kiddo(s) used last year, throw them in the washing machine and wash them on cold (add a few towels so you don’t waste any space). Then, let them hang dry so that they’re all ready for the coming year. Even if you bought a brand-new lunchbox and backpack, DO THIS ANYWAYS with the old ones. That way when a container of peaches opens up inside their lunch bag and makes everything sticky, you’re prepared with a backup until the new one is clean again. If you have a hard lunchbox (rather than the squishy kind), stick it in the dishwasher for a nice back-to-school bath.

Tip #3: Reintroduce Shoes

If your kid is like mine, they’ve been wearing sandals, flip flops, or crocs
all summer long. However, at our school it is required to wear sneakers on PE days. Well, Jack hasn’t put on socks and sneakers in months, so each August I have him try on his sneakers to make sure he hasn’t grown out of them.

Flow Chart 1: If they’re too small, you now have a couple weeks to
find a new pair. Find them, buy them, start wearing them to break them in so they are ready to be worn for a full school day.

Flow Chart 2: If they still fit, reintroduce shoes and socks to your kid.
According to Jack, socks are evil and so hard to put on after three months. So, we start wearing them sparingly before school starts to get the whining out of the way early.

Tip #4: Do a Clothing Fashion Show

Yes, I know it’s still 90 degrees in Maryland. However, when you realize
your kid grew out of all their pants and long sleeves it will be cold outside
and you’ll be stuck sending your kid to school in capris. Do a quick try-on of
pants, long sleeves and jackets so that you have a couple months to hunt out
sales and gather what you need.

Disclaimer: This post contains an Amazon affiliate link. This means that
clicking on a link may help me earn a small commission at no cost to you.

That Time I Went a Little Viral on Threads: The Big Bopper

For those of you not familiar with Threads, it was launched by Instagram in July 2023 and allows users to post text, photos and videos, and interact with other’s posts through likes, reposts, and replies. It’s basically a nicer version of Twitter (aka X). I’ve been over there since the beginning and enjoy reading other peoples Threads. Occasionally, I share thoughts. Or longer Thread stories… which are like free-form mini blog posts (I also curse over there, so… sorry). Anyways, I shared a story last week that kind of blew up.

And by blew up, I mean my account had over 295,000 views. I also had over 600 comments on my various posts, which I tried to keep up with over the few days that things were going crazy.

Anyways, one of those comments suggested that I write this all down somewhere, so I thought I’d add it over here on the blog too! I’ve been posting since before I was even pregnant with Jack, so for me it’s a fun little look back at many of the highs and lows over the past 14 years of my life.

So buckle up… here is the story of The Big Bopper.

My EOE Flare and Going Low Gluten

In June, I had an EOE flare so bad that it felt like an elephant was sitting on my chest. So yeah, did not enjoy and do not recommend. For those not familiar, Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EOE) is a chronic immune system disease where certain foods can cause your esophagus to become inflamed. It’s kind of like a food allergy’s evil cousin. I’ve known that I’ve had an intolerance to gluten for years, but it amped up out of nowhere and I went from ‘oh, I try not to eat gluten at dinner because it gives me reflux’ to being scared that I was going to have to survive on pudding and jello for the rest of my life.

My new doctor can’t see me until August, so I’ve gone full detective mode… spiraling down the EOE rabbit hole, learning about allergy testing, elimination diets and eating low gluten. Because honestly, nothing says ‘world-class healthcare’ like having to auction off your firstborn for a specialist who might see you sometime in 2027.

So thanks to doctor Google/ChatGPT I had a plan to get through the couple months leading up to my appointment. I really, really, really do not want to go on an elimination diet for a variety of reasons that I won’t go into here. However, I started keeping a food journal after my flare, eating low gluten, and tracking how I feel.

I’m not diving fully into gluten-free life unless it proves necessary long term, but I have reduced gluten since I know it can be a trigger for me. Which means, testing gluten-free options. My sister (who is gluten free) has given me some great suggestions and I’ve also done a little trial and error of what I can find at my local stores.

Here is what I’ve tried and liked so far:

  • Homemade Rice Krispie treats – naturally gluten free, as they are just rice krispies, butter and marshmallows. It is helpful for me to have a grab-and-go snack that I can eat if I need something sweet.
  • Bettergoods brand Gluten Free Banana Nut Muffin Mix – I made it according to the directions, but also added one smashed banana and some dark chocolate chips. It was very good and tasted like ‘normal’ muffins!
  • Miss Jones brand Gluten Free Monster Cookie Mix – This cookie mix was an easy mix and bake GF option. They tasted a little like they were oatmeal cookie based when they were warm from the oven, but they were WAY better the next day after being stored in a plastic storage container. They were still chewy, rather than crispy, and delicious. I had to ban my husband from eating them all.
  • Barilla Gluten Free Rotini – These noodles tasted almost exactly like the non-gluten version and made for some delicious mac and cheese!
  • Snyders Gluten Free Pretzels – These taste just like regular pretzels (maybe a little crunchier) and they are great for tzatziki dips.
  • G.H. Cretors Cheese & Caramel Popcorn Mix – I love a sweet/salty combo and this popcorn mix is gluten free!
  • LiveGfree Gluten Free Baking Mix – They carry this baking mix at Aldi and it is a base that can be turned into pancakes, waffles and biscuits. It was fantastic as waffles. I also tried it as more of a savory pancake situation (I added cheddar cheese) to take the place of the bread on my tomato sandwich and it was… okay.

There have also been a few gluten free fails. I tried chickpea noodles topped with spaghetti sauce and they were kind of awful. I mean I ate them because I was hungry, but I was mad about it. I also tried to make my normal banana chocolate chip muffin recipe but subbed in almond flour… and it was like a mushy banana pudding situation.

I’ve heard that Trader Joes has some very good gluten free options, including everything bagels and doughnuts. So, I plan to try them soon!

I’m still in the experimenting stage here though, so I can certainly use some recommendations. If you’ve gone gluten free – either by choice or necessity – what are your favorites? I’m taking snacks, baking mixes, bread items that don’t taste like cardboard, etc.