Back to School Must Haves (Teen Edition)

It's time for Back-to-School!

For teens, this "New Year" is usually bittersweet. An end to relaxing summer days with friends, family, sun and sand. But it's also a fresh start, a chance to see friends, and a time to get back into a routine!

Here are some ideas about how teens can embrace the new season and start off on a positive note!

Upgrade your meals.

Get Back into a Routine & Stay Healthy

Get plenty of rest.

Upgrade your Meals

Lunch Bag Upgrade their meals by packing favorite lunches and snacks from home. You'll ensure that you have sustainable energy instead of the crash from junk from the vending machine or snacks from the caf line. Lunch box designers have really stepped up their game! This simple, stylish lunch bag keeps foods insulated and is super lightweight. 

Need more space? This is gorgeous! And it holds up to 12 cans, or 4 cans plus your entire lunch. It is super lightweight with vegan leather exterior and nylon straps with a waterproof, wipe clean inside that has lightweight but effective insulation. I can't wait to bring one of these to my next ... anything! (It comes in neutral grey and moody black with metal accents too!)

If you prefer a simple, classic design, check out this cream lunchbox! I honestly cannot believe how nice this looks, and that it can hold your whole lunch plus pre-practice snacks and drinks!!

Ice Packs My absolute favorite ice packs, we use them everywhere and have them in multiple sizes. Why do I get so excited about ice packs? Great question... I think it's because we finally found something that WORKS after so many trials and disappointments. These are so functional, and have lasted us almost 3 years so far with nearly daily use.

I'd choose the lunch size if you're a first timer! Super versatile, and stay frozen for hours, and cold for even longer. They usually come home in my kids lunch boxes still frozen after a full day of school! We put a few in larger cooler bags, or if we need something to stay frozen. Larger options are available to use in your full size coolers too! I recommend filling them following the package directions and then storing absolutely flat the first time. This will ensure they fit into your lunchbox nicely, and take up as little room as possible while offering as much cooling surface. 

Grown-Up Lunch Containers Love these containers because they hold a lot without being too bulky. Fill them with your entree on one side, and you still have another smaller section for snacks. Try fruits, vegetables, pasta salads, trail mixes, or any other snacks that can help you feel satisfied without the dreaded crash of sugary, salt-laden snack bar or convenience store foods. The rectangular containers stack nicely in the refrigerator maximizing space, and fit so nicely in a lunch box with my favorite ice packs to keep them cold. You can safely reheat these in the microwave by removing the lid!

A stainless steel set is a lighter weight option, perfect for foods you'll enjoy cold or room temp. Silicone lids seal so nicely and prevent leaks but are still easy to open and are dishwasher safe! The set is even oven safe, but remember these can't go in the microwave for a quick reheat. If you have a few of these sets, you can definitely prep multiple lunches in advance to make your mid-day go smoothly, even if you're eating at home!

Insulated Food Jar Keep hot foods hot when you don't have the time to reheat or access to an oven or microwave! If you're using a lunchbox above with two compartments, you can pack this in the separate compartment and have the best of both worlds! 

Pro Tip: boil water and fill the empty container and pop on the lid. After 3-5 minutes, carefully dump the hot water out, dry the inside, and add your very hot food. Pre-heating the insulated container keeps your food hot much longer!

Use these adorable stainless containers to hold all your dips and dressings - small in size but can really increase the flavor and interest in your packed meals! Fill these perfectly sized cups with nuts or trail mix to snack on throughout the day, dips for veggies or fruit, dressing for your salad, even sauce for your entree! 

Smart Snacking

For snacking on the go, try these lightweight stainless steel containers. They hold 8 oz (1 dry cup) and the silicone lids prevent leaks but are still easy to open. Bonus- they are dishwasher, freezer, and oven safe!

 Check out these small glass snack containers with locking lids. Fill these with your favorite snacks and stack them up.  Pop one or two into your bag before you leave for the day, or as a way to stay on track with your wellness goals! 

(If you prefer lightweight plastic, check these  out) I usually recommend glass or stainless for food storage, but let's be honest. Glass is heavy. These 8 oz plastic containers are good for occasional use. They are recyclable if you decide to only use them once, but also washable (even dishwasher safe!) and reusable!

Insulated Waterbottle While it's still warm, fill it with iced tea, lemon water or one of your other watertok discoveries. As the temperatures start dropping, you'll want to keep your warm drinks warm!

This Stanley Insulated Cup with flip top is spill resistant and insulated to keep your drinks cold for hours. It fits in the bottle holder on the side of your backpack, and has a small footprint for your desk. It has a convenient, flip top, spill proof lid so you won't discover any soaked books from a random tip of your bag, and comes in some beautiful colors!

Get Back Into Your Routine

Planner for those of us who still enjoy a classic paper planner, this one is perfect! Get back into your routine by writing down your goals and start committing! Compact in stature at only 5' x 8" means it can fit into your bag with ease but still has space to write all your important events, tasks and activities. Has weekly and monthly views so you have a nice overview of the month ahead and a detailed picture of what's coming up next! Comes in some really  cute colors, you'll have trouble deciding!

New Pens. Am If you still like taking notes on paper, these pens will help you do it in style! These colorful pens. come in calming colors that are sure to keep you feeling relaxed and happy!  There is something soothing about a nice soft blue or pink, and the ink is surprisingly smooth and substantial for such a good deal.

Monogrammed Pen and Accessory Case. If you're carrying around your new pens, a stylus, charging cords for your laptop and phone, and maybe a few other supplies, keep them neatly organized in this absolutely adorable zippered case from CampsNChamps, a new designer line of home, office and outdoor wares by artist Kate Lindeen. Featuring her gorgeous and often whimsical original artwork inspired by - and for - your outdoor adventures, find something to boost your spirits and remind you of your love of the outdoors - even if you're sitting in the classroom!

Try this set of two coordinating bags to hold your makeup, antibac spray, hair bands, lip balm, or anything you need to keep from floating around your backpack or tote! 

Antibac Spray - when you've been sitting in a different desk every hour, you need to keep the germs at bay. These dye free sprays come in delightful scents, and slip perfectly into your pocket or a small bag. Kills 99% of germs for the times you can't get to a sink to wash your hands right away! 

Smart Notebook - if you like the best of both worlds: writing and electronic storage, look no further! The Rocketbook notebook captures your notes and stores them electronically in the app, and can transfer to your cloud storage of choice! I'm using it to take notes for my next certification, but you can use it for anything. Note, save and share! 

Protect your Posture - Use this laptop stand to keep it at eye level, and save your neck and back from hunching over, which can lead to headaches, back aches, and poor posture over time. 

Pair it with a bluetooth keyboard for a lightweight and still portable ergonomic workstation that will protect your posture and make doing work online feel so much more comfortable!

Get Plenty of Rest

Sleep Mask. The sun didn't get the memo that we're back to turning in and waking up earlier these days. So while it may be light out for longer, you still need to get some quality deep sleep! Eye masks have been used for centuries to help people get restorative sleep, and this is one of the best I've tried (and I've tried quite a few!). It's a great value and oh so soft on the skin. 

Sound Machine. Environmental noise is reported to be one of the biggest factors that keeps people from getting a restful night's sleep. White noise, brown noise and even "green noise" have been foiund to help the brain reach a deeper state of rest because it blocks out the environmental sounds that keep our brain stimulated. Try this simple sound machine for a more restful night sleep, if you can't find a room with complete silence (but who wants to listen to that whistle in your nose anyway?)

Natural Sleep Supplement - for the nights that you know you need to sleep but can't fully wind down, Sleep+ is an essential addition to your nighttime routine. Contains no antihistamines or melatonin to make you feel groggy, instead it can help your body to feel relaxed and slip into sleep naturally, to improve feelings of restedness, and relaxation without the "melatonin hangover." 

ProActive Wellness Coaching is always seeking solutions, doing research and testing products to offer you the latest and best in holistic nutrition and wellness. I believe that all of our systems are connected, and identifying and addressing any imbalances helps us to feel better overall, giving us more energy, a positive outlook and a confidence to continue making decisions that help support our health and wellness. Are you ready take control of your wellness? Schedule a Holistic Health & Wellness evaluation call today!

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