Every year, I tell myself I’m going to be “that mom” in August—the one who’s packed, prepped, and Pinterest-level organized. And every year, reality checks me somewhere around day three when I’m cutting crusts at 6:42 AM in gym clothes that haven’t seen a gym in months.

If you’re also juggling lunchboxes, forms, carpools, and forgotten water bottles, this blog is for you. Whether you’ve got a kindergartener who needs help tying their shoes or a teen who forgets their backpack and attitude at home, these back-to-school tips for parents are designed to help you breathe, reset, and find a groove that works for your family.

Thanks to our amazing partners—Nature Fresh Farms, Shuman Farms, Bee Sweet Citrus, SUNSET®, JAZZ Apples, Consalo Family Farms Blueberries, Del Monte, and ¡Yo Quiero!—we’ve packed this post with simple meal ideas, snack solutions, sanity-saving hacks, and even music to help lighten the mood.

1. Set the Tone with Music 

One of the biggest shifts in our morning routine came from one small change: music.

Instead of everyone grumbling through the morning fog, we cue up our Back to School Family Playlist on Spotify. It’s packed with clean, feel-good songs that help us move through the chaos with fewer tears and more rhythm.

This year, we also teamed up with our campaign partners to create custom playlists that support families through every part of the school day from lunch-packing to afternoon carpools and even winding down before bed. Whether your house needs a morning motivator or a calm-after-the-chaos cooldown, there’s a playlist ready to set the tone.

2. Reset the Morning Routine

The jump from summer mode to school mode takes more than one early bedtime. Start easing into a routine a week before school starts. Wake-ups a little earlier each day. Lunches prepped the night before. Clothes laid out so there’s one less decision to make.

Lunchbox with veggie egg wrap, colorful bell pepper and celery sticks, and two ¡Yo Quiero! Grab & Go dips—guacamole and bean dip.

Our fridge now has a go-to lunch bin: mini cucumbers from Nature Fresh Farms, cheese sticks, and Yo Quiero guac cups. They can pack their own lunches with options they actually like. That alone has cut our morning scramble in half.

If you’re trying to figure out how to best support your child in this transition, I highly recommend listening to our podcast episode, What Teachers Want Parents to Know. It’s full of honest advice from a teacher (who’s also a mom) about how to set your kids up for success.

3. First Day of School Photo Hack 

If you’ve ever tried to get a Pinterest-worthy first day photo while packing lunch and yelling “put on your shoes,” this one’s for you.

Snap your first day photo the day before. Seriously. Dress them in their school outfit, give them a blank letterboard, and take the photo with zero pressure. Later, just add your text in Canva using the Roboto Condensed font for that classic look.

You’ll get real smiles and no one has to be late because of it. Bonus points if you blast the playlist while snapping—it keeps things light and fun.

4. Keep Breakfast Real

Some mornings we have eggs and fruit. Other mornings it’s a granola bar in the minivan. Either way, we count it as a win.

Here’s what usually works in our house:

If it fills them up and gets them out the door, we’re calling it a success.

5. Lunches That Don’t Come Back Untouched

The lunchbox struggle is real. There’s nothing more frustrating than finding a sandwich still fully wrapped at the end of the day. Now I stick to a few rotating favorites that I know they’ll actually eat.

Back-to-school scene with Consalo Blueberries, homemade blueberry gummies, and colorful school supplies.

Letting kids help pack their lunch from prepped bins builds ownership and saves time. Want some peace of mind about what your kids are eating at school? Check out our podcast episode Debunking School Lunch Myths. It’s a good one to listen to while packing lunches.

6. Snack Smarter

After school is basically a race between the door opening and “I’m starving!” We’ve learned to keep a small stash of go-to snacks ready in the fridge, car, and sports bags.

Overhead view of a colorful snack board with Sunset® Sprinkles tomatoes, yellow grape tomatoes, strawberries, grapes, blueberries, cheese cubes, mandarin slices, crackers, and tortilla chips on a wooden board.

Here are our weekday MVPs:

When I prep snack kits ahead of time, the whole afternoon runs smoother. No scavenger hunts, no cranky kids.

7. Dinner That Doesn’t Feel Like a Second Job

Weeknight dinners need to be fast, filling, and not spark a family-wide protest. These are on repeat at our house:

I keep the ingredients flexible so I can swap in whatever we’ve got. If it reheats well for leftovers, even better. And if the crew still has room after dinner, these Mandarin Frozen Yogurt Bars are our go-to sweet treat—cool, creamy, and made with real fruit.

8. Check In On Everyone’s Headspace

New teachers, new routines, new stress—back-to-school is a lot. Some kids talk, some don’t. I’ve learned to build in quiet moments where they can open up if they want to.

After school, we sometimes just listen to music in the car. The Road Home playlist has become our go-to for that transition from school to home. It sets the tone without needing conversation.

Back to school tips for parents - group of kids with school supplies and letter board

On the days they do talk, I ask things like “What was the weirdest thing that happened today?” instead of “How was your day?” It’s amazing what a little reframing can do.

And don’t forget to check in with yourself. You’re juggling a lot. A playlist and a sliced apple might not solve everything, but they sure help.

Two kids enjoy a colorful back-to-school snack board with Sunset® Sprinkles tomatoes, Peppy's teeny tiny peppers, strawberries, grapes, clementines, and crackers on a wooden board in a bright kitchen.

Let’s also take a second to thank the brands who helped make this campaign possible. We’re proud to team up with Nature Fresh Farms, Shuman Farms, Bee Sweet Citrus, SUNSET®, JAZZ Apples, Consalo Blueberries, Del Monte, and Yo Quiero. Their support not only fuels these ideas and recipes, but also helps us give back through donations to the Foundation for Fresh Produce’s K–12 initiatives so more kids can access fresh fruits and vegetables where they learn and grow.

You’re Doing Great

There will be days when everything clicks, and days when someone’s crying before breakfast (possibly you). That’s just part of the deal. The good news is, you don’t have to do it alone. We’re here with the playlists, the produce, and the practical stuff that actually helps.

So go ahead and pack that lunch, press play on the music, and remember—you’ve got this.