Well, here we are. Back to school, back to routines, and back to trying to convince myself that a little more structure in our days is actually a good thing. I’m in full manifestation for lots of ease this month, especially when it comes to meal planning, because life has decided to hand me one more curveball at the exact same time.
We have agreed to hold off moving from the cottage to our home in town until next weekend, and let me tell you, it is a lot. We are hauling out all of the things, the clothes, emptying the fridge, clearing the pantry, dealing with everything we brought over back in June. In a perfect world I would already be ahead of it all, food stocked and prepped at home in town, ready to go like nothing ever happened. That is not the world I am living in this week, but a girl can dream.
All of the Feels
I also have to be honest with you. As our youngest son heads back for his last year of high school, I am in all of the feels. Aware, sad, and weepy at random moments kind of feels. If you want the raw, unfiltered version of what it is like to be a pre empty nester watching that last first day of school happen, hop over to my Substack. This is not the space for that kind of unravelling, but it is happening, and I am letting it happen.
What I can control is making sure our little man walks into this year fueled up and ready to go. So here is what is living in our kitchen right now, the stuff that feels basic, good, and completely necessary as we race through the back to school chaos.
Egg Bites with Potato Pizzazz
These have become an absolute staple. A batch of egg bites made with our Potato Pizzazz blend, any variation, mixed right in, and suddenly breakfast is handled for days. The best feeling. Grab and go, no thinking required, and they actually taste like something rather than sad ole protein.
Good Ole PB&J, No Shame Here
Not going to lie, I usually reach for natural peanut butter or almond butter, but this summer I fell right back onto the Kraft Peanut Butter wagon and I am not mad about it. That creaminess paired with either our haskap or raspberry champagne preserves, spread thick on homemade sourdough toast, is a genuine chef’s kiss. Simple, nostalgic, and exactly what a sandwich should be.
Sammy Season, Courtesy of Porter
Porter absolutely loves making his own sandwiches, and honestly, he has become quite the official sandwich artist. Condiments are his love language, so as long as I keep a good seasoned protein on hand, he takes it from there. Roasted chicken breast with our BBQ rub or Incredible Chicken seasoning works beautifully, and BBQ steak with our own steak rub is another one that gets him golden every time. Give that boy a base and he builds the rest. They always look amazing, and it is always the first question we ask when he gets home. How was your Sammy today?
Granola, Yogurt, and a Little Nostalgia
When time is tight, and let’s be honest, it usually is right now, granola with yogurt is my fallback. I always throw in a dollop of preserves, and it takes me right back. My mom used to make yogurt from scratch and stir in her homemade jam, and this simple little bowl has somehow become one of my all time favourites because of it. Funny how the most basic things carry the most memory.
Last But Not Least, the Snack Attack Fix
Some lemon dill dip made with our Lemon Dill dip mix, paired with a big pile of cut up veggies, covers off the after school snack window. And with that, we have got ourselves covered right through until dinner time, where we all get a little hangry anyway.
These are the small, steady staples getting us through this stretch of back to school and back to routines. Nothing fancy, nothing that requires a plan I do not have time to execute, just good food on hand while the rest of life sorts itself out around us.
Lots of love,
Marsha
