Michelle Obama Instagram – With many families’ schedules shifting as we move into the summer months, a lot of parents are asking all sorts of questions because they’re realizing their snack and meal routines are in need of an upgrade. What should we make for dinner? How can I pack healthier lunches for my kids attending summer camp? Will my kids actually eat it? With that in mind, here are some tips to answer those questions and give your kids some options that they’ll love. ▪️Aim for a simple rule for every meal: Half fruits and veggies, half protein and whole grains. ▪️Don’t give up: Keep including new foods in your meals. It can often take repeated exposure for kids to develop a taste for something new. ▪️Bring the flavor: Add in spices and herbs rather than reaching for the saltshaker. ▪️Hydrate: Take a water bottle everywhere you go. And replace the sugary drinks your child would normally drink with PLEZi, which has less sugar, less sweetness, and more nutrients than sodas or sports drinks. ▪️Check the Nutrition Facts label: Try to avoid options high in added sugars, sodium, and saturated fat. And seek out foods that are higher in nutrients that kids generally don’t get enough of, like dietary fiber, potassium, calcium, and vitamin D. ▪️Involve the entire family: Get your kids involved in planning and preparing meals and snacks whenever you can — and eat together, too! For more tips and ideas, check out plezi.com. But most importantly, just remember that none of this is about being perfect. Some days are going to be better than others for your kids—and for you, too. Hopefully you can establish a routine, balance what works and what doesn’t, and have some fun with it! That’s what we’re trying to help with at @plezinutrition, a public benefit company where I’m proud to serve as Co-Founder and Strategic Partner. We want to do more than provide healthier drinks and snacks for kids. We want to be a partner that parents can count on. And we want to jumpstart a race to the top that will transform the entire food industry. With that in mind, we’d love to hear more tips from all of you! What has worked for your family? Photo credit: Monica Stevenson