Back-to-School Checklist for Healthy Kids: Non-toxic Swaps & More

Back-to-school season deserves a massive transition for most families filled with decisions and considerations that can alter health and well-being. 

For many, it’s filled with mixed emotions. Whether you’re excited for a little more margin, sad to send your littles on their way, or a mixture of both, one thing’s for sure…we want to be prepared! If you’re a non-toxic mama like myself, it can be challenging to let your kid go into an environment (aka school) where you can’t control everything. The reality is, we can’t control it all, but we can still set our kids up for success to be happy and healthy.

I’m giving you a head start on making this the healthiest, happiest back-to-school season yet – from top swaps to supporting your child’s mental and emotional well-being, and navigating a healthier lifestyle during birthday parties, classroom snacks, and more!

Better Food Choices

Our unfortunate reality is most school-provided lunches and popular grocery products have harmful ingredients like food dyes, chemicals, added sugars, and more. Research has shown these have negative impacts on kids. But as a mom, I also understand the convenience factor – we need options that are realistic and easy along with healthy and nourishing.

Here are some tips and alternatives to help your kids eat better for their brain and body without a ton of added effort:

• Don’t skip breakfast! Trade out carb-heavy breakfasts for a meal high in protein. It’ll satisfy your child, balance energy, curb mid-morning cravings, and increase brain power. Easy recipe inspo on my blog like Protein Pancakes, Brunch Breakfast Casserole, High Protein Egg Muffins, and more. Always double or triple your batch and save the rest for later in the week, easy lunch grabs, or freeze them for a busy week ahead. 
• Quick and easy breakfast options: protein for smoothies, pasture-raised eggs, Applegate breakfast sausage or bacon, dairy-free yogurt (we love Cocoyo or Culina)
• For snack time, instead of conventional granola bars, pack Skout organic bars (use code TAYLORDUKES), Paleovalley jerky (use code TAYLORDUKES), Chomps sticks, or Sunnie dippers (use code TAYLORDUKES20).
• Lean into Siete grain-free tortillas for quick, packable lunches – quesadillas, turkey wraps, tuna wraps, or chicken salad wraps. Our lunch box of choice is Austin Baby Co. lunch bento boxes.
• I also love Base Culture gluten-free bread and Applegate organic lunch meat for simple sandwiches.
• Eating better can feel like it breaks the bank, so consider opting for organic produce if it’s on the EWG’s Dirty Dozen list. If it’s on the EWG’s Clean 15 list, consider saving by buying conventional.

Pro Tip: Involve your kids in preparing their lunch! I know this is not the norm, but my two-year-old will eat salads. He’s so proud of what we make together when I involve him!

Master the Non-toxic Swaps

If there was a time to master your healthy swaps, this is it! I have a Most Trusted Brands Master List to get you going, but here are a few more ideas…

• Offer to stock your child’s classroom with a Branch Basics starter kit (use code TAYLORDUKESWELLNESS) as opposed to harsh and chemical-laden disinfecting wipes. My Branch Basics friends even created a guide for how to educate your child’s school on safer cleaning.
• Go for silicone or steel over plastic. Plastics can contain endocrine-disrupting chemicals, so I suggest switching water bottles, lunch boxes, and food containers over to silicone, steel, or even glass if your child is older. Some of my favorite containers are Austin Baby Co. lunch bento boxes and Stasher bags. 
• Use Primally Pure (use code TAYLORDUKES) sanitizer for a non-toxic option sans all the harsh chemicals. 

Health Heroes on Hand

I’ve found that leading a healthier lifestyle is easiest when I always have what I need handy and take a proactive approach to supporting our immune systems. Sometimes the bugs come at us anyway, which is why I lay out exactly what I do for my family in my Ultimate Illness Guides when some of the most common illnesses hit like stomach bugs and the flu. Exact products, dosages, lifestyle hacks, and more.

• The kids’ vitamin I use for my boys
• TDW GI Immune Support (learn more about this dairy-free alternative to colostrum here)
• Mary Ruth’s Organic vitamin D3/K2 and vitamin C drops (use code MROTDW15)
• Carlson Labs kids cod liver oil
• Beekeeper’s naturals spray
• Klaire Labs ther-biotic kids
• Xlear nasal spray
• Herb Pharm immune fortifier
• Ancient Minerals magnesium flakes

• Herb Pharm immune fortifier
• TDW electrolytes
• Mary Ruth’s Organic vitamin D3/K2, zinc and vitamin C drops (use code MROTDW15)
• Beekeeper’s naturals spray
• Herb Pharm immune fortifier
• Earthley Wellness (use code TAYLORDUKES)
• WedderSpoon raw manuka honey or manuka honey drops
• Xlear nasal spray
• Ancient Minerals magnesium flakes
• Primally Pure shower steamers (use code TAYLORDUKES)
• Maty’s cough syrup

• Natural pain killer and anti-inflammatory alternative (use code TAYLORDUKES)
• TDW GI Immune Support (learn more about this dairy-free alternative to colostrum here)
• TDW electrolytes
• Mary Ruth’s Organic vitamin D3/K2, zinc and vitamin C drops (use code MROTDW15)
• Ancient Minerals magnesium flakes
• Boiron oscillococcinum
• Traditional Medicinals tea

For cuts and scrapes, consider:

• BLDG Active Skin Repair (use code TAYLORDUKES)\

More Must-haves/Resources

• 10 Things to Do When Your Kids Get Sick Blog
• Good Supplements to Have on Hand for Kids Blog

Body-mind Connection

Remember, mental and emotional health are highly interconnected with physical health. We need to be purposeful about nourishing the whole child. 

• Out the door. Getting out the door can feel chaotic. Let me give you two tips. First, start ten minutes earlier than you think. Kids typically don’t respond well when feeling rushed, and starting earlier creates space for questions, accidents, and conversation. Second, always take time for a moment of intention before sending your little (or big) one off for the day. Eye contact, a kiss, a hug, a smile…something they can “take with them.” It’s a game-changer for how they start their day.  
• Sleep: Sleep is critical to health, but it can be hard to get in a better groove after summer has done its thing on sleep (late bedtimes and sleeping in, anyone?!). First, gradually move bedtime up before the start of school. Focus on cutting off screens an hour or two before bed. Aim to get outside in sunrise and sunset hours…even 5-10 minutes of direct sunlight is helpful to regulate circadian rhythms! Keep the bedroom dark and cool, and consider a sound machine.
• Screen time: With screen time increasing in schools, be aware of how much screen time is happening additionally at home. Whether giving a time limit, no screens during weekdays, or setting some other boundary, it can greatly benefit your child’s mood and long-term development. Here are some screen-free activities: 
  • Walks, hikes, bike rides, park playdates, picnics
  • Legos, Lego kits, Duplos, blocks, magna-tiles, cars + car tracks, paper dolls, doll houses, puzzles
  • Books – picture books, board books, activity books, easy readers, I Spy books, chapter books, sticker books, activity books, etc. 
  • Board games, card games, crossword puzzles, brain teaser books, logic books
  • Playdough, slime, nature kits, sensory bins, modeling clay
  • Science experiments, arts and crafts, drawing, coloring, finger painting, watercolor, stickers
  • Trampoline, playground, jump ropes, balls, bubbles, kites, yard games
• Movement: With more sitting at desks happening during the day, figure out how to get your child moving when he or she gets home. Park? Walk around the neighborhood? Jump rope or bikes? Maybe an organized activity?
• Connection: Do your best to be intentional about connecting in the moments when you are together. Put distractions away (the phone!) for a little face-to-face quality time. 

Navigate Any Situation with Grace

Classroom settings, birthday parties, field trips, and more can be some of the harder settings to navigate dietary choices. Here are my thoughts as a health-forward mom and functional nurse practitioner:

• No shame in saying “No, thank you!” Never be afraid to gently and kindly refuse “treats” or other foods for your child. Send your child with alternative options. Or perhaps best case, offer to be the one to supply snacks, meals, etc. for class-wide activities.
• A friend of mine keeps a whole box of Skout bars (use code TAYLORDUKES) at school with her daughter’s teacher, and every time the class has a snack, the teacher knows to give her daughter the approved Skout bar. 
• If you’re local to Dallas-Fort Worth, Unrefined Bakery is a better option for desserts. They offer cakes, cupcakes, and more free of gluten, dairy, soy, and corn. This Lemonade Cake is simple and will be in our fam’s rotation this year!