My girls have been involved in sports for as long as I can remember, and I am so proud of
everything they have accomplished on their teams. That said, I know just how demanding it can be to juggle practice, games, proper nutrition and rest on top of an already busy class schedule. It’s important to keep kids healthy to play their best, but can often be a challenge for us as parents when we’re constantly on-the-go. With the help of Walmart Family Mobile, I’ve come up with a few ways to make staying healthy and connected easier than ever this back-to-school season!

1. Recover right: Immediately following a practice or competition, help your athlete refuel their muscles to optimize performance the next time they train or compete. Consuming a beverage with carbs and protein within the first 30 minutes is ideal. Chocolate milk has a great ratio of carbs and protein, making it a smart, quick and easy choice to stock up on.
2. Create a go-to grocery list: Get your athlete involved by having them help you create a go-to list of top fueling foods that you can save in your smartphone. Bring your child along for the first grocery trip to get their input and create a list of new options to replace old staples. Keeping this list handy in your smartphone will be helpful to keep their favorite foods stocked at home. 
3. Setup fueling stations at home: Organize “fueling stations” with grab-and-go options, such as string cheese, chocolate milk, sports drinks, protein balls, honey and more. You can also throw in whole wheat sandwich thins to make one of my favorites—an open-faced sandwich with peanut butter, banana and honey. Also keep a fruit bowl on your kitchen counter, filled with bananas, apples and other fruits. Fruit is great fuel and kids are more likely to eat it when it’s readily available.
4. Equip yourself with the right tools: Staying connected is essential as a parent. My girls are very involved, which means there are plenty of practices and games to manage, so I rely on my smartphone to maintain it all with calendar and meal planning apps. Thankfully, Walmart Family Mobile offers Truly Unlimited talk, text and data^◊ plans at 4G LTE† speeds, so I don’t have to worry about running out of data. With Walmart Family Mobile’s new family plans, I can get two Truly Unlimited lines^► for less than $75 per month, making it easy and affordable for all of us to stay connected.
5. Get plenty of rest: With a hectic schedule, it’s important to recharge. Sleep is an essential step to the recovery process and kids need time to hit reset after hitting the books and hitting the field. Make sure your athletes are getting enough sleep and have scheduled down time in between games and practices so they can let their bodies recover and build their energy back up.

As parents, making sure our kids are healthy and happy is our number one goal. These tips help me achieve that, even when we’re running back-and-forth between school, practice and competition. With affordable family plans and multi-line discounts, Walmart Family Mobile makes it easy for the whole family to stay connected and maximize on savings. To learn more about Walmart Family Mobile’s unlimited plans and multi-line discounts for families, visit your local Walmart or www.MyFamilyMobile.com.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post in partnership with Walmart Family Mobile.

Disclosure: Sponsored by Dannon @Oikos. I have been compensated for my time. Opinions are my own.

I am partnering with Dannon Oikos as I am big fan of making sure people get satisfying protein at every meal and snack. We’ve all heard that including protein in the diet is one of the keys to helping you stay

fuller and  less likely to reach for junk food.  But if you think the only way to load up on protein is the classic meat or chicken type dinner, you’ll be happy to know that you actually have lots of options.  Try one of these 3 nutritious gems for a protein boost to your meals and snacks.

1. Greek yogurt, is a thicker, creamier version of regular yogurt, and is known for having significantly higher protein. In fact, the plain flavor has 15 grams of protein! I love Dannon Oikos Greek Nonfat Yogurt because it is a convenient and delicious snack that can be a great part of an active lifestyle. It also has less lactose than regular yogurt, due to the straining process used to make greek yogurt, and its thick texture means that its often better than regular yogurt for making dips, sauces or baked goods.  I also love adding it to soups to make them more creamy. Try it in your morning fruit and yogurt parfait as a delish creamy alternative.

2. Beans and lentils are no longer thought of as just for vegetarians and vegans, they are a great protein choice as an alternative to the standard chicken, beef or pork at meals.  Black beans, kidney beans, chickpeas and lentils can be added to most soups, pastas, salads, and even mashed for a quesadilla filling!

3. Quinoa is perhaps one of the most popular “super foods” as of late, and for good reason!  This delightfully chewy grain is touted for being a complete protein source with all of the essential amino acids.  Swap it for rice under a stir-fry, or just enjoy some roasted vegetables on top!

What about you?  Have you tried any of these?  What are your favorite sources of protein for meals and snacks?

Super excited to share my latest recipe creation with this yummy twist on a traditional chicken salad. I added avocado, Greek yogurt, and almonds while using my favorite high protein wraps from the folks at Flatout. With the high protein wrap providing 12 grams of protein along with the Greek yogurt and chicken, this is an ideal high protein meal that will help you stay satisfied to curb cravings.

In a medium bowl mix together, Greek yogurt, almonds, celery and lemon. Stir in avocado and chicken. Add to wrap and enjoy!

Disclosure: I am a spokesperson for Flatout. Opinions are my own.

With summer in full swing, I decided to make a fruity flatbread to celebrate the flavors of the season. This is super refreshing and packs a powerful nutritional punch with Flatout’s ProteinUP flatbread providing 12 grams of protein per serving. I added strawberries, peaches and pistachios which add disease fighting antioxidants, fiber and a satisfying crunch.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Add peaches to flatbread and bake 4-5 minutes. Meanwhile, add balsamic vinegar and brown sugar to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer until thickened to a syrup consistency. Remove from heat. Top flatbread with strawberries, feta, pistachios, basil and drizzle with balsamic reduction.

Disclosure: I am a spokesperson for Flatout. Opinions are my own.

I’m so excited to share some fun new summer menu options with you at one of my family’s FAVORITE go-to restaurants….PANERA BREAD! I’m absolutely thrilled about the opportunity to partner with Panera Bread and to be able to tell my followers and their fans about all the clean options when ordering from their menu. As I mentioned, my family has been a HUGE fan of Panera for many years. I have two teenage daughters and barely a day goes by when I don’t hear, “can we get Panera?” at some point in the day.

We usually do the Rapid Pick-Up option during the school year and we have already used it several times this summer.  It is super convenient and quick to order on our phone and go grab it in 5-10 minutes when we want a quick and delicious lunch. We heard that Panera has also begun offering delivery in other cities and we can’t wait for it to come to Kansas City!

In case you didn’t know, earlier this year, Panera Bread announced, “100% of our food is 100% clean,” meaning the food is made without artificial preservatives, sweeteners, flavors or colors from artificial sources. This is a huge accomplishment. Already industry leaders, they are following through on their commitment to clean ingredients with their guests.

This summer, Panera is once again leading the way with what customers are looking for when choosing their meals. With the launch of three new curated menus it’s easier than ever to customize food options to fit your dietary preferences and the way you want to eat – whether you’re vegetarian or gluten conscious or just trying to incorporate more nutrients into your diet.  The new menu paths can be found when ordering online, on the app and at the in-store kiosks.

And with a pantry full of more than 50 clean ingredients, there are endless ways to customize any of the meals you select with the fresh ingredients you are craving. The new  menu offers three easily navigable menu paths, including:

See the 3 curated menu path options at the top.

• Plant Forward: Whether you’re vegetarian, vegan or simply like your veggies, this menu is for you. Panera recipes feature an abundance of high-quality, clean ingredients, including fresh produce such as romaine, arugula, avocado, blueberries, almonds, ancient grains and quinoa.
• Protein Rich: For those who are fitness-minded, Paleo, low carb, or just interested in lasting energy, check out Panera’s protein-rich options, all providing at least 20% of the recommended daily value of protein to power up your meal.

Protein Rich Menu Path Options

• Nutrient-Packed: Panera’s nutrient-packed salads have a good balance of protein, carbs and fat to keep you full, without feeling like you over-indulged.

The great news about all three of these menu paths is that you can easily customize your meal to your liking with their numerous clean ingredients. Below, I share how I made a simple modification which is now available on the curated menu as the Avocado Cobb Salad following the protein-rich path. You can get it as a one click purchase. It was so much fun working with Panera to create this new customized salad. I love that it is already loaded with satisfying protein and my only modification was to skip the bacon which allowed me reduce the sodium, fat and calories.

Avocado Cobb Salad

I placed my order through the app for Rapid Pick-Up by just picking the Avocado Cobb Salad. I can also see the nutrition information for my customized salad which I LOVE!

Minutes later, my order was ready for pick up. Both of my daughters also ordered their personal favorite Panera meals which include the Potato Soup in a Bread Bowl and Chicken Tortellini.

Here’s the order ready for pick up.

Other quick + easy salad modifications you can make:

• Load up on additional antioxidants: Panera’s salad “pantry” is full of dreamy options for any registered dietitian which can help their clients make smarter choices. You can add avocados, fresh pineapple, fresh blueberries or fresh strawberries to any salad to boost the nutrition.
• Always get your dressing on the side: One of my other favorite options at Panera is that you can choose if you want less dressing, extra dressing, or if you want it on the side. I tell my clients to get your dressing on the side and you can usually add less.
• Customize to your own liking: I have never been a huge onion fan. Maybe you don’t care for a specific ingredient either. With Panera’s salad menu, it has never been easier for guests to create their own fave salad that is flavorful and fun for you and your family.

Disclosure: I am a spokesperson for Panera Bread. Opinions are my own.