The back-to-school season can mean many things for families – new schedules, shopping for school supplies, after-school practice, helping with homework – but getting back into a routine doesn’t have to be stressful or come at the expense of family meals and exercise. Instead, look at this month as the perfect time to set new exercise and nutrition goals as a family. Sometimes the activities that minimize back-to-school anxiety are overlooked when families are adjusting to a new routine. That’s why IDFA is working with the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation to make it easy for families to manage their health goals during this busy time. IDFA member companies can also use back-to-school time to encourage customers to add healthy habits to their routines, including making healthy food choices. Active, healthy lifestyles need to be encouraged outside of the home as well. To encourage healthy lifestyles in the classroom, the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation has partnered with Discovery Education to create Energy Balance 101. This website offers information for families, students, and teachers to help children develop good nutrition and physical action plans at school and home. Prizes are being awarded to Energy Balance 101 schools each year. The Find Your Balance Challenge encourages elementary school teams to create an action plan that improves nutrition and physical activity in their school and compete for more than $50,000 in grants and prizes. The Healthy Playground Makeover Sweepstakes offers teachers, parents and community members a chance to win more than $120,000 in grants and playground equipment, with a special drawing for the neediest schools. Visit energybalance101.com for more information on how schools can participate! In addition to encouraging your employees to form Together Counts groups, you can use back-to-school season to remind customers about healthy choices, both in and out of schools. This month, you can challenge families to find three creative ways to fit exercise into their weekly routines. Families can brainstorm to see if there is any free time to squeeze in ten or fifteen minutes of physical activity. Back-to-school doesn’t have to mean back-to-stress. Setting aside time to have dinner together and exercise as a family are two great ways for families to focus on what really matters. What activities are you undertaking to help your customers make healthy choices during back-to-school season?