The first few weeks of a new schedule are always an adjustment, especially when your lists are long, the days seem short and everyone’s hungry. One of the toughest parts of back to school month is trying to balance your meals (and your checkbook!) with your busy schedules.

A few tips to keep in mind are:

Skip rope, not breakfast

Passing up your morning  meal is a notorious problem for kids and adults, even though a good breakfast keeps energy levels steady for hours. Breakfast is not dessert, so forget the sugary cereal and pastry.  Stick to whole grains for your cereal and toast, to keep your blood sugar stable and your hunger in check. Don’t forget to sprinkle on berries or sliced banana to keep your immune system supercharged.

Butter up with nut butters

 For morning toast or after school munching, nut butters and sugar-free fruit spreads make quick and easy snack ingredients. Whether you favor peanut or almond, choose the natural-style nut butter that doesn’t contain hydrogenated fats or added sugar.

Do dairy  

Most of us, kids and adults alike, are simply not getting enough calcium in our diets. Be sure to keep plenty of fat-free or low-fat yogurt on hand for breakfast, snacks and smoothies. One cup of yogurt has 40 percent of the day’s calcium requirements.

Protein Power 

Including protein with every meal and snack benefits your body all day long. Lean protein:

Helps build/maintain muscle

Helps promote satiety or fullness thus curbing appetite

And when combined with carbohydrates (such as a piece of fruit), it helps to slow the release of blood sugar thus minimizing unhealthy “spikes” and sustaining our energy for longer periods. Easy protein snacks include, soy nuts, edamame, hummus with carrots sticks, hard-boiled eggs.

Plan Ahead  

No matter how busy you are, shopping with a few dinner ideas in mind will help you prepare for the week and reduce impulse buys while taking advantage of store specials. And if you see a really good buy — stock up! A great special on meat or chicken can be double-wrapped and frozen for up to six months.

Cheryl Forberg RD is a professional chef and the nutritionist for NBC's The Biggest Loser. She is the author of “Positively Ageless: A 28-Day Plan for a Younger, Slimmer, Sexier You.” For nutrition and cooking tips visit her Web site at www.cherylforberg.com.

Turkey Chili recipe

Note: All these ingredients are available at Vallerga’s Market at Redwood Plaza in Napa.

Here’s an easy (and healthy!) lunch or dinner meal the whole family will love. The recipe makes two quarts and freezes well.

 The ingredients are available at Vallerga’s Market at Redwood Shopping Plaza at the corner of Solano and Redwood roads in Napa.

Serves 8.

2 cups lower-sodium chicken broth, divided

4 ounces dried tart cherries, chopped (1/2 cup)

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

1 Tbsp. fresh chopped garlic

2 tsp. finely chopped jalapeño chile (optional)

1 pound ground turkey

1 roasted red bell pepper, diced

1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp., chili powder

1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. ground coriander

1 tsp. dried mustard

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

4 cups chopped fire-roasted tomatoes

1 1/2 cups cooked black beans  (15-ounce can, rinsed)

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Heat 1 cup of broth. Place cherries in small bowl. Add hot broth and set aside.

Heat olive oil in a 4-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add onion; sauté about 5 minutes, until onion is soft. Add garlic and jalapeño; cook 1 minute. Do not brown. Add turkey; cook until it is no longer pink.

Add bell pepper, chili powder, cumin, coriander, mustard and oregano. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and remaining broth; bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, about 5 minutes.

Stir in beans, cilantro and cherry mixture. Continue cooking until thoroughly heated.

Nutrient Analysis, per 1-cup serving: calories 230; total fat 6g; saturated fat 1 g;  cholesterol 40 mg; sodium 450 mg; total carb: 28 g; fiber 5 g; sugars 14 g; protein 17 g.