Give Whole Foods Market an A+ for Back-to-School Nourishment

As summer vacation comes to an end, the chimes of school bells will be ringing around the city soon. Whole Foods Market has you covered for the tastiest and the most nutritious brain food recipes to make breakfast, lunch, afternoon snacks and dinner a breeze. Their back-to-school menu includes apple oatmeal in a jar, whole grain toaster waffles, no-cook zucchini “noodle” salad, and one-dish roasted brats with apples and butternut squash. More healthy ideas can be found on their Pinterest boards and website collections of Back-to-School Breakfasts, Surprising Sandwiches, After-School Snacks and Slow Cooker Recipes. Going back to school has never tasted better! 

Appetizing Aperture: Back-to-School Bash at RA Sushi

School may have just started, but that doesn't mean it's too soon to pull an all-nighter at RA Sushi Bar Restaurant's back-to-school bash beginning at 7 p.m. on Thursday, August 29. Leave the lunch box and thermos at home, because the themed food and drink specials are all straight-"A" hits. With a guest DJ and gift card prizes, you'll have plenty to party about while you study up on Professor Pineapple's wontons, School House shrimp and Teacher's chicken or fish tacos ($4-$7). Sushi studies highlight the Dean's roll and the Honor roll ($6), and Chemistry class stirs up concoctions such as All-Nighter sangria, Brain Freeze cocktails and the Bookworm Bite ($5). Beer and sake specials include School Girl hot sake ($5), Sapporo/Sapporo Light ($5) or Kirin/Kirin Light ($6). No need to enroll to get your hands on these rolls!

Alon's Bakery and Market Earns an A+ in our Books for Their Back to School Basket Sweepstakes

As a kid who used to begrudgingly order cafeteria lunch at school (saran wrap pizza, anyone? Mmm…), I always longed for a lunchbox. If I’d known the yummy treasures available from Alon’s Bakery and Market to dazzle lunchboxes, I would have been even more jealous back in the day!  

If your kids are tired of the same old PBJ and chips, now you can help transform that lunch box from blah to favorite subject status with a little extracurricular help from Alon's Bakery and Market, too!

Enter their Back to School Basket Sweepstakes on Facebook, and you might win a delicious basket of items for your favorite student. Items include Alon's jam, fresh Alon's bread, peanut butter, plain or chocolate Horizon milk, your choice of cookies or brownies, a side of fruit, an Alon's chocolate bar and Alon's hot chocolate and coffee. (Moms and dads need a caffeinated treat to help with those early school mornings, too!)

Click here to enter. Entries must be received before September 5, and a basket winner will be chosen at random. Only one entry per person; winner will be notified via email. Good luck and good lunch!

Back To School Meals And Summer Weekends Are Extra Special In August

Even though school buses are rolling, there's still six weeks of summer to go. New York Butcher Shoppe has August specials to calm hectic school night meal planning, to make weekend cookouts a cinch and to even ease you out the door for end-of-summer getaways. Early week specials earn an A+ in fast oven-to-table skills with marinated chicken, cheddar/bacon- or Greek-flavored boneless stuffed pork chops, mac 'n' cheese and all-natural frozen veggies. Weekend grill fests and gatherings cry out for C.A.B. ribeye steaks, wild-caught Alaskan salmon, the Americana Grill Master package or the new finger lickin' good Ribs package with Causey's BBQ sauce. If you can't get away, the August Xplorador Wine promo at the Sandy Springs and Alpharetta locations brings the vineyards of Chile to your glass. Concha Y Toro Xplorador Chardonnay, Merlot and Cabernet are $7.99 a bottle.

New York Butcher Shoppe: Dunwoody at 2458 Mt. Vernon Road; 770-399-6328. Sandy Springs at 4969 Roswell Road; 404-303-0704. Alpharetta at 5354 McGinnis Ferry Road; 678-624-0047.

School Employees Get A Delicious Deal Before Back-To-School Rush

The recently opened Buckhead restaurant, Smashburger, is honoring school employees with a delicious deal during their last week of summer break. Starting today, Monday, July 25 through Friday, July 29, any school employee that brings in their employee badge, card or pay stub will receive a free side item when they purchase a burger, chicken sandwich, salad or hot dog. Smashburger sides include Smashfries, french fries, sweet potato Smashfries, haystack onions, fried pickles, veggie frites, beefy chili, chili cheese fries and a small wedge salad. This offer is limited to one per person and only valid during store hours, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., during the selected dates. The only thing better than a Smashburger is a FREE side with your Smashburger!

Smashburger: 2625 Piedmont Road NE Atlanta, GA 30324