(BPT) - Mornings during the school year can be hectic, especially those at the beginning of the year when we say goodbye to summer sleep-ins and hello to an earlier routine.

You don't have to settle for a rushed start to your day. Check out these five simple tips that can help you ease into your morning routine for the back-to-school season.

1. Lay out clothing the night before

Laying out everyone's outfits the night before takes the pressure off mornings and allows you to complete other chores at the start of your day. Younger children may need some help, so take a few minutes every night to help them choose weather-appropriate outfits for school. Older children can make their own fashion decisions but may need reminders and encouragement from you.

2. Create a morning routine

Both parents and children can benefit from a predictable routine. Setting expectations for a morning schedule that builds in time for breakfast, hygiene and last-minute tasks like signing permission slips can save time and make mornings less daunting. A set routine can be especially helpful for parents and children who aren't exactly morning people.

3. Have convenient meals on hand

A hot breakfast can feel like a luxury as you're walking out the door. Consider keeping convenient heat-and-carry meals on hand so your family can enjoy a tasty and nutritious breakfast without being late for school or work.

The next time you go grocery shopping, add a box of APPLEGATE NATURALS^® Breakfast Sandwiches to your cart. In under five minutes, you'll have a convenient and essential go-to breakfast that can make eating during transitional life moments easier.

Whether you choose the APPLEGATE NATURALS^® Chicken & Maple Breakfast Sausage, Egg & Cheese on a Biscuit or the APPLEGATE NATURALS^® Savory Turkey Breakfast Sausage, Egg & Cheese on an English Muffin, you can count on 12-14 grams of protein per serving and high-quality, recognizable ingredients - including meat sourced from animals raised with no antibiotics ever. You can feel good about the breakfast you're feeding your family, too, since all APPLEGATE^® products meet the Applegate Humanely Raised standard, in which animals are raised with space to engage in natural behaviors and promote natural growth.

4. Get the kids involved

Parents don't have to be responsible for every weekday morning task. Give your children simple chores like packing their own bags, feeding pets and preparing simple breakfast items.

A tasty, fun and easy-to-make breakfast item your kids can heat up on their own is an APPLEGATE NATURALS^® Pancake & Sausage Stick. Both the APPLEGATE NATURALS^® Pancake & Pork Sausage Stick and APPLEGATE NATURALS^® Pancake & Chicken Sausage Stick feature a fluffy pancake wrapped around savory sausage on a stick and offer 7 grams of protein per serving for a balanced and delicious start to the day.

Even better, these compact, mess-free sticks are easy to take along or pack in bento boxes - making them a convenient choice for breakfast on the go.

5. Be flexible and adapt to changes

No two mornings are alike. As you go through your morning routine, remember to stay flexible so you can adapt to unexpected changes. That may mean changing an outfit because of a spill or spending less time on breakfast to finish a last-minute book report. No matter what life throws your way, embrace the unknown and adjust your plans to ease stress.

This back-to-school season, take the rush out of your mornings. Try these five tips and see how you can make the start to your day less stressful this fall and beyond.