How to Make the Most of Your Extra Hour of Sun from Daylight Savings Time

We’re all for spending less time in the kitchen, especially when it’s still light outside. During your extra hour of sunlight, opt for quick and easy meals, like next-level mac-and-cheese night featuring Kraft® (just add toppings like bread crumbs, bacon, pesto or buffalo chicken) so you too can soak up the extra Vitamin D while the sun’s still up.

There's something special about a change of scenery, even if it’s just once a week. Celebrate the onset of warmer weather by grilling out while the kids soak up the last bit of sunlight in the backyard. We tend to stick with the classics—like Oscar Meyer® hot dogs and Heinz® ketchup, burgers, or even s’mores when it’s still a bit chilly—which makes it easy to eat outside (no utensils required). You might even pack up dinner and head to the local park or beach for a bit of an alfresco field trip. Fun!

While chilly fall and winter evenings are reserved for catching up on family shows, it feels like a total waste of precious daylight when the sun isn’t setting ‘til 8 or 9 p.m. Make a pact with your S.O. to go screen-free so you can live in the present and soak up the extra daylight with your family sans ping, buzz and ding. A tip for ignoring those addictive notifications is to leave your phone in the car when you get home from work or afterschool pickup. You can rescue it later after the kiddos have gone to sleep.

The trick with Daylight Savings Time: Even though it still feels like 7 p.m., it’s actually 8. That means the kids probably won’t be ready to wind down and go “lights out!” at 9…and that’s OK. Losing a little rigidity is the trick to the mastering spring. For one, kids will be extra tired after the bonus outdoor playtime that comes with the added sunlight in the evening. And, they might actually sleep until 7 a.m. instead of 6 a.m. (Hey, a mom can dream…)

Those well-intentioned post-dinner playground runs or neighborhood strolls sound great in theory, but we’ll be the first to admit they’re not so easy in execution. One way to make sure you and your family get outside in the evening? Making plans with others, which will encourage you to stick to your Daylight Spendings resolutions by leaning on external motivation. Plan an after-school playdate or evening park walk with your school-mom friends or neighbors, who can hold you accountable if you feel like bailing at the last-minute.