10 Ways To Sneak Some Extra Fruits And Vegetables In Your Family’s Diet

We all know by now that we should be eating at least five servings

of fruits and vegetables each day. But knowing and doing are two different things, aren’t they? Sometimes it is just not easy to get them all in there. We are constantly tempted to fill up on convenience and junk food. If your family is anything like mine, they’d much rather fill up on a bag of chips or a bowl of rice or pasta instead of trying an apple or a plate of steamed broccoli. So we’ll have to get creative. Here are a few ideas to “sneak” some extra vegetables and fruits in your family’s diet.

1. Start the day with a breakfast smoothie. All you have to do is throw some fruits, low-fat yogurt and ice in a blender. You may also want to add a scoop of protein powder in there for good measure. Just blend for a few seconds and you have the perfect breakfast ready to go. I like to sip mine in a thermal cup on the way to work. To make it even more appealing for your kids, use some frozen yogurt or a scoop of ice cream in the smoothie. They won’t believe that you are letting them have ice cream for breakfast.

2. Dried fruit makes an excellent snack any time of the day. Add some small cartons of raisins to your child’s lunch box, pack some yogurt-covered raisins in your husband’s briefcase and keep some trail mix sitting around for snacking. You can also add dried fruit to oatmeal and cereal in the morning. My family loves banana chips in their breakfast cereal.

3. Add some fruits and vegetables to your family’s sandwiches. You can add some banana, sliced apples or strawberry slices to a peanut butter sandwich. Top a turkey sandwich with lettuce, tomato, cucumber and anything else they will eat. You can even make a sub shop style vegetable sandwich by combining several different vegetables with some mayonnaise and cheese on bread.

4. Have a salad bar at dinner. Set out a variety of chopped vegetables, some cheese and croutons as well as several choices of salad dressing along with the lettuce and let everybody create their own perfect salad.

5. Let them drink their fruits and vegetables. Keep an assortment of fruit and vegetable juices in the fridge and encourage everyone to drink them as a snack. Get creative. You could start “family cocktail hour” by pouring everybody a glass of his or her favorite juice over ice. Add some straws, cocktail umbrellas and sit together to talk about how everybody’s day went.

6. Try this for dessert. Put a small scoop of ice cream or frozen yogurt in a bowl and top it with lots of fresh or frozen fruit.

7. Offer fruits and vegetables as snacks. You can cut apples into slices and top them with peanut butter or cheese. Cube cheese and serve with grapes. Cut up some fresh veggies and serve them with ranch dip. And of course there’s ants on a log. Spread some cream cheese or peanut butter on the inside of a stick of celery and sprinkle raisins on it (wow, fruit and vegetable in one snack).

8. Try some new fruits and vegetables. Pick something exotic to get your family’s curiosity. With a little luck their curiosity will outweigh their initial apprehension to trying something new. You could try artichokes, plantains, papaya, mango, star fruit, or anything else you can find in the produce department of your local store.

9. Make a pot of vegetable soup or a stew that’s heavy on veggies and easy on the meat. Both of these make some great comfort food when the weather gets cold.

10. Start “My Veggie Day”. Each family member gets to pick a vegetable one day of the week. They qualify to pick a vegetable as long as they tried each vegetable the week before, otherwise they loose a turn and Mom gets to pick.

Incorporate a few of these ideas and you will have everyone in your family eating more fruits and vegetables in no time.

Here is another tip:

Now that everyone in the family has gotten a taste for it, make sure you always have plenty of fresh fruits and veggies available and ready to snack on.

10 Ways To Sneak Some Extra Fruits And Vegetables In Your Family’s Diet

Make Eating Healthy Foods Fun.

Children everywhere in the world have an on-going love affair with junk food

such as hamburgers, pizza, candy, soda and salty foods like potato chips and french fries. Unfortunately, it’s hard to find a single child who has these same strong feeling for the healthy food that they need such as grains, vegetables, fruits and foods reach in nutrients such as meat, beans, fish and nuts.

Fortunately, there is one tied and tested strategy to make kids eat the kind of healthy food that some of them may not want — that’s by making it fun.

That’s right, make eating healthy food fun. And how do you do that? Here are some tips:

1. The Sneak Attack.

Try sneaking in some of those fruits and vegetables along with the kind of food they like, say, making muffins out of bananas or apples. There are lots of vegetables the you can throw in when you’re serving the kids pizza. You could also make them look funny by arranging them creatively on a plate or making them stand up like people. Sure, some people don’t want their kids playing with food, but if it will help them get healthier, it may be worth the effort.

2. Funny Name Game.

If your kids are below the age of four, here’s a nifty trick that gets them every time. Give the fruits and vegetables funny names and concoct elaborate stories. Some stories will end with these funny-named vegetables getting swallowed alive by the giant child. In another version, the vegetables run for cover and hide from their enemies by entering a big cave that happens to be your child’s mouth where they quickly get gulped down.

3. The Taste Test.

Kids dislike vegetables because they don’t like the taste. Therefore, make the healthy foods taste better and your child will love them. For instance, put peanut butter on celery or add a dash of flavor to broccoli with ranch dressing. I’m sure you can think of dozens of ways to spruce up healthy food.

The key is to find creative ways to make your children enjoy eating healthy food. And once they’ve acquired a taste for it, eating healthy foods will be second nature to them.

Make Eating Healthy Foods Fun.

Shopping for bread.

Diabetics and people who are trying to lose weight or control cholesterol  should avoid all forms of ground-up grains,

and that includes bread. For everyone else, bread is a perfectly satisfactory food.

Breads have been made for thousands of years, in virtually every culture, to wrap, sandwich, or accompany other foods for breakfast, lunch and dinner.When ground-up grains were used shortly after milling, there was no need to remove anything or to add ingredients to keep them fresh. Only in our recent history have we turned into junk food by removing the germ and fiber from the grains. Even worse, some bread manufactures add partially hydrogenated fats to their breads  to prolong their shelf life.

The best way to assure that you are getting a bread that is made from whole grains, with nothing removed, is to bake your own bread made from flour you grind yourself, or buy from local bakers who grind their flour fresh every few days (these are hard to find). Not many people are going to be able to do that. So here are my goals for picking the best of the commercial breads:

1. Avoid any bread that made with partially hydrogenated oils.

Read the list of ingredients and if it contains the worlds partially hydrogenated, put it back on the shelf. Partially hydrogenated oils are totally unnecessary for making good-tasting bread.

2.Get as much whole grain flour as possible.

This isn’t easy to tell, because regulations allow bread makers to use the worlds whole wheat even is portions of grain have been removed. Words like stone ground, multi-grain, seven-grain or cracked wheat sound healthy but don’t tell you anything. Generally, breads that list whole wheat as the first ingredient are better that those that start with enriched flour of some sort.

3.Pick breads with higher fiber content.

2 grams of fiber per slice is better that 1 or 0 grams. One caution: breads promoted for their fiber content may have added pea or some such ingredient; that’s adding sawdust, not an indication that you’re getting the whole grains. Check the list of ingredients on these breads.

4. Added seeds are a bonus.

Many breads include seeds in the dough or as toppings. This is an easy way to add caraway seeds, sesame seeds, poppy seeds or other whole seeds to your diet.

5. Breads made from 100 % sprouted grains have all the nutrients of whole grains, may have more vitamins, and may raise bloon sugar less that breads made with dry flour.

6. Watch out for breads that taste too good.

Nothing is more seductive than a loaf of freshly baked bread. A reasonable portion is 1-2 slices. If you eat the whole loaf in one sitting, or the whole basket of rolls in a restaurant before dinner comes, you’ll get into trouble.

Shopping for bread.

Easy Sweet And Sour Peppers.

Ingredients

For the sauce:

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/2 cup water

1 clove garlic, crushed in garlic press

1/4 cup catsup

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup cider vinegar

2 tablespoons brown sugar

For the vegetables:

1/2 cup bouillon

1 bag frozen or canned (drained) shoe peg corn

1 8-ounce can sliced water chestnuts, drained

2 cups cooked barley or other whole grains of your choice

Direction

Make the sauce: Mix the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of the water into a smooth paste. Combine with the remaining water and the other sauce ingredients.

Heat the bouillon to boiling in a pot and add frozen vegetables; stir until thawed and heated through. Add the remaining vegetables and sauce; heat through. Serve over the whole grains of your choice.

4 servings

Easy Sweet And Sour Peppers.

Healthy Breakfast Foods.

It is always surrounded by silly excuse of lack of time. And still no one denies that fact that “breakfast”

is the most important meal of the day.

Why such a hullabaloo about this early morning meal? Well, for starters, this meal comes after a break of 8 – 10 hours; hence your blood sugar level will be low. Since your body has gone with out food for such a long time, it needs nourishment to kick-start its day. Therefore “breakfast” is considered to be an important and essential meal of the day.

Breakfast benefits both, young and old. It is the key to jump start your muscles and your day. People who eat breakfast (healthy) daily are more likely to

- Consume more vitamins, minerals and less of fat and cholesterol.

- Increased strength and endurance.

- Better concentration and productivity all day long.

- Control over weight

- Low cholesterol = no risk or little risk of heart disease

Children who eat breakfast are likely to have better concentration, problem-solving skills and eye-hand coordination. They will be alert, creative, and less likely to miss days of school.

If you think skipping this meal, will help you lose weight, think again. By passing over this meal, your body will go in the starvation mode and make you crave for snacks especially sweets. Impulsive snacking on unhealthy foods can lead to weight gain. So you motive of losing weight by skipping breakfast stays unachieved.

Try to choose healthy foods from at least two food groups each morning

- Fruits & Vegetables

- Grains

- Dairy

- Proteins

A glass of pure fruit juice, bananas, yoghurt, low-calorie muesli with semi skimmed or skimmed milk, fresh fruit salad with few spoonfuls of low fat yoghurt, fresh and raw veggies mixed with flavoured yoghurt, a slice of toast or plain bread with eggs, boiled or poached are some of the options for breakfast. Kids can enjoy a Smoothie with their favourite fruits; add dash of yoghurt or honey to make it more delicious.

If you look forward to eating different kinds of healthy foods for breakfast, you are less like to skip this meal. If time is your hurdle, think about packing your breakfast or eating on the ‘run’, its better than skipping it altogether.

Healthy Breakfast Foods.

Caesar Tofu Dressing.

Ingredients

2 garlic gloves, peeled and minced

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

12-ounce package of tofu

2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce or soy sauce

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Direction

Combine all ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth.

Keeps well.

Yield: about 1 cup

Note: Toss into a bowl of romaine lettuce or your favorite salad greens. Add a little shredded Romano or Parmesan cheese and some anchovies (if you like) for a delicious Caesar salad.

Caesar Tofu Dressing.

Children’s Vitamins.

Many parents are concerned that their children do not consume the proper foods they need to stay strong and healthy.

The truth is children can be picky eaters. Some children will go through stages where they will refuse to eat anything other than a favorite food, while other children will try new foods, but do not take to them.

Children’s vitamins are available to parents who want to ensure their children are receiving the necessary nutrients he or she needs to grow strong and healthy. Even parents who have children who eat well are supplementing their children’s diet with vitamins. The fact is the earth’s soil is rapidly being depleted of nutrients, and the rigors of food processing also leaves many foods deficient in vitamins and minerals.

Children’s vitamins are packaged in such a way that they are attractive to children. Most children’s vitamins come in colorful and fun shapes. Many manufacturers of children’s vitamins are packaging their vitamins in lollipop, gum ball and gummy bear varieties. Because these vitamins resemble candy, it is important that you keep them away from a child’s reach and that you monitor their intake. If you find your child has taken extra vitamins, you should consult their pediatrician or your local poison control center.

There are instances when a pediatrician will prescribe vitamins for a child. If a child has a vitamin deficiency, does not have access to fluoridated water, or has anemia or other illness or disease, vitamin supplements may be prescribed for a child. However, in general, many pediatricians believe that children do not need vitamin supplements if they are being fed properly. They feel that children can receive all the vitamins and minerals they need if they eat according to the Food Pyramid. Consult with your child’s pediatrician before starting them on a vitamin.

Vitamins are supplements and not replacements. Children’s vitamin supplements should never be looked upon as a replacement for healthy eating. Encourage your child to eat the foods they need, and do things to make nutrition fun and flavorful for them. For instance, letting children add grated cheese to their vegetables will make some children more interested in eating them. Allowing a child to drink calcium fortified orange juice over milk works well for a child who does not like milk. Let your child participate in making a vegetable pizza, or let them pick out fruit at a market and place it in their own special area at home. All of these tips can go a long way in helping a picky eaters overcome their fears so they consume the vitamins they need.

Children’s Vitamins.

Banana Rice Pudding.

Ingredients

2-4 ripe bananas, sliced

2 cups cooked brown rice, barley or oat groats

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon dessert spice blend or cinnamon

Direction

Combine all ingredients in a microwaveable dish and microwave on high for 3-4 minutes, or until the bananas are soft and the grains are heated through.

Stir and serve.

4-6 serving

Banana Rice Pudding.

Double Mushroom Gravy.

Ingredients

8 dried mushrooms, stems removed, broken in pieces

2 cups hot bouillon

1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, chopped

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in 1/4 cup cold water

freshly ground black pepper

Direction

Cover the mushroom pieces with the hot bouillon in a blender container. Let soak 20 minutes. When the mushrooms are soft, run the blender briefly to chop them fine.

Pour the mushroom-bouillon mixture into a pot and bring to a boil.

Add the fresh mushrooms and soy sauce; cook 5-10 minutes.

Stir in the cornstarch-water mixture and continue to cook 2-3 minutes, until thickened.

Season with black pepper to taste.

Yield: About 2 cups

Double Mushroom Gravy.

Are You Nutritionally Fit?

A recent survey of nearly 700 Americans showed that 72 percent believe they are healthy eaters,

yet government data proves otherwise.

The USDA recently revealed that Americans get plenty of protein and carbohydrates, but often fall short on key nutrients such as magnesium, potassium and vitamins C and E.

“Fifty years ago, we only recognized extreme cases of vitamin deficiencies, like scurvy, which is caused by a lack of vitamin C,” said Carroll Reider, MS, RD, Nature Made vitamins director of scientific affairs and education. “Science has advanced. We now know that even small amounts of vitamin deficiencies hurt us much more than people realize.”

While most Americans appear well fed, a key question is: Are you nutritionally fit? To assess your nutritional condition, Reider posed the following questions:

Do you shun the sun? People who wear sunscreen, live in northern climates or have darker skin may not receive optimal levels of vitamin D, which is made following exposure to sunlight. Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium and may also promote ovarian, breast, prostate, heart and colon health. Reider suggests 1,000 IU of vitamin D daily for people who spend most of their time indoors and those who don’t synthesize vitamin D easily, such as darker- skinned individuals and the elderly. Vitamin D food sources include milk and fatty types of fish; however, it is hard to achieve optimal intake through food alone. It is also available in supplement form.

Do your meals lack color? Does dinner typically consist of meat, starch and the same green vegetable? For optimal health, add more colors to your diet. Vegetables such as steamed carrots, peppers and red cabbage add vibrant hues to the dinner plate while citrus wedges brighten the standard bed of greens. Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables maximizes nutrient intake and provides antioxidants, which help fight free radicals that may cause premature aging. “A multivitamin formulated for your age and gender is also a good way to compensate for dietary imbalances,” Reider said.

Is fish a regular dish? The American Heart Association recommends two servings of fish per week. Reider suggests salmon and tuna, which are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Some studies suggest omega-3 fatty acids may promote heart health. Other sources include walnuts, flaxseed or vitamins.

Are You Nutritionally Fit?

Drink More Water For More Energy.

What makes up 70-80% of our planet? Water. What makes up 70-80% of our body? That’s right, water.

Water is the single most important nutrient you will give your body apart from oxygen. Water rejuvenates us and carries vital nutrients all round the body where it’s needed. Water picks up all the leftovers, wastes and debris that the cells throw off into the lymph system and transport them out of the body via the channels of elimination.

So when you drink more water it has the double combination of feeding your body and clearing you of all the waste products that were built up in your system.

Your brain needs water, and plenty of it. Without water, your brain will operate worn out, tired and sluggish. Water is the ultimate gift to give yourself to think with clarity. In addition, water acts as a kind of healthy lubricant moistening tissues and joints.

When you drink, you want to avoid tap water. Tap water is more like a dazzling mix of chemicals. It contains fluoride, chlorine, and many others. The amount of chemicals in water will fill up books – it’s more like a chemical soup. The evidence that fluoride is poisonous is so overwhelming that it’s being pushed to be banned in many countries by action groups.

The thirst mechanism when having been turned off for a prolonged period is often mistaken for hunger. As you drink more water your thirst mechanism will return to its natural state. Not only will you begin to feel thirsty when you need water again, but your appetite will decrease.

This brings us to the next big thing you need to understand about water. If I asked you the difference between inorganic and organic minerals, chances are you couldn’t tell me, right? Well let’s briefly explain the difference. It’s a simple difference. Organic minerals come from plants; inorganic minerals come from rocks and volcanic sources. Organic minerals can be broken down by the body. Inorganic minerals are not used by the body and are stored until suitable water can come and carry them out. Organic minerals can be broken down by the body, while inorganic cannot. One is derived from natural plant life; one is derived from rocks,filings and small pieces of grit. Which one makes more sense to use?

It’s better to get your plant minerals through the food you eat rather than the inorganic form in water. Bottled water is often taken, tested and found to have bacteria and very often isn’t rated much better than tap water.

Do you know the best water to use? The best water to use is the same water you use in your iron. The purest water in the world is distilled water. It’s as pure as rainwater should be if our atmosphere wasn’t polluted.

If you haven’t yet heard that 70% of the world’s population is dehydrated – you will soon, as the UN push to get proper water supply to people in the third world.

The second best method of filtering is a type of filtering called “reverse osmosis”. Unfortunately the standard bench top filter isn’t enough.

Most of the nasty contaminants in our water simply don’t have a taste. Some people feel it’s a case of out of sight out of mind. This may work for things people think, yet when it comes to your body, the life of your children, the health of those you care about and the line between getting cancer and surviving it’s far short of acceptable.

The opportunity for energy, for vitality, for a quality of life is only known to a select few who choose to raise their standards and take action to apply what they know. New discoveries are being made all the time as new research comes out of the United States, out of Germany, and out of Australia and other countries. How does this apply to me you may ask? Well, these contaminants can kill you. Is this a reason to get upset? No, it’s simply an action signal to act smarter.

The best bit is when you’re drinking absolutely pure distilled water it is so much easier to drink. It’s so easy to refreshingly flood your body with purity that will flush out chemicals, clear out the lymph system and contribute to expelling excess weight in the body. Distilled water is so easy to drink and be absorbed by your body without having to flush out the other nasties first that many people report who were struggling to drink half a litre of water a day, are now drinking 4 litres a day and up, with ease! If you can’t get distilled water, reverse osmosis filtered or table water is the next best option.

Many people in third world countries don’t have access to a clean water supply. We in developed countries have currently almost unlimited access to clean water. My suggestion to you is to use it!

Drink More Water For More Energy.

7 Reasons Why You Should Be Using Coconut Oil.

It is a common misconception that coconut oil is bad for you. People all over the world are experiencing

the healthy benefits of using coconut oil. It is actually one of the healthiest oils you can consume. Here are the top seven reasons why you should use coconut oil as an alternative to other common cooking oils.

1. Coconut oil doesn’t turn to fat in your body.

Unlike many other common oils, like soy (vegetable) and corn, coconut oil won’t make you fat. Coconut oil contains medium-chain triglycerides (MCT), which are an easy fuel for the body to burn, without turning to fat. Most other cooking oils and fats contain long-chain triglycerides (LCT). LCT’s are usually stored as fat. Since coconut oil is a MCT, it is more easily absorbed and converted to energy quicker.

People in the tropics have relied on coconuts as a traditional staple in their diet for centuries. They consume large amounts of coconut oil every day. Instead of getting fatter, it helps them stay healthy, lean and trim. When they switch from coconut oil to our modern oils, they develop obesity and the health problems that our modern society faces.

Some other people who have known this truth for a long time are people who are in the animal feed business. When livestock are fed vegetable oils, they put on weight and produce more fatty meat. When they are fed coconut oil, they become very lean.

2. Coconut oil increases your metabolism.

Not only does coconut oil convert to energy quicker in your body, it increases your metabolism, which promotes weight loss. Because it boosts your metabolism, it helps your body burn fat more effectively.

Coconut oil may triple your calorie burn. Since coconut oil is a MCT, it is converted to energy so quickly that it creates a lot of heat. In a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, MCT’s burn three times more calories for six hours after a meal than LCT’s.

The February 15, 2005 issue of Woman’s World magazine stated that coconut oil is the “underground high-metabolism secret.”

This is great news for people who have thyroid problems, since coconut oil improves sluggish thyroids by stimulating the production of extra thyroid hormones. Most other common oils, like vegetable (soy) and corn have been shown to inhibit thyroid function.

3. Coconut oil has omega 3 fatty acids.

Most cooking oils contain omega 6 fatty acids, something we get way too much of in the United States. Our omega 6 to omega 3 ratio should be 1:1 but it is more like 50:1. We need to drastically cut back our omega 6 oils and consume much more omega 3 oils to be healthy. And coconut oil is filled with these healthy omega 3 fatty acids.

4. Coconut oil gives you energy.

Because of the healthy omega 3 fatty acids and the fact that it increases the metabolism, most people that switch to coconut oil feel a burst of added energy in their daily life.

This is because coconut oil is nature’s richest source of medium-chain triglycerides (MCT’s), which increase metabolic rates and lead to weight loss. MCT’s promote thermogenesis, which increases the body’s metabolism, producing energy.

This is because coconut oil is nature’s richest source of medium-chain triglycerides (MCT’s), which increase metabolic rates and lead to weight loss. MCT’s promote thermogenesis, which increases the body’s metabolism, producing energy. Many people with chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia have found that adding coconut and coconut oil to their diet was helpful to them.

5. One of the best things you can use on your skin and hair is coconut oil.

Coconut oil one of the best things you can apply directly on your skin and hair. It gives temporary relief to skin problems like rashes. It aids in healing and restoring skin to a younger appearance. It has also been known to help with people who suffer from yeast infections in the skin, as well as many other skin problems.

Not only does is soften and smooth your skin, coconut oil has antioxidant properties that protect the skin from free radical damage. Coconut oil makes excellent massage oil too.

6. Coconut oil has healthy benefits that most other oils do not.

Evidence is mounting that coconut oil has anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and anti-viral effects when both consumed and used topically on the skin.

Most oils oxidize and turn rancid very quickly causing free radical damage in our bodies. Coconut oil is not easily oxidized and does not cause harmful free radical damage like polyunsaturated vegetable oils. Free radical damage is thought to be responsible for many ailments in our body from arthritis to increased susceptibility to cancers.

Coconut oil also helps our bodies absorb other nutrients more effectively, such as Vitamin E.

7. Coconut oil is one of the best oils you can use for cooking.

It has a higher smoke point than olive oil, which means it can take higher temperatures better. There are several healthy omega 3 oils we can choose to consume, such as flax and olive oil, but they don’t do well under the high heat we use for cooking. Coconut oil can be used in higher cooking temperatures.

It is harder for coconut oil to go rancid, unlike other cooking oils, which are usually rancid long before you even bring them home. Rancid oils cause free radical damage in the body, which is a leading cause of cancer. Coconut oil is stable for over a year at room temperature.

Because of the misinformation we have been given for years, we have lost out on the healthy benefits that coconut oil has given the people of the tropics for centuries. But now it has been rediscovered! Coconut oil is so effective, it won’t be long before we see coconut oil supplements promoted, but you can get the jump on the popular crowd and start consuming and cooking with coconut oil today!

7 Reasons Why You Should Be Using Coconut Oil.

Sandwiches vs. Hot Lunches.

Parents in some areas of the country were surprised to learn of a new regulation when their children

returned to school last year. Rather than being given the option to send their children to school with a lunch prepared at home, they were informed all children would be eating lunches prepared at school. For some, this decision has raised concerns.

What has caused some school districts to require families purchase school lunches? And is the lunch provided at the school really that much better? Below are some ideas to consider, both for and against allowing children to bring lunches from home.

Pros

Some children have food allergies. It is unlikely that schools have the resources to arrange separate meals for all different types of food allergies. By allowing the parent to send a lunch from home, the child is ensured it will have foods which are safe for their particular dietary needs.

Parents have more control over how much money they spend. School lunches can be expensive. Not all families will qualify for free or reduced lunches. By allowing parents to prepare and send lunches from home, they are able to pack a lunch that fits within their family’s budget.

Some children are picky eaters. Schools prepare the same meals for all students and have very little variety. It won’t matter that little Joey doesn’t eat pizza, if that is what is served for lunch that day, he will either eat it or go hungry. By allowing parents to send lunches from home, they can be confident their child will eat something rather than go hungry.

Many school districts provide meals that are too high in fat, salt or sugar. By allowing parents to send lunches from home, the parent is able to control the foods their child eats and can ensure the choices are healthy.

Cons

School lunches are planned by a registered dietician to meet the children’s dietary needs. Many schools are concerned the child won’t bring healthy food to eat and want to ensure the children get at least one healthy meal each day.

Parents don’t always have the time to prepare a healthy lunch so the child ends up fixing it. This could lead to a child putting only non-healthy items into their lunchbox.

Most lunches children bring from home are cold rather than the hot lunches provided by the school.

Parents in school districts which forbid or limit bringing lunches from home often feel the government is trying to control things too much. While there may be some merit to requiring school lunches, the parent ultimately wants to be able to decide whether a sandwich from home is better than the hot lunch from school which their child won’t eat.

Sandwiches vs. Hot Lunches.

Mayonnaise - fast, delicious, healthy.

I love salads with mayonnaise! And I prefer healthy food. This type of mayonnaise good for adult and for children.

Ingredients

150 gram olive oil

1 egg

1 tablespoon vinegar 5% (or lemon juice)

1/3 teaspoon of salt

Direction

In a blender pour the olive oil, add the egg, vinegar and salt. Beat all ingredients until the mayonnaise.

PS. You need to have a correct blender. I use this model:

Mayonnaise - fast, delicious, healthy.

Healthy After School Snack Ideas.

If you are a parent who has school age children, you have most likely noticed your children making

a quick detour to the kitchen for an after school snack.  If this is the case, you want to make sure your child has healthy snacks that will satisfy their hunger but not ruin dinnertime for them.

It’s not surprising that most children are hungry when they come in from school.  School lunch times are often earlier than noon and by the time they complete their afternoon at school, they will have already digested their lunch and will be ready for something else to eat.

Here are some basic tips and after school snack ideas that will help satisfy your child’s hunger but will also leave room for a nutritious dinner.

First of all, you need to consider what type of eating schedule your child is on.  Younger children may have a mid-morning snack, but the older school age kids generally do not.  Find out the meal schedule your child follows on a daily basis and this will help you determine how hungry your child is when they come home from school.

Secondly, do not offer food or drinks that contain a lot of sugar.  Offer water or skim milk as an alternative and if dinnertime is soon, water is most likely best because milk can be very filling.  Knowing your child’s mealtime routines will help you determine what snacks are best for them.

Giving Your Child Some Choices

Talk to your child about what types of snacks they would prefer after school.  It’s all about choices and if your child knows they have the option to make choices, you will most likely see your child reali es there are alternatives to chips, sodas and other low-nutrient snack foods.  You don’t necessarily have to ban them from such snack foods or drinks, but these are things that you don’t want them to consume on a daily basis for after school snacks.  Let your child help you make choices when grocery shopping and encourage them to choose snacks that are low in fat, sugars and sodium.  Letting your child be involved in making choices related to their own foods will help them learn to make healthy choices for themselves.

Keep in mind that kids are most often going to choose snacks that are pretty much ready to eat and easy to come by.  Don’t expect your child to do a lot of snack preparation on their own.  If you intend to offer things like fresh fruits or vegetables, make sure those snacks are readily available and pre-prepared so your child can just simply open the refrigerator, make their choice and enjoy.

If your child is a teenager, they may want to prepare their own snacks.  In that case, all you have to do is make sure the food is available and if preparation is necessary, you may want to show them how to do it or leave written instructions just in case you aren’t home when they get in from school.

Healthy Snack Ideas

Some healthy and creative snack ideas that you may want to consider for your child are things such as:

Fresh Veggies & Dip – Fresh veggies are a great option for children of any age.  You want to make sure you offer a low fat/low calorie dip.  You can use fresh celery, carrots, broccoli or other fresh cut veggies.  When they know dip is available, it will make the veggies more appealing to your child.  This is a snack that is good for children of any age.

Ants on a log – This is an easy option where you stuff celery with peanut butter and top with raisins.  Younger children seem to love this option.

Egg Wedges – Take hard boiled eggs and cut into wedges.  Put some cheese on top or pieces of fresh fruit.

Fresh Fruits – Try to make sure you have a supply of apples, oranges, bananas and other fruits available. Ask your child which fruits they prefer and give them a couple to choose from at snack time.

Those are just some suggested ideas for healthy after school snacks for your children.  There are many more foods to choose from.  Use your own creativity and although you don’t necessarily have to totally ban your child from snacking on other things, you don’t want them to be in the habit of choosing things like potato chips and soda instead of an apple and glass of water or skim milk. Once your child reali es they have healthy snack options to choose from and know those foods are just as satisfying, they will most likely begin to choose those healthy snacks versus the snacks that have no nutritional value.

Healthy After School Snack Ideas.