How To Make Healthy Food Choices On The Go

Try as you might, it’s not always possible to prepare all your meals. No one has the time or energy to spend hours preparing dishes packed with nutrients.

 

It’s also not easy sticking with a diet plan when you’re busy rushing from one meeting to the next. Sometimes, it’s just easier to grab food on the go. But the problem is that fast food isn’t always healthy food.

 

Because we know how important your health is, we rounded up some practical tips to help you make healthy food choices on the go.

 

Let’s get started.

 

Be Honest with Yourself

 

As with any new habit or lifestyle change, the first thing you have to do is be honest with yourself about a few things. Have an open, serious conversation about what your schedule is like and assess your busiest days.

 

These will probably be when you don't have time to prepare healthy meals. Thus, you’ll need to prepare a couple beforehand, so you can just grab them and go.

 

Another thing you have to be honest about is the types of food you eat. Luckily, we now live in a time when almost any food can be healthy.

 

Craving a burger? Try a veggie burger or use lettuce instead of patties. Need some chocolate in your life? Grab a bar of dark chocolate for your sweet tooth and a nice boost of antioxidants as well.

 

Understanding your likes and dislikes can go a long way in helping you make healthy food choices on the go.

 

Get the Right Tools

 

Making healthy food choices isn’t just about knowing what to buy at the grocery store. It’s also about getting suitable tools and materials to help make the process easier.

 

For example, two great buys are to-go boxes, such as microwave-safe bento and lunch boxes. Simply fill them up the night before. Then, just grab them from the fridge, pop them in your bag, and you’re set for the day.

 

For batch cooking, consider investing in a Dutch oven, Instant Pot, or crockpot. Each of these cookware is guaranteed to make meal prep quick and hassle-free. You just add the ingredients, set the timer, and leave it to their thing.

 

Think Ahead

 

Why not take a couple of hours out of your weekend to organize a meal schedule for the busy week ahead? You can go old school and use a pen and paper.

 

Or you can take advantage of today’s technology and download one of the many meal-planning apps available. These apps help you schedule meals, prepare shopping lists, and even help you manage your budget.

 

Other benefits of using a meal-planning app include the following:

 

• Focus only on the items on your grocery list, so you only buy what you need

• Suggest new and fun recipe ideas

• No more stressing over what you’ll eat or how much time it’ll take you

• Calculate how much carbs, fat, proteins, and other nutrients you’re consuming each day

• Know your total caloric intake for the day

 

Choose Wisely

 

It’s hard choosing healthy foods when you’re eating out or passing through a drive-thru. However, the good news is that now almost every fast-food place has a handful of healthy food options to choose from.

 

Thanks to the growing demand for healthier food choices, fast-food chains have amended many of their items. Some have even added brand-new ones that are all about being healthy.

 

In the meantime, try these tips:

• Pick the smaller portion sizes

• Opt for a side salad instead of fries

• Choose the grilled chicken instead of fried chicken or a beef burger

• Order water, diet soda, or unsweetened coffee or tea

 

Be a Smart Snacker

 

Sometimes we’re just so swamped with work that we don't have time to eat. So, we go to the vending machine and get a bag of chips or a bar of chocolate with a bazillion calories.

 

Sure, it’ll satiate you for about 15 minutes. But then, because they’re also loaded with carbs, your blood sugar levels will take a nose dive. Soon, you won’t be able to focus on your work, and you’ll be dying to take a nap.

 

To avoid putting yourself through all that, learn how to snack smart. This means choosing snacks that keep you feeling full for hours without all the loaded carbs, sodium, and fat.

 

Below is a list of some nutritious snacks you need to have in your bag at all times. From the sweet to the savor, these yummy snacks will ensure you always make healthy food choices.

 

• Trail mix

• Nuts like almonds, cashews, peanuts, and walnuts

• Chopped vegetables with a side of salsa or hummus

• Cut-up or whole fruit

• Rice cakes and granola

• Frozen yogurt

• Sugar-free protein bars

 

Anti-Recession Hints

Recession, for the uninitiated, is the descent of the economy. It's a widespread decay in the GDP, employment, and trade, which lasts from six months to one year. Among its usual effects is running out of funds because of the high prices and the increase in unemployment rate. So, if you're running a home, how do you make certain the effect of recession won't be too much to bear for your loved ones? Here are some anti-recession hints that you may find useful during these difficult times:

 

If you've been relying on the supermarkets for your daily meals, it’s high time to think about growing your own food. What may be better than capitalizing on your green thumb to prevent having to purchase fruits and veggies? If you're renting, growing veggies and herbs in pots, a.k.a. container gardening, may be useful. Mint, sage, rosemary, basil and thyme are good herbs for container gardening. If you don't have enough time, opt for low maintenance veggies. Examples of low maintenance veggies include garlic, onions, turnips, cabbage, leeks and kale. 

 

If you have the time, learning how to bake may be one good way to spend your spare time. Apart from saving money, it may likewise be one fun way to relieve your tension. Fast food restaurants may be very enticing but if you've the skills (or not, since you are able to learn to cook), then why not fix your own food from your own grown fruits and veggies and home-baked bread. If you believe your skills are too limited, the online provides gazillions of easy recipes that even youngsters can make. 

 

With the correct shopping attitude, you are able to cut down unneeded cost. You are able to prevent yourself from giving into impulse purchasing. You are able to do this by producing a list of items to buy before going to the supermarket. One tip is to not go to the grocery to shop when you're hungry. Yes, hunger induces you to purchase items you don't need. Purchasing all the items you need in one go may help avoid utilizing gas for unneeded trips and likewise get rids of enticement. Likewise, before you unloading your cart, check again which items you are able to do without. You'll be surprised that there are just so many of the items that you picked up that you don't truly need.

 

You like pop? You like steak? But do you wish to survive the recession? Then, cut on pop, meat and other inessentials. You don't have to stop drinking pop or eating meat. But if you'll only compute how much you are able to save without consuming any of these as frequently as you used to, you'll see that it’s enough to tide you over.

Benefits of Garlic

Benefits of Garlic! A more detailed account of what garlic does for various organs in the human body: If garlic had been created in the laboratory instead of by nature, it would probably be a high-priced prescription drug. 

 

A Common Saying everyone knows. That's just how good it really is... 

 

Garlic is one of the oldest known medicinal plants, and it's been credited with fighting heart disease, lowering blood pressure and helping to fight off colds.

 

In fact, garlic has been used medicinally for at least 3,000 years, but until relatively recently its benefits were considered little more than folklore. According to a report in the Journal of the American Medical Association (Nov. 28, 1990; 264:2614), the therapeutic roles of garlic have been described in more than 1,000 scientific studies. 

 

Cooking with Garlic 

 

Most of the modern research on garlic has concentrated on its ability to lower cholesterol and blood pressure as well as offering protection against strokes and heart disease. 

 

The following is a more detailed account of what garlic does for various organs in the human body: 

 

1. Protection of the liver from toxic substances: Garlic activates the cells of the liver and thereby protects the liver from toxic substances; it also rejuvenates a tired liver and promotes its normal functioning. 

 

2. Improvement of blood circulation: When allicin is heated in the process of cooking the garlic, a substance called ?ajoene" is formed. This substance has a suppressive effect on thrombi and blood cholesterol, so it is effective for the treatment of atherosclerosis and thrombosis. 

 

3. Regulation of stomach function: Allicin promotes the secretion of gastric juices by stimulating the mucous membranes of the stomach; furthermore, it combines with proteins which can reduce excessive activity of the stomach. In addition, allicin regulates the functioning of the stomach by activating the large intestine and thus cure both constipation and diarrhoea. 

 

4. Promotion of insulin secretion: Allicin combines with vitamin B1 (thiamine) to activate the function of the pancreas and thus promote insulin secretion. As a result, garlic is effective in the prevention or the cure of diabetes that is caused by a lack of insulin or by the defective functioning of the pancreas. 

 

5. Normalization of blood circulation: Because it stimulates the brain nerves and controls the workings of the heart at a constant level, garlic stabilizes blood pressure. It is also capable of dissolving cholesterol and fatty substances inside blood vessels and therefore refreshing cells and the blood inside the body. 

 

Today, there is worldwide scientific evidence to support the many health benefits that can be derived from the daily consumption of garlic. 

 

Extensive tests on humans have concluded that a regular intake of garlic can: 

 

• Lower total cholesterol (but raise the good-type HDL cholesterol) 
• Produce more "natural killer" cells in the blood that will tackle infections and tumours 
• Lower blood pressure 
• Reduce the risk of blood clots (that are responsible for most heart attacks and strokes) 
• Destroy infection causing viruses and bacteria 

 

Garlic is classified as both an herb and a vegetable. It can be found in products ranging from ice cream to dry rubs; the versatility of this herb is seemingly endless. 

 

Tips for Cooking with Garlic

 

1. Before cooking, remove the exterior skin of the clove. There are many ways to do this: strike the bulb with the broad side of a kitchen knife, use a rubber garlic rolling tube, soak the garlic in lukewarm water for 30 minutes or dip the cloves into boiling water for 30 seconds. 

 

2. After skinning the garlic, select a cooking method that will result in the appropriate flavour. It can be sautéed to create a nutty, savoury taste; poached to create a mild flavour; oven-roasted to bring out the nutty flavour with a caramelized quality; fried to create a crisp exterior; or grilled to create a soft, smoky flavour. 

 

3. Garlic is very sensitive to heat and will burn easily, especially when sautéing. Expose the garlic to heat just until the oil sizzles and then remove it. When cooking garlic with onions, start the onions first. They will take longer to cook. 

Ayurvedic Home Remedies for Digestive Disorders

There are numerous simple recipes illustrated in Ayurveda to correct many disorders. Here are few gruel recipes which are strongly recommended in digestive disorders. These are simple and effective remedies which can be prepared easily at home to correct the digestive disorder and also to replenish the lost nutrients.

 

Gruel Recipes

 

For Indigestion

 

Ingredients:

 

Rice - 1/2 cup

Water - 4 cups

Long pepper - 2 or 3 

Ginger -1

 

Method of Preparation:

 

Cook rice with recommended quantity of water with crushed ginger and salt. Powder long pepper and fry it in a spoon of cow’s ghee and add it to gruel. Consume this when it hot. This is very light to digest and relieves colic pain.

 

For Diarrhoea

 

Ingredients:

 

Rice - 1/2 cup

Water - 4 cups

Ginger paste - 1/2 spoon

Salt to taste

Pomegranate juice - Ω cup

 

Method of Preparation:

 

Cook rice with recommended quantity of water with ginger paste and salt. Add pomegranate juice when the gruel is warm. This gruel rehydrates body and supply energy. This soothes inflamed walls of intestine and controls bowel movements. 

 

For Flatulence 

 

Ingredients:

 

Ω cup of rice

4 cups of water

Haritaki (Terminalia chebula) - powder-1/2 spoon

Roots of pippali or long pepper

Ginger paste -1/2 spoon salt to taste

 

Method of Preparation:

 

Cook Rice, haritaki powder, roots of pippali and water together. Add salt to it. Consume this when it is warm. This relieves flatulence and regularizes the bowel movement

 

For Indigestion Due to Over Consumption of Oily Food

 

Ingredients:

 

Ω cup rice

4 cups of water

Butter milk - 1 cup

Salt to taste

 

Method of Preparation:

 

Cook rice water and salt together. Add a cup of butter milk when it is little warm and consume it. This relieves indigestion, nausea and corrects digestion.

About Omega 3 Fish Oils

Question: What’s all the fuss about Omega 3 fish oils? What do they do for my body?

 

Answer: Omega 3 fish oils are a substance that can be found in the bodies of fish. However, eating fresh fish is no longer recommended. The mercury levels that are prevalent in almost all fresh fish these days can be very detrimental to your health. However, companies have manufactured fish oil that is mercury free by processing the oils that naturally occur in the fish. Omega 3 is a type of fat that is essential for human health. Omega 3 contains two fatty acids that benefit the human body greatly, which are known as DHA and EPA. 

 

These fatty acids have been linked to helping prevent heart disease, cancer, and many other diseases. DHA is also required by the human brain. Low levels of DHA in the brain have been linked to depression, schizophrenia, memory loss, and an increased chance of being stricken with Alzheimer’s disease. Therefore, the regular and repeated consumption of Omega 3 fish oils can greatly help affect the quality of your life for the better. 

 

The American Heart Association recommends the use of fish oils to help your hearts performance as long as you keep your dosage under 3 grams per day, suggesting an amount roughly between 0.5 to 1.8 grams per day. Clinical trials conducted have shown that Omega 3 fish oils can reduce cardiovascular events including heart attacks, strokes, and even death.

 

Also, research has shown that fish oils can help decrease the risk of arrhythmias, decrease triglyceride levels, decrease the growth rate of atherosclerotic plaque, and even slightly lower blood pressure! With all these facts, there is no doubt that the regular and responsible use of Omega 3 fish oils from supplements can be of great benefit to your health.

A Juicy, Fun Way To Take Your Vitamins

While kids want great taste, you want to give them the vitamins, minerals and fibre their growing bodies need. Serve watermelon and you can both be happy.

 

Watermelon is a fun, nutritious way to make sure active kids don't get dehydrated; it's 92 percent water. 

 

A two-cup serving of watermelon is an excellent source of vitamins A, B6 and C, and it provides 7 percent of the recommended daily value of potassium, with only 80 calories. 

 

Watermelon is fat-free and also contains fibre. It’s beautiful red colour comes from all-natural lycopene, an antioxidant that can help keep kids' bodies healthy. 

 

Watermelon can be eaten at any meal, breakfast, lunch or dinner, and it's a wonderful snack for the whole family. Delicious on its own, watermelon is a fantastic ingredient in recipes, too. Previously just a summertime treat, tasty watermelon is now available year-round.

 

A watermelon carving makes a great addition to a kids' party buffet, and the birthday boy or girl can help make it. The salad inside can be as simple as a mixture of blueberries, seedless green grapes and balls of watermelon, cantaloupe and honeydew melon. It's colourful and kids love it.

 

Carving Instructions for Watermelon Fish

 

Slice 1/4 inch off the bottom lengthwise to provide a stable base. 

 

With a melon baller, cut half circles over half the top of the watermelon in a rectangular shape, remove and set aside. This piece will be used for the top fin and tail. 

 

Scoop out the flesh.

 

Cut out the tail shape and the melon balled fin-piece from the rectangular piece set aside earlier. Attach the fin and tail with sturdy, round toothpicks.

 

Cut out eyes using a melon baller. Trim around the outside of the eye socket, then place it back in, rind side out.

 

For the mouth, point a paring knife at a downward angle above the stem and slice through 3 inches on either side of the stem, cutting through the rind. Push out the mouth from the inside. For the side fin, cut 3 cuts into the side using the melon baller to make the curves on the back of the fin. Then slice straight cuts to form the top and bottom of the fin.

Beyond The Sandwich – Mix It Up With Different Lunch Foods

When you think about packed school lunches, PB&J or ham and cheese sandwiches come to mind. While sandwiches certainly make for a nice school lunch, they are not your only option. Mix it up by fixing something different for your kids this school year. 

 

Make It A Wrap 

 

A quick and easy alternative to a sandwich is a wrap. Grab some tortillas and fix your child’s favourite sandwich as a wrap. Wraps are also great for adding lots of lettuce and extra veggies. Hummus and cucumbers make a delicious vegetarian lunch option. 

 

When you’re done adding your toppings, roll it up like a burrito and if desired, cut it in half. The wrap is good as is, or you can pack a small serving of salad dressing to dip. Ranch is always a favourite around here. Just make sure you pack it in a small, airtight container so your child doesn’t end up with ranch all over her lunch box (ask me know I know). 

 

Who Doesn’t Love Snack Food And Lunchables?

 

I have yet to meet a child that doesn’t love lunchables. But have you looked at the price of those found at the grocery store lately? Plus, I’m not the biggest fan of the food options. Why not make your own version instead with fresh ingredients and food you know your child will eat? Start with some sandwich meat and cheese cut into bite-sized pieces. Add some fresh raw veggies like sliced cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and baby carrots. Throw in some fresh or dried fruit and you have a delicious, healthy, homemade version. 

 

Of course, you can turn any of your child’s favourite snack foods including popcorn, trail mix, crackers, cheese, fruits and veggies and the likes into lunch. Grab a container with lots of little dividers (bento boxes are perfect) and fill them up with kid-friendly favorites. 

 

Healthy Salads For Lunch 

 

Salads are another great lunch option, particularly for older children. Get a container with a tight-fitting lid and add all your child’s favourite salad ingredients minus the dressing in there. 

 

Start with a bed of lettuce greens, add raw veggies, croutons, bacon bits, nuts and seeds and the likes. Top it with a source of protein like cheese, hard-boiled egg, ham or turkey, or even some grilled chicken. 

 

Pack dressing in a separate container along with a fork and napkin and lunch is done. You can assemble the salad the night before and store it in the fridge. The key is to make sure all your ingredients are very dry. If you’re washing your lettuce, use a salad spinner, or dry it on some paper towels before starting to pack it. Cutting everything into small bite-sized pieces will ensure that the lunch time salad is easy to eat. 

Get Creative With Bento Lunches

Have you heard of bento lunches and bento boxes? It’s a fun, fairly new trend in packed lunches that traces its origins to Japan. Bento is a traditional way for Japanese to pack single serve meals they can take with them to work or school. There they often consist of rice, fish or meat, and cooked or pickled vegetables. The container is usual rectangular with compartments for each dish. 

 

Bento boxes are traditional made of stainless steel, but you can also find plastic and even glass versions. These food containers with an international flair are usually square and have internal compartments that allows you to keep your food separate. This gives you a great canvas to get creative with food. 

 

Yes, with Bento boxes it’s ok to play with the food and come up with some fun and creative lunches for the kids (or yourself). Cut the sandwiches in cute little shapes, make some fun roll-ups, and get creative with fresh fruit, raw veggies, cheese and the likes as sides. 

 

If you are ready to get even more creative, do a quick search online for bento lunch ideas. You’ll find ideas from gourmet food to fun and quirky kid-friendly lunch ideas. Who knew that you could shape rice and make it look like an adorable panda? You’ll find entire Pinterest boards and Instagram accounts dedicated to creative bento boxes. 

 

Of course, there’s no need to go all out. You can make delicious and eye-pleasing bento lunches by taking just a little care with how you place the food in the boxes and taking advantage of simple little tricks like pouring gold fish crackers or raisins into paper or silicon cupcake liners. 

 

What I like best about bento lunches is that it gives you the opportunity to pack several small, snack like items into one lunch. Your child will have fun picking and choosing for lunch and you know he will still get a healthy meal. Plus, what child doesn’t love a bunch of colourful finger food for lunch. Heck, you may even convince your picky eaters to try new fruits, veggies, cheeses and the likes if you cut them into cute little shapes. 

 

Of course, these fun and delicious lunches aren’t just for kids. Order a couple of bento boxes and start packing your own lunch. You can go as simple or gourmet as you’d like. Or grab a few of your own favourite healthy snacks and call it lunch. The possibilities are almost endless with bento box lunches. 

Packing Hot Lunches For The First Cool Fall Days

After a long, hot summer, we all look forward to those first crisp fall days. And with it our menus change. Why not change the lunch you pack for your kids as well. Salads, wraps, and cold sandwiches are great late summer options, but when the temperatures start to drop, your little ones will appreciate a hot dish in their lunch box. 

 

Soup And A Hot Sandwich

 

One of my favourite school lunches as a kid was tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich. Who doesn’t love soup and a hot sandwich for lunch on a cool, crisp, fall day? If you thought those were outside your packed lunch capabilities, think again. All it takes is a small thermos, some aluminium foil and ideally an insulated lunch box. 

 

Make the soup the day before from scratch, or heat up some canned soup in the morning, right before school. Get it piping hot, and if possible, run some hot or even boiling water in the thermos first to get everything as warm as possible. Pour the soup in the thermos and sit it in the insulated lunch box. Don’t forget to pack a spoon. Lastly, make the hot sandwich. Grilled cheese, or grilled ham and cheese are always a favourite around here, as are any type of Panini. Fix the sandwich as usual and then wrap it in several layers of aluminium foil. If you’re worried about the bread getting soggy, wrap it in a paper towel first, then the foil. Keep the sandwich in the insulated lunch box and everything should be staying toasty warm for hours. Mix and match the soup and sandwich combos for endless portable lunch possibilities. 

 

Chili and Stew

 

Of course, you’re not limited to just soup. A nice hardy stew or a bowl of chili with some corn chips or a side of fresh cornbread make a nice addition to any lunch box. Make a batch of your favourite chili or stew and put it in your kids’ lunch boxes for the following days. 

 

Another great option is to freeze it in smaller portions and take them out as needed to add to lunch boxes. This is also a great time for you to take lunch to work or keep a bowl at home to reheat at lunch time. As with the soup we talked about earlier, you can get a short thermos, run hot water in it, and then fill it with the piping hot chili or stew. That will keep the lunch warm until well past lunch time. 

 

Leftovers Galore 

 

Last but not least, don’t forget about leftovers. They make for great lunch box additions. There are wide mouthed thermos out there that can hold a variety of leftover food from pasta dishes, to things like fried rice, or anything you can think of that would work well put in a bowl. 

 

If your child has access to a microwave, you can pack just about any leftover that can then be heated at school. Find a few microwave-safe plastic containers that work well and fit your child’s lunch box and you’re good to go.

Simple Tips To Get Organized And Make Fixing Lunches Easier

There is nothing worse than running late in the morning and then desperately trying to figure out something you can put in your children’s lunch boxes. If you find yourself flustered, or end up buying school lunch because packing it seems like too much of a hassle, take a look at the tips below. They will help you get organized so fixing lunches becomes quick and easy. 

 

Start With A List And Go Shopping 

 

Start by sitting down with your kids and come up with a list of lunches they like. This could include sandwiches and wraps, or even homemade lunch-able, but it doesn’t have to stop there. If you add a thermos to the mix, you can suddenly pack reheated leftovers, homemade soup and the likes. The key is to find lunch foods and snacks that your kids will eat that are also easy to pack. 

 

Make sure you have appropriate containers, and then head to the grocery store to pick up everything you need for the week. Don’t forget about snacks and drinks as needed. The list should make this much easier. Once you have several different lunch ideas your kids like and will actually eat, you can simply rotate through them and make the ingredients part of your weekly shopping trips. 

 

Prep What You Can As Soon As You Get Home 

 

When you get home from the store, keep lunch foods out and see what you can do to prep things ahead of time. Instead of putting that bag of grapes away, go ahead and wash and store them in little bags you can grab and toss in the lunch box. The same goes for things like carrots and even salads. Slice cheese as needed and just thing about what you can prep as soon as you get home. 

 

Pack Lunches The Night Before 

 

Mornings are busy and not always the perfect time to have to worry about packing lunches. Try making them the night before. Try packing them after dinner at night. Get the kids involved and have them help with lunch prep and clean-up after. You can store cold items in the fridge and have everything else sitting in the lunch box ready to go. It won’t take you long to get into a rhythm of preparing lunches while you’re cleaning up after dinner. You’ll appreciate this new habit in the mornings when all you need to do is grab a couple of things from the fridge and toss them in the lunch boxes. 

 

Get In The Habit Of Cleaning Lunch Boxes As Soon As The Kids Get Home

 

To make lunch prep even easier, get the kids into the habit of cleaning out their lunch box as soon as they get back from school. Even the youngest can help with this. Have them toss any uneaten food and bring the containers to the sink to be washed. Older children can easily clean their own containers, while you’ll probably have to do the washing for your youngest. Having everything clean and ready to go will make it easier to pack the new lunches later on in the day. 

 

Stick to these tips and it won’t take you long to get into an efficient lunch packing routine that will make it a snap. Don’t forget to get the kids involved and put them in charge of much of the preparations. Not only will this make your live easier in the long run, it will give them a sense of ownership over their lunch. 

How To Pack School Lunches That Your Kids Will Actually Eat

Summer is coming to an end and school is about to start. That of course means it’s time to get back into a school year routine. Part of that routine in many households is packing school lunches. Packed lunches are a great option when your child isn’t too fond of what the school has to offer or you want a little more control over what your child is eating. 

 

Of course, if your child has dietary restrictions or food allergies, packing lunches is a must. Frankly, packing a lunch allows you to include healthy foods your child will actually eat and it doesn’t have to cost any more than what you would be paying for lunch at school. 

 

Packing a lunch every day doesn’t do any good if your child doesn’t eat it or ends up trading most of it away for junk food. The key then is to find things that your child loves and enjoys eating. 

 

The best place to start is to get your child involved. Depending on the age of your kids, you could even put them in charge of making their own lunches. Not only do you know that they’ll pack something they will eat, being in charge of packing lunch will teach them responsibility. 

 

Start by talking to your kids about what they want in their lunch box. Make a list of options and then head to the store so you have everything you need for the first week of school. Getting the kids as involved as possible will make sure that they end up with lunches they will eat. For older kids that may mean making their own lunches (under your supervision of course). 

 

Younger children can help. Even your kindergartener can wash grapes and put them into a container, or pick a snack for his lunch box. Get in the habit of making lunches together the night before. Over time you can give the kids more and more responsibility for their lunches. This alone will help make sure they eat what they’ve packed. After all, it’s the lunch they made. Along the way you’re teaching them independence and important life skills. 

 

Finally, you want to encourage your kids to pack and eat healthy foods. Insisting on all healthy, organic food options all the time may not be your best strategy though. Strike a balance and make compromises. If your kids pack and eat a healthy wrap or salad for example, let them have some cookies for dessert. Teach them to make good choices, but don’t freak out if they decide to pack some Cheetos or a pack of Oreo cookies. Your goal is to get them to eat fairly healthy and make smart food choices, not restrict all access to junk food, causing them to trade with friends for forbidden Twinkies. 

Pizza Muffins

Ingredients:

• 2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
• 1 Tbsp. Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
• 1/4 Cup Sugar
• 1 tsp. Each Salt and Dried Basil
• 1 Cup Cheddar Cheese, cubed
• 2 Eggs
• 1 Cup Yogurt
• 1/4 Cup Butter, melted
• 1/4 Cup Pizza Sauce
• 1/2 Cup Mozzarella, shredded

 

Directions:

 

Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, salt, and basil. Stir in cheddar cubes.

 

In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, yogurt and butter until smooth. Stir into flour mixture just until well combined and no dry spots remain. Add batter into muffin cups, dividing evenly. Spoon 1 tsp. pizza sauce on top of each muffin; sprinkle each with shredded mozzarella.

 

Bake at 400 F for 20 minutes or until golden and a toothpick inserted in center of one of middle muffins comes out clean. Let muffins cool in the pan for at least 5 minutes before removing, then let cool completely on a wire rack. (Freeze muffins in an airtight container for up to 1 month; defrost at room temperature.)

 

Sides:

 

• Spinach salad with dressing
• Fruit punch