 |
Juliette “Back to School” circa
1999 |
Where did the summer go! It’s like saying good-bye to an
old friend, and although you know they will be back, too much time
will pass until you meet up again. Or, summer can be like a relative
that has overstayed their welcome, and you can’t wait to see
them waving good-bye.
No matter what summer has been to you, if you have kids, September
marks the other side of our lives, the side with tight schedules,
basketball practice and piano lessons. Grocery shopping gets thrown
in as a drive through event and lunch barely makes in the bag. From
the time your feet hit the floor in the morning until the time you
drop back into bed at night, the weekdays pass by in a blur. Fitting
in a great meal, or packing a nutritious lunch can be a challenge.
Here are some tips to get you off to a successful start.
- Always make sure protein is present at every meal — especially
breakfast. Protein is brain food and will help with concentration.
- Pack the items you want your kids to eat on top of the other
foods. Kids will eat what they see first and teens wont make time
to search when running between classes
- Make the lunch the night before. It will save time in the morning.
If teens are making their own lunches, do it with them; they appreciate
the time together even though they may behave like they don't.
- Getting your children involved in making their lunch will make
it more likely they will eat what is in their lunch
- Read the label. Set a better table. Always read the label on
any product. The closer to the top of the list, the more of that
item is in the product.
- Use organic products whenever you can, especially when using
berries. Berries have a high water content, allowing greater absorption
or pesticides.
- Those Pearly Whites: Get your kids in the habit of brushing
their teeth as part of their morning routine before breakfast.
This seems to be the one hygiene responsibility kids forget more
often than any other. Pack Colgate “Brush Ups”
in their lunch and a few in the car for last minute clean ups.
- Whole grains break down slower than processed flours commonly
used in breads. Your body will use more of the grains and store
less, this means less lbs on the scale and in the long run
better health.
If you have any health considerations, please check with you
family doctor before adding new foods to your diet.
I know what you may be thinking — “A menu! I don’t
have time for that!”
It may take 30 minutes to put it together, but in the long
run it will save you about 15 minutes every day. You will also
spend about 20% less at the grocery store if you know what you
need by making a list before you go.
Create your menu based upon a selection of foods your kids like
and you are willing to prepare. If your child is old enough to
prepare their own lunch, make sure it gets done the night before.
Make it a family rule, part of the evening process. Trust me,
it works. Add at the bottom of your menu any school events for
the week. It will save making a lunch that may not get eaten because
it is pizza day!
Click here for Sample Menu
Make a menu template on your computer with the selections you
know your kid likes. Add pictures they can color so it becomes
their special menu and an art project. Post it on the refrigerator
for the whole family to see.
E-mail their menus to them if you have access to a computer.
If not, agree on a place in the house you will keep the menu and
have a deadline for your teen to return it to you. If they miss
the deadline, you get to make the choice of what goes in their
lunch. I can guarantee you they will miss the deadline only once.
This is Rush Hour in my home; everyone is flying in different
directions. Ideally, having breakfast at home before heading out
for the day of demands and studies would be the best way to begin
the day. But sometimes it just doesn't happen the way Beaver started
his day. And I don’t know about you, but I am not wearing those
high heels and a ruffled apron to the breakfast table every morning.
Try my time buster, the Wafflewich. It is a
whole meal deal in less than 5 minutes!
Dust off that waffle iron and start using it to make hot breakfasts
in a hurry. If you have a flat iron, that works also. Coat the
iron with spray on olive oil. This is a great way to evenly coat
the iron and minimize the amount of oil on the iron.
Make your favorite sandwich the night before. Store it in the
refrigerator in a waxed or paper bag. The wafflewich will be hot
when you put it in your Grab and Go bag, so don’t use plastic.
Some favorite combos to try:
When making Wafflewiches — coat the outside of the
bread with butter to get that grilled crisp texture and
flavor. Hold the iron down for about 15 seconds so the wafflewich
flattens.
2 slices of natural turkey — no nitrates
1-2 slices of natural Swiss cheese
2 slices whole wheat bread
1 egg — (Hard poach, baste, or fry the night
before. Will keep in fridge up to 2 days.)
1-2 slices of cheddar cheese
Optional: 2 slices cooked pancetta or no nitrate bacon (leftovers
work great)
2 slices of sour dough bread
This will appeal to those kids that love pancakes or waffles
for breakfast
strawberries — sliced
banana — slice just before cooking so they don’t turn
black
honey or maple syrup — drizzled over fruit
2 slices raisin walnut toast (walnuts provide the protein)
Optional:
Make a quick dip of
1/2 cup vanilla yogurt and
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup queso fresco or Monterey jack cheese
whole wheat or plain pita
Optional: Salsa — 1 cup
organic bottled salsa. Add fresh minced cilantro and grated carrots
for more fiber.
|
