Posts Tagged ‘lunch’
Make Healthy School Lunches
All kids should have a healthy school lunch, but many schools just won’t provide it for one reason or another. If your kids’ school won’t provide a healthy lunch, it’s up to the parents to come up with a healthy lunch from home. Since this is your kid’s health we are talking about, I believe packing a lunch is well worth the effort!
The Sandwich
There’s something special about the simple yet delicious taste of a sandwich. You can make it as healthy as you want, and it doesn’t need to be too complex. I suggest using whole wheat bread, using a brand that doesn’t use a lot of ingredients or any processed sugars. Avoid using white bread at all costs!
Here’s some quick and easy sandwiches that you can make for your kids for their school lunches:
• Deli - Get freshly slices meat from your local deli and add a slice of all natural cheese, romaine lettuce, and use a mayo replacement such as Veganaise. This sandwich will provide your kid with the fiber, protein, dairy, vitamins and minerals from the lettuce and healthy fats from the Veganaise which will help you absorb the nutrients.
• Peanut Butter and Jelly - There’s nothing wrong with sticking to the classics, it simple yet very delicious and healthy! Use whole wheat bread, organic peanut butter and a jelly or jam that doesn’t have any sugars added to it, such as a Just Fruit™ Spread by Crofter’s. With this sandwich, your kid is going to enjoy the benefits of healthy fiber from the bread, protein from the peanut butter, and glucose from the jelly or jam.
• Sprout and Tomato - Think your kids won’t like sprouts? Think again! Just spread Veganaise (mayo replacement) or mashed avocado to the bread (or whole wheat wrap!), add tomato slices with a few dashes of sea salt and pepper, then generously add the alfalfa or broccoli sprouts. You’d be surprised with how delicious this healthy sandwich is, and you’ll be glad to know your kids will love it too.
• Almond Butter and Honey - This is very similar to the classic PB & J, except the Almond Butter adds a different variety of protein and the honey is an all natural source of glucose. This is a great sandwich for your busy little bee (haha). I like to use almond butter more often than peanut butter, since almond butter doesn’t have any saturated fats. As much as I love peanut butter, I eat it sparingly because of the saturated fats. It’s still good for you, but in moderation (like anything else, really)
• Tuna or Salmon – Mix a can of tuna or salmon with Veganaise (mayo replacement), and put in a small container. Include 2 slices of bread (or occasionally some healthy crackers!) and let your kid add the tuna to the bread once they are ready to eat their tuna (or salmon) sandwich. This will allow for a fresh sandwich, without the soggy bread! Go ahead and add pickles or lettuce if you’d like.
The Snacks
I suggest providing your kids with a wholesome snack to accompany the sandwich, or to snack on in between meals. This is a great way for your kids to learn that when they are hungry and they want a snack, they will learn to reach for a fresh veggie rather than a cookie. Your kids not there yet? That’s ok. It happens one day at a time, and they need their parents to help guide them on what they should be eating when they are hungry. Your kids don’t need chips or cookies. Your kids need vitamins and minerals -you know, nutrients to fuel their body, help them grow up strong and healthy, and help keep their mind alert and ready to learn.
• Fresh Fruit - Give your children a variety of fresh fruits to snack on. Each day (or week), give your kid a different fruit to snack on, such as an apple, orange, watermelon, pear, or a variety of berries. These snacks are delicious, low calorie, and they are easy to pack in a school lunch. Also, your kids will appreciate the variety of different fruits (so they don’t get bored or them), and it’s great way to add a variety of nutrients to their developing body.
• Fresh Vegetables - Give your children a variety of fresh vegetables to snack on. Each day (or week), give your kid a different vegetable to snack on, such as carrots, broccoli, snow or sugar snap peas, sliced cucumbers, celery (with peanut or almond butter to dip in!), or sliced green and red peppers. Remember to provide variety for your kids, and try to coordinate them to go well with the fruit you are giving them.
• Protein - If you would like to give your kids protein (in addition to the sandwich), you can consider giving them a variety of mixed nuts, seeds, or even hard boiled eggs (with shell already removed).
The Friday Snack
It’s always fun to have a special little snack that’s healthy, but something you might not have every day. For example, fruit leather is delicious, but the real deal (aka, fresh fruit with nothing added or taken away), is always the healthiest choice. Of course, why not have a special little treat every once in awhile, such as every Friday? I think it’s a fun way to celebrate the weekend without destroying one’s health.
The Beverages
• Water - Are your kids drinking enough water throughout the day? Provide your kids with a refillable water bottle that they can use throughout the day. Help your kid figure out how much water they should be drinking every day, and make sure they bring it home on a regular basis so you can have it cleaned.
I don’t think that your kids really need to be drinking juice, since the whole fruit or vegetable is always the healthiest choice. Also, too many juices on the market have added sugars or corn syrup that just isn’t necessary.
Got flavored milk? What about regular milk? I don’t think bringing milk to school is necessary, especially when you consider it really should be kept in the refrigerator.
Important Considerations
Make sure that you include an ice pack in the lunch box to keep the food cool and safe for your kid to eat when the time comes. If you don’t have an ice pack, stick to the foods that will be able to handle room temperature.
OK parents, any other healthy food suggestions you would like to add to this list? I appreciate your input!
Keep updated on the latest & greatest health articles by joining the Skinny Twinkie community!
Creative Christmas Meals
Instead of using those Christmas Cookie Cutters for sugar cookies, why not put those cookie cutters to some good use on… healthier foods? Here’s some ideas that will help you get started – be creative and have fun!
Breakfast
Why not create a fun Christmas breakfast by enjoying some Christmas Tree pancakes or star shaped waffles?
I found some Christmas molds at my local grocery store, so I decided to make blueberry muffins and put my molds to good use! I just added some Organic raspberry jam to make a face and details.
Lunch
Whether it’s PB & J or your favorite Deli Sandwich, create a sandwich and choose which Christmas shape you want to use and go for it!
Tip: Don’t have too big of a sandwich! You will want a relatively thin sandwich to be able to make the shapes.
Dinner
Whether you choose a ham or turkey, why not have some fun with your choice of Christmas dinner meat ? After you have sliced your meat, take out the cookie cutters and have fun with creating different shapes!
I made a turkey for my Christmas dinner, and sliced the meat about 1/4 inch thick. I placed the meat on a plate and used a Bell, Snowman, and Holly Leaf Cookie Cutter and made shapes out of my Christmas Turkey. It was a pretty fun way to enjoy my Dinner.
Christmas Molds and Cookie Cutters are a simple trick to add some Holiday cheer to your meals – have fun!
Keep updated on the latest & greatest health articles by joining the Skinny Twinkie community!
Tags: Breakfast, christmas, Cookie Cutters, dinner, holiday, lunch
Chicken Kabobs
Ingredients:
8 Bamboo Kabob Skewers
2 Chicken breasts
8 Mushrooms
1 Red Pepper
1 Green Pepper
4 small Tomatoes
1 Purple Onion
Chicken Seasoning
Instructions:
Step 1) Preheat grill
Step 2) Cut up chicken, red and green pepper, onions, and tomatoes into sizes appropriate for cooking on a kabob (see photo)
Step 3) Add ingredients onto the kabob skewer, mixing up the colors and order of ingredients to add variety. Add chicken seasoning to kabobs.
Step 4) Cook on grill for 10 minutes, then rotate and cook for another 10 minutes; 20 minutes total, or until chicken is fully cooked.
Notes:
You can cook this in the oven, just bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until chicken is fully cooked.
Keep updated on the latest & greatest health articles by joining the Skinny Twinkie community!
Tags: chicken, dinner, green pepper, healthy recipe, kabob, lunch, mushroom, purple onion, red pepper, tomatoes
Cafe Zupas anyone…?
Looking for a new place to eat out for lunch or dinner? Sometimes, we eat things that are not too healthy or good for us when we are pressed for time, want something quick on the go, or have a lunch meeting or what not. I have discovered Cafe Zupas. They have Salads and Soups- gourmet style (They have panini sandwiches too, but I haven’t personally had them).
Salads
I usually tend to lean towards geting the “Nuts about Berries” salad. At first, I wasn’t too sure if I would like berries in my salads since the salads I usually make for myself are an all-veggie type of a salad. If you are a salad lover, you are seriously going to love this Salad. It tastes great with the added fruit, with a bit of sweetened nuts for a crunch texture, and they have this amazing poppy seed dressing goes perfectly with the rest of the salad. I am not sure what is all in the dressing, but my guess is that you might not want to put too much on your salad for health and calorie purposes.
Soups
If I am getting the soup, the Thai Lobster is one of my favorite. It just has this different taste to it (probably the curry?), and if you want to try something that is a little bit of out of the ordinary and not just your average plain soup, I say it’s worth a try. With this soups esquisite tastes, you will feel like you are dining in a deluxe restraunt- without the high price tag attached.
This is just touching the surface of what they have. My only “warning” is, it tastes really good and you might just get addicted. Also, just because it is salad and soups, you still need to watch out for portion control and calories. The great thing about Cafe Zupas, is that I dont feel guilty when I am done with my meal.
If you want to check out the company’s site for the menu and locations: www.zupas.com
If you have tried Cafe Zupas, any other recommendations?
*Sorry all, no official serving size or calorie count on these dishes, but here is my estimates on how many calories are in the Nuts about Berries salad.
Keep updated on the latest & greatest health articles by joining the Skinny Twinkie community!
Tags: cafe zupas, dinner, gourmet salad, Healthy, lunch, nuts about berries, poppy seed dressing, portion control, salad, soups, tastes great, thai lobster, zupas
Spinach Pancakes by Dr. Praeger’s
These aren’t just any pancakes…these are perfect for Lunch and D
inner for someone who wants something fast and easy, healthy, and tastes good.
Nutrition
There are very few ingredients to this wonderful pancake, which is Spinach (of course!), Potatoes, Onions, Egg Whites, Oat Bran, Expeller Pressed Canola Oil, Arrowroot, Salt, All Natural Vegetable Gum, Garlic, and Black Pepper. So what are these pancakes missing? They are “missing” all of the bad stuff! These pancakes are not only low calorie, but they don’t have Saturated Fat, Cholesterol, Trans Fats, processed Sugar or Artificial Sweeteners.
Taste
I have good news, and possibly bad news. Good news…if you don’t like the taste of Spinach, you will love these pancakes because they really don’t taste like Spinach. Bad news…if you were hoping these Spinach Pancakes actually tasted like Spinach. They don’t taste like Spinach, sorry.
Either way, these pancakes taste Amazing. I was a little reluctant at first because I just didnt know what to expect from them. Yes, they are green, but they don’t taste like they should be. I ended up cooking more just because they tasted so great!
Preparation
The Spinach Pancakes come in a box, and they are each individually wrapped for freshness. The cooking part couldn’t be easier. Preheat your oven to broil, then cook at broil for about 8 minutes. That’s it.
Serving Size: 1 Pancake
Calories: 80
Keep updated on the latest & greatest health articles by joining the Skinny Twinkie community!
Tags: all natural, arrowroot, artificial sweetener, black pepper, canola oil, cholesterol, dinner, Dr. Praeger's, easy meal, Egg Whites, garlic, Healthy, less than 100 calories, low calorie, lunch, no sugar, Nutrition, onion, pancakes, potatoe, salt, saturated fat, Spinach, Spinach Pancakes, sugar, taste great, trans fats, vegetable gum
