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This month I want to share some helpful information about healthy lunches. This not only applies to children, but also to those who work and desire to pack a nutritious lunch. A little planning and creativity is all that's needed for your children to enjoy lunches that are healthy-and also fun to eat!  Switching to healthier foods in lunch boxes can be a challenge. So many kids today eat nutrient-poor, highly processed lunches. And yet we expect our children's brains to function properly? Children who eat healthy, raw, live foods experience less fatigue. They have more energy and concentrate better at school. They are fit for all their physical activities and they have a lower obesity rate. "Many lunchboxes contain white bread sandwiches, chocolates, cookies, chips, and fizzy, sugary drinks. This nutrient-poor, addictive, fat and sugar-laden collection may go down well on the playground, but it may also affect your child's behavior and ability to learn," say Patrick Holford and Fiona McDonald Joyce in their book Smart food for smart kids. |
Things to Remember When Preparing a Healthy Lunch Box Good Nutrition Encourage kids to eat a wide variety of foods from each food group. This is key. As they say, "Variety is the spice of life." * Fruits and vegetables - at least two portions in their lunchbox each day * Beans and lentils - Make meatballs and include lentils, chickpea and vegetable patties. * Cereals - whole-grain pasta/gluten free brown rice pasta, brown or wild rice, quinoa, millet. * Lean grass-fed meat, marinated oven-baked chicken breast, cut into strips/or alternatives * Dairy alternatives - natural coconut milk yogurt, almond milk, coconut milk kefir (So Delicious brand). Always read labels and note sugar content. * Good fats are crucial to a healthy brain - Include avocados, unsalted raw nuts and seeds, homemade hummus and olives. Limit all saturated fats. * Choose low-sodium foods like unsalted popcorn. * Offer yogurt, homemade granola bars, date balls and preservative dried fruit instead of chocolates, sweets or candy. Presentation * Let them find the fruit and vegetables first. * Vegetables can be cut into veggie sticks and can be paired with a favorite dip such as hummus or homemade tomato sauce. Cut  fruit into chunks, offer dried fruit, make fruit kebabs, and make "stop lights" using different colored melons (scoop balls and place on a kebab stick). * Use a cookie cutter to cut sandwiches into fun shapes. Roll pinwheels or wraps to add variety. * Use a colorful lunch box - I just love these lunch boxes and there are many helpful menus! Check these out at: www.laptoplunches.com
* Place notes of encouragement in your child's lunchbox.
Safety
* Throw away any leftover foods.
* Always wash your child's lunch box with hot water and soap.
* Try to keep the lunchboxes chilled.
* Use a lunch box that has insulating material; this helps to keep the food cool.
* Avoid Vinyl or PVC. PVC (or vinyl) is often referred to as the poison plastic because its production is incredibly polluting and because it includes toxic chemicals such as phthalates and lead. These chemicals can, in turn, leach out or evaporate and affect your child's health. So whenever you can, avoid PVC in your child's life.
* Check for "lead safe," or even better, "lead free" labels. |
Great Ideas Kids enjoy variety and love surprises; try to move away from the age-old sandwich. * Whole grain tortilla chips with avocado dip, hummus, homemade salsa * Whole grain mini pitas filled with veggies and some baked chicken pieces * Tub of carrot salad with nuts and raisins. Salads are an easy and fun way to get veggies, good fats and fruit into kids. * Veggie sticks * Vegetable crudités with a small tub of hummus  * Homemade iced tea (mix 4 cups of apple juice with 4 cups of Rooibos (Redbush) tea. Add mint leaves and ice. Or make any herbal tea, sweeten with stevia or xylitol and add ice. * Small tubs of different veggies * Small tub of colorful berries * Swap fruit snacks for real fruit. * Swap chips for whole-grain or gluten-free crackers. * Swap peanut butter for nut butters. Almond, pecan and cashew butters are popular varieties that are perfect for kids with allergies. Watch for low-sodium, low-sugar varieties on these healthy-fat nuts. Also, watch the sugar content on your jams and jellies. * Allowing children to choose and prepare their own lunch piques interest in the meal and makes it more likely kids will eat their own creations. * Bean-based soup or stew in a thermos and a whole-grain roll * Include your kids in the grocery shopping and let them choose foods that are part of a healthy diet. When they are part of the shopping-and making lunch boxes-they are more apt to eat their healthy lunches and not trade them with the child next to them. * Water, water, water - encourage kids to drink more water. * Try diluting fruit juice to 2 parts water to one part juice to reduce the sugar content. |
Almond-Date Granola Bars 1/2 cup almond butter or other nut butter 1/2 cup raw honey  1 cup Erewhon crispy brown rice cereal 1 cup Bob's Red Mill Muesli (Unsweetened) 1/2 cup dates, chopped 1/4 teaspoon salt Coconut oil for greasing
1. Put almond butter and honey in a small saucepan over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes or until they melt together; whisk to combine.
2. Put the crispy cereal, muesli, dates and salt in a bowl and add the mixture of almond butter and honey; stir well to combine.
3. Grease a 7- or 8-inch-square baking dish with a little oil and line it with plastic wrap. Spread the granola mixture evenly into the dish, pressing down gently, and cover with more plastic wrap; refrigerate until set, at least one hour. Once set, remove by lifting the edges of the plastic wrap out of the dish; peel off the plastic and cut the bars to any size you like.
Yield: about 10 to 20 granola bars depending on what size you cut them. |
Veggie and Bean Burrito 2 teaspoons coconut oil 1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips 1 orange bell pepper, cut into thin strips 2 medium zucchinis, cut into thin strips 1 can fat-free refried beans 4 whole wheat, or brown rice burrito-size tortillas 1 avocado, sliced SAUCE: 1/2 cup fresh salsa 1/2 cup tofutti sour cream Instructions: 1. Mix the sauce ingredients together, then refrigerate. 2. Coat a nonstick pan with cooking spray, add the coconut oil. Sauté the peppers and zucchini for about seven minutes. 3. Divide the refried beans into four portions and spread evenly down the center of each tortilla. 4. Top each tortilla with a quarter of the veggie mixture, a quarter of the avocado, and three tablespoons of sauce. 5. Fold in the corners of the tortilla and roll into a burrito. |
Spiritual Health
This is what the Lord says:
"Stand at the crossroads and look
Ask for the ancient paths,
Ask where the good way is,
And WALK in it,
And you will find rest for your souls."
Jeremiah 6:16
Until next time, stay healthy.
Most sincerely,
Lere Robinson
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