Creative Lunchbox Ideas That Will Make Your Kids WANT to Eat Healthy

Today there is a lot of debate about the healthiness (or lack thereof) in the offerings of school lunches. Packing healthy lunches for your children can be easy, you just need to make a couple of creative tweaks...

Muffins

Muffins are easy to make and tasty, as well as healthy. A versatile recipe is the Magic muffin recipe. It’s healthy and the batter can be stored in the refrigerator for up to five days. It can even be cooked in the microwave! This is a basic recipe that you can switch up each time you make them by adding your favorite ingredients, such as blueberries, raspberries, ginger, chocolate chips or peanut butter. The possibilities are endless!

Homemade Lunchables

Lunchables have been a long time favorite of children, but have you ever thought of making your own at home? A homemade pizza Lunchable is much healthier than the alternative store bought ones. Kids love pizza sauce and love constructing their own food!

Pinwheel Mini Sandwiches

Pinwheels have been a favorite party appetizer for generations. Why not pack a healthy version in your child’s lunch? These easy to handle, bite-sized, sandwich/wrap hybrids are incredibly fun and with careful choosing can be healthy too!

Hummus

Hummus packs a great protein punch option for lunch, and kids can’t even tell that it is healthy! One surprising way to make hummus is as a dessert. The author of a dessert hummus recipe says, “This takes literally 4 minutes to prepare and makes about a cup and a half of hummus. Refrigerate leftovers; it’s good cold too, because it tastes like chocolate chip cookie dough.”  Of course, the ingredients include chickpeas but also peanut butter, maple syrup, vanilla extract and chocolate chips.

Some parents find they can get their children on board with healthy eating by including them in the process. Have a conversation with your kids about which healthy foods they already enjoy and build off their other favorites. Together you can go shopping and work on food preparation. A child is more likely to eat new foods when they feel like they have made it themselves. When in doubt, get creative!

How to Keep Your Kids Entertained and Happy on Road Trips

Summertime is the perfect time for a family vacation. You can show your kids natural wonders or enlighten them with cultural and historic points of interest. However, whether you are traveling to the Grand Canyon, Disneyland, Yellowstone, or your family cabin up north, your memories can depend on how fun or how big of a headache the journey was. Below are some tips to keep your kids entertained and happy on road trips.

Help Them Visualize
Provide your kids with a map of your trip, pit stops included. It will help dampen the incessant “Are we there yet?” questions if your child can visualize where they are and where they are headed. Plus, being able to read a map is a useful life tip that they can learn. In addition to providing a map, give your child a briefing of the itinerary, such as how long the trip will be and how much time there will be between stops.

Set Expectations and Reward Good Behavior
Kids are never too young to learn a lesson. In addition to practicing patience, setting expectations on how to behave on a long trip can help your child practice good behavior especially if they are awarded. No complaining from “point A” to “point B” can be rewarded with an ice cream cone or control over the radio. Being helpful with siblings could be rewarded with getting first pick on which sight to see or pool time at the hotel. Remember that a little incentive never hurts.

Eat Well, Take Rests
For everyone’s sanity, make sure to make somewhat frequent pit stops. While trying to reach a destination as quickly as possible may be tempting, getting out of a stale car to stretch your legs will go a long way in maintaining a positive outlook for you and your kids. Think about eating healthy and non-messy foods—not just McDonald’s or gas station goods—to stay refreshed. Pack your own small snacks, maybe even meals, to satisfy your appetite and prevent overtiredness and crankiness. Nuts and dried fruit are portable snacks that provided a great pack of nutrients and energy. Also, remember the importance of water and staying hydrated. Stick with healthy habits on your trip because healthy kids are happy kids.

Be Prepared
Parents probably can’t stress this enough: be prepared for every situation. Prepare yourself for bored kids, tired kids, temper-tantrum-throwing kids, and sick kids. Have enough healthy snacks and a variety of medicine and vitamins in case you find a drugstore unavailable. Have each child bring a favorite toy, book, or blanket for some comfort away from home. This will go a long in helping everyone have the best time they possible can.

No, Really. Be Prepared
Pack activity kits for each child. App games and DVD players can be nice to distract your kids, but have a small variety of toys, paper activities, crafts, books, and games so your child can flex their creative minds. You can give them a new activity after every stop so they have something new to look forward to as well.

Simple tips and habits will help you and your kids have an excellent time on your family travels and will help to ensure exciting and hopefully, fantastic memories.

Delightfully Nutritious Meals for Kiddos

Every March, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics celebrates Nutrition Month - 31 days devoted to helping people develop good eating and exercising habits, as well as learning how to make proper food choices. Though the month of March is over, it’s still important to teach your children about the significance of healthy eating.

To help your family on their journey to optimal health, we’ve made a list of 8 of our favorite healthy recipes, just in time for new spring produce to show up at your grocery store. And while some kiddos are picky eaters, it’s hard for any child to resist food that’s fun to eat!

1. Breakfast Banana Splits

Bright colors (and sprinkles!) make this bowl of fruit and yogurt look like a dessert that your kiddo will ask for no matter the time of day.

2. Cheesy Cauliflower Dippers

A deceptive pizza look-a-like, these dippers are a delicious healthy option! Utilizing the latest clean-eating trend of cauliflower, it’s easy to enhance this recipe for lunch, dinner, or snack time.

3. Broccoli, Chicken & Rice Casserole

Talk about delicious! Casseroles are a Midwestern favorite for a reason. This quickie has only a few ingredients that are easy to find in your fridge, and it’s budget-friendly. Plus: it’s super cheesy, so children will love it.

4. Slow Cooker Southwestern 2 Bean Chicken

This recipe is so versatile, it’ll be your new best friend. Fun flavors combine to create a delicious chicken that’s perfect as a starting point for tortilla soup, the stuffing of tacos and enchiladas, or the main dish itself.

5. French Toast Strips

Brinner, anyone? Using whole grain bread and non-sugared syrup is the key to making this old time favorite a healthy one. Your kids will love the dippable strips option, as well.

6. Creamy Greek Yogurt Mac and Cheese

It wouldn’t be a list of food for kids if it didn’t include macaroni and cheese! Ditch the boxed brand and try your hand at homemade. Add veggies like spinach, peas, or broccoli for an added dose of healthy.

7. Freezer Friendly Chicken Nuggets

Another food that’s beloved by children, chicken nuggets have a bad reputation for being unhealthy to the maximum degree. But if you have a bit of patience, homemade chicken nuggets are a breeze, and a total kid-pleaser.

8. Homemade Spaghetti-O’s

If your kids ask consistently to buy canned Spaghetti-O’s, try this version instead. Healthy, dairy-free, and lacking preservatives, this recipe might be the best thing that’s ever happened to your kids.

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