Annoying commercial #1

Oh Tyson, this is just bad. I can't stand this commercial! Maybe kids wouldn't be so picky if you didn't offer them chicken nuggets every time they say they don't like something...

(Just because they boast that they are all natural, that doesn't always mean healthy. Even if you bake these, they were fried in the factory they were processed in and have 18 grams of fat in 5 of them.) Of course my kids like chicken nuggets and they get them very occasionally, but it annoys me that this commercial would leave you to believe it is ok to eat all the time.

Fun with Edamame

Harper is a big fan of edamame! Makes a great side dish or snack! I think she really enjoys popping open the shells.

A snowed in, homecooked breakfast

We woke up to about 4 inches of snow this morning, and it is still coming down! This puts me in the mood to cook! This morning I made...

Whole wheat pancakes 
(with 4-5 chocolate chips in them instead of syrup - normally I'd do soy nut butter, but it IS a snow day!)
Reduced fat bacon
"Fried" eggs (no oil or butter used)
Mango

Harper must be hitting a growth spurt, because she ate 4 pancakes, 2 pieces of bacon, an egg, and half a mango! More than her brother!

Let's talk about yogurt

Yogurt makes a great snack, breakfast, etc. It is an excellent source of calcium, and the probiotics are great for the digestive system. Most yogurt targeted to children is horrible - full of sugar, HFCS, artificial colors/flavorings, etc...not much better than giving them candy.

Instead of being lured by these colorful products, I buy plain Dannon yogurt and add goodies to it - a tiny swirl of chocolate syrup, vanilla, fruit, cereal, etc. It has half the sugar of Trix yogurt, and no funky additives.

I try to teach my kids that in most cases, the food that is marketed to them is usually not good for them. Commercials and cartoon characters are just a plot to get your money!

A yummy Friday lunch

 Today's packed lunch:

Tuna salad*
Triscuits
Dill pickles
Low-fat string cheese
Wheat crackers with cheese
100 calorie pretzel bar
Low-sodium V-8

*Tuna salad recipe:
-1 can chunk light tuna in water
-1 tsp. light mayo
-1 tsp. mustard
-1 tsp. relish
-1 tsp. chopped celery
-salt, pepper, onion powder to taste

Vegetables made EASY!

I can't speak highly enough about frozen veggies in the microwave steam packs! Cheap, easy, healthy, and no funky stuff added. WAY healthier than canned! I normally avoid the ones with added sauces and such.We have these almost every night - just toss in the microwave and keep going!

A School Lunch Day

The menu for today's school lunch looked pretty decent today, so Dennis is going to join Grayson for lunch. We both feel it is important to support the school when they are making good choices.

Today's Menu:
Oven baked chicken
Brown rice
Green beans
Fruit cup
Milk

Yes, the green beans are probably canned and the fruit cup probably has high fructose corn syrup in it, but it is better than a normal day! Plus, Grayson will be so excited to have daddy at lunch with him! :)

GREENS!

This is how I know I'm doing right by my kids when it comes to food...this is what Grayson added to my grocery list a couple of weeks ago!!!

Breakfast time again!

This morning...

Nature's Own whole wheat toast w/soy nut butter and no-sugar added jelly
Granny Smith apple slices
Organic skim milk



Short and sweet, but healthy and easy!

Grayson's Lunch

I find 90% of what the school system serves for lunch is processed garbage, so I pack his lunch nearly every day. I also pack his snack...who in the world needs ice cream every day?

So what do I pack him? I give a choice everyday of a healthy sandwich, soup, salad (the varities of these are almost endless), a fruit/veggie, a cracker/chip type thing, string cheese, something sweet (and healthy-ish at least), and a 100% juice box or low-sodium V8.

Today's Lunch:
Turkey and Provolone on a whole wheat sandwich round
Light String Cheese
100 Calorie Peanut Butter Crackers
Baby Carrots
100 Calorie Pretzel Bar
Juicy Juice 100% Juice Orange Tangerine juice box

Now I know that is not a 100% perfect lunch, but I know it is well balanced and far healthier than what the school offers. All food groups are pretty well covered, and it didn't cost an arm and a leg. I'll try to continue posting different lunches!

Breakfast - 1/15/10

Grayson - Chocolate Little Bites Shredded Wheat w/milk, pineapple


Harper - Cheese grits, pineapple, milk



So maybe not the absolute healthiest morning, but fairly good choices for the morning rush! Quick, convenient, and balanced.

Giving this a shot!

After talking with my friend Stacie, I decided to start this blog. I know tons of parents have trouble getting their kids to eat well, so I hope sharing some of my ideas will help. I have a 6 year old son (Grayson) and a 3 year old daughter (Harper). They are both fantastic eaters, and will try anything. I will be posting the meals and snacks they eat, some recipes, and pictures of my healthy eaters!

I have a big problem with feeding kids "typical" kids food on a regular basis (fast food, chicken nuggets, hot dogs, pizza, etc.). I like for my family to eat as pure and wholesome as possible, and we avoid added sugars, preservatives, artificial colors, etc. I believe that you are what you eat, and eating habits are established early in life. I want to send my kids out into the world with the best start possible so they won't always be fussing over their diet, weight, and cravings the rest of their lives. Don't get me wrong, they get treats...but I do my best to make them healthy as well as delicious!

I look forward to your comments!!