#i used to eat hard boiled eggs w mustard on them all the time in college bc they had them in the vending machines | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

eddiegirls · 4 years

Note

do you have some ~easy recipes to make? i want to learn how to cook but i always find myself too tired to make anything when i get home from work /:

hello my friend! so what i find the easiest to throw together is a stir fry bc you can really use any protein and veggies, and it’s usually done in the time it takes to cook the rice.

here’s my stir fry ~formula:

1. start the rice first, bc it takes longest. i use sticky/sushi rice, but anything will work, and you can also do quinoa/another grain. here’s a rice cooking guide!

2. if you’re using tofu (which i usually do), press it right away to drain the water. i use extra firm tofu, and i wrap it in many paper towels, then i putting a cutting board with a heavy pan/book/whatever i can find on top. extra firm usually only needs 15 mins to press, but it won’t hurt to leave it until you’re ready to cook. you can use chicken/fish/shrimp/beef/pork/etc, whichever’s easiest.

3. cut your vegetables. you can literally use anything! i put garlic in everything, but everything else varies. some ideas: onions or green onions, broccoli, green beans, asparagus, bell peppers, carrots, bok choy, snap peas/snow peas, baby corn, water chestnuts (they come canned!), mushrooms, etc. frozen veggies or the pre-cut packs in the produce section are a good idea if you don’t want to chop or don’t have time.

4. cook your protein. for tofu, i usually cut it into cubes and coat them in some flour seasoned with whatever spices i feel like (mine is usually salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, and smoked paprika). then i fry it in some vegetable oil. it usually takes like...5 mins on each side, but i generally get lazy and don’t cook every side of every cube lol. you can use pretty much any protein and there’s youtube tutorials for the best way to pan fry all of them. you can also buy a rotisserie chicken from the deli and shred it, or frozen pre-cooked meats, which’ll both save a lot of time.

5. while the tofu/whatever’s cooking, make a sauce. mine is usually a random, unmeasured combination of: soy sauce, honey, some kind of chili sauce (sambal is my fave), garlic powder, rice vinegar, and sesame oil. you can 100% buy a premade stir fry sauce to make your life easier (kikkoman makes good ones, they’re usually in the asian foods section). if you wanna make your own, just start with like...1/3-1/2 cup of soy sauce and add stuff until it tastes good. it’s honestly very hard to mess up.

6. remove protein from pan and cook veggies. as a general rule, hard vegetables take longest. put stuff like broccoli and asparagus in first, then onions, then softer things like bok choy. if you can’t tell if something’s done cooking, stick a fork in and feel how soft it is. if you still can’t tell, taste it. if you’re using frozen, follow instructions on the package. put the garlic in LAST or else it’ll most definitely burn and you’ll be sad.

7. put protein back in w the veggies and pour in the sauce. cook it for a few mins to thicken it up. if you want, you can combine a tablespoon of corn starch and a tablespoon of cold water to help it thicken, but i wouldn’t recommend that if you’re gonna eat it again the next day, bc the corn starch makes it kinda gummy later on.

8. serve over rice. i sometimes add a fried egg on top!

that was longer than i intended.........and i am not done

here’s some places i usually find easy recipes:

my absolute queen budget bytes

honestly...buzzfeed tasty has good & quick one pot recipes

binging with babish’s basics series is very good for learning how to cook

i don’t really like to give conde nast my money, especially bon appetit, but i use an ad blocker to go on their basically site. every recipe is 10 ingredients or less!

pro home cooks, which used to be called brothers green - he makes, like, everything, but a lot of his vids focus on cheap and easy meals. (i haven’t watched any of his meal prep vids but i bet they’re good)

if you have a day, or even a few hours, every week that you can set aside, you might wanna look into meal prep. you don’t even have to prep entire meals; just pre-cutting all your veggies and portioning them into containers makes cooking after work/school feel so much easier.

here are some meal prepping youtubers:

mind over munch - i s2g this woman is like the queen of meal prepping. she’s also like way too perky but it’s fine bc her vids are VERY helpful even if you don’t wanna make the exact meals she makes

goodful’s professional meal prepper series - she gets paid to go to ppl’s homes and meal prep for them, and she shares a lot of easy recipes that are good for prepping and also just general tips for the best ways to cook and store stuff!

and finally here’s some easy stuff i make when i’m lazy:

i boil water for pasta, i chop up broccoli into tiny little pieces and throw it in the boiling water with the pasta when there’s like 4 mins left. i drain it, put it back in the pan, and add butter, italian cheese(s), garlic powder or a garlic herb seasoning blend, salt, and pepper. it’s so good.

premade gnocchi with jarred sauce or storebought pesto, served w whatever vegetable will take the least time to cook (i had this today with asparagus lol)

canned salmon burgers!

tuna & mayo mixed w rice, top w eggs and nori if i have it (thank u @oddesteyecircle)

smashed chickpea salad - i take a can of chickpeas and smash em w a potato masher, then i add mayo, dijon mustard, lemon juice to taste, and whatever spices i feel like (usually salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, cayenne, paprika, turmeric bc i like the color it adds lol). serve on toasted bread w/ whatever you like on sandwiches (i do tomatoes, hima usually does cucumber slices and spinach)

this doesn’t count as cooking really but the chipotle black bean burgers from don lee farms (we get them at costco) are incredible. i usually make em w frozen fries and microwave steamed broccoli (if u haven’t caught on i love broccoli)

bfast for dinner (pancakes from a box, scrambled eggs, bacon/sausage, maybe some potatoes)

aaaand i think that’s all i have to say! when in doubt, u can always ALWAYS find a recipe on youtube for literally anything. i hope this was helpful!!!!!!!

#this is so fuckign long LOL I DID NOT PLAN THIS #food #ask #Anonymous

4 notes · View notes

bestofrepices · 4 years

Text

Skinnytaste Meal Plan (February 18-February 24)

posted February 17, 2019 by Gina

A free 7-day flexible weight loss meal plan including breakfast, lunch and dinner and a shopping list. All recipes include calories and Weight Watchers Freestyle

SmartPoints®.

If you’re new to my meal plans, I’ve been sharing these free, 7-day flexible healthy meal plans (you can see my previous meal plans here) that are meant as a guide, with plenty of wiggle room for you to add more food, coffee, beverages, fruits, snacks, dessert, wine, etc or swap recipes out for meals you prefer, you can search for recipes by course in the index. You should aim for around 1500 calories* per day.

There’s also a precise, organized grocery list that will make grocery shopping so much easier and much less stressful. Save you money and time. You’ll dine out less often, waste less food and you’ll have everything you need on hand to help keep you on track.

Lastly, if you’re on Facebook join my Skinnytaste Facebook Community where everyone’s sharing photos of recipes they are making, you can join here. I’m loving all the ideas everyone’s sharing!

Also, if you don’t have the Skinnytaste Meal Planner, now would be a great time to get one to get organized for 2019! There was a print error last year, but it’s perfect now! You can order it here!

THE DETAILS:

Breakfast and lunch Monday-Friday, are designed to serve 1 while dinners and all meals on Saturday and Sunday are designed to serve a family of 4. Some recipes make enough leftovers for two nights or lunch the next day. While we truly believe there is no one size fits all meal plan, we did our best to come up with something that appeals to a wide range of individuals. Everything is Weight Watchers friendly, I included the updated Weight Watcher Freestyle Points for your convenience, feel free to swap out any recipes you wish or just use this for inspiration!

The grocery list is comprehensive and includes everything you need to make all meals on the plan. I’ve even included brand recommendations of products I love and use often. Cross check your cabinets because many condiments you’ll notice I use often, so you may already have a lot of them.

And last, but certainly not least, this meal plan is flexible and realistic. There’s plenty of wiggle room for cocktails, healthy snacks, dessert and dinner out. And if necessary, you can move some things around to make it work with your schedule. Please let me know if you’re using these plans, this will help me decide if I should continue sharing them!

MONDAY (2/18) B: PB + J Yogurt (6) L: Food Cart-Style Chicken Salad with White Sauce* (8) D: Red Lentil Soup with Spinach* (1) and 1 mini naan (or flatbread) (5) Totals: Freestyle

SP 20, Calories 1,008**

TUESDAY (2/19) B: 2 hard-boiled eggs (0) and an orange (0) L: Food Cart-Style Chicken Salad with White Sauce (8) D: Instant Pot Chicken Taco Chili (0) with 2 tablespoons reduced fat cheese blend (1), 1 tablespoon light sour cream (1) and 1 ounce avocado (1)

Totals: Freestyle

SP 11, Calories 863**

WEDNESDAY (2/20) B: PB + J Yogurt (6) L: Food Cart-Style Chicken Salad with White Sauce (8) D: LEFTOVER Instant Pot Chicken Taco Chili (0) with 2 tablespoons reduced fat cheese blend (1), 1 tablespoon light sour cream (1) and 1 ounce avocado (1)

Totals: Freestyle

SP 17, Calories 915**

THURSDAY (2/21) B: 2 hard-boiled eggs (0) and an orange (0) L: Food Cart-Style Chicken Salad with White Sauce (8) D: One-Pot Spaghetti and Meat Sauce (8) and 1 ½ cups romaine*** (0) with 2 tablespoons Skinny Caesar Dressing (2)

Totals: Freestyle

SP 18, Calories 991**

FRIDAY (2/22) B: 6 ounces plain nonfat Greek yogurt (0) with ½ cup sliced strawberries (0), 1 tablespoon chopped peanuts (2), and 1 teaspoon honey (1) L: LEFTOVER One-Pot Spaghetti and Meat Sauce (8) and 1 ½ cups romaine (0) with 2 tablespoons Skinny Caesar Dressing (2) D: Honey Garlic Shrimp (2) with Asian Edamame Fried Rice (4)

Totals: Freestyle

SP 19, Calories 1,018**

SATURDAY (2/23) B: Eggs and Tomato Breakfast Melts (3) and 1/2 cup grapes (0) L: Asian Lettuce Wrap Chicken Chopped Salad (8) D: DINNER OUT!

Totals: Freestyle

SP 11, Calories 544**

SUNDAY (2/24) B: 3 Czech Crepes with Berries and Cream (6) L: Lentil Bowls with Avocado, Eggs and Cholula (2) (Recipe x 2) D: Slow-Cooker Banh Mi Rice Bowls (10)

Totals: Freestyle

SP 18, Calories 970**

**Prep Chicken Salad Sunday night for lunch Mon-Thurs. Freeze any leftover soup you/your family won’t eat

**This is just a guide, women should aim for around 1500 calories per day. Here’s a helpful calculator to estimate your calorie needs. I’ve left plenty of wiggle room for you to add more food such as coffee, beverages, fruits, snacks, dessert, wine, etc. ***Chop extra 1 ½ cups romaine for lunch Friday

Print Shopping List

Shopping List:

Produce

2 medium and 2 large oranges

1 pound seedless (red or green) grapes

4 medium lemons

1 medium head Boston/Bibb lettuce

1 (6-ounce) package fresh blackberries

1 (6-ounce) package fresh raspberries

1 (16-ounce) package fresh strawberries

3 small (4-ounce) Hass avocados

2 small jalapenos

2 radishes

1 small English cucumber

½ small head red cabbage

1 large bunch/bag carrots

2 medium heads garlic

1 medium bunch fresh cilantro

1 small bunch fresh Italian parsley

1 small bunch baby spinach

1 small bunch/container fresh basil

1 (4-inch) piece fresh ginger

1 small lime

2 medium bunches scallions

1 dry pint grape or cherry tomatoes

1 small and 2 large heads romaine lettuce

2 medium vine-ripened tomatoes

1 small red onion

2 small and 1 medium yellow onion

Meat, Poultry and Fish

1 ¾ pounds (about 4 large) boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1 ¾ pounds (3) boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 pound 90% lean ground beef

18 ounces (32) jumbo, peeled and deveined, shrimp

1 pound ground chicken

1 pound pork tenderloin

Grains*

1 package mini naan or flatbread (such as Stonefire)

1 package whole wheat spaghetti

1 package dry brown rice (or 6 cups pre-cooked)

1 small package whole grain English muffins

1 small bag all-purpose or white whole wheat flour

Condiments and Spices

Extra virgin olive oil

Cooking spray

Olive oil spray (or get a Misto oil mister)

Kosher salt (I like Diamond Crystal)

Pepper grinder (or fresh peppercorns)

Honey

Cumin

Oregano

Paprika

Turmeric

Mayonnaise

Apple cider vinegar (I like Braggs)

Chili powder

Garlic powder

Onion powder

Dijon mustard

Canola oil

Crushed red pepper flakes

Reduced sodium soy sauce*

Unseasoned rice vinegar

Sesame oil

Hoisin

Sriracha sauce

Cholula (can sub a few dashes of Sriracha in Lentil Bowls, if desired)

Distilled white vinegar

Dairy & Misc. Refrigerated Items

1 pint liquid egg whites

1 dozen large eggs

1 small container light whipped cream

1 pint 1 % milk

1 small wedge Parmigiano Reggiano

1 (8-ounce) package shredded reduced fat Mexican cheese blend

1 (8-ounce) tub light sour cream

1 (32-ounce) container plain nonfat Greek yogurt

1 (8-ounce) container whole milk yogurt (not Greek. I like Stonyfield)

Frozen

1 (10-ounce) package corn kernels

1 small package shelled edamame

Canned and Jarred

1 small jar reduced sugar grape jelly

1 small jar reduced fat peanut butter

1 small jar prepared mild harissa sauce (optional, for drizzling on Food Cart Chicken Salad)

1 (15.5-ounce) can black beans

1 (15.5-ounce) can kidney beans

1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce

2 (10-ounce) cans diced tomatoes w/chilies (I like RoTel)

1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chilies

1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes (I use Tuttorosso)

1 (8-ounce) can water chestnuts

1 small can/jar anchovy fillets

2 (32-ounce) cartons chicken or vegetable broth

Misc. Dry Goods

1 small package unsalted peanuts

1 small package granulated sugar

Cornstarch

1 small package unsalted cashews (can sub 2 tablespoons peanuts in Lettuce Wrap Salad, if desired)

1 pound dry red or yellow lentils

1 small bag brown lentils (or 3 cups pre-cooked)

1 small package brown sugar

1 small package powdered sugar

*You can sub gluten-free, if desired

Print Shopping List

posted February 17, 2019 by Gina

The post Skinnytaste Meal Plan (February 18-February 24) appeared first on All Repices.

from WordPress https://ift.tt/2uEJL4E via IFTTT

#IFTTT #WordPress

0 notes

edmondmoller · 6 years

Text

School Lunch Ideas: 40 Healthy Kid Lunches to Keep You Inspired

New Post has been published on https://womanshealthwithmegan.com/school-lunch-ideas-40-healthy-kid-lunches-to-keep-you-inspired

School Lunch Ideas: 40 Healthy Kid Lunches to Keep You Inspired

Nothing says “back to school” then packing endless (and often dreaded) school lunches. If you’re anything like me, you start out with good intentions and then run out of ideas two weeks into the school year. ?While you can certainly use some of these kitchen hacks to make things easier, it doesn’t help if you have a case of “lunch packer block” (that is, you can’t stop packing the same things lunch after lunch after lunch.) That’s why I wanted to create this healthy school lunch ideas post: to keep you inspired when the going gets rough.

Finding JOY in packing school lunches

Truth be told, packing school lunches can be bothersome, boring and relentless. If your kids go away to school each day, it can be even more dissatisfying since you don’t get to actually see them oohing and ahhing over your amazing culinary skills. ? But, what if we flipped the whole thing on its head?

What if coming up with school lunch ideas became not only tolerable but JOYFUL?

After all, we have the opportunity to fill our kids’ bellies with nourishing, delicious and even inspiring food day after day after day. We also get to “love” on our kids in this very simple and yet important way. That’s how I’m choosing to approach school lunches this year. (We’ll see how long that lasts ?.)

Tips for making school lunches easier

Since we have to make at least 200 lunches for our kids (and this includes homeschoolers too!), we might as well make it easier on ourselves… amiright?

Here are some simple things you can try:

Involve your kids. Depending on your child’s age, have them cut up veggies, grab an apple out of the fridge, pack crackers, you get the idea. By having your kid help, you are teaching them to navigate the kitchen as well as boosting confidence and knowledge. You can also take the opportunity to teach them about healthy foods and macronutrient balance with each lunch! (If your kids don’t know how to prep food, consider enrolling in the Kids Cook Real Food course.) Also, let your kids come up with school lunch ideas, too! Cook in bulk. Consider making extra for dinner each night and pack leftovers for lunch. Or, make big batches of healthy gummy men, muffins, waffles, pasta, and rice & beans and store in freezer. Take out what you want to pack the night before to defrost and throw it into your kid’s lunch the next day. Use “convenience” foods. I’m not talking processed or fast foods but rather easy and very “packable” real foods like cherry/grape tomatoes, pitted olives, defrosted frozen peas/lima beans/corn, organic berries, clementines, organic grapes, string cheese, hard boiled eggs, organic jerky sticks, drinkable yogurt, healthy snacks like olive oil popcorn, seed crackers, or sprouted nuts & seeds Freeze a few “emergency” meals. For those occasions when you have a late night and have to scramble for a lunch the next day, consider freezing a few lunches that you can grab and go. Some school lunch ideas include: bean burritos, almond & honey sandwich, turkey roll ups, etc. Add a piece of fruit and a drink, and you’ve got yourself a balanced meal for your child.

Getting the right lunch gear

While there are literally dozens of portable food gear products out there, you want to find lunch supplies that are:

made with non-toxic materials like stainless steel dishwasher safe (ain’t nobody got time for hand-washing!) leak-proof (or mostly leak-proof) easy to pack durable and not breakable keep foods heat/cold as appropriate

After much research, I decided to go with PlanetBox. Here is the gear I own:

Their ROVER PlanetBox, lunch bag, and big/small container set (where to buy) Non-toxic ice packs (where to buy) Non-leaking water bottle (where to buy) Reusable, cloth napkin (where to buy)

While the price tag of their products was steeper than I wanted, I do have to say that I’m very pleased with their products. I used exclusively last year and continue to use this year as well. (You can see their products below.)

For water bottles, I really like these from Thermos (where to buy). I also use these Thermos containers for when I’m packing warm/hot foods, which is much less common. (where to buy)

School lunch ideas video

youtube

You can see all my lunch ideas in the video above, or scroll down to see all the photos.

School lunch idea photos…

Special thanks to my friend Savanna, who shared (and snapped) some of her favorite school lunch ideas for this post!

Veggies with hummus, grapes, nuts and banana muffin with a pat of butter.

Cheese stick, chick peas and wild rice, peppers, nuts, and dip.

Hot lunch! Leftover pasta with meat sauce, a salad and apple.

Sharp cheddar, black rice crackers, pistachios, tomatoes, and berry medley.

Turkey wrap with pomegranate salad.

Veggie patties, grilled zucchini, fruit with coconut.

Chicken nuggets, chocolate strawberries with veggies.

Quinoa salad, hard-boiled bacon eggs, fruit gummy.

Grain-free sandwich, jicama & peppers, peas & pistachios.

Rice salad, plantain chips, fruit & veggies.

Roasted turkey, coleslaw, strawberries & coconut.

Black rice noodles, ants on a log, veggies & fruit.

Edamame strawberry salad, seeds, sauerkraut, & hummus dip.

Egg muffins, pesto dip & nut butter.

Hot lunch! Leftover pasta, berries, and cucumber slices.

Yogurt with honey, peas, black rice with olive oil, cheese, grapes, & nuts.

Chicken salad with lettuce wraps, rosemary potatoes, plantain chips, etc.

Pumpkin muffin, olives, nut rolled date, berries, cheese and zinc drop.

Chicken & beans, fresh mango and grape tomatoes.

Sprouted wheat pretzels, Bubbies pickle, seeds, berries, cheese & chocolate.

Apple, bacon & lettuce “sandwich”, various crackers, cheese, & goji berries.

Veggie pasta, cucumber salad, avocado, crackers, seeds and beans.

Blue potato chips, berries, cucumbers, cheese and nut/date bar.

Organic turkey on oat bread, tomatoes, Lara bar, berries and almonds.

Quinoa & beans, cheese, purple grapes, tomatoes, and date treat.

Veggie pasta salad, beef jerky, melon, avocado, and fruit/nut treat.

Yogurt with granola, almond butter sandwich, carrots, and strawberries.

Sprouted corn tortilla, trail mix, black beans, tomatoes, cheese, zinc drop.

Turkey sandwich, olive oil potato chips, berries, tomatoes & zinc drop.

Sprouted pretzels, tomatoes, grapes, cheese, walnuts, and ginger chew.

Beef jerky, berries, tomatoes, seed crackers with butter, & zinc drop.

Hot pretzel with mustard dip, salami/cheese, broccoli & dried fruit.

Rice & beans, tomatoes, cheese, walnuts & coconut-rolled date.

Homemade “goldfish” crackers, berries, tomatoes, & cheese.

BBQ chicken, coleslaw, carrots with dip, seeds & plantain chips.

Cheese crackers, peas, berries, cheese, seeds & elderberry drop.

Almond butter & jelly, slaw, bananas & strawberries, & carrot sticks.

Tortilla with butter, pineapple, red peppers, cheese & chocolate treat.

GF chicken nuggets w/ dip, sweet potato chips, veg/fruit & gummy star.

Rice pasta, hummus/veggies, pistachios, cheese, and chocolate.

Other pro tips for school lunch ideas: Pack your lunches the night before.

While Papa Natural is getting the kids ready for bed, I’m in the kitchen making their lunches for the next day. (I eventually want to partner with Griffin to make lunches but for now, this is working for us.) I’m rather rushed in the mornings so prefer being free of this task. If you take a morning quiet time or do an a.m. workout, packing at night might also appeal to you so it doesn’t interfere with your spiritual or physical fitness ??

Buddy up with a friend or neighbor.

My dear friend and fellow foodie, Savanna, has the most amazing school lunch ideas (as you’ve seen above!). We snap pictures of our lunches each day and text to each other for moral support. We inspire each other and also commiserate on Fridays when we’re so done with packing lunches ?

Find a friend who is also committed to packing healthy lunches and share school lunch ideas regularly. Or better yet, buddy up with a neighbor and swap bulk food items to take some of the burden off of each of you. For example, you could make a big batch of healthy muffins and she could make extra rice & beans; you then swap portions to each other to help round out your lunches.

Taste the rainbow.

To ensure that your kids are getting a wide-spectrum of nutrients, try to bring lots of color into their lunches. Not only is it visually appealing but it provides a rich diversity of phytonutrients and other vitamins and minerals. Here is a list of food by color to get you inspired:

Purple Plums Red grapes Kidney beans Beets

Blue Blueberries Blue potatoes Blue corn (high in selenium!)

Green Broccoli Green Peppers Pear Kiwi Snap peas Avocado Seaweed (like these snacks)

Red Pomegranate Red meat Most apples

Cherries

Tomatoes

Pink Watermelon Grapefruit Rhubarb Raspberries

Orange Apricots Sweet potatoes (these are delicious!) Cantaloupe Oranges/tangerines/clementines Papaya

Yellow Pineapple Summer squash Mango Honey Egg yolks Butter

White/tan/brown Mushrooms Coconut Chicken/turkey Lentils Dates

Black Black beans Blackberries Black olives Black rice (like these crackers)

Make your kids “snack” on any lunch leftovers.

After all of the effort that goes into making kid lunches, nothing feels worse that opening up a lunch box filled with half-eaten foods. When this happens in our household, I make the kids finish their leftovers before they can have other foods to eat, including dinner. This teaches them the value of not being wasteful and honors the work of others. ?

Find resources to help.

We all get into food ruts and need to break out of our old standbys. Consider joining a meal planning service to help you try new recipes that can be used as lunches. I like Real Plans because they create shopping lists (that you can use on your phone) and include lunch menus too. You can also follow awesome food bloggers like Deliciously Organic, Naturally Ella or Tasty Yummies. I also find inspiration in magazines and cookbooks like Nourishing Traditions.

Keep it simple.

While homemade sushi rolls and holiday-themed treats are fun to do on occasion, you want to also include regular, simple staples if you’re gonna stay in the game for the long haul. Simple foods are often best for younger, more delicate digestive systems, too. When coming up with new school lunch ideas, it can be as easy as just trying different foods, such as:

Less popular fruits like kiwi, grapefruit, and golden berries Veggies like radishes, jicama, and plantains Well-cooked grains like millet, amaranth, and savory steel cut oats And healthy proteins like salmon jerky, Brazil nuts, and dried garbanzo beans

Infuse with LVE.

Researcher Kai Qin Chan showed that strong emotions like love or jealousy can impact the way food tastes (Love-infused food tastes better, btw ). So there is actually some scientific proof to the importance of food “made with love.” You can write a little love note or buy these cute cards to stick in lunches. I also like to throw in a little “treat” most days like these Zand throat drops (with added zinc for immunity!), these elderberry gummies, dark chocolate or ginger chews.

How about YOU?

I’d love to hear from YOU, mama! What do you regularly make for your little ones? Share any tips or tricks you might have on school lunch ideas!

Enjoy this post?It would mean so much to me if you comment or share… 8 Comments

534 Shares

Share Pin Tweet Email Text

The post School Lunch Ideas: 40 Healthy Kid Lunches to Keep You Inspired appeared first on Mama Natural.

Read more: mamanatural.com

#parenting

0 notes

cbdoilbenefits1 · 6 years

Text

Get Your Full Quota of Nutrients

[ad_1]

So, what is new about this that you already don't know? Think again. It is not what-you-are-aware that is important, but are-you -alert, that is. Keep your eyes and mind open to avoid upsets to your normal health. Well, take out your diet chart and critically examine it again. Are you eating the right food? And are you eating healthy?

At the onset, we will accept that eating healthy doesn't just end at eating good food. The daily nutrients and calorie charts vary for each individual depending on her requirements. An athlete and a sedentary person have different requirements for their nutrients and calories as they burn up different amounts of them. It also depends on your age and body mass index.

The USDA has compiled required calories chart for Americans for 2005 which is here for you.

If you are consuming less than 1800 calories and you are a teen, you should think of raising it to at least 2000 counts a day. Now, where will you get these many calories from and how do you calculate the calorific values of the food you take? And what other nutrients you need?

I won't go into boring details about a fantasy called food. In brief, the USDA has also drawn up a chart to suggest us all what to eat to get these many calories. And they call it the food guide pyramid. It is just that you have to do a bit of a calculation in order to balance your diet.

Up to 5 servings of vegetables

Up to four servings of fruits

Three servings of milk products

Up to 11 of pasta, cereals, and bread

Two to three servings of meat (both red and white), eggs, nuts and beans put together.

Very sparingly fats and sweets.

So, how much should you treat a serving to be? Let us see what USDA has to say on this. One serving of grains is a slice of bread, one ounce of cereal, ½ cups of cooked rice and vegetables each, one cup each of juice and milk and 2 -3 ounces of lean meat, one and a half cups of boiled beans (Omi... so much!!)

Additives or preservatives are regulated stringently by FDA for our benefits. The manufacturers establish to FDA, the proven benefits and whatsoever adverse effects of the new additives conclusively before approval. The major criteria for approval are that additives should not cause cancer or heart diseases.

SNAC - S T U D E N T N U T R I T I O N A W A R E N E S S C A M P A I G N, UCLA, has done some interesting findings. According to them, the additives constitute just about 1% of your total food supply. Of which 98% are sugar, salt, pepper, mustard, corn syrup, citric acid and baking soda. And preservatives such as calcium propionate are used to extend the shelf life of bread. But wait a minute! Beware of preservatives like saccharin, sodium nitrate, ace sulfame K, BHA, and BHT. They are known to cause cancer.

The controversies on additives need not worry you if you took some extra caution. This isn't something none of the Americans do. A good way is to learn more about additives and resorting to more of the fresh or minimum processed foods. Also, keeping track of additives help minimize exposure to particular additives.

It makes sense to be a little careful while buying vegetables or fruits. It is better to buy fresh in season. Look for bruises and scratches or cuts on the vegetable skin. These cuts and bruises hold microbes that spoil the food very quickly. Buy when you want to instead of stuffing your refrigerator. Most fruits and vegetables have a shelf life of 4 -5 days.

Now where on earth this food poisoning came from? Or is it that some body intentionally ...? Well. Vegetables and fruits have high health protection values. Still they get contaminated unintentionally because of their handling at the farm or at the market and during transportation. The bacteria and virus come from the environment and soil. And then there are pesticide residues. You never know when you don't get your health upset, because of any of these. Handle this issue carefully. You don't need to use specialty cleaning agents for washing your food. For vegetables and fruits use 10% soap solution to soak before washing in running cold water. You know, washing in running water effectively removes up to 90% of bacteria. So, washing twice removes maximum contaminants and bacteria. Also you can use a mild scrub/brush with soap solution to clean. Take care not to damage the skin of your food. Some experts also recommend potassium permanganate to soap solution. But it leaves its characteristic odor.

Never forget to sanitize all surfaces you prepare your food on. Warm soap water or bleaching water (1 tea spoon bleach powder to a liter of water) kills most known kitchen bacteria. Wash your grill twice, before and after you use it. Dry it before you start using it. Don't forget to wash your hands before you handle the now clean food and every time after you use toilet, sneeze or cough, clear a table et cetera. Use paper disposable towels to dry off hands rather than cloth. This ensures maximum safety by eliminating recontamination chances.

Finally, what chop board you use also determines how healthy you eat. If you are using a PVC, acrylic board, they will have smooth and non-porous surfaces when they are new. They do not have scratches or cuts. As you use them on, scratches appear on the surface and they can hold vegetable particles and microbes begin to develop. This can not be entirely washed away as the scratches are smaller than most of the brushes. Health experts recommend chop boards made of maple wood. Maple wood is less porous than most wood, very hard and is known to have anti bacterial qualities. Wash it with hot water with a tinge of bleach and prop dry it. It is a good idea to oil it twice a month (odorless vegetable oil or mineral oil).

The secret lies in not leaving anything to fate but keeping your eyes open to possible risks to your health. Alertness can only keep you fit, slim and more than anything else -healthy. Wish you 'Happy Eating'.

[ad_2] Source by Alevoor Rajagopal

Article Here: Get Your Full Quota of Nutrients

0 notes

topsnackdist · 7 years

Text

Heart-Healthy Snacking: 15 Easy, Creative, Tasty Snack Ideas

Most of us like to snack at least occasionally. The trouble is that we often snack too much and eat too many of the wrong kinds of foods when we snack, and this can of course lead to weight gain and unacceptable cholesterol levels. In addition, unhealthy snacks crowd out healthy food so that we become well-fed but undernourished.

The trick is to snack on real food not the packaged junk food that you can buy in the store or vending machines such as most microwave popcorn, cold cereal, chips, cookies, pretzels, candy bars, energy bars, yogurt with sugary fruit, etc. If snacking is done in moderation and you eat healthful foods when you snack, it can be a great way to boost energy, satisfy hunger, lose weight and tantalize your taste buds!

One of the reasons healthy snacking is thought to be good for you is that it can help balance blood sugar levels throughout the day. When blood sugar levels are stable, you are more likely to have stable energy levels and fewer mood swings. In addition, your body will need to produce insulin to regulate your blood sugar levels less frequently. When insulin is being produced, your body goes into fat storage mode versus fat burning mode and this can possibly contribute to weight gain and difficulties losing weight so keeping your insulin levels stable is very important.

Be sure if you do snack that you don’t eat more calories than your body needs for the day. One way to ensure you don’t eat too much is to take something you would normally eat for lunch and save it for an afternoon snack. You can also tune into your body and pay attention to your hunger signals as long as your hunger signals are functioning properly. If you feel full, it is probably not a good idea to snack at that time. Drink some water or sip on some herbal tea instead.

If you have children who want to snack on unhealthy food remember that you are the adult, and you are the one in control of the shopping. As the adult, you need to set the example. Sure, they may complain but don’t give in. In the end, they will thank you and will even begin to like the healthier snacks. Try not to make the food topic into a stressful battle. Instead, involve your kids. Let them choose which healthy snacks they want to try, and get them to prepare the snacks together with you. Make it fun!

I worked with one extremely picky child once. She ate almost nothing else but dairy products, popcorn, and bacon. My job was to set up a fun, hands-on cooking class experience with her. She had a blast, and she tried all the things we cooked up so she could offer her expert opinion about each of the recipes. In the end, this very picky girl added blueberries and even kale (believe it or not) to her diet. What’s important to note here is this girl made the decision what she was going to eat, try, and like. I think that made all the difference.

So what are some tasty, interesting healthy snacks to try if you could use some snacking inspiration? Check out my snacking suggestions below!

1. Frozen green grapes

2. Re-heated leftover whole grain brown rice with raisins, cinnamon, unsalted nuts, pinch of cardamom (optional), drizzle of maple syrup, and non-dairy milk

3. Dried, unsulphured apricots with unsalted, raw pecans

4. “Seasnax” lightly roasted and seasoned seaweed

5. Leftover baked apples cold or re-heated

6. Hummus and raw vegetables like carrots, celery, peppers

7. Peanut butter on apple or even carrots

8. Plain Greek yogurt with a little raw honey

9. Guacamole over quinoa (this really is a tasty combo!)

10. Chunk of 70% dark chocolate with slivered almonds

11. Re-heated leftover butternut squash soup with toasted pumpkin seeds

12. Bean dip spread or a slice of turkey on whole grain crackers

13. Hard-boiled egg with mustard(tastes good chopped and mixed w/rice too)

14. Yogurt mixed with unsweetened cocoa, a few drops of stevia, and pecans

15. Smoothies or fresh vegetable juices like carrot, apple, ginger

Your action this week is to substitute one of your unhealthy snacks with one of the heart-healthy snacks listed above, and by all means enjoy your new taste treats!

If you need sure-fire tips on how to make the diet and lifestyle changes that will lower your cholesterol fast, check out the free audio “Top 3 Secrets to Lower Your Cholesterol Fast without Drugs or Drastic Dieting” mentioned below.

from Snack Distributors http://ift.tt/2p2mWTf via IFTTT

#IFTTT #Snack Distributors

0 notes