I think most of us agree the fruit is a healthy choice and although I am not jumping on the ‘anti-fructose’ bandwagon, it definitely is possible to have too much of a good thing when it comes to the number of serves and the serving sizes of fruit, or anything for that matter. This issue of too much fruit, particularly for kids, has been on my mind for a while. The other day I asked via Facebook what you always pack in your kid’s lunchboxes and I think everyone who commented indicated that fruit was always packed. Although fruit is a great staple to include in lunchboxes and eat every day, I did notice a bit of a trend with people going overboard with fruit -but of course this issue of ‘portion distortion’ and overeating extends well beyond fruit in the lunchbox. This morning I dropped my daughter off at her daycare and noticed that although they were dishing out what they perceived to be a healthy morning tea (crackers, cheese and sultanas), the serving sizes were way too big for these little tummies. Too much of a good thing Even if we are loading our plates with fruits and even veggies with the perception that we are doing the ‘right’ thing, it is completely possible to overdo it (keep in mind that although this is possible ~98% of people don’t eat enough veggies), and just like when you over eat anything the risk is excess energy which equals weight gain and/or displacing of other equally important nutrients found in other foods – Eating 50 carrots a day and skipping on other foods is not a good nutritional plan. Using the example of fruit in the lunchbox, across no age or gender group is more than 2 serves of fruit per day recommended. In fact children up to the age of 8 years only 1.5 serves of fruit is recommended and under the age of 3 this recommendation is even less. One serving of fruit is equal to 1 medium apple, banana or pear or 2 small fruit such as apricots – this guide is based on providing 150g of edible fruit. When it comes to dried fruit it is important to remember that it is a concentrated form of fresh fruit and our serving sizes need to adjust accordingly – 30g or 1.5tablespoons of sultanas is plenty (I would say that each toddler at my daughters daycare was given about ½ a cup or more each, plus excess cheese and 4 crackers each!) With these recommendations in mind, I limit fruit in my kids lunchbox to 1 serve and let them have their other ½ serve (as appropriate for the ages of my kids) either with their breakfast or afternoon tea. Swapping Good for Better Now in no way am I recommending that you swap servings of fresh fruit with packaged or processed snack options. What we really need to be working on is replacing some of this fruit with vegetables, as a first priority, and/or other whole foods from within the other food groups (not ‘discretionary foods). The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating groups food based on the nutrients that food provides, with each group of food and the comprising nutrients, playing an important role in overall health – thus a balance intake is important. I realise that lately the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating has coped a lot of flak and I want to reassure you that this visual representation of an evidence-based approach to a dietary model for good health for an entire population, is highly credible (if you think that was a mouthful to read, imagine how difficult it was to succinct over 55,000 scientific journal articles into a 1 page graphic appropriate to an entire population– I think they did a pretty decent job). I think the key thing to remember when interpreting this image is that unprocessed foods across all the food groups is preferential even if this is not obvious (yes, it is expected that if you have allergies, intolerances or personal preferences that you adjust accordingly; also remember, that like nutrition science in general, this Guide is not static, it is under review as evidence develops and the usability will ideally develop too). The right balance Obviously telling you to give your kids vegetables instead of fruit is easier said than done, but not impossible. A small container of tin corn, corn on the cob (either raw or steamed and cooled), carrot, cucumber, celery or capsicum sticks, small mushrooms, beans or cherry tomatoes are all favourites of my kids and perfect for lunchboxes. Chunks of avocado are also popular – I usually through them in with some corn, chopped capsicum and fresh herbs to make a little salsa salad. Dips are also a great place to hide veggies – try this corn dip, hummus or sundried tomato & chickpea dip. Overall to get the balance right in a lunchbox aim to fill half with vegetables, ¼ with whole grains and ¼ with lean protein (this doesn’t have to be meat, try seeds, nuts (if allowed), eggs, baked beans, lentil or chickpeas –which also count as veg), and include a serve of fruit and a serve of milk, cheese or alternative (basically a rich source of calcium) on the side. The Healthy Lunchbox Guide includes all the information you need to pack a well-balanced lunchbox and includes a weekly lunchbox planner, shopping list and recipes. You can also check out my lunchbox gallery here.
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Did you know that babies can taste before they are even born?! I know I’m a nerd but I think that is pretty amazing and even useful as far as developing familiarity with flavours and helping to reduce some of those dreaded fussy food behaviours. Here’s the science Before a child is born it has experienced many flavour sensations. (1) By 6 months gestation the senses allowing taste are functional and as the foetus swallows amniotic fluid, flavour from the mother’s diet are experienced by the baby. (1, 2) The same applies to flavours transferred into breast milk and consequently the flavours which a baby is exposed to during breastfeeding are more readily accepted when introduced as solids. (1, 2) How can you use this to your advantage? So before a baby is born a mother can take advantage of this pretty cool science to help increase her baby’s acceptance of fruits and vegetables by eating plenty of it herself. Quiet obviously there are plenty of other reasons that pregnant women should fill up on the good stuff too. But the opportunities don’t end there. If a mother breastfeeds her child the opportunities to develop acceptance of fruits and vegetables continues firstly through the flavours carried in the breast milk but also through the associations developed from the sensory and emotional processes of nourishment, security, warmth, contact and attention experienced during breastfeeding and while tasting these flavours. (1) That is, a baby begins to develop an association with the flavour of veggies and being nourished. It’s not fool proof Of course there is no guarantee that exposing your baby to these flavours during pregnancy and breastfeeding will completely avoid fussy food behaviours during childhood, but it will help set you on the right path, if not due to the flavour transfer but definitely by exposure to a positive role model and a food environment that promotes eating fruit and vegetable. Keep in mind that children have an innate preference for sweet and salty flavours, but an aversion to sour and bitter as a natural response to compounds which may be toxic. (1, 3) It is also worth keeping in mind that those foods which are consumed when a child is most hungry become associated with the desirable feeling of satiety and as such these foods become preferences. (3) The context in which a food is consume also plays a major role in the associations developed with that food and flavour, a stressful environment will create a negative association - so relax. (2) Keep the ball rolling As I said, plenty of fruit and veg during pregnancy and breastfeeding is just the tip of the iceberg in getting kids to wilfully accept fruit and vegetables (I wanted to say happily accept, but I thought this might be a stretch). To keep the ball rolling and increase your child’s acceptance of flavours and new foods before solids are introduced:
You can read more on why ‘it’s not a coincidence that my kids love veggies’ here or check out ‘Are you teaching your kids to be a fussy eater’ over on Mouth of Mums
References: 1. Blake A. Flavour perception and the learning of food. In: Taylor AR, D.C.,editor. Flavour perception: Oxford: Blackwell Publishing; 2004. p. 173-202. 2.Ganchrow J, Mennella, J. The ontogeny of human flavour perception. In: Doty RL,editor. Handbook of olfaction and gustation (2nd Ed). New York: Marcel Dekker Inc.; 2003. p. 823-46. 3. Birch, L. Fisher, J. Development of eating behaviours among children and adolescents. Pediatrics. 1998;539(11). I was recently asked by one of my Bootcamp clients if I ever have ‘blow outs’ with my diet. The simple answer is No, and the reason why is also quite simple – I don’t follow a ‘diet,’ I don’t restrict foods, I don’t deprive myself and I certainly don’t think any food is toxic or poison.
Of course there are foods that are better for us than others, so I simply make sure these ‘healthy’ foods make up the bulk of what I eat every day and enjoy those ‘less healthy’ foods sometimes and in small amounts. Now this phrase “sometimes and in small amounts” may sound familiar, and it should – the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating recommends we keep our intake of ‘discretionary,’ ‘occasional’ or ‘extra’ foods to “sometime and in small amounts.” By following the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating as a dietary model I eat a balance of the 5 core food groups, as appropriate to my energy needs, choosing the least process options possible, with a little room for ‘extra’ foods to add to the enjoyment of my diet. My kids also eat in this way. No foods are strictly forbidden but they definitely understand that there are everyday foods, which can always be found in our cupboard and fridge and foods that can be enjoyed on occasions that we don’t routinely keep in the house. This approach of a balanced, unprocessed and largely plant based ‘diet’ doesn’t really have the marketing grab or sex appeal of say ‘toxic’ this or ‘super food’ that, but it is tried, tested and true. By eating in this way I am not deprived of anything, I don’t feel guilty when I do enjoy these ‘less healthy’ foods and thus I don’t have diet ‘blow outs.’ Yeah sometimes I ‘crave’ something sweet (although it’s really just an emotional ‘craving’ – yep, I might be a nutritionist but I still have some deep seeded emotional eating cues - be them happy, sad or somewhere in between, my emotions want sweet satisfaction), and if I do ‘crave’ something sweet I know I can enjoy, let’s say chocolate, if I want, but I also know that there are other options that will also satisfy me. I love snacking on walnuts and dates or almonds and grapes as these sweet and nutty combos hit my sweet tooth on the head while providing protein, fibre and ‘healthy’ fats which all also aid satiety so I don’t find myself heading back to the fridge in 5 minutes. As far as sugar cravings go and the need to ‘quit sugar,’ this simply makes no sense to me – especially if you are just substituting ‘sugar’ for another sweetener which does nothing to teach your palate to prefer less sweet flavours. (You can check out my post on non-toxic sugar here and you might also be interested to read more about the myth that sugar causes hyperactivity). Similarly the debate regarding fats again seems nonsense to me. Substantiated research has certainly shown that some fats are better than others and although some like to intensely dispute which fats are ‘good,’ the resolution whatever your perspective is quiet simple – moderation, balance and a largely unprocessed diet. Added fats of any kind are less than ideal and as the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating recommends, use them in small amounts (If you are still confused about fats you can read more here). Yes, diet plays a significant role in our physical health but it also plays a significant role in our social and cultural wellbeing, so stress less, enjoy food and make common sense choices - honestly we all know that fruit and veg are good for us right?? Thanks to Glenda over at Healthy Stories for nominating me to be involved in the ‘why I write’ blog hop. Glenda is a super smart nutritionist, neuroscientist, and personal trainer, who bring these disciplines together to help people understand how their physical health impacts their mental and emotional wellbeing. You can check her out on Facebook too. So in the tradition of blog hopping, in this post I will be giving you the inside scoop on what makes me tick as a writer and then nominate other bloggers to do the same. Why I write: The reason I write is really very simple, I am vocally passionate about nutrition and health - and my husband is sick of hearing it. I am enthralled with nutrition because it is a universal commodity that brings us together socially and culturally and also plays are big role in defining us as individuals, as members of families, groups and communities. Unfortunately as a member of a Western community our current food identity and culture is killing us. As a society we are so far lost and confused as to what we should be eating, where to find it, how to cook it, and how to get the kids to eat it. I write because we, as a Western community, need help. We need to learn how to make the best choices we can in an environment that wants us to choose anything but the healthy option. We need help to learn how to cook, grow and enjoy unprocessed foods. We need help to role model healthy choices to our child – otherwise what hope have they got. What am I working on? At the moment I have a few projects I am working on – more recipes, more blog posts and more tools to help you all get it happening with in your home. With all the other bits and pieces I have going on (including running after my 3 kids), these projects will be slow and steady but stick with me, all will be revealed in due time (and I am sure, worth the wait!). How does my writing differ from others in its genre? How does my writing differ… well I want to say that, unlike a lot of what you read, it is based on facts and research – but that would be a little cheeky ;) There are definitely a lot of good quality, reputable nutrition blogs out there and I guess I differ from these in that along with writing evidence-based articles I write very much from a Mum perspective too, and not one of those ‘everything is peachy’ kind of mums – my kids are loud and destructive and annoying. I am exhausted and stressed, my house is a mess and I haven’t shaved my legs in a month – but I’ve got some great tips on how to survive shopping with kids. As a Nutritionist I also have a bit of a public health agenda, which isn’t always of interest to everyone but it is an area I am passionate about. Some of my favourite posts in this genre have been: Health Star Rating, WHO quits sugar and Lets get some facts straight (which is more of a rant). I’m also a bit of a greenie so you might see me slip a few posts in with a bit of an environmental or animal welfare approach – Egg-xamination: what the free-range? was a post I was really passionate about, but these types of issues are not the focus of my writing as I know it’s not within everyone’s budget or capacity to also make ethically based choices when trying to feed a family a nutritious diet. How does my writing process work? Like most aspects of my busy mothering life, there is no process, no order, no logic – I fit it in when I can and I make the most of inspiration when it strikes. I do have ‘working documents’ that will sit open on my computer for weeks and I have been known to jump out of bed at random hours to scrawl down a sentence, a paragraph or a topic idea once it hits me. I don’t proof read nearly as much as I should and my photography skills are poor – but my content is quality, right?? … Ok, I’ll work on my writing process. Now it’s time to hop on over to check out why these awesome bloggers write too.
The Kids Menu is super excited to be launching a new recipe collection - Healthy Kids Parties, and to celebrate the Peppercorn Food Company have given us a great prize pack to Giveaway (Entre here). This new collection features both savoury and sweet Healthy Birthday Party Recipes, birthday cakes ideas, active party games, and suggestions for healthy prizes and totes. Birthday parties are a great opportunity to help children develop positive, happy and enjoyable associations with a healthier selection of food and similarly work to break associations with chips, lollies and soft drinks as foods to be preferred. According to data presented through The Healthy Kids Association, 50 - 60% of New South Wales kids are rewarded for good behaviour with sugary foods. "Rewarding children with “occasional” foods (such as lollies, chocolates and chips), teaches them that these foods are something to be coveted and desired, while also sending the message that healthy food is a punishment! This can create negative views of nutritious foods that can affect a child for the rest of their life." - The Healthy Kids Association So let's bring on some healthy options at birthday parties and change the idea that 'healthy' foods are boring, yuck and uncool. Check out this amazing story by a pretty amazing kid who hosted a Gutsy Kid's Healthy Party to raise money for GI cancer and don't forget to enter out Healthy Kids Party Competition. Gutsy kid’s healthy party 8- year-old shakes up party food to raise money for GI cancer research A gutsy eight-year-old Queenslander has shaken up party food traditions to raise awareness of healthy diet – and raise money for gastro-intestinal (GI) cancer research. Tom Soutar, of Albany Creek north of Brisbane, has held his own healthy food party – replacing sugary and salty snacks with a range of nutritious delights. Last year Tom became an ambassador for the GI Cancer Institute’s healthy eating initiative, the Gutsy Challenge, after taking the Challenge earlier in the year. He’d been very sick and was amazed how much difference a healthy diet made to his own health. He wanted to share this discovery with his friends while raising money for research into better ways of treating GI cancers (of the oesophagus, stomach, gall bladder, liver, pancreas and bowel). Tom thought having a party, which replaced lollies and chips with fruit and vegies, was a good way to get his friends involved. "I really wanted to show my friends that it’s fun to eat healthy," said Tom. "I also want more kids to do the Gutsy Challenge and to raise more money for GI cancer research." Tom’s friends and family enjoyed a day of outdoor activities in the local park. Parents made a range of healthy treats including apple smiles, fruit sushi, fruit skewers, cups with hummus dip and vegie sticks, banana and carrot muffins, zucchini and chocolate beetroot slices. Tom raised $100 at the party, which will help fund clinical trials to find better ways to treat GI cancer. "GI cancer kills 26 Australians every day - and three people are diagnosed with it every hour," said Russell Conley, Executive Officer, GI Cancer Institute. "Kids like Tom set a great example. He is passing on an important message to other children, encouraging them to make healthy food choices to avoid illness later in life." The Gutsy Challenge encourages children to eat two fruit and four vegetables a day for one week whilst raising money for GI cancer research. As they fundraise, they can win great prizes. Join Tom and the GI Cancer Institute’s fight for a healthier future by taking the Gutsy Challenge. Visit gutsychallenge.com for details. We all know that exercise is important in achieving and maintaining a healthy weight, but there are so many other good reasons to get active: Improves immune function: Marketers love to make claims of the ability of their product to boost your immunity. Regardless of the legitimacy of these claims, heading out doors for a regular bout of exercise should be your first port of call if you’re looking to fire up your immune system (followed by a big dose of fresh fruit and veg). Being active helps to promote good health in general which takes the pressure off the immune system, it also promotes good circulation and allows the cells and substances of the immune system to get to every nook and cranny more efficiently. Exercising outdoors has the added benefit of Vitamin D which helps modulate immune responses. (5) Sets a good example for children: This is a no brainer really, simply a case of ‘monkey see monkey do’ and given all the benefits of exercise (which for children also includes promoting cognitive functions, academics, developing fine and gross motor skills, and promoting positive social behaviours, to name a few) it is certainly something we want to be encouraging our children to do and continue to do into their adult lives. Improves cognitive function: The benefits of physical activity on cognition in children and the elderly have been well researched. A study earlier this year (2014) has added to this evidence by demonstrating that young healthy men performed better on cognitive tests after a single bout of moderate intensity exercise lasting 20 minutes. (6) Improves your sex life: Do you really need evidence for this one? If it makes things in the bed room better, it’s worth doing right? Just think benefits to libido, circulation and sexual function. Plus exercise helps reduce stress and increase energy levels to help get you in the mood ;) Keeps you regular: I don’t know if there is anything less sexy than being constipated. Thankfully exercise can help out in this department too. Regular exercise helps strengthen all those muscles that keep everything moving and stimulates contraction of the intestine. This benefit of exercise is really important for children too. Improves social wellbeing: More often than not we tend to exercise in the company of others, even if it’s just that random sweaty guy on the treadmill next to you at the gym. Being a part of a sports club, fitness group or even gym community can do wonders for our social wellbeing and feelings of connectedness, belonging and self-value. Improves posture and reduces back pain Building a nice strong core and correcting muscular imbalances through a well-designed exercise program will help improve your posture and reduce back pain. Obviously the weight loss that comes with exercise helps in this department too. It’s Fun: Now I know not everybody will agree but exercise is, well it should be, fun! I honestly believe if you are not having fun (or at least anticipating those ‘feel good’ endorphins when you finish), then you are doing the wrong exercise. If you are not up for gruelling hours in the gym, try chasing the kids in the yard for half an hour (where a heart rate monitor to make sure you’re not being slack), go for a bush walk or jog, join a sports team, learn to surf… The point is if you don’t enjoy it, you won’t keep it up, so find something you enjoy and look forward to doing regularly. What are you waiting for: These are just a few of dozens of reasons to exercise regularly before we even consider the benefits to body weight. If you are in Hervey Bay or Maryborough come along and give Bootcampa try, it’s lots of fun, its social and you get to enjoy our beautiful foreshore (and soak up the Vitamin D). Contact us to try your first session free. If you’re not in the area don’t worry, we can still help you get active and achieve your exercise goals with a personalised fitness program or tailored family fitness plan. Just get in touch and we’ll work together to develop something that’s right for you. It is almost a guarantee that a trip to the supermarket with kids will end in a screaming, crying, feet stamping tantrum; and the kids tend to behave less than desirable too. As a mum, I go out of my way to avoid grocery shopping with my kids, but if I do need to make a trip to the shop with my ankle biters in toe, I have a few tricks up my sleeve to make the trip a little less stressful: 1. Make a list. A list helps ensure you get everything you need and only what you need. If it’s not on the list, it doesn’t go in the trolley – this applies to impulse items that might catch your eye in a moment of frazzled weakness and sets the ground rules for kids and helps defuse pester power before it attacks. 2. Read product labels at home. If you are trying to make health conscious purchases (which I hope you are), you will not have time to read all those nutrition labels in store, so read them at home. That is, use a food label scanner like Bupa’s Food Switch (it’s free!) to work your way through the pantry, fridge and freezer to firstly help you find out if the product you have are a good choice, to suggest other products which are healthier, and allow you to compile your shopping list of these healthier options. 3. Plan your route. Just like your shopping list, planning your route through the shop is a fundamental part of the game plan. Know how to get in and out of the shop as easily as possible. Direct routes to different products are not always the best plan as supermarkets love to lay a minefield of impulse items and junk food in your path. Also get to know which are the 'confectionary free' checkout (or request them) at your local store. Many stores also now have self-serve option which seem to have fewer impulse items and have a bit of a novelty factor for kids. Letting them scan the items at the checkout might just be the incentive they need to behave. 4. Allow enough time. If shopping with kids isn't stressful enough, being rushed for time is a recipe for disaster. Make sure you have enough time to not only get the things you need, but also for the kids to dawdle and be distracted by several shiny items. Don’t forget to anticipate checkout congestion as the 14 year old check out chick tries to figure out if it’s a cucumber or zucchini. 5. Feed them first. Shopping on an empty stomach is not a good plan for anyone. It leads to impulse buying and purchasing less healthy items. Research has shown that even adults seem to ditch their rational shopping habits when they are hungry, so avoid trying to deal with an irrational toddler by feeding them before you hit the store. 6. Give them jobs. Kids love to help and with a little patience they are more than capable. Make sure the job is age appropriate and take the opportunity to engage them with choosing foods (from the list) and making healthy choices. Young children can help by holding bags open while you fill them with fruit and vegetables (ask them to help you count them as you go), by placing items into the trolley for you, and making simple choices like spiral or shell pasta. They can also hold the shopping list and help you navigate your way around the store. Older children can also help with these jobs and it’s a great opportunity to talk to your kids about marketing tactics, ask them “why do you think that breakfast cereal has prizes inside?” 7. Don’t bribe them (unless it’s the reward of placing a few coins in a charity collection tin or scanning the items at the self serve). Bribing children with food or toys sets you up for tantrums down the track. Promising a treat of whatever kind may work in the short term but they will come to expect it and when you don’t deliver you can expect a tantrum won’t be far behind. 8. Find games to play. Children get bored easily so try to find ways to keep them busy. I am not a fan of letting children use ipads or phones to relieve boredom (although if it comes to that…), so try games like ‘I spy’ or given them their own list of items to collect or try to find, for example, they might need to find: a fire exit, 5 different green vegetables, 3 things in aisle 8, etc. 9. Pack your patients. Just because the checkout chick doesn’t know the difference between a cucumber and a zucchini, or that you are in a rush, or that your kids are driving you insane, doesn’t mean she is incompetent. Take a breath, or three, and remember you are remodelling appropriate behaviour to your children so demonstrate a little patience – it really will make things run a whole lot smoother. 10. Accept that being a parent is stressful. Make no mistake this is not a guide to make shopping with kids enjoyable, just bearable – good luck The Healthy Lunchbox GuideIf you've managed to survive shopping with kids but still aren't sure what should be going in the trolley or in the kids lunchboxes, get yourself a copy of The Healthy Lunchbox Guide. This 30+ page e-book tells you everything you need to know to navigate the supermarket, read labels, understand health claims and make healthy choices. You will also learn exactly what children should be eating everyday, how to portion a healthy lunchbox and how to pack a lunchbox to ensure food safety.
This year The Kids Menu is super excited to be involved in the Gutsy Challenge to help raise funds and awareness of GI cancer and the importance of eating plenty of fruits and vegetables every day. And, I am challenging you to be Gutsy too! To take up the Challenge all you need to do is sponsor The Kids Menu and eat your fruit and veg The Gutsy Challenge encourages children to eat 2 fruit and 4 veg each day for a week whilst raising money for Gastro-Intestinal (GI) cancer research. “23,000 Australians are diagnosed with GI cancer each year and 29 Australians die each day,” said Melissa Shishkin, Gutsy Challenge’s Marketing and Fundraising Coordinator. With recent data showing that one in four Australian children are either overweight or obese, the Gutsy Challenge is a practical way to reduce this statistic and to reduce the risk of developing of gastro-intestinal cancers later in life. “There is a direct link between poor diet and some GI cancers, so it is very important that we raise awareness of GI cancers and help children understand how important healthy eating is,” Melissa said. All funds raised support research to find better ways to treat GI cancer. Sponsor The Kids Menu You can head over to the Gusty Challenge website and sponsor The Kids Menu (any donation over $2 is tax deductible) OR register your own child and start collecting sponsors too. Anyone generous enough to sponsor The Kids Menu will be in with a chance to WIN the grand prize from the Gutsy Challenge (the more money we can raise, the bigger this prize will be), and 5 generous sponsors will win a copies of The Kids Menu, Healthy Lunchbox Guide (e-book; see full completion terms below). Healthy Lunchbox GuideTo sponsor The Kids Menu select “sponsor a child’s Gutsy Challenge,” it’s about half way down the page on the right and search ‘student to sponsor’ using the name The Kids Menu. (You can also make your donation by direct deposit here) Prizes up for grabs from the Gutsy Challenge including ibike computers, iCute portable speakers and iBitz activity trackers and more – don’t forget your own child or school can register too. Eat your Fruit and VegSponsoring The Kids Menu is the easy part, getting your kids to eat 2 fruit and 4 veg everyday can be a little more challenging, but hopefully this might help: - Check out my tips on how to get kids to eat fruit and veg (here) - Download a fruit and veg rewards chart (here) as a bit of positive reinforcement (if you register your own child you will get access to one via the Gutsy Challenge) - Plan a menu: have a look through The Kids Menu recipe catalogues and plan your meals and snacks (here is a sample to help get you going; if you prefer an option with less cooking go for big salads sandwiches for lunch and a big side of steamed veggies at dinner, don’t forget fruit and veg snacks too) - Get the kids involved with the menu plan too; let them choose meals and make snack suggestions, encourage them to choose a wide variety of fruit and veg at the supermarket -Spread your veggie intake out across the day (it’s much easier than trying to cram them all into one meal) - Try including some bean, chickpeas or lentils, these count as veggies too Getting servings rightAnd remember 1 serve of fruit = 1 medium apple, banana, orange or pear, 2 small apricots, kiwi fruits or plums, 1 cup diced or canned fruit (no added sugar). 1 serve of vegetables = ½ cup cooked green or orange vegetables (for example, broccoli, spinach, carrots or pumpkin), ½ cup cooked dried or canned beans, peas or lentils (preferably with no added salt), 1 cup green leafy or raw salad vegetables, ½ cup sweet corn, ½ medium potato or other starchy vegetables (sweet potato, taro or cassava), 1 medium tomato Gutsy Challenge T’s & C’s The Gutsy Challenge is run by The GI Cancer Institute, a registered charity that improves health outcomes and quality‐of-life for people with gastro-intestinal cancers through clinical trials research. The Kids Menu has registered as a participant in the Gutsy Challenge 2014 and will pass on any prizes awarded by the Gusty Challenge for the funds raised to one random winner who sponsors The Kids Menu. In addition, The Kids Menu will be randomly giving away 5 copies of The Healthy Lunchbox Guide to 5 other sponsors. The Gutsy Challenge runs from March until the end of November each year. The Kids Menu will be collecting sponsorship during the month of May/June and will announce the winners of the prize draw once the prize has been finalized by the Gutsy Challenge. Winners will be notified by email and announced via Facebook by the end of June 2014. Prizes are only available to Australian residence. See The Kids Menu disclosure page for full terms. Thank you all for your support and please invite your friends and family to get Gutsy too My eldest child was born on Mother’s Day so the day really is that little bit special for me – it literally is the anniversary of my Motherhood journey. And as much as I love being a Mum, and the coloured pasta necklaces I get each year, this year what I’d really like for Mother’s Day is:
- To sleep all night undisturbed by a child or my post-baby child-sized bladder - To walk from one room to another without standing on something sticky, slimy, gooey or sharp - To drink my entire coffee before it goes cold - To not find a puddle of pee on the floor or toilet seat every time I go to the bathroom – please, it’s just for one day - To eat an entire meal without having slobbery sandwich crusts, corn cobs, chicken bones or any other food scraps dumped on my plate - To find all dirty washing IN the washing machine not next to it - To not hear the words “I’m hungry,” “that’s mine,” or “she’s not sharing” – not even once - To have the energy and hair I had before becoming a Mother OK so my chances of getting all of these things are pretty slim… Even aiming for just one of two might be a little optimistic, so I will happily settle for a good dose of quality ME time instead. Making time for Me is not only a guilty little pleasure (although there should be no guilt about it), it’s something that all us Mum’s really do need. We dedicate so much our time looking after our families we often prioritise ourselves last or forget ourselves altogether. We prepare nutritious lunchboxes and meals for our kids, we ensure they have ample opportunity to get active, be social and promote their health, growth and development in every other way we possibly can, but all too often we don’t do the same for ourselves. It’s time to remove the guilt and take some time to focus on ourselves, after all our kids deserve a healthy, happy Mum. This Mother’s Day take some well -deserved ‘time out’ and do something which promotes your own health and well-being (yes, sleeping counts – it’s definitely important for good health). Sit down with a cuppa and your weekly planner and schedule Me time activities each week. Dedicate time specifically to relaxing and unwinding - even if it’s only 10 mins a day - 10min of complete silence is magic; have a bath, water the garden, sit in a dark cupboard where nobody can find you. Dedicate time for exercise – at a minimum find time for 30 minutes of exercise every other day (this is a good start but aim to build on it). For some of you this might not sound like a great way to spend Me time but it is so important for your health; it relieves stress, gives you more energy and can help you sleep better at night. You might need to get up earlier or find a fitness group, gym or bootcamp that works with your family’s schedule (many are very family friendly and totally accommodating). I try to make the most of my time by, for example, going for a half hour run while my kids are at after school sports, or spending an hour vigorously playing in the yard with the kids (this includes running, jumping, sprinting, burpees, push ups etc all the while chasing the kids, kicking the footy etc.). Dedicate some time to review your diet and plan to make healthy changes – there are simple things I do each week to help make healthy food choices super quick and easy. Obviously my fridge and cupboard are loaded with good options, but I also keep bowls of salad or veggie sticks ready in the fridge, I make myself lunch in the morning when I am packing the kids lunchboxes, I try to have leftovers in the fridge, and I usually have a weekly plan for dinners. Finding Me time can be a challenge I know, but we need it and we certainly deserve it. If you would like some professional help making healthy changes for you and your family, The Kids Menu can work with you to develop a Nutrition, fitness and life style plan. We can work with you in person, over the phone, by Skype or email - just get in touch and let me know how I can help Happy Mother’s Day Although the Easter Bunny comes but once a year, there really is no need for him to bring a year’s supply of chocolate on his annual visit – let’s face it, it’s not going to last that long. We might have dispelled the myth that Sugar causes hyperactivity in children and we’re not buying into the ‘toxic sugar’ hype, but it is still of course a good plan to keep our sugar, and obviously chocolate, intake in check (especially if you're falling short of your recommended intake from the 5 food groups). Although chocolate eggs are traditional and we all love an Easter egg hunt, moderation is the key to a healthy, happy Easter that doesn’t end in chocolate OD. So here are just a few ideas for alternative Easter goodies that the kids will love:
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AuthorNikki is a PhD qualified Nutritionist and an expert in children's eating. Categories
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