Easy Ways I Give My Kids Healthy Meals
I don’t know about you, but one thing that stresses me out every day is meals for the kids. They are growing so much you know they need the best nutrients. We also know that so many foods these days are filled with “crap” and horrible ingredients. I’ll admit, I am not always the perfect mom shopping in the organic section or never buying Easy Mac. There are many days I basically say “screw it” and we eat fast food.
One thing in life is that we always need a balance. The food category is a big one around our house! [Especially now with one of us being pregnant ;) ] Here are some tips that have helped us when it comes time to meal planning.
1. Simple! You can get great nutrition and meals out of the most basic items. I will buy deli meat and the kids eat that plain all the time. Pair it with some fruit and carrot sticks and there you have lunch. I don’t have time to make crazy meals during lunch so the easier the better. Sandwiches/wraps are another meal staple for lunch because of how easy and versatile they are. There are so many different varieties you can make so the kids don’t get bored. [ Yes, I even have the stupid cut outs to make sandwiches fun shapes] When it comes to bread we try and stick with Ezekiel or Squirrely bread. They basically have none of the “crap’’ in them that most breads have. Honestly, they still taste just as good and the kids like them.
2. Snacks: If there are unhealthy snacks in the house I will eat them. Point blank, just don’t have them in the house! If it wasn’t for Steve, there would never be Oreos in my house. I refuse to buy them. Stick to pouches, apple sauce, pretzels and healthy granola bar options [ Kind or Fly Joy are some awesome choices!] A while ago I was really good at making these “veggie” muffins that Savannah scarfed up nonstop! There are many healthy Pinterest ideas out there Mama’s!
3. Vegetables: With children it isn’t always the easiest to get them to eat vegetables. My kids really haven’t had a problem eating them, but Jack is starting to sway away from them. I try and mix them in with their actual meal. If I do [god forbid] make Mac n Cheese, I put some frozen mixed veggies in with it. They gobble them all up! Same with with any pastas I make. You have to stay persistent when it comes to vegetables.
4. Grocery List: Lastly, having a grocery list is key! I will not go grocery shopping without one. I brainstorm [AKA sit on Pinterest figuring out our meals for the week] and gather the items I need. Back to number 1, I keep it SIMPLE! I don’t mind cooking, but when I have cranky kids around me it isn’t the easiest to try and cook an elaborate meal. I do buy one frozen meal entre every time I go to the store; our favorite is Stouffers Lasagna. The kids frozen food section is also awesome for some quick go to lunch ideas.
Even if we are able to make perfect meals every week for our kids we know they probably won’t eat all of it to get the full nutrition they need. So what did I turn to? My neighbor introduced me to Juice Plus’s kids’ chewables. I am super weird when it comes to “vitamins” [However, these are considered more of a medicine] because a lot are not that great for you. These are awesome!!! Here are some reasons why we switched over:
- Whole food nutrition; Think of it as fruits and veggies in a capsule/ chewy. It contains 20 different fruits & vegetables!
- It is a FOOD so if for any reason they take more than it says… they will be just fine ;)
- Non GMO!!
- NSF Certified
- All Natural Sweeteners
- No artificial flavors or colors
- 100% Vegetarian
- 100% bioavailable [ AKA your body will absorb all the micro nutrition!]
- Kids ages 4-18 can get theirs for FREE with adult orders
- AFFORDABLE!!
Like I said, we can be the world’s perfect moms and provide the most nutritious meals for our kids. However, will they actually eat all of them and get enough nutrients their bodies need? No! This way I can guarantee my kids are getting awesome fruits and vegetables every day. Plus, they LOVE eating them; Jack calls them candy! We just started our Juice Plus journey and can’t wait to learn more and try more products to ensure a healthy life for our family.
If you have any questions regarding these products, do not hesitate to contact Jillian at jillian1124@me.com or check out their website here! http://gillianferguson.juiceplus.co
Have a great week everyone!!
