Kids Ain't Cheap

But They Sure Are Worth It

Preparing Easy School Lunches and Keeping Your Sanity

| Leave a Comment

It's easy to lose your sanity during back to school time. Here's how you can prepare for easy school lunches that are quick and healthy to put together.I have a love/hate relationship with lunches. I love making them because I have control over what my family is eating and most importantly it’s much easier on the budget than either buying out every day or, in my daughter’s case, paying an additional $5.00 per day for her daycare. Though we still do have an occasional lunch out, 90% of the time you’ll find me in the kitchen after our daughter is in bed, prepping our lunches for the next day.

I’m the least fussy person in the world to satisfy when it comes to lunch. If we have no real ‘’meal worthy food’’ in the house I’m perfectly content with taking a bunch of fruit and snacks for the day. My kid however isn’t so easy to please. Thankfully she thrives on routine and for now we have a few easy go-to’s that we’re able to rotate.

The biggest downside when I think about lunch prep is time. My husband cannot for the life of him figure out what takes me so long when I tell him I’m going to make our lunches. Honestly it took time to figure out, but when I’m organized I can prep in less than half the time it would normally take me. To do this I’ve found a few tricks to make prepping lunches a little easier.

If your kids are heading back to school these tips can help you with their school lunches.

Prep, well in advance

Leaving all lunch requirements to the night before can be stressful. There is often more involved than you think and your 5 minute intention quickly turns into a 45 minute endeavour. By prepping a few things in advance you can shave quite a bit of time off your evening (or morning) lunch packing routine.

Simple things like having fruits and veggies already washed can be a time saver. Pre-pack these things in portion sized package so they can be grabbed and thrown into the bag. Our daughter loves a simple PB and J sandwich so I’ll usually make a few at once and freeze them. They freeze and thaw perfectly fine and makes my life much easier when they’re done.

Think outside the box

Growing up, lunch was a sandwich, drink and fruit. I don’t remember ever questioning it, that’s just what we got. There were variations on the sandwich and bread but that was about it. Though our daughter does likes her sandwiches, she also loves even easier stuff like crackers and cheese. I buy multigrain rice crackers (rice stays much harder and crunchier longer than traditional crackers), and will send her with those, hummus and cheese. Throw in a fruit or veggie and her yogurt and it’s the fastest lunch to pack!

Organize the fridge and cupboard

This goes with prep but keeping things organized makes everything easier. I have a basket where our snacks go, a place for the yogurt in the fridge and a dedicated spot for fruit. It allows me to open the cupboard or fridge, grab what I need and throw in the lunch bag, almost with my eyes closed. I always pack our lunches with: a ‘’main’’+ water + yogurt + fruit or veggie. Having a system in place makes my life so much easier.

Bringing our own lunches saves us in many ways. Not only are we saving a ton of money by packing food from home (an average of $2-$3/lunch vs. >$10 eating out), we’re saving our health by controlling our portions and caloric intakes. Though there can be prep work involved in the beginning, once you start ‘’brown bagging it’’ it will quickly become second nature.

How to Eat Well in the Summer

| Leave a Comment

The summer is such a busy time which makes it so easy to constantly eat junk all the time. Here's how you can eat well in the summer without sacrificing taste.I have a love hate relationship with the summer and eating for both me and my family.

Though I love the abundance of fresh fruit that is seasonally available, I also know there will be many more temptations. More BBQ’s to attend, more road trips (which for us means more snacks), more late nights and fire pits filled with s’mores.  For me and my family, it can be tough to control it all and balance the good and bad. Here are a few ways I attempt to control more of the good and less of the bad.

Bring a Healthy Option

If we’re headed to a BBq or potluck I can’t assume there will be a healthy option and for that reason I try to be one to provide it. Sometimes it’s a simple fruit or veggie tray, other times it might be a healthy salad of sorts. This way I know we will have a healthy option to fill up on before indulging in some of the less healthy options and desserts.

Just Don’t Buy It!

There is something I simply cannot have in my house. It’s something that I really only buy in the summer and something I know for a fact that both my daughter and I will totally pig out on given an opportunity. Those would be marshmallows. If they’re in the house- a key s’more ingredient- I will eat them all, as will my three year old. For this reason it’s something I don’t buy to have ‘’on hand’’ for the off chance we might make s’mores. In fact if we do have a fire and plan on it I will usually as someone else to pick them up. Not having them around means no temptations.

Capitalize on Seasonal Goodness

I love fruit, as does everyone in my family. Right now is strawberry season here so not only are we eating a ton of them we’re buying more than we can consume for the future. I’ll buy, wash and freeze berries year round when they’re on sale so we can use them for future smoothies or to cook with. It always ends up being much cheaper than buying pre-packaged smoothie mixes and tastier too!

Plan Better

The summer is definitely more chaotic for us. Soccer practice, irregular work schedules, vacations. All of these things throw my schedule off and when that happens we aren’t always the best planners. We eat out more- especially when road tripping. With an upcoming trip I have vowed to avoid the gas station junk, as well booked accommodations with a kitchen. Though the kitchen can sometimes be an added expense what we save on eating out every meal, will more than make up for it.

Summer is always a treat for us. We certainly indulge in things in the summer that we don’t any other time of year and that’s fine, as long as it’s balanced. Nothing worse than spending your summer indulging to find your fall jeans don’t fit…

How do you balance summertime treats with healthier options?

Making Healthy Living a Priority for Your Family

| 1 Comment

Making healthy living a priority isn't easy to do but it is possible. Here's how my family is going about it.It’s no secret that obesity is a massive epidemic with our children. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want my child to be obese. The hardship and scrutiny are totally unnecessary. Kids have enough going on with growing up and coming into themselves, life becomes infinitely harder when obesity is thrown into the mix. I have an opportunity as a parent to do my best to prevent this.

The best thing I can do for my child is lead by example. Making fitness and healthy eating a priority lays the foundation for a healthy lifestyle that will carry them into their adult lives, at least that is the goal. My daughter will experience a mix of everything in terms of physical activity. She will be exposed to both organized and individual sports. We have plans to enroll her in both dance (ballet) and soccer in the upcoming year. While I personally have never really participated in organized sport (minus two years of softball), fitness has always been a priority for me.

I grew up in a house where outdoor play was expected. Unless it was storming out, we were expected to be outside playing. Though it doesn’t seem as active as playing a game of soccer, there’s no doubt my childhood explorations are what kept me within a healthy BMI.

Now that my husband and I are adults (and parents), we lead by examples in areas we know. He plays weekly soccer and I’m a big walker. If I can get to something within reasonable walking distance, kid will get in stroller and we’ll walk there. We also own a treadmill that the family has access to use, the best $800 we as a family spent I think. I also have a Fitbit where I partake in a weekly challenge with a few other family members that keeps me motivated to move. It’s amazing the power this little device has over me. I could be so tired I can’t get out of my own way, but if I see someone is ahead of me by 3,000 steps I get off my butt and get on the treadmill. My innate competitiveness comes out fiercely, in a good way.

Exercise is only a small part of being healthy though. As my daughter gets older she will be more involved in meal planning and prep. She’s still young so we’re just starting this but growing up my sister and I were always encouraged to seek out new recipes to try as a family. The fact that we could take ownership over the recipe and helping our mom prepare it gave us a sense of pride and nurtured a love of cooking as we got older.  Cooking is a skill far too many people lack and, in my opinion, a big reason obesity is as high as it is. When people lack the ability to prepare and cook healthy meals, far too often cheap, fast food wins the battle.

Life is about moderation. There will be days that we eat at McDonalds but if our overall life is balanced we’ll be ok.

How do you make healthy living a priority for your family?

How to Teach Your Kids About Dental Hygiene

| Leave a Comment

teaching kids dental hygieneIt’s so important to develop good dental hygiene habits at a young age but as a parent I’m sure you know that’s easier said than done!

When it comes to dental hygiene many kids are resistant and seem to think brushing their teeth in the morning is the end of the world. Trust me, I’ve been there!

If you’re having trouble getting your child to form good dental hygiene habits here are some options for you to try.

Teach Them the Consequences

You already know that having a toothache is one of the worst forms of pain, but your kids probably don’t know that.

Sit your children down and teach them what happens when they don’t take care of their teeth. Show them pictures and tell them stories from your own experience. You can also show them videos on YouTube of children teaching children how to form good dental hygiene habits.

Kids don’t realize the importance of keeping up great dental hygiene until they understand the consequences.

Make It Fun

Whenever I try to teach my kids anything I always put a big emphasis on making it fun.

My daughters like to brush their teeth the same time as I do, always mimicking what I’m doing. We’ve also sang songs while they brushed and used timers to make sure they were brushing long enough.

Look for ways to make your dental hygiene routine fun. This is especially important to do in the beginning. After a little while your kids will get into the habit of taking care of their teeth and mouth and you won’t have to spend any more time making this a fun experience for them.

If you make dental hygiene a little less boring and set a good example, your kids will follow.

Get The Right Products

Do you know what really gets my kids excited about dental hygiene? A new toothbrush and toothpaste.

Right now they’re both enjoying brushing their teeth every morning with a light up, timed Hello Kitty toothbrush. They’re also both very particular about what toothpaste they use so I make sure I keep a good stock of their favorites.

You can click here to visit Chemist Australia and check out some fun dental products for your kids.

Conclusion

By teaching children the consequences of bad dental hygiene, making learning fun, and giving them products catered to their age group, you’ll have a much higher success rate of having your child develop good habits.

These three tips are easy to implement but can make a world of difference!

How to Make Your Morning Run Smoothly

| Leave a Comment

make your mornings run smoothlyI wear many hats. Not only am a Mother, the most demanding job of all, but also a wife, a full-time employee, a freelance writer and blogger. I make time for friends and family and occasionally, myself. I like to go to the gym and love to have my nose in a good book. The problem? I need about 39 hours in a day to accomplish everything I set out to do.

With a lot on my plate every day, I need to do everything in my power to make sure my day starts out on the right foot. If my morning is chaotic, the rest of my day will follow suit. There are a few things that you can do to make sure your day starts out right and maximize the hours in your day.

Sleep

Trust me, I’m the guiltiest of this but lack of sleep will kill your day. Everyone has a number, for me it’s seven. Seven hours of sleep is exactly what I need to accomplish everything with energy. This doesn’t mean starting to get ready for bed at 11pm if you want to wake up at 6am. It means starting to wind down earlier and get ready to be asleep by 11pm.

Use Your Evenings Wisely

After my daughter goes to bed I make sure the mess from the evening is cleaned up (nothing worse than tripping over toys from the night before at 630am) and lunches are made. I don’t mean deep clean with floor scrubbed but at the very least make sure basic messes are cleaned and surfaced are cleared. If I attempted to leave making lunches for my family until the morning it simply wouldn’t get done and we’d all end up spending more money than we want because lunch wasn’t packed.

I also make sure everything we need to run out the door is right there, by the door. I don’t want to waste 10 minutes in the morning looking for the car keys or my purse. If you have kids make sure their bags are also packed and waiting by the door.

Stay on top of Laundry

Have you ever attempted to get dressed in the morning only to find the shirt you need to downstairs still in the dryer? If you stay on top of the laundry, meaning when you start a load finish it, including putting it away your life will be so much easier. Staying on top of laundry also allows you to lay your clothes out at night if you’re so inclined.

I understand that some things will have to wait. If you can’t get the dishes done, at least pile them neatly and get them rinsed until you do manage to find a few minutes to get them done. You know your morning the best and you need to sit down and figure out what will make it work for you. Maybe setting your coffee on a timer is necessary? Whatever it takes to get your day going as smoothly as possible will make the rest of your life that much easier.

How do you manage the chaos of the morning?

5 Ways to Keep Young Kids Healthy

| Leave a Comment

a7edc980c8984f26adca9365dea5ca5aThe imagination, curiosity, and innocence of young children is captivating. They’re sweet and inquisitive yet stubborn and determined. Being a parent to a young child is one of the most challenging, yet rewarding jobs in the world.

And as a parent you want to make sure that your kids stay healthy. That’s why you need to start structuring routines that encourage good nutrition and exercise at a young age.

Here are five tips to get you started.

Be Generous with Fruits and Veggies

If you start feeding your children a generous amount of nutritious food at a young age they’ll be much more likely to stick with those habits.

Right now my kids enjoy eating lots of fruits and vegetables. They actually think eating salad is a treat!

If your kids are reluctant to eat their veggies get creative. Make faces out of carrots and peppers. Or cut up some veggies and let them use a veggie dip.

Get Flu Shots for the Family

Young kids don’t have fully developed immune systems. Without vaccinations you’ll find that you’re constantly battling some type of cold or flu.

In fact I’ve found with my kids that a cold or flu can be passed around the family for more than a month. Every time someone gets better another family member gets sick and it creates a vicious cycle.

You can eliminate much of this and protect your little ones from the flu by getting the entire family flu shots.

Get a Good Multivitamin

Your kids are growing like crazy. And since so much development is happening in those earlier years it’s important that your children are getting all the vitamins and minerals they need.

Getting a good multivitamin from a place like Chemmart Pharmacy can help your kids stay and feel healthy.

Encourage Plenty of Activity

We’re in a different world than we grew up in. Instead of kids playing outside they’re playing on Mom or Dad’s smart phone or tablet at super young ages. Physical activity isn’t as prevalent as it used to be.

Make sure your little one stays active. Take the gadgets away and go play outside.

Teach Good Hygiene Habits

Young kids are germ magnets. Most don’t care about getting dirty and consequently don’t care about getting clean. That’s why it’s important to start teaching good hygiene habits at early on in life.

But sometimes you need to get creative.

For instance, when I ask my youngest to brush her teeth you would think that I was trying to pull one of her teeth. In order to get her to practice good dental hygiene we’ve created a song to sing. As long as someone is singing the song she’s more than happy to brush her teeth. Nothing else works.

All kids are different. So while teaching basic hygiene is important sometimes it’s necessary to develop your teaching to the individual needs of the child.

Conclusion

Start implementing healthy routines while your kids are still young. What you teach them now is likely to stick with them for life!

5 Tips for Eating Well on a Budget

| Leave a Comment

eating well on a budgetI have heard many arguments that one of the main reasons obesity is such a rampant issue is because eating well is so much more expensive than buying ‘junk food’. This is something I have always argued.

Buying convenience food is substantially more expensive than buying fresh, and I live in an area where food is very expensive. There are certain things you must do if you want to eat well on a budget.

Make it a Priority

If you don’t make eating well on a budget a priority the rest of your efforts won’t make any difference. I didn’t say it was easy to eat well, especially on a budget but it will be so worth it for you and your family.

Learn to Cook

You have to learn how to cook. If you can read then you can follow simple recipes and cook. The reason people shop for convenience food is often because they’re lazy, don’t know how to cook, lack time or simply don’t care. Basic cooking skills will go a long way in stretching your budget. At the grocery store this week I noticed a single-serve frozen entree on sale for $3.00 each. Instead I made a delicious pasta dish from scratch for $6.00. Double the price but provided 8 sizable servings. It definitely pays to learn how to cook!

Make Better Choices

This week I could have bought three large bags of chips for $6.00, instead I opted to buy the two-pound container of blueberries for $7.00.  Though $7.00 seems like a lot for a single fruit it will accompany our meals for at least five days. There is often always a choice. Don’t waste your money on pop and juice, water is a healthier and cheaper option.

Canned and Frozen is Ok!

People often forget about both canned and frozen fruits and vegetables. I buy large bags of frozen fruit to make smoothies or add to yogurt at a fraction of the cost of fresh. We also stock up on canned goods when needed. Just make sure your veggies are not canned in salt and that your fruits are canned in either water or natural juices instead of syrup.

Grow Your Food

Even when I lived in a one bedroom apartment I grew some of my own food. I had a few small containers on our deck where I grew peppers, tomatoes and herbs. For a low upfront cost I was able to grow and enjoy a substantial amount of food.

Eating well is a challenge. You have to learn to meal plan and shop the sales. Putting the effort into learning or refining your cooking skills will go a long way for providing good food for you and your family. The better you eat now, the less complications you may experience long-term. Eating well may help keep your medical bills down afterall, living with obesity isn’t without its own costs. 

What do you do to eat well on a budget?

How to Develop a Healthy Lifestyle without Depriving Yourself

| Leave a Comment

joggingHow many times have you tried to stick to a diet but failed after about a week? If that sounds like you, you’re not alone.

It’s often said that 95 percent of dieters fail. While that number isn’t technically accurate I don’t think it’s too far off. If you’re stuck in the dieting trap let’s look at how you can maintain a healthy lifestyle without depriving yourself.

 

Change Your Lifestyle

Going on a fad diet is not a good way to lose weight or maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Whether you’re trying to shed a few pounds or just live a healthier life, you need to develop long lasting habits. To maintain long term results you need to gradually transform your bad habits into good habits.

It’s important to start small and slowly incorporate changes into your life that you’ll be to maintain long term.

 

Start with Your Diet

Changing a diet is where most people fail. And, this is all due to perception of the word diet.

Whether you’re trying to lose weight, tone up, or improve your health a diet should be looked at as a long term solution not a temporary fix.

The changes you make in your eating habits should be sustainable. If you can’t imagine living your whole life on a liquid only diet – don’t even try it.

They key to maintaining better long term eating habits is moderation. If you currently take in 2500 calories a day don’t try to limit yourself to 1,000 calories right off the bat. Slowly work your way down to a more healthy level.

And, it’s also important that you occasionally treat yourself. You don’t need to cut everything out of your diet. Focus on serving sizes. And, occasionally treat yourself. Everyone needs some Ben and Jerry’s every once in a while!

 

Find an Exercise Routine You Enjoy

If you hate exercise it could be that you’ve never found the right exercise program.

There are so many things you can do for exercise anything from running on a treadmill, to taking a kick boxing class, dancing, doing yoga or Pilates, or even swimming.

Exercise doesn’t have to be boring. You can check out free exercise videos on YouTube and start your search from there. Exercise can also be more enjoyable when you have a friend by your side.

Ask a friend or family member if they’d be interested in taking an exercise class or meeting up at your house to do an exercise video.

Once you find a program you like be sure to slowly incorporate more and more exercise into your life.

 

Don’t Beat Yourself Up

We all fall off the bandwagon at one point or another. The difference between failure and success is admitting when you’ve messed up and taking that step back into your more healthy routine.

You’re not going to develop a healthier lifestyle overnight. It’s going to take time to build up your new, healthier habits. Remember to do things in moderation, treat yourself occasionally, and find exercise that you love. Take it one step at a time and you’ll develop a sustainable, healthy lifestyle.

3 Tips for Maintaining Healthy Cholesterol Levels

| Leave a Comment

heart healthKeeping your cholesterol levels under control is important to protect you from heart attack, stroke, and also to improve your overall health.

It’s also important to recognize that not all cholesterol is bad. There are good types of cholesterol and bad types of cholesterol. Looks take a look at both types of cholesterol and how you can keep both under control for a healthier lifestyle.

 

Good Cholesterol

Good Cholesterol is HDL (high-density lipoprotein.) HDL actually removes any unneeded cholesterol in your body. When you look at your overall cholesterol levels, HDL will be one of the numbers measured. For women a healthy HDL level is 40-60 mg.

 

Bad Cholesterol

When you hear someone refer to bad cholesterol they are talking about LDL (low-density lipoprotein.) LDL is made up of fat and can leave fatty deposits in your arteries causing forms of heart disease.

Luckily LDL can be controlled by diet, exercise, and if needed, medication.

Now that we have your good and bad cholesterol level explained let’s look at the three most common ways you can maintain healthy cholesterol levels.

 

Maintain a Healthy Diet

The number one culprit for unhealthy cholesterol levels is your diet.

Bad cholesterol is found in foods that are rich with saturated and trans fat. By limiting the intake of these foods you’ll limit your intake of bad cholesterol.

LDL is found foods like these:

  • Fatty Meats
  • Dairy Products
  • Fast Food
  • Egg Yolks

Look at the saturated and trans fat content of the foods you’re eating and slowly decrease the amount you consume. Cutting the bad fats from your diet will decrease your bad cholesterol levels.

Some heart healthy foods you can incorporate into your diet are oatmeal, salmon, avocado, nuts, nut butters, and olive oil.

 

Incorporate an Exercise Plan Into Your Routine

Exercising can help lower your cholesterol in two ways: first losing weight (if needed) will help lower LDL cholesterol levels. Secondly the enzymes you produce by practicing moderately intense exercise will increase your good cholesterol levels.

Experts recommend that you find a moderately intense exercise like walking, jogging, swimming, or riding a bike that you can partake in for 10-20 minute bursts. It’s recommended to get a total of 30 minutes of this exercise per day or 60 minutes of moderately intense exercise if you’re trying to lose weight.

If you don’t currently have an exercise routine, start small. Try to incorporate 30 minutes of exercise into your day three times per week. Remember, it’s okay to exercise in small ten minute bursts. Gradually try to increase the number of time you exercise per week. You’ll be more likely to stick to a new exercise routine by going slow and steady.

 

Use Medication if Needed

If you are unable to naturally lower your cholesterol levels then medication may be needed.

If you think your cholesterol levels are at unhealthy levels you should consult with a doctor before changing your diet or exercise plan. A doctor will help you come up with a plan to get your cholesterol levels under control and will be able to prescribe medication if needed.

5 Natural Ways to Boost Your Immune System

| Leave a Comment

larch herbal supplementYou’re working too hard, drinking too many sodas, and grabbing fast food to stave off the hunger pangs. When the weekend rolls around, all you want to do is kick back with a few beers. But did you know your lifestyle is lowering your immune system? Modern habits can take their toll, but you can boost your immune system with these natural remedies.

 

Asian Mushrooms are Tasty Immune Boosters

Asian medicine men have long known the powers of native mushroom varieties including shiitake, maitake, and reishi. They all contain beta-glucans that help your body fight off infections and reduce allergies.

Purified mushroom extracts are available, but you can also enjoy their effects by eating fresh mushrooms in stir fries, pastas, and risottos. In contrast, processed foods impair immune function, so it’s an easy choice when you’re looking for an immune-boosting meal.

 

Lean Protein Protects Your Body

Make room on your plate for other lean proteins, including lean meats, seafood, nuts, and beans. The mushrooms are a good source of protein, but these other ingredients will give your meals an added immunity boost. The antibodies that fight diseases are actually made of protein, so eating extra protein makes a lot of sense.

Many protein-rich foods also have other elements that assist the body’s immune response. For example, lean beef, oysters, and beans are rich in zinc, which aids in the production of infection-fighting white blood cells.

 

Larch Arabinogalactan Wards Off Colds

It’s got a very long name, but larch arbinogalactan is one you should become familiar with if you hope to boost your immune system. People who take this fiber, sourced from the wood of the larch tree, have 23 percent fewer colds.

Take larch arbinogalactan to reduce your chances of getting the sniffles and the more serious conditions that can result, including bronchitis and pneumonia. If you develop these serious illnesses, you’ll need to buy Levaquin or a similar drug to beat them. Choosing a supplement with the ingredient “larch resist-aid” at your local pharmacy or health food store will help you ward off illness, too.

 

Oregano Oil Improves Digestive System

Did you know about 70 percent of the body’s immune system lives in the gastrointestinal tract? So if you want to boost yours, you need to improve your digestive system’s health. Taking oregano oil is a great way to get yours back on track, as it eliminates the bad bacteria that can take hold.

Scientists investigated the link between oregano oil and the immune system when they fed the supplement to nursing pigs in 2011. Their study found the pigs that took oregano oil had more white blood cells in their milk than the control group.

Taking 200 mg of oregano oil, three times a day, will improve the health of your digestive system and boost your immune response.

 

Exercise Helps Immune System Work Better

In 1960, half o fAmericans held jobs that required moderate physical activity. At the turn of the last century, that number had fallen to just 20 percent. That means most of us are sitting at desks all day long. We then sit behind the wheel of a motor vehicle to return home, where we sit in front of a television until bedtime. This sedentary lifestyle isn’t just making us fatter; it’s also compromising our immune systems.

In 2006, researchers studied the effects of exercise on the immune systems of 115 obese and sedentary post-menopausal women. Half of the ladies were told to stretch once a week, while the other half undertook 30 to 45 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise five times a week. Over the year-long study, the stretchers had three times the number of colds.

It makes sense, because exercise encourages antibodies and white blood cells to move throughout the body faster. This helps them detect and start fighting illnesses sooner. This increased circulation is also thought to trigger hormones that tell immune cells that intruding pathogens have entered the body.

Just make sure that you don’t overdo things. High-intensity exercise can decrease your white blood cell count and leave you more susceptible to illness. A brisk walk, swim, or cycle is perfect.

All of us indulge in a few bad habits now and again, but they don’t have to lower your immune system if you use these natural immune boosters.

Do you use any of these natural immune boosters?