How to Pack Healthy Lunch Boxes for the Whole Family

May 28th, 2009 | No Comments | Posted in Health Research

Many of us find ourselves packing the same things in our lunches day after day. If you don’t have access to a fridge or a microwave, you don’t have a lot of choices. Eating a sandwich and some chips for lunch every day is not a healthy choice, though. You may need to come up with some out of the box ideas for healthy and tasty lunches for you and your family. Here are some ideas to get you started.

Main Dish Ideas

  • Pasta salad, either homemade or store bought, can be a healthy and delicious lunch. You can add your favorite spices and vegetables to make it more interesting but still keep it healthy. Kids might like pasta shaped like letters and numbers or their favorite TV characters.
  • Use the meat, vegetables and tortillas from leftover fajitas to make a roll that you and your family will love. Add some cheese and salsa or other sauce for even more flavor.
  • Make yourself a BLT with turkey bacon instead of the unhealthy kind of bacon. It will taste just as good but be a lot healthier for you.
  • Make a delicious grilled chicken salad with leftover chicken or chicken you grill the night before. With some lettuce, vegetables, and cheese and the chicken, you will have a tasty lunch that will leave you satisfied.
  • Bring soup or chili that you made from scratch in a thermos, which will keep it warm if you can’t heat it up at work or school. This will warm you up on a cold day!
  • Instead of bread for your sandwiches, use a bagel. Not only are bagels very filling, they are better for you than bread in most cases.

Side Dish Ideas

  • Bring some vegetables like carrots or celery and a low fat ranch dip or hummus to snack on.
  • You and your children both will love yogurt mixed with fresh fruit and granola as a snack. This healthy food is full of protein, vitamins and carbohydrates.
  • Any kind of fresh fruit you have around the house is a great addition to the lunch box for your whole family.
  • Make a quick fruit salad with canned fruit cocktail mixed with nuts, marshmallows and fresh fruit like a banana that has sat in lemon juice to avoid browning.
  • Create your family’s favorite trail mix with dried fruit, nuts, granola and whatever else you all enjoy.

You don’t have to eat that same old sandwich for lunch every day. You can easily create healthy and delicious lunches for you and your family. Everyone will love their new healthy and exciting lunches.

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Healthy Kids Turn into Healthy Adults

July 22nd, 2008 | No Comments | Posted in Health Research

In recent years, the percentage of overweight kids has soared. Exercise has become less and less important, and the amount of junk food available has greatly increased. Video games have become a preferable activity to going outside, and nutritious foods are being left out of diets. As a result, a number of disorders have become more prevalent.

Due to many factors that weren’t around when we were kids, keeping children healthy is more crucial than ever. With many unhealthy choices and diets available, we must make sure our kids do not fall into the trap. Here are some possible solutions:

  • Eliminate junk food. Instead of buying the sugary, fatty foods that many kids eat, buy fruits and vegetables. If not given a choice, kids will be forced to eat healthy. The healthy food may even grow on them to a point where, given the choice, they will take the fruit or vegetable.
  • Balanced meals are important. Take the time to prepare a healthy, balanced meal. Unhealthy food occasionally is fine, but it should not be a common meal. Try and have healthy items from each food group.
  • Resist fast food. It is quick, cheap, and convenient, but the nutritional value is awful. Pick restaurants that feature choices for the more health conscious person.
  • Limit electronic entertainment. Kids should be participating in things that require activity. Get your kids off the couch.
  • Join your kids. Exercise with your children in ways such as riding a bike or playing a game. If the kids are having fun, they will be more likely to continue doing it.
  • Give presents that support and active lifestyle. Sports items are an excellent idea to get your kids outside. The object is to show your kids that physical activity is a top priority.

More than ever, having healthy kids is tough. If we work just a little harder to give them healthy alternatives, they should be eating better and exercising more. If we embed these values in our children from an early age, they will be more likely to continue with a healthy lifestyle as they age.

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How to Turn Your Kid into a Vegetable Lover!

July 5th, 2008 | No Comments | Posted in Health Research

Considering all the junk food children are exposed to, getting your kids to choose healthy alternatives instead of cookies, ice cream, and pizza may seem like an extreme chore. However, there are easy ways to make the diets of your children healthier. Ideas include:

  • Keep a large supply of healthy food, and resist buying the unhealthy items. Home is the only place we can truly control what our kids eat, and not having any junk food will force them to eat healthy. They may be upset at first, but they will eventually grow used to it.
  • Try different techniques to make the healthy foods as appetizing as possible. Possible examples of this are cutting vegetables into shapes or, lightly seasoning them. Children will appreciate this more if they have options over what they eat. The important thing is that they receive the nutritional benefits.
  • Get your kids involved in the preparation process. If they helped to make it, they will be much more adept to trying something different.
  • Balance meals so that each food group is represented and healthy. If your child has variety, there is a greater probability they will like something.
  • Try something several times before you give up on it. Also, ensure that your child tries the food. It is common for kids to resist things they are not used, but by gradually making them familiar with the new thing, they may accept it eventually.
  • Practice what you preach. Make sure your children see you eating the healthy foods you encourage them to eat. When eating something healthy, always offer some to your children.

As parents, teaching the great benefits of a healthy, balanced diet is one of our essential jobs. Healthy foods help them to grow, learn, and develop healthy lifestyles. Also, they will be at a reduced risk for health problems later in life. Start your children on healthy foods today.

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