Back to School! Healthy Breakfast, Lunch, and Snack Ideas for Kids

Fruit salad with oatmeal

by Dilworth Now nutrition columnist Marian Bennett

Back to school once again! Sport practices, homework, and study sessions. The learning has begun and the food choices are just as important as all of the studying that takes place.


Starting off with a hearty and healthy breakfast for anyone going back to school is very important for their success. Children’s brains are developing and increasing with new knowledge and information. Being able to focus in the classroom and do class work can be challenging without proper caloric intake and distribution of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.

Fruit salad with grapes and raisins

Having a hearty breakfast and lunch helps with concentration and studying throughout the day. Having a grab and go breakfast on hand in the mornings is a great idea while waiting for the bus or riding in the car. For those working parents out there, prepping on Sunday can be a great way to make the week easier for getting breakfast on the table and packing lunches.

Waffles

 

Breakfast ideas:

• Scrambled eggs with whole wheat toast and jelly preserves with a glass of milk or water 
• Whole wheat waffles with almond butter topped with smashed banana with a glass of milk or water
• Fruit smoothie including a mixture of frozen berries, pineapple, mango, pineapple, full fat yogurt and some orange juice 
• Blueberry Banana Oat Muffins 

Chicken salad

Lunch ideas:

• Turkey sandwich with lettuce, tomato, mustard and low sodium turkey breast alongside plain or roasted red pepper hummus with whole wheat pita or pretzel chips and carrots or celery 
• Chicken salad with grapes, celery, apples, walnuts, and Greek yogurt coupled with skim string cheese and whole wheat crackers
• Mexican quinoa salad with low sodium black beans, sweet corn, and store-bought pico de galo along with a fruit salad 

Crackers with hummus

Snack ideas:

• Banana with almond, cashew or peanut butter
• Multi-grain crackers with hummus 
• Fruit salad with toasted oatmeal and 2% Greek vanilla or plain yogurt
• 2% plain yogurt as a dip for chopped celery, peppers, carrots, and/or raw broccoli

Let’s Cookout!

Cookouts are such a great time where family and friends can gather around to talk, laugh, play some football, and taste amazing food! Tasting all of that scrumptious food can take a small beating to our waistline. Here are a few twists to your average cookout menu:

Pineapple salsa

Pineapple salsa with homemade lime pita chips is a definite crowd pleasing appetizer! It is figure friendly and no measuring! Start off by chopping a ripe pineapple, then chop up some cilantro, red onion, dice one or two jalapenos, and freshly squeeze lime juice. Combine the ingredients and serve. The lime pita chips are done by quartering pita bread drizzled with olive oil, lime juice, freshly grated lime zest and some salt and pepper. Bake at 375 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes. Enjoy!

Sirloin burgers with bleu cheese and avocado are an easy switch from the regular cheeseburger. They are lower in fat, but don't skimp on the flavor! Make yours with 90% lean beef seasoned with a little salt and pepper and Worcestershire sauce, topped with crumbled bleu cheese, butter lettuce, and sliced avocado served on whole wheat hamburger buns.

Very Berry Fruit Salad

Very Berry fruit salad is a light and fresh salad with lots of antioxidants and minerals. Chop up strawberries, and add raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries. You can also add chopped toasted walnuts right before serving.

Raw broccoli salad is a delicious side salad! Chopped raw broccoli, raisins, shredded carrots, two slices of diced cooked bacon, and 2% plain Greek yogurt. Combine ingredients and serve. This recipe is fantastic because you make it how you want! It is super scrumptious, lots of great flavor and great crunch!

Baked Apple

Baked apples topped with Vanilla Greek yogurt and maple crunch is delicious! Pick a few apples of your choice and take out top part of the core. This is so the juices will remain within the apple and there is an opening to place the yogurt and crunch. Place a cup of room temperature water in the baking dish around the apples, cover with foil and bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour. While the apples are cooking, combine a ¼ cup of oatmeal, ¼ cup of chopped almonds, walnuts, or Brazil nuts, 1 1/2 teaspoons of brown sugar and 2 to 3 teaspoons of maple syrup. Place the mixture on a cookie sheet and bake at 225 degrees for 30 minutes stirring halfway. Once the apples and crunch are cooked, place the yogurt inside of the apple, and sprinkle the maple crunch on top. Bon appetit!

Refueling After Exercise

By Dilworth Now nutrition columnist Marian Bennett

Have you ever experienced such an intense workout that it left you feeling like you could eat everything in sight?

 Exercising for at least 60 minutes at a moderate to high intensity can deplete the glycogen stores in your muscles. 

Glycogen is the stored form of glucose or sugar in our body. It is released when we start to exercise so that it can provide us with energy and allows us to keep moving forward. Taking a spin class, boot camp, or running can deplete those stores and really rack up an appetite! However, an easy going water aerobics class, light jogging, or a Zumba class may not deplete those stores as quickly. 

After a workout we want to quickly replenish those glycogen stores that were lost.

Following an intense workout session of 60 minutes or more, eating brown rice or a half of a sweet potato with either baked salmon topped with lemon juice or roasted rosemary chicken breasts with steamed vegetables is one great option. 

Smoothies are a great option after exercise.

Another option could be a protein smoothie filled with:

• spinach and/or kale, 
• frozen strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries, 
• a scoop of whey, gluten free, soy free, and/or dairy free protein powder, 
• and add almond milk and/or orange juice for some sweetness. 

With the protein smoothie make sure to add a carbohydrate like a piece of bread or two to help restore the glycogen. Eating a meal similar to this will provide you more strength throughout the day, heal your muscles quicker and potentially hold off muscle soreness.

Exercising at a lighter intensity will not require as high a demand of food intake as the higher intensity, but there still needs to be a consumption of carbohydrates and protein. 

A small turkey sandwich with lettuce, tomato and mustard with a banana and one tablespoon of almond butter would be a great option! 

A vegetarian option could be a small burrito using a whole wheat or gluten free wrap with lettuce, black or red kidney beans, roasted peppers, homemade salsa, and shredded low-fat mozzarella cheese.

Spring Has Sprung! Taste the Rainbow?

By Dilworth Now nutrition columnist Marian Bennett

Spring is under way and summer is approaching! It seems to be the most flavorful time of the year.

So many wonderful fruits and vegetables are in season, not to mention all of the wonderful things you can make with these fresh foods.

Some fruits that are in season are grapefruit, cherries, kiwi, lemons, navel oranges, strawberries and kumquat. Some vegetables that are in season are asparagus, fava beans, chard, fennel, artichokes, radishes, and parsley. 

These foods can also add great benefits to your health. Take chard for instance. It is packed with vitamin K, A and C along with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. Fava beans are a great source for iron, folate, and fiber, while grapefruit, strawberries, and navel oranges are loaded with vitamin C, antioxidants, and fiber. 

Here are a few ideas that incorporate spring produce:

• Fresh fruit salad with navel oranges, strawberries, kiwi and kumquat
• Fresh radish with flavored butter and/or salts 
• Fava bean salad with roasted garlic vinaigrette 
• Steamed artichokes with melted butter drizzle over top
• Strawberry and apricot crisp with a pecan crumble 

  

No Disrespect Here!

By Dilworth Now nutrition columnist Marian Bennett

Fabulous, beautiful, radiant, gorgeous, do those ring a bell?

In this day and age, women in particular are harped on so much about appearance and are subject to an inordinate amount of criticism. Words have such a strong and powerful meaning! 

Being healthy is about not only taking care of oneself through physical activity and eating a variety of fresh foods, but also mental and emotionally being kind to ourselves. 

“Fat” should be banned from the dictionary! It is a word that has such bad connotation and women especially use it way too often. 

If you would not say something to hurt your friend, then why say it to yourself? 

Rechanneling our energy and strength towards more positive moments can help change how we think about ourselves. 

We deserve to be happy about our body. Challenge yourself to keep a record for one day of all the negative messages you are giving about your body. Then find ways to enhance all of the positives about your body: 

Here are some steps toward changing your body image:  

• Don't talk to or about yourself in a negative light. 
• Stop using the word “Fat”! Try using words like curvaceous, voluptuous, or thriving. 
• Have a more positive relationship with the clothes you put on.
• Acknowledge that each and every person (including celebrities) have bad days! Each individual will have a “cheat” or a “bad” day. We are only human and are bound to do that and it is okay!
• Substitute power ideas instead of negative thoughts. Channel your energy into a more positive direction, such as setting up a fundraiser for body image awareness for young girls.
• Try volunteering at a local food bank or with domestic abuse victims.

To Be or Not To Be Gluten Free?

By Dilworth Now nutrition columnist Marian Bennett

Pasta, whole grain bread, crackers, and pancakes galore! 

Surprisingly enough, all of these foods contain gluten. 

Gluten is a storage protein found in wheat, spelt, kamut, rye, and barley, just to name a few. It acts as a leavening agent in food, a thickener, and a flavor enhancer. 

There has been some speculation in recent years about whether gluten is really good for the body. Some effects that gluten has been linked to are brain fog, muscle and joint aches, sabotaging weight loss or perhaps gaining weight, digestive complications (bloating and diarrhea), and fatigue. 

Individuals who experience these symptoms may have a gluten sensitivity. Their bodies have an inflammatory response to the gluten. 

Some individuals say that switching to a gluten free diet has changed their life. They can think more clearly, rest better, and have lost weight! On the other side, some individuals can consume gluten and have no side effects. 

Some options for eating a gluten free diet include consuming more brown and wild rice, quinoa, millet and oats. There are also gluten free products available such as, bagels, breads, tortillas, English muffins, and desserts.

Breakfast options:

• Gluten free English muffin with a poached egg, sliced tomato drizzled with mozzarella cheese, alongside an orange 
• Gluten free oats simmered in water or almond milk with a handful of berries, sprinkle of walnuts, and a drizzle of honey 
• Buckwheat pancakes with blueberries, strawberries, and a drizzle of maple syrup 

Lunch or Dinner options:

• Quinoa with black beans, avocado, cilantro, diced tomatoes, and lime juice on a bed of romaine lettuce 
• Baked salmon with roasted asparagus and brown rice 
• Roasted chicken on gluten free bread with sliced tomatoes, lettuce and mustard coupled with an apple 

Dessert options:

• Fruit smoothie ice pop (blend together a combination of fruits with almond milk, put into a mold and freeze for a few hours) 
• Lemon almond macaroons 
• Chocolate chip or peanut butter cookies using oat flour or gluten free baking flour

Change One Eating Habit Every 3 Months

By Dilworth Now nutrition columnist Marian Bennett

Do you ever get stuck in a rut eating the same meal for breakfast or always eating a dessert right after dinner? 

Consider switching it up every couple of months with a new addition to a favorite meal or swapping out and trying something new.

Eating breakfast can seem monotonous, especially if you eat the same meal every day.

If you have oat bran cereal with a banana every morning, why not change it to having oat bran with a banana and a tablespoon of peanut butter or almond butter?

You will feel fuller longer, get the energy in the morning you need, and even drop an inch or two in your waistline!

Maybe breakfast is not what you want to work on, but perhaps give a go on substituting ingredients from baked goods.

How about replacing butter with avocados?

Avocados provide almost half the daily recommendation of fiber, vitamins and minerals, and helps reduce the risk of diabetes while the flavor is still rich.

What about replacing oil with Greek yogurt?

Yogurt has a lower fat and caloric content and provides probiotics. The texture keeps the recipe still very creamy and adds moisture while it does not add a pungent flavor to the dessert.

These are super, simply yummy options that you can try and will not skimp on the flavor or moisture!

A New Year, A New You!

A healthy dessert option

By Dilworth Now Nutrition Columnist Marian Bennett

A New Year brings new beginnings and starts. 

We all hear about losing weight for the New Year. Here are some healthy alternatives to help kick start the process! 

• Most of us enjoy homemade mashed potatoes, but while it is a comforting side, the calories can really rack up! Instead of adding butter and milk, go for buttermilk. It does not skimp on the flavor or the smooth consistency. 
• Try swapping the potatoes for cauliflower if you are looking for a low carbohydrate option.
• If you want different protein options, instead of having beef or poultry every day of the week, opt for a meatless Monday. Incorporate low sodium black beans or red kidney beans into a taco salad or homemade chili. 
• Now let’s not forget dessert! If you are an ice cream fanatic like myself, try some plain frozen Greek yogurt with some crushed berries, a sprinkle of chopped nuts, and a drizzle of honey for sweetness. 
• For all you chocolate lovers out there, opt for getting a frozen, skinny fudge bar or having frozen strawberries or a banana drizzled with chocolate. 

Incorporating just one small change can have a huge impact on your waistline!