Back-To-School Kid Meals

Solid school performance requires solid nutrition beginning with breakfast. It really is the most important meal of the day. It gives kids the brain power to focus and avoid low blood sugar behavior such as fatigue, headaches, moodiness, and inability to concentrate.

Firstly, we recommend gluten-free, dairy-free and watch-the-sugar eating …
Why? Allergies, sinus/nasal congestion and digestive issues just to name a few reasons. For more information go to the home page, click on “Current Health Message”, scroll to bottom and watch these videos:                                                             #1 Inflammation Part I: The Major Cause of All Diseases
                        #2 Inflammation Part II: The One-Two Knock Out Punch

BREAKFAST FOOD

• Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Oatmeal with cinnamon, made with Silk Unsweetened Almond Milk and a handful of walnuts
• Nature’s Path gluten-free, Whole O’s Cereal , with cashews & Rice Dream Milk
• Organic Boiled Egg(s): 1-2 with 1 slice of toasted Food for Life brand pecan bread with Earth Balance butter.  Try boiling a batch of eggs over the weekend and on a weekday just mush a couple and mix with Vegenaise (healthy mayonnaise) for egg salad instead.
• Van’s Gluten-Free Waffles with berries – come in original, blueberry, flax & apple cinnamon. They also offer gluten-free mini sizes.
• Check out Amy’s frozen, gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free breakfasts

LUNCH
Sometimes a minor change can make a big difference as to whether all of your kid’s lunch winds up in their stomach or not. The ideas below may help make that difference.

• Grilled Cheese Sandwich & Tomato Soup (in thermos)
  Rudi’s White Sandwich Bread with Earth Balance butter and alternativwe cheese Rice Slice (comes in cheddar, mozzarella) or Daiya cheese (These are dairy-free products.)
  Eden brand organic canned soup (homemade soups are not difficult to make – try a crockpot, where you throw everything in and let it simmer.  Plus they are more nutritious, economical and you can make a batch to freeze portions.)
• Baked Beans with Hot Dog
  Cook & cut up an Applegate brand, gluten-free, casein-free chicken dog. Mix into a can of 365 Whole Foods brand Vegan Baked Beans.
• BLT with Turkey Bacon
  Rudi’s White Sandwich Bread, Vegenaise (dairy-free mayonnaise), turkey bacon, lettuce and a big sliced tomato with toast.
• Egg, Spinach Omelet Sandwich
  Sauté spinach in Earth Balance butter, add organic scrambled eggs.
  Toast the Rudi’s White Sandwich Bread and place omelet over a slice of alternative Rice Slice cheese (this is a dairy-free cheese that comes in mozzarella, yellow American cheese flavors.)
• Turkey Tortilla Roll
  Grind fresh organic lemon peel and mix into Vegenaise (healthy mayonnaise), then spread the lemon mayo onto a Brown Rice Tortilla (brand name found at health food store or on-line). Add either Boar’s Head or Applegate turkey slices (its’ nitrate free), then roll (more like fold over into thirds.)
• Macaroni & Cheese
  Gluten-free noodles (Quinoa Harvest – is a light noodle) or any of the brown rice pastas (Tinkyada, Joy, Lunderberg, etc.)  Mixed in frozen carrots & peas. Add shredded Daiya Cheese.
• Chicken Salad
  Shred left-over chicken, mix in chopped celery, add Vegenaise and scoop over lettuce.

DAYTIME/ AFTER SCHOOL SNACKS
Be careful not to over-snack your kids (see blog “Child Snacking Can Pack on 13-18 Lbs. per Year”, March 26, 2010)

• Raw Veggies (Carrot sticks, celery sticks)
• Low Glycemic Fruit (Apple)
• Kind Bars (chewy nut & fruit health bar)
• So Delicious – Greek Style Yogurt (oval shaped container, not the round)(Can also try the rice yogurt)
• Enjoy Life Chocolate Chip cookies
• Pamela’s Lemon Cookies
• RW Garcia Corn Chip (not too salty or greasy) with mild salsa or guacamole.
• Snyder’s or Barkat Gluten-Free Pretzel Sticks
• Crispy Parmesan Protein Gluten free Chips

Can’t find these at your local grocer? Many of the healthy snacks are conveniently available on-line such as at the http://www.glutenfreemall.com, or http://www.gluten-free.net or http://www.shopglutenfreefoods.com. http://www.gluten-freeproduct.com, or http://www.glutenfreeclub.com. Or you can go to the brand company’s website.

ALTERNATIVES TO THE MICROWAVE USE

Given the documented results of microwave use (see previous blog “Wave Good-Bye to the Microwave” July 30, 2012),  it’s time to look for alternatives.

TO RE-HEAT FOOD

The best way to re-heat food is usually the same way you cooked it – for example, if cooked on the stove, it should be re-heated on the stove. But you can still employ some short cuts.

TOASTER OVEN or better yet a CONVECTION / TOASTER OVEN                                                                                        

According to those in the know, convection/ toaster ovens can warm your food in a third the time of conventional ovens. Use an oven safe Pyrex dish for your leftovers to then reheat your foot.

STOVE-TOP STEAMING

Place a little water in a saucepan, add the food and cover with lid. Place over low heat on the stove. This works with most frozen foods. It serves to steam the food.

If someone is coming home late, and you want to give them warm food when they arrive, put a saucepan lid over the food while it is on a (Corelle type) plate. Put the plate of food on a simmering saucepan of water. It will stay warm without drying up (tip from Acres Magazine 1994).

TRY “FLASH COOKING”

Flash cooking is used by cooks in restaurants. It’s a simple method of cooking or heating your foods in the oven between 425-475 degrees Fahrenheit anywhere between 2-10 minutes. This will allow you to heat foods quickly without overcooking them.    Not all foods can be “flash cooked”. Go to Cooking in a Flash: How to Reheat Food without Overcooking It, for more information.

TO BOIL WATER

Start with water which is filtered with a high quality filter. Then, instead of the microwave to warm your water for tea, instant cereal, etc., consider the following:

> Use an electric or stovetop kettle to heat water.
> Install a steaming hot water tap in your kitchen.                                                                                                                                         > Purchase a water cooler with a hot tap.

These alternatives can still warm your food and water in a timely way and are much healthier for your body.