What to feed the kids this summer?
School’s Out for Summer!
Now that the kids are home for the summer, most parents will do their best to keep them busy and well fed. Unfortunately for most families though, Mom and Dad still have to work, so things get a little more complicated, especially in the food department.
Some things NOT to stock up on…
Fruit juice – the average glass of juice contains the juice and the sugar of 3 to 6 of whatever fruit the juice is made from. Most people, let alone kids, would not eat 3 to 6 pieces of fruit in one sitting. What you don’t get in that juice glass is all of the wonderful fiber that comes in nature’s packaging. You also don’t get all of the nutrients that the fruit itself would provide because of the processing to make the juice. Freshly juiced fruits and vegetables should be drunk within 20 minutes of the juicing process in order to get the maximum benefits of the enzymes, which disappear with time. Further, testing has revealed that in many cases, there is evidence of Arsenic and Lead levels in commercially prepared fruit juices far and above what is considered acceptable for drinking water.
Fruity Yogurt – again, many of these have lots of sugar. Please read the label of everything that you buy and eat. There is a lot of information on the package. Put more attention in what the back of the label says than the front.
What to do instead…
Spring Water – just by itself, it has an amazing taste. But if you want a change, infuse your water with slices of cucumber and mint or slices of lemon or any other fruit that you like. Try orange and apple slices or strawberries and melon. Use your imagination.
Plain Yogurt and fresh fruit. If you must sweeten it, try Sweet Leaf® Stevia (because it is pure stevia without fillers).
Nuts – plain or mixed with some of your favorite spices (like cinnamon). They are easy to carry and take with you anywhere.
Seeds – also easy to carry and packed with nourishment.
Crudities – celery with almond or other nut butter, for example.
Date bites – easy to make and again, easy to carry.
I think of my kitchen and a recipe as a laboratory experiment that we get to eat at the end. I learned from Mary Poppins a long time ago that “in every job that must be done, there is an element of fun. You find the FUN and SNAP the job’s a game." Make a game out of finding fun recipes to make and see how many new foods that you can add to your repertoire.
Have a great summer!
