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Well it's been a long time (way too long!) since my last newsletter. You might have noticed some changes to the Easy Kids Recipes website, including a new look and feel website design, new recipes, and new articles. If you recently signed up for the Recipes Express newsletter and this is the first newsletter you've received, welcome to the Easy Kids Recipes Community. I hope you enjoy! *******Table of Contents:******* 1. Back to School Lunch Ideas ****************************
Summer is just about over (at least in the Northern Hemisphere) and it's back to school. Making a healthy lunch for kids can sometimes be a challenge. Here are a few tips: No junk This one can be a challenge, but it is possible to stay away from junk food and provide a healthy lunch that tastes great. Stay away from processed foods that are full of sugar, salt, and artificial colors and preservatives. This will cut down on hyper-activity and give kids longer lasting energy. If you must serve chips, find corn chips and potato chips that are cooked in non-hydrogenated oils (oils such as canola, sunflower, and olive oil are best) and are free from preservatives. Find the peanut butter made only of peanuts and salt and jelly (jam) that doesn't have added sugar. Serve brown bread instead of white. H2O Instead of soft drinks or fruit drinks, encourage kids to drink good old fashioned WATER. Yes, studies show that drinking plenty of water can assist with circulation. Kids won't be as hungry if they drink lots of water. They will think more clearly and be able to focus more on their school work. An apple a day My kids' school started a program last year that allowed primary age students to eat a small fruit snack (fresh fruit only, no dried fruit or processed fruit roll-ups) every morning at 10:00 am. The results were overwhelmingly positive. The kids concentrated on their work throughout the morning after having one serve of fruit each day. So send some apple or orange slices to school ever day. (Tip: squeeze a little lemon over the apple slices - this will keep them from browning during the day!) Veg out
Click here for some easy dip recipe ideas.
Be creative - variety is the spice of life Try a variety of foods so lunches aren't boring. Use different meats (chicken, turkey, beef, pork) as well as seafood and eggs. Also try a varitety of veggies, and different types of breads (sandwich slice bread, bread rolls, buns, bagels, croissants). For kids who hate "soggy" sandwiches, toast the bread. A little variety will make lunches a lot more interesting and fun!
2. Lunch Box Recipes Try these easy lunch recipes: Avo and Cream Cheese Sandwich 1 avocado Cut avocado in half, remove seed, and use a small spoon to scoop out flesh. In a small bowl, mix avocado flesh, cream cheese and carrots together. Stir rigorously until ingredients are well mixed. Spread over bread and make sandwiches. Turkey Croissant Sandwich turkey slices Cut croissant in half. Toss spinach leaves in dressing. Layer croissant with slices of turkey, spinach leaves, and black olives. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add a little cranberry sauce for extra flavor if you like. Roasted Eggplant Loaf small eggplant Slice eggplant and bell pepper and place on a broiler pan. Brush on olive oil then salt. Broil (grill) for 3-5 minutes on each side until soft and well cooked (avoid burning). Cut bread loaf down center. Place slices of eggplant, bell pepper, and basil on top of open bread. Sprinkle vinegar and oil on top, then cover with bread loaf lid.
Click here for more kid lunch recipes.
Cooking for kids is fun and rewarding. Watching them enjoy your food brings so much satisfaction. Passing on the basic life skills that are involved in cooking is also important to a parent. Benni Jenyfari shares with us the "Top 5 Things to Teach your Kids about Cooking" in a new article. From safety in the kitchen to food preparation and cleaning up, check out Benni's tips.
Click here to read this article.
Visitors to the Easy Kids Recipes website come from all over the world. Not everyone uses the imperial system like Americans. Converting a measurement in a recipe from cups to liters or ounces to grams can be confusing.
Check out this basic conversion chart for cooking measurements.
Thanks again for subscribing to the Recipes Express newsletter. "Recipe of the Day" is back again and I'll add a new recipe to the home page every day, so keep coming back to the website for more. If you like this newsletter, feel free to forward it on to a friend. Happy kid cooking!
Clarissa the Mom Chef |