Greetings from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania! Things have been busy. I am still a working mom of three, working full time who is trying to make a difference. I do a lot of things and try to be present so that I can learn from them. I share them on this blog so that we can learn together. Below are some thoughts, hacks, and/or lessons that I have learned from navigating my world. Below is a tale of my road to becoming the mother of three. It was a road filled with joys and disappointments. However, I wouldn't giving nothing for my journey now. Here's to embracing every step of the journey, even the painful ones, and embracing the lessons learned along the way.
We have completed two weeks of school so far. I have managed to feed my kids breakfast and prepare them with healthy lunches. They don't give a medal for that in the Olympics, but I think it should be recognized somewhere. I talk to lots of moms who are overwhelmed by providing their kids with healthful options when they have limited time, their kids have limited palettes, and they are short on ideas.
Some Food Bloggers Have Solved the Lunch Box Dilemma
The good thing for those moms and me is that there are food bloggers who have researched this and have provided us with the guide to making school lunches healthy and tasty. I have some links to lunch box ideas below. Also, my friend, Laura Fuentes who produces the blog, "Momables" has meal plans for lunch and dinner that can help you cover both bases.
I have to say that buying a bento box with a cooling gel pack was a great investment. Now, I can send my daughter to school with boiled eggs, hummus, cubes of cheese and salad. She really seems to like lunch more on those days!
Bonus: If You Give Your Kids a Healthy Breakfast You Can Relax
Recently, I attended a party where a mom admitted that she struggled to provide her kids with more than Pop Tarts for breakfast. Although I believe that Pop Tarts are no longer made with high fructose corn syrup they are still not considered a "healthful" choice. I understand why this mom chooses them though. As moms, we want our kids to be happy and fed. Pop Tarts are loaded with sugar, which I am sure puts a smile on her kids faces just like they did with mine. (Yeah, I have enjoyed more than my fair share of Pop Tarts. Don't judge me.)
When you know better though. You do better. So, my advice to those who don't want to feed their kids Pop Tarts is to stop buying them. That way, you won't be tempted.
My mother (unofficial blog researcher) talked to another mom who said that she gives her kids smoothies for breakfast and then doesn't care what they eat for the rest of the day. As someone focused on efficiency, I was intrigued. So, I do try to make smoothies for my kids. On those days, I know that I have given them an adequate dose of fruits and vegetables. So, I relax the rest of the day. If they don't want vegetables at dinner, no biggie, I know that they have spinach or kale coursing through their veins and all i right with the world!
On other days, I feed them cereal, toast, or frozen waffles. On those days, I make sure that they also have fresh berries, a vitamin and a glass of ice water. No mom is perfect. However, with a little effort, we can provide our kids with healthful meals.
Here's to healthful meals!!!
How to get kids to eat their vegetables
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