Mindful eating is for anyone - parents, teens, kids, even the little ones. We can start with how we bring a new awareness to what drives our food choices. Mindful eating helps us to develop a greater awareness of the thoughts and feelings that drive our food choices, and a greater sense of appreciation for your body and the food that we eat. We can create exercises for kids that will help us to think about our current relationship with food and what we might want it to look like.
***Listen to the blog here to learn more - Happy Kids and Mindful Eating (click here)
A Few of My Favorite Smoothies!
Anybody who knows me knows how much I love smoothies! I really enjoy coming up with new healthy versions of them. Over the years I have encouraged parents to send them in with kids and allow me to keep them in my mini fridge, because they are the winning ticket to that afternoon energy slump some kids experience, which in turn can become a negative behavior outcome. What a difference! Smoothies are a great way to turn fruits and vegetables into a delicious treat for kids. They love it and the benefits are huge. Ingredients can be both mom- and kid-approved! Serving the smoothie in a fun cup or with a straw can help distract kids from the delicious nutrients and vitamins they're getting in their cup. Spinach is much more appealing when masked with sweetness or sipped through a holiday-themed straw! Visit the blog on my website for a couple of my favorites!
The Sweet Treat
Ingredients
1 green apple
1 Honeycrisp apple
1 1/2 cups spinach leaves
1 lemon
1 cup of water (sometimes we use chocolate milk or fresh orange juice in place of the water. Be creative and try new things!)
Directions Wash and core the apples. Cut the apples into smaller pieces so they blend well and there are no chunks. You can leave the skin on as it has great nutritional benefits (but we peel it off). Add the apples and spinach to a blender (our favorite is the Cuisinart VELOCITY). Using a lemon squeezer, juice the lemon into the blender. Add the water and blend! Serve in a cute cup and start the day knowing your kiddos have healthy fruits and veggies in their bellies.
The Chunky Monkey
Ingredients
1 cup chocolate almond milk
1/2 cup ice
2 small frozen bananas
1/4 cup creamy almond butter
1 Tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon of honey
1 teaspoon of chocolate chips (our favorite is Enjoy Life Morsels)
Directions Every Friday when I go grocery shopping, I peel and freeze 4 bananas. I put them in a freezer bag and keep them handy in the fridge for when we need them for recipes like this one. Add the chocolate almond milk, ice, and frozen bananas to a blender. Spoon the almond butter, cocoa powder, and honey into the blender. Sprinkle with the chocolate chips and blend.
Ingredients
1 cup vanilla almond milk
1/2 cup ice
2 small frozen bananas
¾ cup spinach (frozen or fresh)
½ peeled and diced cucumber
½ avocado
1 teaspoon of honey
Directions Add the vanilla almond milk, ice, frozen bananas, spinach, diced cucumber, avocado, and honey into a blender. Blend and serve in a cute jar or cup.
Smoothies are a fun way to cook with your kids, experiment with different flavors, and sneak in super healthy nutrients!
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