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Get Fit in the New Year without Spending a Fortune

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Fitness tips on a budget
Image from Pixabay

It’s the New Year again! Are you making any resolutions?

Some of the most popular ones are to:

  • Get organized
  • Try new things
  • Manage time better
  • Reduce debt
  • Lose weight and get fit

If the last two items are on your resolution list, then this post is for you.

Back in October I wrote a post titled Wanted: Motivation to Run. I explained how I have been terribly lazy as far as exercise concerned and I was thinking that if I could get into running, that would be a really great. However, I also confessed that I cannot stand running. Shortly after that post was published my cousin called to check-in with me to see how the running was going. Well, I hadn’t started yet.

Then a friend of mine who does run – and is training for a 1/2 marathon – read my post and invited me to run with her. As much as I wanted to, I just thought I might be out of my league running with someone who loves to run. Long story short, after a month long stint of doing yoga and the Wii Fit, I fell back into my old habit of not exercising but I know I need to find a way to get active and stick to it! So, even though I’m not big on New Year’s Resolutions I am going to give them a try this year — and one of the resolutions I am going to make is to lose a little weight and get fit.

I am really ready to get back into shape but I’m also trying to reduce debt, so I’m not ready to fork out the money for a gym membership just yet. It’s not that I don’t think they are worth the money, I just want to make sure that I have the time and motivation to take full advantage of everything a gym has to offer. So I decided to do some research to see what weight loss programs and exercise options are available that will motivate me, fit with my lifestyle and won’t cost a fortune.

Find Free Support

I was able to locate several free weight loss plans:

FitClick.com
Spark People (which I signed up for just to see what it was)
Biggest Loser League

I didn’t join all of these of course but they all say that they provide free recipes, meal plans, workout plans, calorie counts, community support and so much more. These types of websites can be highly motivating for many folks. I decided to check out Spark People and see how that one works for me. I’ll let you know what I think about it. The great thing is – since it’s free – if I don’t like it I can try one of the dozens of other free programs.

Keep Track of What You Eat

If you have a smartphone this can be pretty easy. All you need to do is find a calorie tracker app (there are a lot of free ones out there) and you are all set. This is a way not only to keep track of what you are putting into your body but you also find out how many calories you are consuming. It has been shown that simply writing down what you eat can help you lose weight.

Often times we (and by this I mean me) just eat mindlessly; while watching television, working on the computer, or snacking because we are bored. If you have to write down what you eat, you might think twice about picking up that brownie. I downloaded the diet and calorie counter through Spark People. It was free and I have already calculated my breakfast. I was very surprised that the banana I had was 207 calories! I am not trying to diet or anything now, I am simply keeping track of my diet and exercise so I know what I need to work on.

If you don’t have a smartphone you can keep track via your computer or just keep a notebook handy write down what you eat and figure out your calories at the end of the day. You can find calorie information on the web fairly easy or in a book.

Get Walking

This is a totally free good for you excercise plan. The only thing it may cost you is a good pair of walking shoes. The most simple thing for any of us to do is to just get walking. It takes a lot to get me out the door but once I’m outside (as long as it isn’t raining or freezing) I really enjoy myself. I just need to myself go!

(Via Amazon.com Only $7.99 at the time of posting)

Workout at Home

The thing with working out at home is that you can fit excercise into your schedule pretty easily. You just have to pick your program and pick your time. There are as lot of great DVDs out there that can help you get a workout and if you don’t think you can get a good workout at home, you are wrong. I have the Biggest Loser Weight Loss Yoga DVD and it really kicks my booty.

Eat Healthy

Sometimes folks think that eating healthy means spending a lot to do so — not true though. If you are couponing, purchasing fruit and veggies in season and you cut way back on eating out, you can eat right and even save money! Check out my post 10 Ways to Save on Your Grocery Bill these are tips that you can use in addition to couponing — or if you aren’t into coupons using these tips on their own will still help you save.

I’ll keep you posted on my progress and I would LOVE to hear some of your New Year’s Resolutions as well. If you are making a New Year’s resolution you may want to check aead my post from last year Tips for making your NewYear’s Relsolution Stick.

Good Luck and Happy New Year!!!

Are you trying to get fit next year? What is your plan?

Health Tips that Cost Nothing

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Low cost Health Tips
Found on Pixabay

Every Christmas season, there is nothing like seeing family and friends share in the fun, food, and presents. This year though, more and more people have been tightening their belts with everything from Christmas Eve and Christmas day menus to presents.  So it is especially important to take note of all the things we can do to save a buck or two.

Funnily enough, this is not relegated to food and gifts only. There are so many things we can do to avoid unnecessary expenses that are not really related only to the Christmas season. I don’t know how it is in other countries, but in the Philippines, the couple of months leading to Christmas are usually the coldest in the year. And because of this, people tend to stay indoors more and up getting sick more often because of the increased time in close quarters.  We can save a lot from medicines and doctors visits if we just pay attention and plan ahead.  Here are some tips to help avoid health-related expenses during the Christmas season.

Get your kids’ vaccines updated

If you have an infant, this tip might be an unnecessary one for you. This is because infants have a regular list of vaccines they need to be given in the first 12 months of life.  But if you have a toddler or preschooler, you might want to rethink some traditional plans.  Before, it would be enough to have one or two chicken pox vaccines between the infant year to the eighteenth.  These days, a lot of pediatricians recommend another shot in between due to the mutation of the chicken pox strain.  Sounds scary, true. But a shot will allay fears.  Thankfully, my son and daughter are really good about shots.  A simple distraction and a promise of a lollipop is enough to ensure a cry-free session at the doctor.

Make sure you get your kids checked while you’re at the doctors

Since you’re at your doctor’s anyway, it would be a good idea to do an overall check-up.  Get their eyes, ears, throat, tummy, weight, and height checked.  Not only is this one way to make sure they are in tip-top shape before the Holidays, but it also keeps YOU updated as to how your kids are growing.  Since I don’t need to visit the doctor ever three months anymore and really only see her bi-annually or if the kids are really sick (which, thankfully, has been very rare), I use these visits to keep track of their growth in general. It is also a great time to do it since I have the info every end of the year –for the start of the next year- and every mid-year- for comparison.

Teach the kids the value of cleanliness and being organic

I live in a tropical country so we have wet and humid weather all the time.  For kids, this means a lot of rainwater and mud.  While I am all for the kids building a natural immunity to dirt, I also am very mindful of the millions of diseases you can get from being carelessly dirty.  I try to avoid such serious illnesses like Typhoid fever and Hepatitis from teaching my kids to always wash their hands after using the bathroom and before every meal.  They bathe three times a day, especially before they go to bed as they need to wash away all the dirt and grime collected over the day.  Some people don’t think this is necessary, but I believe otherwise, especially in a tropical country.

I try to avoid other less serious illnesses like skin rashes or diarrhea by monitoring closely what they eat.  This is a tough one since Christmas time is all about caroling and parties for kids and both activities naturally come with food.  I just stick to my one rule and it has served me well, so far.  As much as possible, the kids can eat food prepared with as little additives as possible.  So if we are eating at someone else’s house, I stay away from food from the can or cooked with MSG, and any and all sodas.  Of course, there is no keeping the kids away from chips and candy so I allow this within reason. A deal with the kids usually works.  They can have a handful of 1 kind of chip (choices screened by moi) and 2 pieces of candy per house, and as much juice as they want as long as they drink the same amount of water (which I bring from home). This has gotten me through this season, food-allergy free.

On the whole I try to keep them to drinking fresh fruit juices but I do also take the bottled ones if the fruits just can’t be had here- like grape or strawberry or peach juice all of which are very tough or expensive to come by.

In my country, good healthy care is not free so you really have to pay attention to what the kids are exposed to and to their vaccine records not only to keep them consistently healthy but also to keep yourself from drowning in medical expenses otherwise.  I hope these simple tips are helpful, even a bit.

How do you keep your kids healthy?

Outdoor Activities Your Children Will Thank You For

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Jumping in a pile of leaves is just one outdoor activity your kids will enjoyPlaytime is essential to the healthy physical, social and emotional development of children. With families’ busy schedules and the increased use of technology as a form of entertainment, children are playing outside less and less. Playtime, both inside and outside, allows a child to use their imagination, which is extremely important for cognitive development. Being outside allows your child to be much more active in their play and is a change of scenery for them as well, providing their senses with different smells, sounds, sights, etc than they are exposed to inside. Here are some outdoor activities that your children will thank you for!

Classic games

If your children are not already familiar with the classic games of hide-and-seek or tag, teach them. These games are classics because all children love them, the rules are simple, and they can be played by children of all ages. They require no tools and can be played just about anywhere. These are a great way to ensure your child gets the physical activity s/he needs.

Jump in a pile of leaves

Raking is a task that needs to be completed each fall so why not have some fun with it/ Your children can play outside while you rake or they can even help by helping you bag the leaves. This is a great way to spend quality time together while also completing a chore off your to-do list. To make this task even more fun, pile the leaves up as high as you can and allow your children to jump in the pile. Children love this! Leave the very first pile of leaves for them to jump into. This provides them with extra time to play in them while you rake the rest. The leaves are easy to gather again when they are done playing in them. As an added bonus, playing in the leaves also provides for some great photo opportunities.

Wash the car together

Another great way to get something off your to do list while having fun with your children. A great way to cool off as well.

Have a picnic

Children have to eat so why not move the meal outside? You can set them up on a picnic table, if you have one, or on a blanket. Let’s face it, sometimes it is nice to not have to clean up all the crumbs from the floor too. Share a little with the animals.

Read outside

Such a simple idea but one children love. Spread a blanket on the grass and sit or lay down with your child and read, read, and read.

Go on a nature walk

Take your children on a walk or simply explore your own backyard but let them explore. Let them look at flowers, the leaves on the trees, under rocks, in puddles. It is amazing what they will discover and you may just learn a little something yourself!

Have a dance party

Hook up some music outside and let them dance, dance, dance! As a variation you can play outdoor freeze dance.

Have a water balloon fight

Water balloon fights are not something a child gets to do everyday and they are a great way to cool off. Of course, they can get out of hand without rules such as no throwing at peoples’ heads, so make sure your children know your rules ahead of time. Water balloon fights also require some preparation and clean up but they are worth it. Have the children involved in the clean up of the broken balloons. You can make it yet another game by seeing who can collect the most broken balloon pieces. Or you can assign a different color balloon to each child and have them collect only the pieces of balloon in their assigned color.

Fly a kite

Kites are relatively inexpensive and you can even make your own at home (click here) or search the internet on your own for other step-by-step instructions.

Sit or run barefoot on the grass

Children love to run around “free” and feel the grass beneath their feet. It is not something we do often enough.

Visit a construction site

I do not mean play on a construction site as we all know this is dangerous. What I mean is to walk or drive to a construction site and watch from a safe distance. This is an especially great activity for children who love building things and/or love trucks and machines.

Garden together

Whether it be a flower garden or a vegetable garden, most children love to dig in the dirt. Gardens are very educational and beautiful to look at or tasty to eat. Children love being able to pick food from their own garden and eat it for supper that night!

Use your driveway as a canvas

Thanks to sidewalk chalk and paint, children who love to draw can now use the biggest canvas they have ever seen – your driveway! These drawing substances wash off in the rain so no need to worry about any of your childrens’ creations becoming permanent fixtures. Don’t be shy! Get in on the fun with your children! Decorate the driveway as you see fit! My daughters and I have decorated the driveway for Easter, Christmas, Halloween, birthdays and many other special occasions. They also loved practising printing their names and other simple words.

Shovel the driveway together

Winter can make it much less tempting to get outside and have some fun. Adults typically cannot wait for the white stuff to go away but children love the snow. Shovelling the driveway cannot be avoided, so why not get them outside helping you? Children love to be helpful. If you have one of the scoop shovels you can always take breaks and offer your children a ride in the bucket of the shovel. My daughters love that!

Build a snowfort

My daughters are happy with snow piled up to make walls, no roof. We made snow seats for them to sit on and just left an opening for a “door”.

Build a snowman

What child does not like to build a snowman? My daughters actually own a “Snowman Kit” which was purchased for them as a gift. It comes with two pieces of coal for eyes, a plastic carrot for a nose, a black felt hat, and 3 large, black buttons. We use them everytime we build a snowman and as long as we pick up the pieces before the snowman melts or shortly thereafter, before the pieces become frozen in the snow, we always find the pieces no problem. We have had it for years and still have all of the pieces.

Have a scavenger hunt

You can hide items you already own or have purchased or you can simply have your children hunt for items you know will be easily found outside such as a rock, a leaf, a stick, etc. You can make the hunt more challenging by adding items that could very likely be found outside but are not laying around just anywhere, such as a tennis ball or a piece of ribbon, etc.

Geocaching

Check out the official geocaching website for more information on this very entertaining outdoor activity. It is basically a treasure hunt where you use GPS coordinates to find “caches” hidden by fellow geocachers. There are currently 1, 236, 409 active geocaches around the world.

Healthy and Easy Home Eating

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These 3 recipes are fast and easy o make
Found on Pixabay

For the most part, my kids are are fairly easy to feed. I’m lucky to say that I don’t have major horror stories about feeding disasters. But, like most kids, they have their favorites. Here are some healthy, easy, favorite meals that you can make at home.

Breakfast Wake-Me-Up:

My kids love muffins and cupcakes. I think they associate the shape of this treat with yummy goodness because they gobble it all up regardless of whether they are sweet or savory.

Oatmeal-Berry Muffin

Ingredients:

  • 1 and 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cups oats (the quick-cooking kind is better)
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 beaten egg
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar (packed tightly)
  • 1/4 cup cooking oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 3/4 cup berries (blueberries are nice but choose your own, if you have special preferences)

Directions:

  1. Line a muffin pan with 12 cups, or grease them if you don’t have paper cups.
  2. Mix the first 5 ingredients in a large bowl. After mixing, make a well in the center.
  3. Combine the rest of the ingredients EXCEPT the berries in a separate bowl and then add this liquid mixture to the flour-oat mixture all in one go. Mix until just moistened. You should have a lumpy batter, NOT a smooth pancake-like batter.
  4. Gently fold in the berries.
  5. Spoon the batter into the muffin cups until they are 3/4 full.
  6. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 16-18 minutes for large muffins and 10-12 minutes for smaller ones, or check until done. You should be able to insert a toothpick and have it come out clean. Don’t over-bake or your muffins will become rocks.

Lunch Energy-Booster:

To save you the McDonald’s trip (expense and unhealthiness), make your own cheeseburger that your kids will surely love.

Cheeseburger Champion

Ingredients:

  • 3 tablespoons quick-cooking oats
  • 1 pound lean, ground beef
  • 1/2 teaspoon of your favorite steak seasoning
  • burger buns
  • cheese slices
  • lettuce, tomato, pickles

Directions:

  1. Put your oats in any clean, tough, sandwich bag and crush them to a powdery consistency.
  2. Mix your beef, crushed oats, and steak seasoning thoroughly. Be careful not to squash the meat though.
  3. Divide into 4 even patties.
  4. Take an indoor grill and coat with non-stick spray or lightly brush with some oil. Cook patties until the meat is no longer pink in the middle and the juices show no color. Turn them over occasionally.
  5. Line each bun with lettuce, tomato, pickles, and cheese. You can choose whatever your kids like here. You can also opt for low fat cheese slices as well.
  6. Place your grilled patties on the veggies and bun. Use regular ketchup as dressing if you want but I’d skip on the mayo as this has unwanted and unnecessary calories, and viola!

Dinner Cool-Down:

I like dinners to be light and healthy but still oh-so-yummy. Again, I am lucky that my kids like fish. This is their favorite dish.

Cereal-Crusted Tilapia Fillets

  • Some cleaned Tilapia fillets
  • Ordinary breakfast cereal (not the frosted kind), crushed lightly but not powdery
  • 1-2 eggs, beaten
  • all-purpose flour
  • salt and pepper
  • veggies (your choice)

Directions

  1. Assemble your work station to make it easy to put together the fillets. Have a plate with your flour seasoned with salt and pepper, a bowl with your beaten eggs, another plate with your crushed cereal.
  2. Take your fillet and coat them in the order of your stations. So, coat evenly with flour first, dip evenly into the eggs, then coat evenly with cereal.
  3. Wrap a baking trap with foil then spray a baking rack with non-stick spray and place on top of the tray.
  4. Arrange each piece on the rack.
  5. Bake Tilapia fillets until the crust is golden brown.
  6. Combine this with some ketchup or home-made honey mustard dressing and some veggies or rice. I alternate between a brocolli-and-snow pea (boiled then lightly fried in olive oil) dish and brown rice.

Home-made Honey Mustard Dressing:

Take low fat mayo, some prepared mustard, and about a teaspoon of honey and mix together. Adjust according to taste.

All these recipes guarantee that:

  • You will have dishes that are preservative-free, reduced fat, and delicious
  • You can make these in 30-45 minutes tops
  • The kids can even help out, making it a fun bonding moment with a health and cooking lesson as well. Just be sure not to let them handle the raw meat and seafood just yet.

Eating at home can be healthy, fun and easy. These three simple dishes are just a few among a multitude of recipes you can do to make eating at home a treat for the family.

What are your favorite simple and healthy recipes?

Five Family Dinners for Around Ten Dollars

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Chicken parm is just one easy recipe that can be made for under $10Are you getting bored with the same three or four meals on your dinner rotation each week? I know I am. With money tight and picky kids, I feel your pain. If you are looking for some fresh ideas to feed your family that cost around ten dollars, here are five ideas that have all passed the kid test in my household, yet don’t make my husband roll his eyes and say “that again?”

1) Easy Chicken Parm

I got this recipe off the back of a bag of Tyson’s Grilled and Ready Cooked Grilled Chicken Breast Strips and modified it a bit to make it my own. It’s fast, easy, and nutritious.

Grocery List

  • One cup Tyson Grilled Chicken Breast Strips or use left-over cooked chicken from another night. A bag of pre-cooked grilled chicken costs about $7.00, but will make 3 or 4 meals. Approximate cost for tonight’s meal- $2.00.
  • One package shredded mozzarella (I use a low-fat variety)- about $2.50.
  • One jar spaghetti sauce- about $3.00.
  • One package fresh baby spinach-about $3.00.
  • Optional- one package of spaghetti- about $2.00.

Approximate Cost $10.00-$12.00.

Directions: Follow the recipe for Chicken Marinara on the back of the Tyson bag or at Tyson.com

After the chicken is sauteed and the sauce is simmering, add several cups of baby spinach leaves and cover. After the spinach is cooked to your taste, sprinkle dish with mozzarella cheese and cover again until melted. Serve over spaghetti or a pasta of your choice.

2) Chicken Fried Rice

This is a fan favorite in my house and my five-year-old loves to help scramble the eggs!

Grocery List

  • One cup Tyson Grilled Chicken Breast Strips (same as above)- around $2.00.
  • 3 eggs (out of a dozen, should run you about a dollar).
  • 3 cups instant brown rice (less than a dollar).
  • ½ cup frozen green peas (less than a dollar).
  • One bottle soy sauce- about $3.00.

Approximate Cost $8.00

Directions: Saute chicken in canola oil and then scramble three eggs in the same pan. While this is cooking, make your instant rice in a separate pot. When the rice is ready, drain and transfer to the chicken and egg mixture. Cook ingredients at high heat with a little more oil until it browns up. Add frozen peas and soy sauce last and cook over low heat until peas are cooked through.

3) Crock Pot Roast

Great for days when you know you come home late from kids’ activities, this dish smells great as soon as you walk through the door. There is no need to force the kids to eat a separate serving of vegetables… it’s in there! This recipe usually makes enough for left-overs, too.

Grocery List

  • Pot roast (enough for 4 servings)- $6.00
  • Pot roast seasoning packet- $1.00
  • 4 large potatoes- $2.00
  • 6 large carrots- $2.00

Approximate Cost– $11.00

Directions: Cut potatoes and carrots into large pieces and place on the bottom of the slow cooker. Place pot roast on top of vegetables. Add water to seasoning packet, mix and pour over the top. Cook around 4 hours on high, then cook on low for another 1-2 hours.

4) Baked Mac ‘n Cheese

If you are sick to death of the boxed kind, try this easy and inexpensive recipe for homemade mac ‘n cheese. It is a real comfort food that will fill up your kids’ bellies on chilly nights.

Grocery List

  • 1 (12 ounce) package macaroni- $2.00.
  • 1 egg- about 50 cents.
  • 2 cups milk- $1.00
  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted- less than a dollar.
  • 2 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese- $3.00
  • Salt and pepper to taste- pennies.

Approximate cost– $8.00

Optional: For variety, I like to add either diced ham with green peas or broccoli florets.

Directions: See allrecipes.com for complete directions. A four star recipe.

5) Bread Crumb Chicken or Chops

This recipe can be thrown together in about 10 minutes and it is a hit with my husband and both kids. When my son ate the recipe made with pork chops, instead of the usual chicken, he declared that it was the “best batch you have ever made.”

Grocery List

  • One package of chicken breasts (4) or Boneless Pork Chops- $6.00
  • ½ Cup Breadcrumbs- 50 cents
  • ½ cup milk- 50 cents.
  • Approximate cost- $8.00

P.S. I like to serve mine with rice pilaf and a veggie on the side.

Directions: Dip chicken or pork in milk and then roll in bread crumbs until covered. Saute in olive or canola oil, turning over frequently, until brown. Cover and cook at reduced heat until the meat is cooked completely through. Voila!

To save even more money at the grocery store, don’t forget to:

  • Buy on sale. Look in the fliers each week and plan your menu choices around what is on sale each week (cut out coupons too).
  • Buy fruits and vegetables in season, as they are always cheaper.

Do you have any favorite family dinners that cost less than $10 to make?

Healthy Tips for Feeding Your Family

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slow cooker recipes Today, we are all looking for ways to get our families to eat well. Given that obesity is at an all time high in the U.S. and with Type 2 diabetes on the rise, it is more important than ever to teach our children how to eat healthy. Being obese can put people at risk for other health issues such as; cancer, heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure and much more. If you feel overwhelmed but know that you need to make a change, just keep reading. I will offer some simple changes to get you and your family on the fast track to eating right.

Meal Planning

I can not stress enough, how important it is to plan your meals in advance. If you sit down and construct a weekly menu and stick to it, you will be far less likely to make poor eating decisions. Shopping weekly is best because it ensures that you have a lot of fresh fruits and veggies on hand. Meal planning helps you save money as well. If you add up those panicked trips to the supermarket when you have no idea what you will serve for dinner, or the times you just gave up and decided to eat out, you’ll be amazed at how much money you are spending. A few more quick shopping tips: buy what’s in season, shop the farmer’s market when you can, and don’t load up on junk. One more suggestion I have is to become “best friends” with your slow cooker. It’s like having someone else cook dinner for you and unlike packaged and processed meals, you know exactly what’s in it. A great site for slow cooker recipes is http://slowandsimple.com/

Just Say “No” To White Stuff

A super simple and really healthy change you can make is to stop buying anything white — buy whole grain instead. I’m talking whole grain bread, flour, pasta, buns, etc. Maybe your kids would freak out if they saw their PB&J on deliciously nutty whole grain bread. We don’t want to send the little angels into shock for goodness sake, so just try to find the simplest looking whole grain bread you can. Nothing fancy, just be sure it’s not white. They might scoff at first but they’ll get used to it. The earlier you start, the easier it will be to make these changes.

Nothing But The Flax

Let me give it to you straight; flaxseed is incredibly healthy for you! If you aren’t eating it, you certainly should be. Flaxseed is rich is lignans which have been recognized to have anti-cancer properties. Flaxseed is packed with Omega 3 fatty acids, which help your brain, your skin and your hair. It assists your body in burning fat, keeps you healthy and is a great source of fiber. I buy milled flaxseed and store it in the fridge. However, I’m told buying flaxseed whole, then grinding right before you serve it, is best but I just don’t have that kind of time. It can be sprinkled in or on just about anything. Are you making muffins? Sprinkle some flax in the mix. Having some ice cream? Sprinkle flax on top. Making Chili? Add some flax in it. Your family probably won’t even notice this healthy addition.

One Fruit, One Veggie Rule

In our home, this has been a rule of mine since our boys could eat solid foods. I have always included at least one fruit and one veggie at lunch and dinner. For breakfast there is almost always a fruit and at least one of their snacks is a fruit or vegatable. My boys are really great about eating their fruits and veggies but sometimes one or both, will turn their nose up at something and that’s ok. I offered and that’s what’s important. You can always enforce the “no thank you bite” which means they need to at least try it. Even if your child says they don’t like something, keep offering it. It can take 15-20 times of offering a food before a child will decide they like it. With toddlers it’s even crazier, one day it’s their favorite thing and the next day it is the worst thing ever. Don’t give up, don’t lose hope, they won’t like everything but you’ll find a lot of things you may not have thought they would eat. It also works well if you offer at least one item that you know they will eat. One more tip is to avoid canned fruits and vegetables; always purchase fresh or frozen, there is less sodium, sugar and they retain most if not all of the magnificent vitamins and minerals that our bodies need.

Ask Your Kids For Help

You can teach your kids about eating healthy by including them in the meal planning. Let each child pick a day when they get to plan the dinner menu. Don’t forget to ask them to pick out the fruits and veggies too. It’s great to include them in on the shopping trip. If you can, you’ll find that it’s easier and makes the trip more special, if you can take just one child each week. Be sure to read lables and explain what makes certain items healthy and others not. In the produce aisle, show them all of the beautiful and colorful fresh fruits and vegetables there. Let them pick out something fun like an artichoke, star fruit or mango to try.

Last but not least, make it fun and keep it simple!

Do you have any additional healthy eating tips to share?

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