Healthy & Easy Family Meal Ideas

As National Nutrition Month comes to an end, I wanted to share some healthy meals the whole family will love. Finding healthy meals the whole family will eat (and are easy to cook and easy to clean up) can be challenging. Below I am sharing five ideas that work well for me and my family!

Often times just changing a few ingredients (and/or leaving a few ingredients out) can make a huge difference in how healthy a meal is for our families. So for this post, I have chosen a few favorites and considered how to adjust them to make them healthier.

1. Tacos!

So when you think healthy, you may not immediately think of tacos. However, I think it is pretty easy to make them healthy. So here are my tips for making tacos healthy:

• Use chicken, turkey, or fish (leaner proteins)

• Add veggies - fajita-style veggies are easy to cook in a skillet and taste good!

• Use beans - beans are a great source of fiber and protein!

• Use your family's favorite toppings, but in moderation (the hard part)

Tacos are so easy to make and include most of the parts of the My Plate food recommendations. It is also a great way to include a variety of food in your family's meal.

2. Homemade Pizza

My husband and I have been making our own pizza for years! And it is always so delicious! Since my son has a garlic allergy, making our own pizza is a great way to be able to serve him pizza (since most commercial pizza sauce includes garlic). You can make your own dough or buy it premade at the grocery store (we usually buy ours pre-made). If you really want to up the healthy game, you can use a cauliflower crust, but let's be honest it is not the same. :-)

Tips for making your pizza healthy:

• Add lots of vegetables!

• Buy whole-grain crust

• Make it a thin-crust pizza

• Choose leaner meats for the toppings (chicken is yummy on a pizza!)

• Use a fresh tomato sauce or a no-salt-added canned tomato sauce

• Use fresh mozzarella (or lower-fat cheeses, natural cheeses are better)

My niece will eat most vegetables if they are covered in cheese. Pizza is a great way to do this! You can even put the vegetables in the sauce and the cheese over the vegetables.

Making pizza is a fun meal for kids to make - so get them involved in the process!

3. Mediterranean Chicken Bowl or Chicken Salad

We love Mediterranean food and making it at home means we can leave out the garlic so my son can eat it too. It's also easy to make. Plus bowls are a great family option because if one of your family members does not like something, it just doesn't go into their bowl, but everyone else can still include it.

What is in our bowl: brown rice, chicken, red onions, olives, tomatoes, cucumbers, tzatziki, feta, and sometimes we include pita bread. (I also sometimes include the garlic spread from Trader Joe's in my bowl.)

If you want to make a salad, just use lettuce instead of rice. This is also great because your kids may prefer rice, while you eat it over lettuce.

We use boneless, skinless, chicken breasts and our seasoning varies every time we make it. Here is a recipe from Feel Good Foodie if you are looking for a recipe. We slice up the chicken after it is cooked and add it to a rice bowl (or salad if making a salad).

4. Burgers

I don't know about your family, but sometimes, we just want a burger. And there are ways to make burgers healthier. Just cooking them at home rather than eating them out is likely going to make them healthier.

Other tips for making them healthier:

• Choose a whole-wheat bun

• Choose leaner meats (chicken, turkey, venison, bison, black bean, etc. )

• Add spices to boost flavor without extra calories (ex. cajun seasoning)

• Top with veggies:

  • tomato

  • lettuce

  • onion

  • red onion

  • sauteed mushrooms or peppers

  • pickles

  • spinach or arugula

  • avocado

  • jalapenos

  • roasted red peppers

  • sliced olives

• Use low-fat cheese

• Use lower-calorie (and lower-sugar) condiments

  • ketchup (bonus if it is no sugar added)

  • mustard

  • hot sauce

  • fresh salsa

• Consider healthy sides!

If you are grilling burgers, you could also grill some veggies. Grilled veggies are delicious and healthy. If you (and/or your kids) want fries, consider making them yourself in the oven instead of buying the frozen pre-made ones.

5. Broccoli Mac & Cheese

I think most kids probably love macaroni and cheese. I know my toddler does. I always keep frozen broccoli in our freezer for an easy vegetable choice. And sometimes I will mix that in with the macaroni and cheese to add vegetables to his plate. Then I usually add some chicken for some protein and maybe another veggie or fruit.

So I 100% admit that usually my macaroni and cheese is the frozen one from Trader Joe's. However, I would like to do better in the future and make it myself. Then I can substitute the pasta for the Banzaa pasta which is made of chickpeas to make it a little healthier (and maybe some other substitutes too). Check out this recipe from Feel Good Foodie.

I hope these ideas are helpful to you and your family!

Remember Mama, you are doing a great job! You got this!

Sources:

• USDA

• Cleveland Clinic (Pizza)

• Feel Good Foodie (Mediterranean Chicken)

• Cleveland Clinic (Burger)

• Feel Good Foodie (Macaroni & Cheese)

Empowered Parenting (Part 1)

I have been going through the Transformational Parenting Process offered by the Jai Institute and I am going to be sharing my experience and some of the amazing information I am learning. This will be a three-part series as I complete the 12-week-long process.

My friend from college recently became a parenting coach. She has three kids and ten years of teaching experience, so when she asked me about participating I was curious about the program as I trusted that it would be high quality if she was choosing to coach other parents through it. There are a number of options that can be helpful to any parent out there, so I encourage any parent to check out her site and the services she offers. Especially if you feel you could be more connected to your children, check out Joyfully Connected Parenting to learn more!

Reasons to Participate in the Transformational Parenting Process:

1. It is science-based

If you have read some of my other posts, you may have realized that I love finding information that is supported by research. That is one of the things I love about this process. The information is well supported by research and brain science.

From the Jai Institute Website:

The specific tools and strategies that we do teach are grounded in the foundations of Non-Violent Communication, Emotional Intelligence, and the Neuroplasticity-work of Dr. Bruce Lipton.

Our work is rooted in Attachment Science—understanding the way we were parented as children and how it defines our relational context—meaning our ability to connect vulnerably and authentically with anyone outside of ourselves as adults, and specifically as it relates to our own children.

2. It is non-judgmental

Another thing that I love is that it is not about judgment. Too often as mothers, we feel judged for not being "perfect" or doing things the "right" way. This program leaves space for our humanity and imperfections. I personally want to be able to work on improving my parenting without feeling like a failure, and this process allows that.

In fact, I am just finishing up week 4 and this quote from the lesson this week spoke to me:

"It is not all or nothing.

We cannot hold ourselves to the expectation that we will show up perfectly, one hundred percent of the time. We will each do our best to show up as often as we can with presence, perseverance, and purpose. We will believe that when we can show up, it matters!"

3. Coaches are thoroughly trained

The coaches go through a seven-month process, which includes going through the twelve-week process and doing the work for their own families. I believe this is so important because they know from personal experience how to make the process work and they can relate to the parenting challenges many of us face on a daily basis.

4. The process focuses on the parents

This is a very parent-focused process. A parent cannot change a child's behavior without changing their own. Throughout the process, you get to reflect on your parenting style and beliefs, and why you have that style/belief system (generally from your own childhood). As you reflect, you are provided with information and strategies to help you adjust to a more empowering parenting style.

5. It is never too early or too late to begin this process

No matter where you are in your parenting journey or how old your children are, this process can be helpful. Children build their attachment with caregivers as infants, but no matter the age of your child, you can work on improving your relationship and work on reconnecting with them.

6. It is a personalized process

During the 12-week process, you watch a weekly video and do a weekly workbook assignment. It is focused on you and your experience. Then each week you meet with your parent coach and because you are meeting with a trained coach each week, this process and the conversations you have is completely personalized to you, your parenting, your personal experiences, your kids, and your family. This is part of what makes the process so powerful and effective.

7. Support

Throughout the process, your coach is there to offer support. You get the opportunity to discuss your parenting challenges and celebrations. The coaching offers an opportunity to talk with another parent (who is also trained to help!) and be offered support in a non-judgemental way.

If you are not ready to commit to a 12-week program, that is okay. There are other options available. If you are interested in improving your parenting style and/or improving your connection with your children, check out Joyfully Connected Parenting.

Click Here to Find Out More About Coaching

Remember Mama, you are doing a great job! You got this!

https://www.joyfullyconnectedparenting.com/

Sources:

• Jai Institute

• Joyfully Connected Parenting

20 Tips for Raising Book Lovers

I love to read and I am hoping that I will share and pass on my love of reading. As a former teacher, I would argue that encouraging a love of reading is one of the most beneficial things you can do for your children. Additionally, because most communities have a public library, it is a wonderful, beneficial, and free activity your child can participate in.

There are some strategies parents can use to help their kids love to read. Check out my tips below.

20 Tips for Raising a Reader:

1. Start Immediately - Even newborns benefit from reading and it's never too late to start

2. Model reading - seeing you read helps them want to read

3. Read together each day and ask questions

4. Make reading a part of the daily routine

5. Listen to your child and pay attention to their interests

6. Get a library card (Tip: they can get their own card too)

7. Read the books your child is reading

8. Reread your child's favorites (repetition is good for young readers)

9. Participate in reading activities such as storytime

10. Encourage storytelling

11. All reading is good reading be open to any type/genre they prefer -- read what they are interested in

12. Read books that are relatable for your child (makes a great conversation starter!)

13. Create a reading space (a book nook, a reading corner, etc.)

14. Read in different spaces to make reading fun

15. Have your child start or participate in a kids book club

16. Have books within reach for your kids

17. Travel with books

18. Have books around during any waiting time instead of a screen

19. Encourage books as gifts for your child - the giver can even write a note in the book

20. Have fun with reading and books!

Happy Reading!

Remember Mama, you are doing great! You got this!

Sources:

• healthychildren.org

• Unicef

• National Association for the Education of Young Children