With school starting in less than a month, the care-free popsicles and fro-yo days of summer will soon run out and it's back to homework, schedules and normalcy. I ™ve already heard murmurings of food talk among moms in terms of packing healthy lunches and snacks. Word on the street is that kids-and moms-are tired of the same old routine when it comes to realistic options that taste great. It's time to mix old school with new school options for the 2012-13 school year!
Old school: Air-Popped Popcorn
You ™d be hard pressed to find a kid who doesn't love popcorn. Plus, it's really inexpensive
Why: We're talking 100% whole grain, full of fiber, (an impressive 5 grams in 4 cups) low in calories, and a generous amount of antioxidants in each serving. Air popping using an electric popper or popping it homemade using the brown bag/microwave trick is healthiest. Parmesean cheese or nutritional yeast sprinkled on top provides the buttery and salty taste we love but with a fraction of the calories, fat and sodium.
Old school: 100% grape juice made with Concord grapes
More than 20 grapes-seeds, skins and all, are pressed within 8 hours of harvest to make a 4 ounce (1 fruit serving) glass.
Why: It's chock full of vitamin C and polyphenols, the plant nutrients that may help to promote a healthy heart. The research confirms that these little gems, which are responsible for the deep purple color of the Concord grape, support a healthy heart. With cholesterol and heart disease in children on the rise, that's good news! And, there's ZERO added sugar.
New School: KIND Nuts and Spices Bars
With flavors like Dark Chocolate Nuts & Sea Salt and Madagascar Vanilla Almond, why wouldn't you and your kids want to give them a try?
Why: These all natural, whole nut and spice bars have only 5 grams of sugar (or less) per serving-almost unheard of in the bar aisles. Good source of protein, nothing artificial and no sugar alcohols-only ingredients you can pronounce.
New School: What: Chobani Champions yogurt
Greek yogurt just for kids! It's smaller size (3.5 ounces vs. 6 ounces) and kid friendly flavors-Very Berry, Orange Vanilla, Vanilla Chocolate Chunk and Honey Banana-make it hard to resist.
Why: With it's high protein content (8 grams/container), impressive probiotic/ live and active culture profile and calcium and vitamin D content, it deserves a gold medal. I ™ve been known to freeze the yogurt in popsicle molds for an icy treat!
What old school healthy foods do you offer your kids? New school? Please share ”it takes a village!
Disclosure: This is a partially sponsored post and I was compensated for my time by receiving free samples of some of the products mentioned. All opinions are my own.
With school starting in less than a month, the care-free popsicles and fro-yo days of summer will soon run out and it's back to homework, schedules and normalcy. I ™ve already heard murmurings of food talk among moms in terms of packing healthy lunches and snacks. Word on the street is that kids-and moms-are tired of the same old routine when it comes to realistic options that taste great. It's time to mix old school with new school options for the 2012-13 school year!
Old school: Air-Popped Popcorn
You ™d be hard pressed to find a kid who doesn't love popcorn. Plus, it's really inexpensive
Why: We're talking 100% whole grain, full of fiber, (an impressive 5 grams in 4 cups) low in calories, and a generous amount of antioxidants in each serving. Air popping using an electric popper or popping it homemade using the brown bag/microwave trick is healthiest. Parmesean cheese or nutritional yeast sprinkled on top provides the buttery and salty taste we love but with a fraction of the calories, fat and sodium.
Old school: 100% grape juice made with Concord grapes
More than 20 grapes-seeds, skins and all, are pressed within 8 hours of harvest to make a 4 ounce (1 fruit serving) glass.
Why: It's chock full of vitamin C and polyphenols, the plant nutrients that may help to promote a healthy heart. The research confirms that these little gems, which are responsible for the deep purple color of the Concord grape, support a healthy heart. With cholesterol and heart disease in children on the rise, that's good news! And, there's ZERO added sugar.
New School: KIND Nuts and Spices Bars
With flavors like Dark Chocolate Nuts & Sea Salt and Madagascar Vanilla Almond, why wouldn't you and your kids want to give them a try?
Why: These all natural, whole nut and spice bars have only 5 grams of sugar (or less) per serving-almost unheard of in the bar aisles. Good source of protein, nothing artificial and no sugar alcohols-only ingredients you can pronounce.
New School: What: Chobani Champions yogurt
Greek yogurt just for kids! It's smaller size (3.5 ounces vs. 6 ounces) and kid friendly flavors-Very Berry, Orange Vanilla, Vanilla Chocolate Chunk and Honey Banana-make it hard to resist.
Why: With it's high protein content (8 grams/container), impressive probiotic/ live and active culture profile and calcium and vitamin D content, it deserves a gold medal. I ™ve been known to freeze the yogurt in popsicle molds for an icy treat!
What old school healthy foods do you offer your kids? New school? Please share ”it takes a village!
Disclosure: This is a partially sponsored post and I was compensated for my time by receiving free samples of some of the products mentioned. All opinions are my own.
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