After School Snacks that Don’t Suck the Life Out of Your Children

Another school year is upon us and many parents start out with great intentions of offering healthy foods for their children’s lunches.

They go through the pains of preparing nice healthy meals for their children to take to school. If your son or daughter hasn’t traded their meal for some sweet or greasy fake food you have accomplished your goal.

Congratulate yourself and your child.

What if your child did swap out the nice healthy carrots and hummus for something you wouldn’t dream of serving your children?

You know – that stuff that masquerades as food in many of the public school cafeterias across the country. It can be very tempting especially if classmates tease your child about the food they eat.

Do not fear you still have a chance to feed your children their fruits and vegetables at home with dinner, breakfast and after school snacks.

After school is usually the most dangerous time for many families because it is the time that most adults are tired and children are hungry and need a pick me up but not a full on meal. What do you do? Do you toss them an apple or a bag of chips and let them veg in front of the computer, game system or television? NO.

Try the following ideas and really concentrate on making this time of day a time a time to unwind and let go of the school day – to connect with your child – to make this time a special routine that your child will look forward to – not only for the nourishment of the body but for the nourishment of the soul as they share special down time with Mommy and Daddy.

A simple piece of fruit
- A banana, apple, orange, kiwi, pineapple or mango can be delicious just as nature intended. It is simple and quick. Just add a bowl of fruit to your dining table just before the children come home. You can make it super special by using cookie cutters to make fruit shapes. Add them on a skewer for a simple treat with no added dishes to wash.

Have a Green Smoothie
- Let your children participate in the after school snack routine by asking them what they would like in their after school smoothie. Have lots of greens and fruit available for them to add to the juicer.

Have Fruit Leather or Crackers ready
- Every now and again it can be a real treat to use the dehydrator to make fruit leather or even crackers. An especially yummy food you can make in the dehydrator is kale chips. All you need is some kale, olive oil and some Celtic sea salt. They come out of the dehydrator really crunchy – reminiscent of that famous potato chip crunch.
Have mini pizza’s
- Cut some Zucchini in slices, add a tomato on top, with some grated carrots and you have mini pizza snacks ready for bite size fun. You can also use a flax cracker as the base, mix up some tomatoes and fresh basil in the blender along with an avocado and spread onto the crackers.
Mood Plates
- Sometimes when children come home from school they aren’t in the best of moods. Why not gather some ingredients together have them express themselves with a mood plate. All you need is sliced fruits and vegetables – even a couple of nuts or a bit of hemp seeds will do – and a small plate.
- Let your child show you on the plate how their day went. This activity can be used as a regular after school routine where your child can release the energy of school and welcome themselves back to the energy of home and family – a safe place.

If you are new to bringing raw fruits and vegetables into your family meals do not worry – it does get easier. If your child refuses the nicely planned out and prepared snacks you offer, don’t give up, just keep offering it – don’t push it on them – let them watch you selecting healthy snack choices and believe me they will follow. I learned this tip from The Raw Food Family’s eBook “Green Up Your Child” – I didn’t present any fanfare or guilt or pressure on my boys and they daily ask for fresh fruits and vegetables – They aren’t raw vegan’s either. It starts with just one serving and can grow into a life style.

An added tip for you – do not allow the junk in the home – if they get it outside of the home you will just have to let that go but as long as you have control over your home only allow the good stuff and eventually as your children see that you are serious about treating your body right they will start doing the same. Children are smart and are natural caretakers of their bodies – it’s usually the habits of us parents that interfere with this natural instinct. Patience and Access is all they need.

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A friend Loves at ALL times Proverbs 17:17

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About the Author:
Sara Duggan is an avid blogger of all things crochet. She is known as Momwithahook on Squidoo where she shares her patterns, book reviews, and other crafty knowledge. Visit her at http://momwithahookonsquidoo.com sign up for her Building Your First Squidoo Lens in 7 Days eCourse.

Disclosure:
This article is intended for educational purposes and NOT as medical advice. Do your research, if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Always veer toward safety and remember in everything MODERATION.

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The Rawfoodfamily Island – Healthy nutrition for children

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Cluster of Jewels Cookies

These remind me of chocolate crackles I grew up eating in Sydney Australia, but a lot healthier! Choco-block full of divine superfoods this sweet treat recipe we sometimes have as a dessert when we don’t want anything too elaborate and simply grab it out of the freezer. Beware: Cluster of Jewels may make you, your hubby and your children want to dance, laugh and sing!

Ingredients (nut free):
2 Cups Shredded Coconut
½ Cup Cacao Powder
¼ Cup Cacao Butter (melted)
¼ Cup Coconut oil (melted)
¼ Cup Coconut Nectar (or agave, which I would use sparingly for kids)
2 tsp Vanilla Bean Powder
3 Tbsp Lucuma
2 Tablespoon Acai Berry Powder
½ Cup Goji Berries
A sprinkle of laughter

Method:
~Place all dry ingredients into a bowl: shredded coconut, cacao powder, vanilla bean powder, superfoods and goji berries.
~Mix all wet ingredients into a separate bowl: melted cacao butter, coconut oil and coconut nectar. Add to dry ingredients.
~Mix all ingredients by hand together until well incorporated (remember to think good thought, as this will transfer into your food!)
~Using silicone mini cupcake holders spoon the mixture into each cup and freeze.
~These will keep in the freezer for up to two months. Take out for an excellent on-the-run raw super snack!

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Priscilla Soligo is the founder of , a company dedicated to organic plant-based raw food health. Her degree in early childhood development and raw culinary and nutrition studies combines her love of children and raw food together.
Priscilla is a mother to an adorable toddler. She is a supporter of local organic farming and is currently producing her first e-book.
Web: www.rawthenticfood.com
Facebook: Rawthentic Food

Live Q/A call August 2011 answering questions

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Coconut Water, Coconut Milk and Coconut Meat for Raw Vegan Children

Coconut can be a great addition to your child’s raw vegan diet. You can serve the coconut water as is straight from the coconut or you can add it to a green smoothie. Sprinkle some shredded coconut on a salad or on some fruit. You can even eat the coconut meat itself without adding any additional ingredients.

Coconut water is low in calories and virtually fat free unlike its counterpart Coconut Milk. Coconut milk is made from the meat of the coconut which holds a whopping 500+ calories per 1 cup with most of the calories coming from fat. [1] For children this is a good thing because healthy fat is needed for growth.

Coconut water can be used as an electrolyte replacement drink. It is high in potassium, calcium, and magnesium. Coconuts are also a good source of fiber. Keep in mind the high fat content of the meat of the coconut and use sparingly in your diet and the diet of your raw vegan children.

Precautions When Using Coconut in Your Raw Vegan Diet
· Although coconut water is a good source of electrolytes you need to be aware that drinking too much coconut water can actually dehydrate you.
· High in sugar so those with Blood Sugar problems be aware
· Excessive consumption may cause you to develop an allergy
· Coconut water is a diuretic so be watchful of your child’s intake

Here is a wee recipe my son and I came up with when we purchased our first coconut together a few days ago. It was a pre-scored coconut but we still had quite the time cracking that thing open. If we videotaped it you probably would have seen us on the next episode of Funniest videos it really was that hilarious. We lost most of the water netting about 1/8 cup.

Coconut Goji Cookies
1 c. shredded coconut
1/3 c. hemp seed butter or almond butter
¼ c. goji berries softened by soaking in water for about 15 minutes

Mix together the hemp seed butter and goji berries. Spread the coconut on parchment paper, take a teaspoon of the hemp butter berry mixture, and roll into the shredded coconut. Refrigerate for 1 hour before eating if you can wait that long.

Credits:
1. Is Coconut Water Good for You? by Nutrition Diva
2. Electrolytes in Coconut Water by Susan Ferrandino

3. What are the Dangers of Drinking Raw Coconut Water Every Day? by Christine Garvin

Disclosure:
This article is intended as educational and NOT as medical advice. Do your research, if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Always veer toward safety and remember in everything MODERATION.

About the Author:
Sara Duggan is an avid blogger of all things crochet. She is known as Momwithahook on Squidoo where she shares her patterns, book reviews, and other crafty knowledge. Visit her at sign up for her monthly newsletter and ask her how you can build your own Squidoo page for your small business.

Chocolate Hemp Thick Shake – Healthy nutrition for children

This is our version of a deliciously divine and incredibly satisfying thick shake full of decadent chocolate goodness that you will have to hide from your husband, children and friends!
Ingredients:

3 Cups Almond Milk (see recipe over page)

2 x Frozen Bananas (chopped)

2 Dates (pre-soaked for 2 hours)

4 Black Mission Figs (pre-soaked for 2 hours)

2 x Vanilla Bean

2 Heaping Tbsp Cacao Powder

2 Heaping Tbsp Hemp Seeds

Pinch Celtic, or Pink Himalayan salt

(adjust if you prefer less sweet)

Method:

~Blend all ingredients together in a high-powered blender until well incorporated.
Optional: Add 2 Tbsp Cacao nibs after smoothie is already blended to the blender and pulse for another 3 – 5 seconds. This will add more texture, or ‘crunch’ to your smoothie and make it an on-the-run-meal.

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Priscilla is a mother to an adorable toddler.  She is a supporter of local organic farming and is currently producing her first e-book.

Email:  info@rawthenticfood.com
Web:  www.rawthenticfood.com
Facebook:  Rawthentic Food

Luca’s Yummy-In-My-Tummy Porridge

Luca has been having this ‘porridge since he was a wee baby. There is so much healthful goodness and ‘love’ packed into this porridge from Mother Nature. I hope your child enjoys it as much as we have and still do! Make it smoother for younger babies and chunkier for tots, or older children.

Ingredients (nut free):

-1 Pear (chopped)-1 Apple (chopped)-1 Mango

-1/4 Avocado

-1/2 Cup Chopped blueberries, or strawberries

-2 Tbsp Filtered Water

-3 Heaped Tbsp Chia Seeds

-2 Tbsp Hemp Seeds

-1tsp Orange Zest

-1 tsp Cinnamon (ground)

-A pinch of blissful imagination

 

Method:

Blend ingredients in a high powered blender into a puree except for the chia seeds, hemp seeds and strawberries, or blueberries.
Fold in the chia seeds, hemp seeds and chopped fruits.
Refrigerate for at least 20 mins before serving so that the chia seeds thicken (they are mucilaginous) and have a porridge like consistency.
For more ‘flavour’, allow the chia seeds to sit in the fruit puree the night before. The next morning add the rest of the ingredients in. Chia seeds can soak up to 12x their weight and are incredibly hydrating for the body!
Note: In place of fruit ‘puree’ try using freshly made almond milk for a more ‘milky’ porridge and add 2 tsp of raw organic coconut nectar (low GI) to replace the fruits sweetness.

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Priscilla is a mother to a vibrant and adorable young toddler and loves spending time outdoors biking or hiking in nature with her family. When not in Hong Kong, they enjoy time at the family cabin in the forests of Canada, or back on the beaches of her home town Sydney, Australia. She is an avid supporter of local organic farming and is currently working on her first e-book.

Email:  info@rawthenticfood.com
Web:  www.rawthenticfood.com
Facebook:  Rawthentic Food

How to eat local and healthy

A regional diet can help the community by limiting harmful pollutants and aiding the local economy. Bring fresher food to your table by integrating local food into your meal planning. Here are some tips to help you go local.

Take a Trip

Take a date or the whole family to visit a nearby farm. You can purchase local food while learning about where your food is coming from. Don’t know any farms in your area? Find one using on the Eat Wild website.

U-Pick farms are another great way to get involved in eating local. A u-pick farm allows you to pick your own produce right from the land. Afterwards, you pay for what you’ve picked. Try the Pick Your Own website to find a U-Pick farm near you.

Know Your Seasons

While the global market allows us to access almost any food during just about any time of the year, buying food in season cuts miles out of your food’s travel. Smart Living has a search engine which allows you to figure the seasonal food for each state. Print out your seasonal fruits and veggies and put it on the fridge.

Farmers’ Markets

One of the easiest ways to go local is to start buying from farmers’ markets. Here, you can buy your food straight from the person who harvested it. You can find these markets by visiting the USDA website, which has a farmers’ market search engine.

Locally-Owned Food Producers

Endorse local artisans! Buy from local, bakeries, coffeehouses, and ice cream stores. Though a loaf of bread from your local bakery may be a bit pricy, it will be much more delicious and fresh.

Go Local at Home

The easiest way to go local? Do it yourself. While you most likely will not want to slaughter your own meat, you can surely grow a little herb garden or maybe even a tomato patch.

Get involved with your community, minimize food waste, and put fresher, nutrient rich food into your body by eating local. Follow these easy tips and know that you’re doing something good for your family and your planet.

James Kim is a writer for foodonthetable.com.  Food on the Table is a company that provides online budget meal planning services.  Their goal is to help families eat better and save money.