We just got back from a week in Southern California to cash in our Free Disneyland tickets (Give a Day, Get a Day).  We had so much fun. Our kids are at a great age to enjoy all day at Disneyland, without getting too grumpy.  I do apologize for not interacting with you this week and not responding to your comments this week. I didn’t have my laptop all week!

We did eat pretty well while we were on vacation however, so next week, I have a few Eating healthy while on vacation posts planned! So, don’t forget to stop by!

So here is  a new meal plan for you. As always, head over to the archives page for a pdf. of this menu.

And I leave you with one last golden nugget of healthy eating advice:

Allow your kids to serve their own portions at dinner.  The gold rule:

You decide what they eat, let them decide how much! 

Related Posts:

• Portion control
• Are You Hungry?

TUESDAY: Lunch

Macaroni and cheese made healthier!!

I dare say, I don’t personally know any mother who has not made macaroni and cheese for lunch.  Its like an American Classic.  It may even replace Apple Pie someday.  I have made loads of macaroni and cheese in my 10 years of mothering. I Even bought cases of it for $0.20 a box!  But with the salt, the fat, and the artificial colors (really, I’ve never been able to get any homemade sauce as orange as Kraft can), you are better off making it yourself.

This is my quick lunch version of macaroni and cheese. Certainly I enjoy a good baked version with lots of vegetables and good stuff, but lunch is a different story.  This takes just as long as making Mac and cheese from a mix, although you are at the stove the whole time, rather than walk away.

While the noodles are cooking,  I get the sauce ready.  As I love to make a good cream sauce, this time I used olive oil instead of butter for my rue, and it turned out perfect!  I’m so excited about this switch.  In all three cups of dry noodles, (which I got for 0.60 per lb), there is only 1/2 cup of cheese. I also added some yellow squash (pureed from our garden and frozen last summer).  I’ve pulled these baggies of squash puree all year to use.  They’ve been great.

The verdict?  Everyone loved it and went for seconds.  If your kids don’t love it, they will someday.  It is different than traditional macaroni and cheese.  Much less salty, and as I said prior, a different COLOR, but that is a good thing.  Their taste buds will change to appreciate the milder flavors.  And if your kids are really little, start them eating this version immediately, so they aren’t conned into thinking all macaroni and cheese has to be orange.

TUESDAY: Lunch

Most parents are glad when summer arrives so they could quit making sack lunches.  I still make them!  If I’m cleaning up the kitchen in the morning, I prefer to fix lunches, then I don’t have to get food out twice.  Then we are also ready to go somewhere at the drop of a hat, and we can bring out lunch. 

For our brown bag lunches, I usually include a sandwich, fruit, vegetable, and a treat, like a granola bar!  Like THESE granola bars.  I splurged on some mini Reese’s baking bits.  As you could imagine, they were delighted to get these granola bars in their lunch.

Having these lunches packed were perfect the other day, as we got invited to a Bring Your Own Meat BBQ at the last minute.  I didn’t want to bring any meat (Wade was at work and he was the only one that cared), so instead we Brought out own Sandwiches.  Here is the flip-flopper enjoying her sack lunch on the yard.

Anyway, we also love salads for lunch if we are home.  This Berry Slaw was a HIT with my kids! In fact, they all had several helpings.   Wade didn’t like it so much, but I think he’s just doing some sort of vegetable rebelion thing. 

This is the Triple Berry Slaw before the dressing, just so it could look nice.

This has to be made ahead of time, so the dressing has sufficient time to marinate the cabbage.  I also tried chopping a head of cabbage, but even after a full day marinating in the fridge, the cabbage still seemed too tough for me.  The shredded cabbage made a better salad.   RECIPE HERE!

This salad is especially great if you use Greek Yogurt! Have you tried it yet?  Its so divine.  Some plain greek yogurt with a drizzle of honey is one of my favorite treats.  The awesome people from Stonyfield had this to say:

Stonyfield Farm makes Oikos Organic Greek yogurt.  It can be used:

• in cooking –
• in baking, as a substitute for sour cream and mayonnaise,
• in dips and sauces and to create tasty low-fat dishes.

About Stonyfield Greek yogurt in general:

• Greek yogurt is strained, making it thicker and more versatile in recipes than regular yogurt.
• Oikos is organic, which means it’s made without artificial colors, flavors or sweeteners, and it’s made from organic milk produced without the use of toxic persistent pesticides, chemical fertilizers, antibiotics, or artificial growth hormones (rBST).

I know you’re dying to try some, right???  Stonyfield wants to give someone coupons for

• 1 free 16 oz Oikos,
• 2 free 5.3 oz yogurts,

• and another $4.00 in other Stonyfield product coupons.

So, leave me a comment if you need some of the best yogurt made, and I’ll choose a winner on Friday.