{"id":6797,"date":"2014-10-20T08:45:16","date_gmt":"2014-10-20T12:45:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.eyecandypopper.com\/?p=6797"},"modified":"2017-11-11T17:31:33","modified_gmt":"2017-11-11T22:31:33","slug":"guest-post-special-meatless-monday-kids-lunch-edition-vegan-gluten-free-raw","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/flexitariannutrition.com\/guest-post-special-meatless-monday-kids-lunch-edition-vegan-gluten-free-raw\/","title":{"rendered":"Vegan Kids’ Lunch Edition | Gluten-Free, Raw"},"content":{"rendered":"

I am so excited to have another guest contributor on the blog today! I had my first guest contributor<\/a> recently, and I think everyone enjoyed it, so I asked Tammi from GMO-Free Girl if she’d like to write a special post to give you some suggestions for kids’ lunches, and she said yes! Yay! I think all of you moms and dads of young kids will really enjoy this post, and might even get inspired to spice up your own lunch for work! \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n

Here she is!<\/p>\n

ECP xo<\/p>\n

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Hi! I’m Tammi, I write a healthy vegan food blog at GMO-Free Girl. When Eyecandypopper asked me to do a guest post on kids lunches I was so excited!!!\u00a0 First, I just adore her and we have been great blogging friends for quite some time now.\u00a0 But most of all, we have so much in common and going green is one of them.\u00a0 Green + Kids you ask?\u00a0 Of course, why not?\u00a0 Everything kids eat today doesn’t have to revolve around the Standard American Diet of cheese pizza, hamburgers, hot dogs, mac n cheese and ketchup.\u00a0 I could make a dozen yucky faces at those menu choices, but it’s better if you teach your kids to make the yucky face and choose healthier options.<\/p>\n

I have 3 kids of my own and I consider their eating habits a work in progress.\u00a0 Everyday is an opportunity to teach them, and trust me – you want to do this when they are young and teachable.\u00a0 By the time they get to high school, they will be more influenced by their friends choices rather than your choices.\u00a0 I want my kids to be the influencers in their group – to share the love of real food – to inspire their friends to eat things like ginger beet sauerkraut, umeboshi plums, and arugula.\u00a0 That dream of mine is slowly turning into a reality thanks to the power of sticking to my guns and tolerating every scrunched nose face and “ewww, gross” comment.\u00a0 It has been 5 years, but I have persisted through it all and let me tell you, today my kids gladly drink hardcore green juices, chug down ginger shots when they are sick, and yes, they not only request arugula in their salads, but they love it!!!<\/p>\n

If you are reading this and your kids are horrible eaters, don’t panic!\u00a0 I was you…5 years ago.\u00a0 We all have to start somewhere, right?\u00a0 Why not start today and make a few changes.\u00a0 When I first started out with these dietary changes I created a “New Foods Chart” and taped it to the fridge. Everyday for 2 weeks we ate a new food and wrote it down.\u00a0 Most of those foods consisted of vegetables or meals we were not accustomed to.\u00a0 In order for the new food to count on our chart, the kids had to take 5 bites.\u00a0 I hope you can visualize the faces my kids made with every bite.\u00a0 It was like death was going to strike them some nights.\u00a0 The food wasn’t bad either, trust me, my husband and I were really enjoying these new meals, but kids have immature taste buds.\u00a0 It actually takes the brain 21 days to adapt to any new changes.\u00a0 It takes the taste buds 14 exposures to new foods before you begin to like it.\u00a0 Combine those two together and give yourself 3-4 weeks to be successful.\u00a0 After the 2 weeks of the “New Foods Chart” was over, my kids were so excited to do another one.\u00a0 SO, what is any good mother to do but to say YES!<\/p>\n

Here are my top 5 Rules to Healthy Eating In Kids:<\/h2>\n
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  1. Kids menus are OFF limits (unless you are eating at a stellar restaurant with healthy choices).<\/li>\n
  2. Let them help you in the kitchen.\u00a0 Kids will more likely eat what they helped make.<\/li>\n
  3. Compliment them when the choose healthy foods.\u00a0 Don’t let it go unnoticed.<\/li>\n
  4. Give them choices – NEVER ask “What do you want for lunch?” – Instead say “Would you rather have a veggie sandwich or a big salad with apples and hemp seeds?”<\/li>\n
  5. Start a garden in your backyard where you grow your own lettuce.\u00a0 Lettuce is one of the easiest things to grow and it will encourage the kids to eat more of it!<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    So, now we come down to the lunches.\u00a0 What does a green kids lunch look like?\u00a0 Well, here are a few pictures of what I typically pack for my kids.\u00a0 I also LOVE to include smoothies in a Thermos container (it keeps the smoothie cold) as part of their lunch.\u00a0 Dark berry smoothies are a great way to sneak in a greens supplement without compromising on taste (cherries, raspberries and blackberries are the best).<\/p>\n

    \"Special<\/p>\n

    Whole Wheat Organic Bread Sticks, Sliced Carrots, Ginger Beet Sauerkraut, Freshly Diced Peaches, A Cabbage & Mango Slaw Salad (see recipe\u00a0here) for the main course, and some 5 minute homemade oatmeal cookies.\u00a0 Or you can try something a little bit more “normal” to start out…<\/p>\n

    \"Special<\/p>\n

    A Veggie Sandwich (cucumber, spinach, avocado and pepper) on Whole Wheat Organic Bread, Blueberries, Diced Strawberries, Half of an Avocado sliced, Date Rolls, a homemade Chocolate Treat (see recipe\u00a0here) and a package of Organic Apple Clusters (these can be found in bulk at Costco).<\/p>\n

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    NOTE: \u00a0Everything you see here is Organic, but I have written “organic” in front of the the foods that are more commonly genetically modified.\u00a0 Not everyone can choose organic all of the time, so if you’re on a budget, try to stick to the\u00a0Dirty Dozen<\/a>\u00a0list and always include Organic wheat and dairy if you can.<\/p>\n

    Real food (AKA – plants) can provide all the nourishment your kiddos need to grow into healthy, strong consumers.\u00a0 I do supplement with daily probiotics and a weekly liquid B12 supplement, but other than that, all the vitamins and minerals come from real food.\u00a0 I hope I have given you some great tips to start making your kids lunches a little more green.\u00a0 If you want more resources,\u00a0The Engine 2 Diet<\/a>\u00a0has an entire week revolving around Kids Lunches.\u00a0 It’s not just a menu plan and recipes, although those are included, but activities you can do with your kids to help them get interested in healthy foods!\u00a0 This is an AMAZING resource I know you will enjoy.<\/p>\n

    Have a great week everyone! And thanks again to ECP for allowing me to take over your blog for the day!<\/p>\n

    XOXO,<\/p>\n

    Tammi – GMO Free Girl<\/p>\n

    Here’s a quick and easy snack recipe for the kids: 3 minute vegan brownie balls!<\/p>\n

    \"Special<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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    \"Special<\/div>\n
    \n\t\t\tPrint<\/span>\n <\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

    \n\t\t\tSpecial Meatless Monday Kids' Lunch Edition! Vegan, Gluten-Free, Raw\t\t\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\t
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    \n\t\t\t\t\tCourse:<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tMain Course\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
    \n\t\t\t\t\tCuisine:<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tAmerican\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
    \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tPrep Time:<\/span> 3<\/span> minutes<\/span>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
    \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTotal Time:<\/span> 3<\/span> minutes<\/span>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
    \n\t\t\t\tServings:<\/span> 18<\/span> <\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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    Some simple and delicious ideas for kids' lunches that are balanced without having meat, dairy, or eggs in them.<\/p>\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t

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    Ingredients<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
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