One of the things to remember when it comes to education and nutrition is the importance of eating breakfast. Research has been conducted for many years and the results continue to show how children who eat breakfast on a regular basis consistently score higher on standardized tests. They also exhibit better classroom behavior and experience hyperactivity less often. Children who eat breakfast each school day are also less likely to feel sleepy in class.

A healthy breakfast might include an egg, a slice of whole wheat bread with peanut butter, a piece of their favorite fruit, and a glass of ice cold low-fat milk. You can substitute a piece of lean meat, 100% fruit juice, and whole grain cereals to give them variety. The fiber and protein in the meal will help your child remain focused and keep them satisfied until they are able to eat lunch.

Some children adore sugary cereal for breakfast but that’s really not a good choice. Neither is pancakes made with white flour and sticky sweet syrup. These will give your child a sugar rush but will also cause them to crash later in the day. Whole grain crackers, nuts, cheese and fruit can be sent with your child if they need a snack before lunch.

In the past, school cafeterias have been known to provide lunches which weren’t very healthy. Too many hamburgers, French fries, and pizza have been served to school age children for far too long. Thankfully school dietitians are now offering healthy foods for better learning experiences and to help the children learn to make better food choices.

Eating healthier foods at lunchtime can make such an improvement in a child’s behavior for the remaining part of the school day. It’s taken a good bit of convincing to get schools to make the necessary changes, however, and they’ll tell you it wasn’t easy. Offering healthy salads, sandwiches made on whole grain breads, and soups can also help your child feel fuller when they return home.

After school your child may want a snack. Don’t deprive them, rather give them healthy choices such as carrot sticks, celery, fresh fruit, whole nuts, or yogurt. Whatever you choose to offer, be sure they won’t become too full and not want to have dinner.

Research has proven time and time again how important it is for children to eat healthy foods for better learning. This includes eating healthy breakfast foods which will give your child energy and the ability to focus, and will ensure they have a great day.

Most parents know how important good nutrition is to give their children all the help they can in school. Certain foods can help raise your child’s grades, give them an added push for athletics, and help them maintain a healthy weight. So, even though you want their lunches to be nutritious, finding ways to make them fun will give your child something to look forward to each day.

Ask your child what they want in their lunch bag. Obviously they’ll ask for some items which you’d prefer they did not eat too much of, but you may want to allow them to have some of their favorite things.

Put a note in your child’s lunch bag or box to let them know you’re thinking of them. The note doesn’t have to be mushy so they’ll be embarrassed by it if their friends read it. In fact, the note could be a secret message between the two of you; no one else has to know what it means. Encourage them if they’re struggling with a subject or if they have a test they’ve studied really hard for.

Choosing a cool lunch box can help your child enjoy lunch a little more. Using snack-size zip top bags can encourage your child to eat smaller portions. Be sure to get the printed snack-size bags during the holidays to brighten up your child’s lunch.

Does your child love yogurt or cheese but you’re hesitant to put them in their lunch because you’re concerned about food safety? Buying a cold pack is one option; you can also freeze your child’s juice box (100% juice only) and allow it to thaw before they eat. This will enable your child to have the items they like and you can rest assured they won’t get sick.

Most children love to dip their foods. They may love to dunk their carrot sticks into ranch-style dressing. Apples can be dipped in caramel sauce. Even chicken pieces can be dipped into a sauce of their choice.

Make a big deal over holidays or family celebrations. Pack a piece of birthday cake or cupcake if their birthday falls during the school week. For St. Patrick’s Day, focus on green foods. When Easter gets closer, pack cookies shaped like bunnies or lambs.

Give your child rolled-up sandwiches, or pinwheels, rather than regular sandwiches. Purchase some flour tortillas, spread their favorite condiments on it, and then layer it with the meats and vegetables. Roll it up tightly and wrap it in plastic wrap. Before you pack your child’s lunch, slice the rolls into one-inch to two-inch wide slices.

You can try some of these sure-fire ways to make school lunches fun for your children. And listen to your child to find out about what their ideas are for making school lunches more fun.

Peach Julius (Makes one serving)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup frozen or fresh peach juice
• 2 ounces milk (whatever percentage you prefer)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 scoop of vanilla ice cream
• 1/2 cup of ice

Place the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. When the ingredients are totally blended, pour them into chilled glasses. You can adjust the water or juice by adding more if the mix is too thick; add more ice cream if the mix is too thin.

Virgin Miami Vice (Makes one serving)

Ingredients:

• 1 ounce pineapple juice
• 1 ounce coconut cream
• 1/2 ounce half and half cream
• 1 1/2 ounce strawberry puree
• 1 1/2 ounces lime juice
• 1/4 ounce simple syrup
• 1 cup crushed ice
• Strawberry or mint for garnish

In a blender, add half the ice, pineapple juice, coconut cream, and the cream. Blend this until it’s smooth and then pour it into a tall glass. Place the remaining ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth. Carefully pour this mixture over a spoon to layer it over the pineapple-coconut layer. Add a strawberry, sprig of mint, or both as a garnish.

Non-Alcoholic “Champagne”

You can make a non-alcoholic “champagne” by adding 32 ounces of lemon and lime soft drink with 12 ounces of thawed white grape juice concentrate. Pour this into a container with a cover so it will remain fizzy until served. Serve as is out of the covered container or serve it out of a punch bowl.

Mudslides

Mudslides are a great option if you’re looking for a sweet non-alcoholic drink which still allows you to drive. You’ll need the following ingredients to make one serving:

• 3 scoops vanilla ice cream
• 1 teaspoon non-alcoholic amaretto flavored syrup
• 3 teaspoons non-alcoholic Irish cream flavored syrup
• Chocolate syrup to taste
• Splash of milk to thin down the mixture

Put the ice cream into a blender and add milk until the mixture is smooth. Add the amaretto syrup first and pulse it followed by the Irish cream flavored syrup. Add chocolate syrup to taste and blend the mixture again. Pour this into a tall glass. Finish it by placing a dollop of whipped cream and then drizzle additional chocolate syrup on top. To create a mocha-flavored drink, substitute coffee-flavored ice cream in place of the vanilla.

If you’re looking for non-alcoholic syrups to make some of your favorite drinks, you can often find them in the same area as coffee and tea in your local grocery store. You can also go to a favorite coffee shop and see if they have flavored syrups you can purchase.

Having a family member or friend with an issue with alcohol can make celebrating difficult. You don’t have to serve alcoholic beverages. Try one of these home-made non-alcoholic and delicious cocktails and they’ll still be able to enjoy the celebration.

Tacos

One of the most popular Mexican dishes is tacos. Home-made tacos are easy to make with spiced ground beef, fresh vegetables, and cheese. What’s not to love? To make tacos you’ll need the following dried spices to season the ground beef:

* 2 teaspoons instant minced onion
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon chili powder
* 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
* 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
* 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
* 1/4 teaspoon oregano
* 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

Ingredients for the tacos include:

* 1 pound ground beef or ground chuck
* 1/4 to 1/2 cup water
* Shredded lettuce
* Shredded cheddar cheese
* Chopped tomatoes
* Chopped onions
* Sour cream
* Hard or soft shells, whichever your family prefers
* Bottled sauce, hot or mild to suit your family

Add all seasonings in a small bowl and stir to combine them. Brown the ground beef in a large skillet and drain. Add the seasoning and water and bring this to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and allow the mixture to simmer for 20 minutes. Add more water if the beef is too dry.

Serve on hard or soft shells. Put a layer of the ground beef mixture on the bottom of the shell; next add the other ingredients to suit each person. If you like, add sour cream, taco sauce, and shredded cheese.

Quesadillas

Some children will eat anything as long as it has cheese. Why not make them a cheese quesadilla they’ll love? Cheese quesadillas are simply soft taco shells with shredded cheese placed on half of the open shell. Fold the shell over and grill the shell on both sides until the cheese has melted. Variations to the cheese quesadilla include adding shredded grilled chicken, mushrooms, refried beans, and guacamole.

Mexican Sandwiches

Let your child help you make Mexican sandwiches. You’ll need two slices of bread for each sandwich, slices of cheese, mild picante sauce, tortilla chips, and a container of guacamole dip. (You can make your own guacamole dip or purchase some pre-made in the refrigerated section of most grocery stores.)

Begin by placing two slices of bread on a table. Spread guacamole dip on one of the slices of bread. Spread picante sauce on the other. Let the children crunch up tortilla chips and place them on the sandwich. Place a slice of cheese on one side of the sandwich and then close it up. Add black olives, lettuce, and tomatoes if your child likes those items.

These are just a few Mexican foods your kids will love. If you take them out to a Mexican restaurant, order a sampler platter or at least one dish no one has tried before. This way you’ll be encouraging your children to try something new. Who knows, it may become their new favorite!

Healthy, balanced meals are important for everyone but they’re especially important for active children. Young athletes often have different nutritional needs than children who aren’t athletic. Providing healthy food choices can do more than fuel your young athlete; it can actually help them perform better.

Talk to the experts. It’s hard to instinctively know what a young athlete needs to eat to maximize their performance. However, you child’s coach and doctor will know. Ask them what your child needs to eat during training and while participating in their chosen sport. Their nutritional needs will likely change if it’s off-season or if they’re in the midst of playing.

If you’re unsure what foods are most healthy, all you have to do is look in your child’s health book. They’ll have a picture of the United States Department of Agriculture’s Food Pyramid. It will explain how many servings of each food group your child needs on a daily basis. Your child’s coach and doctor will let you know if your child needs more of certain foods and less of others.

Be sure to provide your young athlete with plenty of brightly-colored produce each day. These are packed with vitamins, minerals, and nutrients which are important for growing children. Of course, you may have to come up with inventive ways to get your child to eat them.

Everyone has heard the commercials stating how good milk is for growing children. You’ve heard it, ‘Milk, it does a body good.’? With this in mind, it’s important to provide your children with plenty of foods containing calcium. This would include milk, cheese, and yogurt.

Iron rich foods are also important. These would include meat, eggs, broccoli, and green leafy vegetables. You’ll also want to provide healthy carbohydrates. Offer whole grain breads and pastas rather than white versions.

Try to get your child to drink more water than sugary soft drinks. The body needs hydration but the amount of sugar in soft drinks is entirely too much. Of course, you may offer them 100% juices, too. Staying away from artificially sweetened drinks is also a good idea to ensure your child is healthy.

Follow these healthy food tips for young athletes and you can be sure you’re providing them with the fuel they need to perform well. Having healthy foods in your home, and leaving the junk food at the store, will be difficult to begin with but the effort will lead to your child, and possibly the entire family, being healthier.

No longer are citizens of one country simply content to live in that country all their lives. They want to see and experience the world in which they live. One way to do this is to try different foods while at home so you’ll be familiar with them when and if your family travels.

Perhaps you can take your cue from your child’s school work. Are they studying a particular country for geography? While at home, learn about what foods are traditionally eaten in that country. Then find a recipe for some of those foods and prepare them for the family to try.

Grocery stores generally have a large ethnic food section, so you may want to check out that area of your store. Some of the ingredients may seem unusual, so keep an open mind. After you try some of these foods, you may need to find additional recipes because your family enjoys the flavors so much.

Maybe you’re unsure of the reaction to ‘different’ foods, in which case you probably don’t want to try too much culturally different food all at once. Start with a dessert recipe; those are usually flavorful and sweet so even if the taste is unusual to your family, they may be more willing to give it a try.

You can also find restaurants from many different cultures these days. Rather than going to eat at the local fast food restaurant, choose one from a different nationality. In most areas you can find several Mexican, Chinese, or Italian restaurants, for example. You may also be able to find ones which specialize in German, Greek, Indian, Israeli, or Japanese cuisine.

Keep an eye out for festivals in ethnic communities. These generally happen in early spring or during the summer when the weather is warm. They will have music, dances, and food for the public to sample. You may also be able to find art museums which are showing artwork from another culture; they may also have a reception offering foods from those cultures.

Your family may feel most comfortable eating foods they’re familiar with; however, you want them to try something new. Use some of these ideas when figuring out how to introduce your children to culturally different foods. Once your family tries one new food, they may be willing to give others a try.

Actually, there is more to St. Patrick’s Day than the color green, although you may not be able to tell it from a cursory look around you. Since people expect to see rainbows during the holiday, because of the leprechaun’s pot? gold at the end of the rainbow, you can use any color for desserts. These ideas of St. Patrick’s Day desserts may help you find desserts everyone will love without fear of their teeth turning green!

Colored gelatin can make a great St. Patrick’s Day dessert. Create a gelatin rainbow in a bowl. Make several flavors and colors of gelatin, then cut them up into small squares. Place them in a glass bowl so their colors can be seen and top the dessert with whipped cream. Children will love this idea.

Cupcakes are normally a hit for dessert. Make regular cupcakes but add some St. Patrick’ Day fun. Stir in candy shamrocks and bake. Frost with orange or yellow frosting. You can also make shamrock-shaped cupcakes by placing small balls of aluminum foil between the side of the baking dish and baking cup before pouring batter into the cup. When the cupcakes are finished, they will come out with the shape of a shamrock if you placed the aluminum balls correctly.

Nearly everyone loves home-made cookies. Find cookie cutters in the shape of shamrocks, leprechaun hats, pots of gold, Celtic crosses, or any other Irish icon. Let the children join the fun making the cookies and then decorating them. You can also make cookies and then fill them with green icing.

Adults often have a sweet tooth, too, so why not try this Toffee Shortbread cookie bar? You’ll need the following ingredients for the shortbread:

* 3/4 cup softened butter
* 3/4 cup sugar
* 2 cups all-purpose flour

For the toffee, you’ll need:

* 1/2 cup butter
* 1/2 cup brown sugar
* 1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
* 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the topping, you’ll need the following:

* 1 6-ounce bag of chocolate chips
* Chopped nuts (optional)

Begin with the shortbread by preheating the oven to 350 degrees. Cream together the butter and sugar in a bowl. Stir in the flour until it is mixed well and then press that into a 9-inch square pan. Bake this for 25-30 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. Allow the cookie to cool.

For the toffee, melt the butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the remaining ingredients except vanilla and bring this to a boil. Continue cooking this for 5 minutes, stirring constantly, to ensure the mixture doesn’t burn. Remove from the heat and then add the vanilla. Pour the toffee mixture over the cookie which is still in the pan. Allow this to cool completely.

The topping is made by melting the chocolate chips in the microwave or in a double boiler. Stir the chocolate until smooth, then add chopped nuts if desired, and pour it over the cooled toffee and cookie.

These are but a few St. Patrick’s Day dessert ideas you can choose from. If your family enjoys a particular dessert but you don’t consider it Irish enough, add green food coloring and it’ll work just fine!

You spend six to eight hours sleeping. After that time, your body needs to fuel up keep going. Without breakfast at home, your options for on the run nutrition may amount to too much fat, too much sugar and too many carbs. And, that convenient run to the fast food joint is not as convenient and time saving as you think if everyone else has the same idea. The fifteen or twenty minutes spent in line could have been used to fill your belly with something good at home.

If you are the type to skip breakfast, here is a solution to starting the day with a good breakfast which will help you keep hunger in check as well as give you the natural energy boost to start your day.

1. Oatmeal ? This food makes a good hot meal that contains lots of filling fiber to keep you from getting hungry later on in the morning. Depending on your taste, you can take five minutes to fix it on the stove or use the microwave for instant oatmeal. Kids tend to like the variety of flavors that come with instant oatmeal. The night before, put together a container of add-ins like blueberries, strawberries and bananas that can be tossed on top for a bit of antioxidant power.

2. Fruit smoothies ? These are good any morning but particularly on a hot day. You?ll have to blend the ingredients together in the morning, but the prep work can be done at night. Cube your fruit and place it into a container. Instead of frozen yogurt in the morning, use a cup of plain yogurt. Add ice cubes, a little water and blend.

3. Egg sandwich ? The eggs can be cooked the night before and placed in a sealed container. In the morning, warm up the eggs in the microwave. If you want, add some chopped veggies or shredded cheese. Serve on toasted wheat bread. The night before, place two pieces of bread into a Ziploc bag for each family member. They can toast their bread as they get up and place the sandwich in the bag for easy transport in the car to work or school.

4. Yogurt with granola and fruit ? Some people like to eat yogurt. But, yogurt by itself won?t keep you from being hungry. Add some granola and a few blueberries to the mix. This makes a great breakfast idea for those mornings when you are running late. Keep small bags of granola and blueberries in the fridge next to the yogurt so you can grab them and run.

Are you fighting the breakfast battle? To get a filling meal you don?t have to opt for too much fat, calories or carbs. These quick and easy breakfast ideas can be made within minutes and are a much healthier alternative to skipping breakfast or grabbing a high fat alternative.

If you are looking for more ways to eat healthy try meal planning it helps keep you in order and the chance to organize your meals.Check out thisSample Menu Plan it is a great way to get started meal planning

For those who aren’t aware, miso is a paste made from fermented and ground soybeans which has been fermented for two months up to two years. It is often mixed with rice, barley, or wheat to speed up fermentation. Normally, it can be found in the international aisle of most grocery stores.

1. Miso is versatile. It can be made into a dressing for salads, soup, or made into a tea. Miso comes in white, brown, deep red and creamy beige, each with its own distinct flavor. Flavors range from sweet and mild to savory and earthy.

2. Miso is also high in fiber and probiotics. It increases the enzymes your body produces in your digestive system by increasing beneficial micro-organisms. These micro-organisms will break down foods better which will enable more nutrients to be absorbed, giving you more energy.

3. Most people eat meat to get protein. However, miso provides high quality vegetable protein that is highly usable in the body. In fact, if you were to eat miso with whole grains, the proteins you consume would be increased. It also contains unsaturated oils and zero cholesterol, which doctors recommend as part of a heart-healthy diet.

4. Some reports have confirmed miso as being beneficial by helping prevent some cancers, heart disease, and other illnesses. It has also been touted to eliminate heavy metals, nicotine, and air pollutants from your system. Women who eat miso regularly have been shown to be less likely to develop breast cancer.

5. Miso is high in essential minerals such as zinc which aids the immune system. Iron, copper and manganese are also in ample supply in miso.

6. If you’re moving toward a more vegetarian diet, miso would be a great addition. It is high in vitamins K and B12, both essential for a healthy body.

How on earth do you use miso? There are a number of ways you can try to start using miso in your family’s meals: use it instead of a stock (chicken or vegetable) when making home-made soups, spread it on toast similar to butter, use it as a salt substitute when you’re cooking, or mix it with sesame oil and your favorite seasonings to make an Asian-inspired salad dressing.

Although doctors in the West can be slow to acknowledge the health benefits of foods used traditionally in the East, it seems they’re taking notice of miso. By reading these six reasons to start eating miso, you can see how this food from Japan can improve your health and help you avoid some diseases. Maybe it’s time to find it in your grocery store and make it a part of your family’s diet.

Miso can be fermented in salt for as little as two months or as long as two years. It can also have grain including wheat, brown rice, millet, or barley added to it to aid in fermentation. Depending upon the length of fermentation and additional ingredients, miso may be white, beige, or deep red and each one has its own unique flavor.

1. Miso soup, a staple in the Japanese diet for generations, is considered health food. Some doctors in Japan will actually prescribe miso soup to combat everything from high blood pressure to menopause to breast cancer. Sip miso soup out of a mug before a meal and you’re likely to eat less. You can find recipes for miso soup in Asian cookbooks or on the internet.

2. Create a dip using miso for garden fresh vegetables. There are many ways you can incorporate miso into a dip. Add it to hummus, mix it in small curd cottage cheese, or come up with your own recipes.

3. Add miso to extra virgin olive or sesame oil to make a delicious salad dressing which packs a powerful dose of vitamins, minerals, and protein.

4. Use miso in place of salt in mushroom gravy. This is actually a great way to try miso for the first time. You can taste the slightly salty flavor that is also slightly sharp with a little bit of tang. Your gravy will never be the same again.

5. Make a simple sauce of miso, tahini, lemon juice, Stevia and water. You can use it as salad dressing or as a marinade for fish or steak.

6. Instead of using butter on toast, why not spread miso on it for a totally different flavor?

7. Fix yourself a miso-tahini sandwich. You can also add sliced avocado to the sandwich for even more flavor.

8. Miso also makes a great substitute for coffee, so carry dried miso soup packets and make that when you need an afternoon pick-me-up.

Why else would you want to add miso to your diet? Some reports indicate miso will help remove metallic poisons from the body. In fact, it was given to Japanese people after the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki to remove radiation. While you may not be faced with an atomic bomb, you can still benefit health-wise from miso.

There are many reasons you may want to give miso a try. After learning a little bit more about it, you may want to try some of these eight ways to introduce miso to your everyday diet. As the old saying goes, “Try it, you’ll like it.”