Looking for pre-made, portable lunch and healthy snacks
althetrainer
14 years ago
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Healthy 1 Person Lunch Ideas
Comments (25)One of the best things I've ever done was to see a Registered Dietitian (found in the yellow pages, or through a diabetes treatment center) and get an eating plan designed just for me. In my case, I am prone to hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) if I don't eat often enough, or if I eat too many high-glycemic carbs. I also have diabetes in both sides of my family. At the time I saw her (5-6 years ago), I was about 30 lbs. overweight as well, not sleeping well, sluggish, and at high risk of diabetes in the future. She gave me a 1600 cal/day eating plan consisting of 3 meals + 3 snacks. It incorporates the diabetic exchange eating plan and exchange lists but tailored for hypoglycemia. Following this way of eating (I don't like to call it a "diet", since "diets" are typically a temporary way of eating with the single goal of losing weight) teaches proper portion sizes, meal planning, and a good balance of all the nutrients. What's more, anyone can do it; it's not just for diabetics or those like me prone to hypoglycemia, but for anyone who wants to learn to eat healthier to control their weight, whether to lose, gain, or maintain. Therefore, it can be followed for the rest of one's life. It incorporates wholesome, healthy foods including nuts, potatoes, grains, rice, and other foods that people think they need to avoid like the plague just to lose weight. But again, it's not a silly, crazy, fad diet. It's just the way we should eat. Eventually, it becomes second-nature, and it is now "just what I do" without giving it too much thought. It is also important to eat often enough that the body doesn't get too hungry, at least 3 hours apart, and to make healthy food choices, nutrient-dense foods packed with vitamins and minerals. In addition, I've made regular exercise a part of my life. I ALWAYS take stairs (unless I'm with someone who won't), and we ride bikes and walk most days of the week. I've lost 45 lbs., and I feel stronger and better than I have in years. I have more energy than I did 15 years ago, and I'm over 50. My hormones don't bother me anymore. I sleep very well (prior to this I woke up every night and didn't get back to sleep). I'm no longer overweight so I just continue the same way of eating, but adding some foods to maintain my weight, or adjust based on increase/decrease in exercise. Again, it's not a diet... it's a way of life. I do it one day at a time... I make healthy choices today, and pass up temptations (like fries) by saying "maybe next time". Next time, I do it again. I do eat those foods but only on rare occasions. And, I don't view them as "fattening" or evil foods... just not healthy ones, and I make a healthier choice instead. It's all about health and nutrition, not weight or clothing size. The weight will come off and the clothes will fit better over time, but the individual daily choices should be made with the goal of better health. And another good thing about regular exercise, especially vigorous exercise such as cycling, is that it requires high-glycemic carbs for energy. That's when I eat those goodies, just before, during, and after a ride. Otherwise I limit them to just occasionally, and just one. Like gibby3000, after years of eating this way this is now my preferred way of eating. I automatically reach for healthy choices, not junk. I eat what I should, then stop. It's not a diet -- it's just the way I eat now....See MoreNeed ideas for snacks at preschool
Comments (12)Yogurt was always a big favorite when Ashley was small enough to still take snacks to school. I also sent "mini" muffins with a dab of jam in the middle, those were always a big hit. Pretzels with cheese dip or peanut butter to dip them in always went over well, even better if I made homemade whole wheat pretzels. Bread sticks with pizza sauce and/or ranch dressing is good, and so was chocolate pudding. We filled graham crackers with nearly anything you could think of, from marshmallow cream and homemade jam to leftover frosting to peanut butter and jelly. Little bags of snack mixes contained dry cereal, dried fruit and maybe a handful of M&Ms, plus some nuts. The kids like walnuts the best, for some reason. Once we tried those frozen chocolate dipped bananas but they were messy and even though I was only a block from school I couldn't keep them frozen long enough. Oh, and my kids always loved ants on a log or anything on a skewer and I always cut out cheese, sliced meats or brownies with cookie cutters into different shapes, usually numbers or letters or "boys" but sometimes farm animals. Tortillas got rolled around anything that sounded good and a big surprise hit was English muffins topped with pizza sauce, canadian bacon, pineapple and cheese. I baked them at home, packaged them up and they ate them at room temperature. (shrug) Whatever. Oh, and those tiny little bite sized bagels made great little tuna/ham & cheese/turkey/whatever sandwiches, just right for little hands and little appetites. Annie...See MoreNeed Preschool Snack- Jello, Healthy?
Comments (19)I was never a fan of blue jello. Blue jello and gummy fish is pure sugar. Blue jello and goldfish just sounds icky. When I was a kid I loved sliced bananas in strawberry jello. Sure, the jello was pure sugar and food coloring and artificial flavor, but there wasn't that much and into each life some jello must wiggle. I have made "dirt" cups with lowfat chocolate pudding mixed with crushed chocolate grahmns--still very sweet but not totally off the charts. Mix in one gummy worm for fun. Kids really liked that. You could make updated "ants on a log" with celery, hummus and quartered black olives. Kids love the ones with peanut butter but you can't mess around now days with peanut allergies. I had a friend who died from just a candy bar with a trace of peanut oil in it, (his lungs collapsed) and I have been paranoid ever since. Finger sandwiches cut with cookie cutters? No bakes? Chinese chews (melted butterscotch chips mixed with crunchy noodles). Some of this is healthier than other things. Depends on whatever else the kids have been eating during the day. I'd prefer to err on the side of healthy, just to be a good example since this snack time is a regular thing. Sweet treats are for special occasions like parties, IMHO. At least if you are trying to set some kind of reasonable example....See MoreFast, High Energy, Non Filling Snack?
Comments (35)plllog- If you soak nuts and pepitas (pumpkin seeds) in lightly salted water 12-24 hours and dehydrate them until they are crispy dry, they are easier to digest and you increase the nutrients. For more information check out "Nourishing Traditions" by Sally Fallon and Mary G. Enig, Ph.D. I use this method with all nuts and peanuts we consume because it germinates the nuts which increases the enzyme activity. Another way to offset difficulty digesting large quantities of nuts is to take an enzyme supplement to neutralize the enzyme inhibitors. I also stick to sprouted and dehydrated sunflower seeds for the same reason. You can purchase sprouted seeds from Nuts.com or goraw.com, but I make my own. Here are some tasty ways to consume chia seeds. CHAI CHIA PUDDING 2 c. boiling water 2 Chai tea bags 3 T. chia seeds small amount of milk of choice (cow, goat, nut milk) sweetener of choice (to taste) Steep tea bags in boiled water for 15-minutes. Remove bags and add sweetener and a small amount of milk to "lighten" the mixture. Add chia seeds, mix well. Let sit for 5-minutes and mix again. Refrigerate overnight. CAROB FUDGE \- a terrific high\-energy treat! (source: The Magic of Chia \- by James F. Scheer) 3/4 c. maple syrup 1 c. peanut butter 1 t. vanilla 1 c. almonds, chopped or ground 1 c. walnuts, chopped 1/2 c. sesame seeds 1/4 c. dry chia seeds 1/2 c. sunflower seeds 1/2 c. carob powder (I use 1/4 c. cocoa or cacao powder) Mix maple syrup, peanut butter, and vanilla. Add carob powder (or cocoa) a little at a time. Mix until well blended. Mix all nuts and seeds together and add slowly to carob mixture. Press firmly into a lightly oiled pan. Refrigerate at least 1 hour. Cut into squares and serve chilled. Must be stored in refrigerator or may be frozen. Makes 24 pieces. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ \-Chia gel: 1 T. chia seeds + 9 T. water (you can use other liquids if you'd like). \-I add chia seeds or chia seed gel (water and chia seeds) to all yeast breads. It helps keep homemade bread stay moist longer and increases the fiber. If you don't like the dark seeds in your breads (slightly bigger than poppy seeds), mill it into flour and add it. \-Egg replacer. To replace one large egg, use 2 T. of chia gel. \-Fat replacer. Chia gel can be used to substitute for up to half the butter or oil in baked recipes without altering the taste, texture, or baking method. To replace butter or oil, use 1 T. of chia gel per tablespoon of butter or oil removed from the recipe. (Source: "Chia Seed Remedies") \-You can mill chia seeds into a flour in a coffee/spice mill. I regularly mill a 50/50 chia seed and flaxseed mixture and store it in the freezer. I add this mixture to our morning smoothie, baked goods, oatmeal, etc. \-I add chia seeds to homemade "energy bars". \-I add chia seeds to lemonade made with whey from draining my kefir. Chia Fresca is a favorite Mexican beverage. CHIA FRESCA 16 oz. filtered water 6 T. lime juice (fresh\-squeezed, about 2 limes) 1 T. chia seeds Your choice of sweetener. -Chia gel works in hot or cold beverages Add it to 100% fruit juice beverages, coconut water, etc. WATERMELON CHIA SLUSHY (source: "Chia Seed Remedies" 2 c. watermelon chunks 1 T. dry chia 1/2 c. crushed ice squirt of lime juice Sparkling water or seltzer In your blender, plus or chop the watermelon chunks. Be careful not to reduce it to liquid. Add the chia to hydrate and wait about 10-minutes. Add a squirt of lime juice, the crushed ice, and your amount of sparkling water. Pulse once to combine. Now you're ready to pour a glass of sweet, cool, refreshment. -I add chia seeds to my homemade popcicles. homemade tortillas, homemade pudding, granola...... CHIA COCONUT PUDDING (1 serving) 1-2 T. chia seeds (I like to use white chia seeds in this recipe) 1 T. coconut milk powder (Wilderness Family Naturals) 1 c. water Grind seeds or use whole (I grind them). Mix milk powder and water and heat to boiling point. Whisk seeds into liquid. Whisk again after a few minutes. Serve hot or cold with a drizzle of honey. -Add 2 T. chia seeds along with bread crumbs per 1-pound of ground meat when making meatballs or meatloaf. I use 3 to 5 pounds of chia seeds each year. -Grainlady...See Morearabellamiller
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