Posts filed under ‘Healthy Choices’
Chipper Exercise: 8 Fun (FREE!) Family Fitness Activities
Looking for some fun family “workouts” that feel more like play? Check out these simple outdoor activities that will get everyone in your family off the couch and help you bond while burning some calories. Getting active outdoors isn’t only good for your body but also you and your child’s social and emotional wellness. As Chipper likes to say, “Healthy Habits Grow Happy Hearts!” Try a few with mom (or with your kids) to celebrate Mother’s Day this week and have some fun while keeping fit!
1. Hula Hooping
Hula hoops became a hot toy in the late 1950s and are still a lot of fun for families. Hula hooping can burn more than 500 calories an hour — not bad for a $10 piece of plastic! Hoops come in a variety of sizes for children and adults, and weighted hoops for more advanced “hoopers” will give you even more of a workout. Try a little more variation than just the normal standing hula hooping with these 3 Great Hula Hoop Exercises for Kids.
2. Jump Roping
Jumping rope burns an estimated 600 calories an hour. Jump ropes are also cheap, starting under $10. Also, because jump ropes are so portable, parents can pack one in their suitcase for workouts while they travel. Who knows — maybe Dad is a future double dutch champion!
3. Skating and Scooting
Have some old Rollerblades or Razor Scooters hanging out in the garage? You probably forgot how fun some quality time on wheels can be! Dust them off and cruise around the neighborhood or a nearby park with your kids. Kicking along on a scooter is sure to get your heart rate up. And in-line skating burns at least 300 calories an hour for adults. Consider doing a scavenger hunt to keep you moving.
4. Boogying Down
Your family loves singing along with the radio in the car. Why not dance along to the music when you’re at home? Having a family dance party lets parents and kids get silly while also getting some good cardio exercise. Hip hop dancing can burn about 400 calories an hour, so turn up the beats indoors or outside!
5. Playing Frisbee
Frisbee has a cult following, with hundreds of colleges now offering “ultimate Frisbee” (a Frisbee game similar to soccer) as a school sport. Your family could be full of Frisbee champs! With plastic discs starting at $5, it’s worth a try. Frisbee golf is another fun disc game.
6. Walking — or Hiking — with the Dog
What has fur, four legs, and is dying to be your exercise pal? That’s right: the family dog. Studies have shown that owning a dog can make you healthier, in part because you’re likely to take more walks. But if your daily walks have become more like a chore, infuse some fun as well as fitness. Go as a family, pick different routes each night, and throw in some jogging.
7. Playground Playtime
Just as kids love rec time during the school day, they’ll enjoy romping around the playground when school is out of session. When is the last time Dad tried his hand at crossing the monkey bars or doing some pull-ups? And when was Mom last on the swings, pumping her legs to get sky-high? Playgrounds offer fun physical activity for everyone — even if you’re just chasing the kids around.
8. Tag, You’re It, and Other Outdoor Games
Tag, kickball, wiffle ball, kickball… you name it! Neighborhood games may be waning in the digital age, but they’re as fun as ever and hopefully due for a comeback. Challenge your family members to some friendly competition, and enjoy the great outdoors like it’s the good ol’ days. Here are some great ideas from Chipper!
Chipper Tips: Keeping Your Kids Teeth Healthy
Chipper knows how important it is to get your little one to get into the habit of brushing their teeth at an early age!
Squirrels’ teeth grow very fast so they need to constantly sharpen and shorten them! To trim their long teeth and to keep healthy, squirrels like Chipper chew on hard things like twigs. Here’s a video of a squirrel at UCLA sharpening its teeth:
Like squirrels, we need to keep our teeth healthy! We’ve all heard it from all of our dentists: “You need to floss more!” or “Don’t forget to brush the very back of your molars!” Most of us don’t worry about their warnings until the day before our next dental visit. The worst that can happen is that we get a little cavity, and, they just fix it with a silver cap, right? But, it turns out, bad dental hygiene isn’t just bad for your teeth, it’s also bad for your general health! The infographic below lists 14 bad-dental-hygiene ailments that plague everyday people just like you and me. Poor oral hygiene can lead to heart disease, respiratory disease, and even brain abscesses! Preventative medicine is the best medicine, so please, listen to your dentist and floss your teeth and brush all the way to the back of your molars! Your body will thank you!
Need a way to keep your kids’ teeth healthy? Have your kids brush their teeth to this Chipper song–to ensure that your kids brush their teeth for a long enough time and to guarantee that the experience is fun!
Let’s Go Chipper for Healthy Teeth!
Chipper Snacks: Cinco de Mayo Recipe
Happy Cinco de Mayo! For those who don’t know, Cinco de Mayo is a celebration held on the 5th of May (today!). It is celebrated in two places; the United States and Mexico. In Mexico, the day is primarily celebrated in the state of Puebla, where the holiday is called El Día de la Batalla de Puebla, or “The Day of the Battle of Puebla.” Originally, the holiday was celebrated in Mexican-American communities to remember the fight for freedom and democracy during the American Civil War. Now, the Cinco de Mayo is celebrated in the United States to honor Mexican heritage and pride. In Puebla, the holiday is observed in remembrance of the Mexican army’s victory over the French during the Battle of Puebla.
To celebrate Cinco de Mayo, here is one of Chipper‘s favorite Mexican recipes: Chicken Tortilla Soup!
Here’s what you need to make 8 servings:
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed chicken broth
1 1/4 cups water
1 cup whole corn kernels, cooked
1 cup white hominy
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 boneless chicken breast halves, cooked and cut into bite-sized pieces
crushed tortilla chips
sliced avocado
shredded Monterey Jack cheese
chopped green onions
Directions:
1. First, in a medium stock pot, heat oil over medium heat. Saute onion and garlic in oil until soft. Stir in chili powder, oregano, tomatoes, broth, and water. Bring to a boil, and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.
2. Stir in corn, hominy, chiles, beans, cilantro, and chicken. Simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Ladle soup into individual serving bowls, and top with crushed tortilla chips, avocado slices, cheese, and chopped green onion.
Enjoy!
Did you know that chicken is a very good source of protein? A serving of 4 ounces of chicken provides 67.6% of the daily value for protein. In addition, the leanest part of a chicken is the chicken breast, which is half the fat of a trimmed Choice grade T-bone steak. However, eating the chicken with the skin doubles the amount of fat you consume. So, if you’re trying to cut down on fat, cut the skin! Chicken is also an excellent source of niacin, which is a cancer-protective vitamin. Read more about chicken and its health benefits here!
Let’s Go Chipper for Cinco de Mayo and healthy eating!
Chipper Craft & Snack: Celery-printed flowers!
Happy Sunday! This week, Chipper snacked on and played with one of his favorite nutritious foods, celery! Normally, Chipper picks up some celery every week at the super market. Did you know that celery provides anti-inflammatory health benefits? Or that the crunchy vegetable contains antioxidants such as vitamin C and flavonoids that help protect us from unwanted oxygen damage to our cells, organs, and blood vessels? It does!
This week, Chipper created flower prints from celery. It is an easy craft that can be created with materials that are lying around at home. All you need is: celery, a knife, paint, and a piece of paper! Here’s how:
First, take your bunch of celery and cut off the bottom.
Then, dip the bottom portion of the celery stalk in to paint and stamp away! Chipper used red paint.
The celery stalk ends up creating these fun, flower shaped objects.
Here’s Chipper‘s end product.
Chipper cut up the rest of the celery stalk and enjoyed it with some peanut butter.
According to an article by Harvard Health Publications, peanut butter has fiber, vitamins, and mineras, among other nutrients. Unsalted peanut butter contains a terrific potassium-to-sodium ratio, which “counters the harmful cardiovascular effects of sodium surplus….even salted peanut butter still has about twice as much potassium as sodium.” In addition, many research studies have concluded that people who “regularly include nuts or peanut butter in their diets are less likely to develop heart disease or type 2 diabetes than those who rarely eat nuts.”
With this craft and snack, teach your child the importance of being creative and snacking right all at the same time!
Let’s Go Chipper for creativity and healthy snacking!
Chipper Activities: 10 Fun Outdoor Activities for Kids During Winter
Winter doesn’t have to mean chilly afternoons huddled indoors all day. Instead, bundle up the kids for some fun outdoor winter activities (and exercise!) that will get their hearts pumping!
Just because it’s cold outside doesn’t mean that you and your little ones shouldn’t bundle up for some winter fun! Knowing the right outdoor activities for winter days (and nights!) is the first step to having a healthy, active winter. “I think it’s important to make fitness a part of your child’s life from the youngest of age. The best way for them to learn it is for you to model it. Do a stroller workout and/or take your baby to a mommy and me fitness class. They will see that Mom likes to exercise,” says Lisa Druxman, creator of Stroller Strides.
Dr. Fatima S. Khan, pediatrician with Rush-Copley Medical Center and an assistant professor in the department of pediatrics at Rush University Medical College in Chicago says that keeping active all year round is an absolute must for families. “This is very important. The No. 1 reason for the childhood obesity epidemic is due to physical inactivity and spending too much time in front of TV or computer games,” says Dr. Khan. This can get especially common during the winter months when we can use the cold as an excuse to stay indoors.
Things to know before playing outside in the winter
Ready to tear your kids away from the games and get them outside for winter activities? Here are a few things to know:
- Before heading outside, make sure that your kids are bundled up to be warm. You should bundle up too. Be sure to wear gloves, coats and warm socks, along with weather-appropriate footwear.
- Be aware of the signs of frostbite in kids. If your child complains of aching pain or numbness, most often to their extremities (hands, feet or ears) or their skin feels hard/waxy with a white color, come inside immediately and follow these instructions.
- Don’t worry, playing outside won’t make them sick. Dr. Khan says that the idea that going outside in the cold will give you a cold is nothing more than an old wives’ tale. “Just going outside doesn’t make people catch colds. Of course, they should be appropriately dressed… and if it’s really cold, like we get in Chicago, staying inside is better,” says Dr. Khan. However, Dr. Khan does say that if someone has been exposed to the cold virus, then being in the cold weather can make the cold come on faster.
- Stay hydrated. Just like any other time of the year, it’s important that you and your kids drink enough. “Don’t forget to bring water, even when the weather is chilly,” says Mindy Pierce, director of programming for Sport & Health Clubs.
Want more? Check out 4 safety tips during winter sports >>
1) Build a snowman
Do you remember rolling the snow into balls to create three parts for a special snowman? It was a lot of fun, but that’s not all. Making a snowman is also awesome exercise. “Moving all that snow around takes a lot of work,” says mom Alethea Smock, whose kids are ages 3 and 5.
2) Bubble time
You might associate blowing bubbles with sundresses, bare feet and green grass. But in the winter time, it takes on a whole new (and fun!) dimension. “My kids’ favorite is blowing bubbles on freezing days and watching them turn into ice bubbles — they look amazing,” says Sam’n Iqbal, a parent educator and mother of three.
3) Shoveling help
It goes without saying that shoveling snow is hard work. It’s also awesome exercise — even for kids. Pick up a kid-sized shovel and have them help out by clearing a path in the snow, or digging to make fun patterns. Afterwards, they can look from second story windows to see their winding snow walks!
4) Geocaching
The mere mention of the word ‘treasure’ is guaranteed to light up kids’ eyes. So, why not take them on a real-life treasure hunt with geocaching? People use global positioning devices and the internet to seek out items hidden by others. “When my guys were 12 and 13 it was fun to do geocaching where you find people’s hidden items via internet clues and GPS. It’s done all over the world [and] it’s fun to hide items too,” says mom of two, Kerri Hopkins. Hopkins said that from her experience, this is best for the age 11 to 13 crowd.
Want to try it? Check out Geocaching.com for help.
5) Look for animal tracks
Whenever it snows, it sets the stage for an ultra-fun family activity: Tracking animals. Grab a camera and your kids and check out the animal tracks in your freshly fallen snow. Take photos too, so you can compare them to photos of animal tracks later.
Mom Rebecca P. Cohen of RebeccaPlants.com, who is the spokesmom for the National Wildlife Federation’s Be Out There movement, says that although she has a book for IDing tracks, the internet is her preferred tool. “Most of the time we just do a quick internet search when we get inside for animal tracks pictures. It’s a fun way to ‘investigate’ the mystery of which animal track you saw and to get used to looking up answers to questions together. Outside time definitely piques kids’ curiosity and they have lots of questions. So looking up questions with your child on the internet is a great way to learn together,” says Cohen.
6) Flashlight tag
Love the game of tag? Flashlight tag is like the fun classic game, except players tag each other with beams of light, instead of hands. “We started playing flash tag just by stepping outside at night with our flashlights in winter and the kids started flashing their flashlights and chasing each other,” says Cohen.
So, how does she keep track in the dark? “I’m pretty specific with them about where they can play and I stay with them for flash tag,” says Cohen.
7) Sledding
Going down the hill is the most fun part, for sure. But the trek back up to go again? That is by far the best for your kid’s body (and yours too!). Pick up a sled, available at most major retailers like Target and Walmart, and head out for some wintery fun the next time it snows.
8) Ice skating
Whether your kids are little or big, ice skating can be a ton of fun. With the winter Olympics just around the corner, kids will love the idea of trying out this major winter sport. Did you know that many ice rinks even have special contraptions to help little kids stay standing while learning to skate? Buy or rent skates for the whole family and give it a whirl (or a triple axel!).
9) Skiing/snowboarding
Have mountain, will ski. Skiing and snowboarding are fun wintertime activities. Find a nearby mountain, rent some gear and try out a lesson or two for the kids (and yourself, if you aren’t experienced). If you like it, one or both could be an awesome winter sport for the family to enjoy.
10) Hiking
Think hiking is just for warm weather? Think again. “Discover local trails. Even around a large metropolitan area, many hidden trails can be found,” says Pierce. Moms agree that winter hiking can be just as fun as warm weather hiking. “We have three daughters, aged 14, 12 and 4. We live in the Denver area, and every weekend our family (including the dog) goes hiking in the mountains, usually in the Boulder-Lyons area, sometimes closer to Estes Park/Rocky Mountain National Park,” says Sherry Knecht. Knecht’s family hikes all year, except when the weather is just too brutal.
Let’s Go Chipper into the Great Outdoors this Winter!
Chipper Snacks: Spicy Mac ’n’ Cheese with Beans Recipe + Making Healthy Food Choices
We all want to eat healthy—it makes us feel better mentally and physically! Choosing which kinds of foods to buy or what recipes to make can seem daunting sometimes. And there are a lot of fake “healthy” foods out there to confuse us, thus making good food decisions isn’t as easy as it used to be!
Knowing your seasonal fruits and vegetables are a good place to start (that’s where Chipper can help!). Buying local, seasonal produce is not only good for your body but a wonderful way to support your community! Look into your local farmers market to do your produce shopping and try out one of these 5 Apps that help you shop for healthier foods at the grocery store and make nutritious recipes in your own kitchen!
One great food to eat during the winter are beans! They are an excellent source of protein and folate; 1/4 cup of cooked dry beans equals 1 ounce of meat! They are also high in fiber; 1/2 cup provides about 1/3 of an adults daily needs. Beans are very easy to use; very low in cost; and can be served hot or cold, mashed or whole. All adults should try and include 3 cups of canned or cooked dry beans in their meals each week.
Today, top your favorite green salad with cooked kidney (or other) beans. Tomorrow, try using left over beans to make a tasty dish: Spicy Mac ‘n’ Cheese with Beans (see recipe below). Freeze left over beans in 1 cup portions and save for soups, salads and chili dishes you make later! When shopping, look for beans that are firm, clean and bright in color. Store beans in an air tight container in a cool, dry place. For recipes, 1 pound of dry beans makes about 4 to 5 cups of cooked beans. Soak dry beans overnight to shorten cooking time and retain their texture.
Spicy Mac ‘n’ Cheese with Beans Recipe
- 2 CUPS Red Kidney Beans, cooked
- 12 oz. lean ground beef (omit for vegetarian recipe!)
- 1 and 1/2 CUPS frozen whole-kernel corn
- 1 Large tomato, diced
- 3/4 CUP dried whole-wheat elbow macaroni
- 2 TSP Chili Powder
- 1 CUP water
- 1/2 CUP low-fat cheddar cheese, shredded
How To Cook:
Heat a large skillet; brown the meat on medium-high heat; drain. Stir in corn, tomato, beans, uncooked macaroni, chili powder, and water. Bring the mixture to a boil; reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, or until macaroni is tender. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese, cover, and let stand for 5 minutes. Serve immediately and ENJOY 
Makes 6 servings; Each serving provides: 302 calories, 20 grams protein, 33 grams carbohydrate, 10 grams fat, 116 milligrams sodium, 7 grams fiber.
Chipper Tips and Snacks: Natural Remedies to Prevent Spoiling and Healthy Kale Krispies!
Nothing puts a dent in your day like discovering moldy, wrinkled fruits and veggies in your kitchen. Here are four natural tricks to keep your produce fresher, longer! Are you Chipper for fresh food?
Case #1: Moldy Berries
The tragic tale of berries gone bad too soon (but they were so new!) doesn’t have to plague your kitchen any longer. All you have to do is take your berries, soak them in a bowl of vinegar and water, dry in a salad spinner, and put in a partially sealed, towel-lined bowl and voila! — they will be mold-free for up to seven days! Hopefully by that time you’ll have already used them in a delicious berry smoothie! Add some to your family’s morning cereal or in some yogurt as a tasty yet healthy snack!
Case #2: Browning Avocados
Avocados make for great party guacamole, but nobody wants to dip their chips in a bowl full of browned mush (besides, it tastes funny). Avocados turn brown when they contact oxygen. So, simple solution: don’t let air near your avocados. Many try to do this with plastic wrap or sealed containers. But let’s face it — that never works very well. (Plus, food doesn’t like plastic!) Instead, put the cut avocado in a bowl on top of some onion slices. Th e sulfur in onion’s will slow down the browning process! Plus, they’ll taste extra good when your make that guac!
Case #3: Ailing Apples
Avoiding ailing apples can be somewhat tricky. While uneaten apples are generally resilient to molding or bruising for about a week or even two, the moment you slice them open, they remain white for only a few minutes before they begin to turn yellow and brown…then your little ones probably won’t like to eat them when they open their school lunch! This doesn’t mean your apples are no longer fresh — really, they are! But the immediate browning can make it appear that those slices have been sitting out for a while. The reason for this? Apples, similar to potatoes, have a special enzyme in them that reacts when exposed to oxygen. The reaction forms a type of rust on the surface of the apple that we see as the browning effect, and it actually does cause the apple to spoil at a slow rate.
But there is hope! In order to keep your apples looking fresh, simply do the following:
After you cut your apple slices, immediately soak them into a bowl of cold water mixed with salt (about 1/8 of a cup of table salt mixed in one quart of water per apple). Afterward, rinse the apples under cold water. It won’t leave an overwhelming salty taste. Because salt acts as a preservative, it does just that: preserves the apple from oxidizing! Or, if you’d like to keep your fruits a bit more citrusy, you can also soak your apples in lemon juice, orange juice, or any other type of acidic juice, which will counter the oxidization process as well. Your healthy treat shouldn’t just taste good — it should look good too!
Case #4: Atrophied Asparagus
Packed with fiber, antioxidants, and vitamins, asparagus is always a great vegetable to add to your diet. Yet while it is renowned for the health benefits it provides, it is simultaneously notorious for its shelf life. Asparagus stored in the refrigerator lasts for only about two days after it is has been bought from the market. If you are an avid asparagus eater, you know that the stalks shrink in size, crispness, and taste if you don’t cook them within 48 hours. Their shriveled and wrinkled appearance isn’t an indication that the thermostat in your fridge is too low, but a result of asparagus’s respiration rate (or the rate in which fruits and vegetable spoil), which is high. Of course, the best way to enjoy this delicious veg is to cook it the day it’s bought. But that isn’t always going to be the case!
So here’s your plan B. Another great way to ensure that your asparagus doesn’t become your next produce casualty is to do the following:
Cut off about an inch from the bottom of the stalks. Then, store upright in a cup, vase, or jar of room-temperature water. Lastly, cover the tops of the asparagus with a plastic bag (grocery bags or ziplocs will work) to retain moisture, and store in the refrigerator. Your asparagus will last a few days longer and taste new and fresh!
Recipe: Kale Krispies
We are so Chipper for kale! This versatile veggie is a good source of potassium, calcium, and vitamins A and C. Making a salad or sauteing it with some garlic are some standard ways to enjoy kale. Sometimes though, our eyes are bigger than our stomachs and that big bunch of kale is starting to look a little wilted. So is it time to throw it out? No way! Instead, make a healthy snack for when you’re on-the-go. Kale chips are easy to bake and super tasty so your kids will love this healthy snack as well as you!
Ingredients:
- a bunch (or two!) of kale
- 1-2 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil (depending on batch size)
- sea salt
- cookie sheet(s)
- parchment paper
- a mixing bowl
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and prep your cookie sheet(s) with parchment paper.
Rinse off the kale and remove the stem. You should now have some generous-size strips of kale. Tear the strips into smaller pieces and toss it in the bowl.
Drizzle (lightly) with olive oil and add a few dashes of sea salt.
At this point, you could spread the kale out on your prepped cookie sheet(s), pop them in the oven for 12-15 minutes (or until slightly browned around the edges) and come out with some yummy kale snacks.
-OR-
You get a little creative with it! Add some crushed red pepper flakes to give it a little heat or whatever other seasonings you or the Kids love! Or add a lemon to the mix for some extra flavor. Maybe try some parmesan cheese or hickory BBQ seasoning on a batch. There are tons of possibilities, but whether you’re a vegetarian or just want to try something new, you’ll be addicted to kale chips before you know it! Let’s Go Chipper and eat some fresh and healthy food!
Benefits of Laughing with Chipper’s Caption Contest!
“Your sense of humor is one of the most powerful tools you have to make certain that your daily mood and emotional state support good health.”
- Paul E. McGhee, Ph.D.
Almost 50,000,000 views of this video!!!
We all love to laugh–it’s literally good for us! Humor is infectious. The sound of roaring laughter is far more contagious than any cough, sniffle, or sneeze. When laughter is shared, it binds people together and increases happiness and intimacy. Laughter also triggers healthy physical changes in the body. Humor and laughter strengthen your immune system, boost your energy, diminish pain, and protect you from the damaging effects of stress. Best of all, this priceless medicine is fun, free, and easy to use!
One of the best ways to get a few laughs online are caption contests! Chipper loves to post photos on his Facebook Page and ask people to come up with some captions in the comment section so we decided to put together a Caption Contest! Please check out our photo (as seen below) and enter your best caption for a chance to win a powerful LED Flashlight, just in time for Fall and its longer nights!
Captions???
We will also use the winning entry to make a funny meme post in the following weeks after the contest ends to get you folks laughing! Laughter is a powerful antidote to stress, pain, and conflict. Nothing works faster or more dependably to bring your mind and body back into balance than a good laugh. Humor lightens your burdens, inspires hopes, connects you to others, and keeps you grounded, focused, and alert. Let’s Go Chipper and Start laughing today!
Chipper Crafts: Morning Routine Book for Back-to-School!
Every parent has a favorite horror story about The Morning Rush. There’s the tale of the backwards shirt, only discovered when you arrive at school. Or the Day the Thermos Exploded in the Backpack. Or there’s just an ongoing tale of many, many days of profound rush and general frenzy.
What can you do besides stand like an addled deer in your child’s zooming headlights? Many experts say that that answer lies in routine, routine, routine! Here’s an activity that can help get all of you calmly out the door in the morning. It helps with reading development, too. Plus, it’s fun!
What You Need:
- At least 7 pages of card stock paper
- Digital camera
- Markers
- Three hole punch
- Clip on rings
What You Do:
- Start by folding a sheet of typing paper in half lengthwise. Sit down with your child, discuss what really happens every morning, and in the left hand column, make a list of six common features. Be prepared to laugh—kids can be amazingly observant. In our house, for example, a standard event was, “Mom forgets her cell phone and we have to double back to get it.” At the top of the page, you can mark this list, “Nonfiction,” and explain to your child that that means it’s a statement of true facts.
- Now, on the right hand side, ask your child what might change in each case to make things run smoother. (If you already have a smooth morning routine, go ahead and jump straight to this phase—you can just record what you already do.) Write the ideas on small post-its—you can then move them around when you’re done to make a logical sequence.
- Now you’re ready for some reading and writing. Have your child write each of the six things you just discussed onto a horizontal card stock page, creating six pages in order that convey a sensible, sane, orderly morning routine. At the very least, you’ll want to include items like putting on clothes (right side out), eating breakfast, and brushing teeth, and make sure you include a page for a Chipper goodbye before the school day starts!
- Now have your little one use the markers to illustrate every page, with himself or herself in a starring role, of course.
- Place three holes in the left margin and clip the book with clip on rings. This way, you can add or subtract pages later.
- At night before bed, have your child read the book to you. Talk it through and envision how the morning will go. Do it again and again … and prepare to be amazed by the improvements in your morning routine!
Of course, on another day, feel free to take out that other list. There may be quite another tale to write about (perhaps one to laugh about once better routines are in place). Now, Let’s Go Chipper back-to-school!
Chipper Snacks: Back-to-School Recipes and Tips
School’s started up again and making sure your child stays focused and alert during the day depends a lot on what and how much they are eating! Encourage mid-morning or afternoon snacks to keep you little ones energized. Tuck one of these healthy goodies into their backpack so they can have something to nibble on during the long school day.
The snacks below are packed with the flavors kids love, and the critical protein, whole grains, and vitamins they need to be their best! Each one provides a bit of sweetness for flavor and a burst of energy, plus vital nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. Having a tasty snack to munch on after school (when they are always impatient for some sort of food) also helps your children to avoid cheap junk food that may be available around or on school grounds. Try five these snacks out to have a Chipper school year!
1) Ants on a Log
This healthy snack is one that kids can make all on their own. Simply spread some crunchy peanut butter and sweet raisins over celery for a smart snacking option.
Ingredients:
- 5 stalks celery
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 1/4 cup raisins
Instructions:
- Cut the celery stalks in half. Spread with peanut butter. Sprinkle with raisins.
2) Apple Cinnamon Bran Mini-Muffins
A big muffin is often too much for a little kid. These bite-size bran muffins, made with the goodness of apple and cinnamon, are perfect for preschoolers to preteens and are just the right size for snacking between meals.
Ingredients:
- 1-1/4 cups (300 mL) natural bran (not cereal)
- 1 cup (250 mL) all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) brown sugar
- 2-1/2 tsp. (12 mL) baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. (2 mL) cinnamon
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) milk
- 1/3 cup (75 mL) vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 medium apple, peeled and finely chopped
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Grease the cups in two mini muffin pans.
- In a large bowl, stir together the bran, flour, brown sugar, baking powder and cinnamon. In another bowl, whisk together the milk, oil and eggs. Add the milk mixture to the bran mixture, stirring until just combined. Fold in the chopped apple.
- Spoon batter into the prepared muffin pans, filling each cup to the top. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until a toothpick poked into the middle of a muffin comes out clean.
- Makes 20 to 22 miniature muffins.
3) Apple Autumn Salad
This tart and tangy fruit salad tosses together tart green apples, dried cranberries, cherries and almonds in a refreshing vanilla yogurt for a delightful taste of fall.
Ingredients:
- 4 tart green apples, cored and chopped
- 1/4 cup blanched slivered almonds, toasted
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup chopped dried cherries
- 1 (8 ounce) container vanilla yogurt
Instructions:
- In a medium bowl, stir together the apples, almonds, cranberries, cherries and yogurt until evenly coated.
4) Banana and Peanut Butter Wraps
Kids go bananas for these simple after-school snacks. The peanut butter and banana filling, sprinkled with raisins and drizzled with honey, is a wholesome way to satisfy their sweet and salty cravings.
Ingredients:
- 1 (6 inch) flour tortilla
- 2 tablespoons peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 banana
- 2 tablespoons raisins
Instructions:
- Lay tortilla flat. Spread peanut butter and honey on tortilla. Place banana in the middle and sprinkle in the raisins. Wrap, and serve.
5) Juicy Fruit Salad
Juicy to the core, this tropical blend of pineapple chunks, orange segments, diced apple, banana slices and grapes makes a sweet gesture for your little ones when they’re looking for a quick snack.
Ingredients:
- 1 (15 ounce) can pineapple chunks with juice
- 1 apple – peeled, cored and diced
- 1 orange – peeled, diced and juice reserved
- 1 banana, sliced
- 1 cup seedless green grapes, halved
Instructions:
- In a large bowl, toss together the pineapple, apple, orange, banana and grapes. Add the juice from the pineapple and orange and let chill until serving.
School Lunch Advice for Kids at Every Age
Try the tips below to make your child’s lunch healthy AND worth looking forward to.
For home-packed lunches:
- Avoid the morning rush by preparing lunch the night before and chilling it in the refrigerator.
- Put slices of tomatoes in a separate bag or container so they don’t make sandwiches soggy.
- Instead potato or corn chips, pack a healthier alternative like veggie chips, bagel rounds, or baked tortilla crisps.
- Round out the meal with kid-sized veggies—baby carrots, celery sticks, or broccoli florets—and a low-fat or fat-free dip.
- Low-fat, high fiber mini muffins make a great dessert alternative to cupcakes or high-fat cookies.
- Use a cookie cutter to transform a plain square sandwich into something unique.
- Turn a container of low-fat yogurt into a complete meal by sending along some stir-ins like granola, trail mix, unsalted chopped nuts, or whole grain cereal.
- Consider alternatives to sandwich bread like burger buns, pita rounds, soft tortillas, and large lettuce leaves (for a no-sog wrap for savory fillings).
For school cafeteria lunches:
- Look over the cafeteria menu with your child ahead of time. Try to agree on items your child like and that are healthy.
- Ask the school’s parent-teacher group to arrange a presentation by the food service department. Express your interest in ensuring that healthy food choices be offered in school cafeterias and vending machines.
- Learn more about new laws requiring healthier school lunches at the Healthy Meals Resource System web site.
Advice and tips for safe lunches
To prevent food-related illness, following the guidelines below when preparing and packing lunches.
Watch the temperature. Harmful bacteria grow best between 40 degrees F and 140 degrees F, so it’s important to keep perishable foods outside this danger zone as much as possible. Foods susceptible to bacterial growth—especially high protein foods like meat, poultry, fish, dairy products, and eggs—should never be in the danger zone for more than two hours (one hour in warm weather conditions). Foods destined for the lunch box should be kept in the refrigerator until just before your child leaves for school.
To maintain lunch food at a cool temperature, pack a frozen juice box or water bottle in an insulated lunch bag; you can also use a freezable gel pack. Try to position the coldest item at the top of the bag since cool air settles.
Keep it clean. Always wash your hands (and your child’s) before preparing food. Wash them again after handling eggs or raw meat so you don’t cross contaminate other foods or surfaces. Be sure that utensils, counters, and cutting boards are also clean when you begin. If raw meat or eggs touches a surface, clean it with warm soapy water before allowing another food to come in contact with it.
Be aware of food hazards. Some common lunch foods pose health hazards than you might not expect. Some of the most common include:
- Raw eggs. Uncooked eggs may be contaminated with salmonella. Young children are especially susceptible to this harmful organism, so avoid giving them foods like homemade mayonnaise or uncooked eggnog.
- Peanuts. Children who are allergic to peanuts can have a life-threatening reaction to even microscopic amounts. This is why some schools have banned foods that contain peanuts. Unfortunately, many processed foods contain trace amounts of peanuts, even if they aren’t listed on the ingredient label. If you’re child attends school with a youngster who has a peanut allergy, be sure to pay attention to any guidelines given to you by the school. (To learn more about peanut and other food allergies, check out Medline.)
- Tuna. Albacore tuna—so-called “white” tuna—has relatively high levels of mercury. Though not considered dangerous for most adults, young children and pregnant women should avoid eating more than one meal (about six ounces) of albacore per week. Shrimp, canned light tuna, salmon, pollock, and catfish have less mercury, and are safe for up to two meals per week.
Is There Lead in Your Child’s Lunch Bag?
In 2005, tests by the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission revealed that some soft vinyl lunch carriers contained lead. Though the government insisted that the risk associated with these products is very low, parents have reason to be concerned. Lead is an insidious nerve toxin that can lead to retardation and other health problems. Young children are especially vulnerable to the effects of lead.
Although the Food and Drug Administration has asked manufacturers and suppliers to stop using lead in the lunch carriers, it is possible that these products remain in homes and on store shelves. It is also possible, though not likely, that other types of plastic lunch carriers might have lead in them.
To protect your child, consider taking these safeguards:
- Avoid soft lunch carriers made from vinyl (or PVC).
- Look for carriers from reputable suppliers that are certified as lead free.
- If you have a soft lunch carrier and want to know if it contains lead, pick up a home lead testing kit at a well-stocked hardware store or home center.
Check out these environmentally-safe Lunch Totes from Let’s Go Chipper! Perfect for school lunches or summer picnics!
Blushing Monkey Lunch Bag! The Dabbawalla Bags Lunch bags are a fun, functional way to tote lunch and snacks for adventurers of all ages. Crafted from Ariaprene, an innovative neoprene like fabric that is recyclable and degradable, the Dabbawalla Bags are certified free of lead, PVC, phthalates and over 100 other harmful substances. The stain-resistant, durable fabric is insulated to help retain food temperature. Designed in Seattle, WA and responsibly sewn in Taiwan by a family-owned sewing facility that supports fair labor practices. Each the Dabbawalla Bag is crafted individually and subtle differences add to their unique charm. Features: Insulating construction helps holds temperature for hours — interior ice pack pocket for longer outings Two interior pockets Stain resistant One outside pocket Machine washable
Kids will go bananas for this soft, playful reusable lunch tote. Moms will be swing’n because it’s so easy to pack for lunch and easy to clean. The bold blues and bright eyes pack a little bit of playfulness into lunch! Help kids conserve and reduce plastic bags at lunch with Monkey See, Monkey Do lunch tote.
