Patient Request

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A patient asked me the other day to give healthy meal ideas for kids, so here it goes:

Breakfast,
a) unsweetened kiefer or yoghurt mixed with whole grain agave sweetened granola 
If you use yoghurt, the Greek yoghurts are higher in protein and a better choice, especially for breakfast when you are trying to get a half and half protein to carb balance.
b) eggs and brocolli (or some other veggie that your child likes) mixed in with whole grain toast
c) yoghurt and berries (or any other kind of fruit your child likes)
d) whole grain pancakes (pamela's is a GREAT choice) sprinke some agave on top and don't forget to mix in an egg and milk to increase the protein.
e) Cottage cheese and pineapple
f) Fruit sweetned cereals with whole milk_there are lots of great cereals these days
Lunch:
a) raw almond butter with fruit sweetened jam on whole grain toast/bread with carrot sticks or cherry tomatoes, (or another cut up veggie your child likes).
b) turkey on whole grain bread with a veggie as above or a fruit
c) quesadilla using a while grain tortilla, organix mozzarella cheese and a veggie, add a fruit o the side.
d) whole grain pizza with organic cheese and veggies on top.
e) Terra Bella pasta ( or some other whole grain brand, but this one is SUPERB) with cut up chicken in it and a veggie.
Dinner:
a) buffalo burger (kids love buffalo meat for some reason) and sweet potato, yam, or sweet potato fries, there are healthy brands that come frozen now with a side of veggies, brocolli, or spiniach. If you make spiniach or broccoli sprinkle olive oil, lemon, and a hint of garlic powder, it makes the kids eat it up!
b) Low fat Kilbasa with acorn squash that has butter and salt melted into it, and some cherry tomatoes or another veggie.
c) baked chicken (melt cheese on top for extra flavor, kids need flavor) with a veggie of his or her choosing and a mashed up potato  
d) fish with kashi multi-grain rice kind of dish or wild rice and a veggie
e) spanakopita (a filo based spinach tunover with cheese in it too--it comes prepared in the frozen section, I like Cohen's best) with chiken nuggets (there are lots of healthy chicken nuggets these days.
f) spagetti squash with tomato sauce on top and some protein on the side and if not cheese sprinkled on top.
Snacks:
a) organic lolipops, or fuit a boos (fruit roll-ups) when you are trying to make them feel like the other kids 
b) Kashi cookies or health bars--they are not all the same, check for lowest sugars
c) Larabars
d) ultimate raw bars
e) Late July cheese crackers--I recommend minimizing peanut butter, it also comes with peanut butter.
f) pamela's cookies--some are fruit sweetened some are not, you need to check
g) Fabe's pies-fruit sweeted
h) bake your own cookies and cakes! UEs whole grains, as I said Pamela's is an excellent choice, and you can blend in agave sweetened granola, or ultimate raw chocolate (agave sweetened) or Wax Orchard's chocolate (fruit sweetened), or apple sauce, bananas, agave, agave and vanilla, etc.... You can also get an ice cream maker from William Sonoma and simply pour in your own healthy ingredients and out come super tastey ice cream. You can also make a shake with yoghurt, fruit, and agave, put in a little ice and a banana to thick--it tastes great and is super healthy. And, don't forget good old fashioned pop corn! This is a great snack, but get pure popcorn not the microwave kind. Don't buy your child things that are neon colors, those have very storn chemicals in them that can cause brain damage and mood problems. Don't give your child any juice that is not 100% juice, and still water that down. Dont, give anything natural sweetened or not after 5 o'clock so they will sleep better.
these of course are only suggestions and work for adults as well as kids--adults that are on list 4 or higher mostly. Also, check out the gentle products guide for more product ideas. I will keep building on that list, and of course our recip page--lots of patients have mailed in thier recipes. 

Comments

emmarenee's picture
emmarenee

Thanks, this is very helpful!

Clueless's picture
Clueless

Matia,What is wrong with microwave popcorn?  We buy Bearitos organic, no salt, no oil, microwave popcorn.  The only ingredients is organic popcorn.  It is easy, fast, and tastes great.  You can add your own butter or salt as you wish.

drbrizman's picture
drbrizman

Yes, I meant those kinds often have chemicals mixed in. SO, the one you are using is probably fine. However, microwaving in general is not healthy, so dont do too much of that!

nicole's picture
nicole

The air popcorn makers are just as fast as the microwave and once you have the poper the corn is so cheep. I used to love to do that as a kid stand there and watch the popcorn. Oh I would love to have some now that would be  a real treat.

icnot4me's picture
icnot4me

Why is microwaving not healthy?  I heat up food everyday, eek! 

carole's picture
carole

This is great! Thank you Matia!
Carol

carole's picture
carole

Matia, do you have an opinion about gum? My kids' dentist is always pushing xylitol sweetened gum. She says xylitol is a natural sweetener made from birch trees and that the gum helps with cavity prevention. 
Carol

drbrizman's picture
drbrizman

I think that cavity prevention comes from internal health. Did you read the dentistry info I posted a couple months ago under "purely holistic"? I really like that dentist's approach. I am not saying that xylitol may not help in some way, but, I think that it comes from the insides, and chewing gum may stimulate gastric digestive enzymes that will increase when there is not food to digest and create problems.