Low cost kids lunch ideas?
Azarae_Duske
21 years ago
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Comments (25)
artmom
21 years agolast modified: 9 years agotrekaren
21 years agolast modified: 9 years agoRelated Discussions
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 MorePacking Kids' Lunches
Comments (18)I pack my girls 1/2 a sandwich most days. PBJ, turkey/cheese, tuna salad, chicken salad, egg salad. Into the sandwich-sized Tupperware container, I put the 1/2 sandwich and some type of "treat" such as pretzels (Deirdre's favorite), wheat thins, Fritos (Delaney's favorite), gold fish, etc. On top of that I may add a dried pinapple slice in a soft Baggie or a Hershey kiss or a piece of Halloween candy. Maybe yogurt-covered raisins or golden raisins. Close the Tupperware container. Then comes fruit or veggie - apple sauce, mandarin oranges, jello with fruit, baby carrots, or grape tomatoes. Last comes organic milk (which the school doesn't sell and the milk line takes to much time for my slow eater anyway). On occasion, I put in calcium-fortified OJ box. Sometimes, I throw in a yogurt. Throw in a napkin and an ice pack. That's it 80% of the time. Other days, I pack soup or pasta or other leftovers in a thermos you just take the lid off. I run very hot water in the thermos while nuking the soup/pasta, then fill it almost all the way up so there's not much air and the contents stay hot. Be careful now tight you screw the lid on!!! The first day I sent soup in Delaney's cute Scooby Do thermos, all the lunch ladies tried to open it and they had to call the janitor over to get the lid off. Apparently, it was on so tight it created a vacuum! (And who knows where the janitor's hands were before the lunchroom???) We've also done cheese-and-crackers and celery-peanut-butter in place of the 1/2 sandwich. They love turkey pepperoni, too. They may get a hard-boiled egg. I saw some kids with cold pizza and thought that was a brilliant idea. I let them buy lunch one day a week to have the experience of making their own selections and paying for their purchase. Our school has a keypad where you enter your lunch code to have the $ deducted from your account. Way cool. Kari...See More' Summer Low Cost Entertainment Ideas? '
Comments (5)A few low cost but not no cost ideas: Our local zoo and botanical gardens: We can buy a year long pass for $65 (now keep in mind there are 8 of us total), that is good for some special events, comes with a few free daily passes for friends, and allows free or reduced admissions at something like 200 zoos and aquariums around the country as well as as many times as we want to daily admission. For our family, even one trip a year pays for the pass. We bring our own snacks and liquid refreshment. Our local science center: $50 will get you the same daily pass for a year, with similar benefits as the zoo. In addition to the constantly changing exhibits. Our library has a summer reading program, free and good up to 8th grade. The state parks also have a year pass. For $30 a year, we can go to most state parks (there are 3-4 excluded) in our state free. That's swimming, some summer programs, beach (a lake beach, but the kids don't care). We take a lunch and spend the day. BBQ, it's great fun. Our town has "First Fridays" kind of a carnival the first Friday of the month. Then there's the museums, they have one free day per month. The colleges in the area have "dress rehearsals" that you can get reduced tickets to.... plays, symphonies, ballet, all kinds of things. The local military base has open air concerts (free) and a couple of carnivals (free to get in, costs only for rides and games) A nearby town has First Saturday. Music and exhibits (more for grown ups) Parades in nearly every little town, all summer long Movies on the Green: wandering outside movie (fairgrounds or golf courses) for about $1 each. (older movies) Also dollar theaters. Older movies, but still good for an afternoon's entertainment. Various fair things: Arts in the Heart (a crafts fair), Greek Fest, River race (a rubber ducky race for charity.... there are about a million of them... quite the sight!!), Dog Days of Summer (concert series), 4th of July on the River (fireworks etc...)... I can't remember the rest, but there are about 2 a month until the end of summer...See MoreLow-cost Teen Hang-out Ideas Needed
Comments (10)Our basement room is not huge, it's actually tiny. It's not fancy, it's not elaborate like some of these pictures, but it does contain lots of kids. My husband, FIL and I finished off the space a few years back so our 3 kids could have their own space to hang out with friends. Our room is about 13 x 22 with 3 foot deep closets that run 13 feet along the far wall for storage. We have an air hockey, rod hockey, darts and pinball machine on one side of the room. The main part of the room has a cubby extension that holds my treadmill and small flat screen tv, then there is a set of slouch chairs, a bean bag chair, 2 high legged chairs with a small table to play board games on. That part of the room has stereo surround sound so x-box games can be blasted! We have another larger flat screen tv with a small cabinet that holds stereo equipment, and video game units. We put wood panelling along the bottom which I painted in Cabinet Coat, thicker paint that holds up well to kids. We did a slight drop ceiling in order to put panels in that contain sound proofing. For the floor, we used carpet tiles. The upper portion of the walls are sponged in shades of darker blues since my husband is a Toronto Maple Leaf fan, but the walls look like fresh Levi Jeans. We did run heat into the room, but only keep the vent slightly open down there. We painted the floors with a waterproofing before laying the carpet tiles which have their own pad built in. The great thing about the carpet tiles is someone spills, you pull up the offensive tiles, wash them, dry them and reinstall them. We have tons of lighting down there, the main switch controls one light off in the table section and the 4 cans in the main area. The second switch controls the 4 cans for the gaming table area. A third switch inside the closet doors contains lighting for the shelving units. All run CFL floods except the storage area. I installed sliding closet doors along the back wall that are also painted with cabinet coat (as is all the trim) and then put heavy duty shelving units back there. We store all our ski equipment, school supply 'store' that I have, board games, videos, etc. on the shelves there. Tons of storage I am so glad I insisted on. Could have had a few more square feet, but I am happy with having the 'stuff' behind closed doors. We had planned on a fridge, but didn't, don't miss it. There is a large food pantry where I store all excess food things just outside the door. I keep it well stocked with juice, water, gatorade and snacks and everyone is happy. A well placed, easily accesible trash can is far more important than a fridge, in my experience. We didn't skimp on insulating the area, so it's comfortable year round. I designed most of the space, my husband came up with the cool cubby that has my treamill, we did the whole thing ourselves and spent way on the lower side of 5ooo - 7500 including all permits. 50K basements room = nicer homes than mine, but the kids love our room....See Moretalley_sue_nyc
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