Parenting is a juggling act.
We’re trying to balance our kids’ needs and our own time, our budget and our health, our relationships, our jobs, and our sanity.
It’s not simple.
It’s not really hard, either, but there are some tips and tricks to keeping your parenting fun, healthy, and inexpensive. Feeding your little people on a budget can be challenging, and making time to prepare whole foods seems impossible for parents on the go.
When we were oh, so young and unattached, with no dependents, and the robust health of youth, we could eat pizza and ice cream every day, live on coffee and granola bars, go out to eat for lunch and dinner, or let the pantry stay empty for weeks.
Then along comes baby. Big change. We now need to make sure the fridge is full and the cupboards are stocked. And we don’t want to feed our children junky stuff, no matter how cheap it is. We are what we eat, the saying goes, and our children learn about food by watching us shop for, prepare, and eat the family meals.
Whole grains and fresh foods really fit the bill, and can satisfy even picky eaters if we learn how to adapt some basic recipes just for their tastes. They don’t like it sweet? Make it savory. They want something fun? Make up a great silly name and a ritual for making it. A song, even…
Dad Does Breakfast: Easy Recipes for Healthy Eating
1. Amaranth Cereal -This amazing superfood makes a great gluten-free breakfast. It’s packed with protein and goes as well with dinner as with breakfast.
- Bring 1 cup of amaranth and 3 cups of water to a boil. Turn heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. When it has the consistency of oatmeal or porridge, it’s done. Top with honey, raisins, fresh fruit, broccoli… (ok, I’m kidding about the broccoli), cover with soy or cow or rice milk, maybe sprinkle it with cinnamon. I like mine with the ever so butter-like Earth Balance, and hemp seeds on top.
2. Brown Rice Breakfast -Another gluten-free breakfast, brown rice will power you through your morning with clean-burning calories. Make a pot the night before (1 cup brown rice, 3 cups water, boil, then simmer until water is gone), and you’ll be the hero at breakfast.
- Add 1 cup water to 3 cups cooked brown rice and heat to boiling. Add a pinch of salt, a handful of raisins, a handful of sunflower seeds, and shredded coconut. Simmer on a low flame until water is gone, stirring occasionally. Serve drizzled with honey or agave nectar, some rice milk, and a big spoon.
3. Farina -Also known as Cream of Wheat© or Bear Mush©, this wheat porridge is a fast-cooking favorite on our camping trips. It also makes a very quick backpacking breakfast.
- Use 1 cup of farina to 4 cups of water. Bring the water to a boil first, then stir the cereal into the water. Stir over medium heat until thickened. Adding dried fruit (blueberries are my favorite) to the water as it boils will add sweetness, and chopped nuts or fresh bananas on top, drizzled with maple syrup, gives it some style.
Whip up some healthy eats and impress your kids.
Let mama sleep in.
Trust me on this one.
Related Posts about Healthy Eating:
- Green Eggs and Planet: Top 10 Healthy Snacks for Kids
- Teaching Your Kids to Cook
- Healthy and Green Lunches for Back to School
- Healthy Children, Healthy Planet
Yes, let mama sleep in! Add in a smoothie and some fresh fruit and everyone is happy. I’ll have to pass this along to the Papa in the house.
Thanks, Angelina. I like to make a 3 banana smoothie with an orange and frozen or fresh blueberries!
Those recipes look delicious. We like Cream of Wheat (farina) and brown rice. Isn’t it funny when you see simple recipes like these you think, how come I never thought of that combination?
Those are excellent healthy breakfast options and so easy to make. Thanks for the helpful tips Derek!! Keep um coming 🙂
Follow this,it’s easier to make healthy meals
Hi! Your post rocks and is a good read!
Quick: Any idea whether you got at least five servings of fruits and vegetables today? Ate 25 to 35 grams of fiber? Overdid it on salt, fat or added sugar? Got enough (but not too much) protein? Don’t worry—we can’t keep track, either. With so many nutrition guidelines, it can be hard enough to remember them, let alone follow them. That’s why we came up with four straightforward rules to put—and keep—you on the path to good health. They’re super-simple, and following them will ensure that you’re eating a pretty nutritious diet without having to remember much else.
Choose whole foods instead of processed and packaged ones whenever you can
By “whole,” we mean they should exist in nature and have just one primary ingredient (for example, bananas, broccoli, chicken, brown rice, milk). Ninty percent of the time, these oods are the healthiest, and eating mostly whole foods makes it more likely that you’ll get enough protein, fiber and whole grains . And eating fewer packaged foods should help you avoid excess sodium, sugar and calories.