Hello, I hope you are doing well. The month of September passed quickly and and I am now resuming my regular blog posts. This year's back from the summer break was particularly special for us as our son has start his first school year. I understand the challenges that come with this period. We find ourselves with less time, the children catch their first cold immediately after returning to the children's collective, and within a few weeks we feel exhausted. I have compiled these three tips that could help make this period a little bit smoother for you. If you are interested in more inspiration and family recipes, feel free to explore my newest E-book: Healthy Breakfast and Snacks.
In order to handle daily tasks effectively, it is important for us to be physically fit and have sufficient energy. In addition, our children need to have enough quality nutrients to ensure proper growth and development, promote healthy weights maintenance and support ability to learn new skills. Breakfast, as the first meal of the day, plays a key role in this process.
Within this article, you will find tips on how to make a nutritious breakfast, a tried-and-true recipe for a delicious breakfast or school snack, and ways to engage little helpers in order to make food preparation enjoyable and quality time spent together.
1. Tip: A well-balanced breakfast
The first meal that children eat in the morning can have a significant impact on their entire day. An empty stomach is more sensitive to sugar intake, so an ideally balanced breakfast should be built primarily on high-quality protein and healthy fats. These components are essential not only for proper growth and mental health, but also as a long-term source of energy. Along with complex carbohydrates and fiber, they also provide the necessary vitamins and minerals for a great start to the day. Here are some examples that might inspire you.
Protein - yogurt, quality cheese, eggs, tofu
Fats - nuts, almond butter, cold-pressed oils, chia seeds, avocado
Complex Carbohydrates and Fiber - vegetable and fruits, whole grain bread, cereals (e.g. oats, millet, buckwheat, quinoa)
For maximum time-saving, aim to prep your meals a day ahead and keep them stored in high-quality containers. I typically opt for glass containers, while for our son, we prefer a snack box made of high-quality stainless steel. It's lightweight and highly convenient.
2. Tip: A tried and tested breakfast or snack recipe - Banana Bread
Another time saver is to have at least 1 proven recipe for a nutritious breakfast or snack that you know your your children enjoy. In our case, I regularly prepare this Banana Bread. While there are many recipes and options available, you may find inspiration in ours if you don't already have your favorite one.
Ingredients:
Wet ingredients:
2 ripe bananas (+ 1 for garnish, optional)
4 tbs of coconut oil
3 tbs of almond milk
Dry ingredients:
1 cup of almond flour
1 cup of ground hazelnuts
1 tsp of - cinnamon, vanilla, baking soda, a pinch of salt
Coarsely chopped Hazelnuts
80% dark chocolate - if it is too bitter for you, try different %
Preparation time: 40 minutes
Portion: 4 - 6 people
Designation: Vegan, gluten-freeDirections:
Combine all the dry ingredients in one bowl. In another bowl, mix the wet ingredients, then gradually blend in the dry mixture. Top with a banana. Transfer the batter to a loaf pan and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for around 20 minutes. These can be served for breakfast with natural yogurt or packed along with nuts, yogurt, and seasonal fruit as healthy snacks for school (as shown in the image above).
Nutritional point
Nuts
Nuts and are rich in fiber, vitamin E, magnesium, as well as healthy quality fats.
Specifically, walnuts for example are also an excellent source of quality fats called Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) . This PUFAs are the basic building blocks of lipids, which our body then use for the formation of cellular tissues, and then, for example, for the proper functioning of the brain and heart. Since they belong to the essential substances, our body cannot produce them. PUFAs have a big impact on cognitive performance, increase memory, ability to learn and concentration and they should therefore be part of not only our but especially our children's menu.
"Walnuts are an excellent source of quality fats called Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), which have a big impact on cognitive performance, increase memory, ability to learn and concentration"
3. Tip: Rather than cooking by yourself, involve some little helpers
Are you busy at work and overwhelmed with the task of preparing food for the whole family by yourself? Instead, try inviting helpers and involving the whole family in meal preparation and make the process fun.
Create a list of everyone’s favorite foods and include them in your weekly menu. To diversify the menu, add special days and evenings such as 'Vegetarian Day' or 'Food Delivery and Movie Night.' This will make everyone happy and eager to help prepare their favorite dishes.
Even small children can join in the preparations. Let the little ones practice cutting for example vegetables with wooden play sets, and when they’re ready to try real vegetables, get them a special child-safe knife and peeler. They’ll love feeling useful in preparing food for the family.
Encourage children who are already attending school to assist in preparing their snacks. They will look forward to it the next morning in a different way, knowing the delicious treat that awaits them and that they had a hand in preparing it.
Are you interested in more tips and family recipes?
If you are interested in this topic and would like to know more, then check out my latest E-book - Healthy Breakfast & Snacks
This E-book can inspires and motivates those starting their healthy eating journey, especially parents or parents-to-be looking to make positive changes for themselves and their children. As a nutritionist and mother, I share here more my insights, tips, and family-tested recipes to support you. This new E-book serve as a practical guide for preparing easy meals that the whole family will love! And what else can you look forward to in the E-book?
More than 40 pages in PDF format:
Delicious and Easy Recipes suitable for Children from 1 year
Nutritional details and Health Benefits of the ingredients used
School Lunch Box Ideas
Seasonal Fun Family Activities
Helpful tips for cooking with Kids
Don't miss out on this practical guide packed with healthy and fun ideas for a special price till the end of October. The e-book is available in 3 versions - English, French and Czech on my E-shop here.
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