May 14

Tried and True Thursdays: Working Up a Sweat

Tried and True Thursdays 6 Comments »

I remember a time when it was only perfect strangers at the grocery store that could offend me in less than 30 seconds. Now I think I have to add guys at the gym to my list. 

I hit the gym early today  — 5 a.m. early – and was greeted by the boys club. It’s been so long since I got up and went to the gym that early that I forgot about the small group of men who hoard the gym equipment in my neighborhood gym. Most of the time they just hang out on the treadmill or the eliptical and watch Fox News, but today they were in full force defending their turf.

Another woman showed up about two minutes after I did and I think they were worried the estrogen was going to overtake them. One of the lovely gents looked at us and blurted out, “What, did Oprah have a special show yesterday on working out?”  I looked at the other woman, she looked at me and then we both glared at him. I forced something semi-nice to come out of my mouth (since he is my neighbor and I do like to work out at that hour so I’ll likely see him again) but all I really wanted to do was give him a piece of my mind. I opted to not let it ruin my morning. Plus, it usually never feels as good to actually say what you think of saying in moments like these. I had an awesome workout and plan to bug him with my presence for the rest of the week as my silent, sweet revenge.

So, with summer around the corner, everyone has fitness on the brain. Here are a few tricks for becoming bathing-suit worthy.

 1. Apples. “An apple a day will keep the doctor away” is a tried and true theory. Apples are low in calories and rich in anti-oxidants and fiber, and fill you up. I try to munch on one before every meal. Add four to eight ounces of H2O and you’ll eat far less at meal time. A smaller waistline means fewer health problems and less trips to visit the man or woman in the white coat.

 2.Lean Cuisine. Not only are these prepared meals fast and easy, they are also delicious. A Lean Cuisine fits into my super busy life, and best of all, I don’t have to think about it. I tried loads of brands of microwaveable low-cal/low-fat meals and these are by far my favorite. Add a side salad or a serving of fruit to the entrée and you’ll get closer to reaching your 5-a-day requirement for fruits and veggies.

3. Fiber One Bar. Calling all chocolate addicts: These yummy bars are the best. I love these as an easy breakfast and again you can wolf it down in the car on the way to drop the kids off to school. I stash them in my glove compartment and use them as mid-afternoon snacks, too. They are loaded with fiber (and yummy chocolate) and are low in calories. I’ve tried lots of these types of bars but think these taste the best for the calories and fiber content. Even my chocolate-addicted daughters love them and you don’t have to feel like you’re giving them empty calories like you’d find in a typical granola bar.

Question: What would you have said the grumpy guy at the gym? Or what are your favorite low-cal/low-fat snacks or foods?

May 13

Wildcard Wednesdays: Guilty Pleasures

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Every mom has her guilty pleasures. I have narrowed mine down to three (in no particular order) and here they are:

1)    Chocolate. I have my own secret chocolate stash. I don’t think  it’s so secret anymore, but my kids and my husband know better than to raid my secret stash. I’d say M & Ms are always an easy fix, but I can’t really discriminate. The more expensive the chocolate the better.

2)    Cherry Diet Coke. Need I say more?

3)    iPod. Whether I’m driving in the car, cleaning the house, or working out I love popping in my earbuds and tuning out life.

I think a bag of M&Ms, a Cherry Diet Coke, and tuning out the noise of three girls and a pug with my iPod sounds like the ultimate triple threat of guilty pleasures.

Question: What are your top three guilty pleasures?

May 12

Tidy Up Tuesdays: Week No. 6 – The Heartbeat of Organization

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I have a theory that a well-organized garage is a critical component to an organized home.

 

As I’ve helped people organize their homes I have frequently found items stored inside hall closets or bedrooms that really belong in the garage. Typically this happens because people fill up their garage and find no other solution except to bring garage items indoors. The garage is usually full of items they no longer need or use but just don’t have the desire to sort through the clutter. Here are a few tips I can offer about organizing a garage: 


De-clutter. Pick a day, write it on the calendar, and go through every item in your garage. We did this once on New Year’s Day and our neighbors thought we were moving. It was embarassing to see how much stuff we had packed into our little garage. We knew we had to take action. So, begin by sorting through what you have and put it in three categories : 1) keep  it 2) give it away or 3) throw it away. Hopefully you’ll be able to realistically part with the majority of items so you’ll have to space to keep what you really need and use.

Create zones. Once you’ve decided which items you’re going to keep, you need to group them into several purposes or zones. Our garage has areas for the cars, sporting goods, food, gift wrap, holiday items, kids clothing and extra toys. Use large plastic bins and a label maker to keep like items together and then you can easily access all of your items as needed.

Maximize every bit of space. Our garage is not large and it’s also home to both of our vehicles. We installed overhead storage bins, wall shelving, bike storage systems, and hooks in our garage to use every inch of available storage space. There are a ton of great options out there for maximizing storage space. I have found great things everywhere from Target to Home Depot to help bring order to a once chaotic and crowded space.

Keep it clean. The garage can easily fall victim to becoming a dumping ground for random items. It’s an area that guests don’t see when they pop over for a visit so it’s easy to turn a blind eye to things being out of place. Resist the urge to do this or it will ooze into all other organizational systems in your home. As the seasons change and our need to access items in our overhead storage bins becomes necessary, we try to use that as an opportunity to straighten things up in the garage. We sweep the floor, replace misplaced items to their proper place, and sift through boxes looking for items to giveaway that we no longer need or use. It never fails to amaze me how much garbage we end up tossing out during our quarterly garage tidy-up sessions.


Spruce it up. I’ve seen people paint their garage fun colors or hang posters or artwork on the walls. We had our garage floor epoxy coated to make project clean-ups easy as well as provide a non-slip surface. Some people even use their garages for entertaining or as teenager haven. Regardless of what you use your garage for you may want to consider giving it a cosmetic makeover once you’ve completed your organizational overhaul.


Question: What zones do you have or do you want to have in your garage?

 

May 11

Mommy Mondays: Mother’s Day Curse

Mommy Monday 1 Comment »

I have a birthday curse and now I think it’s spreading to Mother’s Day.  

Every year on my birthday for as many years as I’ve been a mom (going on 9 years), illness has struck our house. We’ve had surprise sickness show up in the form of rashes, allergic reactions, vomiting, diarrhea, and any other random illness you can imagine. Everyone seems healthy and fine leading up to the big day and then it hits.

When I turned 30 we packed up the clan and headed to Disneyland to celebrate. We stayed in a hotel the night before, and as I closed my eyes at 11:30 p.m. I silently said a prayer of gratitude that everyone had stayed healthy. My gratitude was shortlived because 32 minutes later my eyes opened to the sound of crying in the bed next to mine. My daughter was sick and I didn’t feel so great myself. It was as if the curse waited until the clock struck midnight to manifest itself.

To make a long story short, we had a miserable night of throwing up and digestive distress. We ended up checking out of the hotel at 5 a.m. and driving home to nurse our infirmities. We had to postpone Disneyland and the celebration of the big 3-0!

I have reason to believe that the birthday curse is now spreading to other self-indulgent days for Mom like Mother’s Day. It’s like illnesses know that the world will stop revolving around them for a day and so they try to find a way to throw the universe back into their favor. When tantrums and bad behavior can’t penetrate your plans to stay in a good mood, physical illness comes in to taunt you into being a grump.

I spent Mother’s Dayat home with a whiney and needy child attached to me like a baby kanagaroo in her mommy’s pouch. Except for the fact that I’m not a kanagaroo and I don’t have a pouch, it was tons of fun carting around a 40-pound 3-year-old on my hip all day. Who doesn’t want to spend their day doing that? Really.

While it definitely wasn’t any scene Norman Rockwell would have depicted, it’s pretty gratifying to know that it’s only me my child wanted. There is only one Mom on the planet for each of us and it’s nice that my daughter adores me now. These are the moments that will inspire sappy Mother’s Day cards that she’ll send me someday.

I postponed other responsibilities and put her needs first. Isn’t that essence of motherhood? As I snuggled into the couch with her 3-year-old body I realized that these moments won’t happen much in the future. Realistically she may not get another illness for months and she may be too old to want her mommy by then. This may be one of my last chances to snuggle her, hold her, rub her head, and read books with her.

 Independence is right around the corner for her. Every time I forget this she reminds me by saying, “I can do it myself, Mom,” or “No. I do it.” Of course, I want her to grow up and fend for herself, but it’s not like they tell you, “OK, Mom, this is the last time I’m going to let you do this for me, because next time I won’t need it.” Instead they cut you off one day, whether you’re ready or not. 

 

For example, several months ago I walked my oldest daughter on to her school grounds and reached for her hand. She quickly threw imy hand to the side and then folded her arms across her chest.  “Mom! I’m too old to hold your hand!” Those moments should come with a warning label. I was not prepared for this type of physical rejection. Yikes! I was crushed, but tried to be cool. I don’t really expect her to hold my hand into the teenage years, but her sudden dislike of this public display of affection was shocking.

So, this Mother’s Day as I nestled my youngest child, reeling in pain from an ear infection, I was grateful for the time I had to reflect on how precious those moments are when you get to slow down and snuggle and enjoy the work of being a mom. It made it easier to forget about the four urgent care centers I drove to trying to find a doctor to see her, or the way she screamed at the top of her lungs at the store while we waited for the prescription to be filled, or how she spit the antibiotic all over me because it tasted, “Yucky!” Instead I got to enjoy my baby while she’s still a little bit like a baby.

 

 

May 08

Foody Friday: Progressive Neighborhood Dinners

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We have great neighbors and really enjoy bumping into them at the local restaurants or at the pool in the summer, but a lot of the time we just wave to one another as we come and go during the daily grind of life. In an effort to get to know our neighbors better we organized a neighborhood progressive dinner and have found it to a great way to socialize and get to know one another better.

What is it? A progressive dinner is a meal in which each course of the meal is served at a different host’s home. For example, one family or couple serves appetizers, another serves soups or salads, and another prepares the main course, before wrapping up the night at the final home for dessert.

Who is invited? One person has to elect himself or herself the party organizer to streamline the process. We’ve found it’s easiest to orchestrate the planning details over email. First, you should decide how many people to invite. It works best to consider the size of the homes and their proximity to one another to make it a comfortable and fun night for everyone. While it would be nice to include lots of folks, it can hurt the conversation and flow if you have too many guests. It’s best if the homes are within walking distance, too, so you don’t have to deal with traveling in cars and parking.

How do you start? The party organizer selects a cuisine theme (Italian, Mexican, Chinese,  etc.). Be creative if you have some daring cooks in the group. Once you’ve settled on a theme, the organizer should either assign or ask their neighbors to sign up for the part of the meal that they would like to host.

How do you get organized? Next, the party organizer should send out a schedule with everyone’s address and a timeline for how long to spend in each home. Be sure to pace yourself well so that you have time to socialize and eat, but not too long that is drags out over hours. The organizer should make sure to inform everyone of the head count including children (if they’re invited).

Enjoy. On the day of the event, try to prepare your part of the meal in advance as much as possible and then sneak out five minutes or so in advance of everyone else in the party to get the food on the table. Over dessert you can set a date and a theme for your next get-together.

 

May 07

Tried and True Thursdays: Stink, I Mean Spring, Is in the Air

Tried and True Thursdays 2 Comments »

My sister once had a friend who didn’t have a sense of smell. As a kid I found it fascinating that she missed out on this important sense. I thought,  She’ll never know the scent of the air after it rains or to get a whiff of mom’s homemade spaghetti sauce upon entering the front door.

But now that I’m a mother I think that kind of disability could come in handy on occassion. There are some foul smells that come out of and accompany sharing your life and your space with children.

Let’s start with babies. They start off smelling so wonderful. You want to snuggle them and enjoy Mother Nature’s perfume. They smell amazing. Unfortunately, Mother Nature plays on both sides here and there are some unpleasant smells that come out of those pretty little packages.

Then you have toddlers. These guys usually are plopped into the bath daily because of the things they get themselves into in a 10-hour day. They’re not old enough to bathe themselves so they get clean from head to toe. The threat of toddlers isn’t to their own scent—it’s to the scent of your home. They accomplish this in many ways. My personal least favorite is milk spills. They love milk and spill it everywhere. There’s nothing to compare to the scent of spilled homogenized dairy products that has gone unnoticed and dries. It’s enough to make you lose your appetite. It’s even better if it happens in the car on a hot day. It’s double the fun.

Then you have older children who have personal hygeine issues. It’s not like as mothers we encourage our children to not bathe or to cut corners in this area. I think it’s just a power struggle and a bit of a game to see how much they can get away with before they get caught. I have girls but grew up with brothers so I recognize I’m getting off easy here. However, older children and especially teenagers (before the opposite sex has become of interest) can have plenty of their own stink, which permeates beyond their smelly shoes and into rooms of your home.

Additionally, if you’re lucky enough to have a pet you can bet that they do their part to add to the funky smells that can waft into your home.

Here’s what you can do to combat some of the less-than-pleasant odors, short of baking cinnamon rolls every day to cover up the mystery scent.

1.    Clean slate. While this seems so obvious, a huge source of odor is bacteria, so if you’re not starting off with a clean body, carpet, bathroom floor, etc., then you’re merely covering up the scent instead of really trying to eliminate the problem.

2.    A breath of fresh air. Get Mother Nature back on your side and open a window to air out bedrooms, bathrooms, cars, etc. It’s amazing how much better a room will smell after an hour of air circulating through. It also promotes good health to air out the house and prevents mold and other problems.

3.    Cover it up. Once you’ve eliminated the major source of the stink you can look at ways to add a fresh scent to your home or car. For example, I love Febreze (go to their website www.febreze.com) for coupons. They have mini-bottles that fit into the glove compartment of the car, a product line just for sports gear (why does soccer have its own stench of sweat mixed with grass?), and a pet line.

4.    Dryer sheets. For a few dollars you can have months and months of portable freshness. I’ve used these sheets to line the garbage can bag in the bathroom, to freshen up the car (just hide them under the car seats), or to improve the scent of a travel bag. They put off enough of a scent without being overbearing and are undetectable when creatively tucked into the necessary places.

5.    Plug it in. There are multiple brands of plug-in products on the market that put out continuous pleasantries. I try to pick a scent that is fresh and not musky or overly floral so it doesn’t overpower a room. The downside to these products is that they don’t last long and can add up. You can go online to www.glade.com and download coupons as well as to have replacement reminders sent to your email.

Question: What’s the worst smell you’ve ever encountered in your home?

May 06

Wildcard Wednesdays: Guest Blogger — Learning Begins at Home

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photo by Ann Springer

photo by Ann Springer

 
 
 

 

Every parent wants the best for their child. In their various stages of development we seek to allow individual discovery and cognitive development to their greatest advantage. Usually this means that we allow children to discover on their own, while playing an early instructive and then later supportive role.

Many parents and their children have aspirations and ideas of the potential they’d like to see their child fulfill in their lives. We listen to what our children say they want to become with a grain of salt, but with a glimpse of consideration about what it will take for them to become a doctor, a teacher, or a fireman.

Generally this rests upon a sound academic foundation. The majority of us place these hopes and our little ones in the hands of a public or private institution and then rely on the experts to give our children what they need to climb through the echelons of education. Although a fundamental necessity, it is equally crucial for parents to remain involved and constant in the academic activities of their children. Some parents feel that because they only have their own high school or collegiate experience to bring to the forefront, they may not be seasoned enough to contribute much more than helping with homework or participating in conferences. To those live my this mantra, I reply: THERE IS SO MUCH MORE.

Teachers are under a great deal of pressure to ensure that standards are taught effectively. Many students in their various stages of learning are behind for whatever reason –learning styles, comprehension, personality conflicts, etc. The ratios seem unfair when you consider the ratio of one teacher to 20 or 30 students. Assessments are key, and the system works to an extent, but there is more to an education.

Education is about acquiring knowledge. It’s about developing the ability to reason and discern. And ultimately it’s about preparing for a “mature” life when decisions are made independently. With present constraints as they are, if we hope for more for our kids, if we really desire these things for our children in the greatest measure, there’s something that we must do: PARTICIPATE.

 How, right? If you’ve never had the occasion to participate in a classroom, chaperone a field-trip, or attend an assembly I would encourage a start there. Even a little something is more than nothing. Even simple contributions make an overall difference. Usually, for elementary school aged children, the greatest part of yourself that you can give is your time. Taking a day to help in the classroom will mean a lot to your child who knows that your day is usually spent working. You’re showing them that what they do is equally important, meaningful and deserving of your full attention.

If your schedule will not allow in-classroom participation, start with communicating with your child’s teacher(s). Despite the schedule of a teacher, they will welcome parent involvement at every turn. You may not know exactly how to get involved.

Start small, but start. Call prior to parent teacher conferences. Make your presence known. A teacher will usually communicate their impressions of your child and ask for any light you can shed if your child is having difficulty in any way. It’s more helpful for the instructor, your child and you when a clear and open line of communication is open. It may feel awkward at first, but it’s worthwhile to develop a relationship with your child’s teacher(s).

I worked for a few years at a private high school. A brilliant teaching staff, small class sizes and a curriculum focused on bringing forth a well-rounded student. I thought it was a place that I would have loved as a student. As such, I’ve had hopes about my children being prepared to attend a school such as that. In conferences with my oldest son’s teachers, I’ve expressed that interest, gained their opinions on the matter and together we’ve considered little things here and there that may be helpful to my son in helping him be as prepared as possible should he decide to pursue that option. It was helpful for me to express my hopes for my son’s education and it was helpful for his teacher to see where I was coming from and consider helping my son on that journey.

We both determined that my son’s nature, academic capacity and temperament would be a good fit for what the private school might offer him. I also took the opportunity during our conference to offer his teacher what resources I had available: talents in art and in business that may be helpful to him in planning for future curriculum modules.

 Whatever you can give to your child’s progress, give it. Large or small, it matters not. What matters is that you’re doing it. And by all means, don’t feel like you’re alone. A number of resources are available on the web for parents looking to achieve the same thing, effectively getting involved in their kid’s academic career. On the flip side, I do caution parents looking to vicariously magnify their own aspirations while simultaneously pushing out their children’s hopes and goals. The best advice is to find the medium and compromise that works best in your own family dynamic.

Below are a few websites to check out to help you enhance your child’s education:

http://www.webmd.com/parenting/features/5-things-your-kids-teacher-needs-you

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/573541/participating_in_your_childs_education.html?ver=2&cat=4

http://www.parenting.org/archive/tween/education/2001-02/Sep02_successful_year.asp

Jasmine Walea-Sampson has a degree in liberal studies and is a wonderful mother of three children.

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May 05

Tidy Up Tuesdays: Week No. 5 – Kids Rooms

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When my children were toddlers I used to deem their room as clean if we could carve a pathway through the toys to make it to their beds to tuck them in at night. My two oldest children are only 11 months apart and I had to truly pick my battles about what I was willing to hunch over and clean up every day. When they were toddlers I pretty much threw in the towel on picking up after their neverending toy clutter throughout my house. It wasn’t a normal day if I didn’t nearly kill myself tripping over a toy or stepping on a Lego.

These days their room isn’t exactly a walk in the park but we’ve developed systems and places for everything. The possibility for a tidy room is definitely a possibility now. Below are a couple steps to getting kids rooms, or toy rooms, under control.

1) Be the example. I’ve noticed a direct correlation between the level of cleanliness in my room and my children’s rooms being tidy. Being the example is always that unfortunate Catch-22 part of parenting. It’s really hard to hold them to a standard that we’re not willing to live up to. As adults, we can conjur up better, more grown-up excuses, but they’re still excuses. I cringe at the idea of asking them to do something I’m not really doing myself.

2) One in and one out. Every year – twice a year – before my children’s birthdays and before Christmas time we do a clean sweep of our children’s rooms. I explain to them that we’re making room for new toys. I give them two bags to fill up. One bag for trash and the other for items they want to give away or donate. We pull everything out and sort through it all and make room for new arrivals. This is a long process and we always reward them when it’s over with something fun to keep us all on task.

3) Too much of a good thing can be too much of a good thing. We live in a time when many of us can give our children everything, and so we do. But do they really need it all? Do they take care of it when they have it? Do they appreciate it or just feel entitled to possessions? Teaching children to respect the possessions they have is the first step to knowing they truly deserve additional toys. If the bin that holds Polly Pockets or Barbies is too full you have to decide which ones to pass along and which ones to keep. Living in excess as a child can lead to dangerous adult reliance on material possessions. We’ve found it’s easiest for our children to “donate” loved items to others when they can see where they’re going. Take a trip to your local thrift store, or shelter, or send them on to younger families in your neighborhood.

4) Teach them to be organized. In order to sustain some level of organization in a kid’s room there has to be a system in place first. This may require purchasing an additional bookshelf, toy box, or other system to get the essentials in check. You can’t realistically expect young children to put things away if they don’t have the right tools to do it. Labeling bins (with pictures for younger children) is an easy way to show your children where to put things when they’re done.

5) Showering praise. I try to praise my children for keeping their rooms clean, or when they dutifully pick up after themselves when asked. Unfortunately, it’s easier to recognize a messy room and go into reprimand mode than it is to reinforce the good. Using TV or computer time as a reward for having a clean room make great incentives, but lavish praise and adoration from Mom or Dad also aids in reinforcing good behavior.

 Question: What do you do to tackle toys?

May 04

Mommy Mondays: Week No. 3 – Get Outta Town

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Several years ago I sat on a plane in front of a large family on their way to Disneyland for a week. The mother of many was frantically racing up and down the aisle of the plane addressing the needs of each of her children. She was calm, patient, and organized, but she never sat down once. I was alone on this particular trip and I sat quietly reading my magazine as I watched her move about the cabin of the plane. I recognized the pace at which she ran because it’s the speed I run on at home. She looked exhausted as we hit the ground in Los Angeles, but she cheerfully pronounced to her children, “This is going to be so fun now that we’re on vacation!”

I wanted to pull her aside with my “mommy dictionary” and explain to her that when you go somewhere with children it’s called a “trip.” A “vacation” is a trip without children. I’m a huge fan of taking trips with the kids. We have a wonderful time and create lots of great memories. But taking a trip and calling it a vacation is fatal to your sanity and possibly to your marriage. My husband and I have made it our top priority to get away alone at least annually.

Ever heard the common saying, “I need a vacation from my vacation.” I easily recognize it because I’m guilty of uttering these words myself. Several years ago when we were just “2 Girls And a Pug,” I had a genius idea that we would drive up the coast of California and camp at a different state park each night. Camping and kids was my first problem. Add in the stress of staying in a different place every night, and you have a recipe for a woman gone bonkers. My poor husband. It was a very long week. I think when I fantasized about this trip in the weeks leading up to it, I pictured us around the campfire eating marshmallows while breathing in the ocean air. I think we went to bed one night before it was even dark because we were cold and exhausted.

At times we’ve had to beg, borrow, and steal to get time away, but we’ve learned that it’s a needed part of defining ourselves as a couple. It doesn’t have to cost us a fortune, either. We’ve stayed at a hotel down the street from our house when we weren’t able to travel far from our children, and more recently, we crossed the Atlantic for the first time together and spent a week in London.

Here’s how I recommend you beg, borrow or steal to get outta town for a weekend (or longer, depending on how good you are at begging, borrowing, and stealing!).

1.    Beg. It hasn’t been to hard to beg my mother to watch my children over the years. We’ve been lucky that her schedule and health have allowed it. I think she secretly enjoys her alone time with the kids because I’m not there to ask her not to spoil them. It never hurts to ask grandma and grandpa if they’re interested. You might be surprised that they jump at the chance for some solo bonding time.

2.    Borrow. Your friends are as desperate to get away as you are, and if they don’t have grandparents to rely on, they may be up for striking a deal. My kids love to spend a long weekend with their “cousins” and we have a lot of fun doing paybacks and spoiling our friends’ kids for a weekend.

3.    Steal.There’s time for anything if you make the time for it. There’s always time for ballet lessons, piano recitals, and school fundraisers because they get put on the calendar. Stealing some time for your relationship shouldn’t be a crime punishable by guilt. Besides, putting it on the calendar is the first step to making it a reality.

 

May 01

Foodie Fridays: 29 Quick and Easy Week-Night Meals

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Last fall we maintained an unbearably busy schedule in our home. Two soccer practices per week plus five days a week of rehearsing for the community production of “Winnie the Pooh” in which two of our daughters had key roles. We were racing around like crazy trying to get from one place to the next and squeezing dinner in between homework and showering.

Through this busyness I had to come up with easy meals that took minimal prep time but were still healthy and appealing. I compiled a long list of easy meals. Maybe you just want to night off from cooking to have more family time. No matter what your needs are, here is a list of 29 meals you can make on the fly and are kid friendly. (If you use one per week you’ll be set for the next six months.)

1. Breakfast for dinner (Waffles, pancakes, biscuits and gravy, served with fruit on the side to get your five-a-day in.)

2. Sloppy Joes (Make the meat ahead of time and reheat on a wheat bun and serve with baked beans.)

3. Tacos (Serve beans on the side for extra protein and lots of veggies to boost the nutrition and fiber.)

4. Quesadillas (Top with guacamole and sour cream and serve with a side of beans and vegetables.)

5. Stuffed baked potatoes (Everything from broccoli to chicken can top the traditional cheese and sour cream.)

6. Personal pizzas made from French bread or focaccia (Think beyond pepperoni to BBQ chicken, pineapple, chicken alfredo, etc.)

7. Raviolis (Use either a canned sauce or frozen homemade sauce, served with garlic bread and a salad.)

8. Mexican pizza (Use tortillas instead of pizza dough and layer like a quesadilla with refried beans, meat, cheese and pico de gallo.)

9. Fancy hot dogs (Add chili, cheese, relish, sauerkraut, or whatever sounds good to you.)

10. Nachos (Kids never complain about eating chips for the main course, and if you top them with plenty of veggies they’ll never notice.)

11. Chili (I actually won a chili cookoff contest with a giant can of chili from Costco. Shameful but true.)

12. Chef salad (Add sliced-up deli meat and cheese from the kids’ lunches, and leftover hard boiled eggs from breakfast to a regular salad.)

13. French dipped sandwiches (Buy the au jus packet from the seasoning aisle and then add the deli meat and hearty rolls and you have an instant favorite. Who doesn’t love to dunk their dinner before they eat it?)

14. Open-faced turkey sandwiches

15. Soups (Broccoli cheese, minestrone, chicken noodle, etc. can all be made the night before and are quickly reheated and can be eaten out of a cup on the go if needed.)

16. BLTs (Add avocado, sprouts, or turkey for added kick.)

17. Triple-decker club sandwiches (One extra piece of bread and a toothpick make is seem so much more fun to eat.)

18. Chicken salad sandwiches (If you add in nuts, celery, and grapes it creates a good mix of protein and fruits and veggies.)

19. Cold pasta salad (Adding in nuts, a wide-variety of beans, and lean protein like chicken can give you a balanced meal that is great on a hot day.)

20. Grilled cheese sandwiches (Add ham to change things up.)

21. Wraps (Take your favorite salad or sandwich and turn it into a wrap.)

22. Fancy Ramen noodles (Boil a big pot of water. Add in frozen veggies and then noodles, and then drain and season — with or without broth. Add extra teriyaki or soy sauce for added flavor and sesame seeds for fun.)

23. Chinese chicken salad (Use canned chicken or leftover chicken from a previous meal to cut down on prep time.)

24. Spaghetti and meatballs (Buy a bag of frozen meatballs that can be reheated in the microwave while the pasta boils and you’ll have a more complete meal. Look for turkey versions for a healtheir alternative.)

25. Taco salad (A great way to get rid of leftovers after you’ve had tacos or fajitas.)

26. Sweet and sour meatballs (Frozen, pre-made meatballs can be reincarnated a hundred times over!)

27. Meatball subs (again!)

28. Tostadas (It’s really just a taco salad disguised as something more fun for picky eaters.)

29. Fancy Lunchables (Create a tray of coldcuts, cheese and crackers. Add a veggie tray and some fruit to make it a full finger-friendly feast.)

 

Question: What’s your favorite quick and easy meal you would add to this list?

 

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