Sunday, September 6, 2009

Get your family eating together, and eating healthy! Even on a tight budget!

Ok, Mom's out there... Here is a fantastic idea (why didn't someone come up with this sooner?)-

How busy is your evening, trying to figure out dinner and find things your family will actually eat? We've all seen the hamburger helper commercials, but is that really good for everyone? Check out the calories, fat, and sodium sometime on the box! You will be amamzed! But, I have found a great site that offers weekly menus, the grocery list all ready made for you, and tips and tricks to make it fun and easy. No kidding! This really is a wonderful idea! Check out the links below- you will be amazed. There are some free weekly planners, free grocery lists, and a few really great articles on how to get your kids to eat! (My 4 year old has been on a diet of hot dogs, peanut butter, crackers, and cheese for at least 3 months, now. I literally can not get him to eat anything else! I want to pull my hair out!)

So check out some of the following, then come back and share with our other readers... Did these work for you? How much of a time investment does this involve? Is it expensive. By following a specific grocery list and having your meals planned (healthy and great tasting meals, by the way) you should save at the store, cut down on snacking mid day, lose weight, and everyone should feel better- meaning you can feel better about what your family is eating! Just give it a click! What do you think?

Free Dinner Planning & Grocery Shopping Sheets

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FreeAffiliateArticles.com | Free Online Recipes

Free Online Recipes



By: Christine Steendahl

Locating Free Recipes is as Easy as Logging Onto the Internet



One of many reasons why people love the internet is due to the remarkably quick and painless way you can locate information. Within seconds, you can find a library of knowledge relating to almost any topic imaginable. While many of us don’t utilize the internet for in-depth research, one way most of us can enjoy the convenience and power of the internet is by locating free online recipes.



Barely 15 years ago it seemed impossible that in a few short years, millions upon millions of recipes covering almost every dish would be readily available at their fingertips. Since the future is here, here are the many ways to cash in on free online recipes.



Obviously the free online recipes are extremely practical because you access a recipe in a matter of seconds. While a lot use a search engine like Google, many people often have their favorite recipe websites that offer vast amounts of recipes. Just input a key word or keyword phrase like “chili” or “chicken soup” and you will usually find a few to hundreds of useful recipes.



In addition to being easy to access, a lot of recipe websites are full of people that enjoy cooking, have their own favorite recipes and enjoy adding recipes to the database for others to use. These community recipe websites are a great way to share knowledge. In addition, a lot of recipe websites offer the ability to add comments. So whether you love a recipe or not, you can simply share your thoughts with others. This is a great way to try out a recipe (especially if many people liked it) or avoid it the recipe if it received bad reviews.



In addition to being able to view recipes on your computer screen, many cooks take it one step further- they print out their favorite recipes. It is incredibly easy to print out recipes and many free online recipe sites offer the option of special recipe formatted files which make it a snap to print out your favorite recipes. This way you no longer have to worry about ruining the recipe card while you cook or losing it. If you spill liquid on it, you can easily print it out again.



In addition to all these advantages, a lot of free online recipe sites have taken it one step further in providing quality information on how to cook specific meals. Many free online recipe sites now provide images and some even include videos describing step by step how to create a moderate to difficult dish.



Free online recipe web sites are perhaps the quickest way to locate new recipes, read reviews, and chat about the newest or best techniques on cooking and sharing with millions your prized or time honored family recipe. Free online recipe websites are truly the ultimate home recipe box.




Author Resource -> For a large collection of family friendly free online recipes visit http://www.dinewithoutwhine.com/archives.htm







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Holiday Meals- Can we still eat healthy? Can we still stick to our diet?

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FreeAffiliateArticles.com | Tips For Healthy Eating During The Holiday Season

Tips For Healthy Eating During The Holiday Season



By: Susanne Myers

by Susanne Myers



The time from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day has to be the hardest few weeks to stick to a healthy eating lifestyle or any diet for that matter. We are constantly tempted by sweets, treats and just way to much food in general. I would like to share a few tips with you that have helped me in the past to stay on track between now and the end of the year.



1) Make sure you eat before you go to any holiday gathering. You know you will be tempted by all sorts of unhealthy but yummy foods. Make sure you don’t go overboard by eating something that is good for you before you go. Try to make sure you are not hungry when you arrive, or you will be much more tempted to overeat as well.



2) Drink some water before you go and alternate higher calorie drinks like alcoholic beverages, eggnog or hot chocolate with water while you are at the holiday party. Drinks can have a lot of hidden calories in them, so watch out. Diet sodas are another good option.



3) Fill your plate with some “good “ foods first. Pick some raw vegetables, but go easy on the dip. Turkey breast, and lean ham or pork roast are other good choices. Don’t forget a nice plate of salad with a low fat dressing and some fresh fruit for dessert.



4) Don’t cut your favorite holiday treats completely out. If you don’t allow yourself the occasional small indulgence, you will be much more likely to break down and binge on all those cookies and treats. The key is to enjoy small portions or bites of your favorite foods. If you have a soft side for chocolate chip cookies then go ahead and indulge, but limit yourself to one a day or every few days. Of course the same applies if you prefer cheesecake or gingerbread men. For some lower calorie versions of some of your holiday favorites, visit www.healthymenumailer.com/blog.



Eat several small meals a day. This old tip holds especially true during the holiday season. We tend to skip meals and indulge in one large holiday dinner with the entire family. Don’t starve yourself all day. Get some snacks in and most importantly start your day with a good, healthy breakfast. You will be able to enjoy your holiday more by stabilizing your blood sugar. You don't want to spend the day being grumpy from not eating for hours, or be the first ready for a nap after overeating.



5) Use the busy shopping season and burn some extra calories. If you are heading to the mall, park a little further away, or take your time and do a round of window shopping all through the mall before you buy. Every few extra steps that you take count. Just don’t reward yourself afterwards with food. For extra motivation to get more walking in, consider wearing a pedometer. See http://www.walkingofftheweight.com for more information on walking and using a pedometer.



6) Take some time to relax. The holidays can be a very stressful season if we let them. Many of us (including myself) tend to overeat or medicate ourselves with food when we are stressed. Work in some extra time just for you. Sit in front of the fire with a good book or your favorite magazine, go get your nails done, take a bath or go for a walk. Do whatever works for you to calm you down and help you de-stress.



Above all, enjoy the holidays and remember they are not only about food, but more importantly about family spending quality time together. Treat yourself to some new holiday candles, listen to your favorite Christmas tunes, or go for a drive through a lit up neighborhood this year. Have fun during this special time of the year and enjoy that occasional cookie.



Happy Holidays!




Author Resource -> Susanne Myers is the co-creator of Healthy Menu Mailer. Busy Moms love

the easy-to-prepare healthy dinner recipes, grocery lists and

encouragement to stay healthy every day of the week. To learn more and get your free sample menu visit http://www.healthymenumailer.com

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Get Kids to Eat! Really!

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FreeAffiliateArticles.com | Great Hints For Healthy Kid-Friendly Meals

Great Hints For Healthy Kid-Friendly Meals



By: Christine Steendahl

Most may remember when classroom bulletin boards displayed the food pyramid. The pyramid – there was only one. One size fit all. Everyone was encouraged to subscribe to the same nutritional guidelines. Everyone was encouraged to merely look at the pyramid and find out how many servings were needed each day.



Most would agree that it is a great thing that obsolete food pyramid has almost all but been forgotten! It may have taken a while, but the notion that not all people want the same food intake finally caught on. Nor are children expected to follow the same nutritional guidelines as the adults.



If you're hoping we'll show you the "kid's guidelines" there simply isn't a set guideline. The quantity of food from each food group that each person needs to eat to maintain a healthy lifestyle is dependent on their age, sex and physical activity level. One size doesn’t fit all. You can go to mypyramid.gov to type in some search criteria to get an idea of how much from each food category to eat every day.



Remember balance is the name of the game. Make sure your little ones are consuming fruits and vegetables, dairy, meats and beans and grains every day. Then round it off with water, fresh air and exercise. To help you get started, below you will find a couple of healthful meals for little ones.



This turkey avocado sandwich wrap uses kid-approved ingredients for a nutritious lunch or treat.



INGREDIENTS:
• Whole wheat tortillas
• 1 avocado mashed
• Sliced deli turkey
• Shredded carrots
• Shredded lettuce
• Shredded Monterey jack cheese



PREPARATION:
Prepare wraps in the following order: Spread mashed avocado on tortilla; Sprinkle shredded carrots and lettuce on avocado; Lay on slices of deli turkey; Sprinkle with shredded cheese.



In addition, you won't get any scrunched noses if you tell the little ones you're making chicken nuggets for supper. This kid favorite is tasty in the low-fat, oven-baked version. For quick clean-up and extra crispiness, lay a sheet of foil on a cookie sheet; and, then place a wire rack on top of the foil.



INGREDIENTS:
• skinless, boneless chicken breasts cut in 1-2 inch sections
• non-fat or low-fat buttermilk
• flour for dredging
• finely chopped corn flakes for dredging
• salt and pepper to taste



PREPARATION:
Preheat oven to 375. Prepare three large bowls for dredging chicken - 1 with flour seasoned with salt and pepper, 1 with buttermilk, and 1 with crushed corn flakes. Prepare baking pan by laying a sheet of foil over a cookie sheet; and then place a wire rack on top of the foil. Season chicken with salt and cut into 1-2 inch pieces.



Dredge chicken pieces in flour. Shake off extra flour and coat with buttermilk. Next, liberally coat chicken with corn flakes, and place on rack of your baking pan. Bake nuggets for 15 minutes. These keep well for the next day's lunch box so make plenty!



The next time you reach into the pantry or freezer to grab something quick to prepare for dinner, take a good analytical look at the ingredients. The idea is not to serve food that is "not too bad" but rather food that is healthful. Remember that not all of your little ones may require the same servings of food.




Author Resource -> Christine Steendahl Is The Founder Of Dine Without Whine – The Number One Online Source For Affordable And Family Friendly Weekly Meal Planning. Eliminate Your Dinner Hour Stress And Re-Discover The Pleasure Of The Dinner Hour! For A Free Sample Menu Visit http://www.dinewithoutwhine.com









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