Cheap Dinner Ideas: Potato Bar

Sometimes it is hard to balance quick and easy with cheap when it comes to meals. The kids are really starting to get into their activities, and with all of the driving around (although I know we are probably better than most in that regard), there is little time for doing a lot of cooking from scratch. But home made meals don’t need to be elaborate to be healthy, warm, filling and delicious. Made with lower cost ingredients or even leftovers, you can have some great dinners without a lot of time or cost. Here we come $5 dinners! One … Continue reading

Planning Healthy Dinners in Pregnancy

When I was pregnant, the more I read about nutrition, the more I worried about my diet. It doesn’t have to be difficult to plan healthy dinners during your pregnancy. When planning meals, it’s important to remember to include a variety of foods. Keep in mind that you don’t need more than an extra 300 calories each day for your baby. When you are planning your dinners, aim for a balance and include foods from all food groups when planning your dinner menu. Include whole grains, protein, fruits and vegetables. Drink milk with your dinner to add calcium and a … Continue reading

Three Easy Lunches

Whether you’re a stay-at-home-mom and need to make an easy home-made lunch every day or you just like a good weekend lunch, here are 3 easy lunches to make any day of the week. Lunch #1: Tuna On Crackers + Tomato Slices Open a can of tuna fish, mix it with 1 heaping tablespoon of mayo and serve with crackers. You and your family can then spread the tuna/mayo mixture over each cracker or just scoop the tuna up with the crackers. Have a side of fresh tomato slices (season them up with salt and pepper) or chopped tomato for … Continue reading

Let’s Talk Pregnancy – Awesome, Healthy Drink Options

With pregnancy comes new eating and drinking habits. Those of you who are used to enjoying a hot cup of coffee every morning may be seriously stumped as to how much is allowed, and/or what to replace it with. I myself was not a habitual coffee drinker, but I did enjoy a cup now and then. Decaf coffee does not appeal to me as it is decaffeinated by a process involving chlorine, so I was more interested in a naturally decaffeinated beverage. Colas are obviously a no-no due to caffeine content as well, so what is the pregnant woman to … Continue reading

Quick and Healthy Lunch Ideas

Whether you work full time or are home with other children, you may find yourself grabbing for a quick lunch. You know that nutrition is important for the baby, but you can’t seem to find the time to make a healthy lunch. Fortunately, a healthy lunch can be made in a short amount of time. Leftovers from dinner can make a quick and healthy lunch the next day. It just takes a minute to set aside a portion in a container and stick it in the refrigerator. In the morning, you just have to grab the container on your way … Continue reading

Frugal Tips for Summer Activities

Summer vacation is a great time for families to go out and do things together. Visiting amusement parks, dining out, and staying in hotels can end up costing a lot of money. Travel expenses can quickly add up, too. Here are some frugal tips that will help your family enjoy summer vacation without having to go into a lot of debt. Pack some snacks. Make use of your child’s lunchbox this summer. It is the perfect container for easy to eat snacks that your family can bring along on car trips. Instead of stopping the car at the nearest fast … Continue reading

Pregnancy Awareness Month (Part III)

As many of you know if you’re following this blog, May is Pregnancy Awareness Month. The advisory team at P.A.M. promote the initiatives of education, nutrition, exercise, and wellness/nurture. All of these initiatives are things that I have devoted a lot of time to researching and implementing in my daily life throughout my first pregnancy and beyond. It’s reaffirming to find an organization that is committed to informing women about how to attain the best possible outcomes for their pregnancies and their lives of raising their children well. Too often we take for granted the wealth of wisdom available to … Continue reading

One Family – Two Special Diets

Right now there are two special diets to be satisfied in our family – well, three if you count the picky husband diet. I have gestational diabetes and on top of trying to eat a healthy diet, have had to cut way back on carbs. My daughter on the other hand has cystic fibrosis and has to eat a high calorie, high fat diet. So how do I please everyone’s tastes while sticking to everyone’s diet? It isn’t easy, especially with all of this Halloween candy lying around. However, here are some ideas for you if you are in a … Continue reading

Another Benefit of Working From Home

Although I have been working from home for quite some time and I am well aware of many of the benefits that I enjoy as someone who works from home, I occasionally become aware of additional ways that working from home benefits me. The most recent benefit that I have “discovered” is that working from home puts me in a good position to eat more healthfully. While this opportunity has existed since I started working from home, I only acknowledged it a couple of days ago when I returned home from my vacation. Going on vacation clears my head and … Continue reading

Toddler Fun Foods

It can be difficult to get toddlers to eat. Most are finicky eaters and do not like to try new foods. Several toddlers only want their favorite foods and complain about trying different foods. Making “fun foods” can help convince your toddlers to try new and healthy foods and snacks. Let’s look at some “fun food” ideas: Fun Shaped Sandwiches Take any peanut butter and jelly sandwich and cut it with a cookie cutter for an instant favorite. Use cookie cutters for ham and cheese sandwiches, tuna salad sandwiches or any kind of sandwich that your child eats. If it … Continue reading