🍀4 Easy & Healthy St Patrick's Day Food Ideas to Make with Kids 🍀

Between greens eggs for Dr. Suess day and green milk for St. Patrick's day, grocery stores must sell a lot of food dye in March! But who needs food dye when you have the green nature provides in fresh fruits and vegetables? Today were' going to explore 4 easy ways to get some green into your diet on St. Patrick's Day.

Image by Vanessa Loring

1. Green smoothies.

   
   

   I especially love the peanut butter-spinach-banana one linked above.

If you want a more traditional fruit smoothie, this recipe from Real Mom Nutrition is a winner!

2. Green pesto noodles

How?

1. boil noodles,

2. top with jarred pesto sauce

3. top with microwaved broccoli (this kind cooks in the microwave)

4. Enjoy your easy meal- it’s easier than mac and cheese!

Tip: Costco pesto is the yummiest. The nearest Costco is 150 miles away from my house, so I just buy whatever they have a Walmart, it's not as good, but my kids still devour it.

Have fresh basil? Homemade pesto is 100 times better than the jarred stuff. Here's a recipe (I always use almonds, they are cheaper than pine nuts) https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/fresh_basil_pesto/

image credit: Augustinus Martinuz Noppe

3. Green muffins.

   
   

   We made these muffins at our socialization last week. I tend to use that recipe when introducing people to green muffins because they are very sweet and people love them!

I will often use this recipe that has less sugar when I make muffins for my family. I leave out the chocolate chips.

4. Green Fruit!

   
   

   Green Grapes and Kiwis are fun and yummy for St. Patrick's Day snack time!

Limes are yummy in water for no sugar green treat.

Avocado toast is the perfect easy snack or meal for St. Patrick's Day!

Afraid your kids won't eat the green foods?

If you are in the DDI VANTAGE program, you have a child who is younger than 3 years old. Start today with exposing your child to green foods. If you continue to do it regularly, green food will be no big deal in the future. The key is consistency!

I hope you have a happy, healthy fun holiday with your family!

Nicole

Top 3 Heart Health Nutrition Tips

High blood pressure, cholesterol and heart attacks probably aren't on the list of things that keep you up at night. However, due to the fact that Heart Disease is the #1 cause of death in the United States, I don't want Heart Month 💘 to end without sharing some heart healthy nutrition tips.

If you think heart health is only something old people worry about, think again!

Healthy habits start young, teach your kids to eat healthy now & they won't have to break unhealthy habits later! Here's 3 tips to get your started on heart health:

#1: Choose Whole Grains

Oatmeal is one of the most heart healthy breakfasts you could choose!

Why?

Whole grains have more fiber than refined grains.

Fiber lowers cholesterol. High cholesterol = increased risk for heart disease

How?

• look for the word whole grain as the first ingredient on food labels

• If a product says 100% whole grain, that is the best option

• example: 100% whole wheat flour, 100% whole grain corn flour, 100% whole grain oats

• Use whole wheat flour in pancakes and muffins

Recipes

Microwave Oatmeal with berries and nuts

https://www.ddinutrition.com/recipes-2/blueberry-oatmeal

Oatmeal Pancakes

https://www.ddinutrition.com/recipes-2/oatmeal-pancakes

Green muffins made with 1/2 whole wheat flour and 1/2 white flour

https://www.ddinutrition.com/recipes-2/green-muffins

#2: Eat spinach every day.

Green Smoothies are the easiest way to get your greens!

Why?

Spinach is high in nitrates, which can lower blood pressure.

Spinach is also high vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals that protect your heart.

How?

• buy a bag of spinach every week at the store and aim to use it by the end of the week

• buy a bag of spinach for the freezer and add it to smoothies

• add chopped spinach into things like mac + cheese, tomato sauce or soups

Recipes

https://www.ddinutrition.com/recipes-2/green-smoothie

This peanut butter banana green smoothie will keep you full for hours!

https://www.ddinutrition.com/recipes-2/green-smoothie

Spinach goes well in lasagna. Serve green foods from the start so your kids aren't "scared" of green foods as they get older.

https://www.ddinutrition.com/recipes-2/easy-spinach-lasagna

Green muffins made with 1/2 whole wheat flour and 1/2 white flour

https://www.ddinutrition.com/recipes-2/green-muffins

#3 Eat fish at least once/week (preferably twice)

A tuna sandwich with lettuce on whole wheat bread is one of the most heart healthy lunches you can eat!

Why?

Fish is one of the only foods with omega-3 fats. Omega-3 fats help prevent heart disease.

How?

• Canned sardines are one of the best sources of omega-3 fats and are the least likely to contain mercury

• Canned Tuna is also an excellent source of omega-3, choose light (not albacore) for less chance of mercury

• Salmon and lake trout are also good sources, but more expensive.

• Lean fish are not a good source of omega-3 fats (tilapia).

Recipes:

https://www.ddinutrition.com/recipes-2/tuna-noodle-casserole

https://www.eatingbirdfood.com/tuna-salad/#wprm-recipe-container-56271

Putting it together:

Here are 4 habits I've gotten into that help me eat well:

At the store:

1. At the store, I only buy 100% whole grain breads, pastas, tortillas and cereals

2. I buy 2 bags of spinach every week

3. I buy a case of tuna every time there is a case lot sale

At home:

1. I eat oatmeal for breakfast almost every day.

2. I eat a green smoothie for snack 5 days per week

3. I eat a tuna sandwich for lunch anytime I don't have leftovers to eat

   
   

A Goal I have:

Eat sardines once per week, usually at snack time on crackers (they are so yummy!, but new to me).

Summary

There are so many good foods that contribute to heart health. Today we only mentioned 3: whole grains, spinach and fish.

Remember: Get your kids used to healthy foods when they are young so that making healthy choices will be easier as they get older!

There are many more things you can do to prevent heart disease. To learn more visit this website: https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-lifestyle/lifes-essential-8

6 ideas to your toddler moving when it's too cold outside

It's important to keep our bodies moving, even when we don't feel like putting on a coat and heading outdoors. Here's a few fun ways to get your toddler moving indoors this winter.

#1 Animal Action

"Animal Action, it's so much fun!"

This song (which is available on Spotify, YouTube or wherever you get your music) encourages kids to use their imaginations to move like animals. It provides a different type of music for each animal to encourage different types of movement, and kids LOVE IT!

Your kids (and your body) will also love it if you get up and move like an animal with them!

#2 Paper Plate Skating

Give kids paper plates, turn on "The Skaters" (link to classical music in YouTube), and have them "skate" around on a hard floor. For even more fun, have them dress up in whatever fun "skating" attire you have like scarves, funny hats and flowy skirts.

#3 Going on a Bear Hunt

Go on a "bear hunt" based off of this YouTube song. Instructions are on the bottom of each picture. Once you have the song memorized, you can do it without the YouTube video!

#4 Couch Cushion Castle

Let your kids create a fort or castle with the couch cushions. Moving those big cushions can be a real workout for small bodies! To really get your heart rate up, you can build a fort, then break it down and rebuild it again and again.

#5 Blanket Burrito Roll

Have your kids roll up in a blanket like a burrito, then unroll. They'll love it if you try to eat them up, and love it even more if you let them roll you up!

There's a few ideas for indoor movement. Remember, all little bits of movement add up. Park farther away from the store so you get in more steps, go to a kids movement class at the library, or turn on some music and dance. It all adds up, and your body will love it if you get moving with your kids.

Have a great week!