Healthy on a budget this week

After Disney it is safe to say that we are on austerity this week.  So how do you still serve healthy meals without spending a fortune at the grocery store.  You will have to make some concessions.  My first one was that I shopped at a discount store instead of my favorite grocery store.

Meal Plan
Monday - Penne pasta (mushrooms, frozen spinach, ham, walnuts, parmesan)
*I had frozen spinach and parmesan on hand so this was a good choice
*I couldn't buy ham because of the nitrates in it.  So I bought Hormel ham sandwich meat as substitute and BONUS I had a coupon)

Tuesday - (We are eating out because we are playing basketball in a fundraiser - teachers vs Harlem Wizards)

Wednesday - (Ash Wednesday) - Veggie soup (box of chicken broth, frozen corn, green beans, broccoli and pasta stars)

Thursday - Quiche (Rachel Ray recipe) - ham and broccoli

Friday - (meatless)  Pierogies (Mrs T's with onions and butter), broccoli, applesauce

Groceries = $75.00
Snacks = Annies snack mix, Chex mix (coupon), cheese sticks (coupon)
Extra = dog food, some new storage containers bc coupon was going to expire :) 6 pack of mini cans of soda (I know its a weakness but I am trying to cut way back)

PICTURES TO FOLLOW!!

Planning a pokemon birthday party

We are in the beginning stages of planning my 7yr old's birthday party.

1.  He wants a party at the bowling ally
2.  He is inviting 7 guests + his bother and cousin
3.  He wants a pokemon theme

So far we are bowling and then going to my sister's or friend's house for food, dessert, and presents.  The meal plan is homemade mac n cheese, broccoli, and applesauce.  The dessert is going to be sugar cookies decorated like pokeballs.

Stay tuned.... I will post pictures of the pokeballs.  Can't make red and white ones because we will not use red dye #40 so I am compromising on white and yellow ones.

Top 5 Breakfasts on the run

This is according to my 7 year old son.  We have to eat in the car because we leave the house so early.

• Kris Kringles (Finding Joy in my Kitchen) I add 3 chocolate chips to each :) Make ahead of time and freeze. Pop in the microwave for a few seconds & eat by hand. No syrup needed since it has the bit of chocolate

• Breakfast burritos  - Scramble some eggs. Mix in some salsa with the eggs.  (I know this next step will sound crazy) Press the eggs into an ice cube tray and freeze (trust me).  Once frozen, pop out the cubes and put them in a zip lock bag back in freezer.  In the morning grab two cubes and microwave a few minutes. Then put them in a tortilla with a little cheese. YUM

• Cinnamon Raisin Toast with a Simply Gogurt - I know not exciting but my son loves cinnamon raisin toast.  I haven't found a brand that I am in love with.  Last time I got Thomas's and I was pretty happy with the ingredients.  I'm not thrilled with the Gogurt but there aren't any dyes and I recognize most of the ingredients.

•  Oatmeal - I sometimes use the pouches but I mix in some plain quick cooking oats and I have always done that so the boys don't know any better.  When I have time (which isn't often) I make it on the stove.

• Tim Horton's - I know, I know, so not local and so industrial, but I love them and in a pinch they aren't that bad for you.  Egg and Cheese on a plain bagel.  Everyone has a weakness right?

PLEASE tell me your ideas in a comment.  I really need more!!  I am always looking for what others do in the am with the rush to get out the door and eat breakfast.

Disney Disaster - Don't give up on me

We are back and I didn't do very well at eating healthy or locally.  Here are the highs and lows (mostly lows)

Day one - We arrived at 4:00 and my cousin drove us back to his house.  My cousin made us chicken parm (not bad on the healthy scale)

Day two -

   *Honey Bunches of Oat and a banana at the house (my son's new favorite cereal and only 6g of sugar)

   *Lunch - @ Epcot Asian cuisine for hubby and I (sweet and sour chicken, peanut saucy chicken, white rice and broccoli.) For the boys (Focaccia pizza, grapes, and applesauce)

   *Snack - Crepes from France (Bien sur!!)

   *Dinner - Mexican (tacos, fresh salsa and dip, nachos, grapes)

Day three -

   *Same breakfast

   *Snack - @ Hollywood Studios (popcorn, chips, water)

   *Lunch - My hubby and I split a hamburger and fries and my 7 yr old had chicken nuggets and grapes (I am cringing as I type)  My 4yr old was spared since he napped through lunch PHEW

   *Dinner - almost as bad - Pizza back at my cousins house

(NO VEGGIES unless you count ketchup and tomato sauce :)

Day four

  *No Disney today - Breakfast/Lunch (cause we slept in) - At Cracker Barrel (eggs, french toast, hash browns)

   *SNACK (HIGHLIGHT) - I found strawberries from Florida (local right?) and carrot sticks

   *Dinner - Mexican again - 7yr old - (cheese quesadilla and rice) Me - (mushroom quesadilla (and a huge margarita :) and I am not sure what my hubby ate bc he was holding my 4 yr old who once again slept through a meal.

No other food this day except popcorn from Target

Day five 

   *Breakfast - back to Honey Bunches

   *@ Seaworld - Lunch - Pizza, watermelon, fries, and a salad - We split all of it

   * Snack - popcorn while watching the dolphin show

   *Dinner - My cousin made us grilled flank steak, and shrimp, grilled zucchini and potatoes (VEGGIES FINALLY)  (Tiramisu for dessert YUMMO)

Day six - AIRPORT DAY

   *Breakfast - sandwiches from Dunkin Doughnuts

   *Lunch - @ a really cool Caribbean Theme restaurant called Bahama Breeze I had crab, shrimp, avacado, with a mango apple salsa, my hubby had clam chowder and a pasta dish, 7yr old had homemade mac n cheese, and the 4 yr old shared.

   *Snack - chocolate at airport and pretzels on the plane

   *Dinner (driving home at 8:00 pm and here you have it, the worst of the worst, Wendy's in the car but the 4 yr old slept though again)

 FAILURE BOTH IN HEALTH AND LOCAL EATING!!!

   I am trying not to beat myself up about it and move onward.   I was conscious about what we were eating and I tried to help all of us make good choices.  We definitely fell victim to the vacationing type eating. This menu is a result of at least thinking about what we eat.  I knew we were making some poor choices, some ok choices, and some good choices given the choices we had.  I also know I could do better it I had put more planning and energy into the food.  I am able to do that when we go on shorter trips but all the way to Florida, with all the planning that goes into Disney, made it easier to succumb to the temptations of fast, easy, and unhealthy food.  I promise to do better.

On the road

So now it is time to go on vacation.  It is so hard to eat well while on vacation.  I am going to try and come up with a vacation tip list.  When we take short trips by car I usually pack most of our food. We will eat out once or twice but eat most meals and all snacks are from the packed stash.

Traveling by plane is not as easy.  First of all, you can't bring food into the airport.  So there goes packing snacks.  We are leaving so early to get to the airport on time that we can't eat breakfast at home either.

Day one plan -

• Get boys out of bed and in car to sleep on way to airport
• Eat Breakfast sandwiches on the road (my favorite healthy option for bfast on the run)
• At airport??? (Stay tuned)

Guilty Pleasure

Should I feel guilty because there are aspects of  'simpler' times that I want (less processed food without chemicals added in) but I don't want to give up all of the modern day conveniences?

Can we eat healthy in a responsible way. A way that is reasonable both in time and money and protects the environment too?

What can we do?? Here is one idea I have.  Try to think about one of these next time you eat or buy food.

• Buy food that is as close to you as possible (those oranges from Brazil??? too far away)
• Eat what is in season (I know it is tough during the winter but try)
• Support your local farmer (Farmer's Market or CSA)

Eating or buying food locally saves fossil fuel.  It takes alot to ship those strawberries to New York from California. 

Do your part by knowing how long your food traveled before you ate it.  Besides, the fresher you eat something the better it tastes and the better it is for you!

My tips to read labels

 

Made with My Cool Signs.Net

Become an educated consumer.  Read the ingredient list!
Some of my tips.. 

1. Do your best to know what you are eating. My goal is to recognize 85% of the ingredients.
2. Pick one ingredient you don't recognize and look it up online.
3. Try to avoid any dyes 
4. Eat the real thing!  Food in its original state is best.
   
5. I Avoid (Partially Hydrogenated Oils) and (TBHQ) These are preservatives and forms of trans fat even if the label says 0 grams