Healthy Snacks for Kids and Travel

March 6, 2012 1 Comment

Having just returned from California (read my Disney tips) with 3 kids + 2 five hour flights + 2 three hour car rides…yes all in one trip!…I can tell you snacks are super when you’ve got kids en route.

Dry cereal is my go-to snack because A) no refridgeration required B) fits in a ziplock bag C) all 3 kids can now munch on some sort of dry cereal.  And I like that you can mix it up to personal choice.  For example…

Gluten Free Snack Mix with Chex

DD1 would love this with just the popcorn and Chex .

Cheerios Snack Mix

And both biggies would like this with just the Cheerios and pretzels

Cheerios

And the baby is more than happy with good ol’ Cheerios.

It’s good to have healthy snack choices when you are travelling with kids.  I should know.  I’ve travelled with kids!

Disclosure: I am part of the Life MadeDelicious Blogger program and I receive special perks as part of my affiliationwith this group. The opinions on this blog are my own

 

Filed Under: #LMDConnector, Feature, food, Parent Club 1 Comment

Night out at the movies

February 19, 2012 Leave a Comment

Going to the movies, for us, is a HUGE treat because…well…it’s just so expensive (have you seen the price of tickets?!).  So our movie dates (be it GNO or taking the kids) is few and far between.

But time to book a day out because now movie dates just got more budget friendly!

General Mills has partnered with Cineplex to offer Canadian families movie discounts.  Check specially marked General Mills products (from cereals to snacks) for the added-value to products you already have on your grocery list.

Or check here for full details.

https://lifemadedelicious.ca/Home/OffersandPerks/Cineplex.aspx

Disclosure: I am part of the Life MadeDelicious Blogger program and I receive special perks as part of my affiliationwith this group. The opinions on this blog are my own
Filed Under: #LMDConnector, food, Parent Club Leave a Comment

Parent Club interviews Rose Reisman

February 10, 2012 Leave a Comment

 Renowned health and wellness expert, media personality, caterer and author Rose Reisman has launched a revolutionary frozen food delivery service, Personal Gourmet Frozen. Personal Gourmet Frozen delivers across the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) to Toronto (East York, Etobicoke, North York and Scarborough); Peel Region (Mississauga, Oakville and Brampton); York Region (King City, Markham, Richmond Hill, Vaughan, Thornhill, Woodbridge and Aurora); and Durham Region (Pickering). It also offers Purolator Express Delivery outside of the GTA to the rest of Ontario.

Most of the entrees from the new line of Personal Gourmet Frozen has less than 10 ingredients…do any of these cater to families’ with food sensitivities (i.e. nut free, gluten free, etc…)?

There are over 60 meal selections available in the Frozen Supermarket, so individual meals will cater to parents or children with intolerances.

Gourmet Food doesn’t always fall in the category of “kid-friendly”…is the menu kid-friendly? 

We have an entire section designed for children with all the favourites they enjoy, but made healthier.  No deep fried foods or excess fat or sodium. Check out some of the Kids’ dinner options here.

 Breakfast, lunch and dinner ringing in at as little as $20/day seems unimaginable – unless one eats fast food – how do you do it?

We work on economies of scale. We have a large catering and event business and are able to purchase the best quality foods at the best prices.

What is your advice to make mealtime easier for busy families?

Be organized and know what you’re serving early in the day.  That might mean preparing on weekends or selecting a service like Personal Gourmet so you’re never left improvising!

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Valentine’s Day ideas

February 9, 2012 Leave a Comment

 Heart shaped activities are the trend for Feb. 14…but I kinda think you should use your heart shaped ideas for every day.  Like get out your heart shaped cookie cutters and cut the crusts of those ham sandwiches with them.   Or make a heart shaped pizza for no reason.  Or even add a little heart swirl in the kid’s hot chocolate.

 Being a mom who likes new ideas…I came across these brownie cupcakes (and brownies being one of my kids’ FAV treats this is right up our alley).  What a cool way to share a heart (and easy recipe too).

Brownie Cupcakes 

Ingredients:

1 pkg (440 g) Betty Crocker* Chocolate Chunk Supreme Brownies Mix 1/4 cup (50 mL) water 1/4 cup (50 mL) vegetable oil 2 eggs 1-2 tbsp (15-25 mL) icing sugar

Method:

  • Heat oven to 350°F (180°C).  Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups.  Spray cups with non-stick cooking spray.  Make brownie batter as directed on package.  Fill each baking cup with 2 level tablespoonfuls of batter.
  • Bake 19 to 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centre comes out almost clean.  Cool in pan 20 minutes.  Carefully remove paper baking cups; place on cooling rack and cool completely.
  • Cut small heart out of paper.  Place on top of cupcake.  Sprinkle with icing sugar.  Carefully remove heart.  Repeat with remaining cupcakes.

Disclosure: I am part of the Life MadeDelicious Blogger program and I receive special perks as part of my affiliationwith this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.

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Parent Club Tip

January 27, 2012 Leave a Comment

I have been off with bronchitis and pink eye and child raising and lunch box making…and in my absence from the internetz I came up with an idea of a new feature for Parent Club…Parent Club Tips (or hacks or words of wisdom…we’ll see how it plays out).  But as you know, I am all about sharing information to make life easier for busy families…and sharing a tip or two about health and child raising and lunch box making…well we could all use a good tip now and again n’est pas?.

Open invitation to email your tip to share with the club!

Tip du jour:  Print out this LIST for lunch box ideas - it will make grocery shopping more organized and lunch box making a little easier. ;-)

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Brownies on a stick

January 15, 2012 Leave a Comment

I saw this and I thought – “hello next birthday party!”

Brownies on a stick

Ingredients:

1 box Betty Crocker* Chocolate Chunk Supreme Brownies Mix
Water, vegetable oil and egg as called for on brownie mix box
15 craft sticks (flat wooden sticks with rounded ends)
2/3 cup (150 mL) semisweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 tsp (7 mL) shortening
Assorted decorating sprinkles

Method:

  • Heat oven to 350ºF (325ºF for dark or nonstick pan). Line 8-inch or 9-inch square pan with foil so foil extends about 2 inches over sides of pan. Spray foil with cooking spray. Make brownies as directed on box. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
  • Place brownies in freezer for 30 minutes. Remove brownies from pan by lifting foil; peel foil from sides of brownies. Cut brownies into 15 rectangular bars, 5 rows by 3 rows. Gently insert craft stick into end of each bar, peeling foil from bars. Place on cookie sheet; freeze 30 minutes.
  • In small microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips and shortening uncovered on High about 1 minute; stir until smooth. If necessary, microwave additional 5 seconds at a time. Dip top 1/3 to 1/2 of each brownie into chocolate; sprinkle with candy sprinkles. Lay flat on waxed paper or foil to dry.

I suppose this doesn’t exactly fall into the healthy recipes category…but FUN category fits just right.  Brownies on a stick would be a treat (chez nous we have a 4 o’clock daily treat where you can have something sweet to power up for the arsenic hour).

Disclosure: I am part of the Life Made Delicious Blogger program and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own

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How to make Chicken Soup

January 11, 2012 Leave a Comment

Tis’ the season where everyone is getting sick.  Sniffles, colds, congestion (and that’s just me).  ugh.

So I am making chicken soup today.  Freezing chicken soup also for those future days when someone is sick and you just need a bowl of chicken soup.

And yes, I’m sharing a video on How to make chicken broth

Because homemade is best.  It’s what June Cleaver did.

Chicken noodle soup not only heals the sick but warms the soul — and when it’s in the freezer it makes for an easy and healthy dinner family dinner go-to.  Sometimes I switch it up and add brown rice, flour & leeks making it more it more stew-ish than soup-ish.  Still oh so good.

Disclosure: I am part of the Life Made Delicious Blogger program and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own

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‘Tis the season for cookies made with kids | #LMDConnector

December 14, 2011 Leave a Comment

Whether you are into baking Peppermint Crunch Cookies or Gingerbread Stars - nothing says more holiday than baking with kids.  I must confess I love baking with my kids…(flashback memory to the Grand Prize of the entire school bake sale winning bunny cookies I made with DD2 last year while baby sat in highchair -> they were le good and easy).

I like that baking with kids incorporates reading, measurement, hands-on experience and fun.  All at once.

And I bet those bunnies could easily be snowmen.  So easily.

I’ll be holiday baking with my kids this week.  Not because of the sweet treat of baked goods but because of the sweet treat of hanging out with some of my favourite people.  Perhaps favourite people and snowmen.

Disclosure: I am part of the Life Made Delicious Blogger program and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own

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Homemade Food Gifts

December 14, 2011 Leave a Comment

Last year’s teacher’s present was a mason jar with layered dry ingredients for homemade cookies (I knew the teacher had a daughter and thought it might be an activity they do together).  It was an easy gift.  An inexpensive gift.  And not just another thing for the teacher to dust.

Sometimes, homemade food gifts are just the right gift to give.How pretty is layered Lentil Soup in a jar?!

Or Strawberry Freezer Jam?

Or these Quick-Mix Chocolate Cookies

Which look so good - I just have to share the recipe…

Ingredients:

1 pkg Betty Crocker* SuperMoist Devil’s Food Cake Mix
1/2 cup (125 mL) vegetable oil
1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla
2 eggs
1/4 cup (50 mL) granulated sugar

Method:

  • Heat oven to 350ºF. In large bowl, mix cake mix, oil, vanilla and eggs with spoon until dough forms.
  • Shape dough into 1-inch balls; roll in sugar. On ungreased baking sheets, place balls about 2 inches apart.
  • Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until set. Cool 1 minute; remove from baking sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Store tightly covered.

Disclosure: I am part of the Life Made Delicious Blogger program and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own

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Soups, Stews & Chilis Make Life Easier

November 12, 2011 2 Comments

Brrr…these chilly days and dark-far-too-early evenings make me crave something cozy and warm for dinner – unfortunately our 5 o’clock arsenic hour makes that a challenge.  So I’m trying to be smart (and make my life easier) by making big batches of soups, stews and chillis during the day and pop them in the freezer to use later in the week (working so good so far).

I also LOVE slow cooker foods (because chop, drop and forget is my way of life).  And I’m loving the easy recipes for slow cookers on Life Made Delicious’ website (particularly Slow Cooker Chicken n Stuffing Pot Pie because I love pot pie by never have time to roll pastry).

So for that chicken stuffing recipe – here it is (10 minutes to prep and 6 hours to slow cook).

Disclosure: I am part of the Life Made Delicious Blogger program and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own
Filed Under: #LMDConnector, Feature, food, Parent Club 2 Comments

Keep Halloween from dying with these recipes

November 10, 2011 Leave a Comment

Why must Halloween die so quickly?  Keep the spooky in your life by surprising the kids with these killer treats…

https://www.lifemadedelicious.ca/en/Recipes/S/Spooky-Spiderweb-Pizza.aspx


https://www.lifemadedelicious.ca/en/Recipes/S/Scary-Skull-Cakes.aspx

Disclosure: I am part of the Life Made Delicious Blogger program and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.
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