Supercharge your kids lunches … and win a recipe book to help

There’s a joyous chorus rising from the suburbs: it’s the sound of mothers everywhere rejoicing that the kids are heading back to school!

I love the holidays and having the kids home (honest, I do), but the eight weeks they’re off over summer is a long time for them not to have any routine. They start to get a bit ratty around the edges, a bit niggly and need entertaining, which is not my strong suit!

The downside of them heading back to school (other than the daily commute) is of course food. Not just the lunchbox part, but breakfast, after-school feeds, and dinners. Feeding kids during the school terms can be a giant headache, especially if you’re a working mum who doesn’t have a lot of time to spare. The kids are always hungry and in a hurry but they’re also extra busy and of course tired, which means we’re often tempted to throw something out of a box at them and stand back. Well back, out of biting range.

Processed rubbish though is not your friend, no matter how quick it is to throw into the lunchbox. I’m sure you know that already. What we often don’t know though is much of the food we think might be healthy, isn’t – things like flavoured yoghurts, most breads, deli meats, muesli bars and breakfast poppers. It’s part of the major problem with being a mother in the 21st century – what we’re sold as being food is nothing like the food we should consume, and trying to work out what is can be daunting.

But not impossible.

I’m always on the look out for simple tactics and ideas I can incorporate over the year to lessen the pain of feeding time at the zoo, and my latest find is Supercharged Foods for Kids, by Lee Holmes.

 

Lee is a wholefoods chef and author of several books. This one is full of easy recipes to incorporate healthy, wholefoods into your child’s diet.

Unlike some other books I’ve looked at (and I’ve been sent a lot over the years to review), Lee doesn’t overcomplicate the recipes with a ton of different, expensive ingredients. There are a few in there you might not have tried, but for the most part, it’s pretty straightforward.

 

There are some basic recipes if you’re just starting out on introducing some healthy options to your kidlets, and a few advanced (not difficult though) if you’re further along the healthy-eating journey.

She’s included necessary nutritional information on the ingredients, and also a handy shopping list and lunchbox plan. The recipes cover breakfast, lunch, snacks and wraps, dinners and desserts, as well as smoothies and shakes. There are healthy versions of kids’ favourites, like pizza, chicken nuggets and an ice-cream spider. Lots and lots of inspiration.

 

 

It’s particularly fantastic if you need some gluten-free recipes.

I was so excited about Lee’s book that I agreed to act as an affiliate. If you choose to buy the book through my website (from the link on the right side of the page), I’ll receive a couple of dollars. If you don’t like that idea but still want the book, simply head to Lee’s page and buy it direct from her. All good.

If receiving a copy for free sounds even better – I’m giving away a couple of copies this weekend through the Sense of Self e-zine. Details will be sent out at the end of the week in the regular email, so if you’d like the chance to win, please come join the SOS Inner Circle.

If you have any questions about what’s inside the book, I’m happy to answer them – ask away in the comments.

And on that note: happy back to school for next week!