Some strategies for success:

• Limit unhealthy treats to once a week or fortnight. Try to avoid cafes and shops that stock those temptations. You could change the time of day you shop or the route you take walking home with your kids.
• Prepare snacks in advance.
• Always have a bottle of water on hand and keep your family well hydrated.
• Leave your purse at home whenever possible
• To minimise pester power and filling up your trolley on less healthy foods, avoid or move quickly through those parts of the supermarket that you know are difficult.

 Snack Ideas

Perfect for when you’re stuck for ideas, these snacks are much healthier alternatives…

After school

Between getting home from school and the evening meal, it can be all too easy for kids to reach for snacks high in fat and salt. Steer them towards healthier snacking by…

• Checking the lunchbox for any uneaten food. Serve up any food that does not pose a food safety risk as an immediate post school snack.
• Laying out a platter with fresh chopped seasonal fruit, plain unsalted nuts, and chopped vegetable sticks (carrot, cucumber, capsicum, celery) with a low fat dip like hummus or tzatziki. The kids can snack on these before dinner without spoiling their appetite, as well as contributing to their 2 and 5 serves of fruit and vegies a day.
• Toast wholemeal crumpets and spread them with margarine or a Tick approved peanut butter.
• Wrap banana, ricotta and sultanas in wholemeal lavash bread.
• Dollop some low fat fruit yoghurt in a kid friendly cup, and top with a little untoasted muesli.

On the go or in the lunchbox

Pack the following in your bag or the kids’ lunchboxes…

• Individual tubs of fruit in 100% natural juice
• Tick approved cereal bars (download our Tick shopping list)
• Air popped popcorn mixed with dried fruit packed in an air-tight container
• Slice of fruit loaf spread with margarine
• Individual low fat yoghurt pots
• Boiled egg
• Bananas
• Dried fruit medley

Source: http://www.heartfoundation.org.au/healthy-eating/mums-united/articles/Pages/healthy-snack-ideas.aspx

The post WEEK 8 NUTRITION: Healthier Snack Ideas appeared first on Working-IN.

Common Dinnertime Challenges

Whenever we all get together, we argue.  How can I prevent this atmosphere from taking over the dinner table?
Some families argue about particular topics, like messy rooms or a recent science grade. Agreeing to avoid those topics during dinner will decrease fighting during mealtime. Other families just seem to argue as a way of communicating with one another. In such a case, you may want to set certain ground rules.

For example, each member has to wait to talk until he or she is holding a particular object, like a seashell, and anyone who raises his or her voice will agree to take a “time out” and calm down before returning to the table. Adults will need to set a good example by trying not to interrupt, and by asking questions rather than arguing with something said.

It’s very important to us that our children grow up with good table manners.  How can we teach good manners and not make the atmosphere at dinner uncomfortable?
If you focus on one priority at a time, you won’t let the teaching of good manners dominate the atmosphere. Focusing on those manners that help build respectful speaking and listening, like not speaking with your mouth full or not talking over anyone, seem like a good place to start. Those manners are ones that parents can also try to improve themselves, which will make kids feel less scrutinized.

My children and/or my spouse are texting at the table, and it drives me crazy.  How can I ask them to stop without driving them away?
You could ask them to try a no-texting experiment for a week or two to see if the conversation and atmosphere at the table is different for them as well as for you.  Or, you could ask that they only use their phones to facilitate conversation, for example, looking up a movie time, defining a word, or settling a dispute, like who won the World Series in 1985.

My child is a picky eater. What should I do to encourage her to try different foods?
The best strategy to prevent picky eating is for parents to model their own enjoyment of foods they are offering their kids at the dinner table. Serving food “family style” in bowls or platters placed on the table allows children to see the adults enjoying a food that the kids can just reach out and try.

The worst strategy is for parents to pressure their kids to eat or to restrict foods. If you want your child to try new foods, you shouldn’t tell them they can’t have dessert unless they eat all their vegetables. Another common mistake is for parents to give up too easily if a child refuses a new food. Researchers have found that children may need eight to 15 offerings of new foods before they decide they like the food. No wonder so many children are deemed “picky eaters” when so many parents give up trying to interest a child in a novel food after one or two attempts.

My children are too young to sit still for long meals.  How can I get them to stay put? 
It’s important to keep your expectations realistic. Toddlers shouldn’t be expected to sit for more than 10 or 15 minutes, and some may be done in five minutes. Better to have a happy, short dinner that you can build on as your child matures, than to make dinner a time with a lot of rules and fights.

Here are some strategies that have been helpful to families with young kids:

• Make clear that “meal sitting” is different from “school sitting.” So, for example, everyone might wear PJs, or you might play music during the meal.
• Give your kids ice pops made with fresh juice after they’ve eaten their meals:  It will take young kids about five minutes to finish one pop.
• Invite your child to stir a pot, crumble the cheese, set the timer or choose a menu from two choices offered.  Having a hand in making the meal creates pride of ownership, and that may make them stay at the table longer.
• Avoid having a revolving door at the dinner table. If your child wants to leave the table, allow this only once or twice. After two departures, the child should know that dinnertime is over. This is different from forcing a child to sit, but takes away any positive reinforcement derived from leaving the table.
• Present each part of the meal as a course, for example, peas as an appetizer, pasta with pesto sauce as the main course and orange slices for dessert. Maybe your child can help clear and bring on each course so that you are harnessing a child’s activity in the service of the meal. For example, “While you’re up, would you get the water pitcher?”

How do I keep my teenagers interested in family dinners, when there are so many activities pulling them away?
You may be surprised to learn that when teenagers are asked about the importance of family dinners, they rate them very high on their list of priorities. So, you should assume that your kids want to have dinner with you. If they don’t, start by asking what would make dinnertime more pleasant for them.

Here are some strategies that have been helpful to other parents with teenagers:

• Agree that dinner will be off limits for discussing conflicts—no talk about homework, whose turn it is to take out the trash, a recent D on a math quiz or how late the curfew should be on Friday night.
• Offer to make a new meal based on your teen’s interests—if he is studying South African history or Indian literature, check out epicurious.com and search for recipes by country.
• Invite your kid to make a course or part of the meal, particularly something fairly quick (but special and dramatic) that will elicit oohs and ahs from the rest of the family. Popovers, banana flambé, and fruit smoothies all do the trick.
• Create a weekly dinner ritual when your kids’ friends are invited to dinner or to dessert. For example, on a tired Sunday night, friends could be invited to come over and make sundaes.
• You might also ask your teen to choose music for you to listen to during dinner. This will also give you something to talk about that is likely of great interest to your child.

Source: http://thefamilydinnerproject.org/resources/faq/

The post WEEK 7 NUTRITION: The importance of eating together as a family appeared first on Working-IN.

You’re eating well and reaping the benefits, but are you getting as much possible goodness out of your dinner as you can? Take the nutrition of your evening meal to the next level with our simple and easy tips!

1. Make your own salad dressing

That way you’ll know exactly what’s in there! No chemicals, preservatives, artificial flavors or stabilizers needed! Adding a dressing made with an oil to your salad or vegetables also helps you absorb more of the fat-soluble nutrients. Check out these healthy homemade salad dressing ideas to get you started. [And this week’s Winter Salad Dressing Recipe by Georgia]

2. Serve your lunch at the same time

If you tend to go back for seconds or eat a little more than you should, set aside the leftovers into portioned containers before you even dish up your dinner. That way you’ve prepped your lunch for the next day or two, and won’t be tempted to keep eating!

3. Feature vegetables

So often vegetables are thought of as as side dish, but we say make them the focus of your meal! Load up your plate with vegetables and add the extras from there.

4. Mix up the method

Avoid microwaving and boiling, instead, opting for steaming, slow cooking, or pressure cooking. You’ll retain more nutrients and avoid the dangers of cooking with a microwave – find out more here!

5. Cook with heat stable oils

Vegetable oils and extra virgin olive oil struggle to maintain their integrity when faced with high heat. When they become unstable, they produce volatile compounds that are dangerous to our health. Opt for more temperature stable oils including avocado, macadamia, coconut, and almond oil. Keep the extra virgin olive oil for cold dishes such as salad to get the most benefits! For more information, click here!

6. Eat a lighter meal

Many of us eat our biggest meal at night, when we don’t need as much energy. Rather than having the heaviest meal at dinner, try eating like a King at breakfast, like a Prince at lunch, and a Pauper at dinner. This will give your body more time to properly digest your food, and use up the energy those meals provide throughout the day.

7. Make it with broth

From time to time, use broth instead of oils with the technique known as a wet sauté. Use twice as much broth as you would have oil and enjoy all of the nourishing benefits! Need a recipe? Try our vegetarian Potassium Balance Broth.

8. Cut the carbs in half

If you’re fond of having a pasta or rice dish, use less grain and add in more vegetables! Rice? Make half rice, half cauliflower rice. Pasta? Have half spelt or whole grain pasta, half zucchini noodles. The meal will be easier to digest, reducing the burden on your gut before bedtime!

9. Spice things up

Ginger, cinnamon, cayenne, turmeric, and chili pepper are all easy additions to your dish, bringing a delicious flavor, and a fat-burning boost to your metabolism! Sprinkle over roast vegetables and salads, add to curries, coat fish before baking, or roll peeled, boiled eggs in them. We love this Eggplant and Green Bean Curry!

10. Scrub your vegetables

Don’t peel them. Scrubbing removes any loose dirt and debris, whilst still retaining all the nutrients found in and close to the skin of the vegetable. Plus it adds extra tummy-filling fiber to your meal!

Source: http://foodmatters.tv/content/10-ways-to-make-your-dinner-healthier

About the Author

James Colquhoun, filmmaker of Food Matters and Hungry For Change and founder of FMTV. Along with Laurentine ten Bosch, James founded Food Matters, giving people the tools (films, books, website, TV) to take charge of their own health. Food Matters is an internationally acclaimed widely popular documentary about the medical and healthcare industries. His latest documentary, Hungry For Change, reveals how the diet and processed food industries are the enemies of permanent weight loss, vibrant health, and natural living.

The post WEEK 7 NUTRITION: 10 ways to make your dinner healthier appeared first on Working-IN.

Most days we can whip together a quick breakfast and nights, we have a little extra time to prepare a dish. A healthy lunch, however, can be a little trickier to organize!

Don’t let a busy schedule get in the way of eating healthy. Make these ideas in less than 10 minutes!

1. Make A Quinoa Veggie Bowl

Toss together to combine your choice of fresh or cooked vegetables with cooked quinoa, fresh herbs, and a dressing such as tahini, apple cider vinegar, cashew cheese or mashed avocado. This Mexican Quinoa Bowl has us excited for lunch!

2. Savory Muffins

Cook vegetable muffins or mini frittatas in bulk on the weekends. Take with you to work and serve with a side salad. There are many options available, you can even use leftover juice pulp.

3. Load Up A Potato

Slice a pre-baked sweet potato and fill with your choice of toppings. We love beans, fresh salsa, guacamole and greens! Or this one!

4. That’s a Wrap

Use large leafy green lettuce leaves as a nutrient-rich alternative to a regular wrap. Simply add your favorite fillings. Try vegetables with fish/egg, curried lentils, chilli beans, or falafels! We love these Lentil Cups!

5. Bigger Dinners

The quickest way to prepare a healthy lunch, is to make more of your healthy dinner! When dishing out your nighttime meal, put some away in a container ready for the next day. Easy!

Don’t let your busy schedule get in the way of your health goals. A healthy lunch can help keep us focused, prevent the 3pm energy slump, boost our mood and sustain us till dinner.

Source: http://www.foodmatters.tv/content/5-quick-and-healthy-lunch-ideas-for-busy-people

About the Author

James Colquhoun, filmmaker of Food Matters and Hungry For Change and founder of FMTV. Along with Laurentine ten Bosch, James founded Food Matters, giving people the tools (films, books, website, TV) to take charge of their own health. Food Matters is an internationally acclaimed widely popular documentary about the medical and healthcare industries. His latest documentary, Hungry For Change, reveals how the diet and processed food industries are the enemies of permanent weight loss, vibrant health, and natural living.

The post WEEK 6 NUTRITION: 5 quick and healthy lunch Ideas for busy people appeared first on Working-IN.

It’s the morning meal that ‘breaks a fast’. Enjoying a nutritious breakfast kick-starts your metabolism, energizes your morning and fuels your body with a healthy dose of nutrients.

Busy mornings and tight schedules can result in some of us skipping breakfast entirely or opting for something unhealthy instead, leaving us fighting against a grumbling stomach, crashing energy levels and even mood swings!

Make the most of your morning meal by following these top nine tips. You’ll be amazed at the difference!

1. Add A Little Healthy Fat

Healthy fats from whole foods provide essential fatty acids, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory compounds, plus they help you to feel satisfied for longer as they’re slow to digest in the body.

What to add: Healthy fats with nut butters, tahini, mixed nuts and seeds, avocado or coconut butter. Slices of avocado, sautéed greens and mushrooms in olive or coconut oil are great for hot breakfasts.

2. Eat Enough Protein

You can enjoy a delicious breakfast low in protein, but we bet you’ll be hungry shortly after! Protein is similar to fat as it’s also a slow release energy source making it a powerful appetite suppressant! It also contains essential amino acids for the body to function optimally and repair itself, making it a necessary ingredient in the food you eat, especially post workout!

What to add: You will get a small amount from some cereal grains and milks, but sprinkle some extra nuts and seeds in your bowl, or top your smoothie with a nutty granola instead! Add nut butters, spirulina, goji berries, hemp seeds, or a vegan protein powder to your smoothie to bump up the protein power!

Prefer a cooked brekkie? Eggs, meat, fish, beans, legumes and mushrooms all contain protein!

3. Fill Up On Fiber

A gut health and weight maintenance essential. Having a mix of soluble and insoluble fiber in your diet helps your bowels to function properly, feeds your healthy gut bacteria and supports natural detoxification.

What to add: Add plenty of greens and berries to your smoothie. Avocado is also a good source of fiber, and will make your smoothie extra creamy!

Or if you’re after something savory, mash some avocado with some wilted greens, add some beans or legumes, and make sure if you’re having toast, that it’s a high fiber variety such as rye, multi-grain or whole wheat.

If opting for cereal, swap the chemical-laden, commercial ones for high fiber whole grains such as oats, buckwheat and quinoa. You’ll cut out a tonne of unnecessary sugar and additives!

4. Choose Good Quality Carbohydrates

Choosing the wrong kinds of carbohydrates can have you feeling flat and hungry in no time! All carbohydrates turn to sugar in the body, but how quickly the sugar is released in the bloodstream depends on what else they’re consumed with! Protein, fats and fiber help to slow down digestion of your overall meal, so having some of each with a source of carbohydrates helps to prevent blood sugar crashes!

What to do: Avoid highly refined sugars, added sugars, processed sugars, white bread and baked goods made of refined flours. Opt for low GI, unrefined carbohydrates including whole grains such as almond flour, oats, buckwheat and quinoa, as well as sweet potato, beans, legumes and lentils. Add some extra protein or healthy fats to sweet dishes, and don’t be afraid to go savory for breakfast!

5. Aim For Nutrients, Not Calories

The front of food packets love to trick us by promoting how few calories their food contains, and that this is a good thing! The problem is that real food ingredients contain calories. They provide us with energy to thrive! When a manufacturer reduces the calories of a food, they alter the mix by removing real, nourishing foods, and replacing them with chemicals and artificial ingredients that our bodies don’t recognise and can do us harm. Avoid falling into the trap of eating to fit a daily calorie count, and stick to food in it’s most natural state instead! Your weight and your health will flourish!

What to add: Plenty of real, wholesome foods – fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, full fat milks, and other nutrient rich, minimally processed ingredients!

6. Avoid Refined Sugars

Most commercial cereals, granola and baked breakfast goods are loaded with added sugars. High fructose corn syrup, glucose, dextrose, cane sugar, beet sugar, the list is endless! Start your day with slow-releasing carbohydrates instead such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Having processed sugars at breakfast can cause you to crave sweet foods for the rest of the day, as you search for ‘quick fixes’ to energize your body!

What to add: Stick to fruit to naturally sweeten your breakfast. If you do desire a little drizzle of sweetness, use a small amount of low GI, natural sweeteners such as raw honey, maple syrup or coconut sugar.

7. Get Enough Variety

It’s so easy to get caught up in the same old breakfast routine, but mixing things up not only gives your taste buds a welcome change, research shows an increase in food variety is actually linked to a longer lifespan!

What to add: Mix it up! If you’re short on time in the mornings, prepare a few different breakfast meals on the weekend in bulk. Store in the fridge, or freeze for later. Try these delicious ideas to get you started:

• Chia Pudding with Granola and Mixed Berries – Make the pudding in advance, then top with granola and berries at breakfast time!
• Corn Fritters with Avocado Salsa – Make a big batch of fritters and freeze. Defrost the night before and serve with your favorite topping!
• Chia Flaxseed Loaf – Slice and freeze this loaf, then simply toast and add your toppings each morning.
• Powerhouse Overnight Oats – Make the night before, or prepare in bulk and store in the fridge.

8. Size Matters

Racing out the door with a piece of fruit is better than nothing, but it’s not enough to provide your body with all the energy it needs. Consuming a healthy breakfast can help control blood sugar levels and assist in weight management, helping to prevent and manage Type 2 Diabetes.

What to do: Try eating like a king at breakfast, a prince at lunch and a pauper at dinner. After all, you need more energy to get you through the day than to sleep!

9. Focus On Your Food

Mindfully focusing on the food you eat by sitting and limiting distractions will help you avoid overeating and aid proper digestion. It takes around 20 minutes for your stomach to register if you’ve eaten enough and send that message to your brain. Give your stomach some time, and really enjoy your meal!

What to do: Avoid eating on the run, in the car, or at your office desk. Take at least 15 minutes to sit down and focus just on eating (and cherish a little family time if possible!).

Take the time to treat your body with a nourishing breakfast.  All it takes is a little forward planning, and a list of choices to whip up! Enjoy!

Source: http://www.foodmatters.tv/content/9-tips-for-healthy-breakfasts

About the Author

James Colquhoun, filmmaker of Food Matters and Hungry For Change and founder of FMTV. Along with Laurentine ten Bosch, James founded Food Matters, giving people the tools (films, books, website, TV) to take charge of their own health. Food Matters is an internationally acclaimed widely popular documentary about the medical and healthcare industries. His latest documentary, Hungry For Change, reveals how the diet and processed food industries are the enemies of permanent weight loss, vibrant health, and natural living.

The post WEEK 5 NUTRITION: 9 Tips For Healthy Breakfasts appeared first on Working-IN.

Nadia Felsch explores how to know what’s best for you at brekkie time and provides some tips on trying out different options to keep things interesting.

http://nadiafelsch.com/2014/10/31/breakfast-sweet-vs-savoury/

The post WEEK 5 NUTRITION: Creative Breakfast Options by Nadia appeared first on Working-IN.

That was until a friend innocently asked if I ever sat at the dining room table and ate my breakfast with my family. A defining moment which highlighted the fact that life needs to be slowed down. It was at the same stage that I was completing a ‘Mindfulness program’ (see Week 2) – which defined similar sentiments.

Breakfast is my favourite meal of the day, so making time to enjoy it means, not only do I get to savour the moment, but I also get to spend some quality time with my family. This sets the tone for the day – you get to enjoy your breakfast, your body is better able to digest the contents, you are not rushed/stressed, you enjoy time with your family… you start as you mean to go. It does require some effort –

1. have a breakfast meal plan;
2. ensure you allocate breakfast time;
3. silence your phone;
4. appreciate the food on your plate;
5. commitment to make it happen.

This is a small way in which we can make a big difference in our lives. Every little step adds huge value!

The post WEEK 5 NUTRITION: Healthy Breakfast by Debbie appeared first on Working-IN.

As a mum of 3, working between mothering gigs, and training, the weekday mornings in our house are typically rushed and chaotic! Though, I always try to make time for a yummy nourishing breakky that will sustain the boys (ages 3, 5 and 6) and myself for the day ahead.

We have moved our eating away from processed foods, wheat, dairy and limit sugar (due to intolerances and health reasons) so breakfast is usually a cook up of some sort. However, the boys still love the “crunch” from cereal and if we are limited on time we make “mummy’s yummy nut cereal” Which is based on a fabulous, very easy recipe from https://wholefoodsimply.com and all the ingredients excluding the apple can be bought from Scoop

I am actually a bit of a Scoop fanatic, we take a trip there at least once a week and our cupboards now look like a Scoop advertisement. I always make sure I have the ingredients for the muesli on hand as it’s our “go to” breakfast.

Fruit and Veg we are now trying to buy organic so you’ll usually find us at the Warriewood Markets on Friday. We love the markets, it’s such a great way to shop! Otherwise we’ve started using Group Organics in Brookvale (www.grouporganics.com.au). They are a great delivery or pick up service and the produce so far has been excellent. Our meat we are mostly getting at Shiralee Meats, in Brookvale. Also organic, I cannot recommend them highly enough.

It does help the mornings if I’ve planned ahead or even made breakfast the night before, sometimes breakfast muffins or a chia pudding. However as I mentioned we normally have a cook up which may be scrambled eggs with avocado, cherry tomatoes and spinach or kale. Or even something we are loving at the moment is poached eggs in bone broth with lemon and tumeric with a bit of leafy greens. It’s really warm and nourishing as we head into winter, it’s great for the immune system and the boys love it!?!

Geeze, I could rattle on about food forever, I’ve become hungry writing this! Can’t wait till breakky now

The post WEEK 5 NUTRITION: Healthy Breakfast Inspiration from member Cass Warner appeared first on Working-IN.

As we are focused on healthy cooking from scratch this week we want to take this to the next level.

We are so excited to invite you to join the “Working-IN with Nadia Motivational Member Challenge” that will run throughout WEEK 5, 6 and 7. We have prizes, giveaways and MORE for the most inspiring and motivational members each week!

All you have to do to participate in this member initiative is:

1. DOWNLOAD Nadia’s FREE 7 Day Meal Plan (save this to your computer or handheld for future reference)
2. Determine when in the next 3 weeks you would like to begin your 7 Day Plan – you can start any day of the week (but we recommend starting on a Monday if you can)
3. Prepare your shopping list – and ensure you make a trip to Scoop Wholefoods at Mona Vale for all your grains, nuts, seeds, dried food and special oils (don’t forget your member discount card!)
4. Take before, during and after photos or videos of you shopping, preparing and enjoying your healthy and nutritious meals, snacks and drinks.
5. Post your photos and feedback on the new Working-IN Members Facebook group or email to hello@working-in.com.au

If this is just not the right time for you to commit to a full 7 Day Plan we would still LOVE you to participate by even trying just 1 or 2 of Nadia’s breakfast, lunch, dinner or snack recipes. If you can share your experience, even better!

We are hoping to have a super surprise to announce by Week 8 when all our Working-IN with Nadia participants will have the chance to collect their prizes – stay tuned : )

Good luck everyone – here’s to 3 weeks of healthy meal planning, shopping and cooking…..and to a healthier, happier more wholesome you!!!!

The post WEEK 4 NUTRITION: Healthy Cooking with Nadia Felsch appeared first on Working-IN.

Ideal for those of you who want to cook healthy food but just don’t have the time to shop for the quality produce you prefer AND are looking for inspiring recipes the whole family will enjoy.

The Cook’s Grocer offer:

• Pre-proportioned meal packs with top quality meat, and produce from the best suppliers in Sydney
• FREE delivery, 3 days a week, 5am-8pm
• Multiple meal size options – For a couple or family
• 30% off for Working-IN members for their first two weeks subscription (you can opt out at any time)
• visit www.thecooksgrocer.com.au for pricing and options.

Also watch Alethea’s interview with Tim and one of their customers below to find out more.

The post WEEK 4 NUTRITION: Healthy Cooking with The Cook’s Grocer appeared first on Working-IN.