While you’re out shopping for school supplies, pick up a few things to make packing lunches easier. We’re big fans of reducing waste, so our recommendations are mostly reusable – that means your kids will have to bring them home, so you can wash them out for the next day. Bonus? You get to see what they didn’t eat, and make adjustments to ensure they’re getting enough good, healthy food for their day.
Lunch bag * We like reusable lunch bags, especially the insulated kind. You can get a “squishy” insulated lunch bag for a reasonable price. An old-fashioned lunchbox can be fun, too, with favorite characters on the side. Or go upscale, and look for a bento-style lunch box. We had a friend who re-used dog food bags for lunch bags (he washed them out, don’t worry) until they kind of fell apart, which took months. Perhaps you have an old purse that would make a great lunch bag?
Cold pack * Our favorite cold packs are the blue ice blocks, a bit larger than a deck of cards. One of those in an insulated (squishy) lunch bag will keep cold food cold for 4-5 hours. They’re made in other sizes and shapes, too, and they’re all pretty reasonably priced. Of course, a frozen water bottle (be sure to pour off the first inch before freezing!) also works well – and your child can drink the water, too.
Thermos * Because there are days that we like warm food, we like to have a small, wide-mouth thermos – something that holds about 1-1/2 cups (12 ounces) works pretty well.
Silverware * We reuse plasticware (the heavier stuff goes through the dishwasher just fine), but you may want to look for something more sturdy. Purchase an inexpensive set of silverware at a discount store, or if your kids like adventure, get camping silverware.
Containers * The inexpensive plastic containers can work really well for brown bag lunches – they can be reused for a long time, and they come in a variety of shapes and sizes. If they don’t come home some day, you’re not out a lot of money. There are some other containers with built in cooling packs that we like, too. We’re not big fans of the plastic bag; there’s so much waste with that method. Think creatively to avoid the waste.
Napkins * Our favorite napkins are colorful bandanas from the dollar store. We like that they wash well, and they’re easy to replace.
Holistic Holiday at Sea VIII sailing February 27 – March 6, 2011
Food, glorious food * because a Taste of Health cruise needs healthy food!
There are two elegant dining rooms on the MSC Poesia – the Le Fontana on deck 5 and Il Palladium on deck 6. Both are staffed with attentive, well-trained waiters.
Your food will be expertly prepared with care and attention to detail under the strict supervision of Mark Hanna, an internationally known natural food chef who has cooked at summer camps, yoga retreats, meditation centers and macrobiotic conferences around the world. Mark will personally design the menu and create the recipes.
Meals will be non-dairy, vegan/natural cuisine and organic whenever possible. Desserts will be sugar and dairy-free and prepared by our own pastry chefs. Macrobiotic quality, organic/naturally fermented condiments such as miso, shoyu, umeboshi, and sun-dried sea salt will be used exclusively. Non-dairy and sugar-free beverages will be served. Fresh fish will be served on request and the ship’s regular vegetarian and standard fare are optional on request.
Get your child involved in team sports. There are lots of options for all kids in school. Let your child try different sports this year, if last year’s sport wasn’t a good fit.
The lessons of teamwork are important, and so is the regular discipline of practice, drills, and playing the sport! Even sports that sound like individual efforts like cross-country running, tennis, golf, skiing, and track all have team components.
Volunteer as an assistant coach, or be the team parent who organizes healthy snacks. And be sure to show up for all the games.
When we were in high school, we had fun climbing on the river bluffs with our friends. Well, our friends had fun. We were scared, and we whined and complained. And made everyone else miserable. Until finally, one friend took the initiative and confronted us – either loosen up and have fun, or just stay home.
We decided (with some humility) to try to loosen up. After all, it was just playing around on the rocks, and everyone else seemed to enjoy it. So… loosen up we did. It took some effort at first – that may sound contradictory, but if you live an uptight life, ‘loose’ is hard to achieve. Turns out we had fun – all of us. The risk was worth it for the fun and the friendships.
Since then, we’ve taken a lot more risks, and many of them serious (and some of them stupid, but, hey – live and learn). Maybe you’ve traveled in other countries, accepted a job that pushed you to or maybe beyond your limits, entered into or left a committed relationship, or had children.
Life is a bunch of risks. Don’t whine and complain and make everyone else miserable. Take the risk, grow and learn (and keep your friends).
Oh, make some big jumps, big jumps
You’re afraid to break some bones
Come on, make some big jumps, big jumps
Life is yours alone
You hold your head up, your head up high
Like you think I do
Sometimes we want something a little fancier for breakfast, and these scones do the trick.
Offer scones for a quick on-the-go breakfast or after school snack, or pack them in a school (or brown bag) lunch. (Who said you had to pack a sandwich?)
~*~ ~*~ ~*~ Currant Scones Yellow * Serves 10
2 cups unbleached flour
1/4 cup Sucanat®
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup soy margarine, cold
2/3 to 3/4 cup soymilk
3/4 cup currants
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Mix flour, Sucanat, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. Cut in the margarine with a pastry blender or a couple of forks, until the mixture is coarse, resembling corn meal.
Gradually add soymilk to make a soft dough. Add currants and knead the dough 3 or 4 times.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to 1/2-inch thickness and cut out scones with 2-inch cookie cutter. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes.
This is one of our favorite motivational songs, and it not only makes us want to dance, it makes us want to take action all day long – to move in a new direction, to give life to the seed of a new idea, to envision and create a new opportunity.
Our friend Kathy at the Lunch Box Bunch blog wrote a great post on children’s nutrition. She’s a big dreamer when it comes to the food our kids should get at school… but if we don’t dream big, we won’t work hard to create change.
Why the Nutrition Bill Matters: Even skeptics of increased government funding for programs have to agree that 1) education is crucially important in our country. And 2) no amount of education, from math to social studies to science, chemistry and literature is going to make a difference in a child’s future if that child is unhealthy. Health is number one.
…If you haven’t learned that lesson yet – you will. At some point in your life you may get ill, or a loved one will get ill and the only thing that will matter is getting well. Wellness. Without a well state – you cannot succeed in anything. And that includes school.
But I do want to stress that health is relative for everyone – what is healthy for me – may be very different than what is considered healthy to you. The point is that we should all strive to take care of ourselves and preserve what health we do have. But this essay is about kids. School kids. And the food they eat everyday to fuel their minds and bodies. And for the kids, I like to dream big…
Hey, when are you gonna stand
Stop looking over your shoulder
See, there’s a sun in the sky
And a moon that will take us ’til morning
When are you gonna stand
Stop and begin this moment
When it’s time to make a change, we seem to think it always includes the idea of later. We like to put off all “diets” until Monday; all exercise programs until next month when we join the gym; all lifestyle changes (like not smoking) until January 1.
Why not start NOW? If you want to change your life, start in this very moment. It doesn’t matter that you just had a cigarette, it can be your last one – be a non-smoker now. It doesn’t matter if you just ate an entire bag of potato chips, it can be the last time you ignore the serving size – control portion sizes now. It doesn’t matter if you don’t have a cute workout wardrobe or a gym membership; put on your sneakers and walk around the block now.
Start fresh now. Begin this moment to be the person you want to be.
This is the time to get ALL your school supplies for the whole year. Even if you don’t have kids in school!
This is when all the pens and notebooks and binders are on sale at the cheapest price of the year.
You can also get crayons and simple watercolors and glue and markers – you never know when you might want some simple craft supplies (keep them together in one drawer or shoebox, and you’ll be prepared for an invasion of small children, too).
Restock your kitchen junk/utility drawer with tape and scissors.
You can also pick up a couple of zippered pencil pouches to use for all those crazy cords, chargers and flash drives you probably haul around when you travel.
If you have kids in school, check the store and the school’s website for supply lists. Teachers we know prefer that you stick to the list (no boxes of 1000 crayons when they specified 24, please). They also appreciate an extra pair of scissors or box of crayons or ruler for the kids who really can’t afford all the supplies, or to replace what gets lost, broken or used up during the year.
I’ll spread my wings and I’ll learn how to fly
Though it’s not easy to tell you goodbye
I gotta take a risk, take a chance, make a change
And breakaway
This is what it feels like to break away from the old habits, to make a change, to start fresh with new habits.
Some of the habits we want to change are pretty simple – start flossing our teeth regularly, or take our supplements, or drink enough water every day, or go to bed on time every night. It’s just a matter of doing it enough days in a row, and eventually (about three weeks later) we can’t imagine not doing it. The new habit has become automatic.
Some of the habits we want to change are far more difficult. We may need to re-evaluate our relationship with alcohol or cigarettes or caffeine or sugar. Those are tough addictions to break, and tough habits to change – but it can be done with practice, practice, practice.
Break away from whatever is holding you back from a fun, healthy, happy life. Start fresh today!
