Why yes, I still meal plan. Mostly. Well maybe not as well as I used to for the past two years but I’m so ready to get back on track to map our our family dinner plans. My last official meal plan post here was June 16, prior to taking time away from the computer and spending it at the beach. Then came back to school and Madison’s surgery and alas, here we are in November, ready to bring some organization back to the table as we head into the fun holiday season.
On deck this week:
Monday~ leftover (fiery) Chili
Tuesday~ Greek Style Shrimp with Feta and Broccoli. {new recipe from Dinner: A Love Story cookbook}
Wednesday~ Pomegranate Pork Loin in the slow cooker and green beans on side. Also a D:ALS recipe.
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We are getting into the Halloween spirit around here. After a tough September with Madison’s appendix surgery, we are all looking forward to the simple joy of enjoying fall and Halloween this month. One of the first signs of Halloween around here are the little faces I add to the fruit for the kids lunch box. It started with clementines, but often I’ll write on banana peels too.
For early readers, I love adding in simple words like Boo, Love, and Happy. It’s a nice way to engage the kids in some conversation about lunch time and if they liked their little surprise and find out who sat next to them and if they showed their friends. One mom got her daughter to start eating clementines after seeing a little Kitty clementine in Madison’s lunch box.
I often use a Sharpie for writing notes and spooky faces, all on skin that will be removed. Another option is to get a Food Writer Marker that is safe to use on more surfaces, like an apple peel. In the spirit of Halloween, I also just picked up some of these cute Candy Eyeballs that are sure to be a silly addition to the kids lunchbox or snack time.
I hope your little one enjoys some pumpkin clementines this season!
Does your idea of a healthy lunch differ from one your kids dream about? Is there some way to get you both on the same page? As we continue to talk about school lunches this week, today I’m sharing an awesome giveaway and some resources on how to make your kid’s lunchbox rock.
I asked Madison to draw her favorite lunch. She struggled because she said she “likes everything.” If only that was true. So I asked what she would like for her first day of kindergarten. Can you tell what it is?
It’s a sandwich, with Nutella AND Fluff. At least we could have the conversation now that this would not be her lunch on the first day of school. On the side, she choose fresh pineapple. Now that I will happily pack in her lunchbox.
Then I took another approach and asked the kids to pack a lunch with the Laptop Lunchbox. I was pretty excited when they packed nearly all fruit into the box. There is something so compelling about filling up the little bento box containers with brightly colored fruits and veggies. The kids just naturally tapped into the rainbow. We did talk about what’s missing-the protein. We could add in some Stonyfield Kids yogurt squeeze tubes or Organic Valley string cheese.
Disclosure~ I received the same giveaway set to facilitate this post. All opinions shared here are my own. Now go Rock the Lunchbox! Grab coupons from these popular brands to help build a better lunchbox™: Annie’s, Rudi’s Organic, Applegate, Organic Valley, and Honest Kids at www.rockthelunchbox.com
https://emilyroachwellness.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Rock-the-Lunchbox.-schoollunch-backtoschool.jpg19521824eroachwellnesshttps://emilyroachwellness.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Emily-Logo-header-1.pngeroachwellness2014-08-21 14:56:382019-02-22 23:42:01How Do You Rock the Lunchbox? {Giveaway}
A few months ago I was at a local dinner event and I saw this pretty vegetable arrangement. It was eye-catching and you could tell it was really fresh. I remember grabbing the card and saving it for a future event. Fast forward to this month and I had the opportunity to try out Crudite Creations, a Newton based company owned by Lauren Brooks. She graciously offered an arrangement I could share with other moms headed to our first kindergarten mom social. {I think I’m still in denial that Madison is going to kindergarten.}
My favorite part of getting the artful vegetable arrangement was seeing my kids reaction. I had to fend them off as they were ready to taste test each cute “flower.” Getting kids excited about eating new veggies is always a plus in my book. The arrangement also came with hummus and french onion dip. The ranch dip is also a big hit with kids too.
Got a summer party to plan in the Boston area? Skip the flowers and order a centerpiece you can eat too! I love how pretty the arrangement was once it was set up at the party. Plus it’s a great way to encourage some healthy eating choices.
Thank you to Crudite Creation for the arrangement, it was delicious! All opinions shared here are my own. Shop local!
https://emilyroachwellness.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/IMG_6112.jpg32642448eroachwellnesshttps://emilyroachwellness.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Emily-Logo-header-1.pngeroachwellness2014-06-17 07:11:142014-06-17 07:11:14Buy Your Next Vegetable Arrangement Local
I hope everyone enjoyed the Father’s Day weekend. We had glorious weather and hosted a casual neighborhood BBQ. The kids ran around us, the breeze kept the bugs away and the men folk were very happy to relax and enjoy the night.
This feels like the first week of summer vacation for us. Last week was a haze of birthday parties, wisdom teeth removal and a road trip to Connecticut. The calendar is finally clearing as I intentionally said no to a few events to allow some free time for the kids (and myself.) We are preparing for our annual beach vacation and I want everyone to enjoy relaxing at home with friends and neighbors before we leave.
Dinners this week are a mix of easy summer favorites and cleaning out the fridge/pantry. I’m starting to tap into my round-up of summer dinner ideas. The other source of inspiration is the Dinner, A Love Story section on summer dining, complete with ideas for sides dishes and veggies. What inspires your dinner plans?
Sunday~ Grilled teriyaki chicken (homemade marinade), broccoli slaw and watermelon. Neighbors filled in the rest with home grown salad, amazing guacamole, tomato/mozzarella balls and ice cream sandwiches.
Monday~ Leftover chicken with greens from our garden. Both the baby spinach and assorted greens are doing great! Baking in the afternoon today and making Banana Walnut bread in the bread maker.
Tuesday~ Omelets with herbs from the garden, bacon and toast. Maybe this calls for some homemade bread
Wednesday~ Hot weather forecasted so it’s time for the crock pot. Slow Cooker Barbacoa Beef will use up our last cut of meat from our share of a 1/4 cow. We will shred the meat and serve in tortillas taco style. I can whip up some rice in the pressure cooker too- no stove time necessary!
Question of the week~ what’s your favorite summer beer or wine to pair with dinner? We have tried so many fun ones lately I’m curious what everyone else is enjoying! Leave a comment below.
For more inspiration, see my past menus here, or the Pinterest board here, or OrgJunkie for a link-up of meal plans.
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This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of OneBar.
Are you getting ready for a road trip this summer? Anything that takes longer than one hour in the car for us is considered a “road trip” since we don’t do it often. We will be visiting Connecticut this weekend so I’m thinking about what snacks to pack to keep the whole family happy, and quiet, for the three hour drive.
The kids recently taste tested the OneBar and they gave it a big “yummy” when they tried out the apple, cherry and mango flavors. Kids can be very picky about eating fruit and the OneBar can help fill in the gaps. Each bar counts as a full serving of fruit, but is low calorie so the kids will still eat their next meal.
On car rides, one thing that drives me crazy is accidentally packing a snack that leads to very messy hands in the car. Since we drive a minivan, those kids are wayyyy in the back and I can’t just wipe hands off as we travel. Maybe your kids love cherries, but you won’t take the risk of packing cherries in the car. Could you imagine? Just pack a OneBar and they get a favorite treat and you don’t have to deal with the mess. Each bar is “dusted” with a superfruit called baobab. The dust keeps hands from getting sticky, but also delivers a healthy dose of antioxidants.
For parents packing for kids with allergies or food sensitivities, the OneBar is made without gluten or wheat. Plus it’s made without added sugar, and no food dyes either. Sometimes life moves at a fast pace and it’s great to have a snack ready for a road trip or in between school and sports practice.
Packing a variety of snack items for the family on a road trip not only helps keep everyone’s energy level up, but it helps beat boredom. Try to pack a rainbow of colors and see if the kids can name every color they ate. Pack up snacks in individual bags so you can avoid sibling squabbles.
Which flavor OneBar would your family like the most? Any new flavors you want to see in the mix?
All Random Recycling readers can enter to win a giveaway for three boxes (all three OneBar flavors, including Apple, Cherry and Mango). Don’t want to wait for the contest? Order now with the coupon code EasyFruit – good for 25% off their total order placed by August 31 at OneBar. Check out where everyone else is enjoying their OneBar by searching the hashtag #easyfruit.
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Happy Monday everyone! Has your summer started yet? It feels like the weather has finally turned and we can start planning our days around outside time. Lots of grilling in the dinner menu this week, plus a little roadtrip.
Remember- Father’s Day is this Sunday. If you are thinking of doing a craft project with your kids, take a peek at my Father’s Day Pinterest Board for some inspiration. I probably should get on that too…
On the menu…
Sunday~ Yogurt marinated grilled chicken, corn on the cob and salad. The yogurt marinade is from the Dinner, A Love Story cookbook. It was delicious and the leftover chicken will be used on Tuesday.
Monday~ Grilled Swordfish, tarragon green beans and israeli couscous. The herbs are finally ready in the garden so we can grab our garnishes just as we walk into the house.
Tuesday~ Chicken Salad sandwiches
Wednesday~ Hamburgers and broccoli slaw
Thursday~ Chicken tortilla soup in slow cooker. (I’m getting my wisdom teeth out that day so wish me luck!)
Friday~ Road trip! Packing for a BBQ Friday night and a birthday party on Saturday.
This weekend I also made our Strawberry Rhubarb bars. Find local rhubarb now at your local farmers market.
What are you cooking up this week?
For more inspiration, see my past menus here, or the Pinterest board here, or OrgJunkie for a link-up of meal plans.
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Happy June everyone! The weather is gorgeous and there’s summer fever in the air. Or is that just the frantic pace of June as we wrap up preschool this week? We have some easy dinners planned this week as our evening schedules are a bit busier than usual.
On the menu…
Monday~ Meatballs (JJ’s choice), veggie pasta and peas.
Thursday~ Crispy Chicken Bites from Weelicious Lunches. We had them at a friend’s house (Just One Acre) and they were delicious!. Maybe I’ll make some corn wheels too (also in the book.)
For more inspiration, see my past menus here, or the Pinterest board here, or OrgJunkie for a link-up of meal plans. Link to Weelicious Lunches is an affiliate link for your convenience.
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Happy Memorial Day! I hope everyone is enjoying the long weekend with family and friends to celebrate those who have served our country. On this leisurely Monday morning, I’m crafting a new meal plan of dinners for the week ahead. The Cobb salad we made last week was a huge hit and I’m trying out another fun, colorful salad this week.
On the menu…
Memorial Day~ BBQ dinner with friends. I’m making Radish Salad with Orange Vinaigrette. I couldn’t resist them at the farmers market, along with some locally grown butter lettuce.
Tuesday~ Rainbow Thai Chicken Salad. It’s just so pretty with all the colors. I’m just going to swap out the green cabbage for romaine. The recipe comes from Gimme Some Oven, a blog with awesome recipes and great photography.
Wednesday~ Meatballs in slow cooker, linguine and green beans.
Thursday~ Steak Frites. (sweet potato fries) and Asparagus risotto
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After an amazing trip to San Francisco, it’s back to reality and making dinner. Last year this post for easy summer dinners was a big hit and we are starting to work of this list again. I can see our dinners slowly moving into the pattern of something grilled and a salad on the side.
The kids favorite meals involve “making” something themselves. I’m going to try out some new taco themes and see if they work for everyone. This week will have a fish taco night, future weeks will include a greek and mexican themed dinners.
On the Menu…
Monday~ Cobb salad. The kids like hard boiled eggs so I’m going to see if this could be a new summer dinner for us. It’s an easy meatless meal for a summer night if you leave out the chicken.
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that is safe to use on more surfaces, like an apple peel. In the spirit of Halloween, I also just picked up some of these cute 
that are sure to be a silly addition to the kids lunchbox or snack time.
. We had them at a friend’s house (
