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What’s in Your Kid’s Lunch Box?

By Peggy Kotsopoulos (RHN & Health Educator)

With the holidays over and parents needing to get their kids weaned off sugars and bad eating habits, Peggy Kotsopoulos, RHN and Health Educator working closely Life Choices Natural Foods, will give parents helpful tips and meal ideas.

The food you give your kids has a direct impact on how well they do academically. The more sugar and preservatives in the little ones diet more chances of your child being diagnosed with ADHD and cognitive issues. Peggy will also address how you get your kids involved in making some of their favourite foods how you can to deal with the fussiest of eaters.

Because children are much tinier than adults, the impact of additives and refined foods are magnified.  This is why it’s best to eat foods as natural as possible.  While in theory, this makes sense, sometimes time and convenience play a huge factor, and pre-packaged convenience foods are a saving grace for many families.

Here are some tips on how to make better choice on the go:

1      Add more lean protein for sustainable energy

- purchase meats that are nitrate-free, organic and free of antibiotics and hormones; try Life Choices All Beef Nitrite Free Hot Dogs

2      Add omega 3′s to aid in cognitive development

- wild caught fish – like naturally raised fish – salmon, fish cakes etc; try Life Choices Multigrain Whole Fillet Fish Sticks

- add flax or ground chia to meals for extra dose of omega 3′s

3      Limit refined sugars and grains

- 1 slice of white bread is equivalent to ~4Tbs of white sugar on the impact it had on your body

- 1 cup of juice has 25g of sugar.  That’s more than half of the daily consumption

- opt for wholegrain products.

MEAL IDEAS FOR LUNCHES AND SNACKS INCLUDING SOME LOW SUGAR OPTIONS:

1. Greek yogurt parfait: Greek yogurt has 5x the amount of protein than regular yogurt and higher in active bacterial culture. Make a yogurt parfait with plain greek yogurt, blue berries, oats, chia/hemp seeds
2. Sprouted grain Sandwiches: Apple butter and almond butter spread on sprouted grain bread- rich in protein, healthy fats, and natural sweetness!
3. Rock and Roll Taco: Using Life Choices Italian Beef Meatballs and colourful phytonutrient-rich veggies and sprouts as filling for a fun sprouted-grain taco wrap
4. Funny-Face Pizza: By using Life Choices Mini Cheese Pizza, parents can involve their kids to make funny faces using fresh veggies, such tomatoes, mushroom nose, olive eyes, sprouts for hair or mustache… or any crazy combo kids can come up with using their favourite veggies!

These are nutritious and delicious kid friendly foods that take MINUTES to prepare that your kids will be sure to love.

BIO PEGGY KOTSOPOULOS, RHN AND CERTIFIED HEALTH  EDUCATOR

Registered  Holistic  Nutritionist and Health Educator  Peggy  Kotsopoulos is passionate about empowering families to live a healthy and vibrant life –  making REAL health easy  and delicious! Leaving a successful investments career, she founded beVibrant to work with children and youth on the issues of food, nutrition and body image through school-based wellness programs. She successfully instills positive, life-long habits by making healthy eating ‘cool’, fun, and super tasty, even amongst the fussiest of eaters.

Peggy’s reach extends to television viewers across North America as a guest Nutritionist on CBC’s Steven and Chris Show, with additional appearances on Breakfast TV.   She also writes for various lifestyle and health publications.

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Brain Food: Receiving Top Grades

Improving academic performance with optimal nutrition

By Peggy Kotsopoulos, RHN

In the era of lunchables, juice boxes and conveniently processed snack packs, it’s no wonder why over 26% of Canadian children are overweight or obese.  More children today are facing an early onset of diabetes, heart disease, cancers and more notably mental health and cognitive issues, such as ADHD, poor concentration, and decreased learning ability. For years, numerous studies have linked inadequate nutrition to the above conditions – including poor academic performance.

The Food Brain Connection

The human brain, although extremely complex, operates on a simple principal – it requires ample nutrients, including vitamins and minerals to function optimally.  Even the slightest nutritional deficiency can have a huge impact on brain chemistry, resulting in impaired learning and cognitive functioning, decreased attentiveness, inability to problem-solve, anxiety, and other behavioural disorders.  Skipping a meal entirely or substituting wholesome meals with nutritionally depleted foods laced with sugars and saturated fats can have the same effect.

But it’s not only malnutrition that impacts student performance.  A study conducted through the School of Public Health at the University of Alberta and Dalhousie’s Faculty of Medicine highlights that a quality diet with an adequate and diverse selection of quality foods is significant in academic performance.  This stresses the importance of variety with particular emphasis on increased fruit and vegetable intake and moderate consumption of dietary fat.

What to do?

Simply put, what we put in, we get out.  In order to achieve optimal health and academic performance, we must begin with optimal nutrition.  Here are some tips to help your child to reach their full potential

1. Begin with Breakfast

We’ve all heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but that’s not a reason to give Froot Loops the same kudos as rolled oats.  A sugary start to the day will have the same negative cognitive impact as skipping breakfast all together.  Opt for wholegrains, fresh fruit and proteins, such as nuts and seeds, for long-lasting energy and mental alertness.

Try this:

• Sprouted wholegrain bread with natural peanut butter or almond butter for sustainable energy and protein.
• Add nuts, seeds and fresh berries to wholegrain cereals
• Use quinoa as a warm cereal.  Quinoa a complete protein source that contains all essential amino acids and is an excellent source of energy and essential fatty acids.  Mash in a banana and stir-in coconut flakes for natural sweetness.

2. Add Healthy Fats

Omega 3 (alpha linolenic acid) is an essential fatty acid critical for proper brain development and functioning.  Studies show that children with the highest levels of DHA (an omega 3 derivative) have the least risk for depression, bipolar issues and ADHD.  Sources of Omega 3 include flax seed, hemp seed, walnuts; and for DHA, oily cold water fish.

Tips to try:

• Make baked fish sticks using wild salmon and crust with ground flax, for a convenient approach, try LifeChices’s wild caught fish, breaded with flax, wholegrains, oats and flax for omega 3 goodness.
• Sprinkle ground chia seeds onto morning cereal or use flax seed oil in dressings and dips.
• Substitute cow’s milk with hemp seed milk for a healthy dose of omega fatty acids

3. Limit refined sugars and simple carbohydrates

Refined sugars, sodas and simple carbohydrates suppress the immune system, cause blood sugar fluctuations and yeast imbalances – all which effect mood, concentration and performance.

Tips to try:

• Choose for products the use whole grains, such as oat or quinoa and limit white, refined foods that convert immediately into sugar
• Opt for wholegrain pizza crusts, breads and pasta.  Try LifeChoices Mac n’ Cheese or Family Pizzas that use all natural, wholegrain, organic ingredients for a healthy and convenient mainstream staple.

Instead of refined sugar use:

• Pureed fruit – such as dried apricots or fresh apples
• Sweet spices – such as cinnamon, nutmeg and clove
• Natural sweeteners, such as pure maple syrup, coconut sugar, cane sugar, honey

4. More Greens Please

Fruits and vegetables are loaded with vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients essential for optimal brain functionality, with dark leafy greens, sprouts and algaes being the most powerful.

Tips to try:

• Make a green smoothie blending leafy greens and sprouts with fresh fruit, such as bananas and mango – you’ll be amazed how good it tastes!
• Use collard greens as a sandwich ‘wrap’ or crispy romaine leaves as a fun taco shell
• Pack raw veggies with dip as an at school snack

Making small changes in the right direction will yield tremendous result in your child’s development and path towards optimal health, happiness and success.  Get ready to watch their grades soar!