Our End of Summer Luau at Fresh Thyme in Gahanna was a wonderful way to say goodbye to summer and kick off the school year. There were lots of smiles during this fun morning. A big thank you to Fresh Thyme for hosting this free event and providing all of the entertainment, snacks, gift cards and swag bags. We appreciate the talent of Aaron from Aaron Taylor Photography as he captured many of the wonderful moments from the day.
One of the highlights was a special visit from the Polynesian Princess. She took pictures with the guests, read a book, taught a song and danced. Then families explored the grocery store as they completed a scavenger hunt. Each family was given a $5 gift card to Fresh Thyme.
Lynn, the face painter was amazing! Even several parents couldn’t resist the opportunity to have their faces painted too.
We know one of the biggest struggles in parenting is feeding our children nutritious foods. Kerry Clifford, a registered dietitian with Fresh Thyme gave a presentation and showed families how to prepare and present a variety of colorful foods that children would enjoy. Be sure to read her tips below. Guests enjoyed a snack of fresh fruit and juice.
These reusable shopping bags were loaded with products and each family got to take one home. Woo hoo!
Healthy Eating Tips for Children provided by Kerry Clifford a registered dietitian with Fresh Thyme
Heading back to school can be a great time to start new habits that not only improve your health but save a little money! Studies show those that planned ahead and packed lunch actually made healthier choices instead of making impulse decisions because of hunger! Here are three tips to try if you’re working on new habits this Fall!
- Planning and Prepping Meals
It can be daunting, but it doesn’t need to be. As you start to think about your week, think about what activities, work/school responsibilities or any other outside events that might keep you or your kids from eating your planned meals. It’s hard to pack your meals for the week if you haven’t done your shopping!
Shop only for the days that you know you and your kids will need to pack a lunch. Go through your pantry, cupboard, fridge and freezer to see what you already have and utilize some of these items for the week’s meals. Lastly, think about the weather for that week. Choose meals that correspond to cold or warm weather as you and your kids will be more likely to eat your prepared food if the meals mirror the weather. Also, try making a list off of the Double Ad Wednesdays and downloading the Fresh Thyme App, MyThyme on your smartphone for extra deals!
- Variety is the key
Prep 3 different colored fruits or veggies each week and rotate them. Be sure to create meals with different textures too. For small kids try being creative and getting your kids involved in their lunch. Start with 6-8 whole wheat crackers. Add 1 tsp. peanut butter to each cracker. Next cut up 3 different colored fruits and veggies like peaches, apples, strawberries, celery and cucumbers. Have your kids choose the fruits and veggies that they want to add to their crackers and let them eat and enjoy. For older kids try a variety of steamed, grilled and roasted fruit and vegetables to add texture and flavor to your meal. Roasted Brussel sprouts, radishes and carrots are lower in calories, great cold or warm, and would be a great addition to any meal or salad.
- Get The Components
The three macronutrients: Protein, fats and carbohydrates are crucial for maintaining energy throughout the day and for growing kids especially! Protein comes from several sources such as meat, cheese, eggs, fish and plant-based proteins such as beans, legumes, nuts, nut butter, seeds, seed butters and certain whole grains. Healthy fats help us maintain our energy and keep you full all afternoon. Healthy fats come from avocado, hummus, olives, nuts and seeds. Carbohydrates will fuel your kid’s brains and muscles all day long, it’s essential for energy, usually people have no trouble getting carbohydrates because they’re found in so many things like candy, juice, tea, but finding the healthy ones like in fruits, veggies, whole grains are essential for vitamins, minerals and fiber!
We had such a wonderful time and are looking forward to the next Columbus Moms Blog event. We hope to see you there.
