Search Results for: blog what are you going to do with all that apple butter

Cheap Summer Snack Ideas

School is out and the living is easy. Days are filled with fun in the sun, adventures in the yard, camp, amusement parks and more. All of that activity makes kids hungry but reluctant to slow down. Here come the summer snacks to the rescue. Kids can fill up on nutritious high energy snacks without adding additional money to the grocery budget. The secret is all in how you play it. So, while the kids get excited about all of their accomplishments this summer, mom can earn a few extra points with the following cheap snack ideas. Popcorn Homemade popcorn … Continue reading →

Virtue Lessons Made Easy

  Product:  Virtue Flash Cards, Handbook, Butterfly Award, Coloring Pages, and Character Assessment Company:  We Choose Virtues Use:  To teach character development from a biblical or secular point of view. Grade Recommendation:  3rd-5th (older children can help teach and younger children will enjoy the lessons as well) Homeschool Method: Any Rating:  5 out of 5 golden apples Highlights Simple program with minimal prep and maximum results Can be used with to enhance current character or biblical lessons or as a stand alone Takes minutes a day Adaptable to large families with multi-aged children Great for Sunday school or co-ops Affordable What is … Continue reading →

Christmas Unplugged

Forget about dreaming of a white Christmas this year, most parents I know are hoping for an unplugged version of the holiday; a Christmas void of blaring televisions, raucous radios and vociferous video games. How likely are you to enjoy a genuine silent night this Christmas? If you want to know how to make your dream a reality, take some advice from the Bear family. In The Berenstain Bears’ Old-Fashioned Christmas, Brother, Sister and Baby Honey Bear get a taste of what the holiday was like pre-TV, when they travel to Grizzly Gramps and Gran’s house. After rolling up in … Continue reading →

Buying Reduced Produce to Save Money

The next time you go grocery shopping, check out the reduced priced produce at your local store. It will be worth the hunt when you bring home the savings. With food prices growing higher each week, it is important to know what you can do to provide food for your family without going broke. Reduce priced produce isn’t always available, but when it is, you can really save some money. Deals on fruit or vegetables that are less than perfect can cut your grocery bill on these items by half or more. For example, bruised organic apples might sell for … Continue reading →

Instant Oatmeal Mix Ins

Although I prefer making oatmeal from scratch, usually in the crockpot, I have to admit that I do keep a supply of instant oatmeal packets on hand for busy mornings or when a child wants a hot snack. The packets tend to have a lot of sugar and food coloring in them, so I often go for the ones that are plain. The problem is that my kids don’t like them so much when they are plain. Nothing surprising there of course. To solve the problem, I usually add my own mix ins to the instant oatmeal, such as cinnamon … Continue reading →

Creating a Kid-Friendly Lunch Shelf

So it’s back to school. This year, I’d really like my seven-year-old to start making her lunches. While she can come home for lunch sometimes, packed lunches are the way of things most days. I’m no fan of making lunches, and I’ve been known to be notoriously un-creative at times. In grade three, when I made my own lunch, I ate peanut butter sandwiches for an entire year. I still can’t eat a plain peanut butter sandwich without gagging. Enough said. Children have their own ideas about what makes a good lunch. If you’re aiming to have them make a nutritious … Continue reading →

Heat Up Your New Year’s Eve Party

Our local YMCA always hosts a huge family-friendly New Year’s Eve party on the afternoon of December 31st. This year they’re going with a Hawaiian luau theme and are encouraging guests to don flower-print shirts, hula skirts and other island-inspired getups. Activities include make paper leis, swimming in the pool, participating in coconut relays and dining on mango/pineapple skewers, as well as other tropical treats. You may not have an indoor pool to entertain your guests, but hosting a Hawaiian-themed party on New Year’s Eve is not a bad idea. Luaus are a change from the standard winter-themed bashes that … Continue reading →

Where to Find Allergy Safe Christmas Treats

Christmas is a holiday that includes tons of candy, baked goods, and other treats. Many parents use them as easy “stocking stuffers”. Parents of kids that have food allergies are going to have to search a bit harder for Christmas treats that are safe for their children to eat. Here is a quick list to get you started. Indie Candy makes natural and allergen friendly candy. You can search their website to find candy that is dairy / casein free, wheat / gluten free, egg free, peanut free, tree nut free, or soy free. They have another link that will … Continue reading →

5 Ways to Avoid Holiday Weight Gain

Although Thanksgiving is behind us, it doesn’t mean the temptation to overeat is gone. This is especially true if you are a baker or live with someone who is, or work at a place where treats are always being brought in. From Thanksgiving until after the New Year, it is easy to put on weight (some say it’s an average of 10 pounds). Because more than likely, the enthusiasm to exercise has also worn off. So between all the food and the lack of motivation or time to exercise (now we are busy shopping, attending parties, baking, writing Christmas cards, … Continue reading →

Reflections on Diet During Pregnancy

Eating is something I do every single day. Eating is something I think about all day long. Aside from the obvious affect my diet has on me, now that I am pregnant my diet also affects my growing baby. It is because of my baby that I think about food choices so frequently, but also why I am so willing to change what I am eating to better support my pregnancy which of course supports the health and development of my baby. Protein has become a dominating feature in my diet. Every food choice I make includes something that contains … Continue reading →