Pictured: Lunchbox Chocolate Muffins (with hidden veg) and Easy Ganache Icing from my Easy Wholefood Lunchboxes ebook. 

Below are four popular kids meals and how you can give them a boost! Just making a few of these changes, one at a time, can make a big difference to your families health.

DEALING WITH FUSSY EATING? WE CREATED THE FUSSY EATING BUNDLE  TO HELP AS MANY PARENTS AS POSSIBLE INSTIL POSITIVE EATING HABITS IN THEIR CHILDREN AND PROVIDE LIFELONG JOYFUL A RELATIONSHIP WITH FOOD, THUS CREATING PEACEFUL, STRESS-FREE MEAL TIMES. FIND OUT MORE HERE.

Porridge

Why it’s already good …

Oats are rich in the B-complex vitamins and anti-oxidant vitamin E. They also contain soluble fibre which helps to keep you feeling satisfied as well as help the digestive system along. Soluble fibre also provides a food source for beneficial bacteria in the gut.

How you can make it better

Soak oats overnight in warm water and yogurt, kefir, or buttermilk to neutralise phytic acid. Phytic acid is found in the outer layer of grains and blocks the absorption of essential minerals which can lead to deficiencies.

Grind up some flaxseeds and mix through the porridge to provide a good ratio of Omega 3’s. These are relatively tasteless.

Once cooked, mix in some butter or cream, whose fat-soluble activators provide the catalyst for mineral absorption and they make it super tasty!

Ensure you add a natural sweetener like pure maple syrup, raw honey, or a sprinkle of rapadura sugar rather than a highly refined, processed sweetener.

Top with blueberries which are full of antioxidants and research suggests that in addition to protecting against heart disease and diabetes and improving brain function, they may also help reduce visceral “toxic” belly fat—a type of fat that has been linked to obesity and metabolic syndrome.

Add cinnamon to stabilise blood sugar and for extra natural sweetness.

Grab my Pimped up Porridge recipe here.

Spaghetti Bolognese/Meatballs

Why it’s already good

Great source of protein –  the building blocks for our body.

Tomatoes contain lycopene, a nutrient in cooked tomatoes that has been shown in laboratory studies to slow the growth of – and even kill – prostate cancer cells. It may also combat heart disease and diabetes.

How you can make it better

Cooking the tomatoes with good fat, like olive oil, helps the body absorb more lycopene.

Buy the best quality mincemeat you can afford, preferably grass-fed or organic because what the animals are fed, and whether they have access to sunlight and pastures make a big difference to their vitamin and mineral composition.

We all know this one, but it really works! Add shredded vegetables like zucchini, carrots, mushroom and, if you can get away with it, kale which is one of the most nutritious plant foods in existence!

Swap to whole grain spelt pasta (spelt is an ancient grain) which is high fibre, high protein, wheat-free and lower in gluten than regular wheat pasta.

Here is a delicious recipe for Summer Baked Meatballs with Kale and Juicy Tomato Sauce

Scrambled eggs on toast (great for breakfast, lunch or dinner!)

Why they’re already good

Eggs are one of the most nutritious foods on earth and a complete protein source and a great source of vitamins and minerals, including the super absorbable ‘heme’ iron.

How you can make it better

Try adding in poached eggs, soft boiled eggs, and eggs over easy into the repertoire. Leave the yolks nice and runny. The less you cook eggs, and the lower the temperature used when cooking, the better access you have to their nutrition. This is because high heat kills off lots of vitamins and minerals.

Use a good quality sourdough bread for the toast. Sourdough is fermented, digestible, and promotes the growth of good bacteria in the gut, giving the whole immune system a boost. Look for long-fermented sourdough (48-hours pref) made from stoneground (or equivalent wholegrain) flours.

Add a good spread of grass-fed butter to the sourdough (as well as to cook the eggs in)  as a source of good fat. The greener the pastures, the more Vitamins (A,D, and K) the butter will contain. Or you can use avocado, another beautiful source of good fat which contains a rich array of heart-healthy ingredients.

Try to layer the toast with some baby spinach and slices of tomato both full of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants or fry up some mushrooms, all make a tasty accompaniment to eggs.

Always make sure you go for good quality pastured eggs. Some of my favourite brands are shared here. 

A good diet is essential for great nutrition, but it’s also something we tend to take for granted. Pew Research reports that more Americans are concerned with healthy eating today, but not all of them are able to reach that goal. This could be due to a number of factors, such as access to healthy food or attitudes towards food.

If you’re concerned about your diet and health, it may be time to focus on specifics— namely, your gut. Maintaining your digestive health is important for the overall condition of your body. Your digestive system helps break down nutrients in your food, and boosts your overall immune system. If you aren’t sure you’re eating enough food good for your gut, then here are five things you can add into your diet to do just that.

Yogurt

If you want to boost your digestion and overall gut health, one of the fastest and easiest ways to do that is through eating fermented foods. In our previous article on ‘5 Reasons to Add Fermented Foods to your Family Meals’, we talked about some favourites, including sauerkraut, kombucha, and of course, yogurt.

Yogurt is a great addition to any diet because it’s easy to find and great for pairing with other foods. Natural and Greek yogurt varieties are especially helpful for building up healthy bacteria in your gut, and they taste great too!

Wheatgrass

Wheatgrass may not be the first thing you think of when you want to improve your gut health, but it’s actually a pretty powerful plant. Not only is it full of important minerals and nutrients, it’s also a great natural remedy for acid reflux.

Brightcore claims that wheatgrass powders are high in alkalinity and nutrient concentration which helps to detoxify your body and improve your digestive system. No more heartburn after meals— with wheatgrass, you can definitely rest easy.

Vegetables

When it comes to a healthy diet, including vegetables is pretty much par for the course. Vegetables and other plant-based foods are low in calories yet high in nutrients, making them foundational to healthy diets. But did you know that vegetables are great for improving your digestive health too?

Green leafy vegetables are especially good for your diet, because they tend to be high in magnesium. The Cleveland Clinic suggests greens like spinach, which can not only provide your body with necessary nutrients, but can also help relieve constipation. If that’s a concern for you and your household, it’s time to stock up on greens.

Prebiotics

Nutrition is a pretty complex process, one that involves a lot of chemicals and hidden functions in our bodies. While you’ll definitely see people recommending nutritious foods for healthier guts, it’s important not to miss out on feeding what does make our guts healthy— the good bacteria in our digestive systems.

These good bacteria feed on what’s called prebiotics, which are non-digestible starches and fiber. News Medical lists a few such as chicory root, onions, and oatmeal. While these shouldn’t make up the bulk of your household’s diet, they’re essential for maintaining the populations of good bacteria in your gut. Make sure to feed these bacteria every once in a while, so you can rest assured that you’re getting the nutrition you need, too.

Whole Grains

Fiber is pretty important in the digestive process, so we need to make sure that our families have enough of it. Not only does it play a crucial role in digestion, it also helps to lower cholesterol, improve digestion, and lessen the chances of constipation.

WebMD enumerates important high-fiber foods, including whole grains. Brown rice, millet, oatmeal, and even pasta are all great whole grain sources of fiber. Whole grain bread is another important source of fiber, and easy enough to switch out for sandwiches and other meals. For maintaining a healthy digestive system, fiber is one of your family’s best options.

Which means the old Bento Box may no longer cut it.

I’ve been getting lots of messages from parents asking me what lunch boxes my teens take to school.

Parents who understand the importance of good nutrition for growing teens but have to somehow convince them to take a packed lunch rather than money for the canteen.

Not to mention that most kids still take their lunch wrapped in plastic wrap or in zip lop bags, not really understanding the impact this single use plastic has on our earth.

The challenge is to pick a non-toxic lunch box, that’s easy to clean, kind to the earth, and which won’t make our teens stick out like a sore thumb at school.

NB: I’ve always bought  from and affiliated with Biome Stores because their vision is to preserve a safe, healthy environment on this wonderous planet for now, and for those who come after us.’ And because they have very strict standards and go to great lengths to source products that are not only free from toxins and all synthetic preservatives and fragrances.My kids are now 15 and 17yrs old (!) and here’s what they’ve been using the past few years …

U Konserve Rectangle Container with Divider 

My kids starting using the U Konserve container in high school and it’s still going strong. It’s great for salads, leftovers, wraps, sushi, rice paper rolls …. The removable divider is great when you want to divide food, like sandwiches and snacks. These are lightweight and easy to wash. I think it’s the plastic (recyclable) lid rather than stainless steel which gets it over the line for my teens. U Konserve have a heap of cool looking containers of all different shapes and sizes which you can check out here.

This mage contains the Haloumi and Cous Cous salad from my Easy Wholefood Lunchboxes recipe ebook.

I’ve got this large, square U Conserve lunchbox on order because the older my kids get the more they request more big salad type meals for lunch and I think this will be the perfect size.

Pic credit: Biome Stores

I love the look of these Ever Eco Stainless Steel Round Containers too and have ordered a set for my daughter because she’ll love that the lids match the many, many different colour bikini’s she’s been buying this summer ?

Pic credit: Biome Stores

Thermos double wall food jar black trim 470ml 16oz

These are perfect for keeping food hot in Winter and cool in Summer. I pack things like soups, dumplings, spag bol, smoothies, yoghurt/fruit and granola, bircher muesli, chicken nuggets, everything! Here’s a great post for when the weather cools off with 10 Warm and Hot Meals to pack for School Lunches. 

Pic Credit: Biome Stores

EcoPocket Sandwich Pocket

When it comes to sandwiches, my teens still use reusable sandwich wraps in different designs I bought years ago. These Sandwich pockets are a great alternative if you’re kids are concerned about fitting in with everyone else at school. They’re reusable, low-tox and replace those single use plastic zip lock bags which clog our landfill.

Pic Credit: Biome Stores

Other

When it comes to insulated bags, we keep it low key black for my son with this Packit Freezable Classic Lunchbox.

A good alternative is the Sistema range of insulated bags which you can get from supermarkets and places like K-Mart.

Pic Credit: Biome Stores

Eco Vessel Boulder Triple Insulated Bottle

The key to water bottles for teens is no babyish logo and no spouts. Just undo the top and take a swig and extra points if it’s insulated, let alone triple insulated keeping things cold for 72 hours and hot for 14hrs. Oh, not to mention best go for the most unobtrusive colour. These bottles are long lasting and top notch quality.

Photo Credit: Biome Stores

Now all that’s left to do is pack those new lunch boxes full of goodness. Let me help you with some inspo

17 Sweet and Easy School Lunchbox Ideas

10 Savoury School Lunchbox Ideas

My Easy Wholefood Lunchboxes Recipe Ebook is also packed with 40 delicious nut-free, sweet and savoury wholefood recipes your kids will love! Grab your copy here! 

Governments have been informing us about vigorous hand washing and social isolation, but not a word about how we can keep ourselves healthy as one of the best ways to protect ourselves against COVID-19 and other viruses.

“Death from infections in the developing world is often not due to the infection itself but the body’s inability to fight it because of nutrient deficiencies.” – Dr Mark Hyman

There’s so much you can do from your own kitchen and home, You don’t have to be a sitting duck.

Your immune system is incredibly powerful. What you eat and drink and how you live have a direct impact. If you get a virus, including Coronavirus, you want your immune response at the ready so it can fire on all cylinders and put up a fight.

Below I share some ideas on how to keep your immune system strong so you can thrive and be well.

1. Eat lots of green leafy vegetables (spinach, lettuce, kale, Chinese greens, broccoli and cabbage) which are the most nutrient-dense foods in the world. You can load up on your greens and other immune busting ingredients with this Ginger, Mint and Green Apple Smoothie. 
   I recommend adding a teaspoon of Forest Super Foods Camu Camu into your smoothie to further boost immunity.  One teaspoon has around 1200% of your vitamin C RDI and because it is just a berry (as oppose to synthetic) it is very easily digestible and an excellent product to ward of  viruses of all kinds.

2. Eat lots of anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, anti-oxidant foods like garlic, turmeric, ginger, oregano, cinnamon, green tea, apple cider vinegar, lemon, raw honey. I put loads and loads of ginger and lemon in the smoothie above, or this Spinach, Lentil and Lemon Soup has it all going on!

3. One of the best ways to boost the immune system is with bone broth. I just throw in some chicken frames, chicken bones and wings, celery, carrot, onion, apple cider vinegar, salt and filtered water into my slow cooker for 12 hours. The process of slow cooking extracts amino acids, collagen, vitamins and minerals out of the meat and vegetables creating a nutrient-dense, easy to digest, immune boosting liquid. Once it’s cooled in the fridge you want the consistency to be firm, like a jelly, to get the most out of your broth. You can use the broth for soups, sauces, and use instead of water to cook rice, quinoa etc. Here’s my easy recipe for Homemade Chicken Broth. Use your broth in this beautiful, healing Chicken Noodle Soup.

4. Eat lots of fermented and probiotic foods to help fight bacteria, reduce inflammation and increase antioxidant activity. Here’s a recent post all about fermented foods. And here’s a recipe for my Big Batch Bircher Muesli which is choc-a-block full of wonderful ingredients to feed your gut and maintain a healthy immune system.

6. Eat lots and lots of fruits and vegetables so that all the wonderful antioxidants help destroy free radicals (which weaken our immune system).⁠ They are high in vitamins C, A, and phytonutrients that support the immune system. Each different colour offers different antioxidant benefits. Try this delicious Anti-Oxidant Salad. ⁠

7. Hopefully you’ll be eating the rainbow of fruit and vegetables but definitely make sure you include berries, all berries, but especially blueberries which contain a type of flavonoid called anthocyanin, which has antioxidant properties that can help boost a person’s immune system. Add some blueberries into this Anti-oxidant Smoothie

7. Consult or talk to a naturopath (I recommend Naturopath Naomi Judge) or health foods store naturopath about supplements which contain Vitamin C, Zinc, Curcumin and Vitamin D.  Studies have proven all four of these to be effective in preventing, reducing the severity and reducing the length of colds and flu and directly support the immune system. Other important measures you can take are

✔️Get more sleep⁠ because a sleep deprived immune system won’t function properly, sleep allows the body to restore and heal
✔️Drink more water⁠ – you can’t have a proper functioning immune system if you’re dehydrated
✔️Avoid sugar and processed food⁠ because they are major immune suppressors.
✔️Exercise and get fresh air daily⁠
✔️Minimise stress⁠

Note: This article is not intended to provide medical advice and any changes should be done in consultation with your healthcare provider.

With the knowledge of the endless benefits of fermented foods, I’ve been eating and adding them to our family meals since the kids were bubbas.

What is fermentation?

Before fridges existed, fermentation was used to preserve food and drinks from the time of harvest into the Winter but proved also to boost nutritional value and probiotics and have huge health benefits.

Below I share my top 5 reasons for adding them to your family meals.

Currently loving fennel and garlic red cabbage sauerkraut which is the red stuff on top of my salad in the photo above of my Garlic Prawns and Coconut Rice

5 Reasons To Add more Fermented Food To Your Family Meals

1. Fermentation breaks down food components like sugar making it easier for our bodies to digest and absorb those all important nutrients.
2. Fermentation can boost the nutritional value of certain foods. In some cases, it can produce a variety of B vitamins in foods that did not contain them before they were fermented. Or increase the Vitamin C  content.
3. Fermented foods are literally crawling with probiotics so they are the best way to boost gut health. If we don’t have enough probiotic bacteria in our digestive system, we can’t absorb nutrition properly, or eliminate toxins which means we become more susceptible to illness and disease – like compromised immune system, food allergies, malnutrition, digestive disorders, Candida overgrowth.
   NB: If a bout of antibiotics is unavoidable I will always use implement an action plan to recolonise the gut with good bacteria.
4. Probiotic bacteria make up 80% of our immune systems which means fermented foods are INSANE for our immune systems! So buh-bye common colds and if you do get sick, you’ll heal quicker. Because fermented foods are rich in Vitamin C, iron and zinc, your immune system is going be stronger.
5. Vitamin K can’t be stored in the body so it’s important to eat enough daily to get our daily dose. Vitamin K is important because it helps to ward off cancer, and benefits our heart, skin, bones, brain, growth and development.

That dollop of sour cream in my Tex-Mex Burrito bowl is a fermented food which helps with digestion, especially helpful because beans can be difficult to digest.  

When you start to try fermented foods, start small and slow and see how your gut reacts. Look out for symptoms such as gas and bloating as your gut adjusts to the fermented foods.  If these symptoms persist beyond a few weeks, back off, take a break, and start slower and smaller next time. If everything is going fine, work your way up to 2-3 small, servings a day. Remember variety is key, you don’t want to just stick to the same ferments each day, rather go for a wide variety to ensure you are getting different strains of bacteria.

Our Family Favourite Fermented Foods on High Rotation

• Sauerkraut
• Cheese
• Kombucha
• Miso
• Salami
• Yogurt (natural)
• Sourdough bread
• Wine
• Olives
• Soy sauce
• Tamari
• Chocolate (yes you read right!)
• Ketchup
• Sour cream

Mmmm, delicious yoghurt parfait with crunchy seed granola on top (recipe from my Easy Wholefood Lunchboxes recipe ebook)

Other Fermented Food That is Great for You but which We Eat Less Commonly

• Kimchi
• Tempeh
• Milk kefir
• Water kefir
• Beer
• Kvass
• Lassi

If you’re buying your ferments, always go to the refrigerated section and choose the brands which contain live organisms and check for and avoid high levels of sugar, salt and fat. Things like jarred and canned sauerkrauts sitting on the shelves (instead of fridge) undergo heat processing (pastuerisation), which kills most if not all of the beneficial bacteria.

You might also be interested to read  Gut Health and Our Children

I’ve learnt a whole lot about hormones through my biz collaborater and hormone expert, Naomi Judge.  As I experience all the changes which come with turning 50 her guidance and wisdom have helped to keep my hormones happy and healthy, leaving me at a healthy weight, with stable moods, increased energy and an all round feeling balanced and pretty fantastic! 

The longer we endure consistent hormonal imbalances, the more difficult it can be to correct certain issues, so I want to make sure you’re looking after your hormones like I do, and it’s easy to do with the help of Naomi who has written up her Top 5 daily habits for healthy hormones below.

Guest post by hormone-expert, Naturopath Naomi Judge

As we age hormone balance becomes even more crucial as your body begins to get into routines and rhythms, it relies on internal and external signals to tell it what to do.

For example, being in a highly stressed state through your 40’s leading into your 50’s and menopause tells your body it needs to store fat to deal with whatever is around the corner which your body thinks could be a famine (your nervous system is still in the stone age).What you were able to get away with in your 20’s is now becoming physically and emotionally noticeable to you.

The time to act is today, and by implementing small habits and hormonal balancing strategies one at a time, you can build strong foundations for another 50 years of feeling fantastic!

To get you started on supporting your hormones today you can follow these five steps:

1) Consume lots of good bacteria in the form of fermented foods, kefir and in some cases a good probiotic. Good bacteria helps to synthesize the right hormones in the digestive tract, including estrogen and thyroid hormones.

2) Consume filtered water free from chlorine and fluoride. Both of these substances have been added to tap water. Chlorine is added to kill off pathogenic organisms, but unfortunately it does not discriminate and also kills good bacteria. Fluoride has been added to prevent tooth decay, but this chemical also affects your immune cells, which are responsible for gut immunity. Too much fluoride can leave your gut open to dormant bacterias and for candida yeast to grow rampantly throughout your digestive tract.3) Increase fibre intake, you should try and eat 40 grams of fibre per day. You can add flaxmeal or chia seeds to smoothies, take pectin supplements or slippery elm, or simply increase fibrous vegetables, such as avocado, broccoli, and celery.

4) Meditation helps to balance hormones by reducing cortisol and testosterone, at the same time elevating feel good hormones such as oxytocin. Oxytocin is your best friend in hormone-land, which can also be boosted through massage and regular orgasm.

5) Change up your exercise routine. Too much intense exercise daily can reduce good estrogen levels and elevate testosterone and cortisol. Include a nice balance between light yoga, walking, strength training, intense or short burst training a few times per week.

Grab your FREE copy of my 'CALM YOUR CORTISOL' recipe book to soothe your cortisol and start your journey to high energy, fast metabolism, and feeling like yourself again!

I have lots of favourites in my pantry but below are five items that I can’t live without. 

Most of my pantry staples can be sourced from my one-stop-favourite-shop, organic wholefoods online store, The Wholefood Collective. They offer amazing quality ingredients and value for money and they stock  all my favourite products and I don’t even have to leave the house! 
 
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

I either buy Cobram Estate from the supermarket, or this Organic Australian Extra Virgin Olive Oil. 

I use it to saute, drizzle over pasta and salads, and use as a base for my moisturiser, adding essential oils to it. 

Extra Virgin Olive Oil helps us to absorb fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E) in our vegetables. These are vitamins our bodies can’t actually absorb or utilise, unless there is a fat present. The fat stimulates the production of bile which is what helps to absorb those fat soluble vitamins.

My Garlic Prawn and Pea Spaghetti has a generous lug of extra virgin olive oil as does this delicious Lunchbox Friendly Pesto and Roast Pumpkin Dip and this beautiful Super Cleanse Salad.

Dark Chocolate

This is less about being an ingredient which makes cooking effortless and more about making being a mum more effortless ? I particularly love a square of dark chocolate after lunch and I always go for 70% + dark chocolate. My current faves are Greens & Black, and Alter Eco. My daughter makes a batch of Choc-Chip Cookies every week so we’ve always got a good stash of Organic dark choc-chips in the cupboard too. 

Nuts and Seeds

Nuts and seeds contain healthy, unsaturated fats and they pack a powerful punch of vitamins, minerals and fats. They protect against heart disease, manage inflammation, reduce LDL cholesterol and maintain brain function.

I always buy my nuts and seeds organic because once they are picked and shelled, they are sprayed with pesticides and fungicides, and because they have a high oil content, these chemicals are easily absorbed.  

Each day I throw nuts and seeds into smoothies, lightly roast them and sprinkle over soups, add to homemade granola, mix into bliss balls, pop onto yoghurt parfaits, blend into smoothies, or grab handfuls on the run. 

Passata

A jar of passatta can help turn most ingredients into a meal.

The tomatoes are full of vitamins and antioxidants and fibre. Remembering that the health benefits of tomatoes actually increase with cooking.

Passata ads rich flavour to Italian dishes, pasta sauces as well as casseroles, slow cooker meals, soups, Mexican, curries and pizza sauce. I also spoon it on top of chicken, veal or fish, shake on some herbs and grate on some Parmesan cheese for a quick, tasty little dinner. I grab mine here.

Pictured below is Kale and Cannellini Bean Minestrone from my Easy Wholefood Lunchboxes recipe ebook. 

Peanut Butter

My blog is littered with sweet recipes which include peanut butter, from my No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls, to my Peanut Butter Slice, because I darn well love the stuff!

It’s a great source of protein, and essential vitamins and minerals. My kids love it on sourdough toast with a scraping of raw honey, slices of banana and a shake of cinnamon and sometimes late at night you can find me eating it right out of the jar.  Grab some here.

There you have it. What pantry staples can’t you live without?

How about healthy fats. Want to know more about my faves? Find out about three of my faves here.

Bren x

This painful experience became my gift, the catalyst which ignited my incredible passion for wholefoods, cooking from scratch, and food as medicine.

From deep in my heart I felt the privilege of being in charge of nourishing my children and raising them to love real food. Of giving them the best chance to thrive and be well throughout their lives.

Before long I felt called to share my passion and knowledge beyond my family. I formalised my education by studying to be a health coach and my blog and business with it’s various offerings came to life and became the vehicle from which I helped other busy mums to raise happy, healthy children. 

My message revolved around the power of wholefoods, techniques to combat fussy eating, the dangers of additives, sugar and processed, packaged foods. I educated about ‘bliss points’, the corruption of the food industry and food marketing.

All the while I remained vigilant about the foods that could and couldn’t be eaten by my own children.

Until it backfired. 

Until I discovered my kids were hiding particular foods from me.

Until my daughter would throw empty packets of Tiny Teddies wrappers deep into the bin while glancing guiltily in my direction in case she were caught. 

Until we found our son, who said he was meeting a friend to play soccer at the park, on his own at the park with a slushie from McDonalds.

This was my wake up call.

Though motivated by only the best of intentions by wanting the best health I could offer my family, through the over-emphasis of ideals around food and a dogmatic approach, I had unwittingly created pressure, shame,  fear and guilt around food. 

Which was the LAST thing I ever wanted, because what a slippery slope it can be to dysfunctional eating and food disorders. 

I have spent the last two years unravelling what I created.

Initially it proved to be confronting. Letting go of old beliefs and fears was challenging.

But this year I have finally found my stride.

No more lectures about food choices.

No judgement around any type of food.

No more food labels.

No more, “good food”, “bad food”, “junk food”, “everyday food”, “sometimes food” …

Food is just food.

All foods can be incorporated as part of a healthy diet.

I have been releasing my kids from food pressure and food restriction, allowing them freedom in their own choices.

As a result they are much more relaxed and eating much more intuitively rather than by a set of rules.

2018 was the year when I began to trust that my children would carry the healthy foundations I had set up at home throughout their lives and I stopped fearing the negative effects of certain types of food. 

While I still 100% believe in the power of food to prevent illness and disease, in helping our children flourish mentally and physically – allowing them to adapt, lead, think, create and change, we also celebrate food as fun, connection, memories, happiness, smiles and excitement.

I now believe that without a good pinch of joy, good nutrition will allude us all.  

I’ll admit, I’m still a work in progress. Seeing kids choose soft drinks still pains me, but with each deep breath I am able to remind myself to focus on the bigger picture.

Bren x

There is no doubt there is a real loss of cooking skills amongst our generation and as a result, our own children’s generation.

The busier life gets, the more we rely on processed packaged foods to get us by.

Which not only means we are missing out on nourishing our families properly, but also that we are slowly losing the art of cooking simple, delicious meals from scratch and passing this lifelong skill onto our children.

In 1984 we made 72 percent of our dinners from scratch, but by 2008 that number dropped to 57 percent …

What will happen with cooking in the future?

And all the while obesity is on the rise. And increasingly, we are seeing more illness and disease creeping in earlier and earlier with our children.

Getting kids in the kitchen goes a long way to improving children’s health and wellbeing both now and in the future.

I would love to see cooking classes become compulsory again in high schools, and I am thrilled my son has elected to do food tech at high school as he delights in food creation, presentation and eating! 

In fact, all that time in the kitchen with me has meant my kids have turned out to be a massive help when it comes to cooking, often helping out with all the meals of the day which substantially lightens my load. We have a good time in the kitchen together too.

The school holiday’s provide a great opportunity to embrace your kids in the kitchen so why not give it a go with this round up of the best healthy recipes to make with your kids these school holidays. 

By teaching your kids to cook you’ll also be …

• boosting their maths and science skills
• fostering their social skills
• teaching them about healthy food and good eating habits
• building responsibility and independence
• creating great memories and conversation
• improving their reading and comprehension
• taking inadvertent steps to unfuss their fussy eating
• and learning a skill that will benefit them for life by keeping them well and happy, and will also one day pass this skill on to their own children

Here’s to our budding chefs changing the future of health and well being.

Let’s get their health back on track.

Bren x

People love the crap out of these recipes it would seem! 

Some I had entirely forgotten about to be honest, happens when you have a blog choc-ful of recipes! 

And a couple which I found, well, surprising! 

In order of popularity, here we go …

1. Healthy Anzac Biscuits

2. Cauliflower and Potato Soup

3. Date and Cinnamon Muffins 

4. Notella, A Healthy Chocolate Spread

5. Crispy Chicken with Garlicky Potato Cream Sauce

6. 5 minute Apple Cinnamon Bliss Balls 

7. My Favourite Homemade Granola

8. Brenda’s Big Batch Bircher Muesli

9. 17 Sweet and Easy School Lunchbox Recipes

10. Apple Crumble Slice

11. Creamy Cauliflower and Bacon Bake

12. Spinach and Cheese Triangles

13. Oat, Seed and Date Bars

14. Chicken, Leek and Mushroom Pie

15. Spelt and Buckwheat Pancakes

16. Jam Drops

17. Chewy Choc-Banana Cookies

18. Pumpkin and Root Vegetable Soup

19. Cardamon Spice Cake

20. Savoury Lunchbox Ideas

Is one of your faves listed above?

If not, what are some of your favourite recipes from my blog?

If you make this recipe please do take photos and send them to me.

If you share them on instagram, remember to tag me @brendajanschek. Otherwise feel free to pm me your photos via Facebook. I get a total kick out of seeing you bring my recipes to life.

If you’re looking for more recipe inspiration, take a look at my new recipe ebook which is getting rave reviews, Easy Wholefood Lunchboxes.

It’s packed with 40 delicious nut-free, refined sugar free sweet and savoury recipes which have all been kid-tested and approved!