Power On-the-Go Breakfasts

It’s winter time, its hard to get up and you are rushed to get your family ready and have a good breakfast on the table. Sound familiar? Chances are your preschooler has eaten powder doughnuts, Lucky Charms, or even popcorn for breakfast. Getting your kiddo to eat oatmeal or scrambled eggs isn’t always easy, especially when you’re in a hurry to get your child to school. But your child does want to eat — and whatever he or she puts in his or her mouth depends on the options you give your kid. By the time they start their day, most preschoolers have gone at least 12 hours without food. Here, quick and easy ideas aplenty that make eating a nutritious and power-packed breakfast fun.

Fruity Oatmeal
Good news, moms! Instant oatmeal counts as a whole grain and has all the health benefits of steel-cut and old-fashioned varieties — it’s high in cancer-fighting antioxidants and also lowers the risk of heart disease. Make this in a jiffy: mix 1/4 cup one-minute oats or one packet instant oatmeal with bananas, raisins, or coconut flakes. Let your preschooler choose the fruits so she feels like she has control over her breakfast.

Protein-Rich Burritos
Lots of fiber combined with lots of protein is filling and can provide energy for up to four hours.  Make your kid a burrito with a whole wheat tortilla rich in fiber (at least 5 grams), organic cheese, and a soy sausage link.

Yogurt Dippers
Kids who love carrots and dip might like to dip apples or strawberries into yogurt. Cut fruit into small chunks and have your child dip them into 1/4 cup plain yogurt. Serve with a side of protein, like a small handful of nuts or a couple of slices of turkey bacon.

Jazzed-Up Pizza
There are endless spin-offs of traditional pizza. Spread 2 tablespoons fruit jam or nut butter on a small whole wheat pita (leaving a “crust” at the edges), and top with sliced bananas or strawberries. Or use a base of half a whole-grain English muffin, and add cream cheese and almond slices. Another idea: top a pancake with scrambled eggs and slices of chicken sausage.

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Secrets to Keeping Kids Healthy at School

American children miss a total of 22 million school days each year due to the common cold and 38 million days because of the flu, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

It’s that time of year again – fall flu season and nasty colds. With the kids going back to school it almost seems inevitable that your child will catch a little something that leads to coughing, running nose and a cold. Here are some great tips of how you can make your child one of the healthiest in his or her class!

Keep Hands Clean
Regular hand-washing dramatically reduces the passing of respiratory and gastrointestinal illness, so get your kids in the habit of scrubbing up (or using a hand sanitizer) when they leave preschool or day care, after every playdate, and before they eat. Teach kids to sing “Happy Birthday” to themselves twice before rinsing — scrubbing for 15-20 seconds is key. Spray kitchen counters, doorknobs and sink handles with disinfectant once a day and remind your child to wash her hands frequently. Covering coughs and sneezes. Teach your youngsters to sneeze and cough into their elbows, rather than onto their hands. Hands will more likely touch toys and other children.

Exercise & Activity
Encourage a healthy lifestyle for your children, and you. A healthy diet, exercise (including playing safely outdoors while wearing sunscreen), and a good night’s sleep go a long way towards preventing illness. Studies indicate that regular, moderate exercise can reduce the number of cold and flu episodes that occur over the course of a year by 25-50 percent, possibly by boosting the circulation of infection-fighting cells. “Exercise is better than any advertised cure or miracle,” says Harley A. Rotbart, M.D., Parents advisor and author of Germ Proof Your Kids: the Complete Guide to Protecting (Without Overprotecting) Your Family from Infections (ASM Press, 2007).

Sleepy Time!
Make sure kids stick to an early bedtime. Most babies need approximately 14 hours of sleep a day; preschoolers need 11-13 hours of Z’s.

Avoid Touching His or Her Face
Try to avoid rubbing eyes, noses and mouths with dirty hands. However, most of us do so unconsciously — that’s why hand washing is so important. Cold and flu viruses enter the body through the nose, eyes, and mouth, so help your child keep her hands away from those areas. Yes, it can be very difficult to accomplish — hand-washing at strategic moments is all the more important. Teach your child never to share a straw, cup, or toothbrush.

Balanced and Healthy Diet
Meals with plenty of colorful fruits and vegetables will help boost your child’s immune system. Look for foods rich in vitamin C (broccoli, strawberries, and oranges) and vitamin D (tuna, fortified milk, and cereals). Eating yogurt with active cultures (probiotics) can also help build defenses. Breastfeeding also helps a child build a strong immune system. A study in the August 2009 “Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics” showed that children age three to five who were given the probiotics Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM and Bifidobacterium animalis lactis had fewer fevers, coughs, runny noses and absences from school. If they did get sick, the children got better more quickly and didn’t need antibiotics as much as the children studied who were not given the probiotics.Children who weren’t breastfed get five times more ear infections later in life than those children who were, according to the MedlinePlus online medical encyclopedia, so breastfeed her for as long as possible.

Avoid Sharing Food at School
Avoid sharing food, cups or eating utensils. Pre-schoolers finger-dip and double-dip, so to each his own.

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