Getting kids to eat and enjoy healthy foods isn’t an easy task. Use Melanie’s recipes to feed your children nutritious food that they will surely like!
What advice can you give us about eating healthy? What are the most important lessons you’ve learned about eating right?
Healthy eating does not have to be bland and boring. I have discovered so many healthy foods and recipes that I LOVE! I definitely still allow for some splurges here and there, but I always strive to eat well as often as I can because I know it helps me to look and feel my best!
The best advice I could give about living and sticking with a healthy diet is to always prepare and plan healthy meals ahead of time. When hunger strikes, it’s not the best time to decide what to eat.
I always have a protein bar, veggies, or nuts stashed in my purse at all times. I also like to prepare extra food at every meal so I can eat the leftovers throughout the week. I LOVE to freeze things too. It really simplifies lunch and dinner time.
How do you encourage your kids to eat healthy as well?
I talk to my kids about healthy living and eating every single day. I’m really open with them and try to educate them about the effects the foods we eat have on our body. I try to provide them with the information so they can choose to eat well because they want to, not because I want them to.
I definitely have some picky eaters so it can be tough at times. However, I like to look at the big picture and try not to get caught up with the individual power struggles.
What are your best recipes that even kids will devour?
My kids like basic things like tacos, homemade pizza or spaghetti, but they also love it when I make Hawaiian Haystacks because they can customize them to their liking!
They also love basic Grilled Chicken or kabobs served with fruit or homemade fries.
What after-school snack foods do you always keep on hand? Do your kids have any favorite recipes that you make when they get home?
I always have things like Greek yogurt, carrots and hummus, fresh fruit, string cheese, popcorn or whole grain crackers that they can quickly snack on.
My kids especially love it when I make protein balls! I usually make a big batch and keep them in a freezer bag in the freezer so they can easily grab a few for a snack. I usually make one of two varieties; Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip or Coconut Chia Seed. They love both of them!
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Meet the blogger:
I’m a busy mom of five kids, wife to a wonderful husband of 17 years and a health and fitness enthusiast!
I really LOVE a great workout and fueling my body with good “clean” food. I especially love discovering and creating new, yummy, healthy recipes.
However, I haven’t always been like that. I was always thin when I was younger, so I never put much thought into health and fitness. I also have a giant sweet tooth! Eventually, that sweet tooth and lack of concern for healthy living caught up with me. Over the years and after having five kids, I found myself overweight and out of shape.
So, I decided I needed to make some major and permanent changes in my life. I started exercising regularly again and completely changed my diet. I slowly started to see results in the way I looked and felt and it gave me the motivation to keep on going. It has now become a lifestyle for me and I’m happy to say I’m in the best shape of my life.
I started my blog, “Happy Being Healthy” in 2011 as a way to track my progress and keep myself motivated. Since then, it’s become a place for me to share healthy recipes, weight loss tips, exercise motivation and general healthy living ideas. I’ve found so much joy in living a healthy lifestyle and I love to share that joy with others.
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