Now that summer is here, it’s a great opportunity to reconnect with your family, enjoy the
leisurely pace, and get back to the basics especially when it comes to food. When’s the last time
you made a recipe with your kids involved in their own nutrition? What about making sure that
their sleep hygiene timing phones away is on point and letting them sleep naturally and getting
the rest they need as they grow? Many families have children who suffer from sleeplessness,
depression, or moodiness in general. Did you know 70 to 80% of your serotonin is developed in
your intestines? Yep, that’s right! There are many ways to change your mood that have nothing
to do with medications in any form – you can feed your feel-good hormones with so many
things in your household that are right at your fingertips. We can help develop nutritious
recipes that give your family a healthy gut and limit sugar and chemicals.
Since we know a healthy breakfast is a great way to start your weekend, invite friends and
family over and share nutritious meals with the people you love. If you are normally making
eggs, bacon, toast with organic orange juice, you could instead opt for alternative eggs,
uncured bacon, pico de gallo, and avocado – skip the toast and offer your kids a diversity of
plant-based nutrients, which eliminates some of the unhealthy factors like nitrates from baking
in excess of meat-based proteins. Skip the orange juice and put out a fresh fruit salad instead,
allowing your body to digest the fruits and get all the fiber and related benefits from that.
Avocados are a delicious treat but if you can give your children an appreciation for avocados at
a young age, it will bring them nutrition for their life. Many kids may not like guacamole with all
of the vegetables and spices; try making a kid-friendly guacamole instead. Carefully select your
avocado not to be overripe, then salt and smashed into that nice creamy texture with a hearty
squeeze of lemon or lime, and serve with chips or eggs. Pico de gallo is another nutritious
addition that traditionally has peppers, onions, tomatoes, and cilantro. I make mine with a mix
of peppers sweet and spicy peppers (fewer spicy for kids). Tomatoes should be stored at room
temperature, since nice textures are much more acceptable by children. You can also try
different tomatoes with pickier kids, who may not be as opposed to a yellow tomato. Pro tip: if
you dice up small tomatoes then you won’t have nearly as many seeds, and it has a better
texture. Another tip is to add lemon and go light on/skip the onions. Implement these
recommendations and give your kids the ability to appreciate this the natural sweetness so that
as they get older, they can develop their palate and include spicier flavors and add. Another
nice crunchy addition to your summer foods is jicama, a root vegetable that is very absorbent
so you can marinate it in lemon and apply a little bit of salt and pepper. Then, you can dip that
in things like avocado in order to create a really delicious snack that’s nutritious and healthy for
your whole family.
An important part of your child’s health is their gut, influencing their physical and emotional
health. Now is the time to create family recipes that instill health and wellness that will carry
you and your family forward and give you the best possible healthy lives. Subscribe and stay
tuned for more essential wellness tips!