Mountain Mom and Tots

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Little G saw how fun Big E’s lunches have been this week so we decided to have a family picnic so she could have a fun packed lunch too. But this time we decided on Breakfast for Lunch!

Here’s what we packed:

• Waffles and syrup
• Yogurt
• Fruit
• Carrots and dip

This week of focusing on Healthy Lunches is part of Intermountain Healthcare’s LiVewell Healthy Lunches campaign where they are offering a GIVEAWAY! We’ve really enjoyed the Rubbermaid Lunchblox set and I know you will too. Make sure to sign in here for your chance to win one!

The Intermountain Healthcare LiVewell Page also has free printables on planning your own week of Healthy Lunches, be sure to check those out. Happy Lunching!

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This week I’m participating in Intermountain Healthcare’s LiVewell Healthy Lunches campaign. They’ve provided me and other local bloggers some great info on meal planning and lunch suggestions for kids lunches as well as a Rubbermaid Lunchblox set. You could get one too – just enter here.

Although Big E does not have celiac disease, many of our foods at home are gluten free and homemade. At first, his limitations were hard to handle – no quick drive through dinners, encouraging other kids NOT to share with mine, making family dinner without serving bread (or cookies, muffins, donuts, cake). But over time it’s gotten easier, and despite carrying an EpiPen everywhere we go, Big E is an energetic, happy kid who just has to ask what’s in things before he eats them.

So for this lunch, I decided to use what I had – leftover Corn Chowder from the night before. Here’s what’s in this lunch:

• Corn Chowder (keep it warm in a thermos!)
• Multigrain crackers
• String Cheese
• Broccoli
• Apple Sauce

Even with allergy constraints, I want my kids to have a good relationship with food, so I try to include a variety of healthy foods that my son likes. As all parents know, sometimes that’s not easy.

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Those of you who read my blog regularly know that I’m not a food blogger, but food is an essential part of everyone’s day. The more energy my tots have, the more we can enjoy the outdoors together.

So when Intermountain Healthcare’s LiVewell crew invited me to be part of their Healthy School Lunches campaign and giveaway I accepted. Throughout this week look for our healthy lunch ideas and let me know what you pack for your kids’ lunch!

Part of the Healthy Lunches program was to try out the Rubbermaid Lunchblox that you all could win as part of this giveaway. Big E saw me putting together his lunch in the Bento Box style cube and immediately said “I want that for lunch!”

I think he liked the building block design, and I don’t blame him. His Healthy Lunch for today included:

• Homemade Lunchables (whole grain crackers, cheese, salami)
• Carrots and Sugar Snap Peas with Ranch Dressing
• Raspberries
• Water Bottle

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Last night I was invited to a free school lunch as part of Intermountain Health Care’s LiVewell #HealthyLunches campaign. They invited some local Utah bloggers to a lunch-for-dinner event discussing sending kids to school with good food. Even for those out of state, this Healthy Lunches campaign is something worth checking out – the resources are great and there’s a GIVEAWAY!

The event was great, with a presentation by Dietitian Mindy Probst on the government’s ChooseMyPlate guidelines and how to incorporate that into lunches for kids. It was news to me that The Food Guide Pyramid no longer exists, and I was glad to see an emphasis on including a variety of foods in each meal.

For years I worked at Center For Change, an eating disorder clinic that emphasized intuitive eating practices. Through working closely with patients, dietitians and therapists there, I developed strong opinions that all food can be part of a healthy lifestyle. The traditional concept of dieting – excessive limiting of foods in an effort to lose weight – is not only offensive and ineffective it is damaging to a person’s body image. I was glad to see that the Intermountain Healthcare LiVewell #HealthyLunches campaign fits with the tenants of intuitive eating and encourages kids to be part of their food decisions.

The best part of the evening was putting together our own lunches-for-dinner. As part of the campaign we bloggers were each given Rubbermaid Lunchblox food containers, the same ones that you could win as part of the giveaway. Eight of the Bento Box style Lunch kits will be given away in the month of September – two each week – click here for more info.

I got to try out these well designed containers, fitting my sandwich, fruit, veggies and dip in the convenient sized containers. The design is impressive. Everything clicks together nicely including the ice block, keeping your food organized and cool at the same time. Thank you Intermountain Healthcare!

Check out this website for free printables on tips for Healthy Lunches, a weekly food planner and sample menues for kids.