It’s back-to-school time, and we all want the same thing: healthy, happy children who are learning and on their way to becoming productive members of their communities. Studies show that well-fed children are ready to learn and have fewer discipline problems than those who are not well-fed.
How do we do that?
- Make fruits, veggies, whole grains, protein and dairy the foundation of snack and meal planning
- Need some help with meal prep? Find tips at go.illinois.edu/foodpreparation
- Frozen veggies and canned fruit are just as nutritious as fresh—keep them on hand
- When making casseroles or soups, double the recipe and freeze the duplicate
- Use leftovers (planovers) in stir-fries, wraps, and soups for an easy, quick meal (cook once and eat twice)
- Breakfast for supper is nutritious, easy to prepare, and budget-friendly
- Be wary of “healthy snacks”—granola bars, veggie straws, flavored yogurt (high in sodium, sugar, and fat), cheese crackers (in cute shapes)
- Nuts, dried fruit, and whole grain cereal make a much better snack than anything you can buy premade
- Cut and wash fruit and vegetables, store them in a visible place in your refrigerator for quick access for snacks and meals
- Pop popcorn on the stove and store it in single-serving plastic bags (not microwave; it is high in saturated fats and sodium)
Try this easy recipe: great for breakfast or supper!
Veggiecakes
Ingredients
- 2 cups pancake mix (just add water variety)
- ½ cup shredded carrots
- ½ cup shredded zucchini, summer or winter squash
- 1 cup water
- 1 to 2 Tablespoons packed light brown sugar or other natural sweetener, maple syrup, agave, stevia, etc) (optional)
- 1 teaspoon each, vanilla and pumpkin pie spice (optional)
Instructions
- Wash hands with soap and water
- Shred vegetables, then place in a colander and squeeze out excess water and set aside (you can also place vegetables, ½ cup at a time, in between layers of a cotton towel and squeeze)
- Measure mix and put into a medium-sized bowl, add sweetener, and stir
- Pour water into dry ingredients, stir until just moistened — do not over mix or your pancakes will be tough
- Fold in vegetables, mix until combined
- Turn stove to medium-high heat and pour 1 Tablespoon of oil into a nonstick skillet
- When skillet is hot (drip 1 drop of water into skillet, if it sizzles, then it is right), pour ¼ cup batter into skillet for each pancake. Do not let them touch — give yourself room to turn them
- When there are bubbles on the surface of the pancake, turn it over, cook for 1-2 minutes more and then remove from pan and continue adding batter until it is gone
- Keep pancakes warm on a cookie sheet in a 250 F oven (place them on a rack for crispier pancakes)
- Serve with nut butter and low-sugar syrup or canned fruit or applesauce
For info, recipes, how-to videos go to: https://extension.illinois.edu/food
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