The Power of a Parent

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The great thing about being a parent is that you have the power and opportunity to help a child grow into the best (s)he can be from the moment (s)he enters this world. The great thing about being a child, is that you have the opportunity to learn quickly, and take in a great deal of information. At birth, a child is born with 100 billion neurons, and each neuron sends information to thousands of other neurons through connections called synapses. As children develop, learn, and take part in new experiences, the number of synapses (connections) greatly increase. Connections which are never or rarely used are eliminated. Because of this rapid synaptic growth and destruction during the early years, such emphasis is placed onto early learning in the school system, and at home.  For some families, daycare, nursery, and extra classes are not feasible options. However, there are cost-effective and accessible ways to give your child the opportunity to develop both cognitively and socially. Think about what YOU are good at. Do you love to bake? Build? Garden? Scrapbook? Paint? All of the everyday activities that you enjoy can teach your child invaluable lessons.

Through previous posts, I’ve discussed the nutritional importance of cooking with your children, as well as its implications on their academic success. Aside from these benefits, children can benefit from taking part in activities which you love to take part in too. Baking is a great way to increase your child’s self-efficacy in working with different foods in the kitchen- increasing the likelihood that (s)he will cook healthy meals for him or herself later on in life.  Through baking, children can learn measurement using fractions- a subject most students have trouble grasping.  All of a sudden, fractions become tangible. With these experiences under their belts, in grade 8, when those students are asked for 1/3 of ¾, they can recall placing 3 quarter cups of flour in the cake, which would mean that 1/3 of that would be ¼! As your child becomes more experienced with baking, they will learn to double recipes (double fractions), and halve recipes (divide fractions). Not only will these children be able to follow the standard procedure for multiplying fractions, they will conceptually understand the math, and be able to apply these skills in real-world settings. What about Science? Baking allows children to understand scientific concepts such as: Viscosity, melting and boiling points, changes of state (solid-liquid), and chemical reactions (using yeast to make bread or desserts).

Are you someone who likes to build? Involving your child in (safe) building, is another great way to give him/her the math advantage and encourage the development of many other cognitive skills such as mental rotation, and planning. Through building activities, children will have tangible experiences to refer back to when learning about measurement and conversions (ex: meter to centimeter)- another area students struggle with in school. 

Whether it is baking, building, gardening, or choosing a new colour to paint your living room, involving your children in everyday activities will prove to be not only a rewarding learning experience, but one in which you form an even stronger and invaluable bond.

If you are looking for some enriching activities to do with your child, please feel free to contact me for ideas at:

FeedingTheNeedToSucceed@gmail.com

Follow @Feed2Succeed

-Michelle Eisen BSc. MA in Child Study and Education 

Mirror, Mirror On The Wall

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What colour would you say the above square is? Did you say blue? What if I told you it was actually yellow? Would you insist that it is blue? What if I were adamant that this square was yellow- how could you convince me otherwise if I just don’t see it that way?

As we are in the middle of Canada’s Mental Health Week, I thought it would be fitting to address a mental health issue which although is portrayed over and over again in the media, is still misunderstood. Eating disorders range in symptoms depending on the specific disorder. What is found however, as with all mental health disorders, is that the eating disorder is a manifestation of a bigger problem.  The most challenging part of treating someone with an eating disorder, however, is that the disorder itself can change brain chemistry, along with the patient’s physiology, including metabolism, heat rate, and other hormone-mediated processes. This is why eating disorders have the highest rate of death among all mental illnesses.

Canadian Mental Health Association

I have been studying and educating students, child and youth workers, and other professionals on eating disorders for a number of years, and have had the opportunity to speak with at-risk youth in hopes of prevention. As an outreach volunteer for Sheena’s Place, a Toronto-based, non-clinical centre providing support for people with eating disorders, I had the opportunity to find out what messages needed to be sent to at-risk populations in order to ensure effective prevention. As there is so much to know about eating disorders, and so much to be said to encourage prevention, I would like to provide you with a modified version of my typical one-hour presentation. As each case is so individual, and each person’s needs are so individual, please feel free to contact me with further questions, or to request more resources.

What is an Eating Disorder?

An eating disorder is a mental disorder which consists of three types: Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, and Binge Eating Disorder. For the sake of this post, I will only focus on the first two. Anorexia nervosa, is defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders as a refusal to maintain a normal body weight, leading to the maintenance of a body weight of 15% lower than the lowest point of the normal range for that age and height, intense fear of gaining weight, denial of the seriousness of the low body weight, and amenorrhea (loss of menstrual period). Bulimia nervosa most often consists of a cycle of binge eating and purging through self-induced vomiting, laxatives, and diuretics, as well as a feeling of lack of control over eating behaviour. Symptoms may also consist of excessive exercise in an effort to lose weight, as well as fasting.

Eating disorders primarily affect females, but are becoming more prevalent in males, and can be found in children as young as 5 years of age.

Causes- Eating disorders are often a manifestation of other emotional, social, or physical factors, or the presence of another mental disorder. Given this, the best way to attack prevention is to strive to live a balanced and both physically and mentally healthy lifestyle. As with prevention for most other mental illnesses, this is truly the best method for prevention. I will discuss some ways to work towards this shortly. 

Complications of Eating Disorders:

Anorexia Nervosa (AN)- Those suffering from anorexia nervosa will often present a loss of hair on their head, but will also form a dark peach fuzz-like hair on their arms and face.  Due to the lack of nutrition, someone suffering from this disorder will feel extremely tired, weak, and cold, will be unable to think clearly, become easily irritable, and may present erratic behaviour. A person with anorexia nervosa will maintain a distorted image of him/herself.  It has actually been shown that the more one looks at an object in a mirror, the larger it will look.  As those with AN have a preoccupation with weight, they are constantly weighing themselves and examining their bodies in the mirror.  It is important to note that no matter how ill one may look, he/she will not see themselves that way- at this point, perception has changed at the level of the brain. Going back to the questions about the square- those suffering from AN cannot see the square (their bodies) as blue (dangerously thin) no matter how many times you tell them.

Bulimia Nervosa (BN)- Bulimia nervosa is extremely dangerous for a number of reasons, including its persona as a silent killer.  Often times people with BN lose very little weight and may even gain weight as the binge-purge cycle actually slows the metabolism. This can make it difficult for others to detect, as opposed to AN where there is evident weight loss. As those with BN go unnoticed, the severity increases. What is so fatal if there is no weight loss? Constant vomiting can lead to rotting teeth, problems with the heart and kidney, swollen glands, muscle cramps, and cuts on the knuckles.  In many cases, people with BN who have gone unnoticed die of kidney failure or even sudden heart failure.

What can I do to help?

As you become familiar with the signs and symptoms of anorexia and bulimia, you may feel concerned about someone you know or perhaps even yourself. Typically these disorders become apparent during adolescence, but can start earlier or well into adulthood.  If you suspect someone you know has an eating disorder, make sure they know you are there for them when they are ready for support. If you are comfortable, let them know you’ve been concerned about certain warning signs you’ve noticed, but be sure to be comforting rather than scolding and judgemental, as this can cause them to spiral further into these detrimental habits. Do not center your talk around food, weight, or diet. If that person is suffering from AN or BN then they are already too preoccupied with the subject, and further discussion will feed the disorder. Finally, seek help from a professional. A professional does not always have to be a doctor.  It can be any specialist in the field. As mentioned earlier, a great place to start in Toronto, is Sheena’s Place.  They are there to counsel those suffering from an eating disorder, as well as friends and family. It is important that if someone really does have an eating disorder, that the recovery process begin as soon as possible, as the further along one is with the disorder, the more difficult it is to treat.

Prevention- Living a physically and mentally healthy life:

There are many stresses younger kids are facing in today’s world, which continue to exacerbate into their youth, and then right into adulthood. We must teach our kids early on how to effective cope with the stresses they may face throughout life.  We have to teach our kids (and most often ourselves) how to stay physically and mentally strong. It is important to find a healthy balance in all that we do- including exercise, eating, sleeping, and working. Know your good qualities. We are all good at something, and we all have great aspects to our personalities.  Identify these and have your children do the same, and know that you are special.  Identify what healthy choices make you feel relaxed (again, have your children identify these for themselves as well)- playing piano, painting a picture, bird watching, watching a movie, karaoke, soccer, writing- and make sure you do these things on a regular basis.

Teach your children to find time for physical activity.  Perhaps you have had trouble finding time for this yourself? If you are a parent or a teacher, take time with your children and partake in some fun physical games that will contribute to making them and you stronger. Regular sleep helps maintain homeostasis within the body.  Homeostasis is the ability to maintain a regular and stable condition within your body- this effects metabolism (weight), mood, and temperature. EAT HEALTHY! Use food to nourish and fuel your body.  Eating or not eating becomes unhealthy when it is used to fill an emotional need. We all misuse food at one point or another, so do not feel you must strive for perfection, but understand the role food should play in your life, and keep that in mind when making decisions about being the best YOU, you can be! 

Finally, make sure you are surrounding yourself with positivity and support. If you feel put down, or as if you are being pulled away from being the best you can be when around family or friends, find friends who pick you up when you are down, and who encourage you to succeed. Creating a new environment for yourself can be life-changing and difficult, but empowering.

There is so much more information on signs, symptoms, and treatment available through various organizations. For more information, please do not hesitate to contact me at:

FeedingTheNeedToSucceed@gmail.com 
Follow @Feed2Succeed
-Michelle Eisen BSc. MA in Child Study and Education

Helpful Resources: 

Sheena’s Place
-a free, non-clinical resource and environment providing counselling, and support

Canadian Mental Health Association 
-resources and support for those with or those who know someone with mental illness 

National Eating Disorder Information Centre

-information on eating disorders and weight preoccupation, curriculum activities for healthy living and eating disorder prevention.

Even If It Kills Me

- a realistic fiction book by Dorothy Joan Harris. This will help you and your children gain a deep understanding of how anorexia nervosa can begin and manifest.  

Signed Into Facebook, Signed Out Of Parenting

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Providing practical solutions for the roadblocks which prevent families from healthy eating, feeds the larger purpose of helping children to develop into the best they can be. It is for this reason that Feeding The Need To Succeed does not always have to be taken quite so literally. Over the past 24 hours, I have witnessed three very different types of parents.

Looks Like Dora's Joining Us For Dinner:

As I celebrated an early Mother's Day at a lovely Italian restaurant last night, a brightness continued to catch the corner of my eye in the dimly lit room. After this distraction persisted, I turned my head to investigate. What I found, came as quite a shock. A family of four adults sat eating their dinner and conversing, while the one child at the table sat watching a movie on a portable DVD player- Dora the Explorer, to be exact. My initial reaction was to become frustrated at what I saw as missed opportunities for growth for that child; but I did what I believe most professionals in child development would do- I began to evaluate what I was observing and the potential impact it would have on the child. I began to imagine the teachable moments the young girl's parents were missing out on. Missed opportunities for the young girl to develop into the best that she can be...

One of the most important skills a family can help a young child develop is her ability to express herself orally. A solid grounding in oral expression will lead a child to have strong skills in literacy ie: speaking, reading, and writing. The restaurant environment allowed for endless opportunities for the young girl to develop these crucial skills. The child could have discussed what she thought about her meal, the atmosphere, or her waiter, for example.

Social and emotional implications- had the parents promoted discussion at the table, they would have contributed to allowing a safe and open space for the young girl to express her feelings in the future. This has strong implications right into adolescence when teens feel the need to be supported and listened to the most.

Reality of the situation- From this one experience, I do not know what efforts these parents make to promote their child's development outside of this instance, not to mention the fact that Dora the Explorer is one of the more educational choices they could have made. Perhaps the parents spend a great deal of time reading, communicating, and interacting with their child. Because these are things I don't know about, I cannot make a final judgement on their parenting. What I can do however, is be inspired to recommend that parents and caregivers take every opportunity to develop their child by looking for teachable moments. If you are out for dinner and you find your child mixing his food, perhaps creating a new colour, this is an opportunity for you to ask what he is noticing when he mixes the food. Through this simple question, your child may learn about phase change ie: solid to liquid (science), and colour change (science & perception). Eating out can allow you to ask your child questions about counting (counting seats at a table), develop his reading skills (reading the menu or finding the first letter of his name somewhere on the menu), and form hypotheses about the way the world works, from his observations. Finally, despite the educational component of Dora the Explorer, through the parents endorsing the use of the DVD player in a restaurant, the parents are teaching their daughter poor social etiquette. Closing oneself off to social interaction in a social environment or turning off one's awareness to the external environment can create isolation and lack of meta-cognitive development.

Signed Into Facebook, Signed Out Of Parenting:

Further into dinner, I overheard a boy from a nearby table speaking to his parents, quite eloquently I might add, about items around the restaurant he found interesting. As I glanced over, his parents quickly caught my eye. His father was signed into Facebook browsing the status updates on his iPhone, and his mother was glued to her iPhone- her expression remained fixed and her eyes did not deviate from her phone until dessert arrived. As the boy waited patiently for one of his parents to respond, he switched his gaze back and forth between his mother and father until his father finally responded with a quick answer and a rustle of the hair. After this exchange, the boy sat quietly in his seat and continued to look back at forth at his mother and father. For approximately ten minutes, the table remained silent, the father remained on Facebook, reacting every so often to what I would assume was a humorous status update, and the mother remained expressionless and completely entranced by her iPhone. My reaction? I was appalled, and I felt sad for the boy. It was as if his parents were sitting at the table alone. They showed a strong disinterest for their son, even when he reached out to communicate with them.

Reality of the situation- Although I did not have the opportunity to ask the boy how he felt, it does not take an expert to know that parents who ignore their son because they are on Facebook, are sending a negative message, resulting in the child feeling rejected in one way or another. Children need to feel that they have caregivers who... care. They need to feel they have caregivers who want to connect, respond, and listen. Children can pick up on trends and circumstances quite quickly. A child wants to understand the world around him, and will try to make sense of what he is presented with. How is this boy to make sense of this time he has spent with his parents? Will he feel that what he has to say in the future is worthwhile? What will happen later in life when he feels the need for emotional support? Who will he turn to?

It is up to the child's primary caregivers to create an open and safe environment for the child to turn to. Take advantage of the times when your child opens up to you, and listen. Yes it is important to make a conscious effort to ask your child questions, but when a child reaches out, the worst thing for him to feel is ignored and rejected.

You Can't Always Get What You Want:

This afternoon I spent some time at a park by the lake. It was a beautiful afternoon. The sun was shining, jackets were left at home, and the park was packed with families. I laid out my blanket on the grass next to the play structure and settled in for a rest in the sun. As I closed my eyes, a mother's words rung out... "You need to learn that you can't always get what you want when you want it.” I looked over, and noticed this mother was explaining to her crying son that he could come back to the swings when they were available. He seemed to be quite upset that he was not able to tell a child to leave the swing, allowing him access to the swing at that moment. His mother picked him up and rubbed his back as she could see he was quite upset. She explained that if he was patient he would be able to use the swing- but it would be important that he wait if this is what he wanted. We've all heard that the most important things we ever learned were in Kindergarten. Here is a perfect example. How many times have you wanted something immediately, but knew that getting it in the immediate would have negative consequences? Perhaps you have wanted a new car, but have had to make the decision to wait and save, in order to prevent yourself from going into debt. Perhaps you have wanted to be the first in a check out line at the grocery store, but knew it was best to wait instead of pushing to the front of the line. Everyday we must make the decision to wait for what we want.

Reality of the situation- This mother truly took advantage of this teachable moment. Not only did she give her son the best direction of not pushing the other boy off of the swing, but she provided him with a life lesson, using an experience that was meaningful to him. The best teaching comes from guided experiential learning. This lesson will become more generalizable to the boy, than had it been taught as words without a context. This mother demonstrated to be an active parent, taking responsibility for her son's learning, his emotional needs, and who he becomes in the future.

We're Always Learning:

Parents don't always do the right thing, but for the most part, they do the best with what they know, and with what they have. Parents are everyday people who have developed into who they are, guided by their own past experiences. We all do some things without putting too much thought into the implications of our actions. We can all become better parents and caregivers by remembering one simple thing- When it comes to interacting with your child, when you are even just sitting with her, reflect on what kind of an environment you are creating for your child. Are you creating an atmosphere of acceptance, love, and compassion? Are you showing a genuine interest in what your child has to say? Are you making your child feel valued as a person? If you can say YES to all of these questions, then you are feeding the (very important) need for parent-child interaction, and thus, helping your child develop into the best that he or she can be.

-Michelle Eisen BSc. MA in Child Study and Education

FeedingTheNeedToSucceed@gmail.com

Follow @Feed2Succeed

Let's Get Cookin'!

All Photography and Food Preparation By: Michelle Eisen

 As mentioned in my first post, Where It All Began...

I first became active in designing and implementing nutrition interventions during my thesis work in Dr. Nicholas Cepeda’s Cognitive Flexibility Lab at York University. Through my thesis work, I studied the effects of a nutrition intervention on reading comprehension in grade 7 and 8 students. Over eight months, I was to track the eating habits of over 250 students- half of whom were asked to eat according to Canada’s Food Guide. For those of you who have children, you can imagine the students’ reactions when asked to consume 5-12 servings of fruits and vegetables A DAY! In fact, for those who are not used to eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, their reactions are the very same. 

When anyone intends on changing their eating habits, they will face one or more of the following challenges:

• A fear of eating foods they have disliked in the past
• A lack of cooking and food preparation experience
• A lack of food-preparation materials
• A change in grocery shopping routine
• A change in eating-out habits
• Difficulty with time management in respect to food preparation

Any of these sound familiar?

Due to time restraints, the nutrition education component of the intervention had to be quick, but effective. Upon introducing the intervention to these students, along with a copy of the Canada Food Guide, I provided them with a “Menu” of healthy, inexpensive, and easy-to-make meals, including breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. 

It is important to note that many of these students came from single-parent families, where that parent was often out of the house working, often preparing a quick pre-made meal before leaving or leaving the child to make dinner for himself.  Given this information, it seemed that the quickest way to ensuring the students in the intervention group ate healthy, was to in fact educate, and follow up with them as opposed to focusing on the parents. However, without time retraints, parent education would have been a crucial element to this intervention.

Throughout the intervention, I had students record their daily food intake and related comments into a “Food Journal.” 

I would like to share some of the feedback I received:

·       “I never used to like fish, but when I made the fish recipe from the menu, I really liked it!”

·       “Could you please send over more recipes, because I would like to continue to eat healthy after the intervention.”

·       “I made this recipe with my mom, and we had a lot of fun!”

So, if you think you are not a fish person, try it; if you think you can’t cook, try it; and if you think you can’t change, try it. Try it for yourself, and for your children, because they want to learn, and who best to learn from than YOU?

Below you will find some of the recipes from the “Menu,” discussed above. Please try them out, and let me know what you think! In my upcoming posts, I will be sharing more insight from my research, along with some practical application ie: recipes addressing challenges to healthy eating.   

Breakfast:

Keepin' It Simple: Fruit & Yogurt Parfait- choose fruits which are in season to cut down on cost  

Time: 3 minutes

Cost: $1.25

Ingredients: Yogurt, In-season fruit, Granola

Recipe: In a tall glass or parfait dish, layer yogurt, fruit, and granola. Repeat. 

Lunch: All meals can be packed for nutritious work or school lunches

Spring Pasta Salad- wash vegetables when unpacking groceries to allow for quicker food prep

Time: 10-20 minutes

Cost: $1.75

Ingredients: Whole wheat pasta, Basil, Red/Yellow/Orange bell peppers, 1/4 Cucumber, Purple onion, Feta, Oregano, Olive oil, Lemon, Pepper 

Recipe: Boil pasta. While pasta is boiling, thinly slice peppers, cucumber, and onion. Once pasta is cooked, refrigerate until cool. Once pasta is cool, lightly drizzle olive oil (approx. 1.5 tbsp/serving) and toss (the olive oil will add great taste, and will separate the noodles). Squeeze 1/4 lemon over pasta, and toss in vegetables and torn basil leaves(approx. 3 leaves/serving). Crumble feta, lightly add pepper and approx 2 tsp dried oregano, and toss.

Remember: Cooking is a creative, and individual process.  Don't be afraid to veer from the recipe and add ingredients to suit your taste, ex: more peppers and less cucumber. 

 

Mosaic Tuna Salad- Adults & children are always more open to eating food that LOOKS appetizing; colours can play a large role in acheiving this.

Time: 15 minutes

Cost: $2.00

Ingredients: Chunk light tuna in water (in can), Purple onion, Red/Yellow/Orange pepper, Celery, Cucumber, Tomato, 1/2 Avocado, Green onion, Lemon, Pepper, Whole wheat pita 

Recipe: Drain water from tuna, and add tuna to a bowl with avocado. Using a fork, mash and mix in avacado until uniform. Squeeze in 1 lemon wedge, and mix. Dice vegetables, and add (you will need approx. 1/4 of each vegetable, and about 1 green onion, and 1/8 purple onion/serving). Add pepper to taste. Serve with whole wheat pita, or in a sandwich! 

  

Michelle's Pizza: One of my favourite meals to bring to work! 

Time: 20-25 minutes

Cost: $2.75

Ingredients: Dempster's Whole Wheat Thintini's (a thin version of a bun- whole wheat pita can be used), Marble cheese, Purple onion, Oregano, Portobello mushroom, Spinach, Tomato sauce (stay tuned for an easy recipe for tomato sauce using tomato PASTE- much cheaper), Cucumber, Carrots, Beets

Recipe: Pre-heat oven to 425 F. Open Thintini into two halves. Spread tomato sauce, and place 2-3 layers of spinach on top (this will cook down). Add sliced mushroom and purple onion, and top with marble cheese. Sprinkle with dried oregano. Place pizza in oven until cheese is melted and is browning on the sides (approx. 10-15 minutes). While oven is in pizza, cut vegetable sticks from cucumber, carrots, and beets.  Other options are celery, and bell peppers. Serve and enjoy! To pack for lunch, make sure pizza has cooled before wrapping in tin foil- or pack in a reusable container!

 

Dinner:

Haddocado- Haddock is a very light tasting fish.  Give it a try!

Time: 25-30 minutes
Cost: $3.25
Ingredients: Fresh or frozen haddock (cheaper frozen), Garlic powder, Onion powder, Pepper, Olive oil, 1/2 Avocado, 1/4 Cucumber, 1/4 Red pepper, Asparagus
Recipe: Place approx 1 tbsp olive oil in pan on low-medium heat. Rinse off fish under tap, and place into pan.  Lightly sprinkle onion powder, garlic powder, and pepper on top. Cut cucumber and pepper sticks for your side dish. Wash asperagus and cut off bottom ends (approx. 1-1.5 inches) and discard. Slice half of an avocado to later be served with fish. Once fish is cooked half way through, flip, and season other side. Boil water in pot, and place asparagus in pot (asparagus cooks quickly, so be sure to remove, shortly after the colour changes from a dull to a bright green). You will know your fish is cooked once it appears white, rather than translucent. Haddock can be a thicker fish, which may need more time to cook through than thinner fishes such as sole and tilapia. 

Snacks & Sides:

Tomato Salad from Next Door-

 

Time: 7 minutes

Cost: $1.00

Ingredients: 3 Tomatoes, Purple onion, Dried oregano, 1 Clove garlic, 1/4 tsp Salt, Pepper

Recipe: Slice tomatoes, and purple onion, chop garlic, and toss together. Add salt, pepper, and approx. 2 tsp of dried oregano, and toss. Allow the salad to marinate in the fridge if time permits, to allow the tomatoes to really take on the taste of the spices. Enjoy!

House Bean Dip- 

 

Time: 15 minutes

Cost: $1.25/medium bowl of dip

Ingredients: White kidney beans, Black eyed peas, Chickpeas, Pepper, 2 Cloves garlic, Olive oil, Lemon

Recipe: Using a food processor or a potato/bean masher mash 1/4-1/2 can of each type of bean together. Add in approx. 2.5 tbsp olive oil, and juice from half a lemon. Finely chop or mash (using a garlic press) garlic, and add into bean mixture, along with approx 1 tsp pepper. Continue to mash (or process until smooth.  Using a spoon, mix bean dip, until uniform. Serve with vegetable sticks and whole wheat pita for a healthy, filling, and tasty snack!

After Six Sugar Fix-

Time: 10 minutes

Cost: $0.50 

Ingredients: 2 Apples, 1 Medium-Soft pear, 2 tsp Cinnamon, 1 Small lemon wedge

Recipe: Peel and cut all fruit into wedges and/or slices. Squeeze lemon juice over fruit and toss. Sprinkle cinnamon over fruit, and toss again. Bake in microwave on high for approx. 5 minutes, or in oven (covered) at 375 F until fruit is soft (approx. 30 minutes).

Chip Trio- A healthy way to potato chips!

Chip Trio served with a basil oil

Time: 30 minutes

Cost: $1.00 (1 small bowl of chips)

Ingredients: Sweet potato, Yellow potato, Red potato, Olive oil, Pepper

Recipe: Using a knife or a mandoline, thinly slice potatoes. Lay slices out flat on a cookie sheet (place tin foil on top of cookie sheet for quick and easy clean up). Brush olive oil over each slice, and cover with a light sprinkle of pepper. Bake in oven at 350 F, and flip when bottom side is light brown (after approx 10-15 minutes). Once flipped, coat top side with olive oil and pepper. Bake until crispy. To reduce oil intake, pat down chips with paper towel after removing from oven. Enjoy! 

Have fun with your cooking! Presentation takes time, and is not necessary. Just remember: Just because something looks fancy on a plate, doesn't mean it was hard to make!

I look forward to hearing how your cooking adventures pan out. Here are a few easy tricks to help keep TIME and COST down!

1. Wash all fruits and vegetables after grocery shopping, so they are ready-to-go when you are ready to cook!
2. Buy apples in bags (bulk)
3. Buy the cheaper fruits- ex: tomatoes off the vine instead of on
4. Keep celery and carrot sticks in a bowl of water in the fridge for quick and easy access
5. Buy fruits and vegetables which are in-season
6. Plan meals ahead of time to allow for multiple uses of the same foods (such as purple onion, tomatoes, and whole wheat pitas, as seen above)
7. Buy fruits at markets or low-cost stores when possible

Stay tuned for my next blog post on MORE healthy meals for YOU and the family!

Please follow me on Twitter at Feed2Succeed, and feel free to email me with any questions, comments, or suggestions, at:  

feedingtheneedtosucceed@gmail.com

Please keep me posted on your cooking and eating adventures!

-Michelle Eisen BSc. MA in Child Study and Education

Follow @Feed2Succeed

Fruits Vs. Vegetables: The Battle of Disguising the Vegetable

Photography By: Michelle Eisen

 Will the fruit succeed?

Sometimes you need to be sneaky…

It has come to my attention, on numerous occasions, that some people out there DO NOT like vegetables.  It doesn’t seem to matter if they are cooked, steamed, barbecued, or dipped; these vegetable haters will have nothing to do with them.  This post is all about being sneaky with vegetables- something I successfully accomplished when feeding the students from my nutrition study.  

Through my previous posts, and all nutrition-related research out there, we know that there are essential micro-nutrients that are only found in vegetables, such as vitamin K- essential for maintaining normal blood clotting, protecting your bones from fracturing, and for preventing calcification of your arteries. This means that we must find a way to consume them- even if in their many forms, they make some of us want to run away and hide.   

As promised, I have come up with a few juicing recipes which will fully disguise some of your most hated, but essential vegetables.  

For nutritional value, and contributions to our bodies for various fruits and vegetables, please refer to the post, Ready, Set, JUICE!

  

The Hidden Brussles Sprout

The Hidden Brussles Sprout

3 Brussles Sprouts

1 Orange

9 Strawberries

3 Kiwis

Where's The Broccoli?

Where's The Broccoli?

4 Broccoli Florettes (throw in some stem!)

1 Orange

1 Peach

1 Nectarine

1 Bunch Red Grapes

¼ Lemon

It's Only Kale

It's Only Kale

2 Bunches Kale

1 Mango

½ Lemon

¼ Pineapple

Carrots?! I Wouldn't Have Known!

Carrots?! I Wouldn't Have Known!

2 Carrots

1 Orange

10 Strawberries

**If you are still finding that you can taste the vegetables in your juices, and you don't want to, add more orange or pineapple to mask the taste further!**

Cost and Time Effectiveness of Juicing:

To prepare for this post, I bought the following:

1 cucumber, 1 bunch celery, 2 bunches broccoli, 1 bunch kale, 1 large beet, 6 brussels sprouts, 1 bag of carrots, 4 kiwis, 1 container strawberries, 1 bag grapes, 2 red plums, 2 peaches, 2 nectarines, 3 oranges, 2 mangoes, 1 pineapple, 1 lime, and 2 lemons.

Grand Total: $26.00

How did I do this?...

When shopping for produce, it is important to shop at the “cheaper” or discount grocery stores, or markets. It is important to find stores which carry fresh produce, without the high prices. When I purchased food for the students who were part of my nutrition study, I often shopped between Price Chopper (now Fresh Co.) and No Frills, as these two grocery stores often had fresh produce at a reasonable cost.  

The above grocery list, could potentially yield 14-18 juices, allowing each juice to cost between $1.44 - $1.86. 

How can you cut the cost even further?

Yes, it is possible! Buying fruits and vegetables, which are in season, helps to reduce cost tremendously.  Strawberries are in season in June and July, and pineapple in April and May, therefore, my cost would have been cut by at least $2.00 had I purchased these fruits during those months.  

Another great way to save money, is by juicing apples, pears, and oranges.  These fruits provide more juice than many of the other fruits out there, and are cheaper when bought by the bag, than most other fruits.

Make sure to keep these money-saving tips in mind when shopping for your produce, to ensure that juicing is helping you both nutritionally and financially.

How can you make juicing time-effective?

• After grocery shopping, wash and cut all of your fruit- when you are ready to juice, prep time won't be necessary!
• After juicing, wash your juicer right away- this can take approx. 4-7 minutes, as opposed to the 15-20 minutes it can take when the fruits and vegetables have had time to stick to the machine.
• Use a bag in the pulp recepticle- this eliminates cleaning of an extra part.
• Buy a travel mug, and take your juice in the car or on the bus on the way to work in the morning. By the time you arrive, you'll have a boost of energy and will have already consumed 3-7 servings of fruits and vegetables! 

I look forward to hearing about your juicing adventures, suggestions, and comments!

 
Please stay tuned for my next post on  

cost-effective, time-efficient,  

kid-friendly, healthy meals! 

FeedingTheNeedToSucceed@gmail.com

-Michelle Eisen BSc. MA in Child Study and Education

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