Friday, August 21, 2009

Back-to-School Lunch Tips & Tricks



Its Back to School time already! To help you get back into the lunch packing routine, G is 4 Girl came up with some back-to-school lunching ideas to make kids more eager to eat the healthy stuff and moms lives easier:

Get Dippin' - No, not in the pool. That's summer stuff! Kids like dipping things--and not just chicken nuggets. Fruits and veggies go down easier with something to plunk them in: peanut butter, Cool Whip, ranch dressing, hummus. Discover how some carrot sticks and a little Tupperware cup of your dip of choice can go a long way!

Let the Kids Help - Let them pick out a cool lunch box or insulated bag to store their meal in and pack lunches together the night before. Letting your kids help and help choose what they'll be eating might make them more interested in taking a bite in the lunchroom.

Buy a Thermos - In the "old" days (or our generation) thermoses came with the lunch boxes. Not anymore. So invest in one. On a cold day, nothing gives a kid a sense of home more than a hot cup of homemade soup!

Buy Tupperware - According to HGTV.com, prepared lunches (think Lunchables) are high in calories and low in nutrients. In addition, they cost about $16 per pound! Get small, fun containers to put healthy foods in that they can stack and match without spending a fortune on something prepared for you.

Mom Meet Freezer - Make up a bunch of peanut butter or turkey sandwiches and freeze them for use later in the week.

Spice up Sandwiches - Use cookie cutters to cut sandwiches into fun shapes. Or ditch the usual Wonder Bread and try pitas or whole grain tortillas for rollup sandwiches.

Bye Bye Brown Bananas - School lunchroom ladies everywhere say one item that often ends up in the trash is bruised fruit (beat up bananas, squished peaches, etc.). Get your kids their daily servings of fruit by slicing up fruit and mixing it in a cup of lowfat vanilla yogurt. Buy a large container of yogurt and you'll save money over the individual, pre-made cups. They're healthier too!

Personalize It - One of my best memories of school lunches was getting a daily note written on a napkin by my mom. She worked full-time and early, and often we didn't see each other in the morning before school. It was nice to open up my lunch box and find a special message from her inside. It helped me get through what sometimes seemed like long days away from home! Thanks Mom!

For lunch box recipes, check out About.com's school lunch page.

'Til next time,
Erin

Monday, August 10, 2009

Girls for a Change: Helping Girls Change their Worlds


On G is 4 Girl Blogs! we like to feature organizations aimed at helping girls achieve great things. Last week, I came across a cool one that does just that: Girls for a Change.

As stated on their site, "Girls for a Change is a national organization that empowers girls to create social change." Since 2002, they have inspired girls to conquer problems and help people in their own neighborhoods by providing them with the tools and resources they need to make a difference. While Girls for a Change aims to help girls everywhere, they are especially committed to helping girls in low-income areas. They began in the Silicon Valley and branched out to the Phoenix area in 2005, followed by a Girls Summit National Tour in 2008, where they taught more than 2,500 girls about social change and how to implement it in their own communities.

What is a very cool part of this program, is that the girls frequently meet with and learn from their "coaches" -- professional women volunteers who guide them toward achieving their goals. With their guidance, not only do girls do something helpful in their communities, they learn that they have the power and strength to make those changes happen. Girl power in action!

Maybe someday soon there will be a Girls for a Change group near you!

'Til next time,
Erin

Monday, August 3, 2009

Girl World Daily: Online Mag for Preteens & Teens



We at G is 4 Girl are proud and super-excited to announce our partnership with Girl World Daily, an online magazine for tweens and teen girls that can be found on our G is 4 Girl website!

This is a really cool -- and free! -- online magazine filled with articles, interviews, and quizzes tailor-made for girls. It covers topics such as health, entertainment, relationships and more in a fun and engaging way. Better yet -- Girl World Daily shares our mission of empowering girls and making them feel good about themselves as they navigate the turbulent tween years. I wish I had something like this when I was a tween!

The magazine is created and edited by Studio One Networks, a New York-based media firm specializing in award-winning multimedia content.

'Til next time,
Erin