(and Mom's and Dad's too!)

Winter is a time we all want to ''comfort food''! We need to make sure that we're eating comfort food that is also healthy!

Breakfast:

• Yummy oats porridge - The original oats porridge is the best - it is not as refined as the quicky and easy types, and more fibre benefits our digestive systems. Top with a little bit of honey or brown sugar. If you like a ''creamy'' porridge, and want to increase your children's calcium intake, then make it with milk as well as cooling it down with a little milk. This will also lower the glycaemic index content of the porridge (in other words, it will be more slowly absorbed)
• Breakfast with protein will help children to concentrate better during the morning. Try the following good old fashioned toppings for wholewheat toast:-
  • scrambled or poached egg
  • peanut butter
  • baked beans
• If you battle to get children to eat fruit on a winters' morning, insist on some orange juice (dilute 2/3 juice with 1/3 water) for a Vitamin C boost

Home lunches:

It's easy to fall into the hot dog and hot pie trap! Try to add some variety and a veggie or two into lunches at home. For school/after-care lunches try and adapt some of these by including toppings into sandwiches/wraps.

• Leftovers! Dinner left overs are a winner. Try to make huge pots of minestrone soup, so that you have this on hand for lunches. Serve with wholewheat toast
• A baked potato (plain or sweet potato) topped with hot creamed sweetcorn and grated cheese is a really yummy and healthy comfort meal!
• Good old baked beans on toast provides some protein and good source of fibre
• Try and include some ''fatty fish'' to up your children's intake of Omega-3 fatty acids (they improve concentration). These include sardines/pilchards in tomato sauce/tuna or pink salmon. Top with tomato sauce for a lycopene boost (lycopene is good for eye health)
• Low fat cottage cheese and avo slices on toast provide protein, Calcium from the cottage cheese and the avo is a great source of Vitamin E

Dinners:

• Minestrone soup is a wonderful mix of protein, beans and vegetables for the whole family to enjoy. Prepare it with the SPAR lean bacon for a lower fat version. Make a double batch to freeze some for nights when you are going to have no time to prepare dinner, or for leftovers for healthy lunches
• Macaroni and cheese is a good old favourite - up the nutrient and content by making it with wholewheat macaroni, and including mushrooms, broccoli and sliced tomato for the topping. If your family won't have a meal without meat, add some diced SPAR lean bacon.
• Liven up plain roast chicken or lean pork chops with a few different accompaniments:
  • Mash butternut and sweet potato together
  • fill gems with peas and top with grated cheese which you can melt under the grill
  • try some different shapes - use cookie cutters for a fun way to serve veg - mash butternut or potato and add the peas/diced carrots - then shape with the cookie cutters and pop onto the plate. A sure way to delight kids!
• ''Spag Bol'' is still one of the favourites. Up the nutrient content of the lean mince by cooking fresh tomato and mushrooms, then adding the mince, some chutney, and grated carrot. (Kids don't even notice the tomatoes and carrots once cooked!). Remember the wholewheat spaghetti.

**Encourage children to help with dinner preparation from a young age - they usually enjoy this and it can become a really fun and special time together!