Homemade Granola Bars

So I thought I'd try making some. Just because, well, why not? The cereal bars that you buy in the store are pretty expensive, and not really that nutritious.

Here's the recipe I followed:

4 cups rolled oats
1 cup flour
1/2 cup each of flax, coconut, quinoa, wheat germ, raisins, chocolate chips
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup honey
1/3 cup brown sugar

Basically you mix everything together, pack it all into a 9x13 inch greased pan, bake it at about 325F for about 18-22 minutes.

Easy, right? Let me tell you, they were delicious, but they fell apart even after they were cooled. Now all I have to do is figure out where I went wrong (or figure out how to send sticky granola cereal to school with a five and seven year old ;)
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School!!!

So far so good!! Lil' J is loving Kindergarten and A is happy in Grade 2. Meanwhile I am happy for another reason:

I have no idea why, but Alyssa is eating all of the healthy food I've been putting in her lunches. Who is this child? What have they done with my daughter? They look the same, but...

I've struggled with her from day one of her school career to eat healthy food at lunch. No matter what I did, the carrots, grapes, and anything else remotely beneficial would always come back untouched. She'd beg me for cookies and crap like "ALL the other kids get, Mommy!" (which I somehow doubt, but anyway...), and I'd finally give in, and include a small sweet something, which of course would get eaten.

That was before this year. The subject of treats in her lunch has yet to come up, and yesterday she even ate her apple slices that had turned slightly brown.

(Now I just have to hope that blogging about it hasn't jinxed it ;)
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School Lunch Ideas

Just discovered these the other day: Mini Honey Mandarin Oranges.

Yum! They're sweeter than larger Mandarins, and they fit in the palm of your hand - perfect for little fingers (the pic below is Joseph peeling one of them).

Even picky Alyssa agreed to take one in her school lunch, along with the following comment: "Mommy you know that's a language too, right?"

Too cute ;-)

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Healthy Kid Lunches

I was scouring the net just now looking for some new ideas for my daughter's school lunches... it seems like I pack the same things for her day in and day out, and I want to add some new items.

Then it occurred to me that other Moms might be doing the same thing, so I thought I'd post my list in case it gives someone else some new ideas :-)

The following are some things I have packed for my daughter for school lunches:

• Cheese sandwich on whole grain bread


• Frozen juice box as an ice pack


• Cheese string


• Mini carrots


• Banana


• Granola bar


• Apple sauce


• Fish crackers


• Cheerios


• Fig Newtons


• Green grapes

...see what I mean? It's all good stuff, but there's not a whole lot there. My daughter is pretty picky. I guess I'll just keep surfing and see what else I can come up with...