Try These 4 Kid-Approved Snacks for a School Lunch that’s Sure to Please

September 21, 2016 by Kathryn 25 Comments

In my opinion, the true secret to making great school lunches is making sure to pack items that are both kid and mom approved. I have my own criteria for lunchbox food and my sons have theirs. That’s why I always check their lunches for items that come home uneaten more than a few days in a row and ask for my boys’ input regularly. Looking for kid-approved ideas for your child’s meals? Here are four foods my boys are always happy to find when they open up their lunchbox!

1) Real Cheese

cheese and crackers

So much more delicious than processed cheese slices and great either on a sandwich or as a snack, my boys love finding different types of cheese in their lunch. As soon as I started adding it to their sandwiches with the deli meat, they started eating more of their main course. And many varieties are available already sliced and ready to serve to help save me time in the morning! [Read more…]

Pack Lunches Even Picky Kids Will Love With These 3 Easy Tricks

September 7, 2016 by Kathryn 22 Comments

When it comes to school lunches, having some tips and tricks to keep meals interesting is a must. For about two years, I was lucky enough to have boys that liked the exact same lunch every day, but suddenly those days ended and Zackary and Benjamin decided variety was the spice of life as far as school lunches were concerned. That means that with a new school year quickly approaching, the time has come for me to start making plans and coming up with fun lunch ideas that will ensure my boys are fueled for the day ahead.

Luckily, making a fun lunch doesn’t have to be time consuming! Simple switches can make a big difference when it comes to the overall appeal of a child’s lunch. Looking for some ideas to help you make those meals fun and interesting? These are my favourite three easy tricks for making mom-approved and kid-friendly lunches!

Ditch the Bread

When my boys suddenly stopped eating the meat sandwiches that they had loved for so long, I wasn’t sure why. I asked them if they wanted different condiments or toppings on their sandwiches and they both requested custom sandwiches that they were sure they’d like…yet the sandwiches still came back with just a few bites missing. Then one day I ran out of sandwich bread and used multigrain tortillas to make wraps instead. Both boys devoured the wraps and requested them again. That’s when I realized that sometimes all it takes to make lunch more fun is putting the bread away. Since then, I’ve also sent the boys with flatbread or with whole-grain crackers, meat and cheese, and every time they eat their entire main course. [Read more…]

Crunchmaster Crackers and Chips Make Gluten-Free Taste Good-Giveaway

August 18, 2016 by Kathryn 121 Comments

My family has always been a family that loves our snacks, so I like to make sure I always have a good collection of snack foods on hand. Veggies and dip, cheese, deli meat and crackers are so popular in this house that we’ll often have them for lunch instead of a regular meal! And since I’m a huge fan of rice crackers, I was thrilled when I had the chance to review an assortment of Crunchmaster gluten-free crackers and chips. With tons of different flavours to choose from, deciding which one to try first was no easy task!

Since I especially love multigrain and seed products, I decided that the Crunchmaster Multi-Seed Original crackers would be the first ones I tried. I served them as part of a lunch charcuterie with gourmet cheese and my family’s favourite smoked salami. I loved the way the crackers blended with the meat and cheese flavours and the added crunch made this a snack I couldn’t stop eating! [Read more…]

Streamline School Mornings with Kid-Friendly Breakfasts Ready in 5 Minutes or Less!

August 4, 2016 by Kathryn 18 Comments

While the start of a new school year is always exciting, it’s also pretty hectic. That’s especially true in the mornings! Between packing lunches, checking homework, signing agendas and making breakfast, I sometimes feel like I’ve worked a full day just getting the boys off to class!

All that hustle and bustle means that breakfast is sometimes pretty unimaginative. That’s why this year I’ve come up with four easy breakfast ideas for kids that are healthy, kid-friendly and ready in five minutes or less! When breakfast is this simple, there may just be time to spare on school mornings.

Savoury – Breakfast Bagel Bites with Chipotle Salsa

5 from 1 vote

Breakfast Bagel Bites with Chipotle Salsa

Quick and delicious savoury bagel bites with smoky salsa.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Keyword breakfast bagel bites

Prep Time 3 minutes

Total Time 3 minutes

Servings 1

Author Kathryn

Ingredients

4 Breakfast Bagel Bites desired flavour
½ cup salsa
½ tsp. chipotle chili powder
½ tsp. liquid smoke

Instructions

Place Breakfast Bagel Bites on included crisping tray and microwave until heated throughout, according to package directions.
Meanwhile, mix salsa, chili powder and liquid smoke together until well combined. Serve Bagel Bites hot with salsa for dipping/topping.

New Breakfast Bagel Bites are one of the easiest and most delicious choices for a busy morning, but they’re even better when served with this simple salsa! My spice-loving oldest son loves the hint of heat and Mexican flair that this meal offers. I love that the Bagel Bites can be heated in the microwave, so that they’re ready in less than three minutes. The smoky salsa blends so well with the bacon and sausage in these bites, but regular salsa or even ketchup is tasty with Breakfast Bagel Bites too! [Read more…]

Whether You’re a Kid or an Adult, Everything is Awesome at the LEGOLAND Florida Hotel!

March 18, 2016 by Kathryn 25 Comments

When I heard the news about the opening of the new theme hotel last year at the LEGOLAND Florida Resort, I couldn’t help but want to check it out firsthand. With two LEGO-crazed boys at home and a pretty solid love of the interlocking bricks myself, I was sure it would be a place to remember.

And recently, my dream came true when the LEGOLAND Florida Hotel invited us to spend the night on our recent trip to the Orlando area. With bags packed, my boys, their Nanny and I set off to see just what this new hotel had to offer.

Everything is LEGO!

From the second we drove up to the hotel, we knew that our experience was going to be an amazing one. The exterior of LEGOLAND Florida Hotel provides a vibrant, LEGO-filled welcome that illustrates the type of experience to be found upon walking through the doors.

Almost life-sized LEGO creations, including a dragon, a knight, a pirate and more dominate the front of the hotel, while brightly coloured brick detailing on the outer walls gives the entire hotel a LEGO look. But as much as the exterior of the hotel impresses, the interior is even better.

The check-in desk was one of my personal favourite features. Behind the large LEGO man riding a bicycle (a moving feature that’s an immediate draw for the eye), an entire wall of Minifigures are on display. LEGO Minifigures have always been something I loved, so I could have studied the wall in detail for hours.

The lobby also featured numerous large LEGO creations including a pirate bed big enough for a child, characters including a waiter and a porter, and another perching dragon. [Read more…]