A week of lunchbox ideas

Healthy lunch box with sandwich and fresh vegetables, bottle of water and fruits on wooden background. From top view

How to pick the healthiest granola bar

Children loves granola bars, but many brands you'll find on the shelves contain as much sugar as candy bar! But healthy packaged ones do exist, and they're a great snack to have on the road or on those days that you simply don´t have time to make your own. When I buy granola bars at the grocery store, I look for these numbers on the nutrition panel:Calories: around 150 Sugar: less than 10 gram Fiber: more than 3 grams

Here's a list of my favorite granola bars that I feel good about giving to my kids.

Made good granola bars. A great choice for the school or camp since they are nut free and free from the most common allergens. They come in 4 delicious flavors AND are made with vegetables. 1 bar has 7 grams of sugar and 90 calories which is a good snack size especially for toddlers and prek aged kids.

Junkless Chewy Granola Bar: All four flavors are made with fewer than 8 ingredients, which is a refreshing shift from the lines of unpronounceable ingredients often found in store-bought bars. Our two favorite flavors are Cinnamon Roll and Chocolate Chip.

Cascadian Farms Organic, Oatmeal raisin granola bar. Lower in sugar than their other flavors with only 7g of sugar and 80 calories, this is also a great option for toddlers.

Kashi Chewy Granola Bar in Trail Mix Flavor. This contains nuts, so while it might not be a good option for school or the park, it's a great snack for safe environments and contains a filling 3g fiber.

Kind Cinnamon Oat Bars. Not all Kind Bars are low in sugar and nut-free, but these are, which make them a great choice for school. With only 5g of sugar and 2g of fiber, these are a healthy and filling choice.

Lära bars. Made exclusively with dried fruit and nuts (so not school friendly), these are high in good fats and natural sugars from the fruit. I have my kids split a bar.

15 Convenient Snacks that We Love

If time was never an issue and groceries magically appeared in our fridge, our kids would live on a diet of all homemade food all the time, but in reality, we do a mix of fresh foods, homemade snacks, and packaged ones. Here are our go-tos: 1. Organic popcorn

2. Sliced veggies like red peppers, cucumbers, and baby carrots with mini to-go hummus. These don't require refrigeration--perfect for on-the-go.

3. Homemade muffins, like these healthier blueberry muffins or kid-approved zucchini muffins.

4. Store brought granola bars: Check out our post on our favorite granola bars!

5. Apple slices with peanut butter or sunbutter

6. Applesauce pouches.Look for ones that have apples and water as the only ingredients and steer clear of ones that have fruit concentrates (another word for added sugar). We do Mott's Unsweetened Applesauce .

7. Yogurt sticks. We love the Siggis brand for being low in sugar and high in protein. The kids love these frozen.

8. A bowl of cereal with milk. Check our our post on our picks for the healthiest cereals

9. Mini whole wheat bagels with cream cheese or peanut butter

10. Cheese and crackers

11. String cheese. Our kids love the new character string cheese (and often fight over whether I should buy Spiderman or Paw Patrol!)

12. Whole fruit--apples, bananas, peaches, plums. They're so portable and can stay for a day or two in your purse or in your car.

13. Chopped fruit, like watermelon, cantaloupe, and raspberries and blueberries, which double as a hydration for hot summer days.

14.Harvest Snaps Pea Crisps. The kids LOVE these, and I love how they have natural protein from the peas.

15. Homemade trail mix. We make ours nut free with Cheerios, raisins, chocolate chips, and sunflower seeds.

Easy peasy peach salsa

Delicious when peaches are in season and when they're not (buy frozen slices), this salsa is delicious served with fresh pita chips or as a tropical topping for grilled fish, chicken, or tacos. Add a scoop to your toddler's high chair for a fun and colorful finger food. It's a crowd pleaser! Plus, peaches pack a nutritious punch. Click here to read all about the health benefits of peaches, plus the best ways to pick 'em and store 'em!

Easy Peasy Peach Salsa Ingredients 1 pound tomatoes, diced 1 bell pepper, seeded and finely diced 2 jalapenos, seeded and finely diced (optional) 1 medium red onion, finely diced 1½ pounds peaches, diced * ½ bunch cilantro, chopped 2 Tbsp. lime juice 1½ tsp salt, or to taste ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper or to taste Directions: Combine all ingredients in a bowl and refrigerate for at least a half hour (or up to 2 days) to allow the flavors to develop.

*I liked the slightly larger dice for peaches to give them more of the center stage in this salsa. No need to peel them. You won't notice the peels and the color is prettier with the peel on.

Overnight oats (3 ways!)

In an confusing twist of events that's beyond all adult understanding, my 5-year-old decided he likes oatmeal. This ill-timed conclusion occurred once the weather settled in at a steady 80 degrees, and around the same day I decided to forgo all hot breakfasts--especially ones (ahem, oatmeal), I'd been trying to get him to eat all winter long. Oh the irony! But when a picky 5-year-old decides he likes something, you make it. Enter these overnight oats. They're so refreshing, can be prepared in advance, and are endless in their flavor possibilities. All it takes is a little advanced planning--overnight oats can be made 1-3 nights before you're ready to eat them so I usually make a bunch of individual servings in mason jars or tupperware (any lidded container will do), and we eat them throughout the week. You can substitute regular milk for coconut milk, almond milk, or whatever, and topping possibilities can include granola, nuts, seeds, shredded coconut, or fruit. And that bit of advanced planning makes mornings so much easier. Just stick in a spoon and breakfast is done.

Here are my three go-to versions. All recipes are for individual servings, but you could also quadruple the recipe make a big bowl, cover it with plastic, then scoop out as much as you'd like. I also love serving these for breakfast when staying with a big group. So much easier than frying up eggs or pancakes in the morning!

MANGO COCONUT OVERNIGHT OATS (pictured) Combine 1/2 cup rolled oats, 1/2 cup coconut milk, 1/2 cup plain yogurt, and 1 tsp honey. Stir together. Top with 1 tablespoon unsweetened flaked coconut and 1/2 cup mango chunks (I use frozen). Cover and refrigerate overnight or for up to 3 days.

MIXED BERRY OVERNIGHT OATS Combine 1/2 cup rolled oats, 1/2 cup almond milk, 1/2 cup plain yogurt, a pinch of cinnamon, and 1 tsp honey or maple syrup. Stir together. Top with 1 tablespoon each ground flaxseed, sliced almonds (optional) and 1/2 cup mixed berries. Cover and refrigerate overnight or for up to 3 days.

CHOCOLATE BANANA OVERNIGHT OATS Note: Since bananas will brown, we stir this all together and add cocoa powder to disguise the color change). Mash 1/2 of a banana, then stir in 1/2 cup rolled oats, 1/2 cup milk, 1/2 cup plain yogurt, 2 teaspoons cocoa powder and 1 tsp honey. Cover and refrigerate overnight or for up to 3 days.

No-fuss gazpacho soup

If you dislike cooking, you are going to love this. If you're outside roasting on this sticky 90 degree day, you are going to love this.

If you like recipes that can be prepped and on the table in less than five minutes, you are going to love this.

If you like the idea of your child eating vegetables and if you like vegetables in their purest, most-refreshing form, then you are going to really really love this.

Because unlike many gazpacho recipes that require blanching tomatoes, peeling cucumbers, and straining the finished product, this is the no-fuss (read: no work) version. All we do is blend up veggies with little else, and the result is something so refreshing, so delicious, and so impossible to screw up (I'm looking at you, so-called non-cooks).

Best of all, my kids eat this up AND love helping with the prep. My 5-year-old washes the veggies, my 2-year-old transfers the veggies I chop to the blender, and then they both fight over who presses the on button while I wipe tears of unfairness and mop up the food they've dropped and squished all over the floor. It really is quite fun.

But back to the soup. I love this served with an add-your-own-toppings bar with bowls of chopped peppers, cucumbers, hardboiled eggs, and croutons that can be spooned over the top. So good!

No-Fuss Gazpacho Soup

Ingredients: 3 slices bread 2 pounds of tomatoes, cut into quarters and seeds squeezed out and discarded 1 medium cucumber, seeded and diced 1 bell pepper, seeded and diced 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions: Place bread in a medium bowl and cover with water until saturated. Squeeze water from bread and place bread in a blender. Discard soaking water.

In the same blender, add tomatoes, cucumber, pepper, garlic and vinegar. Blend until well combined, about 1 minute. With motor running, add oil in steady stream until well blended. Stir in vinegar; season with salt and pepper.T

Transfer to refrigerator to chill before serving up to 48 hours.

Pasta with Peas and Cheese

When spring has sprung but there's still a chill in the air, this dish is the dinner that's waiting for you to cook it. It has enough cheese to make it a comfort food for a chilly night, plus enough seasonal vegetables and herbs to make it both taste like springtime and redeem itself as a "it-has-green-veggies-so-it-must-be-healthy!" meal. For kids, it doesn't get more familiar than pasta with peas, which works to your advantage when introducing new flavors--starting with ingredients that kids are already familiar with is one of the best ways to expand their palates. In this case, your basic peas and pasta dinner gets upgraded with sugar snaps, lemon, mint, and basil to add tons of flavor and freshness for very little extra work. In fact, this whole dish comes together in as long as it takes for the water to boil and pasta to cook--and we bet you'll even have time to set the table too!

Pasta with Peas and Ricotta Serves 6-8 1 pound your choice pasta 1 pound sugar snap peas, cut into thirds 1 cup frozen peas 1/2 cup parmesan cheese 1 cup ricotta cheese 2 tablespoons olive oil Juice and zest of 1 lemon 2 tablespoons each fresh mint and basil leaves

Directions Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. While waiting, prep the remaining ingredients: Cut snap peas into thirds, zest and juice lemon, and chop up mint and basil. Cook pasta for two minutes less than the suggested cooking time on the package, then add sugar snap peas to pasta. Cook for two minutes more. Turn off the flame and stir in frozen peas until just warmed through. Drain pasta and pea mixture, reserving 1 cup of cooking water. Add pasta and peas back to the pot, drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, ricotta, parmesan cheese, and 1/2 cup of pasta water, and cook over high heat for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and add in more water if pasta looks dry. Right before serving, stir in mint, basil, lemon juice, and zest.

Macaroni Pie

On our table at the holidays, my family rarely remains married to any one particular dish. We don't live by rules that say we have to eat THIS on Christmas, and THIS on Mother's Day, and so on. In fact, most of our holiday meals are new recipes that just sound really good but that we would never have time or energy to make on a normal Tuesday; a porchetta that takes 2 days to marinate in the fridge or a baked french toast with homemade berry sauce would never fit into my weekday routine. This recipe, however, is the exception in being both traditional and unfancy. Macaroni Pie--which isn't a pie at all, but more a combination of spaghetti, eggs, and an ungodly amount of cheese--has appeared on our Italian family's Easter table for generations. My grandmother learned the recipe from her mother, who learned it from her mother, and so on. And with a short list of humble ingredients and a prep time that's as long as it takes for water to boil, it's proof that simplicity often wins.

We only see this recipe once a year, and I never understand why. It's a comfort food that everyone can agree on. Adults love that it tastes like a baked version of cacio e pepe.  And try arguing with your kid to taste a food that contains both Macaroni and Pie in its name. Additionally, the recipe can be made even more convenient by baking single servings in muffin tins, rather than in one baking dish as I do in the recipe below.

Either way, I hope you enjoy it!

Macaroni Pie

Serves 16

Ingredients:

1 pound spaghetti

1 dozen eggs

2 cups shredded parmesan (get the good stuff) OR pecorino romano cheese

1 tablespoon ground black pepper (Yes, that's 1 full tablespoon, but you can reduce to 2 teaspoons if you prefer)

Directions.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Generously butter a 9x11 inch cake dish. Set aside.

In a large pot, bring salted water to a boil and add spaghetti. Cook pasta 2 minutes less than its suggested cooking time (pasta will continue to cook in the oven).

While you're waiting for the water to boil: In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, cheese, and pepper. Add drained pasta to the bowl and mix together until combined (two forks  or tongs usually does the trick). Pour into pan and spread evenly.

Cover with foil, and bake for 35 minutes. Remove foil than bake for 10 minutes more until the top gets nice and crunchy. Let cool for 15 minutes and then cut into 16 slices.

Notes:

*This can be made up to three days in advance. Reheat, covered,  in a 350 degree oven for 10-15 minutes.

*If you're making this in muffin tins, we recommend parchment liners to prevent stickage. Also, to make filling easier, add the cooked spaghetti directly to the muffin cups and then use a measuring cup to pour the mixture over the pasta. Reduce cooking time to 20-25 degrees covered and then an additional 5-10 minutes uncovered.

10 ideas for leftover baby food purees

It seems to happen overnight: Your baby who once devoured baby food purees decides she only wants finger foods. Once babies begin to use their pinchers, they become more interested in perfecting picking up food from their trays, rather than being spoon fed by you. The good news is that you now have two free hands during mealtime (take this as your cue to eat!). But don't toss your freezer stash of pears, peas, and parsnips!

Whether your baby is moving on to the finger food stage or is ready for more than just single-ingredient fruit and veggies, these 10 puree-based food ideas (for baby AND you!) can help your baby transition to the next stage AND ensure your leftover stash doesn't go to waste.

1. Stir fruit and veggie purees into plain whole milk yogurt, cottage cheese, and oatmeal. It's a delicious way to naturally sweeten without adding sugar. How's that for getting in a veggie at breakfast?
2. Add veggie purees into sauces and pestos. Bump up the nutrition and flavor of your traditional pasta toppings! Winter and summer squash, sweet potato, pumpkin and bell pepper make great additions to tomato sauce. Green purees like peas, zucchini, kale, and spinach all get disguised when stirred into pesto.
3.  Mix veggie purees into meatballs and meatloaf. Go for up to four ounces of puree per pound of meat to boost nutrients AND add moisture. No dry balls for your baby!
4. Dump veggie purees into soups or stews.
5. Use them as  teethers. Frozen cubes feel good on baby's gums. Add puree cubes to a mesh teether, like these Fresh Food Feeder, 2 Pack, Blue/Green.
6. Blend them into a smoothie. Mix fruits and veggie cubes with ice, plain yogurt, and a bit of juice or coconut water for a refreshing and healthy breakfast or snack.
7. Make 'em into a protein-rich dip. In a food processor, combine 1 can of white beans, 1 garlic clove, 2 ounces of veggie puree, and herbs of choice. Bean dips stick well to spoons, so if baby is learn to self feed, this is less messy than drippy foods.
8. Toss a cube of fruit puree into a glass of champagne. Just so there's no confusion, this is for you, not baby.
9. Stir fruit and veggie purees into pancake or waffle mix or mix into a muffin recipe.  Way healthier baking!
10. Spread leftover fruit puree on crackers or as a jelly replacement on sandwiches. Three cheers for no added sugar!

How do you use leftover baby food? Tell us your ideas!

5 Baby and Toddler Foods That Look Healthy, but Aren't

It's no secret that Americans consume way too much salt and sugar, and a new study in the journal Pediatrics shows that food companies may be prepping babies' and toddlers' tastebuds early to acquire these tastes. Many baby and toddler foods--even those marketed as "healthy" or "organic" contained a gross amount of excess sugar and sodium, according to researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) . Almost half of fruit and grain based baby food contained added sugar, and foods made for toddlers—including vegetables, wheat or whole grain-based crackers, chips, sticks, or puffs—contained the sodium equivalent of plain potato chips.

We searched out the baby and toddler food offenders that pose as health foods so that you won't be duped.

1. BABY AND TODDLER YOGURT

Yogurt is a healthy choice for toddlers, but most of the yogurts marketed for kids (yep, even the organic brands!) contain a whopping two teaspoons of excess sugar in their tiny containers—and that's not counting the natural sugar that's already present in dairy. If you're introducing yogurt to your baby for the first time, start with plain whole fat yogurt (yep, babies won't notice that it's missing sugar!). Or for kids, sweeten yogurt naturally by adding in a squirt of honey, maple syrup, or by stirring in fruit preserves or purees. For on-the-go options, look for yogurts that contain no artificial sweeteners and contain less than 2.5 grams of sugar per ounce, like the Siggi's brand.

2. VEGGIE PUFFS

The one time I bought my toddler puffs was during an airport delay  (desperate times, people!) and when I knew he'd be super squirmy on a flight and looking for snacks. But when I read the ingredients on the Sweet Potato Puffs I had just bought, I noticed that sweet potato wasn't actually an ingredient! While some puffs actually do contain sweet potato, broccoli, or kale "flour," these powders lack all the fibers of real veggies, and the nutrients from powdered vegetables may not be absorbed by the body the same way nutrients from whole vegetables are. Bottom line: Puffs should be served to kids in the same way you serve yourself refined carbohydrates: limited. For more nutritious snack choices, go for a no-sugar-added cereal, like cheerios.

3. CEREAL BARS & GRANOLA BARS

We get it: Kids love granola bars, and adults do too: They're easy, portable snacks that you can stick in your purse and pull out two weeks later if need be. But from a nutritional perspective, most bars contain nothing substantial but sugar--and most are so sickly sweet that they can prime your toddler's tastebuds to prefer overly sweet selections. In fact, the brands we researched contained THREE TYPES of processed sugar, unhealthy oils, and ingredient list thats way WAY longer than the front-of-box promise: "Made with real fruit and whole grains." There's nothing easier than making your own granola bars: We like to make a huge batch and freeze 'em, so they're just as convenient as anything processed, but way healthier. This five-ingredient recipe contains 0 added sugars and is made with nothing but whole grain goodness: In a bowl, combine 1.5 cups rolled oats, 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce, 1 cup milk (any kind will do), 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and 3/4 cup raisins. Pour into parchment-lined loaf pan, and bake at 350 for 30 minutes until ingredients are set. Cool completely in the pan before cutting into squares.

4. BABY FOOD POUCHES MADE WITH SPINACH OR OTHER VEGGIES

With names like "apple-spinach" and "zucchini-pear," they have to be good, right? While pouches serve their purpose (convenient, portable, etc.), relying on them as your tot's exclusive source of fruits and veggies can backfire. Check the ingredient list: Most contain "juice concentrates," which are a sneaky key word for sugar, and list the veggie as the very last ingredient, so there's not telling how much veggie they actually contain. Lastly, to maintain a shelf life, pouches are heated to super-hot temperatures, destroying the naturally-occuring nutrients that the fruits and veggies contain. (More on that here.) Consider making your own pouches, (we love the Infantino Squeeze Station) to control exactly what goes into them, and be sure to give your kids real fruits and veggies--you may be surprised to learn what they love!

5. TEETHING BISCUITS

If they were labeled as what they really are ("Cookies for babies!"), no one would buy them. Hence the marketing ploy of calling them teething biscuits, which do little else to soothe teething any more so than than the calming effect of sticking a cookie in someones mouth. For serious teething relief that tastes good too, we swear by frozen bagels, frozen mango chunks or baby carrots in a mesh teether (like this here), or big thick carrots or frozen celery sticks for babies to gnaw on under adult supervision.

Ultimate Chicken Soup

Almost every weekend during the winter, I make a big pot of soup to last my family most of the week. This chicken soup is hands-down the most popular soup in the rotation--and it's one that my kids ask for regularly. Actually, they ask for "chicken poop" since that's how my 2-year-old pronounces it, and my 4-year-old happily joins in on the fun. Ahh, boys. There's nothing more comforting than a bowl of chicken soup, and I love soups as a way to get veggies in my kids--and that doesn't involve begging them to eat a pile of broccoli on their plate. But this chicken soup come with additional health perks. Yes, it's packed with winter veggies, but we also add quinoa for extra fiber and protein, and turmeric--a spice that has powerful health and mood-boosting properties (important for the wintertime blues!). Using bone-in chicken thighs gives the soup a rich taste and makes it a bone-broth-style soup that can cure any winter sniffle.

I hope your family enjoys it as much as mine.

ULTIMATE CHICKEN SOUP

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 pound carrots, peeled and diced

4 stalks celery, diced

1 onion, diced

1 sweet potato, peeled and diced into 1/2 inch pieces

2 sprigs rosemary leaves, minced (discard the stems)

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed

1.5 pounds organic bone-in chicken thighs

8 cups organic low sodium chicken stock (homemade or store bought)

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

In a large soup pot over medium heat, add onions, celery, carrots, and sweet potato, and cook, stirring occasionally until vegetables are soft. (Patience is key here, since waiting for the veggies to soften is crucial for the flavor base of the soup.)

Stir in rosemary and turmeric and cook for 2 minutes more.

Pour in quinoa and top with chicken thighs. Pour in stock making sure that chicken is fully submerged. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees, around 25-30 minutes.

Using tongs, carefully remove chicken from the pot and place on a cutting board. Let cool for 10 minutes before handling. Once cooled, discard skin and bones, and chop up meat into 1-inch pieces. Return to the pot and stir until all ingredients are combines. Season with salt and pepper.

Gingerbread pancakes!

With the last-minute holiday to-do list being checked off twice, it's easy to forget about what you're going to eat on Christmas morning. But having a satisfying and festive breakfast is the best way to relax, savor the moment, and power you and the kids through the rest of the day. Especially when your kids are likely to wake up before the sun. We love these gingerbread pancakes for many reasons:

-they're low on sugar and made with whole wheat flour to give you longer-sustaining energy.

-the batter can be prepared the night before (just cover with plastic wrap, making sure the plastic wrap is pressed directly onto the batter).

- cooking them will fill your home with holiday smells that bring everyone to the table.

- since pancakes require hands-on cooking time, you can use your other hand to down a much needed cup of coffee.

These pancakes can get dusted with a sprinkle of powdered sugar (place a cookie cutter shape on top to make them extra festive), or served with real maple syrup. Our only plea is to avoid imitation syrups that are loaded with high fructose corn syrup. The real stuff isn't refined so it won't cause as dramatic a blood sugar spike and crash--and the real stuff is so sweet that you can actually use way less--a tablespoon is plenty! Serve with fruit and eggs or breakfast sausage to add in fiber and protein and round out the meal. And coffee. Lots of coffee.

Another bonus: The dry mix (from whole wheat flour through brown sugar) makes a great holiday food gift if you're short on time and don't feel like baking. Procrastinators, rejoice!

GINGERBREAD PANCAKES 

(makes 10 pancakes)

Ingredients:

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground ginger

¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

¼ teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 cup milk

1 egg

2 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled slightely

2 tablespoons molasses

Directions:

In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and brown sugar.

In a small bowl, combine the we ingredients: milk, egg, molasses, and butter.

Pour wet mixture into the flour mixture and stir just until the mixture is fully combined. Do not over mix.

Heat a non stick pan over medium-low heat. Grease pan with butter or non stick cooking spray. Using a 1/4 cup measure, pour batter onto griddle and cook without touching for 2 minutes or until the top of the pancake starts to bubble. Flip, and cook for 1-2 minutes more until both sides are golden brown. Repeat until all pancakes are cooked.

30+ (Healthy!) First Finger Food Ideas

  Finger foods are your baby's first step in the transition to table food—and let's face it: Without the need to spoon feed, you now have two hands free during meal time (score!). But many packaged finger foods that are made specifically for this toddler stage are loaded with salt and sugar, according to a recent study. Ugh! Step away from the teething crackers and pick up these nutrient- and flavor-packed choices:

FRUIT AND VEGGIES! {veggies} - steamed cut up carrots - frozen mixed veggies, defrosted - steamed chopped broccoli or cauliflower - cut cooked green beans - diced cooked squash or sweet potato - diced steamed zucchini or summer squash

{fruit} - halved blueberries - avocado chunks rolled in wheat germ or ground flaxseed for easier pickup - banana slices rolled in wheat germ or ground flaxseed for easier pickup - small chunks of peaches, plums or mango - small dices of melon - steamed apple or pear dices

HIGH PROTEIN OPTIONS {beans (when buying canned, go for organic or low sodium, and always rinse)} - small white beans - cooked lentils - black beans - small pink beans {meat, fish, and eggs} -scrambled eggs cooked in butter - flaked salmon - shredded chicken - cut up meatballs {misc.} - tofu cubes - shredded cheese or cheese cubes

HEALTHY CARBOHYDRATES - homemade muffins, cut up - frozen whole wheat bagel (great for teething!) - cheerios or other whole grain no-sugar-added cereal - cooked whole grain pasta (top with tomato sauce or a veggie puree) - plain waffles or pancakes, cut up

Mini Stuffing Bites

Why, I ask you, is stuffing limited only to Thanksgiving? This post is my plea to make Thanksgiving's best side dish extend throughout the winter. It's the ultimate comfort food--and this version redeems itself by containing also veggies and a fruit (and, ahem, sausage and butter).  I love these bite sized versions for many reasons:

1. It's a universal rule that applies to 99 percent of kids across America: Bake anything in a muffin tin, and they're more likely to try it.
2. These can can be made ahead and even stored in the freezer, so you can pop one out anytime—they make a great addition to your child's lunch boxes, or as a size to any meat-based dinner, or as an adorable party appetizer.
3. Portion control. If you're the type that will go at the leftover stuffing with a spoon and without a stop button (insert self), these smaller versions can help reign it in.

Mini Sausage and Apple Stuffing Bites

Makes 24 Muffin Size Bites

Ingredients: 1 baguette cut into 1-inch cubes, about 8 cups 1 tablespoon butter 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 sausage links, castings removed (or 1 cup ground sausage) 2 apples, chopped 1 small yellow onion, diced, about 1 cup 4 celery stalks, diced, about 3/4 cup 2 teaspoon minced fresh thyme 2 cups organic low sodium chicken stock 3 large eggs, beaten ½ cup dried cranberries, optional

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 muffin tins or line with parchment liners. Set aside Place bread cubes onto cookie sheet, and cook in the oven for 8-10 minutes until toasted. In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté sausage in butter and oil until cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Add apples, onions, celery, and thyme and sauté for 8-10 minutes more, until onion is translucent and celery is soft.  Remove from heat. In a large mixing bowl, stir together sautéed ingredients, bread cubes, chicken stock, eggs, and cranberries and toss to thoroughly combine. Spoon the stuffing mixture into greased muffin tins, filling all the way to the top. Pat the mixture down to pack it well. Bake for 25 minutes until bites are golden. Serve warm or at room temperature.