Nachos a la Nik

Now remember last week how Jen gave you her outlook on nachos? This is one of the many instances where we do the same dish, two ways. We’ve decided when that happens, we’ll both post so you can see various ways to approach a dish.

For the folks that want their nachos now, now, now!!! I would suggest Jen’s recipe. It’s quick, easy and tasty.

However, if you don't mind investing just a few more minutes into the process, here’s I do mine.

Nik’s Nacho Extravaganza

(Jen says I have a flair for melodrama…I can’t imagine where she gets that…)

Ingredients:

10 Trader Joes Soy Flax Seed tortilla chips
2 ounces Hillshire Farm Deli Select lunch meat (I used turkey cuz me and beef got beef) sliced into strips
1 ounce shredded Mexican blend cheese
1 tbsp diced onions
1 tbsp diced green peppers
2 tbsp unflavored Greek yogurt
2 tbsp whatever salsa you like (I use homemade)

Directions:

In a sprayed pan, brown up the deli meat, onions and peppers until the meat is slightly crispy. I used turkey here, but beef is fine as well.

Lay out the chips on a plate, transfer hot meat/veggie mixture to the top of nachos and immediately sprinkle with cheese.

Top with Greek yogurt and salsa. CRUNCH!

To be quite honest, this would be a dinner, even for the “Wonder Pouch.” It’s got a lot of protein (25g the way I make it) and a good deal of fiber (about 11g in the above recipe). If you are early out, first of all check to make sure you are even allowed to have nachos—healthy or otherwise—and then you might want to halve this recipe.

So there you have it: one dish, two ways. But you don’t have to do things the way we do them. Play with your food! And if you come up with something good, hit us up!

Protein Shake: Pumpkin Spice Latte

~~posted by Jen

So everyone's all aflutter about Starbucks having their new fall items back on the menu. Nik has already created an awesome knockoff version of their Chai Latte, so I thought a protein shake version of the Pumpkin Spice Latte might be in order! Especially since I scored some canned pumpkin for 89 cents a can at Aldi yesterday, and many of our faithful readers seem to have a hankering for some pumpkin recipes!

I know I promised y'all the scrumptiously delicious breakfast concoction I made yesterday, but we have lots of new post-ops in need of shake ideas. The breakfast recipe is coming, I promise!!

Not to mention that I've had a crazy day today between doctor appointments, the contractor coming over to give a quote on the disastrous remodel project, and taking care of the dogs. By dinner time I did not feel like bothering with food, so I decided to do what Pouch Party ™ divas do best and Shake It Up!  This shake was JUST what I needed today!

Jen's Pumpkin Spice Latte


Ingredients:
12 oz 2% milk (or whatever kind you use)
2 scoops Vanilla Latte Click (OR for decaf version substitute 1 scoop vanilla protein powder and 2 tbsp decaf instant espresso)
2 packets Splenda
2 pumps Davinci SF Pumpkin Pie Syrup
2 tbsp canned pumpkin
1 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
SF whipped cream for garnish (optional)


Directions:
Pour milk into blender cup first, then add remaining ingredients except the whipped cream. Whiz it up in your blender until thoroughly mixed. Pour into a pretty mug and top it with whippage and a sprinkle of cinnamon. I also put a small dollop of the pumpkin atop the whippage, just to make it purdy. 


Not a fan of coffee? Follow the recipe linked in the first paragraph for Nik's Protein Chai Latte and add 2 tbsp of pumpkin to it! Voila', you've got a Protein Pumpkin Chai Latte! Happy Fall, y'all!

BF Review: P-28 Protein Bread

Grilled Cheese!!!

~~posted by Jen

First, a disclaimer (I seem to be doing lots of these lately LOL): Our cool friend Melting Mama reviewed this same product awhile back, and I am certainly not trying to shirt-tail her by reviewing it here. My purpose is to help others in the WLS community avoid spending money unnecessarily and then end up not liking something.

I experienced that quite a bit as an early out. When I first had surgery in July 2008, I can remember seeing reviews of products on OH and immediately going out and buying whatever the item was, only to get it home and not like it. After some trial and error, I learned which product reviewers had tastes similar to mine, and that saved me some serious money! Usually the people whose recipes I liked the most also chose products that I liked.

That is my hope with giving you my opinion on certain WLS friendly products, since everyone has different tastes and liking or not liking a product is very subjective. When I review a "basic" food product (like bread, baking mix, or other "ingredient" foods), I will try several different things with it before I post the review. That way you'll be better able to judge how much you will actually use something before you buy it. With all that being said, on with my review!

Nutrigrains P-28 High Protein Bread, available from Netrition.com for $5.99 a loaf. I've had this loaf for going on 3 weeks now, and still have about 1/4 of a loaf left. I store it in the fridge, no signs of mold or spoilage. It's as fresh and tasty today as it was when I received it 3 weeks ago. (Definitely a good thing for pouchers, since we can't eat much at the time.)

 Here are the stats:

Nutrition Facts Serving Size: 1 slice (47g) Servings Per Container: about 15 Amount Per Serving % Daily Value* Total Calories 130     Calories From Fat 30  Total Fat 3.5  g 5%       Saturated Fat 0.5  g 3%       Polyunsaturated Fat 2  g    Monounsaturated Fat 0.5  g    Trans Fat 0  g Cholesterol 0  mg 0%    Sodium 260  mg 11%    Total Carbohydrates 12  g 4%       Dietary Fiber 2  g 8%       Sugars 2  g  Show Net Carbs Protein 14  g Vitamin A 0%    Vitamin C 0%    Calcium 6%    Iron 6%    *Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Ingredients: Water, Wheat Gluten, Whole Wheat Flour, Wheat Protein Isolate, Soybean Oil, Whey Protein Isolate, Sugar. Contains 2% or less of: Corn Starch, Wheat Starch, Liquid Brown Sugar, Yeast, Oat Groats, Monoglycerides, Salt, Sunflower Seeds, Millet, Flaxseed, Wheat Sour Blend(Wheat Flour, Sourdough Bacteria), Calcium Propionate, Cracked Wheat, Lactic Acid, Sea Salt, Soy Lecithin, Enzymes, Guar Gum, Natural Flavor, L-Cysteine, Sucralose. Warning: Contains wheat, milk and soybeans

There's no off-putting "protein-y" smell or taste, the texture is what I would describe as "spongy." I made toast for my initial tasting. It tastes....wonderful! I love multigrain bread, and that's exactly what it tastes like!

At first the texture of it takes some getting used to, as with most protein foods. It's a very dense and hearty slice. (I have texture issues, so pardon me if I keep repeating this.) Very similar in texture to the Kirkland brand multigrain bread we buy from Costco. It's bigger than a usual slice of bread, think the Pepperidge Farm specialty breads, that same size. I had to kind of wedge it into the toaster, but it fit.

1 slice is VERY filling, and I am 2 years out. 1 slice of toast was a full breakfast for me, and I usually eat at least 3/4 of a cup of cottage cheese with fruit. If you're relatively early out, 1/4 or 1/2 a slice might be your max serving at a meal.

Next, I tried it for a sandwich. 1 slice of bread cut in half, roast beef, provolone, pickles, light mayo. Heaven on a plate! Now y'all know me. I am all about the ooey gooey cheesy goodness of it all, so of course I had to make a grilled cheese!!

Oh Em Jeebus, as Nik says! It was GOOD!!! I could only eat half (made it with 2 slices of bread), but I reheated the other half later and it was nominous. I fed the non-op boys in my house grilled cheese on the P-28 bread too, and they all thought I used the multigrain bread they normally eat from Costco. They had NO idea it was a healthier, high protein bread! LOVE that!!!

Another cool thing, I usually can't tolerate whey isolate protein powder, but have ZERO issues from this bread! YAY for that! Coming soon.....a breakfast favorite made with this bread, so stay tuned! If you miss bread as part of your post-op life, I highly recommend giving this one a try.

Verdict: Divas Say Divine!

BF is proud to serve you along with Netrition!

~by Nikki


Remember when we told you about how we plan to do a little monetization to support the blog? Yeah...you remember that. It was a beautiful moment...like something right off of 7th Heaven or something...Yeah.

S'anyway...our first endeavor is to bring you great products for a great price with reasonable shipping costs. Look to your right and you'll see a search box for Netrition. This is a wonderful site that both Jen and I have used in the past for our post-wls product needs. In fact, Jen is writing up a "Pouch Party Peeks at Netrition" as I type!

They carry everything from your sugar-free flavored syrups, to Carbquik to protein powder, all at reasonable prices and with $4.95 flat rate shipping - no matter how much you buy!

So if you're looking for an easy way to support Bariatric Foodie, consider beginning your Netrition orders through that link. Proceeds keep the good recipes coming!

Thanks as always for supporting us and look for Jen's peeks soon!

Taco Casserole

Thank you, Shannon, for this AWESOME pic!

Around my house, we tend to have a lot of variety in the dishes we eat. This is, of course, because I have a varied palate and am easily bored by food. Boredom=undereating=lack of energy=testy Nik. So I try to keep it fresh in the kitchen.

But there are a few dishes I’d call “stand by’s.” The divas, of course, have some they like, some they do not. Sometimes they are split on a dish. Like taco casserole, for instance. La petite diva loves it. Happily glops on a massive portion of Greek yogurt and salsa on top and inhales it.

The older one? Not so much. I’ve not ever been able to figure out why, though. Theoretically she should love it. She loves each component—taco meat, refried beans, gooey cheese. But all together? Nope. Won’t eat it. Not in the beginning. Not now.

Still, since the little one and I like it, I still make it. On those nights the older one opts for our standard “alternative dinner” of a salad with a few grilled chicken bites on top and some ranch dressing.

Today, taco casserole is one of the most popular recipes I’ve ever posted anywhere. People still message me to tell me how much they like it and their kids like it and their spouse likes it (you hear that oldest child???). So I have to give it a blog post of its own. A place of honor.

Nik’s Taco Casserole

Ingredients:

1 lb. lean ground meat (whatever you use)
1 small zucchini, diced (I leave the skin on for extra fiber)
1 small yellow squash, diced (same deal)
1 small onion, diced
1 clove of garlic minced
1 envelope of taco seasoning mix
1 can black beans (I used the spicy kind), drained and rinsed
1 can fat-free refried beans
1 can tomatoes and chiles (or canned diced tomatoes if you don't like the heat)
2 c. shredded Mexican blend cheese (you can do reduced fat or regular but NOT fat free!)

Optional toppings:

Unflavored Greek yogurt
Salsa

Directions:

In a sprayed pan, sautee veggies with garlic until they are softened. Drain any excess liquid and transfer to a bowl.

Brown ground meat, drain and then transfer to the same bowl and mix with canned beans and tomatoes and chiles.

Mix in taco seasoning thoroughly and then transfer mixture to a 13x9 casserole dish.

Evenly spread out fat free refried beans on top (this may be easier if you heat them in a microwave safe bowl for a minute or so.

Top with cheese and then bake in a 350 oven for about 30 minutes or until the cheese is oozy, melty and slightly browned.

If you care about it looking like a casserole, let it cool for about 20 minutes before serving. If not, dig in!

My brother loves this on multi-grain tortilla chips. The little diva eats it like I do, straight up with Greek yogurt and salsa. Except I put a sprig of cilantro on top to keep things fancy.

BF Review: Trader Joe's Mahi Mahi Burgers

~~posted by Jen


Obligatory Disclaimer:  Let me start by clearing up a common misconception about Mahi Mahi, it is NOT Dolphin. It is a fish nicknamed a "dolphin fish", here's a link with more specific info about what type of fish it is.

Sauteed Mahi Mahi Burger with Greek Yogurt & Salsa "Remoulade"

Trader Joe's is one of my favorite stores, they have lots of good options for WLS patients that are easy to cook for a quick & healthy meal when you're in a hurry.  Tonight was one of those nights when I was rushed for a healthy dinner and didn't feel like leaving the house to eat out. (I had a horrendous migraine all night and most of today, it finally let up about 5:30 pm and I am actually feeling human again.)

So I was scrounging in the freezer for a dinner idea when I happened across a box of Trader Joe's Mahi Mahi burgers that I bought a couple weeks ago when I was there.The stats are good, they cook up in a few minutes, and even the non-ops in this house loved them. (Yes, even the vegetarian who only eats seafood or tofu protein.)

Roasted Cauliflower--I eat it like popcorn sometimes but don't tell anyone!!

I had 2 heads of cauliflower in the fridge, because I almost always do, so I roasted them in the oven as the side dish, and dinner was served. You can get the roasting cauliflower how-to on my previous BF Basics: Roasting Vegetables post from awhile back. Rachael Ray would be proud, she could totally call this one of her new "20 minute meals."

Here's the package

Since the burgers were such a hit, I thought a review was in order, so here goes! They're Trader Joe's brand frozen Mahi Mahi burgers, you can find them in the frozen seafood section at Trader Joe's.

4 "burgers" come per box, and they were $3.99 at my TJ's in Princeton, NJ. (I took a pic of the label but I'm not smart enough to rotate it so you can read it, sorry.)

1 burger patty is a serving, with these nutrition stats:
Calories--110
Total Fat--5g (all mono & polyunsaturated, NO Saturated fat)
Total Carbs--1g
Protein--15g

The texture is very moist and tender, they don't smell or taste "fishy" at all. They have a very mild, fresh fish flavor. I honestly enjoyed these more than fish cooked in some restaurants, and the boys agreed. I topped them with my salsa/Greek Yogurt sauce from the Nachos recipe.

1 patty is a very generous WLS portion, especially if you're early out. I ate 1 and a half, but I was really hungry since I've been sleeping most all day. I cooked them on the stove top in a non-stick skillet with a drop of olive oil, about 2 minutes on each side. You COULD microwave them, but given the texture I would suggest either stove top, oven, or maybe even on a George Foreman grill if you have one.

The only bad thing I have to say is that there aren't more in a package, because for a family of 4, especially when 3 are non-ops, we could have used some extras. These are on my "must have" TJ's list from now on. Next time I'll try serving them as grilled burgers on Arnold thins with Pesto Sauce topping and my Protein Coleslaw on the side.

Verdict:  Divas Say Divine!
.

The BF Survival Guide to Aldi

We get asked where we like to shop for food a lot. Not to let all our personal business out there, but neither Jen nor I are wealthy. Starting a business takes money (MD/VA/DC/DE/NJ/NY folks…holla if you want to help us with that by hosting a Pouch Party™ at YOUR support group!) and we are just crazy enough to be doing this whole thing WITHOUT a business loan (cuz we aspire to be debt free like the Duggars! LOL).

So all that is to say that we have to be careful with our respective food budgets. Being a food blogger and a mom, I have to be especially careful. Because, please believe me when I say this, if I cook it, I gotta eat it. There is no cooking JUST for the blog. Or cooking and freezing. If I cook it, I gotta eat it!

But I digress. So I personally shop a lot at Aldi’s. If you’ve never been to Aldi’s, you should check it out. Here’s a page where you can find a location near you. They are a discount grocery store, but unlike other discount stores (and you know who you are) they have healthy options right alongside the usual sodium-laden, high fat, high carbohydrate fare (cuz…you know…carbaholics gotta eat too…).

They carry a line called Fit & Active that sells everything from salad dressing to fat free whipped cream to multi-grain wraps.

Here is my comprehensive Aldi’s shopping list for the first time shopper. And for your convenience, we've even compiled a downloadable shopping list to use your first time there!

Meats

Fit & Active:

• Meatballs (made from beef, excellent stats)
• Turkey burgers
• Turkey sausage
• Turkey tenderloin (I was dubious about this, but it comes in two flavors and is GOOD)
• Turkey mignons (my pouch doesn’t like them, but I can at least admit that they are good)
• Grilled chicken bites (Naked Nuggets…for a fraction of the price)
• Ground turkey
• Ground beef

Not Fit & Active, but still good:

• Chorizo sausage
• Country ribs
• Pork chops (always a good amount of meat and they’ve never been tough so far)

Deli:

Any of the Fit & Active deli choices are low-sodium and low fat. I like the taste very much, especially:

• Honey ham
• Mesquite turkey

Dairy

Fit & Active:

• Egg substitute (Egg Beaters…for a fraction of the price!)
• Nonfat plain yogurt
• String cheese (their string cheese beats commercial brands by 20 calories with the same amount of protein!

Not Fit & Active but still good

They also carry a regular lowfat cottage cheese that is comparable to national brands in stats but lower in price. They also sell bagged cheeses. These are full fat. That doesn’t bother me. They also have a bunch of varieties of sliced cheese in full fat varieties.

Frozen section

Ohhhhh…the frozen section. How I love thee! For a mom on a budget, the frozen section is pay dirt!

• Fit & Active fat free whipped topping (88 cents y’all!)
• Fit & Active pocket sandwiches (for the divas…Hot Pockets…for a fraction of the price!)
• Frozen chicken breasts
• Frozen chicken breast tenderloins
• Frozen tilapia filets, salmon fillets, whiting fillets
• Frozen shrimp
• Frozen fruit: strawberries, mixed berries
• Frozen ground turkey (not the lowest fat kind)

Starches

• Fit & Active multi-grain wraps (Flat Out wraps…for a fraction of the price!)
• Fit & Active Rice Cakes (which are flavored VERY well. They come in white cheddar, caramel, lightly salted and apple cinnamon)
• Fit & Active Multi-Grain Waffles (I'll cop to eating one every now and again with a smear of peanut butter)

Canned/Dry Goods

Canned: 

• tuna
• fat free refried beans
• pinto beans
• black beans 
• tomatoes and chiles.

Dry:

• Fit & Active whole wheat pasta
• Onion soup mix
• Taco seasoning
• All sorts of super cheap dry spices
• Instant and regular brown rice

Salad Dressings

Fit & Active carries a LOT of really good salad dressings, many with 70 calories per serving or less, including:

• Light Ranch
• Light Sundried Tomato
• Light Honey Mustard
• Light Balsamic Vinaigrette
• Light Thousand Island
• Light Caesar
• Light Parmesan

Snacks/For the rest of the family

Aldi's also has a lot of stuff that I buy for my kids, but that I don't generally tend to eat, including:

• Fit & Active rice snacks (like the Quaker ones)
• Fit & Active dried fruit snacks
• Fit & Active frozen treats (fudge pops and fruit pops)
• Fit & Active frozen sandwiches (Hot Pocket style and panini)
• Fit & Active turkey sausage links (my pouch doesn't like them but my girls inhale these)

Beverages

• Fit & Active no sugar-added juices
• Fit & Active sugar-free flavored waters (carbonated)
• Mixade Light drink mixes (like Crystal Light)
• Diet Green tea (12 pack of 16.9 oz bottles

So that list ought to get you started. Now don't get all stressed thinking you have to remember all this when you go to Aldi's. I told you...we've got you covered! Here is(again) is a downloadable shopping list to take with you.

And you are also going to flip when you see their produce section. Just remember a few tips:

• Products vary by location. So if you get their circular, look for good deals. Or you can do what I do the first time I go to a store and do a “recon” mission. Just go without the intention of buying anything (in fact, don’t take any money) and just look around. For some reason I find the best stuff that way.
• Bring your reusable shopping bags. They charge for plastic or paper bags. But they extend the savings from doing that to you.
• Bring a quarter, you have to deposit one to get a cart. Don’t worry, though. They give it back to you when you are done!

Happy Shopping!

I heart Nachos! You will, too!

~~posted by Jen

Yes, I eat nachos as a WLS post-op. They were a pre-op favorite and not something I wanted to give up in my post-op lifestyle. So, I had to find a way to make them work in my plan. I don't eat them every day, but I do have them probably once a week.

The first step was finding some chips with not too hideous stats. Trader Joe's has their own brand of Soy Protein and Flax Tortilla Chips. The stats are pretty good for chips! A serving is 7 chips, 130 calories, 6 grams of protein, 9 grams net carbs (all whole grain).

If you don't have a Trader Joe's near you, I found another brand called "Food Should Taste Good", and their stats are also pretty good. They don't have as much protein per serving as the TJ's ones, but they'll do in a pinch. Here's how I make them:

Jen's High Protein Nachos


Ingredients:
14 TJ's Soy Protein & Flax tortilla chips
1/4 cup shredded cheese
1/4 cup greek yogurt
1/4 cup fresh salsa
pinch of salt


Directions:


Spread the chips in an even layer on a microwave safe plate. Sprinkle the cheese over the top, making sure to get cheese on each chip. Microwave on high for 30 seconds, until the cheese is all melted. (Time varies depending on your microwave.)


In a small bowl, combine the greek yogurt, salsa, and salt. Stir together until completely combined.
Spread the topping mixture over your nachos and dig in! 




This exact serving is a perfect meal size for me at 2 years post-op and comes out to around 380 calories and 26 grams of protein per serving. My average meal is 350 to 400 calories and minimum 20 grams of protein, so it meets my requirements. Again, this is not something I eat every single day but it sure tastes good when I get a hankering for nachos.

 Optional toppings could include refried beans, leftover cooked chicken or ground beef, olives, lettuce, jalapenos, whatever you like. Now this is one of those instances, when I was talking to Nik, where she makes her own version, using some of the same ingredients but in a different way.

That happens often as we have different approaches to food. Since she is quite passionate about her version of nachos, we've decided to do this as a "One dish, two ways" set of posts. Look for her version next week!

Until then, play with your food! Come up with your own creative combinations, then share them with us! What are you waiting for? Say Ole' and now go...get your nachos on!

White Russian Protein Shake

~~posted by Jen

Back in my younger days, we used to go to the VFW on Saturday nights. Laugh all you want, but I grew up in a very small, very rural town in Southwest Georgia. Needless to say there wasn't much else of excitement to do once you outgrew cruising the strip and were of legal drinking age. They had a live band on Saturday nights and it was BYOB, a pretty sweet deal.

My poison of choice back then was a White Russian, and it was a favorite of most of my friends as well. So in we'd strut, all dressed to the nines, with our 1/2 gallon of Vodka, big bottle of Kahlua, and a gallon of milk. You had to buy ice and cups (which the Veterans called "set ups"), and admission was 5 bucks at the door.

Saturday Night Special--Back in the day

We had some pretty crazy times back then, it was lots of fun. Anyway, I decided a protein shake that tastes like a White Russian would be just what the doctor ordered. Especially since Vodka and Kahlua are no longer in my plan.

So, with that in mind, I've been playing around with the idea for a few days now, and finally came up with this version. It's missing the slight Vodka taste that the actual drink has. I tried Rum extract, but no, that wasn't the same. So if any of our faithful readers make this and think of something that we COULD have that would imitate the Vodka taste (and NO, not that new "Devotion" protein Vodka!), hit us up!

The Real Thing

Jen's White Russian Protein Shake

Ingredients:

12 oz 2% milk

2 scoops Vanilla Latte Click (or use 1 scoop vanilla protein powder and 2 tbsp of decaf espresso)

1/2 tsp Instant Decaf Espresso Powder

3 packets Splenda (or whatever you use, adjust to your taste--remember I like SWEET)

2 pumps Davinci SF Kahlua Syrup

1 pump Davinci SF White Chocolate Syrup

ice, optional

Directions:

Pour the milk into your blender cup. Add the Click, Instant Espresso Powder, and SF Syrups. Whiz it up in the blender. Taste it, add as much Splenda or other sweetener as you like, then whiz it one more time. Serve over ice in a tall cocktail glass if you want the full-on "boozy" effect. 

Don't mind me, I'll just be cranking some Skynyrd and dancing on the table with my shake in hand. Please collect bail money if you hear of a ruckus. 

BF Top 5: Kid-friendly food stuff

~by Nikki

La  Petite Diva (left), La Grande Diva (right)

Do you have kids? I do. Two of them. See above :)

Both of them are gorgeous. Both of them are practical and independent. But both of them weigh just a bit more than they should for their age.

When I made the decision to have weight loss surgery, in many ways, I made decisions on their behalves too. What you see here on BF is what I eat. And what I eat is what they eat. Since my children were still relatively young when I had surgery (6 and 8), I think it’s affected some of their eating habits. They don’t like a lot of pasta. They eat rice in moderation. Soda is truly a treat for them (and one for which they will love you forever if you give it to them). They are notorious label readers (mostly for the purposes of convincing me to buy their preferred food items) and down right experts in what mom can and cannot eat. What can I say? These are my children after all.

I get asked pretty often how I relate to my children regarding food. It occurs to me that part of what I can claim as success is owed to arming myself with good equipment. So here’s some of the things I use to keep my children excited about healthy eating:

A good, sturdy thermos

Why: The sandwich gig gets old sometimes. My kids sometimes like to take chili and other things in their school lunches. With these, I can heat up their chili super hot and it’s still warm by lunch time. Throw in a few whole wheat crackers, a piece of fruit and a sugar-free drink and we’re good to go!

Popsicle molds

Why: You can make all sorts of things with these suckers! I tend to make smoothies into “smoothie pops.” While my youngest likes my protein pops (basically a protein shake poured into the mold), my oldest prefers a non-protein option. So I just mix up some Greek yogurt, Splenda, frozen fruit and a little milk and pour into these molds. It makes a healthy, tasty alternative to ice cream!

Ice Cream Maker

Why: Because sometimes only ice cream will do, frankly. And with this I get to choose what goes into the ice cream. Both my kids seem to enjoy protein ice cream (thank you Eggface!) and it’s something I can share with that. Which makes me very, very happy.

Dipping cups

Why: Find me a kid who isn’t at least intrigued by dip, and I’ll show you a really picky eater! We’ve gotten messages from pouchers who claim their kids won’t eat any dip. We advise them to keep trying. Nearly every kid has “their” dip, be it cheesy, chocolatey, peanut buttery or otherwise. These little cups work great to pack in lunch boxes and for home use.

Water containers

Why: Well, besides the obvious, a good, stylish water container is sort of a status symbol in schools these days. Kids feel cool that they have something that represents their style and you feel good that they aren’t drinking soda all day long.

…and lastly here is a “soon to be incorporated” item

A Bento Box

Why: The compartments help ensure good portion control while providing space for a variety of foods. And they’re just darn cute. I think cuteness matters to little girls. And of course there are styles for "my boys" too. But to them I think it matters more that they can stomp on it and it won't break (mothers of boys...correct me if I'm wrong!).

So that's just a few of the weapons in my "healthy eating for kids" aresenal. Try some of them out. Your kids might just surprise you in how they respond!