Encouraging children to eat nutritious foods can be difficult. Potato chips, soda, and candy fill up grocery shelves quicker than healthy foods do, making it overwhelming to decide on the best healthy options for your children. The internet is a great resource to find recipe tips and tricks, but some of those can be time consuming. We want our children to live happy, healthy lives, so here are some quick ways to incorporate those not so appealing fruits and veggies into your children’s normal eating routines, without them even noticing!

• Blue corn chips and guacamole. Change up traditional chips and guacamole by switching those yellow corn tortilla chips for low fat blue corn. Blue corn tortilla chips contain more protein than white or yellow corn chips.  For the guacamole, try adding chopped tomatoes, onions, and cilantro to the avocado mixture for extra veggie intake and flavor. If you have a child that already enjoys vegetables, try substituting chips for crispy veggies such as carrots or broccoli.
• Baked turkey or chicken meatballs. Try changing up the traditional spaghetti dish with a healthier meat option. Substitute beef for turkey or chicken meatballs. Both options contain lower fat and cholesterol than their beef counterpart.  Also, instead of cooking the meatballs in a skillet, bake in the oven at 400° F degrees for 20 minutes or until no longer pink in the center. Add the meatballs to any favorite pasta dish or serve them as a small snack.
• Frozen fruit pops. Take fruit to a frozen level! Kids love frozen popsicles and creamy ice cream, but those aren’t the healthiest option. Instead, dip plain bananas, grapes, and strawberries into a small amount of antioxidant-rich dark chocolate and slide onto a wooden skewer. Pop them into the freezer until chocolate is noticeably frozen. While adding an extra fruit serving, these fruit pops offer a light and naturally-sweet treat for you and your kiddos to enjoy.

As each day passes, we are blessed for the health of our children. Incorporating healthy food and exercise into their daily routine is necessary and essential to our children’s growth and well-being. Reflect on this passage: “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31 NIV).

​During January, we look towards the future and new beginnings. A key component to a prosperous future is our youth, particularly our children and grandchildren. On January 22nd, the world commemorates and celebrates National Celebration of Life Day. This day serves as a reminder to make sure our children feel loved, valued, and extra special.

Children, just like adults, need assurance in knowing they are appreciated. In the chaos of all of life’s tasks and obstacles, it can be hard to scrap up extra time and energy for one-on-one time with our children. Here are a couple of tips on how to get started:  

• Engage in an activity you and your child will enjoy. Talk to your child about what he or she enjoys doing and find something you both can do together. This may include playing a sport, taking a walk to the park, or even playing a silly board game. This one on one time with your child displays your interest in them and strengthens your relationship.
• Mark it on your calendar! We recommend you make quality time a weekly activity! As is the case with important business meetings, put the date in your planner or phone to avoid scheduling something else during that time. 
• Words of affection really do matter. Expressing warmth to our children in the form of hugs, kisses, words of praise, and the occasional tickle, signifies love. Everyone wants to be told that they are loved. We must learn to say it, show it and mean it.  

            On this particular day, we reflect on this passage: “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these” (NIV Mark 10:13-16).
            

​The New Year is now in full swing, and your motivation to have the best year yet may be starting to dwindle. Each year, we try to encourage our family to work hard, remain driven and centered, and most importantly, to keep our faith God. After years of practice, we know that the best way to achieve this is to nurture that faith and spiritual health. Here are some encouraging Bible verses we like to live by to help us to do that, and you can follow too!

“Now faith is in confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”  – Hebrews 11:1

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight.” – Proverbs 3:5-0

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” – John 14:27
“For we live by faith, not by sight.” 2 Corinthians 5:7

 “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” – Mark 12:30

“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.” – Ephesians 4:2

“Love is patient, is kind. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always and perseveres. Love never fails.” – 1 Corinthians 13:4. 7-8

What are some of your favorite verses or quotes you think will inspire you in the New Year?