We all want to spoil our kids by sending them off to school with a delicious lunch pack. But what’s more, packing a lunch that is not only tasty, but also healthy and nutritious, will give your kid the energy needed to make the most out of the school day.

Using Whole-Grains
Sandwiches are a popular option in lunch packs. If made right they can, indeed, be both tasty and healthy. The healthiest option is to choose whole-grain bread. If you want to keep things varied, you can also occasionally choose whole-grain pita or wraps.

Healthy Toppings
Whether you choose sandwiches, pitas, or wraps, aim for healthy and protein rich toppings or fillings. Delicious examples include tuna with light mayonnaise, lettuce, and tomatoes, or sliced turkey with light mayonnaise, mustard, and a slice of low fat cheese.

Compliment the Sandwich
Don’t send your kids to school with nothing but sandwiches, instead think of what healthy snacks you can compliment the sandwich with. Are you in possession of the best apple pie recipe in existence? Well, I guess the choice has already been made for you!

Other ideas include fruits, cheese sticks, fruit salad, nuts, flavored low fat yoghurt, or baby carrots with a side of vegetable dip.

Thinking Outside of the Sandwich
A lunch pack doesn’t have to contain a sandwich. Try to vary what you pack for your kid. An easy option is to get a hold of an insulated jar, and heat up the leftovers from last night meal. I’m sure your child would be thrilled to enjoy lasagna with salad and bread at lunch time, don’t you think so?

Kids lunch foods do not have to be boring. With minimal effort, a bit of creativity, and the right equipment, your kids can enjoy a healthy and tasty lunch every day. They will get the most out of school and they will love you, even more, for it!

Citrus fruits are some of the healthy foods we can eat (or drink!). They are loaded with antioxidants such as bio-flavonoids.

Breakfast Juice Recipe #1 – Breakfast Blend
2 oranges
1 red grapefruit

Breakfast Juice Recipe #2 – Citrus Juice
2 tangelos
1 orange
2 pears (with skins on)

Juicing Citrus Fruit
The highest amount of the antioxidant bio-flavonoids in citrus fruits are located in the skin and the white membranes rather than in the flesh (although the flesh still contains some). To take advantage of this fact, I always juice the white membranes at the center of citrus fruits and I also juice some of the peel. I avoid using the outer colored side of the peel as this will produce a very sour tasting  juice.  However, I do scrape off some of the white inside of the peel. This is less sour and the most bio-flavonoid dense part of the citrus fruits.

Health Benefits of Citrus Fruits
The specific bio-flavonoids in citrus fruits are called hesperidin, naringenin and tangeritin. They have been found to have effective anti-inflammatory properties that may help asthma symptoms. An asthma attack is usually the result of the immune system overreacting to an allergen. White blood cells are sent into motion delivering inflammatory agents such as histamines to the lungs to ‘fend off the invaders’. The air sacs in the lungs become restricted by the inflammation and produce the wheezing and shortness of breath that we see in an asthma attack. These bio-flavonoids found in citrus fruits have inhibiting effects upon the production of histamines and other inflammatory agents associated with asthma and can help with the symptoms. More research is going on at present into this health benefit.

The benefits of juicing citrus fruits include vitamin C. Vitamin C is one of the most powerful antioxidants for protecting us from heart disease. As an antioxidant, vitamin C protects LDL “bad” cholesterol from becoming oxidized by free radical damage. Such damage to LDL cholesterol cells is a major risk factor for the development of atherosclerosis – a condition that is the number one contributor to heart disease.

In health
George Simons

Having all of the necessary tools to bake anything that you want is important for being able to turn out a cake at any time.  This includes having a deep collection of cake baking pans.  The problem with this is that the cost of them can add up very quickly, especially when some pans are as expensive as $40!  In this post I want to show you some very cost effective strategies to get all of the pans that you want without breaking the bank.

The cheapest way to buy shaped cake pans is to get them at yard sales.  Along with treadmills these are some of the most common things that you can find at a garage sale!  When buying bakeware from a sale like this, be sure to inspect the non stick surface on the pan to make sure that it isn’t scratched.  Scratched non stick is toxic and can make you and your family sick.  You can expect to pay a dollar or two for each pan, so it’s a good idea to pick up extra pans that might not use for trading (see next paragraph) later on.

Another good way to get a lot of cake pans very affordably is on eBay.  You can find just about any pan that you want there, and there are some sellers that will sell a “lot” of different pans for very cheap.  Having extra cake pans that you pick up at garage sales can be used to trade to the eBay vendors to help cover the cost of the more expensive cake pans.  They’re always looking to increase their inventory and may be willing to take some of yours for a reduced price on fancy cake pans.

Having a well stocked cabinet of bakeware doesn’t have to cost a fortune.  You can certainly pull it off on a budget as long as you keep your eyes peeled for good deals all of the time.

Everyone loves a great barbeque and with some simple planning and having the proper tools on hand, your next one will be a smash hit. In this post I want to offer some tips that will help you get ready for your next BBQ with menu planning, having the right tools, and executing the cooking.

Before you can head to the grocery store you have to figure out what you’re going to eat. Your menu will depend on your personal taste and cooking ability. Most people will do hamburgers and hot dogs, along with potato salad and chips. You can, obviously, do whatever you want, but keep in mind that there are certain foods (like those in the last sentence) that people expect from a barbeque. If you want to add gourmet flair to your party, try adding different toppings for the burgers, or add a special side dish that allows you to flex your gourmet muscle.

Having the proper tools on hand is essential. Create a checklist for everything that you’re going to need. There are common things like propane or charcoal, table cloths, plates, glasses, and silverware. Don’t forget the not-so-common tools that will make your life much easier, like a burger press. Burger presses allow you to pound out fresh ground beef into uniform patties that will make cooking a breeze since they all will cook at the same speed.

When it comes time to cook, have a game plan before you get started. Figure out the order that you want the food to come out in (beans before burgers) and what their cooking times are like. Also, be sure to find your help and get them ready to go. It’s also important that you wait until the cooking is done before you start pounding the beer! I’ve seen quite a few barbecues turn sour because the cook was too drunk to get the food done!

Preparing, planning, and executing are the steps to a perfect BBQ (as well as almost everything else!). Take the time to get these right and you’ll host the best barbecue ever!