Back to School

3 Reasons I Don’t Pack a “Healthy” Lunch Box

August 23, 2014 by Holly Yzquierdo 16 Comments

If you’ve been following me on Instagram you may have noticed I don’t pack my kindergartener the healthiest lunches. It may even surprise you to find out how deliberate I am with what I pack.

Since this blog is about “plant-based” living you may expect me to pack veggie wraps and super healthy lunch box fare. I hope I haven’t let you down, but I’m not concerned with my kid having a “Healthy” lunch box.

I have complete oversight regarding what my kids eat at home. At school, I really can’t know. I could pack a super healthy lunch box but that doesn’t mean it would be eaten. Instead I focus on the following ideas.

1. What Will Get Eaten

My son is 5 and eating five meals a week away from me. He is not quite used to that amount of freedom. The first few days of school I packed lots of choices. I wanted to get a good idea of “how much” he would eat during his lunch time. I instructed him not to throw anything away and to bring all of the leftover home.

Sandwiches would only have a few nibbles, if that much. Of course, sweet and salty foods were eaten right up. Fruit was hit and miss. His leftovers would normally be eaten after school.

2. Avoiding Ridicule

No one wants to be the kid with a weird lunch. I remember feeling lunch box shame when my lunch didn’t match the cool kids at the lunch table. I was the kid with bologna.

Somewhere between broccoli-flavored tofu nuggets* and bacon-wrapped candy bars* there is a happy medium of foods that make parents and kids happy. (*Please note that we don’t eat either of those.)

3. Quick and Easy

Have you been in a lunch room during elementary lunch? It’s a mad house, every man for himself. Even though there may be as many as 30 minutes scheduled for lunch by the time kids arrive at their table they may only have 15 or so minutes to eat. They best thing I can do for my kid is to pack food he can eat quickly and easily.

Elementary kids, especially kindergartener like mine don’t really understand how to budget their time. They may spend 10 minutes laughing and telling jokes then 5 minutes waiting for a lunch aide to help open their container. Everything I pack for my son is easy for him to open and can be eaten easily.

For more Back to School ideas visit my Back to School Pinterest Board. You can also check out Lunch Box Guide (it’s a printable) and my Lunch Box Essentials post.

Do you pack a lunch for your child? What do you normally pack?

UPDATE

We finished the school year and I have to say I’m pretty happy with our lunches for the year. Using the EasyLunchBoxes system saved my sanity. They held up well and helped us pack great lunches for our kids.

I visited my kindergartner one day for lunch toward the end of the year. The lunch aid said my son always had the healthiest lunch at the table. My son would occasionally ask for foods he saw the other kids eat, like lunchables and Cheetos. Instead we’d occasionally buy Enjoy Life Cookies that are allergy-friendly and once tried Organicasaurus dino shaped corn snacks.

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Plant-Based Crock Pot Week

August 18, 2014 by Holly Yzquierdo 4 Comments

It’s Back to School month at My Plant-Based Family! This month we are focusing on packing lunch boxes, easy dinner time meals and getting ready for school. Make sure you check out my Back to School Community Board on Pinterest for more ideas.

I’ll be talking about lunch packing throughout the month (I’m also sharing my son’s lunch boxes on Instagram). Today my focus in on easy dinners, specifically Crock Pot dinners! My kindergartener starts baseball this week so it will be great to have an easy dinner planned.

I love my Crock Pot! I wish I had two but I don’t really have room for another one. I love cooking in it though. Many of my recipes are designed specifically for the Crock Pot but that doesn’t stop me from making my normal stove to recipes in it too.

Plant-Based Crock Pot Dinners

Tomato Soup with a side salad and toast

Easy Crock Pot Broccoli and Rice Casserole, this is my husbands favorite recipe!

Taco Soup with Baked Potatoes

Spaghetti Squash with Marinara and a side salad

Pinto Beans in the Crock Pot to use in Bean Burritos or Bean and Potato Burritos.

These meals assure us a delicious homemade dinner no matter how busy we get. Another way to save time is though batch cooking. I hope you read last weeks Batch Cooking Meal Plan for additional time savers and meal ideas.

Don’t forget to get your $2.00 coupon code for The Plant-Based Diet Starter Guide.

Need Help with your Plant-Based Diet?

August 17, 2014 by Holly Yzquierdo 2 Comments

Have you been considering my ebook The Plant-Based Diet Starter Guide: How to Cook, Shop and Eat Well? If you I have great news for you!

In honor of Back to School month here at My Plant-Based Family I’m offering $2.00 OFF the PDF copy through the end of August. Please note that this is only for the PDF copy sold here and not for the kindle version sold on Amazon.

I’ve been getting so many emails from new readers who are just discovering the plant-based diet and I really want to make the transition as easy on you as possible.

This book covers all the basics of a plant-based diet in an easy to read format. I leave the science to the doctors and explain exactly how to get it done in the real world including a chapter on transitioning your family.

To get $2.00 OFF your purchase of The Plant-Based Diet Starter Guide (PDF ebook) use the code backtoschool. Remember it’s this sale is only happening until August 31st!

The Plant-Based Diet Starter Guide has helped many people take that next step and fully transition to a plant-based diet.

Have you read The Plant-Based Diet Starter Guide Yet? What did you think of it?

Keeping Kids with Food Allergies Safe at School

August 14, 2014 by Holly Yzquierdo 2 Comments

Please note I am not a doctor or attorney. I do not give medical or legal advise.

As you know it’s back to school month here at My Plant-Based Family! We are celebrating all month, well I’m celebrating and trying to make your back to school transition a little smoother.

Today I want to address all of those families that have kids with food allergies but please stick around even if your family isn’t touched by food allergies.

If you are new to the Food Allergy scene I’m sure you are a nervous wreck about sending your kid to school. Rightly so. It can be very scary. I’m in a number of food allergy support groups online and the stories I hear are heart breaking. The purpose of today’s post is to equip and hopefully encourage you as you send your kids with food allergies back to school.

What is a 504 Plan?

Did you know that severe, life threatening food allergies are considered a “hidden disability” by the U.S. Department of Education? Section 504 of Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (and American with Disabilities Act amendments) prohibits discrimination against children with disabilities at schools that receive federal funding. Essentially it assures that students with disabilities receive the same education in the least restrictive way.

A 504 Plan is a cooperative plan put in place at your child’s school designed to keep them safe from food allergies. A student with severe peanut allergies may have a 504 Plan that prohibits peanuts being brought into the classroom. They typically address any area of the school where the student has access.

How to get a 504 Plan

If your child needs a 504 Plan you should contact your child’s school. I recommend you write an email so you have a paper trail. You will need proper documentation from your child’s doctor. Your job will be to prove that your child is eligible for the plan. I’ll include more resources at the end of the post to help you.

If your child is eligible a 504 Plan there will be meetings where you and various people at the school typically administrators, teachers, cafeteria managers, school nurse, etc. will attend.

We do not have a 504 Plan and I’ve never had to go through the 504 Plan process. I’ve asked other food allergy moms about their experiences though.

What really happens

I asked a couple of food allergy moms to share their experiences with me. Meet Jeannette and Rachel!

Do you feel like a 504 Plan keeps your child safe?

Jeannette says,

Unfortunately, the answer is no. I had a talk with our allergists who has never been a big advocate of 504’s about this. He told us “A school will either do what is right for your child or they won’t. A 504 won’t change that”. After having talked with several special education professionals, I got the same answer. If we look at human behavior, we see that simply having something on paper does not determine behavior (if that were the case, no one would ever drive over the speed limit). A 504 can provide understanding and clarification, but it will not keep your child safe. The only thing that keeps your child safe is educators committed to the inclusion and safety of all students.

Rachel says,

I think Molly’s 504 keeps her safe when it is followed. I have had two different experiences at two different schools. The biggest issue for us was not safety but exclusion. As Molly has gotten older being excluded or different has been hard for her to deal with, at times it’s heartbreaking. Bullying was an issue at one school but not the other. That is something that I will always be sure to address, how will you handle bullying?

Do you have advice for families considering a 504 Plan? As parents what issues should we address?

Jeannette says,

The best strategy to ensuring safety of food allergic students is to ensure that school staff understand the concepts of community, inclusion, and safety of all students and have the ability to engage in collaborative conversations about how we balance conflicting needs and interests. As parents of food allergic students, we clearly have a lot of “skin in the game”, that being said, success and safety for food allergic student’s requires all members of the team (principal, nurse, teacher, education assistant, etc.) all see that they also have a vested interest.

Rachel says,

Don’t let small things slide. If they aren’t following the plan on ANYTHING let them know, nicely. Little things not being followed turn into big things. I always address inclusion: classroom, field trips, extracurricular activities, bullying, parties and programs, absences, self carried emergency medication, Epi action plan, cleaning in the cafeteria, school bus safety, recess and PE. I make sure that I can take her on all field trips because we once had an asthma attack on a field trip severe enough to go to the ER. I also request permission to be at every classroom party.

Another thing to mention is substitute teachers/staff. The one time Molly had to have Epi at school was when they had a substitute. To me it is a HUGE safety issue. I also had a substitute tell her once she could not take her Epi bag with her. She has self carried since she was four, so she stood her ground.

I firmly believe that every student with a life threatening food allergy should have a 504 Plan. It provides a set of guidelines that everyone needs to follow. Never the less, students and parents must remain vigilant to keep food allergic children safe.

Helpful Resources

Two of the best things I’ve read about 504 Plan’s can be found at Nut Free Wok and Multiple Food Allergy Help!

Visit FARE for more info about 504 and Written Management Plans along with lots of other helpful information.

The US Department of Education’s Q&A Page for the ADA Amendments of 2008 and their explanation of the civil rights of children with hidden disabilities .

Special Thanks to Jeanette Baxter and Rachel Reed!

Jeanette is a passionate advocate for the Allergy, Anaphylaxis, and Asthma community, mother of four, one of which is a brave little girl with peanut allergies, asthma, and Mast Cell Activation Disease. Follow her work in Oregon to help those living with Allergies, Anaphylaxis, and Asthma at http://oregonaaaalliance.blogspot.com/, on Facebook, or Twitter (@Oregonaaaalliance).

Rachel Reed is mom to Molly, peanut, tree nut, peaches, banana, coconut allergic. They have been conquering ANA allergies, eczema and asthma since 2 weeks old. They are currently in an OIT program in Dallas, Texas and you can follow them at www.mollyoit.blogspot.com or on twitter @prissymomtoo.

Do you have experience with 504 Plans or kids with food allergies going to school. Please share!

Back to (Batch Cooking) School Meal Plan

August 11, 2014 by Holly Yzquierdo 1 Comment

This is Back to School Month at My Plant-Based Family so naturally we will be focusing on quick dinners, fun lunch box ideas and easy recipes. Your children may not be back at school yet but these tips and ideas will help you get prepared.

Today’s Plant-Based Meal Plan will focus on dinners. I’m giving you a sneak peeking into the way my brain works when it comes to planning meals. Specifically I’m going to show you how I batch cook to make the rest of the week easy-peasy.

Plant-Based Dinner Meal Plan

Easy Crock Pot Mexican Rice and Bean Casserole is everyone’s favorite. I’ll Double the recipe.

Slow Cooker Potato Soup except I plan to add extra veggies like broccoli, carrots and celery along with some lentils.

Spaghetti (GF) and Lentil Marinara this recipe is used exclusively in my Custom Meal Plans. This is served with raw or steamed veggies.

Nachos with Unfired Black Beans and Quinoa-Lentil Taco’s.

Taco Potatoes using Quinoa-Lentil Taco’s.

What to Look For

Can you spot the trends in this Meal Plan? Which ingredients appear repeatedly?

Black Beans are used in the Mexican Casserole, Nachos and Taco Potatoes.
Lentils are used in the Soup, Lentil Marinara, Nachos and Taco Potatoes.
Potatoes are used in the Soup and the Taco Potatoes.
Quinoa is used in the Nachos and Taco Potatoes
Tomatoes are used in the Lentil Marinara, Nachos, and Taco Potatoes.

Using the same ingredients in multiple recipes is typical for me. It cuts down the grocery bill and the amount of time it takes me to cook. You see, I don’t start from scratch every day. I like to spend a few hours and get most of this food prepped.

How to Batch Cook the Meal Plan

Let’s take a look at how batch cooking works. This can be simplified even more if you use canned beans.

Soak black beans overnight.
Cook black beans, wash and bake potatoes, cook lentils and quinoa, and prep veggies. This all happens at the same time. The beans and potatoes take longest to cook so you would start them first. The quinoa and lentils don’t take long so you would start them next. Lastly wash and chop veggies to use in all of the recipe and for extra snacks throughout the week.
Put ingredients for Potato Soup in the Crock Pot OR put them all in a large zip lock bag so it’s ready to dump in the Crock Pot.
Once the beans are done you can make the Unfried Black Beans, Mexican Casserole and Taco Potatoes.

The End Result

Now each evening I only have to reheat dinner or do a little cooking. For example I prefer to cook the spaghetti for the Lentil Marinara right before we eat it. Pasta, especially gluten-free pasta isn’t as good reheated. I’ll also heat and assemble the nachos and Taco Potatoes right before eating. Most of the cooking is done for the week.

Remember to check out my Back to School with My Plant-Based Pinterest Board and last weeks Lunch Box Essentials post.

Lunch Box Essentials

August 6, 2014 by Holly Yzquierdo 8 Comments

Have you started your Back to School Countdown yet?

Today is our First Day of School! I said goodbye to my kindergartner today as he got on the school bus. He said he isn’t really a kindergartner until he does some kindergarten work.

We have been prepping for this day for weeks (and months in some ways). You know you have to buy school supplies, potentially get new clothes or shoes, and if your child has food allergies talk to the school about keeping your child safe.

I’ll be writing a lot about packing lunches this month but today I want to tell you about my Lunch Box Essentials!

1. Lunch Boxes

There are many different kinds of lunch boxes. I recommend you read some reviews to find out which lunch boxes are going to hold up for at least a year. Some lunch boxes may be insulated while others require an Insulated Bag or holder. We bought EasyLunchboxes 3-compartment Bento Lunch Box so you will being seeing these featured.

2. Small Containers and Dividers

Depending on the style of lunch box you use small containers to hold crackers, hummus, salsa or other foods may come in handy. I use “Mini-Dippers” and Silicone Baking Cups to keep food items separated.

3. Sunbutter and WOW Butter

Even though my kindergartner isn’t allergic to peanut butter our preschooler is. We won’t be serving peanut products. We buy SunButter Natural Sunflower Seed Spread and WOWBUTTER instead. My boys love it and you use it exactly like peanut butter. If your kids normally eat peanut butter give one of these a try. We use so much we normally buy SunButter 5 Pounds, (Pack of 2)
and WOWBUTTER 2 x 4.4 lbs from Amazon to save money but the regular sizes are available in many grocery stores.

4. Extras

I’ve bought a few extra’s too. Ice Packs will keep lunch items cold. Bento Food Picks may not be necessary but they will be fun and keep food together.

You can see more great Lunch Box Ideas by following me on Pinterest! Don’t forget! You can become a contributor of my Back to School with My Plant-Based Family Board!