Sprout Right Blog

Halloween can be a parent’s worst nightmare. Just picture those sugar-infused little bodies that ultimately crash at the end of a late night in the form of one doozy of a tantrum. Now that’s a scary Halloween.

How are you going to deal with your little gremlin this October 31^st? Here’s a plan for parents to survive Halloween and avoid the extreme sugar highs and lows.

The first indicator of Fall has crept up on us here in Toronto; chillier weather. To satisfy those chills, one of my main go-to’s is a pot of steaming hot soup! It’s an added bonus that it is also easy to work into a busy weekday schedule. Soups can be as simple as just a few key ingredients, or as complex as the Davinci Code. It’s about what you’re in the mood for!

It’s that time again (I can hear the groan from here)! Time to think about packing school lunches every day for the next school year. I’m thinking that it might  make you want to run and hide. How about something different this year? Take the pressure off and get your kids to make their own  lunch. Yes, it is possible, I promise. 

Breakfast can be full of flavour and beneficial calories, instead of the fast toast and smear of butter, or bagel and peanut butter you might otherwise reach for. Fast, simple and yummy breakfasts can keep you going until lunch time with the right fibre, protein and fat combinations. Here are a few suggestions for a powerful way to start your day. These breakfasts can be prepped in advance, made in bulk or whipped up that morning.

July 23rd. It’s a date that I’ve had in the back, front and sides of my mind for about a year. About 16 months ago, I handed in my 122,186 word manuscript to my editor at Penguin Random House Canada, sat back, exhaled and got on with work and life until the next step.

Writing the 122,186 words took a solid four months to write, as in all day, every day. Well, unless I was speaking with a moms group, had a TV or radio segment or a meeting, that is.

Warm weather + outdoor eats = picnic

It’s as easy as that.

Well, after you’ve planned the picnic fare that is. Don’t stress out here, it’s all in the planning. You might think that picking up some grab and go options is good enough, but you can easily whip up some incredible, crowd-pleasing offerings that won’t break the bank or your brain. 

Allergies to nuts, more than just peanuts, is more and more common. The list of most common allergic foods continues to expand from peanuts, tree nuts, fish, eggs, and milk to include sesame seeds, seafood (crustaceans and shellfish), soy, wheat and sulphites (a food additive). It’s getting harder to know what’s safe to send with your kids to school, dance or hockey practice.

I’ve been geeking out this week about the new Canada Food Guide. When I sent a note to Jerry Agar’s producer about doing a segment about it, they asked what I wanted to say about it – as in, “It’s not that big of a deal, is it?” It took me a moment to reply. I gathered my thoughts, because I couldn’t go on air and just say how exciting it was. They need an angle, duh. I came up with an angle: the 2007 guide was as outdated as a Sony Walkman, and this is Health Canada’s default for food.

Snacks can be incredibly important for kids after their day at school. Whether they are heading to an activity, have homework to focus on or are headed out on the circuit of sports and games, they need to be fueled in a super healthy way. Check out the clip from BT Toronto, the radio segment from NewsTalk1010, and read on for my suggestions and recipes.

We all know it’s coming, and you’re likely dreading it, as all parents are – back to school and those darn lunches. Seasoned parents (even those with high school kids) need new inspiration for packing lunches and getting great food into their kids. If you’re a newbie at this with a child off to school for the first time, all of the below is for you too. To get you off to a great start, I’ve got handy tips and lots of lunch ideas that I also shared on Cityline with Tracy Moore.

With a summer full of outings, road trips and cottage visits, smart snacking is a part of everyone’s to-do this summer. I’ve got some great suggestions of what to include in your snack bag for wherever you go.

Key criteria for smart snacks include:

• High in fibre and low in sugar.
• Colourful fruits and veggies are a must.
• Choose wisely with packaged foods and read your labels.

Just like at kids birthday parties that serve pizzas, everyone thinks that throwing some burgers and dogs on the BBQ is the way to go. Well, not this summer. I spoke about a few of my favourites to barbecue in this video, and also wanted to follow up with some recipes that you can try out on your crowd this summer.