This time of year Chad is doing a lot of work outside, not unlike what he does in the summer, but he is not great eat fueling his body for success. If I am lucky he'll eat a whopping "bag of chips" for an entire day.
I am not cool with that because by the time I get home to make dinner, he is like a hoover vacuum. I can't feed him enough every night because by that time he's ravenous.
So, I am trying my darnedest to try different ways to get him to eat his fruits, veggies, and protein throughout the day.
Veggie Trays-
I have begun to make veggie trays to leave on the counter when I am making dinner, so he's not picking a cracker snack instead.
It's as simple as cutting up broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots and some light ranch. Simple and easy to refresh throughout the week.
Another easy way to sneak in protein is to use a ranch packet and mix it into plain Greek yogurt.
Protein Muffins-
This is a new try this week. I am hoping I can swindle him into eating one of these and a Greek yogurt for breakfast.
Blueberry Protein Muffins
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I use G-Free 1-1 baking mix)
3/4 cup granulated sugar, plus 1 tablespoon for muffin tops
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/3 cup veggie oil
2 scoops vanilla protein powder
6 drops Lemon essential oil
1 large egg
1/3 – 1/2 cup milk; dairy and non-dairy both work
1/2 cup dried cranberries
6 to 8 ounces fresh or frozen blueberries; see note below about frozen berries (about 1 cup)
(a handful of nuts if you choose)
DIRECTIONS
PREPARE OVEN
Heat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
MAKE BATTER
Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
Add oil to a measuring jug that holds at least 1 cup. Add the egg then fill the jug to the 1-cup line with milk (1/3 to 1/2 cup milk). Add essential oil and whisk to combine.
Add milk mixture to the bowl with dry ingredients then use a fork to combine. Do not over mix. (The muffin batter will be quite thick). Fold in the blueberries.
BAKE MUFFINS
Divide the batter between muffin cups. Sprinkle a little sugar on top of each muffin.
Bake muffins 15 to 20 minutes or until tops are no longer wet and a toothpick inserted into the middle of a muffin comes out with crumbs, not wet batter. Transfer to a cooling rack.
To store, place them in a plastic bag, seal, and store at room temperature for 2 to 3 days. To freeze, wrap them tightly in aluminum foil or place them in freezer bags. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Trail Mix
Every week I buy a bag or individual packs for him to keep in his truck for a quick snack.
Lara Bars
Another easy way for him to get some sort of nutritional value throughout the day. Super easy to keep in the truck too!
Clementines or Grapes
Always on my kitchen counter ready to grab.
American Clear
Do you remember these from childhood? Chad had one fro his roommates a few weeks ago and is completely obsessed. His favorite is Mandarin Orange and it's such a great no sugar, no calorie alternative to his normal soda. It is also a great no cal mixer for all of the holiday parties we'll be attending in the next couple weeks.
I hope this helps you all it sure has helped us both.
I'd love to hear your ideas or tricks that you use for healthy swaps!
Comments