Preparing Ahead of Time!

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Having a plan in place for your Breakfast Club helps to alleviate work overload on our volunteers. Being prepared ahead of time makes breakfast service in the morning run more smoothly and efficient.  The more that can be prepared the day before or few days before works well for many clubs.  Many of our KES Clubs have dedicated volunteers that are able to serve breakfast and stay after to help with prep work for the week. All clubs operate differently but here are a few tips your volunteers can do to prepare for the week ahead:

  • Pre-cut fruit and store in bins in the fridge to have ready to serve
  • Pre-cut cheese and store in bins in the fridge to have ready to serve
  • Prepare cracker or cereal portions and store in bins to have ready to serve
  • Pre-portion yogurt parfaits the night before to have ready to serve (if you have the fridge storage)

Kristin Hedges is a Registered Dietitian with Kids Eat Smart Foundation NL.

Easy Yogurt Parfait!

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Our Kids Eat Smart Clubs are always looking for different menu ideas to change things up for their menu’s and this is always a fun recipe to serve the kids.  It’s a simple recipe that includes fruit, yogurt and cereal – likely ingredients you already have on hand.  Kids always love these parfaits and they are easy to assemble with the right amount of volunteers.  You can use reusable plastic bowls or a paper cup to serve.  Strawberries are always a favorite for the kids but you can use whatever fruit you have on hand.

What you’ll need:

  • Yogurt
  • Multigrain Cheerios
  • Strawberries or Bananas or Blueberries

Serve up and enjoy!

Kristin Hedges is a Registered Dietitian with Kids Eat Smart Foundation NL.

Cereal Breakfast Buffet!

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Our Kids Eat Smart Clubs are always looking for fun ways to get kids excited about healthy eating. Sometimes it can be as simple as the way you present the healthy food that makes a difference.  Many of our KES Clubs serve cereal and fruit but sometimes not together. Try a fun berry buffet for the kids and let them scoop in their own fruit.  Having kids help with making meals at school and at home is a great way to get them excited.

All you’ll need:

  • Whole grain cereal (Multigrain Cheerios or Shreddies)
  • Blueberries
  • Raspberries
  • Strawberries

Pour bowls of cereal as needed and have spoons in berries for serving.

Kristin Hedges is a Registered Dietitian with Kids Eat Smart Foundation NL.

Baked Breakfast Casserole!

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Many of our Kids Eat Smart Clubs are always looking for creative ways to serve a hot breakfast.  Eggs are a great way to include protein in your KES Club menu.  We get a generous from our National partner Breakfast Club of Canada from Egg Farmers of Canada for egg coupons each year.  These coupons will be going out to our KES Clubs over the next couple of weeks.  Try this easy recipe at your KES Club this week. Serve with a glass a milk and slice of whole wheat toast for a well balanced meal.

Ensure there are no egg allergies in your school before preparing. 

Baked Breakfast Casserole

Ingredients

  • 1 medium – bell pepper, green
  • 1 medium – bell pepper, red
  • 6 ounce – cheddar cheese
  • 2 cup – ham, chopped
  • 24 ounce – hash browns, frozen
  • 6 large – egg
  • 2 cup – egg white
  • 2 cup – milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon – salt

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish; set aside.
  2. Dice peppers, grate cheese, and chop ham.
  3. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium. Add peppers; cook for 3-4 minutes to soften.
  4. Add to prepared baking dish and mix together with the hash browns, ham, and 1 cup of the cheese.
  5. In mixing bowl whisk eggs and liquid egg whites. Add milk and salt, whisk together.
  6. Pour egg mixture over veggies and ham. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
  7. Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes; removing the foil 15 minutes before finishing.

Recipe and image sourced from: https://www.superhealthykids.com/breakfast-casserole/

Kristin Hedges is a Registered Dietitian with Kids Eat Smart Foundation NL.

 

Happy Thanksgiving!

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Everyone is looking forward to our upcoming long weekend filled with family, food and fun!  Sometimes holiday’s have lots of extra sweet treats around, and everything is ok in moderation.  With healthy eating it’s important to remember moderation is key!  Having delicious desserts is a big part of the holiday season.  In keeping with the turkey theme try this fun fruit tray below at your Kids Eat Smart Club this week or try at your family get together this weekend:

Fruity Thanksgiving Turkey

Ingredients

  • Apples
  • Yogurt
  • Raisins
  • Pretzels

Direction

Slice apples and place as feathers. Use raisins for eyes. Place pretzels for feet. Use yogurt for dipping.

Recipe sourced from: https://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/thanksgiving-turkey-fruit-and-yogurt-dip/b3d8673d-4d3f-49ab-8218-3f9693bba0ac

Kristin Hedges is a Registered Dietitian with Kids Eat Smart Foundation NL.

 

Raspberry Mango Smoothie!

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In honour of our upcoming Province Wide Smoothie day here is a great, delicious, healthy and easy smoothie recipe.  You may use any fresh or frozen berry mixed together with milk, yogurt, 100% juice or even water along with some honey for sweetness and you are sure to come up with a delicious and nutritious smoothie.  The great thing about smoothies is they are quick, easy and kids of all ages love them!  Try adding smoothies to your regular breakfast menu in your KES Clubs, they are sure to be a hit.  Try this neat combination of Raspberry and Mango at your Smoothie Day this week:

Raspberry Mango Smoothie
(makes 1 smoothie)
  • 1 Banana
  • 1 cup Mango
  • 1/3 cup Milk
  • 1 tsp Honey
  • 1/2 tsp Chia seeds

Directions

Combine ingredients and blend. Serve cold. For larger quantities multiply ingredients by the amount of people you are serving.

Recipe sourced from: https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/375980268875595160/

Kristin Hedges is a Registered Dietitian with Kids Eat Smart Foundation NL.

TD Kids Eat Smart Province Wide Walk to Breakfast, October 3, 2018

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This year marks the 13th anniversary of the TD Kids Eat Smart Province Wide Walk to Breakfast.  Thousands of children, teachers, parents and volunteers will walk on October 3, 2018 to raise money and awareness for their Kids Eat Smart Clubs.

The TD Kids Eat Smart Province-Wide Walk to Breakfast is an opportunity for schools to raise funds and awareness of their KES Clubs.  Every $1 raised is a meal for a child in our schools in Newfoundland and Labrador.  All money raised in a local school goes directly to the KES Club in that school.  Our long time, Sponsor of Walk to Breakfast, TD and our KES Team are proud to join our schools, all throughout the province, to walk in support of  KES Clubs that day!  On October 3 join a TD Walk to Breakfast in your local school!

We also have a new online feature to help collect funds for your walk. Go to our website and search your school to donate to your TD Walk to Breakfast today www.kidseatsmart.ca !

For more information please contact your local school or Kids Eat Smart Foundation at 1-877-722-1996.

Kristin Hedges is a Registered Dietitian with Kids Eat Smart Foundation NL.

 

Breakfast Pizza!

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Serving breakfast in creative ways is always a great way to get kids excited about healthy eating.  This is a great fun recipe to serve up at your KES Club during a special breakfast or at your regular breakfast.  All of our KES Club menu items should include foods from 3 of the 4 food groups from Canada’s Food Guide. Serving this special treat with milk can ensure you meet these guidelines.  For more fun recipe ideas follow our Weekly Blog on our Facebook and Twitter sites everyone Tuesday and Thursday @KidsEatSmartNL.

Breakfast Pizza

Ingredients

  • 8 ounce – cream cheese, low fat
  • 1/4 cup – honey
  • 1 teaspoon – vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon – milk
  • 4 large – naan
  • 1 cup – raspberries
  • 1 cup – blackberries

Recipe & Image Sourced from: https://www.superhealthykids.com/breakfast-pizza-and-a-giveaway/

Kristin Hedges is a Registered Dietitian with Kids Eat Smart Foundation NL.

 

Serving up a Variety of Healthy Foods!

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We often get questions at Kids Eat Smart NL about what to serve and Club Coordinators looking for sample menus.  We like to keep our menus simple and offer variety as much as we can.  We follow the recommended servings as per Canada’s Food Guide. On our menus we like to see fruit and milk daily as well as a healthy whole grain. Keeping your menu simple but adding a variety keeps kids excited and coming back for more at your Breakfast Club. When planning your menu you always keep allergies, at your school, in mind. Below is a sample 2 week menu that has lots of variety but simple ideas:

Day Week 1 Week 2
Monday · Cheerios

· Milk

· Orange

 · Waffle

· Yogurt tube

· Banana
Tuesday · Whole wheat toast

· Hard Cheese Cubes

· Apple slices

· Milk

 · Shreddies

· Milk

· Canned fruit in juice
Wednesday · Oatmeal

· Milk

· Melon chunks

 · ½ whole wheat bagel

· Apple

· Milk
Thursday · Whole wheat english muffin

· Strawberries

· Boiled egg

· Milk

 · Whole wheat english muffin

· Hard cheddar cheese

· Blueberries

· Milk
Friday · Shreddies

· Milk

· Canned fruit packed in water

 · Fresh fruit cup

· Yogurt

· Multigrain Cheerios with Milk

Kristin Hedges is a Registered Dietitian with Kids Eat Smart Foundation NL.

Grab & Go Menu Ideas

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Sometimes our KES Club volunteers struggle with menu items they can easily serve, that are easy to grab and go and are nutritious. It’s easy to think of ways to serve fruits and vegetables if you are serving a meal to children where they have a place they can sit down and enjoy it. Unfortunately, this ideal situation is not possible for all our KES Clubs. We have many fantastic menu items at our KES Clubs that kids simply grab-and-go.

Below are some helpful hints on ways you can serve fruit and vegetables for your “grab-and-go” KES Club:

  • Volunteers can pre-wash and prepare fruits and veggies such as grapes, orange slices, berries, carrots and celery and seal them in small baggies for the following day.
  • Small fruits and vegetables can be placed in muffin liners or small cups so they are easy to carry.
  • Serving fruits such as bananas, apples and clementines that are easy to grab and eat are great options.
  • Fruit cups in its own juice or water, requires no prep and are a great grab-and-go option.
  • If your KES Club has the facilities for storing foods, volunteers could make yogurt and berry (frozen) parfaits in disposable cups that the children can easily enjoy while walking to class.
  • Cheese cubes cut up and placed on a napkin are also a great grab-and-go option.

Kristin Hedges is a Registered Dietitian with the Kids Eat Smart Foundation NL.