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family riding bikes together on a path

Moving as a Family

In our blog series this month, we are sharing about some of our favorite ways to be active. Last week Jody shared about her favorites on the blog. Jody is a hard act to follow because she is a physical activity pro. Check out our physical activity videos on the Spend Smart. Eat Smart. website for proof. I am not a pro at being active, but I try to move my body most days of the week. For me, being active is important because it gives me more energy, it improves my mood, and it helps me sleep better at night. Some of my time spent being active is alone, but I also enjoy being active with my kids. I have noticed that they experience the same benefits of being active as I do. Below are some tips I have learned over the years of us being active together.

two women riding bikes outside in the summer

My Go-To Ways to Stay Active

As the weather warms-up and the days get longer here in Iowa, I am looking forward to being active outside more. Over the past couple of years, one of my favorite ways to be active outdoors is going on bike rides. Last year was my first time riding a day of RAGBRAI. I rode with my colleague and fellow Spend Smart. Eat Smart. blogger, Justine Hoover. If you haven’t heard about RAGBRAI before, it’s a week-long bike ride across Iowa with overnight stops in different towns. Find out more at ragbrai.com. I like that it’s not a race and all ages and abilities participate. We had a lot of fun last year and are planning to ride another day this year. To prepare, I’ll spend some time on my bike on local trails.

Banana Ice Cream

We All Scream for Ice Cream!

Have you ever played a game where you can only choose one food to eat for the rest of your life? If you asked my oldest daughter what that favorite food would be, I could guarantee that her answer would be ice cream! Each week when I put together a grocery list, ice cream is one of the first (and only!) items my daughter will add.

bags of frozen fruits and vegetables in a freezer

What’s in Justine’s Freezer?

Welcome to our final week of sharing what we keep on hand in our freezers. If you were to take a peek into my freezer, you would find a mix of foods you would expect, leftovers, and random surprises.

woman cooking dinner in her kitchen

A Freezer Full of Possibility: Cooking for One Without the Waste

Last week we took a peek into Katy’s freezer and learned how she makes day-to-day meals and snacks easier for her family of four using frozen foods. This week I get to share how I use my freezer as a household of one. In some ways cooking for one is simpler because I have only myself to please and I know what I like. However, cooking for one or two requires some careful planning to minimize waste and make the most of your effort.

woman takes frozen vegetables out of a freezer

A Peek into Katy’s Freezer

As Jody mentioned last week, in her blog on frozen food, it can be a great option to stretch food dollars and plan meals. Having items on hand in the freezer allows me to have a variety of options to feed my family. Frozen foods give me the flexibility to change my meal plan as needed, without worrying about food waste.