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colorful plate

The ‘Colorful’ Plate

Before my daughters were born, I pictured myself making elaborate homemade meals to fill their plates with a variety of foods. I’m 6 years into being a mom and to be honest, feeding my two kids can be tough, especially when they are often choosy eaters! My own expectations of feeding my kids have changed as time has gone on. The older my girls get the harder it is to get them to eat a variety of foods. We often go through phases where they love a specific food one week and then turn up their nose to it the next.

chicken fajitas

MyPlate Series – Christine

We’re kicking off a series of blogs about MyPlate this week. MyPlate is a simple guide to help us think about food groups at meals and snacks. A few of us Spend Smart. Eat Smart. blog authors will share how we use the MyPlate ideas at home.

Magical Fruit Salad in a dish

Elevate Your Dessert

I love dessert and always find myself wanting something sweet after my meals or throughout my day to satisfy my “sweet tooth”. I have been this way ever since I can remember. As a young child I relished birthday cake at parties for friends and family, so now I consider myself an experienced consumer of all desserts!

kids cooking in the kitchen

Taking Over the Kitchen

Last week Katy shared about how she includes her young children in the kitchen. My children are a little bit older and it has been fun to watch their skills and interest improve in the kitchen. Here are some of the things all three of my children help with in the kitchen:

cutting vegetables on a cutting board

“Mom, What’s for Dinner”?

As a busy mom to two kids under 5, I get asked “mom, what’s for dinner?” around the same time every day. To help me stay organized, every Saturday I decide on a meal plan devoted strictly to dinners for the upcoming week. By looking at each day individually I have a better idea of how much time I will have to devote to preparing dinner. This also helps me track which days my family has evening commitments that may make it more difficult to prepare a time-intensive meal.

BEEF AND VEGETABLE STIR FRY

What’s for Dinner at the Gatewood Household?

This week it’s my turn to share what we’re having for dinner at my house! I’m a big fan of having dishes that include multiple food groups. That means I don’t have to think of or make many side dishes. Some recipes that are often in the rotation at our house include Quick Pad Thai, Beef and Vegetable Stir Fry, and Pasta Fagioli Soup. Since all of these have vegetables, protein, and grains, a side of fruit and maybe a glass of milk are the only other things I need to serve.