Heal Canker Sores Naturally

Most of us have experienced one of these in our lifetime.  A canker sore is a little ulcer inside your mouth or on your tongue.  It can be very annoying while you have one.  A canker sore can result from a few different things: stress, accidentally biting your mouth, braces rubbing your mouth, spicy or citrus food (or another food trigger), abrasive foods (chips, popcorn, nuts, etc), vitamin or nutrient deficiency, gastrointestinal issues, or a weak immune system.  One or more of these could be causing your canker sores to appear, last longer, and hurt more.

Canker sores can be extremely painful, especially if you eat spicy or citrus foods.  They also last for 1-2 weeks before finally healing up.  It's not fun to have one! 

The reason I'm posting on this topic is because my husband experiences canker sores often from nicking his mouth with his teeth while chewing food.  He's always had the problem since he was young.  Over the years we have developed a game plan to help prevent the pain and suffering that comes with a canker sore and to boost the healing time so he doesn't suffer for the full 2 weeks.  Here are our tips to healing canker sores faster naturally.

Heal Canker Sores Naturally

1.) GET ADJUSTED  Your body has an amazing ability to heal itself.  That power starts in the brain and travels down through the spinal cord out to every organ and cell of your body.  Chiropractic looks for any interference in the spine which prevents the healing power from traveling to the places it needs to. Each adjustment has been shown to boost immunity anywhere from 200-400%.  When a canker sore is present, it's time to boost your immune system, and I know no better way to do that than a chiropractic adjustment from my Maximized Living chiropractor.  If you are looking for a Maximized Living chiropractor near you, visit MaximizedLiving.com and search your zip code or address.

2.) ELIMINATE TRIGGER FOODS  These are most commonly anything spicy or citrus, but you may notice your canker sores come on after eating a certain food or ingredient.  Once you narrow down on your trigger, eliminate it as much as possible from you diet.  This will help your canker sores heal faster, and will help prevent future canker sores from developing.

3.) CUT OUT ALL SUGAR  You should hop on the Advanced Plan strictly while experiencing a canker sore.  The Advanced Plan will help you cut out all sugar which causes inflammation in the body.  The less inflammation present in the body, the faster your body can heal.

4.)  L-LYSINE  Lysine is one of the 9 essential amino acids (your body cannot make it on its own) and is one your body needs for tissue repair and growth.  You may also see relief by supplementing Lysine for cold sores or shingles sores.  1,000 mg 3 times daily until the canker sore heals.

5.) BRUSH AND RINSE OFTEN  This helps to keep your mouth clean and limits the canker sore's exposure to bacteria which can make the canker sore last longer and more painful.  Use a natural (or homemade!) toothpaste without SLS or other chemical ingredients that are shown to further irritate or even cause canker sores.  Follow brushing your teeth with a mouth rinse of hydrogen peroxide.  This helps to clean out the canker sore and actually eases the inflammation and pain.

6.) B-COMPLEX VITAMIN + ZINC  Look for a B-complex that has B-6 and B-12.  Canker sores can be caused by a B-6/12 deficiency or they can stick around longer if you're low in either of these.  Likewise, a deficiency in zinc can both cause or worsen a canker sore.

Natural Pink Eye Remedy

This last week, both Austin and I had been a bit run down with a chest cold and pink eye.  We're both feeling a lot better now, after taking a week or so to rest and boost our immune systems.  I've been noticing on our Facebook page that a few folks have been battling eye infections lately, too.  I wanted to share my tips for helping your eyes and body heal naturally.

I don't like to admit this, but I am somewhat of an expert on pink eye and eye sickness.  It is something I have battled frequently for my entire life.  I was born without functioning bottom tear ducts in both of my eyes, so my tears don't drain after being produced.  The constant tear production and pooling process creates the same affect as a stagnant pond in nature.  Without drainage and circulation, bacteria accumulates and thrives.  Growing up, I was in and out of the medical doctor at least once a month for conjunctivitis or some other form of an eye infection.  This was a constant battle for me all the way through my college years.  No one ever explained WHY my eyes were so susceptible to getting sick.

That was until I met my now husband, Dr. Dave.  He was the one person to explain the nervous system to me and its role on allowing my eyes to heal.  I began getting regular chiropractic adjustments in 2007.  For me, that meant 3-4 adjustments per week based on the damage in my neck.  The nerves going to my eyes were literally being pinched off by the bones in my neck due to ligament damage that I had never known about until then.  It took a few months of consistent chiropractic care, but soon I noticed I wasn't getting sick anymore.  For the first time in my life, I had gone 4 months without an eye infection!  And I noticed something else..  My eyes were draining better on their own!  I used to have to wipe my eyes with tissue multiple times in an hour -- often friends or classmates would ask me if I was okay, thinking I was crying.  I realized that not only were my eyes healthier and warding off sickness better, but I was able to wait 2-3 hours without having to wipe my eyes!

Now fast forward six years, after getting my spine corrected, and fully incorporating the 5 Essentials of Health into my life, my eyes have been doing even better!  This recent bout with pink eye is one of maybe 4 times I've had it in the last six years.  Who can complain about that looking back from where I have come from?

All of this said, I want to share my tips for helping your eyes heal naturally without the use of antibiotics.  Something to remember about antibiotics is that they kill both the bad bacteria AND the good.  A man-made antibiotic knows no difference.  Our body needs its good bacteria as it is the foundation for our immune system.  Also, an eye infection is not always bacterial.  My doctors growing up told me "there's a 50/50 chance it could be bacterial or viral," so they would give me an antibiotic eye drop plus some pill for viral infection.  I don't remember the names of the medications, but I do remember thinking how come I needed pills and drops that really didn't help and why couldn't my body heal on its own.  It wasn't until much later in life that I learned that my body CAN HEAL if I just give it the best opportunity to do so.

Here is what I do to fight an eye infection naturally.  It's all about addressing your immune system.  The only time you will get an eye infection is when your immune system is weakened.  Here are my tips to boost you:

1. GET ADJUSTED  Your body has an amazing ability to heal itself.  That power starts in the brain and travels through the spinal cord to every organ and cell of your body.  Chiropractic looks for any interference in the spine which prevents the healing power from traveling to the places it needs to.  Each adjustment to your nervous system boosts your immunity anywhere from 200-400%!  Do yourself the favor and get your neck checked by your Maximized Living doctor.  Getting corrective care adjustments can greatly accelerate your healing when you are sick.  Visit MaximizedLiving.com to find a corrective care chiropractor near you.
2. COLLOIDAL SILVER  This is what I use in place of an antibacterial eye drop medication.  There are two ways you can use this.  You can drop 2-3 drops directly into each eye 3-5 times per day.  Or you can fill an eye wash cup with colloidal silver and wash your eye that way 3-5 times per day.  Make sure you have 10ppm colloidal silver (proven to kill the bad bacteria in 6 minutes or less on contact).  It's best to treat both eyes with colloidal silver in case there is bacteria cross contamination.  Often just as your one eye is healing, the other will get sick.  That's never fun.
   (You can alternatively use a few drops of fresh breast milk directly into each eye to naturally kill any bad bacteria in the eye.  The breast milk will also soothe the irritation.)
   
3. GARLIC  Raw garlic is a natural antibiotic, antihistamine and holds many immune boosting capabilities.  If you can handle eating it raw, pop a couple cloves in your mouth throughout the day, chew and swallow.  Most likely you won't be able to handle this (I know I can't!).  Instead, find raw garlic capsules and supplement that way.  2,000-6,000mg daily is a healthy high dose to boost your immune system.  I'll usually do 2,000mg in the morning and 2,000mg before bed when I'm sick.
   
4. OIL OF OREGANO  Oil of oregano contains natural compounds that combat viral, bacterial, fungal, and parasitic infections.  It is a powerful oil and a few drops can go a long way!  One of the most important things to look for when buying Oil of Oregano is the amount of Carvacrol and Thymol. Most of the health benefits of Oil of Oregano are due to these two active ingredients.   Oil of Oregano can come in different strengths.  The higher the carvacrol concentration, the stronger it's antimicrobial effects.  Also, be sure it is organic.  There are two ways to dose Oil of Oregano for an eye infection:  1) Place 4-6 drop sublingually (beneath your tongue) and hold for 30 seconds before swallowing.  Repeat up to 10 times daily.  2)  In a shot glass of filtered water, float 15 drops on the surface.  Take the shot and let the oil coat your throat.  Repeat up to 10 times daily.
5. VITAMIN C  Up to 10,000mg daily is a safe high dose for Vitamin C.  Be sure you are using a high quality and safe brand that meets food-grade standards.  If you're not sure, ask your Maximized Living doctor!
6. VITAMIN D3  Vitamin D3 is a HUGE immune booster, believe it or not.  And we often wonder why we get sick in the fall and winter months more than summer.  Well, it mostly has to do with our lack of vitamin D during those 6 months.  Not only are we not getting outside as much with less skin exposed, but we are farther away from the sun as well so the precious healing rays can't reach us as effectively even if we were outside!  Up to 20,000 IUs daily is a safe high dose for Vitamin D 3 while sick.  On a daily basis in the fall/winter, I take 10,000 IUs daily to make up for lack of sunlight (5,000 IUs daily in the summer months).  Be sure you are using a high quality and safe brand that meets food-grade standards.  If you're not sure, ask your Maximized Living doctor!
7. WATER  Drink PLENTY of pure, filtered water each day.  Normally you want to drink at least half your body weight in ounces of water daily.  When you're sick, you need to drink even more!  This does not include tea, almond milk, or protein shakes, etc.  It needs to be pure water to hydrate your cells and help to flush out toxins.
8. PLAIN TISSUE  When dealing with an eye infection, this is a very important step to take.  By "plain tissue," I mean just tissue, not the kind that's got "vitamins or lotion added."  Did you ever think about how they get lotion onto a tissue?  It's definitely NOT natural.  It's actually toxic chemicals that have been studied and shown to make you more sick (so the can sell more tissue?)!  Instead, you should use only plain, uncoated tissue sheets or a handkerchief (wash often).  Unbleached tissue is best, as we all know the dangers of chlorine to our health.  And guess what?  Natural uncoated tissue is actually less expensive than the more commercial 'lotion added' tissues!
9. COLD EYE COMPRESS  I know, I know.  When your eyes are sick with crusty gunk and swollen, we want to use a hot washcloth to soften the gunk away.  What's actually better is using a cold washcloth and actually holding it over your eyes for some time.  A hot compress will actually create more inflammation to your eyes, worsening your symptoms.  Instead run a clean wash cloth under freezing cold water, wring it out well, and hold it on your eyes for 10-20 minutes at a time as many times a day as you can.  I like to do this right before putting the colloidal silver drops into my eyes.  And I usually do the cold compress for 15 minutes 5-6 times per day (about every 2 hours if I'm able to).  It really, really helps you get through the day.
10. EAT FOODS HIGH IN VITAMIN A  Vitamin A is one of the main vitamins your eyes utilize to keep healthy and strong.  Eat plenty of spinach, sweet potato, kale, and more foods found here.

6 Ways to Rebalance Hormones Naturally

Hi all!  I'm back and feeling fabulous!  That two week break was much needed and appreciated.  I am still catching up on emails, so please do understand if you haven't hear back from me yet.  There are a lot of questions to answer, some of which are coming up in today's post.

Many of you asked me to share what I did over the past two weeks to revamp my health.  Let me first explain a little of what I've been feeling health-wise and why I felt was time for a revamp.

Hormone imbalance is something I am predisposed to.  I have battled it my entire life.  In 2008, doctors had told me it was unlikely I would conceive.  While I never got a "medical diagnosis," it was likely I had PCOS and possibly cancer cells forming on my reproductive organs.  I decided to take a natural approach to healing.  While taking courses along the way so I could teach the natural detox processes to my own clients, I underwent a year long full body detox process of balancing my hormones and healing my organs.  After going through the completely natural healing process, I finally knew what it felt like to be healthy and living at my optimal potential for the first time in my life.  And shortly after, we were overjoyed to learn that we were expecting our son, Austin.

Since he was born, I have exclusively breastfed my son.  Long story short, after the first few weeks I learned that I wasn't producing enough milk that Austin was asking for on a daily basis.  Trial and error, it turned out I wasn't eating enough carbs.  I was eating Advanced Plan after the birth, but my body needed more carbs to turn into milk.  The things that worked best were oatmeal, brown rice, quinoa, and sprouted grains.  Eating a serving of one of these with almost every meal was basically essential to making enough milk for my little man.  As long as I did it daily, we had no supply problems come bedtime.  But what I knew is that sugar is a huge offset to my hormonal balance.

My body slips back into hormonal discourse very easily.  I knew what to expect: weight gain, bloating, fatigue, brain fog, and blemishes.   Now, I was not at all concerned with fast weight loss after pregnancy.  I trusted my body and the breastfeeding process.  However, I have noticed I have gained over 15 pounds since a year ago.  The bloating has been particularly bad in the last few months, and my memory is all over the place, which is just not me!  These were my wake up calls.  It was time to get things under control again.

Austin has started eating food in the last 2 months.  He's been pretty good about eating breakfast and dinner with me every day.  We still breast feed at least 3 times a day, but his feeding frequency has cut about in half from where we were 2 months ago.  I figured this would be the perfect time to make some diet changes (i.e. THE ADVANCED PLAN) and begin a few supplements to casually support hormone balance.  (Note: I am not doing a full hormone or estrogen detox.  While breastfeeding, you want to avoid any supplements that will cause your body to dump toxic estrogen from the body, and essentially into the milk your child will drink.)

I wanted to take two weeks for some ME time because I have also been feeling like I neglect myself since becoming a Mom.  I can see your heads nodding.  It's true, once you become a Mom you put your family's needs first every single time.  But, as we teach our patients, if YOU aren't healthy who will take care of them?  It was time for some Elise focus!  Daily devotions and bible time, bath time without baby, meditation time to clear my brain, and exercise every day.  (Oh yeah, I have probably never mentioned how much I HATE working out??  I've never been athletic.  I always had crafts or something indoors I wanted to be working on.  I still cling to that mindset unfortunately.  Blogging, dishes, cooking...there's always something I would rather be doing.)  I usually get a burst workout in about once a week, but in order to keep my hormones in sync and my weight healthy, I needed to get consistent with at least 3 times per week workouts.

Okay, so here is what I did to revamp my health in 2 weeks!

How To Rebalance Hormones Naturally

#1)  Exercise

Exercise is a huge component for hormone balancing.  Weight training in particular causes a lot of healthy hormone reactions that in turn work to reboot and rebalance.  I recommend consistent burst or surge style exercise for maximum rebalancing affect.

This was a huge one for me personally.  It's all about getting into a consistent routine of both aerobic and weight training.  My 2 weeks of health revamp fell perfectly in line with a boot camp a friend who is a personal trainer was hosting near our home.  It was exactly what I needed as far as accountability.  I also learned a lot of new workout moves to keep the variety going.  This was my first experience with personal trainers and I've got to say I really enjoyed it!  If you are like me and need that accountability and/or a little guidance along the way, I highly recommend looking into a trainer.  The boot camp was so fun!  I worked out burst style 6 days per week, and 4 of the days we were required to do 2-a-day workouts.  Cardio in the morning, weight training in the evening.  I thought I was going to die, but actually those days I felt AMAZING!

#2)  Nutrition & Diet

Guide to the Advanced Plan

I don't mean start counting calories.  Focus on clean eating and cutting out sugar, caffeine, bad fats, dairy, conventional meats, non-organic produce, and anything else that contributes to hormone offset or weight gain.  The cleaner you eat, the better your body will be at detoxing naturally.

For me, this meant two weeks of strict Advanced Plan.  I was so happy that my milk supply was fairly steady with Austin's nursing demands after cutting out the grains!   We had a couple nights at the beginning that I needed to have a little more kale protein shake to catch up from all the exercise I was doing, but we figured it out and the rest has been going great!  I've been trying to eat raw as much as possible.  You'll notice the bloat will dissipate quickly by cutting out the grains.

#3)  Reduce Stress & Fill Your Cup

Schedule in YOU time, reduce daily stress, and get plenty of rest.  I've learned that it's so so important to have some time to yourself on a daily basis to "fill your cup."  Do something you love every day to recharge your batteries!  For me, it's trying out a new recipe in the kitchen while daddy watches the baby, visiting a girlfriend kid-free, working on a craft while Austin naps.  Even if it's just 15 minutes of reading a new book, I always feel better after getting some alone time every day.  The happier you are on a daily basis, the better your hormones will be at adapting to the day's stress and changes.

It's also a good idea to incorporate some meditation and/or stretching, or some other way to clear your mind and relax your muscles daily.  For me and many of my female clients in the past, it's hard to reduce stress in our every day lives.  I find my day goes better if I take just 10 to 20 minutes in the morning to pray, dive into a daily devotions book, read my Bible, or look out the window at nature.  This time is for thinking about you, giving thanks, and clearing your head.  Do not think about your to-do list or what the day will bring.  Unplug for this short time and let the stress melt out of your muscles.  I like to get on the floor and stretch out while I meditate on a prayer or happy thought.  Each line of the prayer is a new stretch or pose.

Sleep is just as important.  When you sleep, your body reboots.  Getting enough sleep each night will give your body the best chance to heal where it needs to.  If you aren't getting enough sleep (6-8 hours a night at least!) then your body will never be balanced.  It's as simple as that.

#4)  Chiropractic & Spinal Correction
Specifically, Maximized Living doctors work to correct the physical structure of the spine when your structure has curved or lacks the perfect structure needed for optimal nerve function.  The doctor can look at your thermal nerve scan or xray and see if your endcrine system or specific reproductive organs are being affected at the root level.  If there is pressure on the nerves, they can then work to remove that pressure and help your body correct the structural problems for a healthier future.  I cannot recommend getting in to see your local Maximized Living chiropractor strongly enough!  If you're going to pick one thing on this list to do, this is the one, because without 100% nerve function going out to your endocrine system, how can you expect anything else on this list to work for those organs?  You don't know until you get checked.  Definitely get checked so you know what is happening inside!

I didn't know until I got checked either.  My first exam warranted a set of xrays be taken.  I had no idea I had a 12 degree scoliosis in my low spine, RIGHT at the nerves going out to my uterus and adrenal glands.  I also had lost the good curvature in my neck, and the straightened out structure was putting pressure on the nerves going to my hypothalamus, pituitary, and thyroid.  It took some time to get my spinal structure corrected, but with each adjustment I felt better.  I had more energy.  I felt like my food was digesting better.  As time went by, my menstrual cycles returned after over 2 years of none.  Weight dripped off my body without even trying to workout.  My metabolism was on the rise!  And my vision improved, I no longer needed to wear my weak strength glasses.  My doctor (aka my husband Dr Dave -- I am so blessed!) monitored my progress along the way.  It was so reassuring to see on the follow up xray that all my hard work was paying off.  I could see the structure correction happening right on the xray!  It wasn't until we had corrected the scoliosis completely that my hormones were completely rebalanced and my endocrine system in sync.  A month after finishing my spinal correction, we conceived.  It was a complete surprise, because I didn't know still if my body would ever be strong enough to hold onto a baby and care for it.  God blessed us powerfully that day!

#5)  Acupressure or Acupuncture

Acupressure and Acupuncture work by stimulating reference points along the body that refer back to specific organs in a means to create healing response.   I really believe in coupling either of these methods with Chiropractic as a method of long term optimal wellness.  Your care provider will be able to specifically focus on your endocrine system, which will help your body put extra attention and energy into those organs and get them working together again faster.

In the past, while trying to beat infertility, I have seen an acupuncturist.  Currently I am seeing a reflexologist.  Both methods are wonderful, but I think I prefer the reflexology personally.  [If you are in the Charlotte area and need a great referral, the woman I see for reflexology is wonderful!  Top notch!  And affordable!! Email me.]

#6)  Supplementation
There are a few more specific supplements than the ones I am about to list that I recommend for hormone balancing and detox.  If you think you are a candidate for a more intense estrogen cleanse or a complete hormone/endocrine system overhaul, please email me to schedule a consultation.  I offer detox consultation packages via Skype or phone.

As I am still breastfeeding, I am taking a very mild approach with my supplements.  I don't want my body to go into full detox dumping mode because any excess estrogen shed will most likely go into my breast milk.  Two weeks ago, and for a while after giving birth, I felt like my body was heading downhill.  I had to be patient and wait to make some changes until Austin wasn't depending on me for food so much.  I wanted to add a few things in to my diet that would stop the downhill progression and help my body to start climbing the other way.  I'm not going for a shock method, but a gradual flip.  I added in:

Nutiva Hemp Oil

-  raw maca powder

-  Magnesium & zinc

-  Vessel Care (the best complete B complex vitamin formulated for optimal methylation; order through me)

-  Phytoganix (my favorite way to get phytonutrients like spirulina and acai; order through me)

-  Estrium (a 'medical food' powder full of herbs and supplements that work to reverse hormone imbalance; order through me)

-  Omega 3s (I added extra raw hemp oil and coconut oil to my diet)

-  And my usuals: Vitamin C, liquid Vitamin D3, probiotics, kombucha and Dynamic Greens (the best organic antioxidant drink I have found!)

Feel free to contact me with any questions.  And again, if you think it's time to take charge of your health and do a hormone reset, please email me to schedule a consultation: elise@healingcuisinebyelise.com.

Kombucha Tea Flavorings Round 2

Looking back through my posts in the last few years, I see it's been a while since my last post about brewing kombucha.  Hard to believe!  Well I have about a year's worth of new flavor combinations to share with you.  But first, take a look back at our past discussions about brewing kombucha at home.  If you haven't started yet, believe me it's easy and takes very little effort!  The cost savings of home brewing and health benefits of consuming regularly are abundant!

Weird science project or tasty drink?: How to Brew Kombucha

Is My SCOBY Moldy?

Kombucha Tea Flavorings Round 1

Kombucha Smoothie 

Kombucha Mojito

I hope you like some of these new kombucha flavors.  These ingredients are added during the second fermentation period.  We love to try new combinations.  Exotic blends are at the bottom.  Always use organic ingredients, because chemicals and pesticides can harm the SCOBY and kill the natural yeast production.  Be sure to check out the original kombucha tea flavorings post from 2010 first to see if you want to try any if the classic flavors, too!


Kombucha Tea Flavorings Round 2

To 3 quarts of kombucha tea for the second fermentation period, add:

Watermelon-Lime Kombucha

Watermelon-Lime:  1/3 cup fresh squeezed watermelon juice  +  1/4 cup lime peel cut into strips

Pineapple:  1/4 cup fresh pineapple

Pineapple Pomegranate:  1/4 cup fresh pineapple  +  1/4 cup pomegranate juice

Apple Berry:  1/3 cup unsweetened organic apple juice  +  1/3 cup fresh mixed berries (or thawed frozen berries, or 1/4 cup unsweetened jam)

Cherry Vanilla: 1/4 cup dried cherries OR 1/3 cup pitted fresh cherries  +  2 tsp pure vanilla extract 

Pear-Almond:  1/4 cup fresh pear  +  2 tsp pure almond extract

Orange-Grapefruit: 1/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice  +  1/3 cup fresh squeezed grapefruit juice   OR  1/4 cup orange peel  +  1/4 cup grapefruit peel 

Lemon-Blueberry:  1/4 cup lemon peel cut into strips  +  1/3 cup fresh blueberries (or frozen thawed blueberries, or 1/4 cup dried blueberries)

Peach:  1/3 cup fresh peaches (or thawed frozen peaches)

Strawberry-Mango: 1/4 cup fresh mango  (or frozen thawed mango)  +  1/3 cup fresh strawberries (or frozen thawed strawberries)

Kiwi:  1/3 cup fresh kiwi

Calm Blend:  1 tsp dried lavender flower  +  1 tsp dried chamomile flower

Chai Blend:  2 tsp of my favorite whole chai spice blend

Apple Pie Kombucha

Apple Pie Chai:  1/3 cup unsweetened apple juice  +  1 tsp chai spice blend  +  1 cinnamon stick

Apple Pie:  1/3 cup unsweetened apple juice  +  1 cinnamon stick

Pumpkin Pie:  1/3 cup pumpkin puree (optional)  +  4 whole cloves  +  2 cinnamon sticks  +  1/2 tsp ground nutmeg  +  3/4 tsp ground ginger  +  1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Chocolate Malt:  1 heaping Tablespoon raw cacao powder  +  1 heaping Tablespoon maca powder

Continue with the second ferment for at least 2 days.  Sometimes we forget and let our bottles go about 7 days for the second ferment.  They still taste good, but start to get a bit vinegary tasting again.  I think 3-4 days is the sweet spot.  Then pop in the fridge overnight, strain and enjoy!

Don't be afraid to experiment!  And don't be afraid to pour a batch down the drain if it didn't come out how you wanted.  I've done that a few times myself.  You can always make more!  The fun is in the experimenting, creating, and enjoying.

If you have a favorite flavor, please share it in the comments section!  I'd love to hear from you!

School Lunches Part 4: Healthy Recipes to Switch It Up

If you are just catching up, this is the fourth installment of our real food School Lunches series.  You can look back at Part 1: The Tools, Part 2: Nine Time Saving Tips, and Part 3: Menu Planning.  If you aren't already a follower of our Facebook page, you're missing out on some pretty great discussion and tips!  You'll want to click on over and join.  I welcome you to ask questions or share your natural living and real food cooking tips right on the wall to spark interest and discussion from everyone!

Now that you have all the tools and tips to prepare healthy whole food lunches in advance, saving you time and money, it's time to give you some fresh recipe ideas for packing school lunches.  Let's spice it up and keep your kid(s) engaged week after week!

SANDWICH BREAD ALTERNATIVES

We skip the bread all together in our house.  Instead, we use lettuce or kale wraps, turkey wraps, cucumber sandwiches, raw apple ring sandwiches, my almond flour tortillas, or these raw coconut wraps from Improveat.

*An important tip on lunch meat.  You want to choose a Nitrite & Nitrate-free brand, also 100% free range or pastured turkey or chicken and 100% grass fed roast beef.  Ham is not included on the Core or Advanced Plans, and I recommend staying away from pork all together for many other health reasons.

Here are some ideas to go bread-free in the lunchbox:

-  Cucumber sandwiches or cucumber cups stuffed with salmon salad, chicken salad, or hummus

-  Cucumber sandwiches with sliced nitrite/nitrate-free turkey, raw cheese, and hummus

Make mini pizzas or cut homemade pizza into squares

-  Make mini pizzas using one of my grain-free pizza crust recipes, top with hummus or tomato sauce and roasted veggies

-  If you're anything like me, you stand by your classic chicken salad recipe.  Switch it up with chicken fruit salad (shredded chicken, segmented orange or grapefruit, sliced grapes, diced apple, diced pear, all tossed with homemade poppyseed dressing).  Serve in a lettuce wrap or over greens.

-  Cold turkey meatballs with cilantro-mint sauce served over greens or in a lettuce wrap.

-  Turkey wraps.  Now I know it sounds weird, but this combination is REALLY yummy.  Spread horseradish flavored hummus across free range deli cut turkey.  Lay down a lettuce leaf and a couple thin slices of cantaloupe.  Roll up and secure with a foodpick.

-  Black bean burgers are pretty good cold or room temp.  I like mine over lettuce with chipotle mayo.  Dave likes his sliced and wrapped in an Almond Flour Tortilla.

-  Grainless or sprouted grain waffles used as sandwich bread.  Slather with coconut butter, sunflower seed butter, unsweetened fruit preserves, organic cream cheese, apple butter, or apple sauce and make a sandwich!  Waffles can be made in advance and frozen.  Thaw in fridge overnight the day before you want to use them. 

Kids love apple sandwiches!

-  Apple sandwich from cored sliced apple rounds filled with almond butter, sunflower butter, coconut butter, raw honey, and optional raisins/oats/nuts/seeds.

-  Grain-free chicken strips or nuggets with chipotle mayo, homemade ketchup, or honey mustard dipping sauce.

-  Quinoa packs a lot of protein in a small serving.  Make a quinoa salad.  Mix in a variety of veggies or meat/poultry/fish and keep it exciting.  Some of my favorite quinoa salad recipes include: Quinoa Apple Salad, Mediterranean Salmon-Quinoa Salad, Quinoa Veggie Salad.

-  Instead of tuna salad (because tuna is not recommended on the Advanced or Core Plans), opt for wild caught Alaskan salmon salad.  2 cups Alaskan salmon, 1 diced green pepper, 1 diced cucumber, 1/2 cup chopped onion, 1/4 cup fresh mayonnaise, 2-3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, sea salt, pepper; mix it all together with a fork.  Roll in lettuce wraps or spread over top salad greens.

-  Banana Sandwich.  Raw almond or coconut butter and unsweetened raisins sandwiched between a banana sliced in half the long way.

NEW SIDE DISH IDEAS

-  Berries covered with coconut cream instead of yogurt (the cream is at the top of the can of coconut milk, the thick white part).  This works well in the winter using thawed frozen berries.

-  Bean salad mixed with roasted veggies, olive oil, and herbs.  Or a more raw version, like my Black Bean Confetti Salad.

Beet Hummus

-  New hummus flavors (beet hummus, zucchini hummus, broccoli hummus, green herbed hummus, roasted red pepper hummus, roasted garlic hummus, cilantro-lime hummus, sweet potato hummus, artichoke hummus, sour cream & onion hummus, sun dried tomato hummus, guacamole hummus)

-  Veggie chips (sweet potato chips, kale chips, zucchini chips, carrot chips, avocado fries, beet chips)

-  Raw apple sauce by pureeing a granny smith apple, peel and all.

-  Caramel dip with sliced apples

-  Homemade Larabars or fruit leather strips

-  Protein packed healthy baked goods (check out my desserts section for ideas)

-  Egg bakes, like a sliced vegetable egg frittata

-  Make a nut butter alternative for dipping apples & celery.  Whip together softened coconut butter with sunflower seed butter, a little almond milk, and powdered xylitol in a stand mixer.  Stir in raisins (optional).

-  Egg salad can be switched up a couple different ways: Classic Egg Salad and Deviled Egg Salad. 

Strawberry-Kiwi Greens

-  Homemade 'Gogurts' or pushpops using these silicone molds (or these ones).  We own the first set.  You can create so many different flavors.  Add plain yogurt, fruit blended with yogurt, fruit & veggie smoothies, mango pureed with coconut, fruit chunks with Strawberry-Kiwi Dynamic Greens, protein shakes, Key Lime Pudding, Chocolate Pudding….so many options!

-  Organic frozen veggies, thawed overnight in the fridge.  I store bags of organic mixed veggies in individual sized servings so I can pull from the fridge easily without measuring the night before, ready for the lunchbox in the morning.

-  Fresh homemade salad dressings taste so much better than store bought.  Your child is more likely to eat their spinach, kale, or lettuce if it tastes good.  Try some of my favorite quick and easy dressing mixes: 9 Fresh Dressing Ideas, Creamy Cucumber Salad Dressing, Ginger Lime Dressing.

KID FRIENDLY SOUPS & CASSEROLES

Thermos brand hot cups

Switch up the sack lunch with a hot soup or casserole.  Preheat the food AND the Thermos cup the in the morning.  Lunch will still be hot come lunchtime!  Remember, you can maximize your food budget by buying in-season fresh produce and freezing it for use later in the year, like the winter when fresh local veggies are scarce.  You also save time by making recipes in double or triple batches and freezing for later use.  I like to store individual servings of soups and casseroles in jars in the freezer for quick and easy lunches.  Some of my favorites to make now and freeze for later:

-  Chicken Minestrone - using extra vegetables or beans instead of pasta and whatever veggies are fresh and cheap!

-  Chili, oh how I loooove chili!  I like to switch it up, making a different chili recipe every few weeks: Pumpkin Chili, White Bean Chicken Chili, Healing Cuisine Classic Chili, Turkey-Bean Chili, Texas Chili, Three Bean Chili, Quinoa Chili, Moroccan Chili.

Pacific Natural Foods organic soup

-  We get the Pacific Natural Foods brand of Roasted Red Pepper-Tomato Soup, the low sodium version.  It's Core Plan approved and from a brand I can trust.  It's a cheaper and easier option than buying my own tomatoes and making the soup from scratch.  I love that it's organic, especially because conventional red bell peppers are on the Dirty Dozen and conventional tomatoes are treated with some pretty bad pesticides!  And, the Pacific Natural Foods cartons are BPA-free, which is a step better than canned soups or other carton brands!

-  Enchilada Chicken Stew

-  Quinoa Broccoli & Cheese Soup

-  Smoked Turkey Split Pea Soup

-  Tex-Mex Squash Bake

-  Homemade Hamburger Helper

-  Chicken & Dumpling Soup

-  Leek & Potato Soup


Do you have any tricks up your sleeve for switching up your child's school lunch?  Please share in the comments section or on our Facebook page!

School Lunches Part 3: Menu Planning

I'm back, after a short hiatus last week.  Dave and I have been working hard on plans for our future Greensboro, NC clinic.  We are currently in the south Charlotte area (side note: I am SO HAPPY the Democratic National Convention is over!  Life can go back to normal for us all finally.  We live within a mile of the hotel where all the stuff was happening and the President was staying.  Sounds cool, but let's just say we were counting down the days...  Friday was a happy day!).  We are planning to eventually move north a couple of hours to Greensboro to open our Maximized Living health center and raise our family.  Plans are starting, more news soon as we know more details.  I am getting excited though!!  It's sounding like 2013 will be the year!

I'm happy to be back to finish up our series on Whole Food School Lunches.  This is Part 3 where we'll be talking about Menu Planning.  In case you missed it, you can find Part 1 and Part 2 here.  After this breakdown of how to plan your weekly menus with your child(ren), I'll share a few new recipes that will spice up the lunch box experience for your kid(s) to keep them happy and engaged.

Each month, I keep a tally of how many consultations I do with you guys and what types of consultations.  Lately, each month I am shocked by the outcome.  It used to be that what people needed the most help with was detoxification and customized recipes for allergies.  Now, since about January, you guys are coming to me for help with Meal Planning.  That is by far the most requested consultation I am getting from you.  Today I'm sharing some of my tips with you for free! I'm hoping some of today's post will help with your lunch planning needs.   And enjoy the two PDF templates for free as well.

LUNCH PLANNING 101

I love it when a parent implements a meal planning routine with their child.  Not only are you teaching your kids life skills that they will use later in life on their own, but you are also opening the door for nutrition and health conversations.  You can help your child understand the importance of eating whole foods vs. processed foods, what it means to drink half your body weight in ounces, why sugary beverages can make you sick, and the differences between healthy proteins-carbs-fats vs. unhealthy options.

We're talking about planning lunches on a whole food, real food lifestyle.  Whether your child is following the Advanced Plan or Core Plan, or maybe you are in the baby step stage of just getting your family to eat whole foods.  All of today's tips will help you!  I would just like to explain that while balanced eating is very important (Protein, Carbs, Fat in each meal), it's not about calorie counting or measuring out exact grams or cups of foods.  When you are eating whole foods, simply make sure that each meal contains a Clean Protein, a Healthy Carb, and a Good Fat and you are set.  Your body knows what to do, and as long as you are eating enough for your body size (bigger portion for an adult, smaller portion for a child), you will stay full for 3-6 hours from meal-to-meal.

THE PROCESS

Pick a day that you and your child will sit down and plan your month's (or week's) worth of school lunches.  For us it is the last Thursday of every month.  Start by having your child tell you what he/she would like to see in their lunchbox.  It's important to send them off each day with a balanced meal.  I've created a Favorite Lunch Foods worksheet that you can fill out with your child (pictured below, download it here).  Ask them to list their favorite foods in each category: Clean Proteins, Healthy Fats, Vegetables, and Fruits.  Always include a bottle of fresh filtered water with every lunch (I like to use a Klean Kanteen).  Use this list of favorite foods as your crutch while planning the month/week's worth of lunches.

Favorite Lunch Foods Template

Once you have each child's favorites recorded, work together to mix and match the categories to create complete lunch meals.  I've created a Lunch Menu Template for you to use as your guide (pictured below, download it here).  It's in a weekly format, however I recommend planning your lunch menus out a month in advance.  This sets you up for success, giving you ample time to plan, shop, prep, and prepare.  You may find once you get the system down, that you can cook once a month and make enough food for the freezer to use in lunches for most of the following month.  Remember to refer back to my School Lunches Part 2 discussion on preparing lunch meals in advance.  Also, save each week's menu template after you fill it out.  Reuse it each month or every other month to further simplify the menu planning and save you time, or at least use it as a guide and make adjustments as needed based on seasonal produce!

Lunch Menu Planner Template

12 EXTRA LUNCH PLANNING TIPS
 

Decide to start today!

1.)  Do it.  As with any goal, the first step is making the commitment.  The second step is following through and doing it.  You can't just say you're going to do it, you must decide you will do it.  Set a date to start taking action.  Talk to your spouse and kids to get them involved in the meal planning process.  Have them help hold you accountable.

2.)  Shop strategically.  Pick a day to do your grocery shopping that works best for you.  For me, it's Sundays after 3pm.  Consider your schedule, then cross reference it against how busy your farmer's market or grocery store may be at that time.  Sometimes it's better to wait until later in the day to shop.  Also, consider your market's schedule.  Ask the store manager when they receive fresh shipments on produce.  And stay flexible with your shopping list.  If you're planning on romaine but the spinach looks better, go with the spinach.

3.)  Consume perishables first.  When putting your weekly meal plans together, send your kids off to school with the most perishable items first so nothing goes to waste later in the week.  In my house we have salads or lettuce/kale wraps on Mondays and Tuesdays.
 

Grade your efforts to make improvements.

4.)  Grade your efforts.  When your child brings their lunch box home, have them grade how they liked their lunch.  Have them write a grade, A-F, on the weekly menu planner or use a number system, 10-1.  This opens the door for communication about what they really did or didn't like about that day's packed lunch.  Together, you can make adjustments for next week.

5.)  Budget smart.  Budget your time, budget your money.  Using a monthly planning system allows you to buy foods in bulk to save the most money.  You'll also spend much less time planning one day a month rather than every single day.  Plan to use Sunday dinner leftovers in Monday's lunch.  And when certain foods are on sale, like chicken, avocados, or cauliflower, buy a bunch and freeze it for later in the year.  You can even make double dinners and freeze the 2nd portion for lunches later in the year.
 

Seasonal foodpicks add pizazz!

6.)  Looks count.  Make an effort to keep the packed lunches looking attractive.  A variety of food colors each day is a great start.  You can also include fun freezer packs (I like these ones by Rubbermaid, get a few to switch it up!) or use decorative items like cookie cutters to shape the cheese/fruit/veggies or foodpicks like this one or this one with a fun toppers.  And, your child is never too old for an encouraging note, a picture, or a funny drawing from you included in their lunchbox.

7.)  Variety is key.  Planning ahead means you'll have time to add variety to your kids' lunches.  Throw in a few new foods each week that are not on your child's Favorite Foods list.  If you're dealing with a picky eater who is likely to throw out the new food before trying it, instead try introducing new foods at dinner time first.  You can keep a watchful eye while your child responds to the new food.  Then open dialogue about including it in their lunches in the future.

8.)  Stick to the plan.  Map out your shopping list in detail to avoid buying processed foods or high sugar content foods.  When shopping, stick to your grocery list for your kids' lunches.  You don't want to forget anything that could compromise the week's menu.

9.)  Establish portion size.  For many parents, it's trial and error to figure out how much food is enough for your child to get through the day.  Growth spurts, extra activity during the school day, and many other things can impact how much food a child needs during the day.  Roll with the punches and continue to try your best to meet his/her needs. 

Larger size compartment lunchbox.

10.)  Design a template.  Depending on the age of your child, they may need more than 1 serving of Protein, Carb, and Fat at lunch time.  This is true especially for Middle School and High School age kids.  Talk with your child about how much food they need during the day, and together design a template to follow for preparing the lunches.  Some kids may need as much as 7-10 different food items to take enough food in to match their growing adolescent body.  For larger size lunches, you may need a bigger bento type box, or two of them, or something like this stackable style Ecobox.

11.)  Schedule baking day.  If you set yourself up for success, it will come more easily.  Schedule a day or two times during the week that you will bake lunch and snack items.  For me, I do our family's shopping on Sunday evenings.  Tuesday mornings once a month are for baking and making freezer desserts.  I actually only bake once or twice per month, making enough to store in the freezer for the rest of the month.  Putting the date on your schedule specifically for baking will encourage you to get it done.

12.)  Be mindful of allergies.  This is a good tip not only for the safety of others, but to ensure your child is eating only the food that you packed for them.  Talk with your child about how food allergies make it particularly important that everyone eat their own packed lunch.  If a fellow student has a food allergy that you don't know about, something in your lunch could trigger a reaction.  Eat what mom or dad gave you and only that, no trading.

School Lunches Part 2: 9 Time & Money Saving Tips

I hope you got to read Monday's post, Part 1 of our back-to-school lunches series.  I filled you in on my top school lunch packing must-haves.  Now that you are equipped with everything you'll need to pack a clean & green lunch, let's get to answering some of your questions.

My friend Lyra wrote in on our Healing Cuisine Facebook page asking for ideas to jazz up her kids' lunch experience and foods/recipes she can prepare in advance and freeze for later use.  I've also gotten many emails from you all asking for budget saving tips and preparing whole food recipes in advance and in bulk.  And I hear your pleas!  Switching over to whole food and preservative free food can get expensive without a little extra planning.  There are ways to stay within your monthly food budget while providing your children with real food meals throughout each day.  Today I'm sharing my Top 9 Time and Money Saving Tips!

In Part 3, I will detail how to make weekly and monthly meal plans with your child.  I feel that meal planning and teaching your child WHY they are to eat a balanced whole food meal is the key to helping your child value and enjoy eating this way.  I'll finish up this School Lunches Series by sharing some recipe ideas that are hopefully new to you and sound like fun for your kids.  Alright, let's get to it!

School Lunches Part 2: 
Prep Now, Save Money Now And Time Later

#1)  Balanced Eating:  First, I want to talk a little about the perfectly balanced meal.  This applies not only to lunch, but also breakfast and dinner meals.  If you've done a meal planning consultation with me, you've heard me harping about the critical importance of the balance between Clean Protein, Healthy Carbs, & Good Fat in each meal of the day.  Your body needs these macro-nutrients in large amounts to perform basic cellular functions.  Proteins are the building blocks of cells made up of amino acids, and provides your body with the ability and energy to work, move, exercise and build/maintain muscle.  Clean proteins are your grass fed and pastured meats, grass fed or grass-based protein powders, quinoa, beans, lentils, raw cheese, organic full fat yogurt, and some vegetables (like peas).  Carbohydrates are the body's primary source of fuel.  Healthy carbs will carry your energy level steadily between meals.  When eating within the Maximized Living Nutrition Plans we want to stick to complex carbs, which are fruits and vegetables.  Complete carb lists approved for the Advanced and Core Plans can be found in Chapters 3 & 4 of your book.   Healthy Fats are extremely important, especially as we're talking about kids' lunches for school.  Healthy fats are essential for cellular membrane function, hormone function, optimal brain function, provide focus...the list can go on and on.  Healthy fats will also help you to stay full between meals.  It is important to have a serving of each of these components with every meal for overall brain and body function.  I also include a serving of water with every meal -- remember you need to drink at least half your body weight (pounds) in ounces of water daily for optimal hydration.  Talk to your children about drinking water throughout their school day.

Frozen smoothie ingredients

#2.)  Buy in bulk and freeze for later:  I apply this rule mainly to fresh produce, but it also applies to meat.  This is a huge way we save money every month.  It's also how we can enjoy seasonal produce all year long.  When various produce items are on sale (e.g. organic peaches, avocados, organic spinach, organic berries, organic apples) buy as much as you have the room for and freeze them for use later in the year.  I just did this last week with local organic peaches, kale, grapes,  nectarines, and Granny Smith apples.  I washed and diced everything and stored them in individual baggies in my freezer for smoothies later this fall and winter.  It's such an easy way to have a little taste of summer in the winter.  It also makes for a quick breakfast on the go in the morning.  Just dump, add your protein and liquid, blend and go.  Individual (or double) servings already portioned out!

Also, did you know you can freeze avocados?  I'll freeze them two ways - whole/diced (for later use in smoothies) and pureed with lime juice (for later use as guacamole or in desserts).  And yes, you can freeze kale and spinach.  Frozen greens are best used in smoothies or soups.  I destem, rinse, dry thoroughly, and chop the kale and store in either glass containers or freezer bags (whichever I have the room for).  I buy our organic spinach in bulk at Costco/Sam's Club/B.J.'s Wholesale and pop the plastic bin directly into the freezer.

Freeze avocados in season so you can enjoy through winter.

For this to work in favor of your food budget, you need to watch for sale ads and visit many different grocery stores, co-ops, and farmers markets to find the cheapest prices on organic fresh produce.  Also watch the prices on organic frozen berries and buy up a bunch when sales hit.  You can also ask your grocery store manager if they offer discounts for buying a certain number of items, like a case of frozen strawberries.  Some stores offer 10%+ off for large quantity purchases but you usually have to ask.  You can also contact a local farmer and see what type of a deal they would give you for any leftover produce at the end of each week.  I have done this before and gotten large boxes of mixed produce (tomatoes, kale, broccoli, zucchini, squash) for half price.  The farmer will be happy to make a few bucks for what otherwise they would throw out or donate.

#3.)  Plan Lunch Menus 1 Month Ahead: I can't stress enough how important and helpful it is to plan out your kids' school lunches in advance.  This is my step for success!  If a month seems daunting, start with a week's worth of planning at a time.  You will save the most time and money doing it a month at a time though, because you can take the most advantage of using produce/meat/yogurt/etc while on sale that you bought in bulk.  Design the rest of the months meals using those bulk ingredients.

Part 3 of this School Lunch Series will be outlining how to meal plan school lunches with your child.  I recommend involving your child(ren) in the process.  This opens the door for talking about healthy vs. unhealthy foods, portion control, hydration, etc.  Depending on their age, you may choose to do all the planning yourself and gauge them for feedback each day or week.  It's totally up to you!  But the more you involve your child, the more likely they will be to eat their lunch (and enjoy it!).  Have your child pick out their favorite main dishes, side dishes, desserts and snacks.  Then you can put together a menu together for each week.

#4.)  Nut-free School?  No sweat.  There are other whole food and grain-free options for baking other than almond flour:  garbanzo bean flour, garbanzo-fava flour, quinoa flour, buckwheat flour, coconut flour, or brown rice flour.  While using higher carb load flours like garbanzo and brown rice are not ideal long-term, these are much healthier nut-free alternatives to wheat/white flours that are higher in sugar and contain gluten.  And if your child loves their PB&J, most peanut-free schools will allow sunflower or coconut butter.  Spread that between sprouted grain Ezekiel bread with some organic unsweetened jam and you're all set!

Frozen 8oz lunch size portions of soups and casseroles.

#5.)   Freeze meals in 8 oz - quart size jars:  Depending on the number of children in your family that attend school, use the appropriate jar size to freeze soups, casseroles, even oatmeal for later in the month.  (Leave 1/4 inch of room at the top for expansion.)  When making dinner, double the recipe.  Make two pots of soup or two trays of casserole.  Serve one for dinner, then jar up the rest and freeze.  An 8 oz jar is about the perfect size for 1 lunch serving.  A larger quart size jar is enough to feed 3-4 kids.  The morning before you plan to send the jarred food for lunch, pull it out from the freezer and thaw in the fridge overnight.  In the morning, warm the Thermos container with boiling hot water while you heat up the soup/casserole from the jar to a piping hot temperature (a simmering temperature will be best to maximize heat temperature in the Thermos).  Add the hot soup/casserole/oatmeal/whatever to the Thermos container and finish packing the side dishes.  Warming the Thermos in advance of adding the hot food is key to keeping the contents hot for 4-5 hours until lunch time.

#6.)  Use ice cube trays to freeze small portions:  Similar to using jars above, you can use ice cube trays to freeze 1 ounce servings of homemade sauces, condiments, dressings, broths, dips, etc.  Pop out of the ice cube trays and store in a baggie or container in the freezer for use later in the year!  The day before you want to add one of the sauces/dips/condiments to the lunch, pull the perfect serving size out of the freezer and thaw in the fridge overnight.  Give it a stir in the morning and you're ready to add it to the lunch.  My favorites to make and freeze: Apple Butter, Chocolate Coco-Hazel-Nut Spread, Healing Cuisine's Ketchup, Marinara Sauce, Teriyaki Sauce, Ginger Lime Dip, Green Herbed Humus, Spinach Artichoke Dip, Healing Cuisine's BBQ Sauce.

#7.)  Freeze individual portions of baked goods:  I like to make muffins, cupcakes, protein bars, quick breads, cookies, and cakes in advance, slice them up into individual serving sizes, then freeze for later.  They'll last months in the freezer!  Layer slices of bread, cake, or cookies between parchment paper to prevent sticking.  You can even do this with my Almond Flour Tortillas!  Baked eggs freeze really well, too!  You can bake egg omelets/quiches/casserole/frittata in muffin tins then freeze.  The day before you are ready to include a frozen baked good in the lunch, pull from the freezer and thaw in the fridge overnight.  It'll be thawed by morning.  My favorite recipes to bake then freeze: Vegetable Frittata, Blueberry Bread, Zucchini Bread, Cranberry Nut Bread, Chocolate Chip Cookies, Gooey Brownies, Dark Chocolate Chip Orange Bread, Strawberry Cream Pie.

#8.)  Prepare lunch components 1 week in advance:  There are parts of the weekly lunch menu that you should be able to make in advance.  On Sunday, get those components prepared and portioned out for grab-n-go later in the week.  Some examples: wash and chop fresh produce, hard boil eggs, boil brown rice pasta, prepare freezer smoothies and/or homemade push pops, mix up a blend of trail mix, poach/bake chicken or turkey breasts, double a soup/stew/casserole recipe.

#9.)  Get lunch packed the night before:  If you're like me, you'll appreciate a few extra minutes of sleep in the morning.  The less lunch worrying and packing you have to do in the morning, the easier your mornings will be.  The night before, pack as much of the next day's lunch as you can.  Get everything portioned out into their containers/bags.  Lay out the lunchbox(es) on the counter with the napkin, silverware, water bottle, etc.  Make sure the ice packs made it back into the freezer.  And reference your menu plan to make sure you pulled out all the food from the freezer that needs to thaw for tomorrow's lunch.  In the morning, packing everything up will be a breeze.  Heat up any food that needs to on the stove or in the oven, and that should be all the work you'll need to do!  Everything else should be packed and ready to pop in the lunchbox!