If you’ve been following my blog you know that nutrition and healthy eating are important to me and my family. Something that you might not know is how horrified I am at school lunches, yes, they are bad. My concern about them isn’t so much for my kids, but for other children. I feed my children healthy meals at home, so if they have something not so great at lunch I can balance that out at home. Unfortunately some children are not only eating an unhealthy lunch at school, but they are eating the same types of foods at home. That is not exactly what I would call healthy eating. I know that families like to use different excuses at to why they serve these types of foods. I understand. I have a picky eater and I also have work to do and don’t feel like cooking all the time. How do you balance that? I have through trial and error.
I have actually made a list of foods that my picky eater will eat. I try to make sure I have something to offer that he will eat, but also something new that he might try. My picky eater will eat rice. This has saved me many a fight. Rice is quick and easy and so versatile that you can make so many interesting dishes that the whole family can be satisfied. A time saving trick that I use is that I cook it in the microwave. It tastes just as good as if made on the stove. It’s quick and convenient. I feel good about feeding my boys rice with their meals. I use it as both a main dish and as a side. Now, I need to plan a video so I can win this contest that Uncle Ben’s is has going on!
Uncle Ben’s is trying to encourage families to cook and eat together. Something I’ve talked about here before, the importance of family meal times. Not only do family meals support healthy eating, but they help families connect in these busy times. Also, studies have actually shown that starting a meal with rice helps you prepare a meal that’s healthier for you. Rice calls for colorful vegetables and lean cuts of meat or fish.
Uncle Ben’s has launched a contest called Ben’s Beginners. By entering you are eligible to win $20,000, along with a $50,000 grant towards a cafeteria makeover for your child’s school. You also have an opportunity to appear on The Rachael Ray Show! Uncle Ben’s want parents with children 5-12 to submit a 2-3 minute video of you cooking a rice-based dish with your children. For more information on the contest check out Ben’s Beginners on Facebook.
“I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Uncle Ben’s blogging program, for 6,000 My SocialMoms Rewards Points.
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