Here are some tips that will absolutely help you navigate these prickly waters.

1. Always offer to bring a dish or two to share.

Start by calling the host and express how excited and thankful you are to come to their home. Let them know you’ve been on a roll with your plant-strong eating program and you don’t want to put them out by having to prepare a separate dish just for you.

2. A dinner party where everyone is eating standard American food isn’t the best place to discuss all of your nutrition knowledge.

Even if someone asks or brings it up, you can tell them “I’d love to tell you all about it, but now is not the time or place. Let’s talk sometime soon or go to lunch.”

3. Use Dr. Doug Lisle’s “seem strategy.”

If there are people who are insistent in asking about what you’re eating, there is a simple answer that helps to diffuse the most persistent people. If someone starts questioning you about your diet simply respond, “It seems to be working for me.”

4. Compliment the host.

Even if you can’t eat the food served, be sure to compliment the host on how nice everything looks. Also, be sure to thank them for inviting you.

5. Eat before you go as an insurance policy. 

When you have no idea what food will be offered, it’s a good idea to fill your belly with a healthy plant-strong snack or meal beforehand. This will keep you satisfied and prevent you from diving into the contraband! A hungry tummy makes mental midgets out of all of us.

6. Bring dessert! 

Everyone loves dessert! I love bringing some of my favorites: Blueberry Dumpster Cobbler, Date Nut Crust Fruit Pie, or Fruit Salad with Lemon Zest. Everyone loves all of these and they are super easy to make!

7. Sometimes the host will offer to make a dish you can eat.

Give some suggestions and tell them what plant-strong means. Again, be sure that you thank the host for their time and for being so considerate of the way you eat.

8. Drink water and skip the booze.

Be sure to keep yourself hydrated with water during parties. This way you can not only be the designated driver but also the responsible eater!

9. Remember that it’s not all about food! 

I love hanging out with my family and friends. Sometimes we make social engagements all about food when they should be about the people who are there! One of the wonderful things I have discovered is that the longer you stay on the plant-strong path, the more friends you’ll find in your life who are also plant-strong.

When you find yourself visiting friends and family who do not follow the plant-strong code of conduct, remember that you are the only one responsible for your health and nobody cares about your health and well-being as much as you! Stay plant-strong!

This article was originally published on January 28, 2013, and has been updated.

The post Tips for Visiting Friends and Family Who Are Not Plant-Based appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

After a while, your feelings of disappointment turn to sadness and your excitement feels dulled. You might even start to wonder if making the switch is worth the trouble. Fast forward a few more days or weeks, and your sadness turns to anger and resentment. You think and say things like, “Why can’t you just give it a try?!” or “How could you keep eating that junk food when it’s so easy to eat food that is healthy?!” While it’s understandable for you to feel this way, it doesn’t do much for your relationship. In the end, it could push your partner further away from a plant-based diet than they were to begin with! Rather than slipping into a “house divided” mentality—which could create serious obstacles in your relationship (not to mention elevated cortisol levels from the constant daily stress)—try these tips.

Don’t Force It
Have you ever asked your partner to do something that’s important to you, and for whatever reason they never find the time? Your honey-do list always seems stuck at the bottom of their list—until you stop asking. As soon as you stop pestering your partner, your honey-do list is magically done!

If you continue to pester a reluctant partner about trying a plant-based diet, they may never get on board. Perhaps mention it once and see how it goes. Then start making more plant-based foods in the house and don’t talk about it. Let them ask you—and when they do, tell them you are trying some new ways to make meals and you are really excited about it. Remember, they love you. Let them see your excitement and maybe…just maybe…they will think you are cute and give you a smooch. Smooches are always a good way to start a plant-based lifestyle.

Have the Conversation
How often do you look your partner in the eye and tell them how important something is to you? Life gets busy and often we send a text to communicate. Sometimes we only send emojis, for goodness sake! This subject, however, requires a bit more attention and deserves some good old interpersonal communication. Go on a date with your partner, away from any normal life distractions, and hold their hand and talk to them about your thoughts. Look them in the eyes and explain to them that you love them and can’t imagine doing this without their support. Maybe your conversation would sound like this:

“Honey, I have been doing a lot of research on plant-based diets lately after watching this movie, and I think I want to give it a try. I know it’s hard to make such a huge shift, but we can at least give it a try together. I am doing this because I want us both to feel great, be more active, and not feel so sluggish and worn down. I also want us to be around for a long time, and I feel like this lifestyle change is the answer. Will you please come with me on this journey and give it a try for at least a few days?” Your few days can turn into a week. The key to keeping them on board is to make the foods they know and love, with a few minor adjustments. For that we move on to the next tip…

Prepare Delicious Meals
There are tons of whole-food, plant-based recipes out there that are as satisfying if not more satisfying than their standard American diet counterparts. In fact, WFPB mashed potatoes are incredibly easy to make when you have the right basic ingredients. Baked apples are a delicious side item for any dinner. The right seasoning can go a long way to turn bland into grand with just a few shakes of the spice!

Keep Communicating
Ultimately, communication is the key when taking any new leap together as a couple. If you are able to respectfully communicate with your partner to create healthy dialogue along with healthy meals, then your relationship and your family will continue to win not only today, but every day for the rest of your life.

Ready to get started? Check out Forks Meal Planner, FOK’s easy weekly meal-planning tool to keep you on a healthy plant-based path.

The post When Your Partner Isn’t on Board with a Plant-Based Diet appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

1. Rip’s Big Bowl

Rip’s Big Bowl is a combination of oats, whole-wheat cereals, raisins, walnuts and more. We love to pour our favorite plant-based milk on it (we rotate between rice, almond, and coconut milk) and then top it off with fresh fruit. In our version below, we used fresh organic strawberries and golden kiwi fruit! Get Rip’s own recipe or buy a pre-mixed one at Whole Foods Market.

2. Veggies and Dip

Keep some pre-sliced veggies or baby carrots stored in your fridge. Serve with low-fat hummus, plant-based ranch, or any other dip that your family loves.

3. An Apple (or Any Other Fruit!) a Day

We all know what they say about apples, but don’t forget about the simplest, purest form of energy out there: fresh fruit! Check out your local grocery store for in-season fruit and include it in your weekly shopping. To help you in grab-and-go situations, leave beautifully colored seasonal fruit like pears, peaches, nectarines, oranges, and apples out on top of the counter or in a nice bowl so you always see it. It’s easy to grab and you will always have a snack on standby when you’re in need!

4. Fruit Smoothies

Blend some frozen or fresh berries, a banana, and some plant-based milk for a quick and delicious snack or light meal.

5. Open-Faced Hummus Sandwich

Start with a piece of whole-grain bread, top with a nice layer of oil-free hummus, and finish with fresh avocado and cucumber slices. Pepitas optional!

6. Fruit and Veggie Salads

Eating salad doesn’t have to be boring! Having a nice greens base prepared ahead of time and stored in the fridge is a must. Start with a bed of greens (spinach, romaine, or spring mix) and pile the fresh ingredients high. In this salad, we used a combination of green grapes, heirloom tomatoes, freshly-cut pineapple chunks, and organic apples. Use any oil-free dressing you like—we like the Forks Over Knives sesame ginger dressing.

7. No-Bake Cookies With Dates

Dates pack an excellent punch when it comes to energy. With more potassium than a banana, dates are a bite-sized roll of goodness that can give you the whole-food energy you need. There are lots of recipes out there, but our favorite is Jane Esselstyn’s “Damn Good Cookies” recipe from Plant-Strong by Rip Esselstyn. In this no-bake recipe (pictured above), Jane mixes raw almonds, walnuts, dates, vanilla extract, old-fashioned oats, and dark chocolate chips for a wonderful combination of flavor that can serve as an on-the-go snack or a sweet treat after a meal.

You can also try these raw choco bites made of oats, dates, and carrots.

8. Fast Pita Pizzas

Top pita bread with tomato sauce, basil, oregano, and your favorite toppings and pop it into a 250°F toaster oven for five minutes. We love this idea by Mary McDougall.

9. Quick Bean Salads

Keep a big batch of bean salad in your fridge for snacking or as the base for a last-minute meal. Whether you make this quick black bean salad, our corn salad, Dreena Burton’s chickpea salad, or your own combination, these hearty bean salads are satisfying and easy to whip up.

10. Leftover Cooked Potatoes or Sweet Potatoes

These are great on their own or topped with salsa or leftover chili. Prepare extra potatoes when you’re cooking, or you can quickly microwave a few if you don’t have any leftovers in the fridge.

Stocking healthy snacks while keeping products with ingredients you can’t pronounce out of your pantry is the key to success in the whole-food, plant-based diet. Do this and you will be ready to take on the world, one healthy day at a time!

The post 10 Kid-Friendly Snacks You Can Make in 5 Minutes appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

For those who are new parents or have very young children, it’s much easier to have a positive influence on their food choices.

1. Be a role model!

If your toddler sees you slurping down a juicy mango or eating crisp snap peas with delight, it’s going to look much more appealing. In short, walk the talk. Those little creatures are smart, and they’ll figure it out if you’re not authentic.

2. Offer a variety (but not too many!) of great choices.

Provide two to three choices without placing any attachment to either choice. Apples or banana for snack? Let them have a say, but set them up for success.

3. Don’t be a short-order cook.

I’ve made this mistake myself, so I say this with much personal experience. Make one meal for the whole family, with small accommodations as needed (i.e., spice level, food allergies, size of bites, etc.). If you start out making something different for everyone at the table, this will become your reality on a daily basis. And that’s just exhausting.

4. Be patient and calm when introducing new foods.

Remember it can take upwards of ten times for a child to enjoy a new food. Try to keep the mood pleasant and certainly avoid getting into food battles. If you have school-aged children or adolescents who have firm preferences (and dislikes!), it can be a bit more challenging.

5. Invite instead of impose.

Nobody likes to be told what to do. If you’ve made some personal changes and are excited to share them with your family, don’t be surprised if not everyone jumps on board right away. The first step may simply be to have a large salad at every meal, making sure to include foods that you know will be greeted with joy.

6. Don’t be sneaky.

In addition to being told what to do, nobody likes to be tricked. The few leaves of hearty kale you covertly mixed into their morning smoothing could backfire. If little ones detect bitterness or a less sweet version of their favorite smoothie, they will learn to distrust your offerings. A different approach could be: “I’ve added a secret ingredient, and I’m wondering if you can figure out what is?” or allow them to throw in as many leaves of spinach that they’d like and gradually work your way up.

7. Make it fun and creative.

Turning anything into a “bar” (i.e., salad, taco, rice bowls, etc.) is great way to get kids to try new ingredients or combinations. It also gives them some control over the meal by allowing them to add which and how much of each ingredient.

Although it sounds cliché, I find that when kids are actively involved with the food (from menu planning and shopping to chopping and simmering), they feel more invested and a part of the whole process. A quick example that comes to mind is our family’s search for the perfect pesto. Many store-bought pestos contain dairy and my son is allergic to tree nuts. So, he decided he would search for a nut-free pesto recipe. We made a few small changes and together created a spinach-basil pesto that has become a family favorite. Don’t feel pressured to have them involved with every meal. I like to think of it as an open door policy—they are welcome anytime! Sometimes it’s as involved as helping to cook an entire meal and other times it’s just wanting to have the fun of sautéing some onions or giving a quick stir to a soup.

8. Be a good listener.

If your child really dislikes something, be willing to hear them out and offer a reasonable substitute. I’m not talking about being a short-order cook (see above!), but if there is something you can do that makes the meal more enjoyable, go for it! One of my kids really dislikes warm or sautéed snap peas. So when I make a stir-fry, I set aside a handful of snap peas so that he can enjoy them raw.

9. Focus on the journey.

I would argue that as important as it is to fuel our families with nutritious foods, we have an even greater responsibility as parents to teach our kids about food choices so that they can make good decisions away from our dinner tables. Pushing one more bite of greens or two more bites of anything is not the end goal. Don’t forget that food and family meals connect us. Yes, food should be nutritious. But it should also be delicious and most definitely shared. It’s not always easy to do, but when we focus more on the conversation than the number of bites of broccoli, everyone feels more relaxed.

(RELATED: Why Moms Should Want Vegan Children)

10: Be kind to yourself and have patience.

We are all just learning, experimenting, and growing. When things don’t go smoothly or are downright disastrous, be flexible and ask your troop for their ideas and help.

(RELATED: Diet, Children, and the Future)

The post 10 Tips From a Pediatrician: How to Feed Your Plant-Based Family Without Losing Your Mind appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

In March of 2015, Kira was overweight, addicted to food, and on three medications to control ADHD. One of the medications had also caused her to become prediabetic. She was lethargic, slept all the time, and got out of breath just walking to the car. One day as she sat at the kitchen table eating a sausage biscuit from 7-11, she asked, “Mommy, what is sausage made from?” The conversation that followed was heart-wrenching, and forced me to reevaluate what I thought I knew about real food. It turns out we weren’t eating much of it.

We watched the documentary Forks Over Knives, eliminated animal products from our diet, and began exploring animal rights activism. Throughout the next year, we removed the microwave from our home, started cooking more, and began eating more varieties of food than we had ever dreamed of! Eliminating animal products from our diets and eating only plant-based foods has reversed a potentially deadly disease, improved Kira’s focus and energy, and has expanded her knowledge of foods that are grown and not born. She has also lost almost 30 pounds, is no longer on any medications, is symptom-free, and plays soccer and basketball! She has saved her own life by saving the lives of others.

My husband Jeremy also lost 50 pounds since going plant-based. He is now living medication-free and feels great. (He used to be on 642mg of prescription medications daily, including multiple antidepressants.) I enrolled in the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and became a holistic health coach to help people transition to veganism. We’re all thriving, healthy, and happy! Looking back, I see why we couldn’t thrive in a routine where extra cheese pizzas and greasy hamburgers were acceptable meals and fruits and vegetables were rare treats to be consumed in moderation.

Jeremy, Kira, and Erin Williams

The post How My Daughter Got off ADHD Meds, Reversed Prediabetes, and Started Thriving on a WFPB Diet appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

Kappel believes that timing was instrumental in his own transition to a plant-powered diet. “When I met Brian Wendel [founder of Forks Over Knives], he was still producing the film. I wasn’t a huge meat eater and had already been working to decrease the amount of meat in my system and my diet, but I did have one vice, which was drinking gigantic 32-ounce milkshakes at night. Physically I looked like I was at my peak, but my numbers told a different story. My cholesterol test had just come back high, and I was researching and reading up on how to fix that. So my conversation with Brian came at just the right time. Then I read The China Study and was amazed.”

That was six years ago. Kappel is known for putting his own body through rigorous physical training and testing, and he watched closely to see how cutting out the daily milkshakes and adopting a plant-based diet affected his performance. “My cholesterol came down and I was still strong and performing at the highest level. I had to address all the fitness myths out there, including the idea that you need meat. But when you look at gorillas, who essentially eat plant-based diets, then you don’t worry as much about strength.” Kappel, who is famous for his cutting-edge fitness techniques, is never afraid to improvise. “I now make a plant-based milkshake with bananas, almond milk, dates, and some peanut butter when I want that smooth and creamy dessert. And it’s great.”

For Keera, a junior in high school, the plant-based diet was a solution as well. “When my dad started to cut meat out and we became more plant-based, I just went along with it for convenience. When I decided to try and go back to eating more meat after a while, my body couldn’t handle it. I got very sick with stomach issues and started having allergies, and I knew it was related. I became plant-based and it really fixed those health problems.” Like her dad, Keera also performs at a high level. She has been playing with the nationally recognized Mizuno club volleyball program for the last two years. She says pasta with greens, quinoa, and couscous, plus fruit and spinach smoothies, are her staples. Her team and coach are very supportive of her diet: “They’ll often base restaurant choices around me, because they can eat everything, but I can’t.”

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Training and Performance

Kappel has trained people ranging from everyday folks to Olympians and professional athletes for 26 years, and he’s known for his focus on functional fitness. Brian [Wendel] first noticed his training style on the beach: “I was on the beach near my house and I saw him training [former professional football player] Eddie George. I was really impressed with the bodyweight exercises and dynamic aspect of the workout, which were very different from sitting and lifting weights at the gym. We’ve been training together ever since.”

Keera trains hard with her dad three to five times per week, depending on where she is in the volleyball season, and he has her working hard with kettlebells, sprints, launchpad workouts, and different volleyball-focused moves and exercises. It sounds like a teenage nightmare to be trained by a father who is well known for working out people like Reggie Bush, but Keera says it’s a “blessing,” and credits him for her confidence. Kappel comments that his training is “not just about working out; it’s also about learning to be a strong, confident woman who is able to survive this crazy world. I like the upside of organized team sports for children, from the social element to the teamwork to learning to deal with winning and losing. Those are some the same goals that my wife and I have always had for her and her sister before her—including a strong work ethic, courage, and bravery.”

Talking to Kappel, it seems like he might be most proud of her mental toughness. “When I work with athletes, whether they are my daughter or professionals, I address both the mental and physical aspects of performance. And Keera amazes me. She’s calm and focused under pressure, and coaches love that. That’s a harder thing to develop than physical fitness.”

Keera glows when she talks about her last club season with Mizuno, and her story is about her journey rather than a single success. After moving up to a higher division last season, she found herself as the fifth-best libero (defensive specialist) on a team that had four other liberos. Most teams have two. “Everyone was so good—I felt like a deer in headlights. But I put my head down, hustled, and worked hard.” Full of grit and underdog determination, Keera finished a strong season and received the “most improved” award. Toward the end of the season, the coaches had the liberos rank themselves from the best to the least contributing. “They told me that every single libero had ranked me at the top. That’s the best feeling of accomplishment, to be recognized by my own teammates and people who play the same position as I do. It was wonderful.”

What’s Next

Keera is currently in the recruitment process with a handful of elite East Coast schools. She went to the Harvard University volleyball camp, and visited other schools including Princeton and Columbia universities. She is excited and happy about the process and says, “It is all so surreal that this happening. I’ve had so much fun playing with the different teams and visiting these amazing campuses. And I’m so excited to be talking to these schools, because academics has always been as important as athletics.”

The post Father-Daughter Team: Living Examples of Plant-Fueled Fitness and Success appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

My Journey to Better Health

Immediately after cutting out the junk, the oil, and the dairy products, I started losing weight. But sugar was my biggest addiction, and one bite was never enough. Before I quit for good in December of 2013, I lied to myself about moderation. I wouldn’t even read the full text of Dr Fuhrman’s emailed newsletters, and I certainly didn’t want to watch his videos telling me the truth about my sugary, maple-syrupy vegan desserts. But I was having more frequent gallbladder attacks, and on some level I knew those desserts were killing me. Cutting out oil had helped, but having sugar really activated those gallstones.

I finally read those emails and watched those short videos, prayed for strength, and vowed to stop killing myself with sugar. I cut out added sugar on December 27, 2013. Then, in January of 2015, I let go of added salt with Chef AJ’s help. Her Unprocessed DVDs have great cooking demos, and her book Unprocessed has delicious recipes! My husband can’t believe that our entire Haitian family (including three young children) has adapted without the added salt, sugar, and oil.

On August 17, 2015, I reached my initial goal of losing 100 pounds!!!! In a little less than 25 months, I went from a size 22/24 to a size 4/6. I feel wonderful and no longer have the health problems that I did before. I also started taking care of my mental and emotional self and tracking my exercise on an app called Lose It.

My Family Is Healthier Now, Too

I am so happy that my whole family is on this health journey with me. Because all three children are legally blind due to inherited congenital cataracts, we have relied a lot on audio/visual information to help us transition from a junk food vegetarian diet to a whole-food, plant-based sugar-oil-salt free program. As a family, we have watched documentaries such as Forks Over Knives, FOKs Extended Interviews, and Rip Esselstyn’s Engine 2 Kitchen Rescue several times for information and encouragement. Even our eight-year-old son (who has always been slim) has watched them multiple times and asks a lot of questions. My husband has been slowly losing weight and feeling better. Our children were not considered overweight, but our two daughters, who have polycystic ovary syndrome, have improved tremendously. This past spring, all three kids saw the pediatrician, who remarked how well they were doing and how she didn’t have to see them all fall or winter for sick visits!

At home I keep it simple, and we enjoy everything we eat, which includes a lot of veggies, fruits, sweet potatoes, red or yellow potatoes, beans, and whole grains, including brown and wild rice. A favorite family meal is bean and vegetable soup with unsalted tomato paste and salt-free seasonings and herbs.

I am so grateful to God for the chance to reclaim my health and to heal the body he gave me, which I had so abused with food, stress, and lack of exercise.

The post How I Got Rid of 100 Pounds, My Chronic Pain, and Helped My Whole Family Get Healthier appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

These tips and ideas will arm you with so many ideas for healthy lunches, and hopefully shake up any lunchbox ruts. Readers ask me all the time, “What do you give your girls for school lunches?” Now, you have the answers!

Set a Lunch-Packing Routine

Once you establish a routine complete with simple recipes and weekly staples, packing lunches becomes much easier. For parents working outside the home, this is just as handy for packing your own lunches. Here are some strategies that I find useful.

First things first: pick a regular packing time. When are you most productive? Morning? Night? Find a convenient time and make it a habit to prepare lunches at that time. One exception: If packing hot soups (or similar) in a thermos, pack those the morning of school.

Lunchbox Logistics: Containers and Storage

You will need an arsenal of lunchboxes or meal-sized food storage containers, especially if you are making lunches for several children. I find it useful to have a variety of sizes and shapes:

• Larger square containers for wraps, sandwiches, pasta, quinoa, veggie burgers, hot dogs, and other main lunch foods
• Small to medium containers for muffins and other baked goods
• Small to medium containers for fruit, veggies, and other smaller snacks
• Small containers for sauces and dips
• Thermos containers (if using for heated or chilled foods)
• Water bottles

There are many types, from individual containers to compartmentalized lunch kits, made from stainless steel, BPA-free plastics, and other materials. I opt for inexpensive but practical BPA-free containers like those made by Ziploc and Glad. They are durable enough to last a while, but also inexpensive enough to replace frequently misplaced tops and bottoms.

Plan and Prep Ahead of Time

It’s very useful to batch-cook staples like grains, beans, and potatoes and also recipes like dips, soups, and muffins. When possible, double or triple recipes that you know are in heavy lunch rotation to ease your food prep through the week.

Embrace “Lunchovers”

Don’t discard a leftover spud or a modest amount of hummus; instead, think, “What can I do with it?”

Leftovers make some of the best lunch add-ins. I call them “lunchovers.” Kids love to nibble on a variety of foods anyway, and I find these small amounts are perfect for wrap and sandwich fillings, and pasta and rice bowls. Once you think beyond just sandwiches with a spread like PB&J, there’s really so much you can do!

Give Your Kiddos Some Input

Occasionally ask them what they’d like packed in their lunchbox. If there is time, they can help pack. If not, they will still enjoy knowing they helped conceive it!

Hummus Is a Food Group!

This is one of my mantras. Jokingly, yes, but in reality I do use hummus like it’s a food group! I use not just traditional hummus, but all flavor variations that use different beans and seasonings. We love it as a family, and I enjoy creating different flavor variations.

Some Hummus Tips:

1. Make hummus from scratch. Not only is it easy and less expensive, but it also tastes far better. Most store-bought varieties have a noticeable citric acid taste, or are too spicy for kids. Make it fresh, and you will also be able to adjust the seasonings as you like.
2. Make large batches. Refrigerate a portion, then freeze the remaining in portioned containers. Hummus freezes and thaws brilliantly!
3. Make hummus a meal! It’s not just for dipping with pitas and veggies!
4. Try hummus:

• as a sandwich spread
• on toast, topped with avocado
• in wraps with veggies and other favorite fillings
• as a base layer on pizzas
• mixed with hot grains such as rice or into hot pasta
• dolloped on potatoes or sweet potatoes
• spooned in the center of pitted dates for a snack
• spread on rice or popcorn cakes for a snack
• thinned with a little water for a salad dressing
• thinned and mixed through hot pasta or as a sauce for raw (ex: zucchini) noodles
•  as a dip for steamed and roasted vegetables
• layered in lasagna or other casseroles
• in “grilled hummus sandwiches,” tucking in a few slices of avocado after heating
• spread in tortillas with spicy seasoning and cooked fajita-style

5. Find lots of great hummus recipes here.

Grain Bowls 

Many vegetarian restaurants have some sort of grain bowl or “Buddha Bowl,” where hot rice is topped with steamed tofu or tempeh, and then covered with an irresistible sauce. You can recreate something similar at home, using quinoa, millet, or brown rice. Add some favorite veggies, or even fruits like chopped grapes or berries, along with any other nutrient-dense add-ins like hemp seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, beans, tempeh cubes, etc. Add a zippy sauce and pack in a thermos or an airtight container with a fork or spoon to go! Looking for grain bowl recipes? Look right here.

Pasta Bowls

Much of what you can do with a grain bowl works equally well for leftover pasta. Short shapes (rotini, penne, etc.) work best for lunches.

Soups That Make a Meal

If your kids enjoy soups at school, cook a batch or two every week that can be worked into lunches. If you don’t have time to make soups, there are some healthy store-bought varieties. When I use store-bought soups, I always add extra beans, pasta, tofu, grains, or vegetables. They make the soup more satisfying and nutritious, and also stretch one can over several kiddos!

Don’t Forget Sauces!

Kids love to dip and dunk, so pack small containers filled with some of their favorite sauces. All these sauces can also be used to mix into whole grains or pasta, along with veggies, seeds, beans, tofu, etc. A sauce can turn something fairly ordinary into something extraordinary, so have a few in your arsenal.

Sandwiches (Savory and Sweet Ideas)

Using whole-grain and sprouted bread, and also whole-grain pita bread and tortilla wraps, try these ideas:

Savory

• Hummus and bean dips layered with veggies or on their own
• Chickpeas or white beans mashed with favorite condiments (use a mini food processor to quickly pulse beans into a mash)
• Leftover potatoes sliced and layered with veggies or avocado
• Leftover veggie burgers (whole or chopped/mashed)

Wraps

Our girls love wraps. They are easy to eat, can be filled with some of their favorite ingredients, and are also individualized! Think of using leftover grains, bean spreads and dips, potatoes, sweet potatoes, nuts/seed butters, chopped or grated veggies, nutritional yeast, refried beans or baked beans, and cubed tofu or tempeh. Then, if your kiddos love things like olives or pickles, you can chop some up and add to their individual wrap—they will love it! Use whole-grain tortillas, or if your kids love nori, wrap fillings in those (but don’t overstuff).

Try Breakfast for Lunch

Some children love to have breakfast foods at lunchtime, such as pancakes, French toast, or oatmeal.

Quick Fixes

You don’t have to make everything from scratch! Busy parents need some quick fixes with wholesome store-bought items as well. If you are fortunate, you might have a health food store with a bakery or deli that offers some plant-based baked goods, salads, dips, and other lunch items. Other quick lunchbox options include:

• Energy bars (ex: Lärabars, if nuts are permitted)
• Bean dips/hummus
• Whole organic fruit bars
• Unsweetened applesauce cups
• Whole-grain crackers
• Popcorn and brown rice cakes
• Toasted seaweed snacks
• Seasoned pumpkin and sunflower seeds
• Dried fruit
• Whole-grain cereals (to eat dry)
• Granola (opt for ones with less sweeteners)
• Roasted chickpea snacks
• Raw cookies (ex: macaroons)

Quick Homemade Snacks

Some homemade snacks are just about as quick to pack as a store-bought snack! Here are examples of snacks that don’t require baking or cooking, just quick assembling:

• Sliced fruit with nut butter or hummus for dipping
• Brown rice cake spread with seed or nut butter
• Pitted dates filled with nut butter, cashew cheese, or hummus
• Whole-grain cereal mixed with seeds or nuts
• Whole-grain crackers with hummus or nut butter
• Frozen edamame (simply cover in boiling water for a few minutes, drain, and sprinkle with salt)
• Baby carrots with dip of choice (nut butter, hummus, etc.)
• Leftover cooked potatoes or sweet potatoes, halved and sprinkled with sea salt

Don’t Forget the Fruits and Veggies

Always include fruits and veggies in your kids’ lunchboxes. I like to include a whole piece of fruit (ex: apple, peach, pear), and also some smaller, cut pieces (especially for veggies). Fruit is plant-powered fast food! It’s easy to eat, and most children love “finger fruits” like grapes, strawberries, and blueberries. But other fruits like cubed melon, plums, kiwi wedges (kids can eat them like an orange), and half a mango (scored) are welcome changes. Try replacing raisins with other dried fruit, such as apple slices, mango, or apricots. (Choose unsulfured and organic whenever possible.)

Also, try making it easier for kids to eat these fruits—sometimes they only have 10 or 15 minutes to eat! So, peel and segment their oranges. Put cubes of melon or pineapple in a small container, and pack a fork. Add cut grapes to their nut or seed butter sandwiches instead of jam. Make veggies convenient, too (ex: baby carrots, cherry tomatoes, sliced bell peppers, sliced cucumbers).

The post Healthy Lunchbox Tips, Tricks, and Ideas for Back-to-School appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

My husband pointed out that we’ve pretty much always had to insist she take at least two bites of meat before being excused from the table, as her veggies, taters, and grains were always first gone. We decided to just keep quiet and hope this phase would pass, but two years later she came back to us with the same request. We realized that two years is not a phase, and it was time for us to really look into how to get full nutrients, and of course protein, into this young lady!

Our meals started out pretty weak. We would make a big basket of two or three kinds of fresh steamed veggies with our meat and potatoes, so our little one would have more options … pretty boring in comparison to how we cook with veggies now!

Soon our whole family was eating more veggies. We even had an all-veggie night once a week, which my eldest, a carnivore, dreaded. The more we learned and prepared meals, the tastier our cooking got. We weren’t learning just to be vegetarians; we were learning how to be healthy! We started to learn how food affected our bodies on a cellular level. Before you knew it we couldn’t get enough information on healthy food and the health benefits it brought.

Then we started watching documentaries. The most influential for us was (and still is) the Forks Over Knives documentary. It just made sense and offered proof of the amazing power of plant foods to nourish and heal us. I’ve watched it several times, and I’ve purchased The China Study and two Forks Over Knives books. We recommend the film to everyone we can.

My eldest daughter recently moved back home during winter break, and I heard her saying to my youngest, “Mom and Dad cook totally different now, as opposed to the junk they used to force feed me!” Then she continued to gripe that she can’t ever find anything ready to eat in the house (because there’s no packaged food) ⎯ that it all has to be prepared! I felt a tinge of guilt that she was raised with packaged snacks and less-healthy eating habits, but she now cleans her plate every night at supper, and she even goes back for seconds of our plant-based cooking.

It’s never too late to pick up new and good habits! Thank you for presenting your knowledge so clearly that it inspired a total health transformation in our family! A bonus for us was automatic weight loss, which inspired us to keep being as healthy as we could be! I personally lost 123 lbs., all of which I attribute to plant-based healthful eating and exercise!

The post From Hefty to HEALTHY: How Our Seven Year Old Went Veggie and Changed Our Lives! appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

Katie Couric’s new documentary Fed Up is an eye-opening experience for most Americans. As the film shows, it’s nearly impossible to exercise your way out of eating pepperoni pizza, greasy fries, and a glass of low-fat chocolate milk—typical fare in K-12 school lunch rooms and family restaurant chains throughout the country. Exercise isn’t enough. We need to change what we’re eating.

But that’s where Fed Up misfires. It takes aim at sugar as if it is the sole devil in the lunchroom. But scapegoating sugar removes the much-deserved blame from the avalanche of meat and dairy piling up on the center of our plates – and school lunch trays. No amount of sugar reduction is going to help if people are still going for the meat and dairy.

A gram of sugar has only 4 calories. A gram of fat—from cheese, chicken, beef, or anywhere else has 9.

Compared with a century ago, Americans now eat 75 pounds more meat and 30 pounds more cheese per person, per year. In the last 30 years, consumption of cheese has tripled, fueling our childhood obesity epidemic.

Meat and cheese are the fatty staples of the standard American diet. The same diet has a hold on the National School Lunch Program: The sugar industry spent $9 million dollars lobbying in 2013, compared to the combined $17.5 million from the meat, dairy, and poultry industries.

Local beef burgers, pulled barbecue chicken, and turkey sausage need to come with parental permission slips. Countless research studies, including a recent study from the Harvard School of Public Health, show consumption of meat doubles diabetes risk. One in 3 children born in the year 2000 will develop diabetes at some point in their life. One in 5 now graduates high school with a diploma and high cholesterol, an early marker for heart disease, which remains the number one killer worldwide.

While we work relentlessly to teach our students about strong work ethics, academic integrity, and kindness, I can’t say we offer the same when it comes to federal subsidies and nutrition education programs.

The good news is leading medical organizations, including Kaiser Permanente, and political figures, such as former president Bill Clinton, are revolutionizing the way we think about diet and health. Science continues to show that when we make fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes the center of our plates and remove the meat and dairy, our waistlines dwindle, our health rapidly improves, and our need for medication plummets.

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the largest organization of nutrition experts, updated its 2009 position paper to say that well-planned vegetarian diets are appropriate for individuals during all stages of the lifecycle, including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, and adolescence. And also finds people who follow vegetarian diets have a lower body mass index, lower risk of heart disease, lower cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure, and lower rates of overall cancer.

Let’s really move plant-based foods to the center of our plates and see what happens.

Article originally published on PCRM.org

The post Fed Up: Let’s Really Move Big Food Out of School Lunches appeared first on Forks Over Knives.