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Easy Freezer Prep Oatmeal Cups

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These Easy Freezer Prep Oatmeal Cups are the perfect recipe for a make-ahead breakfast. They’re easy to customize and a great way to use those summer peaches!

Easy Freezer Prep Oatmeal Cups with peaches and almond butter

Hi friends!

Allow me to introduce these easy freezer prep oatmeal cups to you. They’re a game-changer when your kiddos want oatmeal for the 100th morning in a row and you just don’t feel like getting out all the ingredients. Just pull a couple of these out of the freezer, add a splash of milk and pop them in the microwave! So easy.

Not only are these oatmeal cups super easy, they’re also easy to customize. I use peanut butter or almond butter in mine but any nut or seed butter would be great. It’s a great way to use up those summer peaches, but you could easily sub another fruit. Use dairy or non-dairy milk, cook the oatmeal however you want to, add your favorite mix-ins….you get the idea.

The good thing about this recipe is that the method is more important than the recipe itself. You can simply take your favorite oatmeal recipe, however, you prefer to make it and then freeze and heat as directed below. But, just in case you don’t already have a favorite oatmeal recipe, I’ve included my go-to recipe below!

Want to learn more about foods that are great for meal prep? Check out my Mastering Food Prep course.

Freezer Prep Oatmeal Cups

freezer prep oatmeal cups with a bowl of oatmeal

Here’s how you make it:

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Freezer Oatmeal Cups

freezer oatmeal cups 6
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These Freezer  PrepOatmeal Cups are the perfect recipe for a make-ahead breakfast. They’re easy to customize and a great way to use those summer peaches!

Ingredients

Scale

3 cups milk*
2 cups rolled oats (not instant)
2 cups diced peaches (or fruit of choice)
1/2 cup nut butter
cinnamon to taste
optional mixed ins (hemp seeds, chopped nuts, etc)
For serving: toppings of choice- additional milk, fruit, nut butter

Instructions

  1. In a pot on the stove, bring the milk to a boil.
  2. Watch it carefully! Just as it starts to boil, add the oats and peaches and stir well.
  3. Reduce heat to a simmer for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  4. Remove from heat, stir in nut butter and any other mix-ins you’re using, cover the pot and let sit for 6-8 minutes.
  5. Spoon into muffin tins. I fill mine fairly full and usually fill 10-12 cups of the muffin tin.
  6. Freeze completely, then remove from tin and store in a freezer-safe bag or storage container.
  7. When ready to eat, place 2 freezer oatmeal cups in a bowl and add a splash of milk.
  8. Microwave 2 minutes, smash and mix well with a spoon and microwave an additional 30 seconds.
  9. Top as desired and serve!

Notes

*You can use water or half milk/half water if desired

It’s so convenient to have these on hand. Young kids can easily pull a few out and heat themselves breakfast!

These Easy Freezer Prep Oatmeal Cups are the perfect recipe for a make-ahead breakfast. They're easy to customize and a great way to use those summer peaches!

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Frozen English Muffin Mini Pizzas

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Like English muffin pizza? These Frozen English Muffin Mini Pizzas are perfect for a quick, kid-friendly lunch or snack. Make them ahead of time and pop in the microwave for one minute when you want one!

Frozen english muffin mini pizzas with grapes and carrots

Hi friends!

I’m sharing these Frozen English Muffin Mini Pizzas today because they’ve been a favorite snack around here for a while now and I realized I hadn’t officially shared them with all of you!

They are so easy to make and super easy to customize as well based on taste preferences. I make a bunch all at once and freeze them and then when you need one you just pop it on a plate and microwave for one minute. Ta da!

These are perfect for food prep! Want to learn more food prep tips and tricks? Check out my course Mastering Food Prep!

Frozen English Muffin Pizza

frozen english muffin pizzas on a tray

How To Make English Muffin Pizza

  • English muffins – I love the ones from Dave’s Killer Bread or Thomas. If you want something a little bigger, Brownberry sandwich thins work well!
  • Pizza sauce – If I don’t have that, spaghetti sauce works just fine
  • Hummus – This is optional, but if you haven’t tried adding a layer of hummus to things like pizza, quesadillas etc for your kids you should give it a whirl. My kids don’t really eat chickpeas any other way so it’s an easy way to add some nutrients without altering the taste. I never hide it though! They know it’s on there.
  • Toppings – If you want them! I use chopped pepperonis or chicken sausage usually. Sometimes I add leftover shredded chicken or finely chopped vegetables.
  • Cheese – duh!

These mini pizzas are a great snack option. My five-year-old can easily grab one from the freezer to microwave for himself. They’re also great to have on hand for a quick lunch. You could also make an English muffin pizza air fryer style. I haven’t tried it myself but my guess is it would take 8-10 minutes.

Here’s the recipe for English muffin pizza:

English Muffin Pizza Recipe

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Frozen English Muffin Mini Pizzas

Frozen English Muffin Mini Pizzas with fruits and vegetables
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These Frozen English Muffin Mini Pizzas are perfect for a quick, kid-friendly lunch or snack. Make them ahead of time and pop in the microwave for one minute when you want one!

Ingredients

  • English muffins
  • Hummus (optional)
  • Pizza sauce
  • toppings (sausage, pepperoni, veggies, etc)
  • shredded cheese

Instructions

  1. Break English muffins in half and place them on a plate or baking sheet.
  2. Spread a thin layer of hummus on each one (optional)
  3. Spread a layer of pizza sauce on top of the hummus.
  4. Add toppings.
  5. Add cheese. (I put the toppings under the cheese because otherwise they tend to fall off the frozen pizzas)
  6. Place tray in the freezer until frozen.
  7. Place in a freezer-safe bag.
  8. When ready to serve, place one pizza on a plate and microwave 1 minute.

Notes

You can wrap the pizzas in saran wrap before putting in a bag if you want.

See what I mean? So easy! Make as many or as few as you’d like.

These Frozen English Muffin Mini Pizzas are perfect for a quick, kid-friendly lunch or snack. Make them ahead of time and pop in the microwave for one minute when you want one!

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Healthy Snack Ideas

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Looking for healthy snack ideas? This resource is for you. Created by a Registered Dietitian and full of quick and easy balanced snack ideas, both homemade and store-bought for kids and adults!

 

the snack spark logo

My latest project is finally live! If you’re struggling with snack time and feel like you’re stuck in a rut serving the same few things over and over then this resource will be a game-changer for you!

Here’s what’s included:

  • What Makes A Good Snack: A little about my definition of a healthy snack and what I aim to include. 
  • Simple Snack Pairings: 50+ ideas for simple, healthy snacks that can be made at home and some simple snack pairings.
  • 40+ Snack Components: Snack component ideas divided into carbs and proteins/fats so you can mix and match your favorites to make a balanced snack.
  • Favorite Snack Bars for Kids & Adults: 20+ storebought snack bars I like for kids and adults, plus what I look for when choosing a bar.
  • Lower Sugar Cereals: 30 lower sugar cereals that can be part of a balanced snack for and my criteria for choosing them.
  • 50 Store-Bought Snack Ideas (+favorite crackers): Some of my favorite store-bought brands and products to serve as snacks.
  • Allergy-Friendly Snack Ideas: Homemade and store-bought snack lists for vegan, peanut/tree nut-free and gluten-free diets.
  • Snack Recipes: Links to some simple snack recipes from some of my favorite bloggers.
  • Non-Perishable & Prep Ahead Snack Ideas: Ideas for snacks that can be made ahead of time and snacks that don’t require refrigeration.
  • Tips For Trying New Foods: Tips for using snack time to make trying new foods fun for kids, plus a printable new food rating chart.
  • How I Do It: Quick explanations for how I make some of our most common snacks.
  • 20+ Veggie-Packed Baked Goods: Muffin and bar recipes from the blog that are full of veggies/beans/legumes and make great snacks.

Already know you need this in your life??

Click here to snag your copy.

Want more details? Here’s a more detailed look at some of the highlights.

snack pairing ideas

I talk a little about what makes a good snack and share some balanced snack ideas plus some super simple combos. 

best storebought snack bars

I share 20 or so of my favorite store-bought snack bars for kids and another list for adults, plus what I look for when choosing a bar.

storebougt snack ideas

I share some of my favorite store-bought snacks and crackers.

gluten-free snack ideas

I share some allergy-friendly snack lists for gluten-free, vegan and peanut/tree nut-free snacks, both homemade and storebought. 

And so much more!!

Grab your copy ASAP.

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Happy snacking!

Looking for healthy snack ideas? This resource is for you. Created by a Registered Dietitan and full of quick and easy balanced snack ideas, both homemade and store-bought for kids and adults!

–Lindsay–

Silken Tofu Berry Smoothie

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This Silken Tofu Berry Smoothie is kid-friendly and perfect for breakfast, lunch or snack. The silken tofu adds protein without changing the flavor or texture!

Silken Tofu Berry Smoothie

Hi friends!

This Silken Tofu Berry Smoothie is the latest obsession at our house and I’m so excited to share it with you. Both of my boys love smoothies as a snack so I’m always looking for new variations that are both simple enough that I usually have the ingredients on hand, and filling enough to tide them over until their next meal (ie not made with just fruit).

It’s taken some tweaks and adjustments but we’ve finally landed on this winner. Let’s review what’s in it:

  • Frozen berries- honestly you can use any frozen fruit you want. We usually do a mixed berry or berry mango blend but this summer we’ve been doing half peaches, half berry as well. 
  • Spinach – you can use fresh or frozen baby spinach. Whenever I grocery shop I buy a bag or two of baby spinach and pop them in the freezer immediately. Then just open and grab a couple handfuls of frozen leaves to add.
  • Frozen zucchini – this is optional but it’s an easy way to add another veggie without changing the taste. I usually cut up and steam some summer zucchini and freeze just for adding to smoothies.
  • Milk- we use cows milk but you can easily use a plant-based milk for a dairy-free version
  • Orange juice- this is optional as well. You can just use milk for the liquid but I usually add a splash of orange juice just for flavor.
  • Silken tofu- make sure it’s silken for smoothies. Just spoon in half the package. It has a similar consistency to greek yogurt!

Silken Tofu Berry Smoothie

Silken tofu berry smoothie overhead shot of two mason jars

Here’s the exact recipe:

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Silken Tofu Berry Smoothie

Silken Tofu Berry Smoothie
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★★★★★

5 from 2 reviews

This Silken Tofu Berry Smoothie is kid-friendly and perfect for breakfast, lunch or snack. The silken tofu adds protein without changing the flavor or texture!

Ingredients

Scale

2 cups frozen mixed berries (or other fruit)
6 oz silken tofu
2 cups baby spinach (fresh or frozen)
1.5 –2 cups milk
optional: 1/2 cup frozen zucchini, splash of orange juice

Instructions

  1. Add berries and tofu to blender. Then add spinach, milk (and zucchini and orange juice if needed) and blend until smooth.
  2. Add additional liquid if needed to blend until smooth.

Notes

Smoothie can be made, frozen and reheated in the microwave.

Add 1-2 medjool dates for additional sweetness if needed.

Dairy or non-dairy milk will work.

So easy and so delicious. Also, if you don’t already have them, get some mason jars with lids. I make a big batch of smoothies, portion into 8oz glass jars and freeze. Then when my kids want them for snacks, I just remove the lid, microwave for 45 seconds and serve!

This Silken Tofu Berry Smoothie is kid-friendly and perfect for breakfast, lunch or snack. The silken tofu adds protein without changing the flavor or texture!

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Honey Garlic Air Fryer Tofu

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This Honey Garlic Air Fryer Tofu recipe is perfect for a quick, weeknight meal. Pair it with rice and vegetables or add to your favorite salad. This can also be made in the oven!

Honey Garlic Air Fryer Tofu with white rice and broccoli

Hi friends!

I’m pretty sure this Honey Garlic Air Fryer Tofu recipe hits two firsts for the blog – first tofu recipe and first air fryer recipe! If you don’t have an air fryer, don’t leave yet! This can also be made in the oven. 

I got my air fryer for Christmas and have found several things I enjoy making in it – vegetables, wontons etc but I have just recently started branching out a little more- my son and I even made steak in the air fryer for my husband for Father’s Day! This recipe is another product of that branching out. 

I’ve experimented with tofu a bit in the past and honestly have not fallen in love with it. This recipe has me changing my feelings. I’ve found that tossing in cornstarch and putting in the air fryer has given me the texture I enjoy most. 

Honey Garlic Air Fryer Tofu

Crispy Honey Garlic Air Fryer Tofu with broccoli

After the air fryer (or oven), all you have to do is whip up a quick sauce, and saute in the pan for 3-4 minutes. The cornstarch on the tofu will help the sauce thicken right up to coat the tofu pieces and boom! Ready to eat.

Here’s how you make it:

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Honey Garlic Air Fryer Tofu

Honey Garlic Air Fryer Tofu with white rice and broccoli
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This Honey Garlic Air Fryer Tofu recipe is perfect for a quick, weeknight meal. Pair it with rice and vegetables or add to your favorite salad. This can also be made in the oven!

  • Author: Lindsay
  • Yield: serves 3-4 1x

Ingredients

Scale

1 (14 oz) block extra firm tofu
1/3 cup cornstarch
spray oil (I use avocado oil)
3 Tbsp soy sauce
3 Tbsp rice vinegar
2–3 cloves minced garlic
1 tsp fresh ginger
1.5 Tbsp honey
optional: sesame seeds, green onions, sriracha

Instructions

  1. Press tofu for at least one hour. I cut the block in half to make two thinner pieces, place on a plate, top with another plate and set a heavy skillet on top.
  2. Drain excess liquid and then cut into bite-sized cubes.
  3. Place in a bowl and toss gently with cornstarch.
  4. Preheat air fryer at 375 F for 5 minutes. Place tofu in the air fryer and spray lightly with oil.
  5. Cook in air fryer for 20 minutes, shaking every 5 minutes.
  6. In a small bowl combine soy sauce, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger and honey. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed and mix well.
  7. Transfer tofu to a skillet and add sauce. Saute 3-5 minutes, stirring to coat all pieces in the sauce and let the sauce thicken.
  8. Serve with sesame seeds, sliced green onions and sriracha if desired.

Notes

If you don’t have an air fryer you can place the cornstarch coated tofu on a baking sheet, spray with oil and bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally.

That’s it! So easy and a great way to try out tofu. I’ve been enjoying it over rice and veggies but I’ve also been loving it on a salad. Current fav combo is mixed greens, tofu, candied pecans, apples, red onions and crumbled feta. Yassss.

This Honey Garlic Air Fryer Tofu recipe is perfect for a quick, weeknight meal. Pair it with rice and vegetables or add to your favorite salad. This can also be made in the oven!

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Avocado Chicken Burgers

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These Avocado Chicken Burgers are an easy weeknight dinner in the oven or on the grill. This recipe is gluten-free, paleo and can easily be made ahead of time during food prep. 

These Avocado Chicken Burgers are an easy weeknight dinner in the oven or on the grill. This recipe is gluten-free, paleo and can easily be made ahead of time during food prep.

*Originally published April 2016*

Hi friends!

Let’s talk about these burgers, shall we? I’m not typically a huge burger lover. I make them for hubby, but I usually choose to eat something else…and I rarely order them at a restaurant. But these chicken burgers are pretty much my new favorite meal. I’ve made them 4 times in the past two weeks, and last week when hubby was out of town, I literally ate them for lunch and dinner for 3 days in a row. And I’m still not sick of them!

Like most burger recipes, they’re super easy to make. I usually make mine in the oven just so I don’t have to deal with the grill, but you could easily grill them.

Avocado Chicken Burgers

These Avocado Chicken Burgers are an easy weeknight dinner in the oven or on the grill. This recipe is gluten-free, paleo and can easily be made ahead of time during food prep.

So here’s how you make them:

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Avocado Chicken Burgers

avocado chicken burgers 1
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These Avocado Chicken Burgers are an easy weeknight dinner in the oven or on the grill. This recipe is gluten-free, paleo and can easily be made ahead of time during food prep.

  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 6 burgers 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound ground chicken
  • 1 medium avocado, diced
  • 2 tsp fresh ginger (i use the paste)
  • 2 Tbsp cilantro, minced (optional)
  • 1/2 cup chopped green onions
  • 1 serrano pepper, minced (optional)
  • 1.5 tsp all-purpose salt-free seasoning (I use McCormicks)

Instructions

  1. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.
  2. Mix well with your hands and form into 6 burgers.
  3. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
  4. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, flipping once.
  5. Option 2 – you could through these on the grill

Notes

You can sub turkey for chicken if you want to!

I use ginger paste from Gourmet Garden because it’s quick and easy…but you could also buy a knob of fresh ginger and grate it in. These are perfect for a quick summer dinner and also great for food prep because they hold up well if made ahead of time and the flavors develop more, making them even more delicious!

These Avocado Chicken Burgers are an easy weeknight dinner in the oven or on the grill. This recipe is gluten-free, paleo and can easily be made ahead of time during food prep.

[Tweet “Add these Avocado Chicken Burgers from @leangrnbeanblog to your meal plan this week!”]

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Steak Cobb Salad

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This Steak Cobb Salad Recipe is packed with protein and nutrients, easy to assemble and makes a great lunch or dinner option as the weather gets warmer. 

This Steak Cobb Salad Recipe is packed with protein and nutrients, easy to assemble and makes a great lunch or dinner option as the weather gets warmer.

*Originally published April 2016. Post updated June 2020*

Hi Friends!

Allow me to introduce this Steak Cobb Salad. If you’re a long-time reader, you know that I’m not a huge red meat eater, but that it’s hubby’s fav. My older kids eat burgers and my oldest loves steak like his daddy so we’ve been adding it into the rotation lately. 

That being said, if you’re not a steak fan like me, you can easily sub chicken for steak in this salad and it’s still delicious. This is one our summer favorites because it’s easy to throw together and makes such a filling meal without heating up the kitchen.

Steak Cobb Salad

This Steak Cobb Salad Recipe is packed with protein and nutrients, easy to assemble and makes a great lunch or dinner option as the weather gets warmer.

You guys know that hubby is the salad lover out of the two of us. While he would happily eat a bowl of lettuce with some dressing alongside a meal, sometimes it’s fun to “beef up” the salad (see what I did there?!) and turn it into a full meal.

This is a bit of a non-traditional cobb salad. I used crumbled feta instead of blue cheese and added a honey mustard dressing…but the flavors all work well together and it’s both light and hearty….perfect for lunch or dinner as the weather starts to warm up!

Here’s how you make it:

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Steak Cobb Salad

Steak Cobb Salad 2
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This Steak Cobb Salad Recipe is packed with protein and nutrients, easy to assemble and makes a great lunch or dinner option as the weather gets warmer.

  • Yield: serves 4

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 – 1.5 pound flank steak
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 1/3 cup red or white wine vinegar
  • 2 Tbsp honey
  • 4 hard boiled eggs, halved or quartered
  • 4–6 strips of bacon, cooked and crumbled
  • 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1/2 cup red onion, chopped
  • 8 cups chopped romaine lettuce or mixed greens
  • 2 medium avocados, sliced or chopped

Instructions

  1. Combine first 8 ingredients in a ziploc bag and let marinate at least 4 hours or overnight.
  2. Remove steak and grill to desired doneness.
  3. Let rest and slice into strips.
  4. Put 2 cups of lettuce in each bowl. Top each with bacon, feta, tomatoes, onion, egg, avocado and steak, arranging as desired.
  5. Serve with your favorite dressing.

 

Because it’s our favorite, I served this with a basic honey mustard dressing made by combining mustard, honey, oil and a little vinegar. But feel free to use whatever type of dressing you prefer! Ranch or blue cheese would be good!

This Steak Cobb Salad Recipe is packed with protein and nutrients, easy to assemble and makes a great lunch or dinner option as the weather gets warmer.

Let me know if you try this salad this summer!

 

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Easy Turkey Meatloaf with Vegetables

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This Easy Turkey Meatloaf Recipe with Vegetables makes a great weeknight dinner. You can also easily double the recipe and freeze half for another busy night.

Easy Turkey Meatloaf with Vegetables

Hi friends!

I’ve got an easy dinner recipe to share with you today. Meatloaf is one of those meals I remember not really liking while I was growing up. While I still wouldn’t call it my favorite meal as an adult, it is one that I now enjoy and keep in my rotation. One of my favorite things about it is that it freezes well. When i make it, I almost always double the recipe and freeze half. I even pre-slice before freezing so that I can easily pull out just 2-3 slices for a quick meal vs the whole loaf. 

This recipe in particular is one I tested a few times. I often added riced vegetables to my meatballs but hadn’t yet tried it with meatloaf. I wanted to find a recipe that included some extra veggies but still held together well after baking. 

For my recipe, I use carrots, zucchini and mushrooms but you can certainly use other veggies you have on hand. I choose to saute my vegetables before mixing them with the meat because I want them to cook down a bit and release some of the moisture they hold so that they don’t make the meatloaf soggy. 

Easy Turkey Meatloaf with Vegetables

turkey meatloaf with vegetables on plate with steamed mixed vegetables and farro

When I make this recipe, I use anywhere from 1 to 1.5 cups of vegetables with great success but when I tried 2 to 2.25 cups I found the loaf got too soggy and didn’t stick together well, so don’t try to cram too many vegetables in there!

Here’s the recipe:

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Easy Turkey Meatloaf with Vegetables

Easy turkey meatloaf recipe with vegetables, farro and mixed vegetables
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★★★★★

5 from 3 reviews

This Easy Turkey Meatloaf Recipe with Vegetables makes a great weeknight dinner. You can also easily double the recipe and freeze half for another busy night.

  • Author: Lindsay
  • Prep Time: 15 min
  • Cook Time: 30 min
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: serves 4

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 – 1.5 cups riced vegetables (Measure after riced/chopped – I use a mix of mushrooms, carrots and zucchini)*
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 pound 85% lean ground turkey (you could use 93% but I wouldn’t recommend 99% lean)
  • 1 egg
  • 2/3 cup breadcrumbs
  • 1/4 cup ketchup
  • bbq sauce to glaze
  • optional – I always put a few shakes of McCormicks grill seasoning in mine. You could use your favorite seasoning mix, or just some salt and pepper

Instructions

  1. Saute riced vegetables and garlic over medium heat for 8-10 minutes. You want the vegetables to cook and release their moisture. Let cool for a few minutes.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the veggies, meat, egg, breadcrumbs and ketchup. Use a large spoon or your hands to make sure everything is well mixed.
  3. Form into two loaves on a foil-lined pan.
  4. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until center reaches 165 degrees.
  5. Brush with bbq sauce and serve.

Notes

* To rice vegetables, place in the food processor and process until finely chopped. If you don’t have a food processor you can finely dice by hand as small as you can or even use a grater.

If you’re in a hurry, you could place the riced vegetables in a towel and squeeze to remove water instead of sauteeing.

To freeze, let cool completely, slice and then wrap in foil and freeze in a ziploc bag. Thaw in the fridge when ready to eat.

Simple right?

If you’re not a fan of bbq sauce you could always glaze or serve with ketchup for dipping. 

This Easy Turkey Meatloaf Recipe with Vegetables makes a great weeknight dinner. You can also easily double the recipe and freeze half for another busy night.

Let me know if you try this recipe!

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Broccoli Slaw with Ramen

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This Broccoli Slaw with Ramen recipe is perfect for summer. It’s packed with vegetables and protein and the simple dressing is full of flavor. Perfect for food prep and tastes great as leftovers.

Broccoli Slaw with Ramen recipe

Hi friends!

So excited to share this Broccoli Slaw with Ramen salad with you guys! This is a twist on a salad my mom made all the time growing up. It brings back memories of summer and when I made it for the first time in a while last week, I knew immediately I would need to remake it to share with all of you. 

It’s perfect for making ahead of time because it just gets better as it sits in the fridge. It’s also a great way to repurpose leftover chicken!

I use broccoli slaw as the base because we always have it on hand but last week I actually made it with a bagged salad mix of kale and cabbage and it turned out great that way as well. I make mine with a mix of chicken and white beans but you could easily make it vegetarian with just beans. Chickpeas would also be great!

Broccoli Slaw with Ramen

Broccoli slaw with ramen, topped with peanuts and green onions and and oil and vinegar dressing

Here’s how you make it:

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Broccoli Slaw with Ramen

broccoli slaw with ramen 3 copy
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★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

This Broccoli Slaw with Ramen recipe is perfect for summer. It’s packed with vegetables and protein and the simple dressing is full of flavor. Perfect for food prep and tastes great as leftovers.

 

  • Author: Lindsay
  • Prep Time: 5 min
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: serves 4-6 1x

Ingredients

Scale

1 (10oz) bag of broccoli slaw
1 cup thinly sliced carrots
1 cup thinly sliced red peppers
1/2 cup green onions, sliced
1 can great northern beans (drained and rinsed)
2 cups cooked chicken, diced
1 or 2 packages of crumbled ramen noodles (discard seasoning package)
1/3 cup avocado oil
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1–2 Tbsp honey or maple syrup (to taste)
pinch of salt and pepper to taste

optional for dressing – squeeze of lime juice or fresh ginger or sriracha for spice
chopped peanuts or slivered almonds to garnish

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, combine broccoli slaw, carrots, peppers, green onions, beans, chicken, crumbled ramen noodles and stir to combine.
  2. In a small bowl or jar, combine oil, vinegar, soy sauce, garlic and 1 Tbsp honey. Shake or whisk vigorously and taste. Add more honey if needed for a sweeter dressing and any extras like ginger,lime or sriracha.
  3. Pour dressing over salad and mix until everything is well coated. If you don’t like lots of dressing, start with 3/4 of the dressing, stir and add more if needed.
  4. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving. Top with chopped nuts just before serving.

Notes

  • Use one or two packages of ramen noodles depending on how many noodles you want. I usually use one package and then half of another.
  • If you don’t have broccoli slaw you can sub a mix of kale and shredded cabbage.
  • If you don’t have white beans, sub cannellini beans or chickpeas.

This is a must-try recipe, my friends! Hands-on prep time is about 5 minutes and it tastes great all week. 

This Broccoli Slaw with Ramen recipe is perfect for summer. It's packed with vegetables and protein and the simple dressing is full of flavor. Perfect for food prep and tastes great as leftovers.

If you like this recipe, you might also like:

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Asian Farro White Bean Bowls

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This Asian Farro White Bean Bowls recipe is perfect for a quick and easy vegan dinner. Ready in 15 minutes and full of flavor.

Asian Farro White Bean Bowls

Hi friends!

I’ve got a quick and easy recipe to share today. It’s vegetarian (vegan actually) but still packs a protein punch thanks to the farro and great northern beans and it comes together super quickly. 

I love that these Asian Farro White Bean Bowls can be eaten hot or cold, depending on your preference. And the easy peanut sauce adds lots of flavor without being overly complicated. I’ve been enjoying it for both lunch and dinner for the past couple of weeks. 

After eating my Instant Pot Asian Peanut Noodles on repeat for several months, I wanted to change things up a little bit but keep the same flavor profile because I just love it so much. 

First I swapped noodles for farro, went with white beans instead of chicken, and packed it with riced veggies. Don’t let riced veggies intimidate you. Basically all it means is finely chopped and really all you have to do is pull out the food processor. My veggies of choice were carrots and broccoli slaw. Just dump half a bag of broccoli slaw into the food processor and process for about 10 seconds. For the carrots, I just toss in some big chunks of carrots and let it process until they’re finely chopped. 

Asian Farro White Bean Bowls

Asian Farro White Bean Bowls with riced vegetables and peanut sauce

This comes together super quickly because you really don’t have to cook the riced veggies very long. I saute for about 5 minutes so they’re cooked a little bit but still have a bit of crunch. If you don’t have beans, you could use chickpeas. You could even add meat if you wanted to. 

Here’s the recipe:

Print

Asian Farro White Bean Bowls

Asian Farro White Bean Bowls
Print Recipe

This Asian Farro White Bean Bowls recipe is perfect for a quick and easy vegan dinner. Ready in 15 minutes and full of flavor.

  • Author: Lindsay
  • Prep Time: 10 min
  • Cook Time: 10 min
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: serves 4

Ingredients

Scale

3/4 cup uncooked farro
1 Tbsp oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup riced broccoli slaw (about half a 10oz bag)
1 cup riced carrots (approx 6 oz)
1 (15oz) can great northern beans, drained and rinsed
1/3 cup peanut butter
2 Tbps soy sauce
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
2 Tbsp maple syrup
2 tsp fresh grated ginger (I use refrigerated ginger paste)
sriracha to taste (optional)
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1/4 cup chopped peanuts

Instructions

  1. Cook farro according to package directions.
  2. Heat oil and garlic in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add riced veggies and cook for 5 minutes.
  3. Add cooked farro and white beans and heat an additional 2-3 minutes.
  4. In a bowl, combine peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, maple syrup, ginger and sriracha if using. Mix well with a whisk or fork.
  5. Pour peanut sauce into the pan and mix well to combine.
  6. Serve and top with green onions and chopped peanuts.

Notes

  • You could use cannellini beans or chickpeas instead of great northern beans. Or sub chicken.
  • To rice veggies, place in a food processor and process until finely chopped. If you don’t have a food processor you can finely chop by hand, the texture just might be a little different.
  • If your sauce is too thick, thin with broth or water.
  • Add additional green onions and peanuts if desired.
  • For a saucier version- use 1/2 cup peanut butter, 3 Tbsp soy sauce, rice vinegar and maple syrup

What do you think? I promise you it’s worth a try! 

This Asian Farro White Bean Bowls recipe is perfect for a quick and easy vegan dinner. Ready in 15 minutes and full of flavor.

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

How To Build A Mud Kitchen

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Learn how to build a mud kitchen that’s perfect for keeping the kids entertained outside. Here are step-by-step mud kitchen plans for making an outdoor DIY mud kitchen for under $100. They’ll be cooking up nature soup and mud pies in no time.

How To Build A Mud Kitchen for under $100

Hi friends!

Ready to learn how to make a mud kitchen? Last week, I didn’t even know there was such a thing and now here we are! I saw someone mention one on Instagram and I knew immediately that my kids would love one! They’ve been on a huge nature soup kick the past few weeks making soups and stews out of leaves, grass, dandelions, etc so a DIY mud kitchen seemed like a great fit for us.

This is one of those times (and there are a lot of them) when it’s so nice to have a handy husband! I spent a few minutes scrolling through mud kitchens on Pinterest, screenshotted a few pictures to show him and asked him if he could build us one and six hours later, voila!

This is obviously not the only way you can build one. You could easily make one with just a board and some cinder blocks or using whatever wood you have laying around, but I LOVE the way ours turned out! Several people asked for dimensions, materials etc so we put together a blueprint and directions for how my husband made ours.

Keep in mind we’re not a DIY blog AND we weren’t planning to turn this into a post so we didn’t do the best job taking photos. But my husband provided drawings for each step of assembly with measurements etc. Between those and the typed directions below, hopefully you’ll have a pretty good idea how to build one yourself!

How To Build A Mud Kitchen

mud kitchen materials

Materials

  • (7) cedar 2x4s
  • (8) 6′ cedar fence boards
  • 1.25-inch deck screws (approx 54) and 2.5-inch deck screws (approx 50)
  • exterior stain (a great way to use some up if you have it laying around! We used what we had leftover after staining our screened porch)
  • sharpie
  • Rubbermaid 10 gallon plastic tub 

Dimensions:

Frame: 2 feet tall x 4 feet long (depth is dependent on the container you’re using for your “sink”)
Tub: We used a 10-gallon plastic Rubbermaid tub. Measuring just under the lip, it was 14.5″ wide x 20.75″ long. (We had to cut off the handles to make it fit down in the frame which was a pain so we recommend looking for one without handles.

man and son building mud kitchen cooktop

Directions For How To Build A Mud Kitchen

**Scroll down for a link to a free PDF blueprint and printable directions**

Step 1: Assemble the frame for the cooktop using 2x4s.

  • Cut one 2×4 in half for the long sides, which will be almost exactly 48″.
  • Measure just below the lip of the tub you’re using to get measurements for the opening for your sink. Ours was 14.5″ wide x 20.75″ long.
  • Cut the 4 shorter pieces of your frame to the length of your tub.
  • Drill pilot holes and then use 2.5-inch deck screws to build your rectangular frame with two pieces in the middle to hold the tub between them.

How to build a mud kitchen - top frame

Step 2: Add legs.

  • Front legs are 24 inches, back legs are 48 inches to extend up and make the backsplash.
  • Front legs go inside the frame and the back legs go outside the frame.
  • Attach the front legs, then have someone hold it level while attaching the back legs.

Step 3: Make the lower shelf frame.

  • Cut two 45″ pieces of 2×4 for the front and back. 
  • Cut three pieces that are three inches shorter than your side pieces for the cooktop. Ours were 17.75 inches since the sides to our cooktop were 20.75 inches. You can also just measure the distance between the front and back legs and subtract 3 inches.
  • Drill pilot holes and use 2.5 inch deck screws.

how to build a mud kitchen - man measuring for lower frame

Step 4: Attach the lower shelf frame. 

  • Attach lower shelf frame to the back of the front legs and the front of the back legs about 6 inches from the ground using 2.5 inch deck screws.

mud kitchen with cedar fence boards and 2x4s

Step 5: Add cedar top, shelf top, and backsplash with fence boards

  • Do the bottom shelf first. Measure from the outer edge to outer edge sides of the shelf frame. Cut 3 cedar fence boards to that length. Evenly space boards and attach with 1.25-inch deck screws to make a shelf.
  • Do cooktop next. Cut 3 cedar fence boards after measuring from backsplash to front edge of 2×4. Start closest to tub on both sides and work out. There may be a little overhang on the outer pieces. 
  • For backsplash: Use fence board as a spacer when installing. We did 3 cedar fence boards and then a 2×4 level with the top

Step 6: Add 2×4 topper on the backsplash

  • We added another 2×4 across the top, connecting it to the 2×4 running horizontally across the top of the backsplash and the top of the back legs.

sanding a mud kitchen

Step 7: Sand the cooktop

  • The cedar fence boards are rough sawn so we sanded them until smooth with 120 grit paper and a power sander. 
  • Hubby also rounded the edges and corners. Smooth surfaces are easier to keep clean and allowed us to draw “burners”.

Step 8: Draw the “burners”

  • Draw cooktop burners by tracing circles and painting them black. 

staining a mud kitchen

Step 9: Stain

  • We used leftover stain from our porch to seal the wood. 
  • We also added a coat of exterior grade polyurethane to the countertop area to hold up better against mud and water. In addition, the black paint for the burners won’t accept the stain so the poly helps seal it in.

mud kitchen details

Step 10: Add the details

  • We made knobs out of a leftover 2×4 to “turn the burners on”
  • Add hooks, baskets etc if you want to!
  • After we took the picture, we also added a cheap brass hose bibb to look like a faucet over the sink. (It was $5)
  • Furnish with old pots and pans, pie tins, tupperware, old spice containers, spoons and ladles. Thrift stores and garage sales are great places to find supplies.

mud kitchen blueprint

Since we didn’t have the best step-by-step photos to share, my husband sketched out a visual of each step of the process to help show you how we measured, where we put our screws etc.

CLICK HERE FOR A FREE BLUEPRINT PDF and PRINTABLE DIRECTIONS

———-

A few suggestions:

  1. We recommend using cedar because it’s naturally resistant to decay without any chemicals and it smells good 🙂
  2. Cedar 2x4s are kinda pricey but the cedar fence boards are cheap so it all evened out! Our total came out to right around $100.
  3. You’ll need a buddy to help hold various pieces of wood in place while you’re drilling pilot holes etc.

Learn how to build a mud kitchen that's perfect for keeping the kids entertained outside. Here are step-by-step directions for making an outdoor kitchen for under $100. They'll be cooking up nature soup and mud pies in no time.

Hope this helps! Happy playing!
–Lindsay–

 

Sweet Potato White Bean Bars

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These Sweet Potato White Bean Bars are perfect for breakfast or snack time. They’re kid-friendly, nut-free and full of fiber! 

Sweet Potato White Bean Bars - stacked, on cooling rack and a bowl of beans

Hi friends!

Meet my Sweet Potato White Bean Bars…my latest creation and a snack that all three of my kids enjoy. My neighbor recently ordered 6 russet potatoes in her grocery pickup order and since they were all out, they gave her 40 (yes forty) sweet potatoes instead. When she asked if I could use some, I knew a new recipe was in order. 

If you’ve been around awhile, you may have already tried my White Bean Muffins. My youngest LOVES great northern beans so I’ve taken to stocking the pantry with them and after I made those muffins, I found they’re great for baking because they have a very mild flavor. They pair great with sweet potatoes!

If you’re looking for more recipes using sweet potatoes, here are 20+ Baked Sweet Potato Recipes.

Sweet Potato White Bean Bars

toddler eating sweet potato white bean bars

I also love using sweet potatoes in baked goods. Have you tried my GF Sweet Potato Brownies , Sweet Potato Protein Cookies or Sweet Potato Banana Bites? I wanted to combine sweet potatoes and beans and I also wanted to make a snack that was nut-free (my white bean muffins have peanut butter in them). 

So behold these bars! These were approved by all three of my kids. To be honest I was shocked that my older two liked them. But I’m not complaining. They prefer them warm so I usually warm them up in the microwave before serving. And my youngest ate half the pan after the first batch so I had to make a second batch to photograph for this post!

These Sweet Potato White Bean Bars are perfect for breakfast or snack time.

Sweet Potato White Bean Bars are the perfect addition to breakfast or lunch and also make a great snack. Plus they’re nut-free so they’re safe for school! Here’s how you make them:

Print

Sweet Potato White Bean Bars

Sweet Potato White Bean Bars - stacked, on cooling rack and a bowl of beans
Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 38 reviews

These Sweet Potato White Bean Bars are perfect for breakfast or snack time. They’re kid-friendly, nut-free and full of fiber! 

  • Author: Lindsay
  • Prep Time: 5 min
  • Cook Time: 20 min
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 12 bars 1x

Ingredients

Scale

1 (15 oz) can great northern beans (drained and rinsed)
3/4 cup cooked mashed sweet potato
2 eggs
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup oil (i use avocado oil)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
2/3 cup white whole wheat flour
1/4 cup hemp seeds (optional)
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. In a food processor, combine beans, sweet potato, eggs, maple syrup, oil and vanilla. Process until smooth.
  3. Add cinnamon, baking soda, flour and hemp hearts and process until combined.
  4. Add chocolate chips and pulse a few times.
  5. Spoon into a 9×9 pan lined with parchment paper.
  6. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-22 minutes.
  7. Let cool, cut and serve. Store in the fridge.

Notes

  1. You could try cannellini beans or chickpeas but i think they have a stronger flavor than great northern beans.
  2. To cook the sweet potato I just stab several times with a knife, microwave 5-6 minutes and then cut open to let cool before mashing into the measuring cup.
  3. You could sub chia seeds or some ground flax for the hemp hearts.
  4. I haven’t tried any substitutions for the flour. You could try oat flour to make them gluten-free.

Have I mentioned how much I love my Cuisinart 11-cup food processor for baked goods? (Aff link) I’m really not sure why I even bother putting it away. I use it pretty much every day.

These Sweet Potato White Bean Bars are perfect for breakfast or snack time. They're kid-friendly, nut-free and full of fiber! 

If you try these bars and like them, please leave a rating and pin them on pinterest!

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

How To Practice Sight Words

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Wondering how to practice sight words with your kids when they’re first learning to read? Here are some fun, easy ways that will keep them interested and engaged and make learning fun!

How To Practice Sight Words with kids

Hi friends!

Over the past couple of months, I’ve been keeping a list of how to practice sight words with my five-year-old. I know there are varying opinions about whether sight words are important, how often you should practice, when you should start practicing etc. I’m not here to give you any answers. But I’ve been doing them several times a week with my son and am always looking for creative ways to work practicing them into our day. I made of list of some of our favorite activities and then reached out to you guys as well and asked you to share your favorites. So, if you’re looking for ideas, here are some to try!

How To Practice Sight Words

sight word smash

  • Write down a few words and put a ball of playdough near each one. Call out a word and have them smash the ball on that word!
  • Tape sight words around the house and send them on a scavenger hunt to find them all. 
  • Play “I Spy” and call out a word you taped around the room and have them run and get it.
  • Write words on a dry erase board, on the window or on a mirror, call out the word and have them erase it.
  • Try sight word Go Fish. You could make your own cards with notecards or tape words onto a deck of cards.

sight word in sand

  • Practice writing them. Pour some flour, sugar or sand into a tray, spread some shaving cream on the shower wall or a window or squeeze some paint into a ziploc bag and let them practice writing the words you say. Or practice writing them on paper.
  • Incorporate them into sensory play – Have them practice while jumping on the trampoline or tape words up on the wall so they have to jump and slap them.
  • Read lots of books! Ask them to find a certain word on each page. 
  • Write words in chalk on the driveway and have your child run from one to another as you call them out and jump on them or spray them with a spray bottle.

sight word train track

  • Put painter’s tape on train track pieces, write a letter on each piece of track and have them connect the track pieces to form a word.
  • Use cooked spaghetti noodles or rolled out playdough to form the letters to spell sight words. 
  • Have a flashcard race. Write words on a stack of notecards. Hold them up and have them read two words, then run a lap around the house or up and down the stairs and then come back for two more words.
  • Build words with magnetic letters on the fridge. 
  • Play sight words bingo. 

sight word zingo

Here are some resources that were recommended that I was able to find links for on Amazon (affiliate links). I haven’t tried most of these myself but feel free to check them out! We have regular Zingo and love it so I’m definitely considering getting the sight word version!

sight word treasure hunt

Here are a few online resources that were recommended!

Wondering how to practice sight words with your kids when they're first learning to read? Here are some fun, easy ways that will keep them interested and engaged and make learning fun!

If you have other favorite sight word activities, please leave them in the comments!

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Instant Pot Farro Enchilada Casserole

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This Instant Pot Farro Enchilada Casserole is the perfect weeknight dinner. It’s also great for meal prep, freezes well and is made with pantry staples!

Instant Pot Farro Enchilada Casserole with green beans, tortilla chips and avocado

Hi friends!

I’ve got a recipe for Instant Pot Farro Enchilada Casserole to share with you guys today and I can’t wait! You’ve been asking for more pantry meals and this one fits the bill. It’s made with pantry staples, full of flavor and so easy my 16-month-old can pretty much make it himself. All you really have to do is dump everything in the Instant Pot and turn it on!

Here’s what you should stock your pantry with so you can make this for a quick dinner any night of the week:

  • Canned black beans
  • Canned diced tomatoes
  • Canned corn
  • Canned enchilada sauce (green or red)
  • Canned diced green chilis
  • Farro

All you need to add to that is chicken (thighs work best) and cheese. Or you can leave the chicken out for a vegetarian version! I love how easy it is to customize the spice level of this by choosing mild, medium or hot enchilada sauce or chilis. And it’s perfect for scooping with chips!

Instant Pot Farro Enchilada Casserole

Instant Pot Farro Enchilada Casserole scooped with tortilla chip

Since there are a lot of canned ingredients in this dish, I do recommend choosing low-sodium or no-salt-added options. You could also use black beans that you cook yourself and fresh or frozen corn.

Here’s the recipe:

Print

Instant Pot Farro Enchilada Casserole

Instant Pot Farro Enchilada Casserole
Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 3 reviews

This Instant Pot Farro Enchilada Casserole is the perfect weeknight dinner. It’s also great for meal prep, freezes well and is made with pantry staples!

  • Author: Lindsay
  • Yield: serves 4-6 1x

Ingredients

Scale

1 (15 oz) can black beans (drained and rinsed)
1 (15 oz) can corn kernals (drained and rinsed)
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes (drained)
1 (10 oz) can enchilada sauce (green or red)
1 (4.5 oz) can diced green chilis
3/4 cup dry uncooked farro
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 – 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 cup shredded Mexican cheese

Instructions

  1. In an Instant Pot, combine all ingredients except the cheese.
  2. Stir until well combined.
  3. Manually set Instant Pot to 15 minutes.
  4. Use quick release, stir well, shred the chicken thighs and stir in the cheese.
  5. Casserole will thicken as it sits.

Notes

Look for low-sodium or no-salt-added options of canned ingredients.

You can omit the chicken for a vegetarian version.

See what I mean by easy? You could easily cook this and freeze it in a ziploc bag or casserole dish, then thaw and reheat in the oven or microwave!

This Instant Pot Farro Enchilada Casserole is the perfect weeknight dinner. It's also great for meal prep, freezes well and is made with pantry staples!

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Workout Ideas For Kids

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Looking for workout ideas for kids? There are lots of great options on YouTube, plus you can easily create your own Tabata or deck of cards workout to get kids up and moving!

Workout Ideas For Kids

Hi friends!

I’ve been sharing some of our favorite workout ideas for kids over on Instagram lately but I wanted to round them all up in one place so you could easily find them all. 

We’ve found several YouTube channels we really like so I’ll link to both the general channels as well as some of the specific workouts we like. Remember that we haven’t had time to work through all the options on each channel so if you like some of our favorites, be sure the check out some of the other workouts on that channel!

These have been perfect for getting my five-year-old son up and moving in a way that gets his heart rate up but is still fun and easy enough for him to keep up and follow along. My three-year-old likes jumping in as well.

Workout Ideas for Kids

Coach Meger Thunder Workout on YouTube

Coach Meger Fitness Games – lots of great Tabatas

Glenn Higgins Superhero tabata

Glenn Higgins Fitness – we like the superhero ones:

Michael Ginicola youtube

Michael Ginicola – our favs are:

Les Mills avengers workout

Les Mills Move Like The Avengers 

This is the only Les Mills one we’ve found like this but he loves it

go noodle fabios meatball run

Go Noodle – Their channel has lots of great videos. Some are more songs/dancing but we’ve found several that have you doing a lot of jumping, dodging, ducking etc.

make your own tabata workout for kids

Make Your Own Tabata

We’ve had a great time lately making up Tabata workouts to do together. We each pick four movements and then we use a free tabata timer on my phone or computer and work through our list doing each movement for 20 seconds, resting for 10 seconds. You can make it harder by making the intervals 30 or 40 seconds of work, or you can just run through the whole thing again once you’re done!

deck of cards workout for kids

Deck of Cards Workout

We’ve also been loving deck of cards workouts. We pick four movements and assign one to each suit. Then you just toss the cards in a pile, take turns picking one and do the movement assigned to the suit you pick for the number of reps on the card. To make it easier, I often pull out the higher card so we only include cards ace – 7 or 8 when I do this with my five-year-old but depending on their activity level and age…and the movements you pick….they might be able to do the whole deck.

sidewalk workout idea for kids

Sidewalk Workout

Sidewalk workouts are great for when it’s nice enough to get outside. Give your child a new movement every 3-4 sidewalk squares. If you don’t have sidewalks you could use mailboxes, light posts or even a timer to change up the movements. Some ideas:

  • Frog jumps
  • Crab walks
  • Bear crawls
  • Hop on one foot
  • Shuffle sideways
  • Run backward
  • Skip
  • Gallop
  • Grapevine
  • Lunges
  • Sprints
  • Wheelbarrow walks
  • Tiptoe

Each time they get to a driveway, give them a movement with a set number of reps like 10 squats at each driveway, or make them sprint up each driveway and back to you.

Looking for workout ideas for kids? There are lots of great options on YouTube, plus you can easily create your own Tabata or deck of cards workout to get kids up and moving!

Other ideas:

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Household Item Toys

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These everyday household item toys just might keep your kids entertained for a surprisingly long time. You likely have most of them at home already! Great for babies and toddlers too!

household item toys

Hi friends!

I wanted to share a list of household item toys I put together in case it might be helpful during this time. I know a lot of us are stuck at home and trying to limit purchasing new items. The good news is that you probably have tons of items already laying around the house that make great toys for young kids!

I’ve listed some of my favorites and also included suggestions from my Instagram followers! You probably have almost all of these items at home already and I bet you’ll be surprised just how long some of these can keep your kiddos entertained…especially if they’ve never had the chance to play with them before!

Household Item Toys

household item toys including spray bottle, cards, tea bags, tape, tongs and more

  • Spray bottle – fill with water and let them spray the car outside, the shower glass, flowers on a walk etc
  • Ladle – perfect for scooping small items or water from one container to another
  • Gift bags – give them a couple of bags and let them fill them with whatever they want and carry them around
  • Pot w/ water & measuring cups, spoons etc
  • Old notebooks or calendar – they can play restaurant, write secret messages, write down their appointments and more
  • Painters tape or washi tape – perfect for letting them play by themselves because it comes off easily, or use it to make games,  etc on the floor
  • Baking soda and vinegar – put baking soda in a cup on a tray, add vinegar and watch the bubbles!
  • Sink or float with random toys around the house – have them write down their guess before each one!
  • Kitchen tongs – just give them some tongs and let them go to town. This is a huge favorite toy at our house
  • Dissolvable packing peanuts and a bowl of water
  • Empty TP and paper towel rolls – make binoculars, telescopes, rain sticks, glasses and more
  • Taking everything out of drawers or pantry – best activity to keep them busy when you need to cook
  • K cups or tea bags – take them out of the box, put them back in, stack them up, line them up in a row….
  • Glow sticks – if you have these lying around, toss some in the bathtub for extra fun!
  • Pipe cleaners and colander - let them poke them through the holes and pull them out. Bonus- give them some cheerios to thread onto them
  • String – my oldest will spend hours winding string/yarn/ribbon around anything and everything
  • Dish soap and water to clean toys
  • Tampons – But seriously. My 16-month-old could play with a box of tampons for HOURS
  • Beans in a jar with a screw tight lid – save a plastic bottle, add anything that will make noise like beans, lentils, pasta etc and put the lid on. Tape it shut if needed.
  • Pom poms in a whisk– show them how to push the pom poms in and then let them figure out how to get them out.

household object toys including notebook, flashlight, old camera, measuring cups

  • Clothespins or wine corks – give them some ribbon to clip them on or some boxes and bottles to put the corks in
  • Empty squeeze ketchup bottle with water – reuse old squeeze bottles in the bathtub or on the driveway
  • Flashlights – fun in a dark room, inside a fort etc
  • Vacuum/Swiffer/damp cloth – let them help clean! They love it
  • Tape measurers – my kids spend hours measuring everything from their toys to the cat’s tail
  • Stapler or hole punch – save scraps from art projects, drawings etc for them to staple and punch
  • Mardi gras beads in an old baby bottle – great for making music
  • Cardboard boxes – perfect for everything from decorating to rocketships to destroying
  • Shaving cream
  • Matching Tupperware with lids – see how quickly they can match them up
  • Magnifying glass – use around the house or on nature walks
  • Junk mail – let them save it, cut it up, circle their favorite items
  • Sensory bin with pasta, beans, oats or cereal – bury little toys for them to find or just give them scoops and spoons
  • Washing the dishes – another chore i hate but kids usually love
  • Ping pong balls – let them throw them around, try to catch them in a cup
  • Plastic cups – let them stack them up to make a tower, turn them into bowling pins etc
  • Laundry baskets – let them push each other around in them
  • Deck of cards – for simple games, workouts, dropping through a slot into a box or just throwing everywhere and picking up
  • Pool noodles – make great swords
  • Resistance bands
  • Balloons
  • Cheap photo album and old pics
  • Old cameras or phones that don’t work anymore

I’m sure there are other things I’m forgetting but the point is….think outside the toy box!

These everyday household item toys just might keep your kids entertained for a surprisingly long time. You likely have most of them at home already! Great for babies and toddlers too!

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Carrot Applesauce Muffins

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These Carrot Applesauce Muffins are lightly sweetened and kid-friendly. Made with pantry staples, they freeze well and are great for a healthy breakfast, lunch or snack!

Carrot Applesauce Muffins

Hi friends!

I can’t wait to share these Carrot Applesauce Muffins with you guys. You know I’m no stranger to adding things like vegetables, lentils, beans etc to bake goods. In fact, I recently put together a free PDF with some of my favorite Kid-Friendly Baking Recipes so that you can print them all out and stash them in your kitchen! 

If you’ve been around away, you know my three-year-old’s favorite are the Carrot Oat Bars. We make them weekly and always have some on hand or in the freezer for her at snack time. Since we always seem to have carrots on hand around here since we buy them at Costco, I decided to use them in another baked good. While my Carrot Oat Bars call for roasted carrots, these Carrot Applesauce Muffins use raw carrots. I just chop mine in the food processor but you could also grate them by hand. 

toddler eating carrot applesauce muffins

I had a little help with my photoshoot for these…a photoshoot which lasted just long enough for me to snap about 10 pictures before my youngest was double-fisting these muffins. My kids LOVE baked goods for snacks so I do my best to focus on a few things when I develop recipes like this.

Tips For Healthy Baked Goods:

  • I always use white whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose flour. Regular whole wheat flour is very dense but white whole wheat flour is much lighter and very similar to AP flour.
  • I make them lightly sweetened. Most of my muffin and bar recipes use 1/4 – 1/3 cup of sugar or maple syrup. Since I often mix in some chocoate chips, which add sweetness, it’s easier to make the muffins themselves less sweet.
  • I try to add healthy additions. I usually aim to add a vegetable, lentils or beans to my recipes. And I almost always mix in hemp hearts, chia seeds or ground flax as well!

There’s nothing wrong with just a plain old bakery-style muffin, cinnamon roll, etc and my kids eat those as well…but when I’m making things they’re going to eat for snacks regularly, I aim to make them as nutrient-dense as possible most of the time.

Carrot Applesauce Muffins

toddler hand grabbing carrot applesauce muffin

Here’s how you make these:

Print

Carrot Applesauce Muffins

toddler hand grabbing carrot applesauce muffin
Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 8 reviews

These Carrot Applesauce Muffins are lightly sweetened and kid-friendly. Made with pantry staples, they freeze well and are great for a healthy breakfast, lunch or snack!

  • Author: Lindsay
  • Prep Time: 5 min
  • Cook Time: 20 min
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 12 muffins 1x

Ingredients

Scale

1.5 cup shredded carrots (wrap in towel and squeeze to remove excess water. I chop mine in the food processor)
1/2 cup oil (i use avocado oil)
1/3 cup maple syrup*
1 egg
3/4 cup applesauce
1 tsp vanilla extract
1.5 cups white whole wheat flour
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
optional mix-ins: shredded coconut, chocolate chips, dried fruit

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 F
  2. Chop carrots in a food processor. Remove from food processor, squeeze to remove excess water and then measure so you have 1.5 cups. (Should take about 3/4 pound of carrots).
  3. In a food processor, combine finely chopped carrots, oil, maple syrup, egg, applesauce and vanilla and process until well combined.
  4. Add flour, flax, baking soda and cinnamon and process to mix.
  5. Add any mix-ins if using and pulse a few times.
  6. Scoop into 12 greased muffin tins and bake 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

Notes

These are lightly sweetened. If you want a sweeter muffin, use 1/2 cup maple syrup. I use 1/4 cup and add some chocolate chips.

I make mine in a food processor because that’s how i shred my carrots but you could also shred by hand and make in a bowl, the carrots will just be more noticeable in the muffins. You could also shred carrots by hand, squeeze to remove water, measure and then make in a blender.

I make almost all my baked goods in the food processor because it’s so easy!

These Carrot Applesauce Muffins are lightly sweetened and kid-friendly. Made with pantry staples, they freeze well and are great for a healthy breakfast, lunch or snack!

Do you prefer muffins or bars when it comes to baked goods?

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

Healthy Microwave Popcorn

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Is popcorn good for you? It makes a great healthy snack! Here’s how to make healthy microwave popcorn with just popcorn kernels and a paper lunch sack! A whole grain snack for older kids and adults and you can flavor it any way you want to!

Healthy Microwave Popcorn in a paper lunch sack

*Originally published 3/2013. Updated 4/2020*

Hi Friends!

I wanted to share this healthy microwave popcorn with you guys because it’s such a great snack option for older kids and adults. It’s important to note that popcorn is a choking hazard for younger kids, but my five-year-old and I have been enjoying it together lately. Let’s chat a little bit about popcorn:

Is Popcorn Healthy?

Yes! It can be. Did you know popcorn is a whole grain? It’s a great source of fiber and also contains several B vitamins and other nutrients like iron, magnesium and phosphorus.

microwave popcorn in a brown paper lunch sack

Is popcorn a healthy snack?

For many years now, popcorn has been one of my favorite after-dinner snacks. I typically just eat it plain, but you can easily add whatever flavors you want after it’s popped. If you’re looking for a way to use up some of your popcorn, I’d definitely suggest my Sweet & Spicy Popcorn Snack Mix. Or for some flavored options, try this Spicy Ranch Popcorn or make up your own seasoning combo – try some nutritional yeast or cinnamon with a sprinkle of sugar. 

Is microwave popcorn bad for you?

While there’s nothing wrong with enjoying a bag of store-bought popcorn every once and a while, I want to show you guys just how easy it is to make your own. You may be familiar with making it at home in an air popper or on the stovetop, but did you know that all you need in order to skip the pre-packaged microwave bags is a jar of popcorn kernels and a brown paper lunch sack.

You guys, this is so easy! Here’s what you do:

Print

Healthy Microwave Popcorn

Healthy Microwave Popcorn in a paper lunch sack
Print Recipe

Make healthy microwave popcorn with just popcorn kernels and a paper lunch sack. Makes a great whole-grain snack for older kids and adults and you can flavor it any way you want to!

Ingredients

Scale

1/4 cup popcorn kernals

optional toppings: melted butter or oil, salt or other seasonings

Instructions

1. Measure out about 1/4 c popcorn kernals
2. Pour them into a paper lunch bag
3. Fold the top over several times and place in the microwave. Use the popcorn button and listen closely. When you hear the pops slow down to a couple seconds between pops, take it out.
4. Enjoy your popcorn! Season it if you wish.

Have you tried making your own popcorn? What are you waiting for?

Healthy Microwave Popcorn

Make healthy microwave popcorn with just popcorn kernels and a paper lunch sack. Makes a great whole-grain snack for older kids and adults and you can flavor it any way you want to!

Let’s chat: Do you like popcorn? Plain or seasoned? What’s your favorite popcorn flavor combo?

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

25+ Breakfast Ideas For Kids

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These Breakfast Ideas for Kids are simple to make on a busy morning and sure to be a hit with kids of all ages. Use them if you’re stuck in a breakfast rut or serve them as lunch, dinner or a snack!

Easy Breakfast Ideas for Kids

Hi friends!

I wanted to share some breakfast ideas for kids with you guys today. A few weeks ago, I shared on Instagram that I’ve been struggling with my breakfast for my five year old. All of his old favorites seem to be falling short lately so I’ve had to put on my thinking cap for some new ideas to figure out what’s going to work for him. 

I asked my Instagram followers to share some of their kids’ favorites and also rounded up some of mine. I hope it’s helpful if you’re looking for some new ideas or just stuck in a rut!

Breakfast Ideas for Kids

Blueberry French Toast Muffins with bowl of blueberries

  • French Toast Sticks – Make French Toast in a pan or griddle, cut into sticks and serve with syrup or yogurt for dipping! Or make these Blueberry French Toast Muffins. Or a French toast bake. We love this Sweet Cherry Gingerbread French Toast Bake but really any mix of bread, eggs, milk and fruit works great!
  • Peanut Butter Toast – top with smashed berries, jelly or make a smiley face with fruit!
  • Oatmeal – Put rolled or instant oats in a bowl, cover with milk, microwave 1-2 minutes. Stir in peanut butter. Add frozen blueberries to help cool it down. Top with sprinkles or chocolate chips! To change things up try steelcut oats on the stove or in the Instant pot or crockpot. Or make baked oatmeal! If your kids like chocolate, try this Chocolate Peanut Butter Cauliflower Oatmeal.
  • Quesadillas – Put some cheese (or cheese plus ham or turkey) in a tortilla, microwave and cut into wedges. Make it more “breakfast-like” by putting scrambled eggs and cheese inside. You can also spread some mashed avocado or hummus on the inside of the tortilla.

waffle french toast pb&j

  • Waffles/Waffle Sandwich/Waffle French Toast – Try these Banana Flax Waffles, use waffles as bread to make a sandwich or throw some bread dipped in egg on a waffle iron to make waffle french toast and turn it into a pb&j!
  • Pancakes or Waffles + Sausage or Bacon –  Make a double batch of pancakes and freeze some. Just pull out and reheat in the microwave!
  • Cereal with Milk – Check out my Lower Sugar Cereals For Kids guide for some good options.
  • Egg & Avocado Toast – Spread mashed avocado on toast. Add a sprinkle of sea salt or everything but the bagel seasoning. Top with a fried or scrambled egg.

Sweet and Savory Crepe Kabobs

  • Crepe or Kabobs – Try my Crepe Kabobs or you could also use pancakes! Kids can help assemble. Or just make regular crepes filled with yogurt and fruit.
  • Snack Plate – Try “lunch” type food like cheese, crackers, smoked meat or salmon, hard-boiled eggs etc!
  • Alternative Pancakes – Make a dutch baby pancake, a sheet pan pancake or bake your pancake batter in mini muffin tins with your favorite mix-ins. You can also try adding spinach in a blender to make them green or upping the protein content by adding cottage cheese!
  • Build Your Own….Anything! Kids love doing it themselves. Try oatmeal, yogurt, toast etc. Set out lots of toppings and let them do it themselves.

Peanut Butter Banana Chia Pudding 4

  • Overnight Oats or Chia Pudding – google a basic recipe. My kids don’t like the texture of these so we don’t make them often but a lot of kids love them and they’re easy to prep the night before and pull out in the morning!
  • Banana Split – Slice a banana lengthwise, top with yogurt and then add toppings like cereal, granola, dried fruit, chocolate chips etc.
  • Bagels – They’re more exciting than toast sometimes. Top with egg and cheese, peanut butter, etc
  • Dinner Leftovers – My sister used to love leftover steak from dinner for breakfast

Kid-friendly smoothies with vegeteables, carrot smoothie popsicle

  • Smoothie or Smoothie Popsicles – Mix frozen fruit, veggies like spinach or cauliflower or zucchini, a scoop of peanut butter and some milk, yogurt or kefir. Drink immediately or freeze into popsicle molds! Here are a few Kid-Friendly Smoothies with Vegetables. Or try a super thick smoothie in a bowl with toppings!
  • Granola Bar + Yogurt – Check my list of Healthy Granola Bars for Kids and add a lower sugar yogurt like Siggi’s or Chobani
  • Omelet or Fritatta – Include cheese, any veggies they like and chicken sausage or pepperoni
  • Leftover Pizza – cold or warm!

These Easy Egg Wraps are perfect for a low-carb, high-protein snack. Make several ahead of time and fill with things like turkey, avocado, cheese, hummus and more.

  • Egg wraps – Try this egg wrap recipe and add cheese or avocado in the middle! You could also try these Egg Waffles! Just eggs on a waffle iron!
  • Muffins/Bars – pair with fruit, top with peanut butter, serve with yogurt etc. Check out my Kid-Friendly Baking Recipes for lots of veggie-packed baked goods.
  • Egg Cups – Mix in chopped peppers, cheese, sausage etc, make and bake ahead of time and reheat or look for freezer omelet bites at the store or sous vide egg bites in the refrigerated section
  • Sausage Balls – follow the Bisquick recipe for biscuits and add cheese and sausage

Fruit Pizza with Oatmeal Flax Crust

  • Fruit Pizza – Try this Easy Fruit Pizza with Oatmeal Flax Crust and let the kids decorate!
  • Egg in a Hole – Cut a circle in a piece of toast and fry an egg in the middle. Take it a step further by using the egg in a hole bread as the top bread in a turkey sandwich or a grilled cheese. 

These Breakfast Ideas for Kids are simple to make on a busy morning and sure to be a hit with kids of all ages. Use them if you're stuck in a breakfast rut or serve them as lunch, dinner or a snack!

Have a favorite not on the list? Leave it in the comments below!

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

PS. Want a printable version of this list?

Click here to get the free printable list of breakfast ideas for kids!

breakfast ideas for kids free printable

At-Home Activities For Kids

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Here are 35+ At-Home Activities For Kids!  These simple ideas are great for when you’re stuck at home due to illness, weather, or a break from school. Most can be modified for a wide range of ages.

Easy At-Home Activities For Kids

Hi friends!

I’ve got more at home activities for kids to share with you today. Last week I shared my Indoor Activities for Kids and for the past two weeks I’ve been keeping a list of all the activities we’ve done while stuck at home. I thought I would round them up into a post so you can save it for easy reference. (Don’t forget I also have an Indoor Activities for Toddlers post!)

We’ve been using the Pre-Kindergarten Daily Schedule I created to help us come up with ideas for the day and then we’ve been working our way through the activities my five-year-old chooses, plus some extras for entertainment as needed. 

There’s no right or wrong when it comes to this list. No rules on how many of them you need to do in a certain amount of time. Just browse the list for inspiration, modify as needed based on preferences, available supplies, etc and most importantly…have fun!

Without further adieu, here are some activities we’ve done over the past couple of weeks! (Check out my IG highlights to see us doing all of these things)

At-Home Activities For Kids

preschool tabata workout

  • Do a tabata workout – we loved this Avengers Tabata. OR make up your own tabata, take turns picking movements and then do it together!
  • Check out Glenn Higgins Fitness on Youtube for tons of other workouts for kids!
  • Find all the letters of the alphabet on a walk or on things in your pantry. Have siblings race to see who can find them all first!
  • Play exercise Simon Says – give commands like “simon says do 3 push-ups, simon says run up and down the stairs, simon says jump on one foot 10 times”

toddler on a scooter with binoculars

  • Take a nature walk, then come home and learn about something. We heard a woodpecker on ours so we watched this video- Why Don’t Woodpeckers Heads Hurt? Or just go outside and look around with some binoculars! 
  • Learn about something new on the SciShow Kids youtube channel.
  • Draw a blueprint for something and then try to build it. (We did this with a leprechaun trap)
  • Make muffins and learn about the difference between baking soda and baking powder with this easy experiment!

window lightbox tracing

  • Draw shapes or simple images with a sharpie. Tape the paper to a window. Have the kids hold a blank piece of paper over top and trace. 
  • Do a lunch doodle session with Mo Willems (author of Don’t Let the Pigeon + Elephant & Piggie)
  • Learn about a new animal via the Home Safari videos on The Cincinnati Zoo Facebook page.
  • Build a fort. We love The Ultimate Fort Builder from Lakeshore Learning. Or go old school and use couch cushions, pillows and sheets.
  • Try some Go Noodle videos to get moving (my kids like Raise the Roof, Yes I Want to Build a Snowman & Fabio’s Meatball Run).

free the dinosaurs from ice

  • Freeze tiny toys in ice cube trays or other containers and let the kids “free” them using a syringe and hot water.
  • Play with tongs. See how many dominos or other small objects you can pick up in 30 seconds, move small objects from one bowl to another across the room, etc.
  • Build with toothpicks. Set out some grapes, chopped sweet potatoes, marshmallows, playdough etc and toothpicks and let them build!
  • Watch this video of an elaborate chain reaction and then try to set up your own chain reaction or marble run.
  • Tape the outline of an airplane on the floor with painters tape so they can go on an imaginary trip.
  • Take a walk and build a story. Ask the kids to fill in the blanks as you make up a story – “There once was a bear named ______ and every day he went to work at _______, etc)

homemade placemat

  • Make a placemat – punch out shapes, stick them on contact paper, write your name in the middle, stick a piece of construction paper on the back and then cover with another piece of contact paper.
  • Start reading a chapter book out loud to them or listen to an audiobook.
  • Build a house out of cards.
  • Repurpose an old canvas photo by covering it with butcher paper and painting on it. Then let your child hang it in their room!
  • Blow up a balloon and see how long you can keep it in the air using your hands, a spatula, a fly swatter etc.

homemade picture frames

  • Cut a picture frame out of cardboard, cover with construction paper and decorate it!
  • Learn how to make paper airplanes! Watch this video for a basic one or this video for two slightly more advanced versions! The Eagle in the second video is our favorite.
  • Make up a deck of cards workouts. Pick out a movement for each suit. Make it shorter for younger kids by only using Ace thru 5 for each suit or make it tougher by doing the whole deck of cards!
  • Make sock puppets or popsicle stick puppets.

kids with sidewalk chalk paint

  • Make sidewalk chalk paint! I mix 1/3 cup cornstarch with 2/3 cup water and a little washable paint….but you can use flour for cornstarch, food coloring instead of paint or even just crush up sidewalk chalk and mix with water
  • Pull out the kitchen scale, gather up some objects, guess the weight and then weigh them. Practice writing the names of the objects, the numbers for your guess, organizing them lightest to heaviest etc.
  • Make rainbow cupcakes. Use your favorite cupcake recipe, split the batter into bowls, color each one with food coloring, then layer the colored batter and bake!
  • Load up with wagon with siblings or weights and let your child pull it on a walk for some exercise.
  • Do a sidewalk workout. Have you child do one movement from one driveway to the next (or for 3-4 sidewalk squares) and then call out a new movement. Stop at each driveway to do squats, sprints etc. Some ideas for movements: run, hop on one foot, skip, run backwards, side shuffle, lunge, bear crawl, crab walk, etc.

cardboard robot rubbings

  • Do a robot rubbing. Check out this post for details but basically you cut a robot out of a cereal box, glue it down and then do a crayon rubbing on paper.
  • Make homemade pizza – we used this recipe for whole wheat pizza crust and it was delicious!
  • Listen to a book or two on Storyline Online or at @Savewithstories on Instagram.
  • Have a jumping contest. Mark how far you can jump off two feet, one foot, running and backward then try to beat your previous attempt.
  • Hide objects in a box with a hole in it. Have the kids reach in and try to guess the object by feel.
  • Go bowling with solo cups or empty cans and a ball or make a ring toss out of a paper towel tube and some paper plates with the middles cut out.

Hope that gives you some new ideas!

Here are 35+ At-Home Activities For Kids!  These simple ideas are great for when you're stuck at home due to illness, weather, or a break from school. Most can be modified for a wide range of ages.

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

 

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