Feeding the Munchkins Right

As a mom, and substitute teacher, I am always exposed to the concerns (or lack thereof) of parents regarding their children's diet.
Are they getting enough of this? Are they eating too much of that? Why won't they eat a big hearty breakfast before school?

I have always been a firm believer in eating and feeding organic, non-GMO, local and no food color foods to the best of my ability. I have always been proud of my children's willingness to try anything, and they eat very well. They used to eat great breakfasts. Before school started.

When we get ready for school at 7a.m. the kiddos are simply not hungry yet. Pair that with a long school day, and you can have a disaster on your hands. I have pleaded with them to eat eggs, Greek yogurt and cottage cheese for breakfast to get them that super important boost of protein to keep them going until lunch. It can be a challenge some mornings.
The most successful breakfast as of late has been oatmeal. It is cold outside, and the hearty and warm bowl of oatmeal seems to make them happy and content. Great! Except, there is only 6 grams of protein in a cup of cooked oatmeal. At their age they should consume at least 25 grams of protein per day. Protein keeps them full longer, giving them sustained energy until lunch. I came up with a great solution! I tried this amazing protein powder from Shaklee. I chose the vanilla kind, figuring I can mix it in with a variety of foods. I mix in a scoop in their oatmeal and bam- that cup of oatmeal does not just taste delicious, but it all of a sudden has 10 grams of protein instead! I also usually mix in a spoon full of coconut oil in the oatmeal for some healthy and yummy fats to help sustain their little minds.
Also, what can be more satisfying than a warm cup of vanilla milk on a cold winter morning?! My kids absolutely love these. I simply heat up two cups of milk (one for each of them), mix in a scoop of the Vitalizing Protein, and again a  cup of milk turns into 12 grams of protein, hooray!

Stick around for the energy bites I make with this stuff, yummy!

Is it safe? Yes it is. I only trust Shaklee products when it comes to my family's health. Shaklee does clinical trials, step-by-step testing, third party verification, uses a "beyond organic" approach, and guarantees all their products.