Go easy on yourself as you make changes and celebrate small steps. A great place to start making changes is during snack time. You may want to pick one thing to improve – less sugar, more protein, no hydrogenated oils, more fresh veggies, etc. – and focus on that until you feel like you are doing well and the family is on board. Plan snacks ahead of time. Kids tend to snack a lot so snacks need to be as nutritious as their meals. Take a few extra minutes to pack some whole-food snacks if you are going to be out and about for very long. It is worth the extra time and effort to know you will not be stuck somewhere with hungry children and nothing but sugar and chemical-laden food for them to eat. 

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Always purchase the highest quality food you can afford. What we put into our bodies is what our bodies are made of and for children this is particularly important because their bodies are developing 24/7. Think balance. Remember every lunch and dinner should include powerful protein, friendly fat and colorful carbs.

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We all have one body during this lifetime, and your child has you to provide his body with REAL food - food that will truly nourish him and support him living their healthiest, happiest lives.The cereals and packaged yogurts many children are eating for breakfast are filled with fake ingredients, including sugar and processed 'enriched' flour. It is wise to have ourselves and our children eat REAL food for breakfast, and remember to include a good amount of protein and fat. This will set your child up for a day of activity and learning. It can also positively affect their mood and behavior. Consider eating what we traditionally think of as lunch and dinner foods at breakfast. Yes, leftovers are fun and easy!

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Nature's REAL drink is water, pure fresh water. It's essential for your child's health - he or she is two-thirds water! You cannot beat the health benefit of water. Yes, it can boring! So, what about juice? Fresh RAW juice is REAL - and the more vegetables the better! But, most children consume pasteurized fruit juice - where the life giving enzymes and phytonutrients have been destroyed. Leaving mainly sugar with a splash of vitamin C. 100% REAL fruit juice (no added sugar, no high-fructose corn syrup, colorings, or dyes) as a treat is fine. That's a treat (once a week or less), not a staple (everyday)! 

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The One Easy System is our way of serving up REAL food REAL fast in 3 easy steps. Step 1 is Planning Made Simple - Plan out meals and snacks for the week that are based on REAL food. REAL food is local, organic and as nature intended: fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, and sprouted whole grains. REAL food includes meat and poultry from grass-fed animals, wild fish, free range eggs from grass-fed chickens, raw dairy from grass-fed cows, goats and sheep. With a little planning, you can increase the amount of REAL food your child eats everyday.

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The One Easy System is our way of serving up REAL food REAL fast in 3 easy steps. Step 3 is Prepping Made Simple - Prep food for the week. Ever wonder how chefs get food out to dozens of tables within minutes? They have prep boxes ready to go. Once you unpack your week's worth of groceries, start prepping what you can for the week. Chop carrots, celery, and peppers so your family can snack on healthy vegetables, rather than grabbing chips. Chop onions, potatoes, or any other food that may be used in a meal later that week. Brown some ground beef for tacos. Bake a double batch of homemade cookies. Make a few dozen pancakes and freeze half for the following week. Blend up yogurt smoothies to freeze for Popsicles. Bake two quiches and freeze one. You get the idea. 

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It's easy to fall into the processed food pitfall with snacks. I mean how MUCH easier to pick up a box of teddy grahams or goldfish than make snacks packed with phytonutrients? I used to think that way, until I realized with a bit of planning and prep each week, it's just as easy to feed my girls REAL food snacks.

Read more: Healthy Snacks - Why Bother?

I think the biggest trap moms fall into when packing lunch for school is their frame of mind. Like anything else, we need to BE CREATIVE, think outside the box and avoid the PB & J trap. Think FRESH. Healthy lunches aren't any different from a healthy breakfast, snack or dinner. The goal is to avoid processed flour products [most breads, crackers, cereals] and focus on health-promoting plant nutrients [fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, whole grains]. Meat and animal products can be a supporting player, but the colorful phytonutrients should be front & center.

Read more: School Lunches