MonkeyGrass Clippings

Happy Labor Day Weekend! For us, we're one week into school, and back to it on Tuesday, but for many of you, the fun is just starting on Tuesday! I've said over and over that I'm going to be posting more lunch ideas and recipes over the next couple of weeks to help you get ready for school, so here you go!
I've talked to a number of people, especially new Kindergarten parents, who really have no clue about what to pack their little ones for lunch. I mean, how many peanut butter and jelly sandwiches can one kid eat? And if someone in the class has allergies, that's out too! (Mine won't even eat PB&J, so that's out the window before we begin!)
A really good alternative if you do have pb & j lovers and you can't take those, is almond butter. I really prefer it, and though it's not QUITE the same, you'd be surprised sometimes at what your children will try if you just send it without making a big deal out of it. We use the ones you grind yourself fresh at the store, but if you want something that mimics that creaminess of peanut butter more, definitely buy one in a jar.
So what is our lunch menu for this week?
Tuesday- Sliced cucumbers and grape tomatoes
Turkey rollups, wrapped around 1/4 of a cheese stick
Wheat crackers
Sliced apples

Wednesday- Grape tomatoes (we love these)
Grilled chicken chunks with barbecue sauce for dipping
Corn muffin
Grapes

Thursday- Wrap sandwich w/ grilled chicken (cooked same time as Weds's chicken), lettuce, tomato, a sprinkle of shredded "Mexican blend" cheese, and a bit of mustard.
PopChips (our new fave sandwich accompaniment)
Orange wedges
Rice Crispy treat (once a week sweet)

Friday- "Hot Lunch" in our insulated container:
Turkey meatballs with marinara and mini penne
Tossed salad with lettuce, tomato and cucumber (dressing on the side so it doesn't get soggy! We use just a homemade red wine vinaigrette.)
Slice of wheat baguette

Enjoy the rest of the holiday weekend, and back to school week!!

What's for Lunch?

If I haven't said this before, I cannot believe that school is starting this week! We have gotten most of our act together, but we definitely still have some loose ends, one of which is what we're going to take for lunch this week.

I most definitely am planning to cave one day a week and let the little guy buy lunch. I'm not thrilled with the food, but it's not THE worst...

   



We will, however, be packing most of the time, using one of the solutions available here. He'll look at the menu in advance and see which day he wants to buy, and we'll stick to that.

So what's going to be in the grocery cart tomorrow, to prepare for the first week of school?

Whole wheat flour tortillas- Can be used for wraps and quesadillas

Chicken Breasts- Marinate and grill- For quesadillas, wraps, and salads

Lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, grape tomatoes- For snacks, wraps, sandwiches

Shredded Mexican style cheese- Quesadillas, sprinkled into wraps, or even little Mexican pizzas

Ground Turkey- for mexican pizza fixings, meatballs, etc.

Wheat Hot Dog Rolls- Great for a "lunch size" sub

Deli turkey breast and Ham

PopChips- These are a terrific alternative to the regular fried chip, and much tastier than baked, in my opinion.

Still thinking of good snacks- apples, bananas, crackers, are all good, but this year, I could have to get more creative, as I've repeatedly been told that "2nd grade eats lunch really late, so I have to take big snacks."

If you are, as many people seem to, be concerned about these awesome waste free options returning to home with your child- the best way to do it is to make sure the items are personalized, and easily recognizable by their personalization. If you're in Richmond, check out By Invitation Only in Short Pump- they can do awesome vinyl labels for you with super cute thems, and turn them around in most cases in time for school! And, they're local and SO terrific to work with!!  http://www.gobyinvitationonly.com/

This morning I went on Virginia this Morning, on WTVR CBS 6 to talk about waste free lunches. Not only what that means and why, but also to try and show that when you're packing your children's (or your own) lunch, you're not just making a difference in your carbon footprint, but you can make a definite difference in your wallet as well. Not to mention make a healthful impact on what your child is consuming.
With so many convenience foods out there, it's easy to just pick up every grab and go pack put them together in the superhero/ character du jour lunch box or brown bag, and call it a day. I'm something of a fanatic, and I still have to restrain myself sometimes when I see the easy single serve packs.
However, if you do buy those, take a calculator and an extra five minutes when you go to the store, and just take a look at the difference in what you're paying. I've made a short list here of the difference in a few of the more common things- when you look at this, I think it really drives home the cost differences. These numbers are based on one serving, too, so extrapolate the numbers from what you would have with multiple kids, and it will really open your eyes!
Prepacked From Home
Apple Bites prepack 3.99 for 4 ($1) Organic Apple Slices .50
4 Baby Carrot Pack $1.49 - 3 oz (.37) Org.Baby Carrots 2# $3.29 (.29)
Hummus Singles $4.49 4- 2oz cups (1.12) Hummus $4.59 10 oz (.92)
Ranch Dressing Cups 6- 2.5oz $4.29 (.71) Ranch $2.50 8oz (.60)
Goldfish Packs 9- 1oz $5.29 (.59) Goldfish 7 oz 10 for $10 (.07)
Raisin minis 14- ½ oz $2.49 (.18) Raisins $3.29 18 oz (.09 same)
Applesauce Cups 6- 3.9 oz $1.85(.31) Applesauce $1.19 (.07)
Yogurt .90 each Yogurt 32 oz for $3.00 w/fruit (.40)
Juice Bags 8x 6.75 oz $5.00 (.75) Juice 32 oz 1.00 (.20)
Total $6.26 Total $4.14

Wow! I'd love to see what your math is if you try this and what some of your solutions are. !
 

So how did it get to be back to school time already?? I new it was coming, I felt like I was prepared, but still, it appears it's snuck up on me again! One thing I know I'm prepared for is lunches- I've already made lists of things that we can, do, or will have on hand, and that the little guy, of course, likes.
I'm always trying new things, though, and sometimes they're a surprising hit (as in, sometimes when he's hungry at school, he really will eat some things that he won't eat at home.)
I'll be on WTVR CBS 6's Virginia this Morning tomorrow morning, talking about some of the options we have, as well as some of the ways to use them- giving you some ideas, hopefully, on how to pack a healthier, and less expensive lunch.

Late summer and Back to School!

Well, once again I must apologize for the delay. It's been a crazy couple of weeks, including a very weird car accident in which I ran into a tree and totalled my car. Yes, definitely crazy.

However, it's almost Back to School time!!! I really don't know where the summer has gone, but here we are, nearly ready to start school again! I can't believe it.

I for one am trying to spend some of this weekend getting our house and family ready for getting back "into the swing" of things.

Some of the things we're doing?

1. Make sure we've gotten all school supplies and they're labeled appropriately. (Done- this is one of those things I can't stand to have hanging over my head.)

2. Start gradually scaling bedtime back to a normal "school year" bedtime. (The wake up time hasn't, for us, at least, been an issue. We definitely have an early riser.)

3. Create some systems and make them clear across the board. (and stick to them!) Our back to school resolutions:

We will have a central "docking" station- the place near the door where the backpack, shoes, etc., get dropped, and where they get placed when homework is done. This way we're not running around like crazy every morning.

Another plan is to lay out the clothes (together, with the little guy) for the week, and put them in outfits, ready to go each day. 30 minutes on Sunday night can change our routine by at least 15 minutes every morning.

Last year, our school changed lunch providers, and we decided that we really weren't keen on their food. In the event that there is something fantastic, that we all feel good about, we'll buy lunch one day each week. Otherwise, we'll have a lunch calendar and do the shopping at the beginning of the week. Again, this will be planned together, so there's no cause for conflict for having something he doesn't like- he will have helped choose it.

Regarding lunch, we've got all of our lunch gear together (do you have yours?). Reusable water bottle, Laptop lunchbox, Lunchskins reusable snack bags, etc. This way, we can save tons of money, buying large containers of applesauce, yogurt, snacks, etc. A great thing to do with snacks especially is to fill your reusable contrainers for the week with goldfish, pretzels, crackers, and so on and you don't have to worry about that later either!

We've already got our list of items that we'll use for lunches, and I've made some easy to use color coded cards that help the little guy put together his menu with what he wants (with what's available.) Periodically, I'll be posting some recipes that are great, healthy lunches that might help you think outside the "box"

We're also going to readjust our chore chart so it's a little bit more doable/ and have a schedule that while perhaps not set in stone, will be more or less what we stick to. I found last year that the after school break I thought would help him wind down did not. Doing the homework as soon as he got home was the total ticket, and made all the difference in the world, not only to the quality of the finished product, but also greatly to his mood later. Waiting an hour or two just served to frazzle him out and make for a much longer homework session.

4. We're also planning on putting together some playdates with kids that are going to be in his class this year. Luckily, at second grade, he's really starting to know pretty much everyone in the grade, but his BFF is not in his class this year, so we want to make sure he starts comfortable socially as well as prepared academically.

5. Going back to the systems, we're going to start really laying down some rules regarding schoolwork and the ramifications of meeting the expectations. This is the grade where things (by all accounts) start sort of ratcheting up to "real" schoolwork, and that's going to be a bit of a change for him. I'm contemplating getting whatever these rules are in writing. But we're still contemplating that.

The most important thing we're trying to do is to think ahead about those things that may come up, and have a plan in place. That makes all the difference. It's easy to get lazy in the summer and forget the struggles you had the year before, and even the best laid plans can go awry. If there is a plan, though, at least you have a structure to follow.

So this is going to be a pretty short post, since this has been a heck of a long week, finishing up with a ridiculous car accident for me this afternoon.
However, NEXT WEEK is going to be fantastic! In case you haven't heard, we're going to be hosting a Healthy Home Party at It's Hip to be Round this coming Wednesday evening, the 28th, from 6-7:30.
I'm so excited!! If you're in town, please do come, and if you know me at all, trust me, you'll hear MUCH more about it!
What do you know about Healthy Child Healthy World?

Healthy Child Healthy World includes: scientists creating solutions, physicians advancing the cause, activists spreading awareness, and parents implementing change to protect children's health. A diverse array of perspectives, backgrounds, and expertise makes for well-rounded and effective advice. Children are our most precious resource and creating a world where they can flourish is the best way to secure a healthy and bright future for us all.

Read more: http://healthychild.org/about/who_we_are/#ixzz0uYlF49P5

What is the Healthy Home Party??
It's a great way you can learn alot about things, primarily ways to navigate the barrage of information we are constantly fed about what's good and what's bad, for us, for the environment, and for our children.
So, trust me, this won't be the last post about it, but if you want more information, please check out our facebook page on it, and most importantly, come join us!! You will be glad you did!

Summer News and Changes at MonkeyGrass!

I love the way the Typepad quick compose block says: "Type what's interesting to you." Wow, what a loaded command. That could have me here all day! However, for the benefit of any reader, I will try to narrow it down to a few MonkeyGrass related high points. :)
First of all, the last couple of weeks have been insanely busy, as we have consolidated both the Carytown and West Broad Village stores back to Carytown. What a job! You really never realize how much stuff you have until you have to move it!
The good news is that all of our inventory is now in one place, so if you come into the store, odds are you'll find what you're looking for! We also do have all of our Bum Genius diapers in, so most colors of the 3.0's are in stock, and 4 varieties/ colors of the Flip system as well. We will, by the way, be getting in the 4.0's as they are released.
Last, but not least, we do have some great events and promotions coming up, including a Healthy Home Party on the 28th (stay tuned for more info- this will be a great education opportunity, and the first 25 people will get some pretty awesome swag too!) and of course, we can't forget the Carytown Watermelon Festival coming up on August 8th! You don't want to miss either of these!!

Camp Time is Here! What's for lunch?

It's our (well, not mine, technically) first day of camp tomorrow, so we're back to packing lunches. This also means we're back to the stress of getting our act together for the packing. I suppose there are people who stay this organized all the time (I also imagine those are the people who make having 3, 4 or 5+ kids look relatively easy.) I am not one of those people. I really do have to get into a groove, or a system to be efficient and actually send my child off to school or camp with things that we're both happy about. Not always so easy. Over the past couple of years, though, I've come up with some good shortcuts and tips to make it a little easier.

1- Hands down best investment you could make in the "lunchmaking process"- A Laptop Lunchbox. Not even just because we sell them, but because you automatically want to fill all the little containers and as a result (usually) end up packing a really balanced lunch. For a little extra help, these come with a little how to/ recipe book that gives you even more ideas!
Right now, the original (slightly smaller than the 2.0) Laptop Lunch System is being phased out, and is only $29. Trust me, it's totally worth it! http://www.monkeygrassonline.com/laptop-lunch-lunchbox-system.html

2- Make a list of the things your child(ren) likes to eat, and sort it by type of food. I actually did this on little cards, color coded, so he can choose one of each and make his menu for the week. Of course, only give them the items you have if you don't want them to invariably pick all the things you don't have!
3- If you start out the week with your fruits and vegetables sorted and organized and/ or cut, you'll be ready to pack them in the containers the next morning. We usually try to start with more perishable fruits, like berries, and finish the week with the apples/ pears/ bananas.
4- Planning your menus for lunch (and dinner) really will save you money, since you can almost totally avoid buying individual packages and buy things like larger containers of Greek, Plain, or Vanilla yogurt and pack with berries for a healthier and lower sugar punch. If your child is really finicky, though, that's when giving them the buy in by helping choose or shop really helps cut down on waste and frustration.
5- I can't stress the "plan ahead" notion enough. While leftovers generally don't seem to bother my son, there's little I want to eat the next day unless it was fantastic. However, if we're grilling chicken, such as we're doing this evening (to go in a big salad), I'll grill some extra, chill it, cut into chunks, and send with him tomorrow with some barbecue sauce or honey mustard to dip it in. With basic things like this, it's easy to get creative so they don't just feel like they're taking last night's dinner to school.

Our Top 10 Go To Lunch Box "Main Courses"
1-Grilled Chicken, Steak, or Pork Tenderloin Chunks (Any simple meat can go well with a little yummy dipping sauce.)
2- Deli Turkey, Chicken or Ham Roll Ups- same goes here for the dipping sauce. Another idea is to wrap the rollup around a whole or lengthwise split string cheese.
3- Pasta Salad- If you use a pasta they like, kids will usually eat this up as a main dish- also easy to use as a vegetarian option, if you can sneak in some chickpeas or other protein rich beans.
4- Cold chicken nuggets. Yeah, this is not one of my favorites, and I wouldn't take it in my lunch, but the little guy loves 'em. The trick is to bake them a little crunchy, the night before, then pack them in the container with a little square of napkin to keep the condensation from sogging them up.
5- Mini subs- While our guy is a big eater at home, when he gets around his buds, he is much more easily distracted. Rather than send him with a big sub, I buy whole wheat hot dog buns at Whole Foods (they have a little more body) and pile on the turkey, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, etc., and cut in half. They're the perfect size for the Laptop Lunchbox, and I know he's not going to throw half of it away.
6- Quesadillas: Surprisingly good cold. Sometimes we'll take whatever left over chicken, etc. we have, and just toss it in with a smidge of salsa, and some shredded cheese, then either cook on a lightly greased skillet or in the oven, turning once, when it's lightly browned and cheese is melted. Cut into wedges and send with salsa or guacamole- though often just that bit of salsa added in is enough for him.
7- Pinwheel Sandwiches- Spread a thin layer of seasoned cream cheese on a tortilla or sandwich flatbread (sometimes I just stir together a bit of mustard with cream cheese- fits the bill perfectly), then layer turkey, chicken, ham or whatever they like/ you have, making sure you put some vegetables in there too. (Good choices? Thinly sliced red bell pepper, lettuce, grated carrot, thin sliced tomatoes-patted dry). Roll up tightly, and either send roller/ wrap style, or slice horizontally into pinwheels.
8- As you may have noticed from our list, we don't do alot of of sandwiches. However, to add to the list of subs and pinwheels, another interesting sandwich is to just to "make it mini". Use mini bagels, pitas or regular bread cut into neat squares, bars, or triangles to keep things interesting. One good, school safe and healthier alternative is almond butter and honey- a little thinly sliced banana makes it even better.
9- Whole Wheat Pita Bread Vegetable Pizza
Made with Whole Wheat Pita Bread, Tomato Sauce, Mozzarella Cheese, and your choice of vegetables. Assemble like you would a pizza and bake in a 400 degree oven until the cheese is melted, about 10 minutes. Use veggies your child likes, but try to lean towards vegetables like peppers, mushrooms, or broccoli. These are great hot or cold.
10- Another option not to forget is soup, chili, veg chili or pasta in an insulated jar, with whole grain crackers/ bread or lightly salted tortilla chips on the side. Just heat, and it will still be yummy by lunchtime!

We're always looking for new healthy lunch ideas- what are yours??

I honestly can’t remember if I have told this story here or not, but it’s that time of year when I get more contemplative (birthday time) so please indulge me if I have. If so, hopefully there will at least be something new here to make it a bit more interesting!

Last year, just before my 40th birthday (in June), I went to my son’s school for the Mother’s Day tea. I had been feeling a little wonky, with some pretty bad back pain and a few sporadic stomach issues. Nothing big, and (I thought) nothing to really worry about. Anyway, fast forward to my sweet boy’s Mother’s Day party in his kindergarten class. All the moms were there, our kids had made placemats and they all got up to get our plates. I felt exceptionally strange and thought that while he was getting my food, I’d duck out to the bathroom and just take a minute. Feeling stranger and stranger, I couldn’t pull myself together, and a friend came and got me- before she could have me sit down, I fainted dead away, in front of all the poor kindergartners, moms, and everyone.

No one knew what was going on, least of all me, but I couldn’t get up, was dizzy and nauseous and apparently had gone from normal to seriously jaundiced in a matter of moments. Fortunately, my friend, another mom, is also a doctor, and while someone ran to get the school nurse, she had someone call 911. After I got to the hospital and had a CT scan, they determined that not only was my gall bladder completely full of stones, but I also had a 6mm stone completely blocking my liver. If I had gone much longer, or had that “episode” happended at home, I most likely wouldn’t have made it. My organs were starting to shut down. After 6 days in the hospital, I was able to come home, short a gall bladder, but feeling much better. I had ended up with severe pancreatitis, and they weren’t even able to take my gall bladder until that had subsided. Talk about something “scaring you straight.”

That’s not to say that I was, at the time (or ever really) living a terribly unhealthy lifestyle. However, I was definitely heavier than I wanted to be, didn’t eat as well as I should, didn’t get any exercise to speak of, and just was generally living a stress filled existence that had me with my head down powering through more often than looking up to see where I was going. Right on the heels of this, I turned 40, and it really did make me take a closer look at my life- where I had been, where I was going. I know, I know- deep stuff.

Anyway, that was when I really started trying to pay more attention, put my focus where it needed to be, and make sure that I at least had more control over my health. I certainly understand that you can’t totally prevent things from happening, but it seems at this point in my life that I am absolutely sure I need to do everything I can to make sure I’m living the healthiest life I can. And that I’m helping my family do the same.

What does that mean, as I sit here, just over a year from my “episode”, and just a couple of weeks shy of 41? I have committed, and remain committed, to working out on a regular basis- at least five times a week.I work out 4x a week in "Mama Bootcamp" at Styles Group Fitness (www.stylesgroupfitness.com). I’ve managed to stick with this pretty well for the last 6 months or so. I plan to do even better this year. I drink less (almost not at all- sometimes to the dismay of friends), though I don’t feel any need at all to do it, and feel so much better when I don’t. I eat better, and in fact totally stopped eating red meat and pork, most fried foods, and try to limit my refined sugars. Again, I feel SO much better by doing this. (I’m not saying I don’t eat sweets anymore at all, I mean, that would be crazy talk. I do control myself better though.) My plan is to continue to be better at this as well.

In a nutshell, this year of 40 has been a totally crazy one, but one that I think for all the trials and struggles, was well done, overall. My plan- as much as I can control it- is to live this year better (and to do that with every coming year, whatever that may mean).

Of course, (and this is for you, Whit) I would love to have Michelle Obama’s arms, Gwen Stefani’s abs, etc. But at 40, now almost 41, I’m okay with not having either. Having my family, and living my life to the best of my ability, is the most important thing.

Summer is Almost Here!!

Well, spring has sprung, and it's been such a blur, it's really hard to believe that the end of the school year is upon us and summer is indeed right around the corner. If you're here in Richmond, hopefully you've been to visit MonkeyGrass inside It's Hip to Be Round in Carytown or at the newer location in West Broad Village (right next to where the new Children's Museum of Richmond location will be as of June 5th!)

If you're looking for a baby gift, shower gift, birthday gift, or just something special for your own little one, AND you just can't stand the thought of one more plastic piece of junk made who knows where with who knows what, come see us.

We have so many things in store, and more and more things coming up- from lots of fun and sales the day of the CMoR grand opening, to really great events and more fantastic green products that we've tracked down to help make your lives, and those of your kids, a little safer, a little cleaner, with a little less impact on the earth.

New this month? Bum Genius diapers! Come in and mention this post and get 20% from now till the end of May! If you're online, we'll let you have the discount too :) Just enter the code "Genius" at checkout!

 
Oh, and if you're not familiar with Bum Genius, they are a really terrific cloth diaper- definitely not "your mother's cloth diaper". The One Size shown above will last and last, and is adjustable with the triple set of snaps. In addition, they don't need any additional insert, and are ready to go, right out of the dryer- We have the whole line available, though, so if you'd rather try the Flip (with a removable insert and reusable cover) we have those too! If you're coming in to one of the stores in Richmond, though- please do call first- we don't have everything in stock- BUT, we are happy to get it for you and get it delivered right to your home quickly!