Ready for the First Day of School

In the midst of preparing for the beginning of school as well as starting up my new challenge as a contributor to “In the O Radio Show”, I am still trying to make sure I succeed in my Food Network Brown Bag Challenge. I must ensure I take to work each day a home prepared healthy lunch. I am also to blog about it to share good ideas as well as challenges I overcome. In spite of the busyness of my life I am thrilled I am all set for the first week of school. I am all set to continue my Brown Bag Challenge anyways.

I have healthy lunches planned for the whole week. I have a container of baby spinach to be the base of a salad for each day. I also have small containers filled with items to throw together a salad as quickly as possible. I’ve prepared:

• Shredded chicken
• Olives
• Chopped onions
• Chopped tomatoes
• Feta cheese
• Shredded carrots
• Walnuts
• Sliced mushrooms

These items may not be new to my fridge but the fact they are pre-chopped, pre- cut, pre-shredded, pre-pared is new. Instead of procrastinating in the evening and then giving up in the morning, I am actually planned and ready to quickly put items together to create a healthy salad for lunch.

I am also planning to cook a little extra supper each night to package up and to make a lunch for the next day. Tonight I made lots of extra quinoa and chicken breasts. Paired with a salad, these left-overs will make a huge lunch, loaded with nutrition but light on calories to carry me through the day.

OK…..I have my office all set, timetables are in place, teachers are all ready, class lists have been long planned…..and now I even have lunches for the week all set……….why I am still nervous about the first day of school?

New Year's Resolution - The Brown Bag Challenge

For most people January 1^st signifies the beginning of the New Year. But for an educator, the real “New Year” begins on the day after Labour Day, the first day of school. In preparation for my “New Year” I have made a long list of resolutions.

My number one resolution is to become a healthier person. My theory is, if I look after myself I will be able to look after the students and teachers at my school and of course my own family. So yes, good hubby Terry, all of these changes are for you!!

One way for me to be a healthier person is of course to eat healthier. I am not going to go on a particular diet but rather just eat healthier and smaller portions. In the past I would go on a restrictive diet only to get frustrated (and hungry) and blow it all and binge on all the wrong things.

One strategy to ensure a healthy diet was to join the Food Network’s Healthy Eats Brown-Bag Challenge. http://blog.foodnetwork.com/healthyeats Beginning September 1^st I am going to pack a lunch each and every day.

Gone are the days of slipping out to Timmie’s for a sandwich (and a cookie). I have seen the last of the Golden Arches or my pal Harvey. No more skipping lunch entirely only to come home and eat the entire fridge worth of food before supper. The challenge is to take a healthy, nutritious lunch every day.

Does anyone have suggestions for some nutritious but tasty lunches???