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<\/p>\nIn early September I hosted a seminar in my house that focused on children’s nutrition. The focus was a discussion around healthy lunches, giving parents some ideas of what to pack. \u00a0However, I walked away from the event with so much more. I came in with a grade five\u00a0understanding about food and nutrients and left armed with the knowledge to make informed decisions about the food I feed my kids. The most important lesson I learned is that the majority of the food I give my boys is high in carbs (carbohydrates) which break down quickly and do not provide them with sufficient energy to make it to their next snack or meal. This could directly impact how kids perform in school if they are tired, highly irritable and hungry making them\u00a0unable to concentrate. So while the saying “breakfast is the most important meal of the day” is true, more important is WHAT we eat at breakfast. The food we give our kids is what fuels them for their long day ahead and helps them stay alert and comfortable.<\/p>\n
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So… what should we be feeding our kids? The answer is protein rich food like milk protein drinks<\/a>. Protein breaks down slower, providing your kids with sufficient energy to last them for around four to five hours. Other benefits of eating protein include:<\/p>\n
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After school baseball game with friends<\/p><\/div><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Around the same time as my session with a nutritionist, I also started to refocus on my own\u00a0wellness. Part of the program that I was on encouraged a specific diet that promoted portion control by food type, eliminating sugar, reducing carbs and increasing protein. I was to eat four cups (portion controlled) of protein rich food daily.\u00a0So began my “hunt” to increase my repertoire of protein rich food. Besides chicken, fish and eggs which I ate regularly, I started eating cottage cheese. I was already a huge fan of cottage cheese but had neglected eating much of it for the past five years. Now, I eat it daily.<\/p>\n
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So while I love it, I had to figure out a way to get my kids to eat it. Unfortunately, people seem averse to eating cottage cheese due to its texture. Some of those people are also my kids! I did receive a tip from a nutritionist who said that I should use a hand blender to smooth out the cottage cheese, but really, who has time for that? Most days, I just feel lucky if I get to shower.<\/p>\n
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However, about a month ago, I was introduced to\u00a0Nordic Smooth Cottage Cheese as part of my year long Gay Lea Ambassador program (yay!!). These small, individual serving size containers, are packed\u00a0with 10g of protein per serving. My one year old couldn’t get enough of it. I knew it was a good sign when I had to go and buy more because my family finished the four pack before I could take any pictures of it for this post. The Nordic Smooth Cottage Cheese comes in three flavours:\u00a0Vanilla Bean<\/a>,\u00a0Salted Caramel<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Lemon<\/a>. Personally, I enjoy eating this as a snack, but it would\u00a0make a great addition to any meal.<\/p>\n
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