My Boys' Favorite Energy Booster

Having grown up in the wonderful Midwest, home of the 8-month Winter, I not-so-fondly remember spending countless school days stuck inside because we just couldn’t get outdoors for recess without risking frostbite, hail or snowball ambushes.

Raising my boys in Southern California is a different story, however. We are fortunate to live in a place where they can get outside in the fresh air 300+ days per year, including the great majority of their school days. But simply being able to get out and play is not enough. Providing them with the resources to thrive, and the energy to do so, is a critical mission that I take very seriously.

One of the things that still surprises me, as a parent, is how hungry my boys seem to be ALL DAY LONG.

Just woke up à They’re famished

Back home after school? I can hear their tummies rumbling like mini garbage disposals waiting to be filled.

And of course when the clock strikes 5:00pm I know that they’ll either soon turn into pumpkins or start swiping sneak previews from the counter of the dinner I’m always just a few minutes behind on preparing.

But there’s truly only one thing that I know will satiate them no matter the time of day. And no, it’s not gummy bears.

Good old-fashioned milk. California’s finest.

I know that I can steal those last five minutes of dinner prep, (which is really usually 10. OK, 15) needed to prepare their requisite evening noms with a quick glass of milk.  Sure, those gummy bears might take less effort, but they’re worth it and it’s a great appetizer. Plus, I‘m fortunate that the Junior Dudes think receiving that tall, cool glass is a treat, even though they usually have it multiple times daily.

My older son, the 5 ½ year old Little Dude, can be a picky eater. And by “can be”, I mean has been every day of his life. We are fortunate to know that while he will likely enter Kindergarten without ever having tried pizza (entirely of his own volition), we never have to twist any arms for him to enjoy an apple, grapes or myriad other fruits.

As parents it’s important to appreciate winning the little battles even if the larger wars are lost more often than we’d prefer. I can admit that it took me a while to get used to the Little Dude’s preferred daily lunch of yogurt, fruit and rice cakes, which is certainly not the most exciting lunch option available to him. But I know now that I’m giving him the energy to refill his tank so he can get back outside to enjoy the sunshine while hiking, biking or just chasing his brother down the block.

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I’m happy to share with you that I’m partnering up with the California Milk Advisory Board to tell you about their Fuel Up to Play 60 (FUTP 60) initiative, in association with the NFL. FUTP 60 is all about ensuring that kids get their full servings of nutrients the old school way: via dairy, fruits, grains and veggies while getting at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day. Also, to ensure that kids are getting exercise at school, they are offering schools grants up to $4,000 for the upcoming school year to support their health and wellness programs, featuring plays from the Fuel Up to Play 60 Playbook.  To apply for a spring grant, visit fueluptoplay60.com for more info and to get your school involved. Grant deadline is June 16.

I was compensated by the California MilkAdvisory Board for this post, though unfortunately not in bricks of cheese or vats of sour cream. All opinions expressed within are my own, for better or worse.

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Dairy Delight

Dealing with a picky eater is challenging. Dealing with a kid who refuses to range beyond his half dozen core foods is exhausting. Every time we leave the house for an extended amount of time we have to pack a full meal for our 3-year-old Little Dude. Needless to say, I can now boil pasta in my sleep. And given our current exhaustion level with a newborn in the house, I often do.  

He would eat pancakes 3 times a day, if given the chance.

So as a parent who has dealt with this for 3+ years, one ongoing concern is how he will get his protein, since he flat-out refuses the protein staples most kids eat: chicken nuggets, hamburgers, pizza, etc. He eats a variety of fruits and even some vegetables, which is great, but protein is such an essential item to have throughout the day for energy.

He has an affinity for hot dogs, but I try not to overdo those even though I buy the nitrate-free ones. I’ve tried cheese, both grilled on buttery bread and fresh from the fridge in slices, strings and cubes and he won’t touch them. I’ve tried bribery and not even the allure of new Hot Wheels is enticing enough to make him give any of these things a shot. As though pizza is such an awful thing.

But there is one thing that really whets his whistle. It’s probably the only thing that I can order him virtually anywhere and he’ll actually consume it. Good old fashioned milk.  You always hear the old wives tales about how “milk is good for your bones”. It turns out that old wives are actually pretty accurate sometimes.  I recently discovered that an 8oz glass has 8 grams of protein, which is not too shabby.

I know the feeling...

Since he started preschool in the fall, the Little Dude burns a lot more energy in the mornings than he used to. There are a lot of days when he’ll come home from school and literally lay prone on the floor because he’s so wiped out. I never knew watercolors could be so exhausting, but I believe Picasso was a tired Dude, too.

So when he needs a pick-me-up in the afternoon, I hand him one of his trusty Cars cups filled with the white creamy goodness that only comes from a cow. That tides him over for the afternoon until dinnertime, when his pickiness resumes. It also gives him the energy to get outside and play. I hope that if he drinks enough milk, he’ll soon be able to start training for the 2028 Olympics because given how he sometimes plays with his stuffed animals I think he’d be a good shot putter. So I’m thankful for the vitamins and nine essential nutrients that I know will help him grow big and strong. And thankful for milk, because I don’t know any other natural way he’d willingly get them.  

Milk tastes better when served by Lightning McQueen

Given how important milk is to my children’s growth, I’m teaming up with the “got milk?” Campaign and Fuel Up to Play 60 for the Breakfast Blitz program to help provide $250,000 in grants to local schools across the country to help give kids greater access to a healthy breakfast. Now through Feb. 17, when you buy milk you can vote to have a portion go to a local school.

If you don’t already know, Fuel Up to Play 60 is a great in-school program designed to show students how to eat right and stay active. I know firsthand that choosing healthy foods and leading an active lifestyle gives me and my family the energy to do the things we love.

Want to learn more about the wonderful benefits of milk? Check out:

·  Sweeps page: MilkMustache.com

·  Hashtag: #BfastBlitz

·  FUTP: http://www.fueluptoplay60.com/

·  Facebook: Milk Mustache Campaign

·  Twitter: @MilkMustache

·  Pinterest: Milk Mustache Campaign

·  Instagram: Milk Mustache

I wrote this post while participating in the got milk? FUTP60/Breakfast Blitz Promotion and was compensated, though the opinions expressed are entirely 163% mine. For better or worse.