Dana Shafir
Wellness

Today my middle and youngest daughters looked through Paleo Parents' book, "Eat Like A Dinosaur," and helped me with this week's meal planning. I LOVE having my kiddos helping me in the kitchen! The more involved kids are in meal planning, shopping, and prepping, the likelier they are to sample (and eventually enjoy) the food! #kidsinthekitchen #kids #familyfriendly #mealplanning #myfamilymyeverything

One of the first things I do each morning is rebound on our mini trampoline for a few minutes to get my lymphatic system revved up and to help the flow of oxygen throughout my body. It's become a family affair;) You should give rebounding a go to experience the following benefits (source: wellnessmama.com): •Boosts lymphatic drainage and immune function •Great for skeletal system and increasing bone mass •Helps improve digestion •More than twice as effective as running wi

I'm so happy I prepared the meatballs for tonight's dinner during my Sunday prep-day because I was feeling particularly tired today. As you can see in the photo, I received three thumbs up (and one face in the bowl) from the girls (hubby working late, but he sampled yesterday and excitedly approved). He also named them "bacon, onion, garlic, and honey meatballs." Well, that's a fitting (and incredibly long and, as you'll soon see, obvious) name for these meatballs, which co

Hubby and kiddos are craving a bacon and cheese hamburger for dinner. Why go out when we can make a divine (and much healthier) one at home? #dinner #grassfedgroundbeef #burger #bacon #organicrawcheese #familyfriendly #sproutedbread

Smoothie Popsicles I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream for breakfast (the continuation of their breakfast, that is)! Relax...it's leftover strawberry-banana smoothie that we put in Popsicle molds last night after dinner, because we knew it would make a fun and completely healthy (thus, reasonable) breakfast;) It's all about how you package things and present them--and ice cream pops are quite the package. #smoothiepopsicles #snack #familyfriendly #glutenfree

Yogurt Bar I placed the whole milk yogurts with the optional mix-ins/toppings, which included raspberries, blueberries, gluten free granola, and raw walnuts on the table, and the little ladies customized their yogurts, and, as you can see, showed me they like the "build-your-own" types of meals. I know this isn't fancy, and it is most definitely not gourmet, but it fits the bill--my bill--nutritious, quick, easy, and completely family-friendly! #yogurtbar #breakfast #snack #b

Pitza When I literally have 10 minutes to get dinner ready, I have my three daughters help me make these incredibly easy and tasty homemade pizzas. Set up a prep station to get your children (or spouse) involved. Ingredients: • Whole wheat pitas (for gluten-free options, use gluten-free bread, prepared gluten-free crust or cooked portobello mushroom caps) • Organic pasta or tomato sauce • Whole milk cheese, grated (I use raw milk cheese) • Optional toppings include: sliced ve

This evening featured a Parfait Bar, where each of us selected our own mix-ins for the Greek yogurt. Some options: low-sugar granola, gluten-free crushed nut and rice puffs, raisins, sunflower seeds, hemp hearts, and coconut flakes (my favorite!). Topped with a drizzle of raw honey, and voila, dinner! Experiment with your own mix-ins and let me know some of your favorites. #parfaitbar #familyfriendly #breakfast #breakfastfordinner #yogurtbar #glutenfree

For those of us who are parents, we know all too well how important it is to have snacks or meals at the ready. Here is a link to an article I wrote for Strategy Magazine, where I offered ideas for healthy and quick after-school snacks. By the way, these can be used for breakfast or other meals as well, and are also adult-friendly;) http://www.strategymagazine.com/wellness/item/892-5-minutes-a-day-to-creating-easy-and-healthy-after-school-snacks #articles #kids #familyfriendl

DIY Chef’s Salad My daughters absolutely love salad night, because they control the type and amount of ingredients that go into their salad. Here are ingredients you can choose from to fit your family’s preferences: • Lettuce (Romaine, arugula, mixed greens, iceberg, spinach) • Chopped or julienned vegetables (tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumber, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini) • Fresh or dried fruit (blueberries, strawberries, raisins, goji berries) • Unprocessed deli meat or