By Wendy

Labor Day is over and the kids have officially started school! Now it’s time to shift gears and start thinking about how you can pack a healthy school lunch for your kids to ensure they get all the nutrients they need to satisfy their hunger and growing bodies. From all the back to back classes kids have these days, it’s important you give them healthy food that tastes great and gets their brains working. Here are 5 tips on how to pack a healthy school lunch for your children:

1- Pack a well-balanced lunch: this should include something from each major food group. This will help your kids get a good variety of delicious foods to enjoy at lunch that will keep them full and alert for their afternoon classes.

2- Involve your kids in packing lunch: getting input from your kids on what they want to eat will get them excited about their lunch and ensures they eat it. The last thing you want is for your kids to bring home an uneaten school lunch and be hungry for the entire school day.

3- Avoid anything with peanuts: more and more schools are banning lunches that contain peanuts and/or products containing traces of peanut oils.  So leave the peanut butter and anything else that may contain traces of peanuts, at home for their afterschool snack.

4- Keep foods at the right temperature: for items that should be cold, use mini ice packs. For hot foods, try using a thermos. Lunch bags with insulation can do double duty, like this great insulated lunch bag that are not only cute but reusable.

5- Make school lunch preparation quick and easy to pack: this will make it easy for you to get everything packed and ready to go in the morning without too much stress.

Hope these tips help you give your kids a healthy school lunch that will help keep them full and alert for the entire school day. Do you have any other great tips on how to pack a healthy, well-balanced lunch? We’d love to hear them!

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Wendy Yu is a digital marketing professional living in New York City. When she’s not using the power of social media to share ideas on how to be more environmentally friendly, she is exploring the city, trying local foods, and learning more about how she can reduce her carbon footprint.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of Green Halloween® or our partners.

By Wendy

Happy Friday everyone! Planning on staying local this long Labor Day weekend for some good ol’ grilling in the backyard like us? Here’s a great turkey burger recipe we’ll be trying this weekend from Applegate Organic & Natural Meats: Turkey Burgers with Fruity Salsa de Verano. The sweet and salty flavors sound so delicious! I can’t wait to try it. Here’s how you can make it at home:

What you need:

1 package Applegate Organic Turkey Burger

1 ripe mango, diced

1 ripe peach, diced

¼ cup red onion, diced

¼ cup fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped

½ tbsp olive oil

½ tbsp blood orange juice

1 cup shredded romaine lettuce

2 avocados, sliced

4 whole wheat buns

What to do:

Combine all other ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Mix and set aside.

Grill organic turkey burgers until well done.

Assemble the burgers, with lettuce and avocado on the bottom bun, the turkey burger, and then top it all off with your fruit salsa and the top bun.

Eat and enjoy!

If you’re not into turkey or a burger person, here are 10 vegetarian recipes you can try on the grill. Lots of yummy vegetable recipes to make on the grill and even some fruity ones for dessert!

What are you doing with the family this Labor Day weekend?

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Wendy Yu is a digital marketing professional living in New York City. When she’s not using the power of social media to share ideas on how to be more environmentally friendly, she is exploring the city, trying local foods, and learning more about how she can reduce her carbon footprint.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of Green Halloween® or our partners.

By Wendy

Summer has flown by this year! And now Labor day is just around the corner and you’re trying to plan one more trip to the beach before you have to officially say goodbye to summer. Here are 5 easy ways you can stay eco-friendly at the beach with the family:

1: Pack up the car with as many people as possible, or use public transportation- this will not only help lower overall gas emissions and save you money, it’ll also make for some great family fun and some great pictures!

2: Use the designated walking areas instead of walking on dunes- beach grass and sand dunes help protect the land against the water and beach erosion. Using walkovers when we see them will help us keep the beach as wildlife flourishing.

3: Take everything you brought to the beach with you when you leave- whether they’re recyclable or not, be conscious of what you bring to the beach. Make sure you pack everything with you and disposing them in the right places. This helps prevent any remnant items from being left behind at the beach and potentially floating out into the water, which could end up hurting wildlife, such as fish, turtles, and other sea creatures.

4: Always pick up after yourself- The beach isn’t another bathroom or garbage can. Pick up all your leftover beach toys, snacks, and water bottles. If someone needs to use the restroom, use the public restroom. Pick up after your pets and dispose of their waste in the garbage.

5: Use eco-friendly sunscreen- if you’re at the beach, you’re bound to go into the water. Choose a eco-friendly sunscreen that uses safe ingredients to keep the water and wildlife safe of harmful toxins.

With these 5 easy tips on how to stay eco-friendly at the beach with the family, you’ll be able to help keep our beaches well protected and a ongoing summer destination for everyone.

What other tips do you practice to stay eco-friendly at the beach?

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Wendy Yu is a digital marketing professional living in New York City. When she’s not using the power of social media to share ideas on how to be more environmentally friendly, she is exploring the city, trying local foods, and learning more about how she can reduce her carbon footprint.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of Green Halloween® or our partners.

By Wendy

Happy Friday everyone! The weekend is finally here. What are your plans this weekend? Taking the kids to the mall? Or maybe going out to watch the latest movie? Why not change up your routine and go out for a bike ride. Now that summer is here, it’s finally nice enough where you don’t have to drive the car to get to every destination.

Here are 5 reasons why to pick up your bikes and start riding:

1- All Over Workout: since roads often have twists, turns and hills to climb, bicycling allows your entire body to get a work out- from your arms, legs, and even your abs. Bike for 30 minutes to an hour and you’ll definitely find yourself working up a sweat and muscles working it.

2- You Can Do It Anywhere: biking riding is one of those things you can enjoy just about anywhere. All you need it a bike, a helmet, and some road.Visit BikeGeeky.com for the guideline & resources you need to pick your riding gears. Start taking short rides around the neighborhood to build up your confidence. Then you can start doing more exploring around your area. You never know what you may encounter on your bike.

3- Relieves Stress: exercise, whether it’s biking, running, or dancing, can help reduce your stress level and any symptoms of depression, while also improving your self esteem, you can improve your weight and use an appetite suppressant supplement for more results. The better you feel about yourself and life, the more productive you can be at home, at work, and to your family.

4- Decreases Your Gas Emission: whether you’re taking a bike ride to the park or to grab for few things from the grocery store, riding your bike instead of driving your car will help lower gas emissions. Do this a few times a week and you’ll not only be environmentally friendly, but also save up some money for that family vacation or some other big ticket item you were hoping to purchase in the near future.

5- Fun for All Ages: no matter what age you are, twenty or sixty, bike riding just makes you feel like a kid again. The speed you feel when you’re on a bike, the freedom you feel on an open road, the wind tousling your hair, it’s great a great feeling.

Bicycling outdoors is also a great way to get closer to Mother Nature and all the beauty this planet has to offer us. So go for that bike ride this weekend! Not only is it good for the environment, it’s also great for your health and your wallet.

What’s your favorite thing about bike riding?

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Wendy Yu is a digital marketing professional living in New York City. When she’s not using the power of social media to share ideas on how to be more environmentally friendly, she is exploring the city, trying local foods, and learning more about how she can reduce her carbon footprint.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of Green Halloween® or our partners.

By Wendy

It’s always great to have some frozen treats in the fridge, especially when it contains my favorite fruit, the watermelon. Watermelons are delicious and contain lots of vitamins such as vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin B6, all helping you to keep your body healthy. If you’re looking for a frosty and fruity dessert, try this watermelon sorbet recipe. This refreshing sorbet is great for dessert or just to enjoy as a snack. It’s also a healthier option to ice cream. Here’s how to make it:

What you need:

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 cup water

6 cups watermelon chunks, (4-pound watermelon), seeded

2 tablespoons lime juice

What to do:

Combine sugar and water in a saucepan.

Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently to dissolve sugar.

Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 5 minutes.

Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. This should take about 45 minutes.

Cover mixture and refrigerate until chilled. This should take around 1 hour.

Place watermelon and lime juice in a food processor and process until smooth.

Set a sieve over a large bowl and press the puree through to remove all the tiny seeds.

Whisk in the sugar syrup.

Pour the watermelon mixture into a shallow metal pan and freeze until ice crystals form around the edges, which should take about 30 minutes.

Stir the ice crystals into the center of the pan and return to the freezer. Repeat every 20 minutes until all the liquid is frozen.

Put mixture into a container and place in the freezer for 1- 1½ hours to harden.

How else do you like to enjoy your watermelon?

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Wendy Yu is a digital marketing professional living in New York City. When she’s not using the power of social media to share ideas on how to be more environmentally friendly, she is exploring the city, trying local foods, and learning more about how she can reduce her carbon footprint.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of Green Halloween® or our partners.