Modern life is busy and it can make mealtimes far more stressful than they need to be. Many families are out of the habit of sitting together at the table and eating a meal at the same time. What’s meant to be a time of peace and an opportunity for bonding becomes another thing on the to-do list that seems more like a chore than a pleasure.
Then there’s the kids. Perhaps your kids can’t agree on what meal they want. Perhaps they easily become distracted by the TV or other devices. If you’re yearning to get back to stress-free meals, here are a few tips that can help.
Set It In Your Routine
Eating a family meal shouldn’t be something you only do when you get around to it. If you want to make a success of family meals, they need to become part of your everyday routine. When a meal is served, it should be everyone’s que to down tools and head to the dinner table.
When it’s part of your routine, it becomes a habit and when it’s a habit, no one questions why it’s being done.
Easy Meals
Cooking one meal for the whole family makes things a lot easier at meal times. Try not to offer alternatives to children if you can avoid them. Get everyone to eat the same meal so you don’t have to worry about cooking more than one.
Doing big and easy family meals will take up less of your time. You can even prep most of them hours in advance and freeze them so they’re ready and waiting when you need them. For instance, here’s a great crock pot pot roast recipe that pleases everyone.
No Devices At The Table
When everyone uses a device for something, it can be hard to switch it off long enough to have a family meal. Make a clear rule that no devices are allowed at the dinner table when you’re having a meal. This is your opportunity to eat and talk together while you have the chance.
If you find that conversation is lacking, try asking some questions and going around the table with answers. If you need to get creative, make up an elaborate story about your day to grab their attention.
Take Focus Off The Food
Meal times don’t have to be just about the food. If you’re all eating and running, you might want to think about doing something different. Think about what would make your family want to stay at the dinner table. Maybe you could turn one evening into a games night with buffet-style food.
Cook Together
Cooking works up an appetite. It’s great for young children to get involved with the preparation of the meal. Whether you have them cracking eggs for you or laying the table, it helps to build up to a meal rather than just being called to the dinner table when it’s all ready and waiting. For children, helping to prepare a meal can help instill a sense of value and achievement.
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I asked our blog sponsor Sarah Davis of BodyBalance 365 to answer some of your questions about nutrition and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Sarah Davis is a Nutrition Counselor, wellness expert, and health coach. As a mother of three teenage athletes, Sarah knows the essential role nutrition plays in sports and academic performance. She is forever working in her own kitchen to create new healthy, allergy-safe, and delicious recipes for her family and clients.
To contact Sarah for more information or for more nutrition tip click HERE.
Sarah received her training at Integrative Institute for Nutrition in New York City. She is certified by the American Association of Drugless Practitioners and has a degree in Continuing Education from Purchase College, State University Of New York. She is the nutrition consultant for the educational YourSelf series, taught in middle and high schools around the country. Sarah leads workshops on nutrition and offers individual health and nutrition coaching to teens and their families.
How would you describe a healthy diet?
I think a plant-based diet is the healthiest way to eat — and that does not mean you need to become a vegan! But animal protein should not be the staple of our diets, as it often is in the Standard American Diet. If 1/2 your plate is plants, 1/4 is lean animal or plant protein, and 1/4 is high fiber, complex carbs you will be eating a nutrient-dense diet that is great for your gut health, your energy, your appearance, and your immune system — and it is also naturally low in calories. It’s a win/win!
What did you normally recommend for breakfast?
I love plants and protein in the morning. I often do smoothies, or oatmeal made with almond milk topped with almond butter and berries, or a veggie egg scramble with a slice of GF toast, or a coconut yogurt bowl with gluten-free granola, chia seeds, and berries. YUM!
How many servings of fruits and vegetables do you recommend per day?
While the USDA recommends 4-5 servings of fruits and veggies a day, I do not find that is nearly enough for adults. Honestly, I eat closer to 7 or 8. And a smoothie can get you 4 servings before you even leave the house in the morning! I think 6 is a happy medium for most people to strive to hit between 3 meals and a snack.
How often do you eat fish?
Fish is perfectly safe to eat 2-3 times a week as long as it is not all coming from fish that can contain a higher mercury content, such as tuna, swordfish, and shark — so watch the sushi rolls! Fish are high in Omega 3’s (especially fatty fish), a lean and low-calorie source of protein, and far lower in saturated fat than red meat. I eat fish 4x a week (because I don’t eat meat and chicken) and if you are eating fish like wild salmon, flounder, trout, cod, sole, tilapia, or sardines which have very little mercury you are fine doing the same.
How often do you eat red meat?
I do not eat red meat, but if you are buying organic grass-fed beef it is certainly safe to have it once a week — twice a week for kids, so no stress so if you make hamburgers one night and steak on the weekend for the kiddies. All good! BUT if you have high blood pressure, heart issues or high cholesterol I would recommend only 2x per month. (PS. We should ALL be eating a plant-based diet no matter if you like red meat or not!)
What is a healthy option for people who like to snack?
I love snacks! Snacks should simply be a smaller version of one of your meals. I recommend protein, plants, high-fiber carbs, and healthy fats at every meal, and your snacks should mirror this. And be roughly 150-200 cals. Think a cut-up apple with 1 Tbsp almond butter; 1 oz pistachios with a couple of clementines; 2 Tbsp hummus with rice crackers and baby carrots; a slice of avocado toast on GF bread with chia seeds and sea salt; 5 oz plain Greek or coconut yogurt with blueberries and 2 Tbsp of GF granola and a drizzle of honey; a hard-boiled egg and a pear; a rice cake with 1 Tbsp almond butter and sliced bananas; grain-free Siete chips or baked tortilla chips with 1/4c guacamole and salsa. Just to name a few…HAHA!
As far as alcohol is there a drink that is best to order when trying to maintain weight loss or prevent weight gain?
A cocktail or 2 a few nights a week is fine on a weight loss program (no more than 5 drinks a week for women please. Period!) but avoid all the sugary mixers (sour mix), blender drinks(daiquiri), soda (not seltzer but things like Coke, Sprite, Ginger Ale), tonic water, and juices. A 6oz glass of white wine has 150 calories so even if you had 2 glasses at a birthday party, the 300 calories won’t show up on the scale. Better still would be 1 glass of wine followed by a glass of water to hydrate! White wine usually has about 1g of sugar which is only 1/4 tsp so not a deal breaker if you are watching your sugar.
For mixed drinks, I recommend clear alcohol (vodka or tequila) with seltzer, lemon or lime, and a splash of cranberry or grapefruit juice if you like. A cocktail usually has 1.5 oz of alcohol so again, 1 or 2 over the course of an evening with food and plenty of water is safe on occasion. There are 140-150 cals in either one of those mixed drinks so also not a deal breaker! A lite beer or spiked seltzer is 100 calories so another safe option.
How do you feel about intermittent fasting?
I recommend a 12-hour fast for EVERYONE — as in, you finish dinner at 7 pm, and the kitchen is closed until 7 am. If you want to push it to 14 hours and have breakfast @9 am I am ok with it but only IF you are not getting up early (like 6 am) and exercising before work. Then I want you to eat within an hour of finishing your workout! I wouldn’t say I like these 16-18 hour fasts that have become popular and I have not read anything to convince me otherwise. I feel 3 evenly spaced meals and 1 snack — eating roughly every 4 hours — and a 12-hour with window with NO food is the best formula for weight loss and maintenance.
Yesterday I was invited by Sarah of Hybrid Media with my friend stylist Tina from Wardrobe Envy to view the fabulous Pologeorgis luxury outerwear sample sale. OMG!!! It was incredible. All items were between 30 to 50 percent off and the designs were out of this world. Nick the owner was informative and recommended some beautiful things for us to try on. I have highlighted some of my favorites below. Their new shop is located at 25 Lewis Street in Greenwich and Nick decided to open during the pandemic at the urging of his friend and client Aerin Lauder, so you know it has to be fabulous!!!! The sale is extending one more week and you can also contact them at 212.563.2250 to make an appointment to see everything as well.
Pologeorgis is a pioneer in forging relationships between fashion designers and the fur industry. Since the first collection designed by Pierre Balmain in the 1970s, Pologeorgis has collaborated with numerous prestigious fashion labels including Michael Kors, Derek Lam, and Zac Posen.
Here is Tina is the most luxurious fur-trimmed cardigan.
These fur-trimmed hair clips are adorable…such a great bday gift for your besties!!!
This is really one of my favs….the Dr. Scholls…How cute would these be with white jeans!!!??
I look the little mink bag out on the town…I want every color now!!!
Vests are the most requested pieces from my readers…these are 2 incredible choices
This cape was amazing…..So classic and so chic…
This is one of my favorite pieces of all time…a cropped leather jacket…how amazing with any outfit all year round??!!!!!! We all NEED one ASAP and it’s a great price!!!
It was hard to deicde which we liked the best!!!
Watch this video with Nick to learn more about Pologeorgis and all of the beautiful pieces available…
Home staging Sell Homes 50% faster.
Home staging is proven to help sell homes faster. It’s easy to forget how important your home’s first impression on potential buyers is and how much of an impact it can make in the sale process. When selling your home, nothing makes a more positive first impression than a professional stager who has worked with real estate agents across the globe. Home staging done by a professional stager has been proven to sell homes 50% faster than if the home was left upstaged.
With their help, you’ll have more time for other activities like getting rid of clutter or cleaning up after moving out.
Professional home stagers know the market.
The most effective way to maximize the value of your home is to hire a professional home stager to help you adjust the look and feel of the house to make it more appealing to potential buyers. This is important because it can take time to know what changes might make a big difference in the sales process.
A professional home stager like Novari Collective will know precisely how buyers look for their ideal home. They’ll also have experience marketing homes for sale to maximize their value. They’ll be able to provide valuable feedback on what changes need to be made so buyers can see more easily how great the property is!
A professional home stager knows the buyer.
A professional home stager knows what buyers don’t like and will help make your home more neutral and buyer-friendly. They are trained to recognize the items that will turn off buyers and can advise you on eliminating those things from your house. The pros can also provide valuable feedback on what you should change to help sell your home faster.
Don’t Forget to Look Into a Moving Company
Regardless or not if you hire a homestager, you need to keep in mind that your floors and walls will have to be in pristine condition during the move itself. Even the best of homestagers can’t hide those mistakes! So, the best way to really make sure it stays this way is with movers. Now, residential moves, have the experience to be careful, not leaving any scratches, stains, footprints, you name it within the home. Most likely, if you DIY your move, you’ll potentially make a big mess.
Professional home stagers provide valuable feedback.
It is important to note that hiring a professional home stager can provide valuable feedback on what you should change to help your home sell faster.
You might not be able to see the problems with your home or know what buyers are looking for in a house. You may also not know how to market your house to its full potential or what buyers don’t like about it (or vice versa). A professional can tell you exactly why these things aren’t selling as well as they could and offer suggestions for improvement.
Conclusion
When you hire a professional to stage your home, it will save you time and money. Instead of spending hours cleaning or rearranging furniture, the professional can do this for you in a day.
Hiring a professional means getting your home sold faster because they know how to present it effectively to sell it and attract potential buyers looking specifically for certain features within that area (like downtown). If someone is interested in buying an older home with character features like hardwood floors, windows, painted shutters, etc., then hiring someone experienced at staging houses could help sell those homes quickly!
The real estate market is competitive and can be a little overwhelming. If you’re trying to sell your house, the last thing you need is the stress of doing it yourself. Hiring a professional home stager can make all the difference in selling your house quickly and for top dollar.
Home staging Sell Homes 50% faster.
Home staging is proven to help sell homes faster. It’s easy to forget how important your home’s first impression on potential buyers is and how much of an impact it can make in the sale process. When selling your home, nothing makes a more positive first impression than a professional stager who has worked with real estate agents across the globe. Home staging done by a professional stager has been proven to sell homes 50% faster than if the home was left upstaged.
With their help, you’ll have more time for other activities like getting rid of clutter or cleaning up after moving out.
Professional home stagers know the market.
The most effective way to maximize the value of your home is to hire a professional home stager to help you adjust the look and feel of the house to make it more appealing to potential buyers. This is important because it can take time to know what changes might make a big difference in the sales process.
A professional home stager like Novari Collective will know precisely how buyers look for their ideal home. They’ll also have experience marketing homes for sale to maximize their value. They’ll be able to provide valuable feedback on what changes need to be made so buyers can see more easily how great the property is!
A professional home stager knows the buyer.
A professional home stager knows what buyers don’t like and will help make your home more neutral and buyer-friendly. They are trained to recognize the items that will turn off buyers and can advise you on eliminating those things from your house. The pros can also provide valuable feedback on what you should change to help sell your home faster.
Professional home stagers provide valuable feedback.
It is important to note that hiring a professional home stager can provide valuable feedback on what you should change to help your home sell faster.
You might not be able to see the problems with your home or know what buyers are looking for in a house. You may also not know how to market your house to its full potential or what buyers don’t like about it (or vice versa). A professional can tell you exactly why these things aren’t selling as well as they could and offer suggestions for improvement.
Conclusion
When you hire a professional to stage your home, it will save you time and money. Instead of spending hours cleaning or rearranging furniture, the professional can do this for you in a day.
Hiring a professional means getting your home sold faster because they know how to present it effectively to sell it and attract potential buyers looking specifically for certain features within that area (like downtown). If someone is interested in buying an older home with character features like hardwood floors, windows, painted shutters, etc., then hiring someone experienced at staging houses could help sell those homes quickly!
Florida is one of the 5th most moved-to states, according to a 2021 United Van Lines assessment, and it’s no wonder: stunning scenery, warm weather, beaches, and an affordable way of life. However, the Florida qualities making life great can also be a detriment. Among other common issues, the gorgeous weather can potentially cause significant plumbing issues, which can be costly to replace. Continue reading to find out more.
Pests
There’s plenty of unique and stunning wildlife in Florida, but this means there are countless types of pests as well. The humid weather conditions drive these pests indoors, and they can cause mayhem with your plumbing.
Everything from bugs to lizards and snakes can enter your pipes, and they can often be found in your shower or toilet. These pests travel from the water supply through your pipes, which causes damage along the way.
If you have persistent problems with pipe-based pests, you can have your local plumbers assess your pipes using specialist gear.
Corrosion
Corrosion in pipes isn’t native to Florida, but the groundwater supply can speed up the process. Coming from the ground, water running through the pipes is stacked full of minerals and sediment, as well as several contaminants.
For water in Florida to become drink-worthy, it’s flushed with heavy quantities of chlorine. Unfortunately, chlorine at this level can begin corroding and rusting pipes, which isn’t ideal. If your pipes become heavily corroded, they will begin to leak and will cost you significant sums to repair.
To avoid being plagued by rusting pipes, we recommend installing a filtration system, which will work out cheaper in the long run. There are 3 types of water filtration systems in Florida:
- Whole house filtration: As the name suggests, these systems are attached to your plumbing, and will remove chlorine from your entire house.
- Water softener systems: Water softener systems are a great alternative for entire home systems, and they cater to a range of different styles and budgets.
- Reverse osmosis water systems: Attached to your kitchen sink, you will save a fortune on bottled water with a reverse osmosis system.
Before installing the system, have your pipes checked for signs of corrosion. If any issues are highlighted, get in touch with a reputable Repipe Plumber Orlando, such as A1 Service Plumbing.
Built-Up Mineral
Even though the water in Florida is treated with Chlorine before being sent to your home, the high levels of minerals leave scaling inside the pipes. When minerals build up, they solidify and form a coat called scaling, which can cause blockages that lead to issues with water pressure. If left unchecked, scaling can cause pipes to burst.
The best way to deal with scaling issues is by regularly flushing your pipes with a descaler, which can be bought at the majority of large chain grocery stores including Home Depot, Walmart, and Costco.
Take Away
Florida is a fantastic city to live in because of its unique way of life, but extra precautions need to be put in place to avoid damaged pipes and harmful drinking water.
Have you considered the risk that fire poses to your business?
More than 100,000 fires in commercial or office buildings occur each year in the United States, costing business owners over 2.4 billion dollars. For many entrepreneurs, this is one of the worst scenarios imaginable.
A fire can not only destroy your premises and cause serious harm, or death, to your employees, but it will also completely disrupt your operation and impact your bottom line. You may lose clients as a result, and your business will struggle to recover.
But although freak accidents do happen, many of these commercial fires are avoidable. In fact, 52% of the larger fires occurred in buildings that did not have functioning smoke detectors. There are so many preventative measures you can take to reduce the risk of fire, that it is inconceivable that many business owners neglect to do so.
If you want to safeguard your organization and its employees, here are a few things you can do right now to protect your business against fire.
Know the risks
The best method of protection is education. It’s important that any business owner is aware of all the risk factors when it comes to fire, or indeed any form of disaster including water damage, storms, or burglary. Every business has a different level of risk that depends on the nature of your organization and the layout of your premises. For example, a restaurant or manufacturing facility will be more at risk than a commercial office or retail store.
It’s a good idea to conduct a fire risk assessment that identifies any potential dangers and outlines steps to mitigate the risk or remove the hazard.
Install fire detection and prevention measures
Depending on the region in which you live, your business will be subject to certain fire safety laws. At a minimum, it’s likely you will be required to have working smoke detectors and fire extinguishers on site. But why settle for the bare minimum when people’s lives and the future of your business could be at stake?
Sprinklers, hoses, and other suppression systems can actually put the fire out or prevent it from spreading before it does too much damage. Hopefully, you will never need to use them but having them in place will give you peace of mind, as well as potentially lowering your insurance premiums.
Train your staff
It’s one thing to have a fire extinguisher in the office, but do your staff actually know how to use it? It’s a good idea to ensure that all your employees undergo fire safety training so they know how to respond in such an incident. An occasional fire drill can help to refresh their memory, while making people aware of the risks when dealing with electrical equipment or using the kitchen can help prevent a breakout in the first place.
By following these tips, you can reduce the risk of fire affecting your business. In the unlikely scenario that a fire does break out, a disaster restoration company can help you to minimize disruption and get back on track as quickly as possible.