Back to School with Healthier Lunch Boxes

Soeren's already back at school since the past few weeks, but in many countries schools are still out for a few weeks. Not sure about how you feel, but vacations always bring back some of the easy going feeling and especially after summer break I seem to be scrambling to keep up with the hectic pace school life and chores bring along.

One thing that needs attention everyday is packing balanced and healthy lunch boxes. They need their daily nutrients to keep them active and give them the power to get through the day. Unfortunately, in our convenient world, lunch boxes are often filled with packaged ‘convenience’ foods. Full-calorie soda, chips, and cookies can add up to a lot of excess fat, sugar, sodium and calories, which may contribute to long-term health problems like high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity. Furthermore, these extra calories also make kids sluggish or cranky in the afternoons.

After packing lunches for Soeren over the past few years I have learned quite a few things. Next week he's going to be 7 and very much has a head of his own. So, I know that the lunch boxes has to have items which he enjoys and is most likely to eat.

What we've done is made a chart and included included all his favorite healthy foods. The chart divides the foods into different groups and we try to focus on a variety to be able to provide a balanced lunch box. This provides the energy and nutrients needed to grow, play, learn and stay healthy.

The basics are simple - the lunch box needs to include:

• One serving of vegetables or salad and a serving of fruit (preferably fresh, but canned or dried can counts).
• One serving of a low-fat or fat-free dairy item such as a low-fat cheese stick, a yogurt cup, milk or some cottage cheese.
• One source of protein. Things like meat, chicken, fish, eggs, peanut butter or beans.
• A healthy drink such as water or unsweetened 100% juice or as Soeren likes a mix of 100% fruit juice with some sparkling water.

With this in mind the chart is fairly simple to create. Below I've made a copy of Soeren's chart.

Main	Vegetable/Salad	Fruit	Dairy	Protein	Drink
Whole wheat pita with egg salad + quark dressing	Carrots	Strawberries	Natural quark w/honey and peaches	Gouda cheese stick	Apple juice w/Sparkling water
Multigrain bread with tuna salad	Cucumber Sticks	Peaches	Chocolate milk	Unsalted cashew nuts/almonds	Cherry Juice w/ sparkling water
Rye bread with turkey meatballs	Bell Peppers (no green ones)	Homemade apple sauce	Plain yogurt w/ agave nectar and strawberries	Hummus dip	Multivitamin juice
Chicken/Falafel wraps	Tabouleh	Honey Melon	Plain yogurt w/ blueberries

These are just a few of his favorite things. There are plenty more items he likes but we wanted to list just a few so that both of us understand in which direction we are going. What I mean is, by getting Soeren to make this chart with me he is more aware of the healthy things he likes. For me it means something to follow when I am lost for ideas or need some inspiration.

I use the chart to mix and match and as a basis to make new creations. From a very young age Soeren ate a lot of fruit - I am lucky there as I get no fuss in that aspect. In addition I do add a healthy treat or snack, like buckwheat blueberry muffins or homemade cookies, sticky buns etc. I prefer to make these treats at home so I can manage the level of sugar and use healthy organic products with less preservatives.

It’s important to add variety and be innovative. If you’re packing cheese and cucumber, cheese and lettuce, or cheese and tomato day in and day out it most probably will get monotonous.

Here are a few ideas I’ve successfully put past Soeren:

• I use different kinds of breads avoiding white bread as much as I can. I try to make variations of different sandwiches – everything from whole wheat pita, naan bread to wraps and baguettes, focaccia to ciabatta rolls.
  
• Sneaky mums add salad to the sandwiches – arugula, shredded cabbage, lettuce, cress etc. Soeren has learned to love his salad in this way!
  
• I use different spreads like goat cheese, cream cheese, avocado dip or a herb flavored quark. Go easy on the butter and avoid mayo.  
  
• Add raw veggies like cucumbers, carrots and bell peppers to the lunch box as a side to nibble along with the sandwiches. I make this a must. Soeren loves to have a dip with these raw veggies. I often pack a hummus, herby flavored quark,  plain cottage cheese or a yogurt tahini dip for him to dunk his veggies into.
  
• A nice change from sandwiches are leftovers from a quiche, spring rolls or pasta bake.
  
• I pack at least 2 types of fruit in his lunch box. Strawberries, blueberries, yellow kiwis, raspberries, apples, orange wedges, melon slices – the list goes on.
  
• During the colder season when the variety of fruit is not as abundant as in the summer, I often turn to dried fruit and nuts.
  
• Sometimes I skip sandwiches and make a salad with couscous, bulgur, pasta or rice. Adding some shredded chicken, veggies or hard boiled eggs makes it more filling. Fat-free or low-fat dressing is often packed in a separate container.
  
• Drinks – I pay very close attention to this. It’s amazing how many drinks label themselves as “healthy!” but a closer look at the label show that they are loaded with sugar. I usually buy 100% fruit juices like apple, grape or cherry. I fill Soeren’s drink thermos with 1/2 juice and the rest is topped off with sparkling water. Low-fat and unsweetened chocolate milk and unsweetened herb/fruit iced teas are also a few of Soeren’s favorite drinks.
  
• Like every child, Soeren loves snacks and treats. I usually make mini treats like small muffins, cookies and brownies, where instead of sugar, I use agave nectar, honey or maple syrup. Smaller mini versions satisfy the snacker’s appetite and does not have that many calories/sugar as the larger portions. Furthermore, I try to use fruit as much as I can in my baked treats.

If you are looking for great inspiration you’ll find several healthy, fun, innovative and scrumptious lunch box ideas right here on the Daily Tiffin. If you’ve ever wondered what Bento is you’ll find the answer to this and much more in our article The art of Japanese lunchboxes - an introduction to Bento.

Finally there are always times when we are in a rush and the lunch box needs to be packed quickly. The best tip I can give on this is try to prepare as much as one can the evening before.

• Fruit and veggies can be cut the evening before and wrapped in Clingfilm.
  
• Frozen rolls, bread etc. can be taken out the evening before. In the morning they are thawed and ready to be spread.
  
• Spreads and dips can also be made the evening before and packed in containers.

You’ll find more useful quick lunch box packing tips in our article Need for speed: A mommy's lunch manifesto. While packing lunches, hygiene plays an important role and our food safety for packed lunches article will provide you with the best pointers.

Our recipe section might also offer you with a few healthy option for the next lunch box. These sweet Asian meatballs are simple and low in stress, which work not only as a party appetizer but also are perfect in a lunch box too. Or how about quesadillas? In our article Que Sera Sera Quesadillas, we share with you just how versatile these are. They make great alternatives to the regular sandwich. My personal all time favorite are these quick Chickpea Spinach Pockets. We also have several ideas and recipes for breads, which you can easily make at home.

I hope a few of these suggestions will help you to recover from the lunch box burn out.

Do you have more helpful and yummy lunch box ideas?
What do you find challenging when packing lunch boxes?

Share your thoughts with us. 

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This post was written by Meeta

Declutter

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Most of us have a problem of over accumulation.We acquire things throughout our lives, some are given to us , some left to us , some we find and most of them are purchased and we keep them because we think , they evoke memories , hold answers , contains a promise or might serve a purpose some day. But we tend to forget that too much stuff can actually create a physical barrier of whats really important and also creates a sense of unease with the things we own and finally is overwhelming.

First and foremost we keep most things , even if we want to let go of them because we think we might need it some day. For instance , I know someone who has a penchant for empty shoes boxes and keeps them in the storage area of their home because they think they might need to move some day and can reuse them for packing. I do agree that reusing the stuff is a great way of minimizing cost , but as far I know they haven't moved in the past 3 years. So imagine the number of shoe boxes they must have accumulated in 3 years. I follow a simple mantra when it comes to decluttering my home , First of all a lot of thought goes into buying anything, secondly if i dont use anything and its kept there for more than 3 months and its in great condition , it either goes to a consignment store or I give it away to someone who can put it to good use .. or I keep my garbage can really happy by filling it up without a second thought or regret.

Remember one thing, clutter stops us living in the present.

Secondly , we keep things because of sentimental value and they are too important to let go ... I completely understand this .. I am already having trouble letting go of my daughter's first hat , It no longer fits her... but I ask myself.. How am I going to put it to good use ? Is this the only thing I am going to keep of hers ? What comes next and where will I put away all that stuff ? I am so sure .. that all the stuff I am going to keep will end up in a pile of unwanted clothes or occupy maximum space in the closet or lost in the clutter of the house and I have to say that most of us dont live in palaces to keep as much as stuff we want to. Be merciless , pick and choose what you want and then discard the rest. Anything that holds sentimental value , needs to be treated with respect and cherished and if it can , displayed and reflected in a way that you store it, and definitely not lost in a pile.

Thirdly we cling on to stuff because they are worth a lot of money. Always put a lot of thought into what you buy , Imagine the cost incurred for what you dont use and the cost of holding onto it . If you have a spare room and its unusable and cluttered, imagine the rent / mortgage you are paying on that unusable square footage. The money you could be saving from all this could help take a long wanted vacation or a great appliance you always wanted and use regularly. Follow the rule , One in , One out i.e if you buy one thing which is and upgrade of what you already have or something which is similar to what you have , make sure , you find a way to discard the older one before you get the new one into its place.

Decluttering is something that cannot come to a person in a one day , It is a continuous process and takes time and effort mentally and physically. If you start a process of decluttering , do not be overwhelmed by the amount of work you need to do .

1. Set realistic goals. Dont think of accomplishing the 26 tasks on your to do list in one day. Im sure one will be so exhausted that they wont think of working on de cluttering their home for a long time.

2. Take short breaks every hour or half hour , like a tea break, sitting down for a minute ,or at least staring out of the window will help you refresh and tackle your task with vigor.

3. Everyone has trouble doing certain tasks, for instance I have trouble folding laundry, I am not sure why, but I always put it off until the very end. So when I want to accomplish this task, I do not work on anything else that day so that I can focus better and finish my task before I decide to put it away for the next day. It works for me !

4. Assign spaces for everything in your home , starting from utensils to paper clips , rubber bands . Make sure that its put back in place after its used, that ways its one job less for the person who cleans the house. The house need not look sterile , some people cannot live without clutter , i am one of them, so organize clutter and make it look beautiful in a part of your home. I do that with my books.

5. Once you start to see larger flat surfaces in your home , you realize its a better place to come back to . Also it will be a great place to socialize and proudly show off your home and then if you felt that your home was too small before de cluttering , you wont feel the same way now. De cluttering in general will make life seem a lot simpler , easier and a lot more organized.


Trust me , when you start this process, you will feel much better , life seems organized


Hence , De clutter your home, workplace and life !

This post was written by Dee

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10 Simple Ways to Cut Food Costs in Tough Times

All around the world people are facing tough economic times, and cutting costs wherever you can, no matter how small they seem, can be a prudent thing to consider at this moment! Its easy to stop taking vacations or reduce cost of fuel by trying to carpool, but one of the most challenging things is to find simple yet innovative ways to cut the cost of food and your monthly food and grocery bill. Of course, the first and foremost thought is indeed to stop or restrict eating out at restaurants, but what other ways can you use to reduce your monthly food expenses, with minimal effect on your lifestyle?

Here are a few tips and tricks that can come in handy. Just like all of you, I'm trying to be frugal too, trying to plan things more efficiently to avoid unnecessary expenses. Here are a few ways that I found easy to follow, and can really help you save a bunch.

1. Restrict outings at high-end restaurants for special occasions only; try cooking at home more often, and when you have to eat out, choose chain restaurants, or select places where kids eat free. Look out for restaurant specials and coupons; most of them offer 10-15% off these days which can help conserve some Moolah.

2. Now more than ever, is the time to clip coupons for grocery stores, and use them efficiently. Use online tools like coupons.com or coolsavings.com, and do not throw away the coupons you receive in mail as junk, without taking a good look at them.

3. Plan your weekly meals way ahead of time if you can, so youcan finish your grocery shopping in one trip, restricting to no more than 2 trips a month. This will not only save gas, it will also help you use up all the food lying in your fridge and pantry, reducing chances of extra spending or food getting expired or wasted.

4. Stock your pantry with some frozen or canned foods and vegetables; they stay longer and can be easily used to cook something when you are short on time. However, refrain from indulging in frozen or packaged dinners which can get really expensive, and will usually suffice for just one or two people.

5. Be a smart-shopper, and STOP being a Shopaholic, at least for the time being. Make a grocery list ahead of time, and stick to buying just the things on the list. Avoid loitering around dessert, drink or snacks aisles - and if you don't trust yourself enough, take a spouse or friend with you who can pull you away from excessive shopping in case you get swayed!:)

6. Stock up on the Staples - I always make sure I have my essentials like flour, rice, pasta, pasta sauces, noodles, cheese, salad etc, stocked on hand for times of need. A little bit of planning and management will reduce sudden eating-out plans, as well as come to rescue when you don't have enough time to cook.

7. Bake your own goodies! Seriously, if you compare the cost of cookies, cakes, desserts bought as staples for kids, you'll know that a 99c worth cookie-dough weighs out compared to a box of cookies at $3.99. You don't need much math to figure that out, right!

8. Switch to low-cost fruits and vegetables like bananas, oranges, tomatoes, cauliflower, cabbage, etc when you are trying to save, and limit expensive fruit indulgences like strawberries, blueberries, pomegranates to once a week.

9. Teach and coax your kids to finish the food on their plates and not waste it. Sometimes, its hard to accomplish this, and parents can try to finish leftovers from their plates to reduce wastage. But take this opportunity to explain to kids the importance and value of food and inculcate better values.

10. Finally, try to tackle this as a family. Its not that hard to give up on some indulgent choices once in a while. Switching to a low-cost version of coffee at Starbucks, or brewing your own one at home instead of buying one everyday on your way to work can really add up on the savings! Involve every member of the family and discuss how you'd like to save on food-costs; get ideas, get approvals so everyone's on the same page, and it won't be as tough as you imagine.

I'm sure there are tonnes of other ways to save money, but these are just some that we are trying to stick to at home. Hope they come in handy to a few of you. Please feel free to share your tips and ideas with us too.

Remember, small changes can add up to a lot when you look at it over time, and the best part is, you won't even realize that you are missing something!

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This post was written by Mansi


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The Pantry

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I find one of the best assets to creative and healthy cooking is having a well-stocked pantry. When I say pantry, I mean the ingredients you use when cooking. The condiments you have, the preserves, the prepared sauces, dried herbs and spices and some basic ethnic ingredients that can make a your dishes go from nice to WOW!

It's January and if you're in the norther hemisphere, it's winter and you're more indoors. Take a look at the spices and dry herbs you have and start your shopping list here.

I like buying small amounts of spices and herbs from the bulk food store. I buy in small amounts so that my spices and herbs are at their full potential. For even more flavour, buy a small coffee grinder and dedicate it to grinding spices. You'll be amazed at the difference.

I have a small indoor herb collection that comes in handy for garnishes & such but one must buy fresh herbs from the market or rely on dry herbs. Again, like spices...buy in small amounts to maximize flavour.

Some condiments that I find invaluable in cooking are available at most supermarkets and worldwide. Musts in my kitchen are mustards, wine and balsamic vinegars, Soy sauce, Worcestershire Sauce, Sriracha Sauce (and other chilli sauces), honey , barbecue sauces, ketchup, relish and a new favourite, pomegranate molasses.

These are just some of the condiments off the top of my head but you get the picture. Buy some basic condiments that touch upon many ethnicities and can be used in an array of cuisines.

Sometimes you've had a long, rough day and you're the type that prefers eating at home yet you're pooped or you've hit a wall thinking what to cook.

A well-stock pantry is your best asset and when you go out to buy your ingredients, have at the top of your mind the four basic pillars of any great tasting dish:

1. Savory, that is to say salt or seasoning. Everydish has to be seasoned properly. Salt, Soy sauce, Fish Sauce or flavoured salts can bump up your dish.
2. Sweet. Every dish needs a degree of sweetness. In the summer, fresh herbs or vine-ripened tomatoes provide a natural sweetness to a dish. Sometimes a honey, molasses or a sugar is needed to help round'out a dish.
3. Acid. Each and every dish needs balance and often it's an acid of one type or another that will give the Yin and Yang to your dish. There are an array of vinegars, fruit juices that offer varying degrees of tartness. Acids will also arm you with quick marinades and tenderizers if you're looking to cook some quick and tender. Try using the juices and zests of all the citrus fruits or even try combining them!
4. Heat. Spices provide the downstroke to salt. The mildest on the heat scale would be peppercorns and the hottest on the other end of the spectrum are the Scotch Bonnet or Habanero peppers. Fresh and dried peppers are invaluable to your cooking and although you may shy away from spicy foods, I don't know of anyone who avoids pepper and peppercorns. Try a peppercorn mix, try different ones to discover their unique flavours. Experiment with hot sauces...how much can you take? Does the dish get heightened with heat? Perhaps one of your guests likes it spicy? Have something on the table for them!

Remember these four pillars of cooking. Every dish should have some level of these four senses of taste. Go into your pantry, see what's running low and what's missing in action. Your first pantry run might cause a spike in your grocery bill but future grocery runs will be cheaper and you'll cook better and your food will, no doubt taste better!

This post was written BY Peter Minaki

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My Favorite Kitchen Gadgets

Organization is Everything
Everyone has their share of kitchen gadgets, and if you're anything like me, you have your absolute favorites. Because I live on a sailboat, the available space in my galley is probably as tiny as your smallest closet. If I'm not extremely organized, it'll be total chaos in a matter of days. Letting someone else in my galley other than my husband or son, can turn efficiency into disaster unless they know exactly how and where I like my favorite kitchen tools!



Kitchen Gadget Addiction
Having a catering business and wholesale bakery for over 15 years didn't help my addiction to kitchen gadgets! I had everything anyone could ever imagine or desire! But, I had to learn to make do with less for the sake of sanity and to keep the boat from listing to one side. Some of those appliances were heavy! Before we moved into the boat, I had to make compromises and choose between my babies...I mean gadgets! YIKES! What were my favorites? They all were! How could I choose between 25 knives and 20 pots and pans? But my husband's answer was clear, "They won't all fit on the boat! You have to choose your favorites." Easier said than done I'm afraid.



No, Not the Kitchen Aid!
It was harder to leave my Kitchen Aid mixer than it was to sell my 10 burner stove. I brought my cheesy Hamilton Beach 5-speed mixer with me. I burned the motor out in 4 months and threw it in the dumpster. The kids felt sorry for me and gave me a shiny new Cuisinart 9-speed heavy-duty hand mixer for Mother's Day. WOW, that mixer rocks! I haven't tried making dough with it yet, but it makes short work of Christmas cookie dough, whipped cream and mashed potatoes. I left my big food processor behind and traded it in for a mini chopper. Works just as good, just not as big. My blender was replaced with an immersion blender - fabulous for dockside cocktails!



Good Knives
A good set of quality knives and sharpener is essential. I can't stress this enough. It's simply not acceptable for anyone to have to work with dull, flimsy knives. If you only have so much money in your kitchen budget, spend it on a few good knives! I cut back on the number of knives that I brought with us (I didn't need 25), but I do have two of each size, for each job. Chef, boning, utility, paring, bread, carving and a set of 8 steak knives round out my arsenal of sharp pointy things.



Stainless Steel
Our first boat had a two burner stove (I have three burners now). The stove top wasn't big enough for huge soup pots. Now what? I picked through all my stock pans, sauté pans and baking pans and chose the best stainless and stoneware I could fit on the stove and in my limited cupboards. Two items I refused to do without was my stainless pressure cooker and a Microplane grater/zester. I love those things. I told my son when he gets married, I'm going to buy him a pressure cooker and show him how to use it. He laughed, I was serious!



Paring Down & Making Do
The rest of my little gadgets fit into a neat Pampered Chef tool turn-about and a few drawers. We all want to simplify our lives and pare down. Start in your kitchen. You might be a newlywed with a small kitchen and budget to match, or a single person cooking for one. If a former caterer and baker can do with fewer gadgets, anyone can!

Here's a list of my favorite small kitchen...I mean galley gadgets and appliances:

* Heavy-duty hand mixer, Cuisinart and Kitchen Aid make the best!
* Mini food processor or chopper
* Good set of knives and sharpener
* Immersion blender
* Stainless pans with lids in 1, 2 & 3 quart sizes
* Stainless stock or soup pot in 6-8 quart size
* Stainless braising pan
* Stainless pressure cooker 6-8 quart size
* 1 small sauté or omelette pan
* 1 large frying pan with cover
* Cutting boards in various sizes
* Microplane grater/zester in two sizes, coarse & fine
* Stainless spatula for flipping eggs, burgers, and scraping out burned bits!
* Stainless balloon whisks, large & small
* Stainless pastry blender
* Cookie scoops (aka ice cream or portion scoops), large & small
* Rubber or silicone spatulas in various sizes
* Dough divider or bench scraper
* Meat thermometer
* Kitchen shears
* Offset spatulas, large & small
* Pastry bags and decorating tips
* Pastry brush
* Soup ladle
* Meat mallet


By now, you've probably guessed that I have a thing for stainless steel. I also have a thing for the color red. Just saying......

This post was written by Donna

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Have You Made Any New Year Resolutions Yet?

(image courtesy-wikimedia)

2008 is coming to an end, and like every New Year, its time to reflect on what's gone by, evaluate the good and bad, make some amendments if possible, plan some new goals for the coming year, and move on ahead with a smile and anticipatin on what's in store for you over the border of time!

As I was busy evaluating my 2008 professional goals at work, and writing up new ones for 2009, I realized its important to do so at the personal level too. New Year resolutions, as people have so named them, are nothing but a list of things you'd love to change in life. They can be as precise as "Lose 10 pounds by May 2009", or something as spiritual as "Try to play with my kids more often". I was intrigued to find out what others feel about such resolutions, and I was surprised to find that quite a lot of them are goals that would be common to most of us. I sat down to scribble a few things I'd like to do, and here's what I came up with:

1. Be a better listener and more patient with people
2. Try to be more carefree about things rather than worrying my head off
3. Learn to lower your expectations of others, and increase those from yourself
4. Earn enough to buy a new house:)D
5. Cultivate a new hobby that's not tied to my personality type

Ok, there were several more things I thought of, but I'd rather not bore you guys with it. But what I'd like to convey is that it felt good to jot down these things! The fast pace of life often provides us with less opportunity to sit back and reflect on what we can do to improve our lives without much effort. We always try to change others, and it's way easier to point fingers at others rather than accept faults of your own. But just half an hour of honest self-inspection can grant you an inner perspective and make you powerful enough to hear your inner voice - a feat that escapes most of us due to the din and bustle of life

So, take an hour to think about what leaves you dissatisfied, and make a list of things you could do to change it yourself. Then select the Top 5 or 10 things from that list, and translate them into measurable goals, or New Year resolutioins. Allot yourself a deadline, for humans never accomplish a goal till pushed to do so, stick the list in your cubicle or as a post-it on your laptop, so you are reminded about them every day, and try working on them. Consider yourself successful even if you finish half of them, and give yourself a pat and a treat every time you tick-off each goal.

I just finished reading a book called "Siddhartha", by Herman Hesse, and it made me realize that Life indeed is a learning journey, and Experience is surely the best teacher. You don't neeed someone else to define what you seek from life - the power lies within, its only a question of taking some time to talk to your soul, and you'll find most of your answers in that moment of self-awakening

So, what are some of your New Year goals and resolutions? Or don't you beleive in them at all? Share with us what you feel. But for those who have already made a list, I wish you all the best in accomplishing them, and wish you all a Happy and prosperous 2009

This post was written by Mansi


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5 Tips for Preparing Children for a Move

One of our new features for the Daily Tiffin is inviting Guest writers and bloggers to contribute to this blog. Today we have Joseph Ho from uShip . Joseph contacted us with the idea of giving his expertise tips for moving with kids. We hope you enjoy the article.

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Every year, one out of five American families moves. This could be for any number of reasons - maybe your family needs to relocate for a job transfer or financial matters, or perhaps you are just moving into another house in the same town. No matter what the reason, moving can be a hard time for children, who often thrive in an environment of familiarity and habit. Read on for a few tips on how to ease their anxiety about moving.

1. Tell your child about the move ASAP: From the time you consider moving to the time you finalize the move, let your child know what is going on. Being “in the loop” not only makes your child feel like they are part of the decision making process but also gives your child more time to prepare himself/herself for the move.
2. Listen for their opinions: Depending on their age and personalities, your child may have issues about the move that can evoke a variety of feelings, and it is your job to lend an ear to these issues. Preschool children are usually worried about being left behind, separated from their parents, or losing toys. Preteens are often concerned about not being able to participate in familiar activities or visit familiar places. Teenagers are the toughest group, and they are almost always most worried about the change in their social lives, as they have invested a significant amount of their time finding a niche in their current social environment.
3. Maintain an optimistic outlook: Much of the fear of moving to a new place is drawn from not knowing what life will be like in the new environment. Another factor that contributes to this uncertainty is that a move is often combined with some type of significant change in your professional or personal life, like a job transfer or change in marital status. Even if you are not happy about certain aspects of the move, keep a positive attitude about it. Your child will be looking towards you for reassurance.
4. Document the past: Assist your child with obtaining the contact information of current friends and playmates. Before you move, take a few trips to your child’s favorite spots around town and take plenty of pictures or videos to preserve fond memories. Another good idea is to take pictures of your child’s room in order to be able to recreate parts of it in your new home.
5. Set up future activities: Give your child information about the opportunities in the new town, especially opportunities related to activities that he/she is already participating in. If your daughter is taking ballet classes in your current city, take her to visit the local dance studio in your new city. Also show your child around the recreational areas of the new city.

The prospect of moving to an unfamiliar place with different people can be a very intimidating experience for your child, but good can come from this change. Use this shared adversity as an opportunity to take more of an active role in your child’s life and bring your family closer together.

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This Post was contributed by Joseph Ho from uShip

We've got the look!

If you've just dropped by and are wondering if this is the right blog - let us reassure you: Yes this is the Daily Tiffin in all it's newest glory.

What do you think?

For the past several weeks we have been changing, moving, organizing, de-cluttering and re-structuring many things behind the scenes. We've created a "back office" team who is responsible for various tasks like new design, organizational issues, events and marketing to name a few. It sure is a lot of work managing a team blog and I would like to thank everyone on the team for all the effort they have put into keeping The Daily Tiffin going.

One person in particular has spent an enormous amount of time and effort. Suganya was the driving force behind this wonderful new layout. The rest of us pitched in with ideas and suggestions, but it was Suganya who spent hours tweaking the template and designing this gorgeous layout.
Suganya, on behalf of the entire Daily Tiffin Team, I would like to thank you for all your efforts.

Suganya is off on a well deserved vacation now and the rest of the back office team will be tweaking a few things here. So, if you find things wonky or out of place please excuse us and do drop us an email or leave us a comment if you are viewing something that does not look right.

In the meantime, it's business as usual and we'll be posting great articles you enjoy reading.

Take care!

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Are you interested in contributing to The Daily Tiffin? Drop us an email: thedailytiffin@gmail.com. We look forward to hearing your ideas.

This Post was written by Meeta from What's For Lunch, Honey?

Eating better and maybe even saving a buck

Once the care-free days of college were over and the real world began, I encountered the grim realities of a monthly budget. With this in mind, I used to think I was being good by eating lunch at my employer's cafeteria rather than going out to restaurants. While that much is true, it didn't take long to realize that (1) the cafeteria food is awful and (2) I could still do (a lot) better. So, eventually, I started to make my own lunches. When confronted with this new weekly chore, I did what most people would do: I started visiting the deli so I could make sandwiches from the seemingly infinite variety of flavored, sliced meats.

This got me by for quite some time...until Thanksgiving rolled around. With every Thanksgiving, there's turkey (far too much of it), and so for the several days following Thanksgiving, there are many creative ways of repurposing turkey to get through the leftovers before anything spoils. All of us who have done this song and dance have surely had some form of leftover turkey sandwiches and we've all come to appreciate how these are simply some of the best sandwiches you could have all year--moist, flavorful, comforting, and...well, pretty cheap! Then, we all just as quickly run out of leftovers and never have it again until next year. Why?

As soon as I had to return to deli meat, I was disappointed and wondered if this is what I had been eating all along--it was so bland, loaded with sodium, and well...its kind of slimey (blech!). I wanted more turkey, and I mean real juicy, flavorful, meaty turkey! And so this began a new era of lunches for me--I swore off deli meat. I just kept buying turkeys, roasting them, shredding the meat (no thin, slimey deli slices for me!), and freezing them in week's-worth-of-sandwiches sized portions, defrosting a bag each weekend as I needed. Using one bird, I could have sandwiches for 4-5 weeks--talk about minimal effort and cheap! Of course, eventually, one just might get tired of turkey (and they can be a bit harder to come by throughout the year), so then I simply switched to roasting whole chickens (which cover about 2 weeks of sandwiches for me).

This whole process is amazingly simple--rub a bird with some oil/butter, salt, pepper, and whatever other seasonings suit your fancy, roast it until cooked through in a roasting pan (much easier than disposable tins, I promise!) in your oven, let cool a bit, and then shred up every last bit of meat, promptly freezing what you won't get to right away. In total, this probably costs you about 30 minutes of your focused time in the kitchen (not even once a week), saves you money (compare $/lb for a bird vs deli meat), and tastes so much better than deli meat. Multiply this by every working week throughout the year, and this adds up. All you need to do each week is thaw out the meat and assemble your sandwiches as you normally would.

This got me thinking about my other meals and how I could not only improve them, but save money in the process. Why not make my own granola bars for breakfast rather than buying pre-made, for instance? Or starting a simple herb garden rather than shelling out $2+ for a small bunch every week? Using the frequently roasted bird carcasses/drippings as a base for stock rather than buying by the can? Or eating with the seasons and local specialties in mind? Buying chicken thighs instead of boneless breasts? Whipping small amounts of leftover cream to use as whipped cream rather than buying a big can I'll never get through? So many admittedly small things, but done all together, the savings really do add up week to week.

Do you, reader, have any tips or tricks for things you fall back on in the kitchen to make your food money go further? I'd love to hear from you.

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Are you interested in contributing to The Daily Tiffin? Drop us an email: thedailytiffin@gmail.com. We look forward to hearing your ideas.

This Post was written by Mike from Mike's Table

Let Your Shopping List Work For You

I'd like to make a confession. I love grocery shopping. I like walking up and down the aisles perusing the new products. I know some of you share my love, while others find it a big chore. For those of you that need help, I thought I'd share my grocery shopping system with you.

Start by making a list of all of the ingredients you need. The most important thing about this list is to arrange it in sections by thinking of the sections of a grocery store. Put all of your produce on one portion of the page, dairy on another, meats on another, pantry goods in another, and so on and so forth. If you are familiar with your grocery store lay out create your list according to the market's floor plan. At my Safeway I like to start in the produce section and make my way through the back of the store stopping to pick up chicken, bacon, frozen goods, milk, cheese, wine, and bread along the way. Having a list in your hands will also keep you from purchasing impulse foods that aren't good for your wallet or your weight. Once you get used to shopping with your list you will realize that you can be in and out of the grocery store in no time and you might just find you actually enjoy your walks down the super market aisles.

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Are you interested in contributing to The Daily Tiffin? Drop us an email: blogmeeta@gmail.com. We look forward to hearing your ideas.

This Post was written by Sabrina from YumSugar.com

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