10 Ways to Warm Up with Winter Stews

- Holly Larson, RD

Brrrr... It's cold out there! Getting kids to eat the nutrition they need after an epic, post-blizzard snowball fight can be a challenge, especially if your child has sensory issues or is a picky eater. One option is to warm their bellies with a hearty soup or stew...Balance 360 Clean Eating Nutrition style!

1. Soups can be an entire meal in a bowl; with a variety of veggies, complex carbohydrates, protein and a drizzle of olive oil or a few avocado cubes, soups are a robust nutritional blend swimming in a bowl of delicious broth.
2. Soups are a great place to use up ingredients that are lingering. Limp carrots and celery may not be your first choice for a snack but they will be delicious in the soup pot.
3. Slow cooking is a great way to use inexpensive cuts of meat. You can also use less meat and still enjoy a delicious meal. Keeping the grocery budget on track is important!
4. Double up; most soups and stews freeze well! Make extra and then freeze leftovers in glass jars, making sure to leave plenty of room for expansion. Label and date any foods prior to freezing.
5. No need to measure; soups and stew recipes are very flexible and forgiving. Use what you have and enjoy experimenting!
6. Try new foods with pureed vegetable soups. New foods pose challenges that can stump picky eaters. Allow your kids to try the flavor and color of new veggies before tackling the texture by making velvety pureed soups. Invest in a stick blender to skip needing to use your standing blender to process batches of soup.
7. Soups and stew ingredients can come from the freezer. Compile ingredients for several meals, freeze individually and toss in the crock pot. Dinner will be waiting for you when you get home!
8. Packing lunch is a breeze when you use a thermos to take leftover soups and stews to school or work!
9. Soups can be personalized by adding favorite toppings. From salty olives to crunchy almonds to creamy avocado cubes, take your soup to the next level with creative toppings.
10. Soups and stews are hydrating; we tend to not be as thirsty in the winter, but we still need lots of fluids to maintain our health, including our skin integrity. Cracked, dry skin puts you at risk of illness because the pathogens can sneak through the imperfections in your skin.

About Balance 360 Clean Eating Nutrition System

Based on our years of research and successful treatment of children struggling with learning challenges we know that the Balance 360 System makes a difference in helping your child’s brain and body function at their best. The Balance 360 System is a step-by-step approach designed to help parents customize a nutrition plan to fit a child’s lifestyle and needs. It is an eating lifestyle program that is frequently adopted by entire families.