Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums General Discussion Brain Food

1111, Thanks! It sounds so healthy and yummy and like a brain food recipe! I would love to try this with my son and I already have a Vitamix.
What kind of multivitamins, Vit D and Fruit/veggie powders do you use?

I had so much trouble with dairy, and I know my husband still has problems (but he hasn't cut it out of his diet) that I've been thinking about trying to cut it out of DS9's diet as well... he refuses to try almond milk though, and loves his cereal & milk for breakfast. He honestly doesn't get a ton of diary other than that and a glass of chocolate milk here and there, though.

I know for me, though, if I get an accidental serving of dairy it's like I've got a frigging hangover! Tired and listless and foggy brained.

I want to try the smoothie!

Thanks guys for the positive response! It really is a gem of a breakfast. I use the Rainbow Light multi for the kids. They are not fond of chewing it so I just throw it in the blender. I use caps of Vitamin C, Fruit/Veggie caps, Elderberry from VITACOST. Their own brand. Their veggie one does not have garlic. Believe it or not, I used to use one WITH garlic and the kids still ate it...:-0. NORDIC NATURAL liquid strawberry omega 3, JARROW probiotics and BIOTICS 400IU Vitamin D drops. You can get it all at Vitacost although I suggest getting the probiotics local since it is refrigerated. ( I am NOT a sales rep for Vitacost, I promise....:-) The reason I don't put the powder in the blender is that I am afraid it would get lost, stuck to the sides, since you can never scrape it all out.

Also, I know this is going to sound pretty strange but speaking of pancakes, this is what I do...
I prepare the batter (Bob Mill's 7 grain). Then I add 1 banana mashed, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, unsweetened coconut flakes, 3 shredded carrots, 1/2 large shredded beet...I know, sounds crazy. You could steam the veggies and puree before mixing it in but shredding raw works really well.

I mix this in with the batter and pour it into a large baking dish. Makes it about 1/4 inch thick. Bake for 45 minutes 350 degrees. I put parchment paper over it so the top doesn't get so crispy. Then I cut it into 4 pieces and the kids will eat one piece each. So here you have 2 servings of veggies/kid in PANCAKES! Seriously, they taste really good. And they are red and pretty. You could even get a cookie cutter and make shapes out if it. I top it off with unsweetened raspberry jam and berries. The kids favorite food! You could put anything they like on top though.

Just though I'd throw it out there. I have told many people and most do not dare to try this. But the ones that do are amazed!

I'm definitely going to make those! Thanks 1111. Thread officially bookmarked.

I officially suck. That is all.

I know how you feel, deacongirl.

I tried three times to post in this thread yesterday, and it wouldn't go, but it's just as well. I'll just say, wow -- kids that eat stuff. Cool.

My DD likes chocolate milk and coffee with half-and-half for breakfast, though she's also been known to eat a Wendy's chocolate frosty. Sometimes she also has dry cereal and craisins.

I know she eats one decent meal each day because I pack her a Bento box, and there isn't enough food in it that she can entirely avoid eating vegetables without going hungry.

Today that box contained:

a single-serve packet of hummus
2 Baby Bel cheese rounds
3 Stretch Island Fruit leather packets
a whole grain flatbread, cut into flower shapes (which are easier to dip into hummus)
a generous handful of sugar-snap peas fresh from the bag.

Last week, I neglected to send her with a lunch one day, and she wound up eating plain potato chips out of the vending machine.

We are often gone for dinner (extracurriculars) or we all eat at different times, so that tends to be whatever she ferrets out of the fridge. Or candy that she has stashed in her room. Dad is a horrible enabler there.


So yeah. I think I pretty much officially suck at this too. But I haven't killed her yet, so that's something. LOL

Ok, after that, I'll try again.

Ovaltine for breakfast -- I survived twelve years of school on Hershey's cocoa for breakfast, so I'm a whole level above that with my kids. Lots of vitamins in Ovaltine. DS only drinks a bit of it if I give it to him for breakfast, but both of them have it at bedtime too. DD can't live without hers in the morning. So far this school year (one week down, way too many to go), I've managed to get a few slices of bacon into DS for breakfast, and DD loves sausages and will eat one in the morning, mostly. She had half a waffle instead, today. Neither of them will be worrying about getting fat until they're at least 40, so that's not an issue here -- rather the other direction, for them. As many calories as possible is good.

DS eats school lunches, and DD takes a PBJ, chips, juice or tea, sometimes applesauce, sometimes pudding, and sometimes eats more than half of everything.

Dinner ... we won't go there yet.

We try to make a lot of dinners from scratch using fruit and vegetables that are in season. Venison is consumed regularly along with lots of other red meats and fish. I like to cook (and eat) as does DW. I started giving DD DHA milk since she was a toddler and as she is actually pretty sharp (despite her blond tresses) I am loath to stop now. Greek yoghurt and honey from our gracious bees is a frequent dessert.

We don't buy soda so DD drinks only DHA milk and flavored seltzer.

That was the orthodox good news.

DD loves refined carbs in her breakfast cereals, Klondike bars (Heath bar best) and potato chips. She eats like fats; plenty of good cheese - Stilton, real cheddar, Parmesan, feta, Brie, buffalo mozzarella etc, processed meats
; guanciale, prosciutto, Jason Serrano, soppressata, chorizo etc, bacon, pork belly, butter and so forth. Also a huge fan of salt - Marmite on toast with butter being almost a Holy Sacrament, will also just eat Maldon salt crystals on their own. PBJ sandwiches are a huge favourite too.

DD is not a huge consumer of veggies but she does love tomatoes, cukes, peas etc from the garden. She just devours nuts, plain, salted or roasted.

Not an overly organic, vegan or borderline rabbinical about diet household at all and DD is doing just fine.

Saturday is dietary delinquency day here. We often order in a pizza or eat out and have dessert on Saturday nights. I aim for produce and protein-centric meals 90% of the time and look forward to our 10% meals. With 4 meals per day, I try to set aside 2 "no limits" meals each week where we can indulge in our favourite less healthy foods in reasonable portions. Usually, one is breakfast at a local greasy spoon.