Kids excel on the Zone

By Lynn Sears

Parents ask us if the Zone is appropriate for children. The answer is a resounding yes. In fact, Dr. Sears says that parents who don’t have their kids eat in Zone and supplement with high-grade fish oil are “practicing child abuse in the kitchen.”

It is key to provide substitutions. Offer chickpeas or hummus. Pour salsa or tomato sauce over 2 ounces of chicken. If junior won’t eat his vegetables, offer a bowl of berries instead. Sometimes children will eat raw vegetables if they dip them in hummus or a dip created from a yogurt base.

Usually elementary school-age children should have two blocks each of protein, carbohydrate and fat at every meal and two one-block snacks. Early bloomers who are big for the age may need three of each. It all depends on how hungry they are between their Zone-favorable meals.

And as far as snacks go, make sure to supply them if your child goes to daycare.

A piece of string cheese and some grapes are far better than the apple juice and cookies that are usually provided.

Here are some quick, no-cook meals to get you started.

Fruit Salad
Ingredients 1⁄2 cup low-fat cottage cheese
1⁄2 cup grapes
1⁄3 cup unsweetened Mandarin oranges
2 Macadamia nuts, crushed
Directions Mix in a bowl and enjoy.

Grilled Chicken Salad
Ingredients Bed of romaine lettuce
1 1⁄3 cups sliced mushrooms
1⁄2 cup sliced tomatoes
1⁄2 cup chopped onions
2⁄3 teaspoon olive oil with vinegar to taste
Lemon juice
Worcestershire sauce and pepper to taste
3 ounces deli-style chicken
Grated Parmesan cheese
1⁄2 apple
Directions
Prepare salad. Drizzle salad dressing over the salad. Add lemon juice and season with Worcestershire sauce. Grind pepper over the salad. Add chicken and top with sprinkling of Parmesan cheese. Have apple for dessert.

Tuna Salad
Ingredients 2 ounces albacore tuna packed in water
2 teaspoons light mayonnaise
Chopped celery to taste
1⁄4 cup chickpeas, canned, rinsed
Bed of lettuce
1⁄2 orange
Directions
Mix tuna, mayonnaise and celery. Put tuna mixture and chickpeas on a bed of lettuce. Have orange for dessert.

Frozen Blueberry Yogurt
Ingredients 1⁄2 cup low-fat, plain yogurt
1⁄2 cup frozen blueberries
1⁄4 cup cottage cheese
2 teaspoons slivered almonds
Stevia to taste, optional
Directions
Put all in a food processor. Blend until smooth.

Caprese Salad
Ingredients 1 tomato, sliced
2 ounces, low-fat mozzarella cheese
1 clove garlic, minced, or to taste
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves
2⁄3 teaspoon olive oil
Balsamic vinegar, to taste
3⁄4 cup grapes
Directions
Put sliced tomatoes on a plate. Top with cheese. Mix garlic, basil and olive oil and put on top of tomatoes and cheese. Sprinkle with balsamic vinegar. Have grapes for dessert.

Yogurt Topped Apple
Ingredients 1⁄2 apple, cored and cut lengthwise
1⁄2 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1⁄8 teaspoon nutmeg
1⁄8 teaspoon orange zest
1⁄8 teaspoon cinnamon
1⁄4 cup low-fat cottage cheese
2 teaspoons almonds, slivered
Directions
Place apple cut side up in a small, microwavable dish. Cook apple in microwave set on high for four to five minutes. In a small mixing bowl, combine yogurt, nutmeg, orange zest and cinnamon. Place cottage cheese in a serving dish. Sprinkle with almonds. When the apple is cooked (slightly soft), place apple on top of cottage cheese. Top with yogurt and serve.

Totally agree, although it is difficult to keep them in the Zone when they are exposed to other foods. And, kids are quite picky, I can guarantee that they would probably not touch most of these recipes that were posted. My kids don't like sauces, most vegetables, and so sometimes I have to adjust my cooking for them. We usually end up with the same protein for the meal, but they generally eat very little of the vegetables that are served. Depends, though. They will eat cooked broccoli because it looks like little trees. Go figure!

I honestly don't worry about balancing out their meals to the extent that I do. They serve up their own portions and eat what they want (from what is served).

We don't keep much of any junk food around the house. We have yogurt, they enjoy home made smoothies, we always have fruit selections on hand-apples, grapes go quickly. If they eat junk food, they got it from somewhere else.