“It’s the hap-happiest season of all.” At least that’s how parents feel. Kids on the other hand are looking at the calendar in complete horror. It’s almost here. It’s finally time to send the kids back to school . Admit it, you’re about to burst with anticipation. Of course, even if you’re a stay-at-home parent, you must also admit that meal time is about to change. There will now be after school activities that leave you running all over town. At least once or twice a week, you’re going to scratch your head and wonder what on earth you’re going to make for dinner . That’s when a well-stocked pantry will come in handy.

A well-stocked pantry should have everything you need to prepare a meal in a matter of minutes. Even after soccer and piano practice, you should be able to stuff your family’s bellies full of a delicious meal. This means having items like pasta, canned vegetables and fruit, pasta sauce, canned meat and fish, condiments, bread, baking supplies and spices. With these ingredients on hand, even a healthy meal is easy.

Take It On the Go Tuna Pasta Salad
Serves four

• 1 pound whole wheat pasta, your favorite shape
• 2 cans of solid white albacore tuna
• 1 green pepper, diced
• 1 red onion, chopped
• ½ cup green olives, sliced

• 1 cup fat-free Italian dressing

1. Cook the pasta and toss with the other ingredients.
2. Serve with whole wheat rolls.

With all the after school activities going on, your kids will need a boost of energy. A well-stocked pantry will have everything you need to prepare a healthy trail mix.

Healthy Chocolate Trail Mix
Serves four

• 4 cups of granola
• 1 cup of dark chocolate chips
• 1 cup of walnuts

• 1 cup dried cranberries

1. Mix the ingredients together thoroughly.
2. Portion out into zip-top bags for easy serving.

Even though the next few months will be crazy, that doesn’t mean you can’t put a homemade meal on the table. Slip on a pair of fashionable sneakers and enjoy the great back to school season.

Do you have any back to school lunch ideas? Comment below!

The great thing about taking the kids to San Francisco is that it no matter what season you make the trip you can bring the same heavy clothing. As Mark Twain once said, “the coldest winter I ever spent was the summer I spent in San Francisco.” So pack up the windbreakers and the heavy denim and bring the kids along to what is often called the most beautiful city in America.

Of course, most kids don’t appreciate beauty so your first stop should be the Rock. Alcatraz. The Big House on the little island. Alcatraz is the most famous prison in American history and a tour through its chilling halls is guaranteed to leave a lasting impression on most kids. Even if they don’t have the slightest idea who Al Capone was, they’ll be thrilled by the concept that ghosts of prisoners are said to sometimes haunt visitors. Alcatraz offers kids a glimpse into the uglier aspects of life, and so it can be used for both entertainment and educational purposes. Scare them straight in San Francisco!

After the dark side of the Rock, it’s time to reveal a marvel of beauty to the young ones. The Golden Gate Bridge routinely makes the list of modern day wonders of the world and there have been preciously few people of any age who have not taken a walking tour of this gleaming monument to Manifest Destiny and come away awestruck. A tour of a bridge may not seem like the kind of thing to hold the interest of a child, but the Golden Gate Bridge is more than just a connector of two land masses. There is history and resonance to this bridge that almost lends it the aura of Mt. Rushmore or the Grand Canyon.

Clang, clang, clang went the trolley! One of the most surefire methods of making a kid enjoy a trip to a city without a theme park is to give him or her a ride on a cable car. The cable car used to be the primary method of public transportation in cities around the country, but none holds quite the grip on the imagination as those in Frisco. Nothing will bring a smile to your kids quicker than stepping into these living time travel machines and riding up and down the city’s famous hills. Just remember to bring the sweater. Even in July.

Chinese food is not only easy to make, but you can have a meal on the table in less than 30 minutes. The following are just a couple easy recipes to get you started.

Many families love to visit a Chinese restaurant, at least once a week. And what’s not to love? There are so many different dishes to choose from, especially when you choose from the buffet. Unfortunately, Chinese food can be quite unhealthy. After all, many Chinese foods are deep fried and coated in sugary sauces. How can you enjoy the flavor of Chinese dishes, without expanding your waistband? Why, you make them yourself of course. Chinese food is not only easy to make, but you can have a meal on the table in less than 30 minutes. The following are just a couple easy recipes to get you started.

Chicken Fried Rice
Serves 4

• 1 box of chicken flavored rice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 1/2 pound of boneless skinless chicken breast, cooked and cut into bite sized pieces
• 1 cup green onion tops, chopped

• 1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted

1. Brown the rice mixture in olive oil over medium heat. Once brown, add the water and seasoning packet and cook according to package directions.
2. Five minutes before the rice has finished cooking, stir in the cooked chicken and finish cooking.
3. Once cooked, top with green onions and slivered almonds.
4. Serve with baked egg rolls.

Baked Chicken Egg Rolls
Serve 4

• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 8 ounces 98% lean ground chicken
• 1 package of cole slaw mix
• 2 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce
• 8 egg roll wrappers

• Nonstick cooking spray

1. Pour olive oil into a large skillet and cook ground chicken until almost done.
2. Add the cole slaw mix and cook until chicken is thoroughly cooked and vegetables begin to wilt.
3. Add soy sauce to filling and roll in egg roll wrappers.
4. Spray the bottom of a cookie sheet and the tops of the egg rolls. Bake at 400 degrees until golden brown.

The perfect way to end your Chinese meal is to serve an exotic Asian fruit, such as star fruit. Your children will love the unique shape and you’ll love the fact that star fruit only contains 40 calories and 0 grams of fat.

Any recipes you want to share? Comment below!

A look at a must-see vacation spot for kids: Willow Creek, CA, the Gateway to Bigfoot Country

Is there any kid in America in the last three or four decades who has not been at one time or another totally captivated by the Bigfoot legend? And legend it must remain until a Sasquatch is captured or a carcass is discovered. Of course, the actual lack of solid evidence is not nearly enough to deter most children, and more than a few adults, from accepting as fact the existence of our big furry ally of the Pacific Northwest. Even if your kids are past the age where the latest Bigfoot documentary on the Discovery Channel is must-see TV, there is plenty of beautiful wilderness to enjoy in the environs surrounding America’s self-proclaimed Gateway to Bigfoot Country: Willow Creek, California.

The first thing about Willow Creek that makes it a destination spot your kids won’t soon forget is the genuinely creepy and undeniably life-size carving of Bigfoot created from one of the massive redwood trees that dot the landscape. This carving, done by Jim McClain, is supposedly the only Bigfoot statue in America based on an actual sighting of Sasquatch. In addition to the Bigfoot statue, Willow Creek also offers the finest museum in the country dedicated to Bigfoot. Let your kids get a chance to discover just how massive their hairy hero is by seeing actual cast moldings of alleged big footprints left behind by Sasquatch.

Of course, if you really want to do the whole Willow Creek Bigfoot trip right, then you should set your goal toward a Labor Day weekend visit for the famous Willow Creek Bigfoot Days Sasquatch-abration. Among the events that are spread out over this three day extravaganza are a pancake breakfast and steak barbecues, live theater, arts and crafts and entertainment. Monday is Kids Day and features activities especially designed for those little tykes for whom Bigfoot is such a fantastic attraction, including games and races.

Even if you can’t make it to Bigfoot Days, a trip to Willow Creek could very well become the single most memorable vacation you and your family have ever gone on. Willow Creek is, after all the epicenter of more Sasquatch sightings than anywhere else in the US, located not far from where the most famous Bigfoot video ever shot was taken. What could be a greater vacation memory than an actual Bigfoot sighting by your kids?

When hot weather finally arrives, many people turn to restaurants. No one wants to add even more heat to their sweltering home. Even those that have air conditioning avoid cooking for fear of increasing their energy bill. Thankfully, there are meals you can make without suffering over that long feared hot stove

Refreshing Tuna Salad Pepper Cups
Serve 4

• 4 large green bell peppers
• 2 (6) ounce cans of solid white tuna
• 1 small sweet onion, finely chopped
• 1 small green bell pepper, finely chopped
• 4 ounces of shredded cheddar cheese
• ½ cup of fat-free mayonnaise

• Fresh cracked black pepper, to taste

1. Remove the tops of the four large bell peppers, along with the seeds and ribs.
2. Drain the tuna and mix with the onion, chopped bell pepper, cheese, mayonnaise, and cracked black pepper.
3. Fill the large bell peppers with the tuna salad and serve with crackers.

Chopped Pork Barbeque Sandwiches
Serves 8

• 2 pound pork sirloin roast
• Barbeque sauce, your favorite brand, to taste
• Sliced pickles
• Romaine lettuce
• Sliced tomatoes

• 8 Kaiser rolls

1. Place the roast in a slow cooker, fat side up. Allow the roast to cook on low for 10 to 12 hours.
2. Once cooked, remove the roast from the slow cooker and remove the layer of fat.
3. Using a chef’s knife and meat fork, carefully chop the meat into small pieces.
4. Add barbeque sauce and stir to combine.
5. Place on Kaiser rolls with pickles, lettuce, and tomatoes.
6. Serve with baked potato chips.

Angel Berry Parfaits

• ½ of an angel food cake, cut into bite sized pieces
• 2 cups of fat-free vanilla pudding
• 1 cup of blackberries
• 1 cup of raspberries

• 1 cup of strawberries

1. Fill four tall glasses with half of the angel food cake pieces.
2. Top the angel food cake with half of the vanilla pudding.
3. Add a layer of the berries.
4. Repeat the layers, ending with berries.

Remember. Summer meals don’t have to come from a restaurant. You can easily prepare delicious meals, while still keeping your home nice and cool.

Happy cool and refreshing summer eating!

Got any ideas for recipes that don’t require hours over a stove? Let us know, comment below!

An overview of the Grand Canyon Junior Ranger program for kids that will make a visit even more memorable.

All Americans, especially kids, should visit the Grand Canyon at least once in their life. As vast as America is, with all its natural wonders and beauty, you’d be hard pressed to find any other spot in this amazing country that is more likely to take your breath away. Adults as well as kids tend to be equally overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of this extraordinary spectacle, but the park extends a special privilege to children that is not granted to their parents. If you are really looking for a destination spot your kid will never forget, take advantage of the Grand Canyon Junior Ranger program. Heck, this program is nearly as memorable as if your kids were to come across Bobby and Cindy Brady still on the lookout for their little Indian buddy. Your rugrats may not leave for home with a flashlight filled with baked beans but they will take home a really cool iron-on badge and a certificate, as well as, a trip they are not likely to ever forget.

It is ridiculously easy for you to turn your trip to the Grand Canyon into an opportunity for your kids to becomes Junior Rangers. It doesn’t cost anything and you can pick up all the information at visitor centers. The actual requirements for getting those stinkin’ badges vary according to age, but in general the idea is to get the kids to consider the vast beauty and history of the Canyon on a more personal and reflective level. This is accomplished through noting specific observations and writing down impressions. The Grand Canyon Junior Ranger program also includes attending various programs led by official park rangers throughout your visit.

The more adventurous kids are urged to become Phantom Rattler Junior Rangers. Kids aged 4 to 14 must ride down into the canyon by mule and attend the Phantom Ranch at the bottom in order to achieve this level of Junior Ranger. Just a typical visit to the Grand Canyon is certainly going to be memorable, but if you really want your kids to come home from that big crack in Arizona with a memory that they will never, ever forget, be sure to look in on the Junior Ranger program.

Keeping kids exercising is often as simple as finding a fun, energetic sport or activity that they enjoy. One sport our family enjoys that I don’t see enough of anymore is tetherball. Remember that game from the schoolyard where you would take turns trying to punch a ball on a string around a pole? That’s tetherball.

To enjoy tetherball, you don’t have to hunt down the nearest gym or school who happens to have access to it. All you need to do is either buy your own or make your own. It’s not as hard as it may sound. The local sporting goods store will generally have an easy-to-set-up, low-cost, low-grade tetherball game, even including the pole. The instructions will come with the set.

If you want a more sturdy tetherball game, try making your own. It’s very simple and depending on the ages and abilities of the kids, they may even be able to help. All you need is a small bag of concrete mix, an old tire with the rim still inside, a cheap tarp, a metal pole, a bolt with a hook, a drill with a metal bit, and a pre-strung tetherball. First, drill a hole the correct size for the bolt into the top of the pole. Next, screw in the bolt. Mix the concrete thickly. Set the tire on top of the tarp.

Now place the mixed concrete inside of the tire. Fill the entire hole. Place the pole in the center of the mixed concrete inside the tire. Smooth out the concrete. The pole should stand straight up and if the concrete is thick enough, it will not move. Allow it to dry completely. There’s your tetherball pole. Now, just hang your tetherball and you and the kids can start to play.

Tetherball rules are very simple. Player one is the server. To serve the ball, much like volleyball, set it atop the non-dominant hand and punch it with the other. The goal is to get the tetherball to wrap completely around the pole without interruption from the other player. Each player must take turns hitting the ball in opposite directions until one player wraps it around the pole.

Whomever wraps it around the pole first is the winner. Players may not grab the string or hold onto the ball. Either is an automatic “out”. If this occurs, the next player will come in and a new game will begin. Players may only punch or hit the ball.

When people hear the word chicken, they immediately get bored. Instead of giving up on this monotonous meat, why not rethink your recipes?

When people hear the word chicken, they immediately get bored. Chicken has been used in the same recipes so many times that it’s no wonder your taste buds yawn at the word. On the other hand, we all know how healthy it can be. Chicken breasts are low in fat, yet high in protein. Plus, kids love them. Instead of giving up on this monotonous meat, why not rethink your recipes? Any recipe can seem new again if you do a little tweaking here and there.

Chicken salad is a classic dish and so are buffalo wings. Why not combine the two and create a dish your kids will love?

Buffalo Chicken Salad
Serves 4

• 1 pound of boneless chicken breasts, baked and cubed
• ½ cup buffalo sauce
• 2 cup of celery, sliced
• 1 cup of fat-free ranch dressing

• 4 Kaiser rolls, toasted

1. Toss the chicken with the buffalo sauce and bake at 350 degrees until the sauce adheres to the meat.
2. Allow the chicken to cool and then chop into smaller pieces.
3. Combine the chicken, celery, and ranch dressing.
4. Serve on toasted Kaiser rolls with a side of baked potato chips.

Kids love chicken strips. Unfortunately, many versions are often deep fried, but not this one. These baked strips are perfect for dunking and as a topper for Caesar salad.

Chicken Parmesan Strips
Serves 4

• 1 pound of chicken tenders
• 2 egg whites, beaten
• 2 cups of Italian seasoned bread crumbs

• ¼ cup parmesan cheese, grated

1. Combine the seasoned bread crumbs and parmesan cheese in a shallow dish.
2. Dip the chicken tenders into the beaten egg whites and then into the seasoned bread crumbs.
3. Spray a cookie sheet with nonstick cooking spray and place the tenders at least ½ inch apart.
4. Spray the chicken tenders with cooking spray and bake in a 425 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the juices run clear.
5. Serve with heated marinara sauce.

Remember, chicken doesn’t have to be boring to be healthy. You just need to rethink the ways you prepare it.

If you have any recipes ideas, improvements, suggestions, please comment below and let us know! Let us in on some of your secret recipes!