insulated lunch bag baby image
RADiOACtiV
I need some healthy snack suggestions for when I'm off in college
Answer
I remember the curse of the Freshman 15! Back then, we only had some vending machines and a toaster over to heat things with! And the dorm cafeteria's idea of healthy was to serve pizza with spaghetti, creamed corn, and ham! So, if I had a do-over, here's what I'd check out:
1. Mini fridge in the dorm room
2. Microwave
3. Insulated lunch bag or tote for hot and cold items
4. Thermos
And, I'd create a "pantry" of items I could chow down on that would enhance the brain cells and not the waistline! These would include:
1. Almonds: the raw, unsalted ones are best, but I prefer the roasted and lightly salted ones myself
2. Protein: protein is a great brain regenerator! String cheese, lean roasted turkey, uncured ham and cheese rollups, trail mix (without all the sugar)
3. Fruit: fresh is best, but a nice treat is to mix your almonds with craisins or raisins. Dried fruit is good, but has alot of sugar. Stick with organic if you can. Apples and string cheese are a good combo when you're hungry!
4. Cereal: High fiber cereal bars, or cereal that you can eat by the handful, stick with high protein cereals and high fiber cereals.
5. Dairy: greek yogurt is terrific and low in fat while high in protein. Watch out for all the sugary ones that are out there. String cheese, cottage cheese, watch out for the canned cheeses or processed cheeses.
6. Chocolate: dark chocolate is best, look for dark chocolate with at least 65% cocoa. A little goes a long way, but some real yummy treats include dark chocolate covered ginger, acai, peanuts, raisins.
7. Water: pure, filtered is best and you need at least 8 glasses a day. Watch out for the sparkling waters that contain hidden ingredients.
8. Veges: fresh baby carrots, celery, cauliflower, broccoli, edamame, all count and can be easily dipped in a variety of sauces, including my favorite, spicy Ranch. Peanut butter is a natural!
9. Gotta have it: look for brown rice krispy treats, good chocolate, such as Green's or Lindt, sugar free or stevia made puddings, you get the idea.
10: Soup: watch out for the cream based ones, but sometimes a good bowl of clam chowder or tomato soup just hits the spot!
11. Bread/crackers: I go for gluten free myself, and enjoy rice crackers with a variety of cheeses and peanut butter.
12. Oatmeal: Not the sugary packaged kind. You can find unprocessed oats that are organic in the natural foods section.
Check out Trader Joe's, they have lower prices and a great variety.
Good luck and have fun!
Which breast pump and compatible bottle system work the best for you?
Sylves
I'm considering which breast pump to purchase. I used the "lactationcare.com" web site, and I found unbeatable prices on the Medela Pump in Style Advanced BP for $228 with free shipping...can't beat that! I also read wonderful reviews about the Medela BP. I think I'm definitely leaning toward buying the Medela BP. I just need to know if Medela is a reliable BP and what bottles/inserts work with the Medela.
Thank you in advance for your advice and opinions!
Which bottle inserts and bottles work with the Medela?
Answer
My pump in style allowed milk to travel back down the tubing and into the actual pump machinery. The pump was not useable and got moldy. Same thing happened to my sister in law 2 years later, so we're not big on medela. Once you use it, even if it is defective you are out of luck, they're non-returnable. Customer service at Medela is non-existant and babies r us were no help since it was a used product that deals with body fluids.
Next I bought an Ameda Purely Yours, never had a moments trouble with it. I was able to pump far more breastmilk with my Ameda. The pump kit I bought came with "collection bottles" that you use while pumping. You can fill them up, cap them off and put them into the fridge at home.
The milk collection bottles are small enough for you to put into the insulated bag with a frozen cold pack, in case you are going to pump at work. You will need to be able to keep your milk cold until you get it home so the insulated bag and cold packs are a must if you plan to pump away from home.
For the sake of innocent people everywhere, please don't ever put your breastmilk in the fridge at work - it's a body fluid and has no business being mixed with other people's lunches. Not that YOU would do that, but some people think they should put their milk in the company fridge. No way. That's why the pump kits have collection bottles, insulated carrying bags, and cold packs - so you can keep it with you at your desk, not next to my tuna salad sandwich. Smart mommies like you would never do that, but be aware that others are doing this every day at offices all over the country.
Way to go on wanting to be sure your baby gets the very best nutrition through breastmilk!! It's not always the easiest thing, but it's the best things possible. Good for you!
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