The Bible says in Deuteronomy 31:6, “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” This is one of many promises that the Lord gave us that when we invite Him into our lives, that He will never leave us.

This is such an awesome truth for SO many reasons. I sure do find this truth comforting, especially in this ever-changing world!

But the most amazing part is…It doesn’t stop there!

When Jesus went to be with the Father after dying on the cross, He also promised to leave us a comforter, counselor, and teacher who would be with us to guide is through this life. That helper is called the Holy Spirt. (John 14:15) We can see in the Bible that the Holy Spirit was given to us to help us in all things. This means that in every life situation that we can go to the Lord and ask for direction, guidance, and help in any situation.

We can also be sure that if we need to be comforted, encouraged, or reminded of the truth of God’s Word, He will be there to remind us of the promises that we have stored in our hearts! (John 14:26)

God has great things in store for each one of us (Jeremiah 29:11), and we can receive all that He has for us in every area of our lives if we follow His leading and depend upon His strength. A vital part of following His leading is listening to His voice on a daily basis, and the Holy Spirit is a vital part of that communication.

Communication from the Holy Spirit can be achieved by simply going to the Lord every day and asking Him to lead us. From there, we must do our parts by quieting our hearts enough to listen to His leading, (which is often a still small voice in our hearts).

If you are feeling worn out, burdened, or are in need of any kind of help today, the Holy Spirit is waiting to help you, and all you have to do is ask! (Luke 11:13) We can be confident that it is His will to help us, and teach us the right way to go and provide help in whatever we are facing. (John 16:13) There is nothing too big and nothing too small. You can go to the Lord about anything, He cares for you and knows just what you need, because He created you! (Psalm 139:13) Be encouraged today~ for you are never alone or without help!

We ALL have days where we trip and fall, making us feel discouraged. In fact, I can guarantee that every person has days where they simply lack the motivation to keep pushing forward towards their goals.

I, too, have plenty of days where I am discouraged, overwhelmed, or unmotivated to press on towards my goals with stamina and vigor!

So, the question is… on days like these, how do we stay motivated?!?

Well, to put it simply, we can’t… (Don’t worry, I’m going somewhere positive with this!)

The reason being is that motivation is an emotion, and like all emotions, they are fickle. They are up one day and down the next.

Let me give you a real life example of this (and I know that almost every woman can agree with me on this one).  One day I can wake up and feel like I’m on top of the world and the very next day I may wake up and feel terrible! This one example alone goes to show that emotions can not be trusted and they are certainly not stable.

It is for that very reason that we can’t base our decisions off of emotions. This includes the emotion of ‘motivation’.  If we relied on motivation to finish everything, we wouldn’t end up finishing most things we started…and even if we did, things would turn out very different than how we imagined.

You see… when we begin something, we often have a great sense of determination and motivation. We have a goal set in our mind and we pump ourselves up so much that we can almost taste the victory! Fast forward a couple of weeks and here comes that all too familiar lack of drive, (aka lack of motivation). This change in emotions can be attributed to many different reasons; a lack of results, increased stress, or a realization that the process is harder than we originally expected.

Which leads me to my main point… Instead of staying motivated, we must simply make a COMMITMENT to do something and align our actions with that decision regardless of how we feel.

I do this all the time in my own life in so many different areas. Once I make a decision to do something, I make a commitment. I bring it to the Lord and I surrender that area of my life to Him and ask Him to give me the strength to do whatever it is that I am setting out to do. From there, I make goals and often times I write them down.

When the ‘going’ gets tough, which often times it does…I run to the Lord and pick up the Word of God for encouragement! I encourage myself with the promises that He has given me of success and remind myself that He has promised me an awesome future (Jeremiah 29:11).

I also re-read the goals that I wrote down and reflect on the commitments I made and why I made them in the first place. I make the choice to reign in my emotions and get back up, encouraging myself that “tomorrow is a new day!” (Sometimes I have to do this many times… but the point is, I don’t let myself stay in an attitude of defeat!) I remind myself that I can truly do ALL things through Christ who gives me strength, and that means ALL!

We must recognize that one of Satan’s greatest tactics is to get us feeling discouraged and like a failure, because it is then that we will lack the determination to keep running the race and pressing on towards the goal. We must not fall into that trap! The most important thing that we could ever do is make the decision that no matter how many times we fall, that we will always get back up. We must make the decision to keep doing what we know to do and the results will come if we make the decision to not give up!

Prayer:  “Dear Lord, I thank you that with you I can do ALL things! Help me to be determined to keep running the race and pressing on towards the goals to which you have called me to. Help me not to fall into the trap of discouragement and a defeated mindset. I thank you that no matter how many times I fall, that you will always help me get back up. I am making the decision today to keep doing what I know to do and I know the results will come as I make this decision not to give up! In Jesus Name Amen”

I remember feeling this way when I was in nursing school, (and that was when I was only cooking for myself!) It wasn’t long after I got married that I realized that cooking every meal on the spot was not easy, especially if I was going to stay on track with healthy eating.  (Let’s face it… sometimes when you  are overly hungry or busy it’s easy to grab anything in sight, regardless of how healthy it is!) If that sounds familiar in any way, don’t worry… there is a solution!

I have found that the best possible way to live a healthy lifestyle and have healthy and delicious meals all week long is by meal prepping once for the whole week.

There are so many benefits to having one (or two) meal prep days during the week, but some of the best things about it is that it saves me time, money, and stress, all the while allowing me to stay on track with eating healthy.

Sound intriguing?!? Well… Let me show you how it’s done in just a few simple steps!

STEP 1: PLAN & SHOP 

I begin meal planning by making a list of recipes on my “Favorites Board”. (This can be found under the membership section of Dashing Dish.) I create a ‘favorites’ list each week based on what I want to have for breakfasts, lunches, snacks, and dinners.  

From there I write down the ingredient list for each recipe. (I generally divide the ingredient list by 2 if I plan to prepare it for my husband and I and it is a recipe that calls for four servings or more). After writing out my grocery list I double check that I don’t already have something in my fridge or pantry. Then… I’m off to the grocery store!

If this step alone overwhelms you, this is where my meal plans come in! I have done all the work for you! They are broken down into the recipes, shopping lists, and even meal prep ideas for each week, based on the servings you need!

STEP 2: PREPARE THE FOOD

When I get home from the grocery store I generally don’t put any of the groceries away, (unless of course they are frozen and will melt quickly)…I simply take everything out of the grocery bag and set it out on the counter, putting things in organized piles according to each recipe. I then pull up my favorites list and get to cooking! I generally start with the breakfasts and move on from there.

Throughout the week I typically have a protein shake for breakfast, but I find that many of my breakfast recipes are great for mid-morning snacks, and/or if I am in need of a breakfast on-the-go. If I don’t end up eating them I simply freeze them for a time that I am in need of a quick and healthy snack!

This week I made my PB & J Protein Pancakes.

Some hard boiled eggs, (my husband loves these as a breakfast side and snack!)

Strawberry Baked Protein Oatmeal, (recipe to come!)

And for a snack I made my Protein Blueberry Muffins (recipe to come!)

For lunches and dinners I generally prepare big batches of veggies and lean meats to use in my recipes.

I like to cook my veggies in big batches either in a sauté pan or on a big roasting pan. That way they are ready as sides, snacks, or to add to a recipe.  I use this method of cooking in my Zucchini Chip recipe and Parmesan Green Bean recipe, but you can do this with any veggie.

One of my favorite ways to prepare chicken is in the crockpot! I make big batches and use the shredded chicken in my recipes for the week! If I am making Crockpot Shredded Chicken to prepare my recipes, I generally pop some frozen chicken in the crockpot and set it to high heat the morning of my meal prepping day. (That way it is all ready when I am ready to start meal prepping!)

If the recipes call for sautéed chicken or lean ground meat, I will cook it in big batches in my biggest pan! That way I am only prepping chicken and/or lean ground meat once for all the recipes!

STEP 3: PUT EVERYTHING TOGETHER TO MAKE THE RECIPES

For lunches I typically make something really simple such as a couple big salads and wrap sandwiches and put them in Tupperware containers or wrap them in foil individually. (Leftovers from dinner are also a great option!)

For dinners I typically make a few different main dishes and a couple of side dishes. 

This week I made my Three Cheese Stuffed Peppers…

My Baked Mac & Cheese…

and my BBQ Chicken Sweet Potatoes!

STEP 4: PUT IT ALL AWAY! 

After all the food is prepped and the recipes are made, I put everything in Tupperware containers and place it in the fridge! That way I have something to throw in a cooler if I am heading out for the day or to pop in the microwave and/or oven to heat up and have a delicious dinner on the table in minutes!

This whole process from start to finish takes anywhere from 2-3 hours. I typically pick a block of time on the weekend to get it done. I hope this post helps show you how easy it can be to prepare meals for the week in just one day. If you are still scratching your head, don’t let it discourage you!!! It can take time to learn and get in the swing of things. And if that’s you, a great place to start may be my meal plans…But before you know it, it will become a part of your routine and you may even find yourself loving it!!!

*I starred some of the recipes that I will personally be making this year!

 Pancakes

Strawberry Protein Pancakes

Pumpkin Spice Protein Pancakes

Carrot Cake Pancakes

Almond Joy Pancakes

*Egg Nog Pancakes

Confetti Cake Protein Pancakes

Light and Fluffy Pancakes

Peanut Butter “Cake” Pancakes

Red Velvet Pancakes

 Gingerbread Pancakes

 French Toast

Banana Bread French Toast

French Toast Sticks

*French Toast Casserole

Pastries:

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

*Single Serve Monkey Bread

Petite Pumpkin Scones

Waffles:

Banana Bread Waffles

Apple Pie Waffles

Egg Dishes:

Cheesy Mini Egg Muffins

*Giant Fritata

Santa Fe Egg Stuffed Pepper Cups

As some of you may know, I did a post a few weeks back explaining that I felt the Lord was prompting me to have people share their testimonies on how the Lord has helped them overcome a weight related issue in their life in order to encourage one another! The testimonies I received made me laugh, cry, and praise our Lord! I want to personally take a moment to thank everyone who shared their struggles, their heart, and how the Lord gave them strength to overcome!

Here are the testimonies…Praise God! 

Emily says:

I grew up dancing. I loved ballet. Ballet was the thing I was most passionate about, I adored it. Being 8 years old, I was pretty good at what I did, and I decided then that I wanted to be a professional ballerina, move to New York, and dance for the New York City Ballet. I had big dreams.

When I was eleven, my teachers always talked about weight issues in the south. They told us little dancers that in order for us to be accomplished dancers we must be skinny. This was my first exposure to the lifestyle of dancers. They didn’t eat well, only eating the bare minimum, and still dancing up to 40-50 hours a week. They were tiny, and fragile. at eleven years old, I decided I needed to be that thin.

Living in a house where food was never an issue, I never struggled with the weight/eating problem. My mom mad sure I had plenty of food to keep me nourished as I danced. as I got older, i struggled with the mindset of a dancer. Only eat so you can dance, but don’t indulge. Don’t eat that cookie, or your leotard will show it. Nuts and bananas, nuts and bananas. That’s it. I never struggled with it until I was fifteen.

Our company did Swan Lake, and a guest choreographer came to town. He was a tyrant. I remember coming home, my feet bleeding, hungry, and yet I had his voice in my head, “at my studio, to girls are all the same. Tiny and perfect”. The “don’t eat anything” voice also lingered. I ate enough to keep my mom off my back, but I didn’t want to. When Swan Lake was over, I stopped ballet for good. I had lost my passion. No drive, just burnt out.

I went through high school always belittling myself. I was never good enough, small enough, skinny enough or had a small/flat enough stomach. Food was the enemy, and our relationship was bad. But I loved food, especially sweets. When I would indulge, I over-did it. I would make myself sick off candy. But i didn’t care. Until the next morning, I would try and make myself throw up. God gave me real good gag reflexes, because I could never accomplish my goal.

When i graduated high school, I was tiny. I weighed one hundred 23 pounds, and was still not happy with my body. Little did I know, college was going to be so hard.

College came, an without my moms help, I got really sick. Both mentally and physically. I did not know until 2nd semester that anemia invaded my body, and I needed treatment immediately. I was having super irregular periods, causing this anemia. My doctors were concerned that I needed to get more than iron replacement, but I needed to go on birth control, which I did not like one bit.

Instantly I gained ten pounds. Wow, the “don’t eat” voice came back.
I was ridiculous.
I still ate, but I cried all the time about how fat I was.

Then, my cousin (whom I admire so much) wrote this to me :
“Don’t look in the mirror and see the little insignificant things the world doesn’t even see – see that God made you. You are beautiful, not only because of who you are and what you stand for, but because of the fact that God, Himself, took the time to make you. (nine months in the womb, right?) There is nothing ugly about that. Don’t think about weight or cellulite because in the end, none of that matters. Think about your life, your path, your call. Follow Him with all your heart, and no one will be able to say that you were anything but smart, innocent, lovely, couragous, encouraging, positive, and BEAUTIFUL. But even if someone does say something opposite of that, then remember that they must be jealous, blind, or REALLY slow. Nothing in this world can hold you back, don’t let them think they can. Don’t let rain clouds shadow your day. Don’t let words break your heart. Don’t let misunderstandings or failures decide your future. Don’t let the past cloud your desicions. You are God’s daughter.

But I know that words are not enough, and that you have probably encountered too many words, and you aren’t sure what to believe. Some people lie, and sometimes it’s easier to believe that everyone will lie to you. Well, know that none of us are lying to you when we say you’re beautiful… when we say we miss you… when we say we are praying for you… when we remind you that you are HIS. But if you choose to not believe us, we will understand. We’re fallible. We do lie. We cheat and steal and do all sorts of horrible things. We are human. But I want to encourage you, for there is Someone who is not like us. The Father is saying all these things too. He shouts them throughout His word, and you can believe Him. Because He doesn’t lie or cheat or steal. He is jealous for your love and attention, and the most beautiful thing about giving Him those things is that He rewards it (even though we don’t deserve any rewards). We are forgiven every day for the failures that we have every day. We are given grace for every day, and every morning can be new with Him. We don’t have to hold onto, live through, or wallow through our past faults and mistakes. THANK GOD.

So, don’t believe anything but Him…”

Okay, wake up call. I had been focusing on myself. How nauseating. One person said, “Self is nauseating”.

It is. How selfish am I? Why did I focus on what lies the enemy was feeding me.
God is so good.
I am healthy, and beyond blessed, so why focus on the worldly things?
Sure, its easier said than done, and yes I struggle still with self-image.
But instead of self-image problems, why no focus on how God looks at me. Does he approve of my heart? I am his child, he knit me in my mothers womb.

Thank you for sharing your story with me. I love this website not only because it has recipes for health and the Lord, but because you shared your story of how the Lord redeemed you. I thank you for that.

Thanks for listening to my story.

Julie says:

“My body image story dates all the way back to middle school. It was during those “awkward years” that I started to grow faster than some of my “skinny” classmates. I had always been a strong Christian, so I naturally wanted to take my anger out on my heavenly father. Why was he making these awkward years so hard? It wasn’t until now that I realized this was all in his plan.

In 8th grade, I lost a little bit of weight after starting to exercise and take care of myself. I loved my body again! But after transferring to a different school system for high school, I began to gain this weight back. I had stopped worrying about taking care of the body God had given me, and the weight crept on. Trying to make new friends was hard. These kids had been together and formed friendships since elementary school and here I was trying to become a part of their group. I felt so shut out and alone. This struggle ended up leading to depression and quickly turned into an eating disorder, as the chemical imbalance in my body caused me to hardly ever feel hungry. I had visions of kids at school talking about me behind my back and a sense that no one wanted to be known as my friend. Looking back, I know this wasn’t the case for each of my peers, as some of them would reach out to me if they found me crying in the bathroom or noticeably upset. My mind was telling me otherwise. I ended up taking medication to fix the chemical imbalance and transferring to a different school where I had friends and family. I was able to relatively enjoy the last few years of high school, but there was still a part of me that wasn’t completely at ease until I found Dashing Dish during college. I still had a constant sense of anxiety about what people thought of me and had this constant sense of pressure that was extremely tiring. Katie’s testimony on Dashing Dish gave me the sense of peace I was looking for. Knowing that she had struggled with body image and had turned to God, healthy eating and exercise made it so much easier to accept who I was. Who else do we really have to please than God? He is the one that knows what is best for us, and He is in control everyday. Beginning to really trust God in all aspects of my life was what made such a big difference. Coupling that with the endorphins from exercise and the healthy feeling I get from eating appropriately, I am more confident in myself.

In closing, I have to say that no matter how emotionally tiring my teen years were, I wouldn’t change them for anything. My parents were so supportive throughout the struggle, and my father reminded me numerous times that God had a special life planned for me. Not a days goes by that I don’t remind myself of that saying, and push myself to be the best possible individual that I can be.”

Celeste says:

“Dashing Dish did not only help me get past my obsessive fitness/health phase. It has encouraged and helped me on my journey to find my relationship with God again. This is the most at ease I have felt in a long time! Katie is the BEST! xoxo”

Andrea says:

“I so appreciate the work you do at Dashing Dish, the recipes and the devotionals have been a blessing to me.  I prayed about sending my testimony in as it is a little different I think but I hope it can speak to someone.

I grew up in a Christian home (Dad’s a pastor!) so I always knew the love of Jesus, but the words of others always affected me.  I still remember my 6th grade teacher saying I was “disgusting” and until a few years ago, it still hurt like the day she said it.  When I was 21 I got married, but unfortunately did not prayerfully consider this big decision in my life.  He used words and insults to control me and make himself feel better.  For two years I heard every day that I was “ugly”, “fat”, and “worthless”.  None of those things are true, but after hearing it enough I began to believe it and restricted my eating to try to fit into his image of what I should be.  I was too skinny and it was never enough.  The words still hurt.  When the marriage ended after only 2 years due to his infidelity, I felt guilt (could I have done more?) and shame.  I also still heard his painful words every day.  I believed his lies and did not think I was worth the trouble of eating well.

One day, my Dad said something that turned my depression around and turned my focus to God and His will for my life.  He told me I was his beautiful daughter and he loved me.  He knew I deserved better than my failed marriage and the words I was carrying in my heart.  Then he said, “If I love you that much, imagine how much God loves you.  You are His beautiful daughter too.  He doesn’t see what you see, He sees your beauty, your heart, and what you can become in Him.”  he gave me some Scriptures that helped his prove his point. Having a pastor for a Dad is great! :) That day I began to pray and slowly God changed my view of myself.  I gained some healthy weight and also perspective.  I started following God’s lead and let Him show me who I was meant to be.  Its someone beautiful, kind, and definitely not worthless. It was a long process.  I am 30 now, and 4 years ago I prayerfully considered dating again.  I wanted this relationship to be right and God’s will for me.  Soon after I met my now-fiance who shares my values and has an extremely kind heart.  Most importantly, I know that my True Beauty is in my heart and how God sees me.  It is sometimes a struggle when I remember those words of the past, but with prayer I know I can overcome.

The End!  Felt good to write it out :) Thanks again Katie for your wonderful ministry to women.  Your devotionals are an inspiration to me!”

Leah says:

“I was just an innocent 9 year old pursuing my favorite sport of gymnastics.  God had blessed me with a talent to flip, twirl, and balance.  He didn’t have planned the mind lies that I would hear from adult coaches who should have known better.  At first, I was influenced by what I heard others being called by our coaches.  I didn’t want to be called the “Pillsbury Dough girl” like my friend or teased that I “ate too much at grandmas.”  I feared it tremendously!  From then on, I became absorbed with body image and weight.

As my body grew and changed the fear became even more real.  I was reminded everyday what I looked like in a leotard because I wore one everyday.  I wasn’t a Christian growing up, so all I knew was the lies of the world.  My security was control and perfectionism.  This permeated every area of my life, but most specifically to food and (I was already working out 20 hours a week for gymnastics practice) exercise. Fast forward to my freshman year of college, and this is when my addiction for perfection with food really took over my life.  I became a slave to food journals and eating only certain things.  It was bondage and I was desperate to break free.  It was the beginning  of my sophomore year of college and I became a Christian.  I was SAVED!  Shortly after that time, I began to realize that all that I was comparing myself to and all the negative self talk was not from the Lord.  HE wanted better for me.  He always had, but I needed to believe I was worth it no matter what my body looked like.  I needed to be healthy about food choices and quit being a slave to the world and food journals.  It was hard to give up my control, but when I did I felt the most beautiful FREEDOM.

Fast forward a few more years, and I was sitting back in the seat of listening to those old lies of not being “skinny enough.”  I was depressed about my post baby body.  I was so mad that I had fallen back to some of my old habits!  It was then that I found Dashing Dish back in April 2010.  I honestly cannot remember how I found Katie’s blog, but it was God designed!  I first read her testimony and immediately felt like I could relate and I remember crying feeling like I had some hope to get back to listening to the TRUTHS from the Lord and not the LIES of the enemy in my life.  I was oh so weak at the time, but I prayed the Lord would give me strength and slowly I started to mediate on the truths again and cast out the lies.  Body acceptance is still a journey for me, but I am so thankful that He continues to redeem me each time I go to Him.

Thank you, Katie at Dashing Dish for listening to God’s whispers to share your journey with the world and providing a platform for other women to come to and find TRUTH.  God Bless!”

Liz says:

“We should eat to live, not live to eat.

Before today, I could not have told you where that phrase came from even though I have quoted it to myself and to others over the years. I would have thought it originated in America since we are not known for being the most healthy culture when it comes to our views of food.

It surprised me to find on several websites this quote “thou shouldst eat to live; not live to eat” credited to Socrates. My personal conclusion for a long time has been that it is a human condition that influences our misuse of food and not a cultural condition.

If we want to see real change in our eating habits, we probably need to answer the question why do we live to eat?

I am not saying this is the answer to all America’s health problems and views of food. However, answering this question for myself has given me freedom in my life from being an emotional eater. Freedom doesn’t mean that I am not disciplined in my eating because to my friends how I eat may not look like freedom. I know though for me that it is directly related to freedom.

True freedom doesn’t come without discipline. Ironically, freedom comes from overcoming the reasons behind why we are indulging. Because our indulging is bondage. It appears to be freedom, but in reality, it is bondage because we are a slave to our emotions.

There are a slew of other benefits of eating to live we could talk about, and those I have known and enjoyed for years. Recently, those reasons were not enough to motivate me to eat to live. I had to find the root cause of where my healthy eating habits got derailed to get back on track.

What did I find as the cause? My eating habits were (and are) a result of my human condition.

Looking back, I describe this time of emotional eating as a spiritual winter, feeling cold and numb because of life’s pain that has come over the last 5 years. My response to that spiritual winter was emotional eating.

I had never been an emotional eater before that point in my life. I had always had plenty of will power to be disciplined in my eating and remember people saying that to me regularly. During that winter season, I used food to fill the emptiness I was feeling instead of putting my full hope in God.

I won’t describe in detail how I have moved beyond that winter into what I describe now as my spiritual spring. I will tell you that it has been a spiritual journey and wasn’t about motivation, discipline, or education. All the things we think will make us healthier eaters.

We can find many different ways to fill the emptiness besides food. Because of this, I have to continue to focus on God’s truth and seek Him through the pain that life brings. Psalm 25:4-5  says “Show me the right path, O  Lord, point out the road for me to follow. Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in You.”

It is amazing to be on the other side of that season. To see God’s faithfulness, His grace, His love in my life. My response to all that is to encourage you to seek God in areas of your life where you need to put your hope in Him. Because, He is the one who saves us and all day long we can put our hope in Him.”

Thank you  again to these amazing women for letting your light shine before men so they will praise our Father in heaven! (Matthew 5:16)

It was during this walk that I felt the Lord prompt me to have people share their testimonies on Dashing Dish, as a way to encourage others that they too can and will overcome whatever it is they are facing with the Lord’s help. I believe this is SO powerful for many reasons, but if nothing else, every time we share our testimony something powerful happens…The bible says that when we share what the Lord has done in our lives, that we “Overcome satan by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony.” (Revelation 12:11)

After praying about it, I would love it if you shared your testimony with me via e-mail about how God has touched your life in the area of weight related issues, eating disorders, self image issues, or how He has given you guidance and strength to live a healthy lifestyle for you and your family. I will then share them on Dashing Dish (with your permission of course), as a way of blessing and encouraging others with the good news of what the Lord has done!

Please note that these testimonies don’t have to include your name, (unless you desire them too), and they don’t have to be long! Also, they can, but certainly don’t have to relate to Dashing Dish…It is purely all about how the Lord has helped you overcome weight, eating, and self-image related battles!

Let’s join together and overcome the enemy by praising the name of Jesus and sharing how He has taken the ashes of our lives and turned them into True Beauty!

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for prayerfully considering sharing your testimony!

I have already started to make my “Fall Recipe List” and have tons of crockpot, soup, and of course pumpkin & apple recipes! I’d love to hear if you have any recipes in particular you would like to see in particular this upcoming fall season on DD! 

A Well-Rounded Lunch Box Includes:

• Whole Grains (Examples: High fiber wrap, pita, or sliced bread with at least 3 g fiber per serving, (I like LaTortilla wraps, Brownberry protein and health-full bread, and Ezekiel brand wraps and bread. Other ideas include whole grain cereal in a ziplock, high fiber pasta, or a Dashing Dish muffin!)
• Lean Protein (Examples: Low sugar Greek yogurt, lean deli meat, cheese sticks, thinly sliced cheese slices, hard boiled egg, or chicken or tuna salad.)
• Veggie/Fruit (Examples: apple slices, strawberries, blueberries, grapes, bananas, sliced red peppers, cucumbers, baby carrots, etc.)
• Healthy Fat (Examples: Small portion of nuts, hummus, or even olive oil based mayo or avocado on their sandwich. You don’t have to focus too much on incorporating a healthy fat, as many foods have at least some fat in them, like cheese or the yolk of a hardboiled egg for example! )

Other Tips for Preparing a Lunch Box:

• It’s great to get kids involved in making their lunches! It gives them a sense of independence as well as sparking an interest in learning healthy habits at a young age! These habits will most likely carry them through life, so any time you can get kids in the kitchen to cook with you is truly a wise investment!
• I have found in my own life that it is best to prepare lunches on the weekend, (I sometimes will prepare as many as a week’s worth of lunches on Sunday night!) or the night before. This prevents any feelings of being overwhelmed in the morning!
• Leftovers often make great lunches as well and prevent any unnecessary wasting of food!

Need Inspiration? Check out the ‘Kid Friendly Recipes’ section of Dashing Dish!