Last weekend we had a long weekend due to the Easter Holidays. The kids enjoyed the extra day off as it translated into more play time for them. This year we didn’t go on any Easter egg hunt and there were no chocolates eaten.
I do believe that Christ has risen and that he had died for our sins however I do not buy into the concept of celebrating Easter with fanfare and splurging on so-called Easter goodies. Many religious practices have been commercialized over the years that they lose meaning.
We only celebrate Chinese New Year and birthdays and anniversaries in our family. We don’t celebrate Easter nor Christmas since last year as I do not see any meaning in doing so. The kids do not need to wait till Easter or Christmas to get treats or presents and they get these perks all year around.
What I have been doing with the kids during this period of time is to re-look at our relationship with GOD and each other. The boy are attending Sunday school and I have been reading up a lot on Faith.
We are learning how to relate better to each other and also change our routine around so that we can use our time more efficiently.
Keeping healthy and providing nutritious meals for the kids has been something that I’ve been focusing on this year. As the main caregiver for the kids it is very important that they get the the proper nutrition required for their age group.
This year I’ve embarked on revamping the family diet and maintaining everyone in the pink of health. In bid to carry out this resolution that I made ,I took part in AIA’s Bento Making Challenge in March as part of the AIA Vitality Challenge.
I wanted to prove to myself and the kids that is is possible to create a Bento which is both tasty and visually appealing and one that meets their required daily calorie intake.
*Note that the calorie range for a moderately active 4-8 yr old is between 1,400-1,600 as stated in WebMD.
The kids and me on stage
Taking note of the daily calorie intake, although important, is not the only think to take note of when planning a child’s daily diet. It is also important to ensure that the child gets a well balanced diet with appropriate portions of food from the various food groups.
I have been reading up a lot about different types of foods, portion sizing and it’s effect on kids. What a child eat will certainly affect their growth and nutrient. To ensure that they grow up healthy I have radically changed the amount of each type of food group that we eat from.
As you can see from the chart above in our family we focus on giving lots of fresh/ half-cooked vegetables to the kids with a wide array of fruits as snacks or as part of the salad which we serve. I did not add rice, wheat /grain products in the chart as I feel that they are optional at meal times. For each portion of meat that we eat it is balanced out with two portions of vegetables and we only eat until we feel full and not more.
The bento I made for the AIA Bento Making Challenge
Based on our eating habits I created a bento based on what Doggie boy would fancy eating. I bore in mind what he loves eating and chose the fruits and vegetables that he would like.
I packed the bento with – cheese, ham, rice, carrot, carrot, egg, beetroot, lettuce, golden kiwi, dragonfruit and strawberries. I designed a “Secret Garden” with the fruits and vegetables and added a mushroom house to give it a house with the garden look.
The side view of the bento
Even though I only got a consolation prize in the AIA Bento Challenge it was a fun learning experience for me as I got to experiment with different types of food and learned more about the varieties of foods available.
Tiger girl out supermarket shopping with me
While preparing for the Bento Challenge Tiger girl and I popped by Cold storage to pick up the groceries that we needed. I believe in using the freshest produce and minimal processed foods as I do not want the kids to consume items laced with MSG, artificial colorings or additives as these would be harmful to their health and well being in the long run.
Buying blueberries at the Supermarket You can see the V on the digital price tag above.
Since joining the AIA Vitality program I learned a lot about keeping healthy and get rewarded by doing so.
As part of the AIA Vitality Program there are HealthyFood™ Benefit which you can activity before you start your grocery shopping.
You could
– Complete the AIA Vitality Health Review online via their website and get 5% cashback on HealthyFood™
-Complete the AIA Vitality Health Check at selected Guardian Pharmacies and get up to 15% cashback on HealthyFood™
These cashbacks are in the form of Cold Storage Vouchers which can be printed out and used during the next time you go grocery shopping.
Besides getting up to 15% cash back, you also get to accumulate up to 400 AIA Vitality Points on your HealthyFood purchases each month.
*10 AIA Vitality Points is given for every $4 spent on
HealthyFood™
Another healthy food option with the AIA Vitality tag
It is possible to make healthier choice while shopping. You just have to look out for the “V” in the HealthyFood™ tag on the shelf price tags. There are hundred over items to choose from at Cold Storage.
Some of the items are even clearly labelled with the AIA vitality white tag as shown above.
Photo supplied by AIA- “V” marked out on an eletronic tag
If you can’t spot the white tags you just need to look out for the “V” on the electronic tag as highlighted in the picture above.
Picture supplied by AIA The “V” tag on a non-electronic tag
Here is the “V” tag again on a normal tag for milk in the Diary section.
Just remember to present your AIA Vitality card to the cashier upon check out when you pay for your groceries!!
For Local/Singapore based Dominique’s Desk Readers
We are giving away 5 X $20 Choice Vouchers
Fill in the rafflecopter below for a chance to win a voucher.
Disclaimer: I’m participating in a campaign by AIA . All opinions are 100% my own. Existing Terms and Conditions as set by the respective company and / or supporting partners apply. Do visit AIAVitality.com.sg for the comprehensive details of this product . All information is correct at time of post. AIA reserves all rights to discontinue or amend existing clauses without prior notice, and its sole discretion. Please do your own research if you are considering to purchase the product as your opinions may differ from mine.
In no event shall Dominique’s Desk be held liable or responsible for disputes arising between AIA and any parties. Neither shall I be liable for any indirect, consequential, incidental, special or punitive damages or losses of any kind.
