Some worthy notes of preparation

OK, so I have been getting ready for the upcoming week by preparing some foods that will make breakfast easier for my busy little family.

I have been researching making homemade granola bars. I read an article a couple of weeks ago that highlighted a few different healthy, nourishing bar recipes, but I couldn't find the page (nor could I remember the site!). I typed Granola Bars in the Windows Live search engine, and the second recipe caught my fancy. Click here to see it. They are in the cooling stage right now, but as far as I can tell, they are delicious! I didn't have sunflower seeds or peanuts, so substituted sliced almonds and flax seeds and sesame seeds. I also used dark muscovado sugar instead of brown sugar. The latest batch of local raw honey that I have is so delicious that I could drink it, so it was a nice touch. I forgot to add vanilla and salt, but I am OK with that because I enjoy the flavors of all the ingredients. For the dried fruit, I used dates.

Next on the to-do list: cook a pound of local, nitrite free bacon. The plan is to cook it and let it cool, place in a container in the fridge and heat and eat as needed. The only bummer is, we have a hen setting on a nest and there have been no eggs! (Note to self: add eggs to my grocery list).

Homemade yogurt is in the fridge. I don't make it too often, only when we don't drink our 3 gallons of raw milk in two weeks, or if some of it starts to sour. It makes the best yogurt and the girls love it. The girls and I also love oatmeal, so we can soak it over night and eat in the morning.

There is a problem. Danny Jr doesn't like bacon or yogurt or smoothies or oatmeal. He does like granola bars, but he needs another option. I am thinking, bean and cheese burritos. I can make the beans ahead of time, assemble the burritos, keep in freezer and place in the fridge the night before. Hmmm. I am brainstorming as I type. I can make some pancakes ahead of time, too. These re-heat well, and the kids can do it themselves.

Do any of you out there have any tips or hints concerning healthy food preparation for families on the go? I am new at this work thing, but I don't want to give up our healthy eating habits for it. Please comment on this post with your ideas!