By Contributing Author: Sharon A. See

It’s back to school time again even though the temperatures feel more like mid-July.

For many families, this means a return to schedules and routines. Research shows children perform much better at school and in other activities when they have regular routines around sleep, meals, study and play time.
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Routines and schedules are also very helpful for parents. Having regular routines and schedules can help to reduce the stress that comes with keeping a busy family healthy and happy. And one of the most important ways to keep a family healthy and happy is to have good routines and habits around healthy food and meal times. 

Getting kids to eat well is a challenge. Heck, eating well as an adult can be a challenge too! It’s really easy to fall back on convenience and packaged foods when we’re pressed for time and being pulled in lots of different directions. 
This week I’m giving you three simple ways you can help your children eat healthier foods. As you will see, it begins with you. Kids do as we do, not as we say. So these tips will help you eat healthier while involving kids in the planning and preparing of meals. And as an added bonus, these are great opportunities for family bonding.

And, at the end, I’ve included a link to a recent back to school segment featured on a local TV station. I love the healthy snack suggestions and recipe for Green Monster Muffins.  These muffins are a tasty and fun way to sneak some fresh fruits and veggies into the lunchbox or snack bag. Of course, you can find the vegetables for this recipe at the Monroe Farmers Market.

By Contributing Author: Sharon A. See

Early season crops are winding down. We’ve just about made up for the slow start to the season and peak season hot weather crops are making a big showing. So here is some of what’s hot and what’s not at the market.

Tomatoes are plentiful right now. They love the hot weather and many varieties are available. Take some time to ask some of the farmers what varieties they are offering and learn which are best for what you are planning. There’s a big difference between the tomato that’s best in your salad and the one that will give you the best spaghetti sauce.

The eggplants love this hot weather too. Eggplant is not just for parmigiana. Try grilling eggplant slices along with slices of fresh tomato, or cut into thick strips coat with oil and seasoning and toss them on the grill. Or, one of my favorites is roasted eggplant soup. You can find the recipe for this gem at the end of this article.