This post is from contributor Sherry Hayes.
Keeping children nourished, on a budget, is one of the main challenges mothers face.
This can be especially true if your family is like ours, with a lot of children who have to be coaxed to eat!
We’re just like that. We don’t mind eating something delicious when absolutely necessary, but if we are busy or interested in something we just don’t seem to get hungry!
So, when my children do finally sit down long enough to intake food, I have to pack every bite with a lot of nutritional punch!
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Thankfully, I discovered three very cheap ingredients that I can add into all sorts of good foods that help me do just that. They are: black strap molasses, wheat germ, and nutritional yeast.
Consider the amazing properties of each:
Black Strap Molasses
This syrup can be found in most grocery stores in the section where pancake syrups are sold. It is thick and black and tastes a bit like licorice. It is actually what is left behind after most of the sugar has been extracted from sugar cane, and so is a concentration of some marvelous organic compounds:
- Thiamin (B1)
- Riboflavin (B2)
- Niacin(B3)
- B6
- Folate (B9)
- Pantothenic Acid (B5)
- (B12)
- Calcium
- Iron
- Magnesium
- Phosphorus
- Potassium
- Sodium
- Zinc
- Copper
- Manganese
- Selenium
- Omega 6 Fatty Acids
There are many ways to enjoy this amazing super-food, and one of them is just to use it a tablespoon at a time. Many like to add it to smoothies, or it can be added to a hot beverage such as cocoa or decaffeinated coffee. Gingerbread is an obvious way to get children to enjoy it, but we like to add it to our energy and granola bars!
(It is recommended that it be enjoyed with some citrus such as lemon or orange juice to aid in proper balance and absorption.)
Wheat Germ
This also can be found in almost any supermarket, either raw or toasted. It is a meal-like substance that is made up of the “germ” part of the wheat kernel (which means that it is not compatible with gluten-free diets). The germ is actually the part of the wheat grain which contains the most nutrients, but which is removed before being processed into white flour.
Here are some of the nutrients found in this amazing food:
- Thiamin
- Riboflavin
- Niacin
- B6
- Folate
- Pantothenic Acid
- Vitamin E
- Calcium
- Iron
- Magnesium
- Phosphorus
- Potassium
- Zinc
- Copper
- Manganese
- Selenium
- Omega 3 and Omega 6 Fatty Acids
and
- Protein
Wheat germ is easily added to almost anything baked, including cookies (even chocolate chip) by substituting some of the flour for a bit of wheat germ. It can also be added to hot and cold cereals, smoothies, even salads!
Nutritional Yeast
Lots of vegans love this one. It is actually yeast that has been grown in a sugar base, deactivated by heat, and dried. The protein it contains is complete, and it has a cheesy or nutty flavor.
Here is a run-down of its nutritional components:
- Thiamine
- Riboflavin
- Niacin
- B6
- Folate
- Pantothenic Acid
- Calcium
- Iron
- Magnesium
- Phosphorus
- Potassium
- Zinc
- Copper
- Manganese
- Selenium
- Omega 3 and Omega 6 Fatty Acids
We regularly enjoy this yummy natural supplement on our popcorn, but it can also be added to mashed potatoes and used as a flavor base for meatless dishes. (Using more than 1-2 tablespoons a day is not recommended, since this can lead to a build up of uric acid in one’s system which may lead to gout.)
One of the best things about the above foods is that they are really, really cheap and can often be found in bulk.
Some would argue that it is just easier to give children vitamin supplements, but many believe that foods are better. They are natural and whole, so when the body’s system sees them they are not put in the category of “chemicals and toxins” and then strained and eliminated, but are actually absorbed and used.
It blesses me to know how God can provide what children need in such simple, affordable ways!
Here are some articles for further information:
Here’s Why Nutritional Yeast Is The Magical Ingredient You Didn’t Know You Needed
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- 3 Dirt-Cheap Nutrition Boosters Children Can Love - November 4, 2015
- The One Textbook Your Kids Will Never Put Down - January 12, 2015
- How to Save Your Food Budget from the Feast or Famine Cycle - November 10, 2014