Let’s be realistic: if your kids are in elementary school, they’re probably going to eat a lot of sugar this Friday, when many classrooms will hold their annual Valentine’s Day parties. Like, a lot of sugar.
And that’s not the end of the world. It’s a fact of parenting that there will be days when your kids’ diets will go wildly off the rails and holidays like Valentines Day and Halloween are typically among them.
But that doesn’t mean we, as parents, have to fuel the sugar orgy. My free 40-page e-book, The Lunch Tray’s Guide to Getting Junk Food Out of Your Child’s Classroom, offers lots of ways to make classroom parties healthier. Be sure to check out my Pinterest boards, too, which include an entire board devoted to healthy Valentines Day party food like this:
But what about the Valentines your kids pass out to their classmates? Usually these involve candy hearts or chocolates, and kids understandably want to share a little treat with friends. But now, thanks to hundreds of printables all over the Internet, all you need is a printer and a trip to the dollar store to create fun, food-free Valentines like this:
This year, I’ve collected all my favorite free downloads on a new Pinterest board, Adorable Non-Food Valentines for Kids. And while some involve buying more expensive items, like lip balms or rulers, others are quite economical. (For example, if you make any of the ones using glow sticks, the total cost is just pennies per Valentine.)
I hope you enjoy this new Pinterest board! What are your favorite ideas for healthy Valentines celebrations?
[Montage photo credit (clockwise from upper left): Dandee Designs, The Pretty Bee, The Wilson World, Relocated Living; Melon hearts credit: 500 eco; Lip balm credit: Five Little Chefs]
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