Nicole Alexandra

Motherhood+Lifestyle

Easy & Healthy Sprinkle Protein Balls For Kids

These no-bake protein balls for kids are a great healthy snack. They’re easy to make and perfect for on-the-go!

protein balls for kids

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission if you purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you.

This protein ball recipe is a twist on my peanut butter chocolate chip energy bites. My four-year-old loves my original recipe, so I created a similar recipe with a few tweaks and sprinkles! Because what kid doesn’t like sprinkles!

These protein balls for kids are a great snack, a healthy addition to breakfast, or a tasty dessert. Pack them in lunches, give them as an after-school snack, or bring them on a picnic, they’re convenient and portable.

The peanut butter and hemp seeds provide a good amount of protein. Oat flour provides heart-healthy fiber and maple syrup for natural sweetness. And the sprinkles will get your kids to try them and love them!

Kid-Friendly Protein Ball Ingredients:

  • Oat Flour: An excellent source of whole grains and heart-healthy fiber.
  • Coconut Flour: It provides more protein while giving this recipe a light coconut flavor.
  • Peanut Butter: Creamy and delicious and high in protein, I eat PB every day. It will help bind all the ingredients together. You could sub almond butter, which I’ve wanted to try too.
  • Hemp Seeds: Full of protein and a superfood, they have a mild nutty flavor and are rich in omega-3 fatty acids and give this recipe a nice crunch!
  • Pure Maple Syrup: For a natural sweetness and also helps as a binder.
  • Vanilla: I put vanilla in almost all my sweet treats, it adds a warm dessert flavor.
  • Sprinkles: The star of this recipe and the ingredient that makes this a fun snack!
energy bites for kids
healthy protein balls
protein balls for kids

Easy & Healthy Sprinkle Protein Balls For Kids

Nicole Alexandra
These no-bake protein balls for kids are a great healthy snack. They're easy to make and perfect for on-the-go!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 17

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 cup peanut butter
  • 1/2 cup oat flour
  • 1/2 cup coconut flour
  • 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup sprinkles

Instructions
 

  • Combine all ingredients together.
  • Chill in the fridge for 10-15 minutes to firm up the mixture.
  • Roll into balls.
  • Roll into sprinkles.
  • Store in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 7 days.
  • Enjoy!

Notes

Oat Flour: make your own oat flour by putting oats in your blender and blending until they are a fine flour texture. 
Keyword protein balls for kids, kid-friendly protein balls, energy bits, snacks for kids, kid-friendly snacks, healthy snacks, no-bake energy bits

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Here’s Exactly What To Pack For The Beach With Kids

Have a stress-free family beach day with this ultimate guide for exactly what to pack for the beach with kids.

what to pack for the beach

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission if you purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you.

When the warmer weather hits, it brings the opportunity for more family fun outdoors. And what better summer tradition than a day at the beach! My husband and I have been doing regular beach days for years. It’s a nice way to spend time together. And once our son was born, we continued the tradition with him.

A beach day is a perfect and inexpensive family activity. We are so lucky to live just 5 min from the beach! We visit often which is why I have the ultimate guide to packing for the beach.

I’ll admit, family beach days used to stress me out, particularly all the packing I had to do and things I had to remember. If taking your kids to the beach seems a bit daunting, it doesn’t have to be. Today I’m sharing the ultimate guide for exactly what to pack for the beach with kids so you can all relish in the joy of a beach day while creating happy memories.

Part of enjoying yourself as a mom is planning and being prepared. Here are a few things you can bring to lower your stress level and improve your day at the beach with your family.

Ultimate Guide: What to Pack for the Beach With Kids

beach day packing list

Sunglasses: I love these sunglasses for kids. They can bend them any which way and they won’t break. They help protect their eyes from the harsh sun too.

Radio Flyer 3-in-1 Wagon: Have a struggle-free trip from the car to the beach by bringing a wagon. This is the exact wagon we have and it’s been helping us lug our stuff around since my son was born. We take it to the beach, the pumpkin patch, the zoo, and on walks.

My son also likes to eat here when he needs a break from the sun.

Beach Tent: Bringing shade to the beach is a must, especially with little kids. A lightweight and simple to set up beach tent is a lot easier than lugging around a heavy and awkward beach umbrella. Plus it gives you more shade, a little privacy, and is a great place if your child needs a nap.

Beach Towels: Definitely bring a couple towels, even if you’re not swimming. And an extra for your dog if you have one.

Cooler: Bringing your own cooler to the beach will not only allow you to save money from spending at the beach, but it will also let you keep your snacks and drinks cold. Kids need snacks so bring lots of snacks to the beach. This will provide comfort and in turn, lower your stress levels. Always bring extra water bottles too. A three-in-one tip here!

Sand Toys: You don’t need many toys, but we always pack a bucket and shovel for my son. It creates endless play from sandcastles, to collecting shells, to scooping water, etc.

Beach chairs: We didn’t always bring chairs, but now we do as we find it’s more comfortable than a towel.

Wipes: Don’t forget wipes to clean little hands and any extra messes.

Sunscreen: I always apply sunscreen to my son before we leave the house, but I also bring it along for extra applications especially if he is getting wet.

Hats: My son will wear a hat occasionally but I pack it regardless. I, on the other hand, can’t be at the beach without a hat and I love this one. It’s cute and affordable.

beach day essentials

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The Iced Matcha Latte Recipe You’ll Want On Repeat All Summer Long

This iced matcha latte recipe is so simple to make, it will surely become your new favorite healthy summer drink!

iced matcha latte recipe

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission if you purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you.

A matcha latte may look fancy, but it’s really quite easy to make and my recipe only uses four ingredients. It’s super delicious and has a ton of health benefits too. This healthy drink is completely customizable depending on what milk you choose to use, as well as the sweetener. For my iced matcha latte recipe, I like to use almond milk, vanilla extract, and cinnamon. Now that I’ve been drinking matcha for a while now, I don’t need any sweetener, but when I first started, honey was my preferred choice.

I change it up a bit if I’m making a hot matcha latte, but I prefer to drink my matcha latte over ice. I took the time to read up on it and I quickly discovered its amazing health benefits.

What Is Matcha?

  • Matcha is whole green tea leaves in powder form and it’s been around for centuries.
  • Matcha is grown differently than green tea in tea bags. The leaves are covered from sunlight for about 30 days before being harvested.
  • This causes the plants to produce more chlorophyll, increasing the production of amino acids and giving matcha its signature bright green color.

Health Benefits Of Matcha:

  • Because matcha is a more concentrated form of green tea, it has over 10 times more antioxidants and contains more caffeine, (about the equivalent of 3 cups of regular green tea).
  • Matcha contains an amino acid called L-theanine. This amino acid may improve mental relaxation and reduce stress hormones giving off feel-good chemicals in your brain.
  • Because matcha contains L-theanine, it alters the effects of caffeine in your body. You will stay alert but not crash like caffeine can sometimes do. Aka, more sustained energy!
  • It may prevent cancer and reduce your risk of heart disease.
  • Because matcha is ground into powder, it contains even more health benefits than regular green tea so it is not recommended to consume more than two cups of matcha per day.
matcha latte

As you can see, matcha is full of so many incredible health benefits. I particularly appreciate the more sustained energy component of drinking matcha daily.

If you regularly feel low energy and tired in the afternoon, I encourage you to try drinking matcha in the afternoon. I used to feel the dreaded afternoon slump but now that matcha is part of my afternoon, I feel alert with sustained energy until bedtime.

During my research, it became very apparent that the quality of matcha is highly important. You certainly want to look for ceremonial-grade matcha and purchase it from a reputable source. The matcha should be bright green in color and preferably organic. Because of this, I decided to create my own iced matcha latte recipe instead of trying out a Starbucks matcha latte recipe, or some other coffee shop version.

Making an at-home matcha latte is not only super simple, but it will also save you money.

iced matcha latte recipe

The Iced Matcha Latte Recipe You’ll Have On Repeat All Summer Long

Nicole Alexandra
This iced matcha latte recipe is so simple to make, it will surely become your new favorite healthy summer drink!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 2 minutes
Total Time 2 minutes
Servings 1

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 tsp ceremonial grade matcha powder
  • 1 cup milk of choice I prefer unsweetened almond milk
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp honey you could instead use maple syrup

Instructions
 

  • Add matcha tea powder to a large glass, then add 1/4 cup warm water. Add the cinnamon, vanilla, and honey.
  • Using your hand frother or matcha whisk, froth for about 15 seconds, until it's all blended and smooth. 
  • Add ice cubes, then pour in your milk.
  • Enjoy!

Notes

If you don’t have a hand frother or matcha whisk, you can use a shaker cup or mason jar with a lid and shake vigorously until no clumps remain. 
Keyword iced matcha latte recipe, iced matcha latte, matcha latte recipe, matcha latte

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11 Must-Have Kids Travel Accessories For A Smooth Trip

From flights to road trips, these kids’ travel accessories are all items that will make any trip a whole lot easier!

kids travel accessories

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Anyone that’s traveled with kids knows it can be a bit daunting but also exciting! Sure there will absolutely be more planning, packing, and stuff. But I love traveling with my son. Seeing it all through his young and innocent eyes is just everything to me. It really is so much fun!

These kids’ travel accessories will make your trip much more smooth sailing. But first I want to share 2 extra must-have tips when traveling with kids.

2 Tips When Traveling With Kids:

1. Always pack a change of clothes that’s accessible in a ziplock bag

Whether your car is packed to the brim or you’re on a flight, have a change of clothes for your preschooler and yourself just in case they spill or have an accident. Keeping the clothes within reach and in a ziplock bag, also lets you store the potentially soiled clothes in a sealed container.

2. Keep travel toys for travel only

My advice is to not let your little one see or play with the toys, books, snacks, etc. until you’re actually traveling; like in the air or on the road. This makes these things much more exciting for them and lets them stay busy for a lot longer.

Must-Have Kids Travel Accessories:

1. Snacks

Always. Have. Snacks. If you have a child, I’m sure you already know this but here’s your reminder. I like to pack granola bars, nuts, apple slices, string cheese, crackers, and sometimes chips. My child is always down for a snack and if his blood sugar dips, he gets very whiney as he should, so I always keep lots of snacks on hand. If we are having a long travel day or traveling during lunch, I will also pack a pb&j on sprouted bread.

2. Water Bottle

Also, pretty self-explanatory but having your child’s water bottle makes it easy and familiar for them to stay hydrated. And with all the snacks they will be eating, they will obliviously get thirsty too. Water is the best as it won’t be sticky or smelly if it spills and then you can reuse the water bottle when you get to your destination.

3. Head Phones

This is more if you’re flying, but if your child also has an iPad, headphones are great so they can listen but you don’t have to.

4. Books

Children love books, and they’re great entertainment when traveling. I usually opt to bring the lightest of my son’s books for packing reasons. It’s also a bonus for their bedtime routine you they reach your destination.

5. Water Wow

These are little color with water- coloring books. I keep one in my car at all times and even bring it to restaurants sometimes. It’s great because it’s reusable and you just fill the little pen with water. These have been a hit with my son for years.

6. Cars/Figurines/Little Toys

Having a few little toys like matchbox cars can be great entertainment when your kiddo is stuck in their seat for a while. They are small and therefore easy to pack and play with on vacation.

7. Suckers

These aren’t necessary but I do like them for plane rides with my son. He also loves them lol but studies have shown that the sucking action helps keep little ones’ ears clear when the pressure changes during a flight.

8. Paper + Crayons

Simple and classic, I have a small dollar store notebook and a Tupperware of crayons for my son. He loves to color and practice his letters. This also fits well in my purse to take to restaurants or anywhere else for quick entertainment.

9. Sweatshirt

Just as I dress myself in layers, it’s certainly helpful to dress your kid in layers too. That way if they get too hot or cold or back and forth, you have it covered. Keeping them comfortable is essential to happy traveling.

I also suggest bringing a small blanket. I always keep one in my car for my son since it’s not safe for him to wear a jacket in his car seat.

10. Tylenol + Benedryl

I travel with Tylenol and Benedryl in my personal bag. I feel much more comfortable knowing I have both of these just in case an emergency or sickness suddenly hits.

11. The Essentials

One thing I’ve learned as a mama, whether my son is one-year-old or four, I need to have wipes, napkins, and hand sanitizer at all times. Great for messes, sticky hands, disinfecting, blowing their nose, etc.

I hope this list helps make your vacation with your kids less stressful so you can enjoy all the beautiful family memories you’re creating.

Happy Travels!

kids travel pillow

This post was all about the 10 essential travel accessories for kids.

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Easy Weekly Meal Plan Ideas For Stress-Free Meals

If getting dinner on the table seems like a huge chore then these easy weekly meal plan ideas will make your week a lot less stressful.

easy weekly meal plan

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These tips will help you save money, make the hustle of dinner time a whole lot easier, and will help you avoid the dreaded question, what’s for dinner.

To begin, I start by going through what I have in the house while I’m making my easy weekly meal planning grocery list. Then I plan out what I want to cook for dinner for 6 nights. We usually order or go out once a week because I need a break from cooking by then.

Once I have our dinners planned out, I then decide on a few meals for breakfast and lunch that can be repeated a couple times during the week.

This little bit of organization really goes a long way. Not only do I save money and food, but I also get to choose from my master list of what I’m going to cook for dinner each evening.

1. Start With Dinners

First, start by writing out your go-to dinners to create your dinner menu for the week. I always start with dinners because they seem to be the most difficult to come up with on the fly for me so planning is a must.

Don’t make this complicated by trying out a bunch of new recipes. Choose dinners you know how to make that are easy and quick. I have about 12 or so go-to dinners and I rotate them each week depending on what I feel like eating. Then if you want to add a new recipe every now and then, do so.

baked chicken

2. Decide On Simple Meals for Breakfast and Lunch

Breakfast and lunch are easy for me to plan out. I again rotate but I’m a creature of habit and tend to have the same thing for breakfast almost every day for a month or more before I switch to another go-to. Lunches are similar in that I find them easy to create. Lately, I’ve been loving a berry and yogurt bowl for breakfast and my Greek salad for lunch.

weekly meal plans on a budget

I also plan out what I know my son and husband will be having for breakfast and lunch this week too. Then I write down the groceries I will need to make these meals. Oftentimes, I make a batch of banana pancakes or banana muffins on Sunday that my son can eat during the week for breakfast.

3. Check Your Inventory

Check the fridge and pantry for ingredients that you may already have for the meals you created for the week. See what needs to be used up and think about if you can use it in place of an ingredient in one of your meals.

4. Schedule a Dinner Off

I usually feel a burnout coming on towards the end of the week but I push through because I also always plan a take-out or dining-out meal as part of my weekly menu. To be honest, I don’t always have the energy or time to cook every single night so I schedule a night off from cooking each week. This not only gives me and my family something to look forward to but it also helps us create less food waste because it’s on the menu for the week.

5. Be Flexible

I know some people like planning out what dinner they are making each day like Taco Tuesday or Soup on Thursday, but I like to create my 6 dinners for the week and then each day I decide what I feel like eating and cooking that night. I simply look at my meal plan for the week and choose.

It gives me flexibility and helps curb my cravings because I can choose from my menu based on what I’m in the mood for that evening.

6. Stick To Your List

Try your best to stick to the grocery list you made from meal planning. After all, it’s why we did the planning to begin with. I know if I start buying extra items that are not on my grocery list, I end up spending more money and buying things I don’t need which ends up creating food waste.

My grocery list also helps me save so much time shopping. I even try to write out my list in order of where the food is in the store to save me even more time. Not a must but a good idea if you know the ins and outs of your grocery store.

I hope these simple tips help make your cooking more enjoyable and your week less stressful. And if you have any tips of your own, please share them in the comments section.

This post was all about easy weekly meal-planning ideas.

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