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Being the Best You, You Can Be After Lockdown 3.0
Lockdown restrictions have broken many routines, changed up school schedules and even interfered with how you’ve been able to be the best you, you can be… Well, seeing as Lockdown measures are lessening, we want to inspire you on how to lead the happiest and healthiest life possible.
Whether you’ve slacked on the home workouts or haven’t been making the best choices when it comes to food (because takeaways seem to lessen the pain of being stuck indoors), we’re here to motivate you in making positive decisions for you and your family.
Get Your Cook On!
Make an evening of it! Whether it’s with your children or friends, why not create a fresh 3-course dinner? Your taste buds will be winning, and you’ll be feeling no guilt as you indulge into (moderately) healthy and homemade dishes.
Let’s give you an idea of what we mean…
Starter:
– Tomato & Cucumber Salad dressed with a little olive oil and dried mint.
– Baked tortilla chips with homemade guacamole.
– Classic prawn cocktail with a homemade thousand island sauce and sliced iceberg lettuce.
Mains:
– Ratatouille with a homemade red sauce. Be sure to top it with fresh basil, YUM!
– Lemon and herb chicken with a fresh mixed pepper salad.
– Lean turkey burger in lettuce wraps with sweet potato wedges.
Desserts:
– Sorbets to share.
– Fruity salad with a drizzle of single cream.
– (A little naughtier, but fun for the kids!) Cheat churros made with puff pastry! Remember, children especially are more likely to eat healthy foods if the presentation is appetising and if they have a hand in making some of the dishes, they’ll feel super proud that they created something so delicious.
Hungry yet? Hehe.
If we’ve tempted you into setting up an after-hours cooking club then get your skates on and head to the centre to pick up the essentials. We’re talking new cookware (if you’re in need) from TKMaxx, ingredients from Iceland and Sainsbury’s, finished with new tableware from The Range or Poundland.
We’d like to remind our customers that now more of our shops have opened, you should still wear a facemask and keep a safe distance when visiting the centre.
Aiming for 10k A day!
We know, it sounds like a tall order but in hindsight, a trip mooching around the centre will probably use up 2-3k of your daily goal (including a few stop-offs at Prickly Pear for your face coffee). Even if you’ve got your Fitbit or Apple watch on while you’re at home, it’ll count the steps you complete when taking the fresh washing upstairs, picking up dinner ingredients and just walking around while you do a little spring cleaning…
If 10k sounds a little steep, aim for 5-7k – we know you’ll smash it. We’d also recommend a morning or evening walk to enjoy with friends or family members. It’s a great way to get some cardio in while enjoying the company of your nearest and dearest.
If you’re in need of new walking/running gear, we’d recommend heading to GAP Outlet and TKMaxx. Plus, if you feel like investing in a watch that’ll count your steps throughout the AM and PM, head to Sainsbury’s and check out their selection. Or grab a snazzy new water bottle from Poundland when you’re next visiting the centre.
We’d like to remind our customers that now more of our shops have opened, you should still wear a facemask and keep a safe distance when visiting the centre.
Creating Fun Food for Kids
It’s easier for us adults to eat healthier, because we can make conscious decisions on what we’re putting into our body. But kids being kids, sweets and easily attainable processed foods are always a winner! Want to make a healthier change as we head into mid 2021? Well, we’ve got a few top tips on how to make healthy food a little more appealing…
1) Give them a choice! No one likes being told what to eat, so when possible give them an option between lettuce wrapped fajitas or sausage and root vegetable mash for example.
• Make fun faces with their food. Whether silly faces with fruit or smiley faces with cucumber finger sandwiches and baked crisps.
2) Don’t reference food as ‘healthy’ or ‘unhealthy’ in front of your children. Instead of focusing too much on why certain foods are “healthy” or “unhealthy,” just try to serve healthy food options with each meal and lead by example.
3) Don’t ban junk food! When you ban something outright it will only seem more attractive to a child, so if you’re out somewhere and they want a chocolate bar or bag of crisps, don’t make a big deal out of it. We’re all allowed a little treat from time to time.
4) Let them help with cooking! Getting involved in meal prepping, chopping up veggies and dressing the plate are all ways to get them excited about eating fresh, homemade food.
Inspired to get the kids eating more greens and fruits? Be sure to grab whatever you may need from the centre today. Whether it’s cooking utensils from Poundland or Hobby Craft, or go all out and grab new, outdoor furniture from Argos that you can enjoy while eating Al Fresco.
We’d like to remind our customers that now more of our shops have opened, you should still wear a facemask and keep a safe distance when visiting the centre.
Family Activities for The Win!
Get out and about with the family on the weekends. We’re talking football matches with parents vs children, circuit training in the local park or even just taking the family doggo for a run-around.
Need any extra equipment to prep for your weekend full of fun? Be sure to grab the ‘essentials’ (like footballs, hula hoops, rackets and more) from Argos, Smyths Toys or The Entertainer.
We’re hoping that our ideas on keeping things fun and fresh will inspire you all to be more motivated for 2021 and beyond. We want all of our wonderful customers to live both happy and healthy lives – and with any tips you grab from this Style article, be sure to tag us in your social posts so we can re-share your snaps. We look forward to seeing you at the centre soon, remember to keep safe! #StillInThisTogether
