The keto diet. Such a small word with such a big meaning for those who follow it. But let’s start from the beginning. The ketogenic diet is a very strict high-fat, moderate-protein and super low-carb diet that makes your body use fat as fuel, aka putting it into a “fat-burning mode.”

But once you reach ketosis (the state of breaking down fat instead of glucose for energy) and start shedding pounds, you have to make sure to stay there by eating keto-friendly foods that won’t kick you out of ketosis. That’s where it gets tricky, because Chinese cuisine often contains high-carb ingredients, which are a big no-no if you’re on keto.

The obvious diet-wreckers are rice, noodles, jiaozi wrappers and such, but there are a lot more hidden carbs in all the delicious sauces, dips and often even meat and veggies themselves.

So, can you eat keto in Beijing? The answer is yes, it’s absolutely possible to eat low-carb and stay in ketosis, even if you’re a busy parent with no time for food prep.

Local supermarkets and Sam’s Club

A lot of the things that form the basis of a keto diet are available at your local supermarket: fatty pork, cheese, eggs, butter, avocados, etc. The IKEA salmon is pretty good and affordable. What you have to steer clear of is the widely available peanut oil and rapeseed oil, and switch over to healthier oils, such as avocado and olive oil.

You can find unsweetened Greek-style yogurt and keto ice-cream at Sam’s Club, both super delicious.The KETO PINT Salted Caramel Crunch Ice Cream is available in packs of twelve bars, with 15g of carbs and 24g of fat per 100g.

Mary Sweets

Mary Sweets has established itself as one of the leading home bakeries that makes cakes, bread, donuts, brownies … you name it. But that’s not all. Luckily for all our keto people, Mary Sweets also offers some yummy low-carb goodies: bread, keto wraps, pizza crusts, buns, cakes, brownies, protein bars, and more.

Mary Sweets delivers across the country. To order from their WeChat shop, scan the code:

iRaw&Rock

iRaw&Rock, formerly known as Mr. Raw, has been rocking Beijing’s health and wellness scene with their mouth-watering smoothies and juices. As iRaw&Rock is all about helping people achieve and maintain a healthy lifestyle and eating fresh, nutrient dense products, they have now included keto-friendly options for the low-carb crowds.

You can choose between the Keto Low Carb Acai Bowl (RMB 68), which comes packed with 29g of fat and only 17g of net carbs, and the I WANNA KETO Pink Berry Blast smoothie (RMB 62) with 2.5g net carbs and 11.5g of fat per 100g. To order from their WeChat shop, scan the code:

Basil

Providing healthy meals daily straight to your doorstep, Basil opened its doors in 2020 and has been feeding the hungry ever since. It offers three meal plans: Basil Fit, Basil Veg and Basil Keto. You can choose between a one-meal-a-day or a two-meals-a-day-plan, Monday to Friday, in the morning (9.30am-11am) or evening (6.30pm-8.30pm).

The Basil Keto plan comes with less than 15g of carbs per meal and offers a variety of healthy fat sources, such as beef, pork, avocado, nuts, cheese. Some of their keto meals include butter chicken, beef meatballs with mushroom sauce, BBQ pork with veggies and cheese, shredded pork with cream cheese and parmesan sauce and cauliflower.

As for the plan duration, you have the option to choose from one to eight weeks, with prices starting from RMB 315 for a one-meal plan, and RMB 598 for a two-meal plan.

DarkSide Nutrition

Darkside Nutrition is a keto restaurant focusing on insulin sensitivity and hormone regulation. The dishes include everything from burgers and steaks, broth, jerky, keto sides, and sauces to keto gelato, pizza, desserts, hot dogs, and more. All items are available nationwide through their WeChat shop:

Images: Courtesy of the vendors, Pexels

Copenhagen, Bulletproof, The Zone, South Beach, Atkins, TLC, Mind, Ketogenic, Whole30, Low FODMAP… What do all these names have in common? They all refer to diets. Some are very healthy and others not so much. The word diet has many negative connotations, as it’s often associated with restricted eating, deprivation and hunger. Have you heard that diet has the word DIE in it? Joking aside, going on a diet means that someone has a specific health goal in mind, but the word diet simply refers to the food a person eats on a regular basis.

I’d like to focus on what we should be eating on a regular basis, not the things we’re often told to avoid. If we eat more healthy foods, they will naturally crowd out the less healthy items from our diet. Vegetables are the number one thing most people need to eat more of. These come in all shapes and sizes, all kinds of colors and unique nutritional profiles. Each vegetable has their own specific combination of vitamins, minerals and micronutrients, pigments like anthocyanins, carotenoids and xanthophylls, flavonoids like catechins, hesperidin and resveratrol, and sulfur-rich compounds like allacin, and sulfuraphanes, to only name a few. These have multiple health benefits, too many to list here. Fruits also contain many of these nutrients. They’re a rich source of a long list of vitamins, minerals and other phytronutrients (phyto meaning plants). I have to admit, it drives me crazy when I hear that fruits “…are just filled with sugar and fiber”. That is so far from the truth! Generally, fruits should also be an important part of our regular diet. It doesn’t mean that we need to eat fruits in the same quantity as vegetables, but they do provide nutritional diversity which is something we need.

Another important feature of a healthy diet is fermented food. These foods contain probiotics, the helpful organisms that inhabit our digestive tract, our respiratory tract, our skin… in essence, every part of our body! These organisms can include bacteria and fungi, and are referred to as the human microbiome. According to a study published in 2016 in the journal PLOS Biology, bacteriamake up about half the number of cells in the human body. There’s a lot of research going into studying our microbiome, with more and more evidence that they play a role in mental health, body composition, cardiovascular health, immunity and more! Probiotics can be found in fermented veggies, yogurt, kefir, yakult, natto, and kombucha.

Finally I wanted to give a shout out to fiber. Some may think fiber is just something extra our body doesn’t digest, and thatit doesn’t provide any nutritional value, that’s not the whole truth.Fiber consumption is linked to decreased cancer risk, it helps balance blood sugar, stabilizes cholesterol levels, and has many other benefits. Let’s give fiber some love, becauseit also supports a healthy microbiome. Fiber feeds the probiotics in our gut, it helps those little guys thrive so we can thrive too. Fiber rich foods include beans, legumes, whole grains, fruits and vegetables.

Now I’m not saying there aren’t times when we need to be more careful with what we’re eating.This is the case when people have a medical condition or have unique health goals. Some people may be allergic or have sensitivities to certain foods. What I mention above are general suggestions. For the love of food, don’t avoid tomatoes because they have too much sugar! Eat naturally, include more things that come from the ground or a tree, and you can’t go wrong.

This article appeared in the beijingkids September 2019 Family Foodies issue

I’ve been writing about alternative ways of approaching weight loss and transformative body goals after birth, while prioritizing self-love, lifestyle, and wellness goals over slimming down. Today, I would like to share one of my favorite healthy recipes for a go-to-lunch option and a vitamin rich smoothie to help give you a nutritionally balanced boost.

Us moms need quick and easy solutions for healthy eating when we are on the go. Luckily, this meal can be prepared in advance for work, or whipped up while the little one naps, so that you can have yourself a tasty and healthy meal you can call upon to mix up your weekly meal-plan and help towards your postpartum wellness goals.

Greek Cauliflower Rice Bowl with Grilled Chicken

I’ve always liked the idea of taking mundane vegetables and using them in creative ways to replace carbohydrate staples like rice or pasta. I’m a carb fiend, and I don’t encourage completely excluding carbohydrates from your diet, but limiting the amount you consume can help towards feeling less lethargic and bloated and of course can help towards creating a more lean and healthier you!

I found this awesome and simple recipe online but mixed it up a little to add extra flavor and more texture.

What you will need:

• 4-7 florets of cauliflower
• 1/3 cup chopped red onion
• 1/3 peeled, deseeded, and diced cucumber
• 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
• 1/3 cup chopped parsley
• 1/3 cup chopped mint
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp chopped deli olives
• 2 tbsp crumbled feta cheese
• 3/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 3/4 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp roasted white and black sesame seeds
• 1/2 cup of mixed fresh dill and fennel leaf
• 1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken breast

 Instructions:

1. Preheat grill in the oven to medium
2. Place cauliflower florets in a food processor and pulse until broken down into rice-size granules
3. Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cauliflower, onion and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the cauliflower is softened, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the dill and fennel.
4. Meanwhile, rub 1 teaspoon of oil all over the chicken. Season the chicken with salt, black pepper, and paprika to taste. Grill, turning once, until cooked through. Run a knife through the thickest part of the breast and if the juices run clear when removed, the chicken should be fully cooked. Slice diagonally.
5. Whisk the remaining olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, and salt and black pepper in a small bowl. Add the tomatoes, cucumber, and olives then mix.
6. Divide the cauliflower into rice bowls. Top with the chicken, and mixed salad. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley, mint, and roasted sesame seeds. Serve with lemon wedges if desired.

Almond Butter and Banana Protein Smoothie

This recipe is so quick and easy. You can buy a bunch of bananas and keep them in your freezer for easy access and most of what you need can be stocked in your pantry.

What you will need:

• 1 small frozen banana
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 2 tbsp almond butter
• 2 tbsp unflavored protein powder
• 1 tbsp sweetener of your choice (optional)
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 4-6 ice cups

Instructions:

Combine all ingredients together in a blender and blend until smooth. Sprinkle some cinnamon on top and serve!

Photos: Pixabay, www.eatingwell.com

Eating out in Beijing is a culinary delight. With the tastebuds of locals evolving to desire more diversity and better quality, expats especially benefit from the areas of the city that want to cater to these wishes.

That is, it’s all a joy until you want to know how much food you’re fitting into your pie hole and how many calories it’ll set you back. It’s frustrating especially if you’re trying to get into nutritional ketosis and you want to measure out how many net carbs and fats are in each meal. Whether you’re on a low carb, Paleo, or general calorie-counting diet, it’s simply hard to find out what’s in each dish without taking your food scale and grilling the chef on the spot.

Flying blind is what waist conscious foodies here in Beijing have to live with, because we found all of four brands that carry nutrition information. We’d be happy to be proved totally wrong on this, readers, for the sake of all our summer bikini strivings.

Obentos
What we like about Obentos is that even if you’re building your own box online, they’ll calculate the total nutritional numbers for you. That’s just too cool. Our suggestion would be to add fiber so we can figure out net carbs (total carbs minus fiber).

Mon-Fri 8am-10pm, Sun-Sat 9am-10pm.
B1 – 109, Grand Summit Phase 2, Liangmaqiao, Chaoyang. (朝阳区亮马桥东方东路19号官舍B1层)

Glo Kitchen
We give props to Glo Kitchen for trying to get the information we need out there, but some of the information on their website is missing. We hope more complete information is available on location.

Open daily 11am-9.30pm.
(1) Unit 103A, Guanghua Lu Soho, 22 Guanghua Lu, Chaoyang, (朝阳区光华路22号 光华路SOHO一期103A&B室) (2) Unit 101, Bldg 7, 97 Jianguo Lu, Chaoyang (朝阳区建国路97号万达广场7号楼101)

Tribe Nutrition
Tribe Nutrition meal plans are meant to make life easy, with planning and cooking done by chefs and nutritionists. Detailed information for nutrition is available on each dish’s box, with the calorie range of each meal plan available online before you pick.

7-Eleven
We wish we were joking, but with desperate times comes desperate calorie-counting measures. This chain that never sleeps makes it onto the list because we can always count on their salads having the nutrition information we need to stay on our diet while out and about.

Locations vary. Open daily all day at certain locations. Search for 便利店 on Baidu to find the closest location near you.

Labels Are Not Complicated
Life happens. It’s not realistic to expect that we’ll never eat out when our food scales are unavailable, so we hope more places will release their nutrition information. And since most of the chain restaurants need to standardize food servings to count costs anyway, we know that they can easily provide this information with a scale, a calculator, and a link to the USDA Food Composition Database where they can find comparable food items.  Simple labels should at least include total calories, protein, fat, carbs, sugars, and fiber. Extra points for sodium.

We’re happy to keep this blog updated as more F&B providers compile nutrition information. Just let us know if we’ve missed someone in the comments, and we’ll add their name to the list.

More stories by this author here.
Email: vanessajencks@truerun.com
Twitter: @vanessa_jencks
WeChat: vanessajencks

Since this issue is all about money matters, let’s talk about the importance of investing in your health. Naturopathic medicine not only treats illnesses, but can also help prevent disease, saving you money, time, and energy. Let’s face it; being sick can drain us both physically and financially. A study in 2007 found that over 62 percent of bankruptcy cases in the US were due to medical problems. Many of the most common diseases in the world are related to lifestyle and are actually preventable, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and certain cancers. Outlined below are three simple steps we can take to invest in our health and reduce medical costs in the long run.

The first step is to increase our consumption of fresh produce. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) low consumption of fruits and vegetables contributes to 1.7 million (2.8 percent) of deaths worldwide. That’s a significant number! In a statement the WHO has written, “Moreover, insufficient intake of fruit and vegetables is estimated to cause around 14% of gastrointestinal cancer deaths, about 11% of ischaemic heart disease deaths, and about 9% of stroke deaths globally.” I may sound like a broken record, but I can’t emphasize enough the importance of these foods! Imagine if 50 percent of our diets were composed of fresh produce? We would likely have more energy, more regular bowel movements, and a clear contribution to achieving a healthy weight while preventing life threatening diseases.

The second step is to incorporate movement into our daily lives. Yes, you read correctly. Moving helps prevent disease. Stationary postures such as sitting or standing for long periods of time are linked to the development of conditions such as Type 2 diabetes, and acute traumas such as heart attacks and strokes. So even if you don’t have time to go to the gym, be active throughout the day.

The third step is to see a naturopathic doctor. Naturopathic medicine uses individualized treatments for each patient, and can be focused on preventing specific conditions. As a naturopath, I take a lot of time with each patient to understand their lifestyle habits, their family and medical history, and everything that may contribute to ill health in the future. This allows me to provide a treatment plan that is customized to each patient’s unique condition. My job is to also help patients implement lifestyle changes, which helps ensure success. Unfortunately, naturopathy is not always covered by insurance. For some people this can be a deterrent to seeking naturopathic care. However, I believe investing in our health can actually help us save money in the long run. Making a visit to a naturopath is money well spent.

In day-to-day life, preventing a problem is considerably easier than fixing it. Our health is no different and if we follow the steps outlined above, it can be as easy as one, two, and three.

This article originally appeared on page 18 of the September 2016 Issue of beijingkids magazine. Click here for your free online copy. To find out how you can obtain a hard copy, contact distribution@truerun.com.

I enjoy telling the story of how my husband, Randy, became a vegetarian. It is funnier, and less vague, than my own. For him, his path to meat-free living started with a 50 dollar bet when we were merely acquaintances. I believed it impossible for him to live without meat for even a week.

“Make it 100 dollars,” he said, “and I’ll go two.”

That was twenty years ago, and he is still a vegetarian.

I wish I could say my conversion from omnivore was about health concerns or the environmental impact of a meat-centered diet. I always struggle with coming up with a satisfactory answer to Chinese friends’ inquiries, particularly when they learn that I have been vegetarian for more than two decades. My devout Buddhist friends are curious about religious reasons for this abstinence. Others, based on their own experiences in China, wonder if perhaps I had a bad experience with expired or fake meat.

My honest answer, though, would only make sense to fellow members of America’s so-called Generation X. The explanation of my becoming vegetarian is the same as my explanation for having a tattoo and my preference for Doc Martens: I went to college in the 1990s. Certainly at the time, I was somewhat persuaded by something serious. However, vegetarianism remains with me like the tattoo and my boots, signifiers of my era.

After Randy and I were married and had children, we decided that the kids would be raised with meat in their regular diet. In the US, it wasn’t difficult. I could buy small amounts of prepared meat in the better grocery stores.

In China, though, our approach has been different. Meat departments in Chinese groceries are truly foreign territory for me. I never learned the vocabulary of meat in my Chinese classes, short of important phrases like 我不吃肉wǒ bù chī ròu (I don’t eat meat) and 不放肉 bù fàng ròu (Don’t add meat).

These simple words provide polite excuses when even the kids have refused dog meat in Shenzhen, or sketchy 串 chuànr on the streets of Changping. Randy himself happily volunteered “我不吃肉” when, at a lunch meeting in Shandong baked cicadas were served. The lone foreigner there, he wasn’t perceived as rude when he declined as a vegetarian. His Beijinger co-workers, however, did not have this convenient apology for not sampling the local specialty.

Myles and Brigid have mostly followed my lead in China with a primarily plant-based diet. For them it has been a series of low-risk food explorations in a country that has as many words for cabbage as Arctic cultures are rumored to have for snow. In Changping we also have a Buddhist restaurant, where I don’t have to say, “不放肉.”

When my kids want meat, though, they usually have an appetite for non-Chinese foods, which are not in abundant supply in Changping. Luckily, we often have one day a week when we are around Dongzhimen. Even with unlimited access to cuisine of all kinds, Myles definitely still has his regular requests. Burgers from Frost and anything tagine from Caravan are his rewards for the two hours on the subway.

Brigid has one particular favorite that she treats herself to when we are at a hotel holiday brunch. If the roots of my vegetarianism were at all noble, I would probably prevent her from eating it. Somehow, though, she has developed a taste for foie gras. When her parents’ commitment to meat-free living stems from grunge music and a bar bet, this is, I guess, what happens.

This article originally appeared on page 41 of the August 2016 Issue of beijingkids magazine. Click here for your free online copy. To find out how you can obtain a hard copy, contact distribution@truerun.com.

Photo: i.huffpost.com

Whether you’re celebrating Dry January, need a fun winter warmer for the kids, or are desperately trying to stick to your New Year’s resolution to drink less, the right mocktail can be (almost) as fun as the real thing. Here are some recipes for delicious options that will keep you warm all winter long.

Hot Toddy:
This sober take on the wintertime favorite has all the perceived health benefits of the original.

Ingredients:
•    7 ounces hot tea
•    1 tablespoon honey
•    1 teaspoon lemon juice
•    Grated cinnamon
•    Ground cloves
•    Grated nutmeg
•    Lemon wedge or cinnamon stick for garnish

Preparation:
1.    Pour the honey, lemon and spices into a glass.
2.    Top with the hot tea.
3.    Stir, garnish, and serve.

Makes: one

Mulled Cider:
Another favorite winter warmer, we suggest leaving the lid off the pot during cooking time to allow the wonderful smells to waft around your home.

Ingredients:
•    1 gallon apple cider (apple juice can suffice)
•    ½ cup brown sugar
•    1 teaspoon whole cloves
•    1 teaspoon whole allspice
•    3 cinnamon sticks
•    A square of cheesecloth (muslin bag or coffee filter can suffice)
•    Cinnamon sticks to garnish

Preparation:
1.    Pour the cider into a large pot and begin to heat on the stove.
2.    Add the sugar.
3.    Place the spices into the cheesecloth and tie, or place inside the muslin bag. Add to the pot.
4.    Bring the mixture to the boil, and stir regularly.
5.    Once it has boiled, allow to simmer for 20 minutes to enhance the flavor. Continue to stir occasionally.
6.    Remove the spices from the pot, and ladle the mixture into mugs. Garnish with cinnamon sticks, and serve.

Makes: 16

Frost Bite:
This one’s sure to be a hit with Frozen fans both young and old.

Ingredients:
•    Ice
•    1 oz lime juice
•    1 oz pineapple juice
•    2 oz white grape juice (normal grape juice can suffice)
•    Fresh mint leaves
•    Fresh blueberries
•    3 oz Sprite/7-Up

Preparation:
1.    Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and the three juices, and mix.
2.    Tear the mint leaves loosely to open up the flavor, and crush some blueberries with the back of a spoon. Add to the cocktail shaker.
3.    Shake all ingredients well and strain into a large glass filled with ice.
4.    Top with Sprite.
5.    Garnish with mint leaves, extra blueberries, and serve.

Makes: one

Ginger-Lime Fizz:
The supposed health benefits of ginger means that with this zesty mocktail by your side, you’ll be rid of that winter cold in no time.

Ingredients:
•    Ice
•    12 ounces ginger beer (ginger ale can suffice)
•    4 ounces soda water
•    ½ – 1 ounce fresh squeezed lime juice
•    Bitters
•    Lime wedges to garnish

Preparation:
1.    Combine ginger beer and soda water in a jug filled with ice, add lime juice to taste.
2.    Add several dashes of bitters to the top.
3.    Garnish with lime wedges, serve.

Makes: two

Sleigh Driver:
Christmas may be gone, but you can keep the holiday spirit alive with this fruity number.

Ingredients:
•    1 cup water
•    ½ cup sugar
•    1 2-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
•    3 pears, chopped into bite-size pieces, divided
•    2 quarts apple cider (apple juice can suffice)
•    1 lemon, halved and sliced
•    1 tablespoon ground allspice
•    1 cup fresh cranberries
•    2 tablespoons vanilla extract
•    Lemon wedge to garnish.

Preparation:
1.    Combine water, sugar, ginger, and 1 pear in a large pot on the stove. Bring to the boil, stirring occasionally.
2.    Strain out the solids and return the mixture to the pan.
3.    Add the remaining pears, apple cider, lemon and allspice and heat over medium-high for 15 minutes. Stir often.
4.    Add cranberries and vanilla.
5.    Reduce the heat to allow the mixture to simmer on medium-low. Simmer for another 10 minutes.
6.    Ladle into mugs, add lemon wedge and serve.

Makes: 10

Photo: Uni

Vegetarian, Pescetarian, Don’t-really-care-ian, however you choose to identify, it’s hard to deny the increasing popularity of this diet and lifestyle choice in recent years.  From “meat-free Mondays” to artificially-created meat, this lifestyle is undoubtedly gaining momentum, no doubt, in part, thanks to recent findings that link red meat to cancer (see here and here). It begs the question though – just how realistic is this diet in Beijing? And, can you still be healthy without eating meat?

Meat has long been considered a status symbol in Chinese society; whether it’s a business dinner, treating an old friend to a meal, or celebrating a holiday, copious amounts of meat will be present in all these types of events. More recently, the famines of the Cultural Revolution have left a lasting impact on the minds of the older generation at least, influencing their relationship with and the importance they place on meat. Nevertheless, we can see start to see the impact of this lifestyle change on the restaurants and stores popping up around the city. Check thebeijinger’s article here on where to eat out.
One of the reasons meat continues to be consumed in hefty quantities is due to its high amount of protein. Protein is vital for everything from healthy hair and nails, and also works to make us feel full for longer (it takes longer to break down than most carbohydrates), not to mention protein-rich foods contain iron, an essential mineral for the production of red blood cells and the movement of oxygen throughout the body. So exactly how much protein should we be eating a day? It can vary depending on a wide range of factors, including gender, age, weight, and level of activity per day. The below data can be taken as a guide, however:

Here are some meat-free foods that we can get it from:

Tofu:
We’ve put the easiest one first. Packed with over 10 grams of protein per half-cup, tofu has long been popular in Asian cuisine, making it very simple to hunt down in restaurants and supermarkets in Beijing alike.

Beans:
Whether it’s red kidney beans, black beans, or chickpeas, we’re looking at about 15 grams of protein per cup. Beans are also loaded with fiber to help us feel fuller longer, something that meat lacks. While Chinese cuisine traditionally doesn’t utilize a lot of beans, they can be easily found in Western supermarkets. Also check out Mexican restaurants The Taco Bar and Lucky Lopez when eating out, as Mexican cuisine often uses beans.

Lentils:
Lentils, the delicious edible pulses that they are, are packed with 18 grams of protein per cup. Like beans, they aren’t usually present in most Chinese cooking, but can be picked up in supermarkets by the tin or in bulk. Try a soup recipe, or adding it to pasta for a protein hit. Try Indian cuisine when dining out; a lot of Indian dishes use lentils.

Nuts:
Easy to snack on, and easy to find! Peanuts have nine grams of protein per 1/4 cups, while pistachios have six, and walnuts have four. While nuts are also packed with healthy fats, try to be conscious of portion size as the calorie count of nuts can rack up fast. About a handful is a good rule of thumb.

Seeds:
From sunflower to pumpkin and sesame seeds, these guys are packed with about eight to nine grams of protein per 1/4 cup. Find them in most supermarkets.

Quinoa:
The trendy new ‘superfood’ that everyone’s talking about, quinoa has about eight grams of protein per cup, while also being low in fat. Hunt it down in Sanyuanli market or order on Taobao.

Images: courtesy of Wikimedia Commons & radafrancis.com

As the summer winds down, and you’ve shopped for back-to-school supplies, don’t forget to equip your children with some good advice for making a smooth return to the classroom. The return to school can trigger a range of emotions in parents and children. Parents may feel sadness that extended time together as a family is over, mixed with relief that they don’t have to provide all-day care (and can once again enjoy a coffee in peace). Children may feel excited about a new term, being back with friends, or they could be apprehensive at what awaits them.

The sources of anxiety often vary with the age of a child. For young children starting school for the first time, a main source of anxiety is separating from parents or being away from home. For older kids, anxiety may relate to fitting in and making friends. They may worry about the teachers being stricter, the work being harder and about having lots of homework. It’s a time of mixed emotions, so it’s important to acknowledge any worries they may have, whilst focusing on the positive aspects of getting back to school.

Every child is different but even the most confident can feel wobbly in the days leading up to school, and on those first few days back. Parents have a big role to play in helping their children get ready for school, and helping to calm any fears they might have. Its important children understand it’s OK to feel worried and a bit nervous. Try and remind them what a great opportunity it is – for older ones to explore different and new subjects and for the little ones to learn to read and write.

There are certain things a parent can do to help, like mentioning their teacher’s name frequently. If parents speak fondly and with confidence about the teacher, and the things the children will enjoy doing with them, this will help the child build that relationship with them. It’s a good idea to explain the role of the teacher, especially for younger kids. Tell them their teacher is not just someone who’s going to teach numbers and phonics, they’re also there to care for them. Your child needs to know that if they feel sad or they’re hurt, that they can tell their teacher, this is especially important if they haven’t been to school before. It’s an emotional time for parents too, but be mindful of how your own feelings can impact upon your child. Reassure yourself it will be OK and try not to cry in front of them on the first day.

On a practical level, a week or so before term starts, we try to get our kids ready by ensuring that they’re back in a good bedtime routine.We always return from our summer trip giving enough time for them to get over the jet-lag first, and then get a routine going again. It’s also good to think about their diet for the new term. They’ve had their fair share of treats and ice creams during summer, but now they’ll need lots of healthy fruit and veg, combined with carbohydrates for the extra energy that being back at school will demand.

Monday is the first day back for my kids, and we’ll try and have a calm routine on that first day, so nobody feels rushed. They’re excited about going back, but you’re never certain how they’ll be on the first day, or indeed the first few weeks. I’ve kept my schedule flexible, in case it takes a while to get them settled. And I’ll be early to collect them. Being the last one there might make them feel anxious – and that can make the next day more difficult.

I really feel that when your children have a good start to the school year, and settle in well to their school environment, they’ll be more interested in school, in doing their best, and will enjoy it that much more.

beijingkids Shunyi Correspondent Sally Wilson moved to Beijing in 2010 from the UK with her husband and son. Her daughter was born here in 2011 and both her kids keep her happily busy. In her spare time, Sally loves to stroll through Beijing’s hutongs and parks. She is a (most of the time) keen runner and loves reading: books, magazines, news, and celeb websites – anything really. Sally is also a bit of a foodie and loves trying out new restaurants.

Photos: o5com, Avolore, Bec (flickr)