Even though children today can readily communicate with others using cell phones and computers, they may feel more lonely and isolated than they did 20 years ago. Growing up today is a lot different than it was when most of us were kids.

Today, technology helps many children keep in touch with family and friends, but the constant ability for kids to communicate with others via text and on social media comes with some risks. Of course we need to move with the times but there needs to be come balance.

Thankfully, the weather is picking up, and an easing of restrictions is on the horizon so this gives us more scope to get out and about.We are getting all nostalgic here at Good4U and want you to join in on the fun. Who needs a screen when you have these games to play.

Top of the list has to be Hide and Seek! Everyone has played this one. Best played with three people or more. Smaller kids love this… Although the really small ones might not get the concept and hide right in front of you which is super cute, especially when they block their eyes and think you cannot see them.

Next up is Tip the Can which is a variation of Hide & Seek, probably more suited to the older child. It’s a game of speed, cunning, and some poor player stuck being ‘it’. Tip the can has been played far and wide for many years. The ‘can’ (or a plant pot, or gate pillar or whatever) is out in the open. Whoever is ‘it’ stands at the can, counting to 20, while the rest of the Olympians run off to hide.

When the counting is finished, ‘it’ goes on the hunt. Every person that is caught gets sent to ‘jail’, but if someone manages to ‘tip the can’ before being caught, they can free one of their comrades.

Good old Hopscoth, every household today appears to chalk lying around, probably down to the multiple trips to the Euro stores during the pandemic in desperate search for arts and crafty things to keep everyone sane over the past year. Use some sidewalk chalk and make a hopscotch grid. Number the squares from one to nine. Pick a rock that is good for tossing. Small ones can bounce too much, and larger ones are hard to throw.

Start by tossing the rock onto Square
1. Hop over the rock and hop with a single foot or both feet (to follow the hopscotch pattern) all the way to the end. Turn around and come back, stopping on Square
2. Balancing on one foot, pick up the rock in Square 1 and hop over Square 1 to the start. Continue this pattern with Square 2. And so on.
If you toss your rock and miss the correct square, your turn is over. This game can be played with any number of people, but only one person can go at a time. If it’s raining or dark or too cold, you can get indoor hopscotch mats or foam pieces, or just find a pattern on the floor to follow, perhaps using a beanbag instead of a rock.

Elastics – Among the simplest of disciplines, elastics requires a good eye and a nimble jump. It was everywhere to be seen in playgrounds in the eighties and nineties. sell them.

Blind Man’s Bluff – hard beat on a rainy day. The person who is “it” wears a blindfold and tries to tag the other players. Just make sure to clear away any hazards… A big open room is best…

Red Rover – The best game ever… This Olympic sport is a test of strength, balance and brute force, but I don’t think this one was allowed before the pandemic due to health & safety, so definitely not allowed now. There was always some big tank of a fella who would take out the entire line while breaking the seal. So we will park that one but such craic…  Red Rover, Red Rover, we call x over!!

Kerbs – “Kerbs” was the bread and butter of street games. It was the first game you played while you waited for the rest of your mates to turn up for a Red Rover/Tip the Can bonanza. It was also the final game you played with your siblings as the sun set and you tried to squeeze out the last of the long summer’s evening before your mother called you in for dinner. All you need is two people, two adjacent kerbs, and a ball, preferably a plastic one.

Rules of the game:

• Score 100 points to win. 
• Take turns throwing ball across to opposite kerb.
• Score 10 points by hitting the opposite kerb on its angle so the ball ricochets back towards you. 
• If successful continue with bonus throws from the middle of the street until you miss. Five points scored for each successful bonus throw.

These were the basic rules, though of course the scoring and the tenets of the game varied from town to town and estate to estate with each place adding something different to it.

Keepy-uppies – the pinnacle of footballing skill. The gold will go to the athlete with the most impressive techniques and longevity.

Simon Says – This game can be played anywhere, even in a car or other small space. One person is Simon and starts by saying, “Simon says, ‘[insert action here]’. ” Everyone must then do the action. However, if Simon makes an action request without saying, “Simon says” to begin the request, anyone who does that action is out. The last person still playing in the end will be Simon for the next round. Good when all other options run out, some kids love it but might lose them early enough.

It’s Back to School time for many of our kids in what has been a long, unpredictable and difficult year. As great as it is to see them get back to normality, this new lift on restrictions comes with its own concerns, especially when it comes to our kid’s health and immunity. Not only that, but with remote work and school, we’ve been able to operate on a less regimented schedule and whip up nutritious meals from our kitchens with relative ease. Now we need to re-introduce ourselves to meal prep, lunchbox guidelines and portions that will be enough to sustain our little ones throughout the day.

Don’t fret though- our dietician Michelle has created a guide to help you build a tasty, super-nutritious lunch box that’s easy, versatile and complies with most school lunchbox guidelines!

1. Step One – WHOLEGRAINS
   (Wholegrain bread, Porridge scones, wholemeal pittas, Brown Rice, Buckwheat, Millet, Quinoa)

   Children should be eating between 15-20g fibre a day. Unfortunately, most kids today fall short of this. Fibre not only helps to ease constipation but also helps to keep children fuller for longer. It’s very handy to pack the little ones off with a sambo but make sure to choose the high fibre breads. Or even mix it up with a little quinoa or rice bowl with added veggies

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2. Step Two – PROTEIN
   (Animal or plant based – chicken, tuna, salmon, cheese, eggs, seeds, beans, chickpeas, lentils, tofu)

   Protein is essential for growing bodies. Kids tend to like snacking on cheese and meats so can be included separately. Egg muffins are a great way of ticking all boxes – mixing eggs, veggies and meat. Kids love them as they can eat them on the go. Or even include a little pot of hummus. Or you can make egg fried rice using brown rice and add some peas and sweetcorn.

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3. Step Three – VEGGIES
   (pepper sticks, cucumber, mangetout, carrots, sugar snap peas, sweetcorn)

   Make sure to add a splash of colour. Kids rarely have veggies for brekkie here, and if they are not consuming them for lunch it is unlikely they are going to meet their 5 a day in their evening meal alone. A large proportion of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants should come from veggies. Disrupt the traditional lunch of a measly ham sambo and encourage your child to eat an array of finger foods – veggie crudites, porridge scones, hummus pots, cheese singles.

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4. Step Four – FRUIT

   This is an easy one – most kids love fruit!

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5. Step Five – HEALTHY TREAT

   If you want to give your child a little healthy treat you could make homemade banana bread with added milled seed, granola bars, energy balls, mixed dried fruit, raisins packs or our very own Nutri Balls (these are allergen free, sugar free so meet all school food healthy guidelines)

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6. Step Six – HYDRATION

   Make sure your child has their own water bottle that they can refill throughout the day. Not only will this help with concentration but can also prevent constipation.

With Valentine’s Day around the corner and restaurants closed, why not try your hand in the kitchen and impress your Valentine whipping up these super-simple Chocolate Truffles….with Avocado! That’s right, these treats may taste decadent but we’ve packed it full of nutrients too, including one serving of our Protein Breakfast Boost for an added 12g of protein, so you can enjoy them guilt-free. This simple recipe is very versatile so feel free to tweak the fillings and toppings to whatever you prefer or what you have in the cupboard. Whether it’s Valentine’s, Galentine’s or just a bit of a treat for yourself, we know you’ll simply love this recipe.

Ingredients  (Approx. 14 Truffles)

• 1 ripe Avocado
• 100g of 70% Dark Chocolate
• 2 tbsp of Good4U Protein Breakfast Boost
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 3 tsp Honey
• 2 tsp Cacao Powder 
• Desiccated Coconut (optional)
• Freeze Dried Fruit Powder (optional) 

Method

1. Take one peeled, ripe avocado and mash with a fork or blitz in a food processor until smooth.
2. Add your honey, vanilla extract and cocoa powder to the avocado.
3. Melt 100g of of dark chocolate and fold into the avocado mixture.
4. Once combined, chill your mixture in the fridge for at least 2 hours before rolling.
5. Roll into balls and coat in milled seed, cacao powder, desiccated coconut, freeze dried fruit powders.
6. Enjoy!

In honour of World Pulses Day, we’ve created this nutritious, warming Chickpea Curry Recipe- perfect for a meat-free winter’s evening. This recipe serves 4 and as always, feel free to adjust the seasoning’s to your individual tastes!

Ingredients

• 1 x onion
• Fresh or dried chilli
• 9 cloves garlic
• 1 tbsp garam masala
• 1 tbsp ground coriander
• 2 tbsp ground cumin
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 pkt Good4U Garlic & Chilli Salad Topper
• 2 tins chickpeas
• 1 pkt fresh or frozen spinach
• 1 tin tomatoes
• 100g coconut milk
  
  Instructions
• 1) In a large oiled pan, sweat your chopped onion and chilli.
• 2) To a blender, add 9 garlic cloves, fried onions, 2 Tbsp ground cumin, 1 Tbsp Garam Masala, 1 Tbsp ground coriander, 2 Tbsp of tomato paste and a splash of oil and blitz to make a paste.
• 3) Fry your paste for 2 minutes.
• 4) Add Good4U Garlic & Chilli Salad Topper to a blender and blitz into a powder.
• 5) To your paste, add 2 cans of chickpeas, a tin of tomatoes and the blended Good4U Garlic & Chilli salad topper and simmer until cooked.
• 6) Add coconut cream and spinach 
• 7) Garnish, Serve with your choice of side & Enjoy!