For many people August and September marks the end of summer and the beginning of a new school year. While lists for school supplies are being made and books are being bought, the one thing Catherine Kraus, a University of Michigan Health System expert wants people to buy in particular for the upcoming school year is healthy foods.

Kraus finds it especially important that parents make sure their children are following a healthy, balanced diet. Eating the right amount of protein, grains and fresh fruit can keep any busy student energized all day and has been linked to better results in school.

Start your day eating healthy with a breakfast that includes one serving of whole grain, protein and fresh fruit. Try avoiding too much sugar at lunch by drinking either skim to low-fat milk, 100% fruit juice, or simply water. As for dinner, making half the plate full of vegetables will not only help a child’s brain, but according to Kraus, it will help them sleep through the night.

These are all great tips to keep in mind when following a healthy diet. Amanda’s is also committed to balanced meals and great nutrition. Check out our health page and share with us the ways you eat healthy whether you are in school or not!

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With gas price hitting $4, more and more people are aware of the global energy crisis. Apart from saving gas through carpool and taking public transportations, there are actually many small steps that we can do to save more energy.

In 5 Easy Ways to Save Energy, Misty McNally has suggested some good ways to save energy. For example, purchase Energy Star computers, appliances and power adaptors, which consume half the electricity that standard models consume; Shut down computers and printers instead of leaving them in “Sleep” mode; Unplug electrical devices that we are not using, and remove battery-powered rechargeable devices from their docks after charging.

Apart from saving energy, there are also small steps that we can follow to live a greener life. Eco-designer Danny Seo has shared some simple ways to live more earth-friendly. For example, we can use micro-fiber cloth towels instead of paper towels, because micro-fiber cloth towels are machine-washable and we can use them over and over again. We can bring our old cell phones to a Call2Recycle box— a non-profit program from the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation which recycles our phone for free into new metal products. We can try bandanas instead of paper napkins when entertaining. Finally, we can make a donation to FreeCycle, a website that connects people with things to give away with people who need those things.

It is easy to ignore one’s own power. Like myself, when I hear words like “save the world” and “environmental-friendly”, I always think these are big things I cannot help. How can a tiny little person like me save the world? But I am wrong. The above ways remind me that even though I am a tiny person, I still have power to contribute and bring a change. Its time! Let’s us bring a change to our daily habits and save the world together. Remember, small steps, big changes!

Are fast food chains really serving healthy fast-food meals for children? According to a new study America’s top chains are failing to provide such nutritional choices for children. The Center for Science and Public Interest, a national watchdog group said that the children’s meals at McDonald’s, KFC, Irvine-based Taco Bell, Jack in the Box and Chick-fil-A are loaded with calories. The watchdog group looked at the many meal choices for children at 13 chains and found that 93% exceeded 430 calories, which is one-third of the daily intake that is recommended for children ages 4 to 8. From the study it was found that Subway offered the best children’s options. The main issue is that most chain restaurants limit meals to artery-clogging foods. Some chains do offer healthier substitutes but these options are hidden between the many other artery-clogging foods.

At Amanda’s we are committed to offering the community healthier foods at their convenience and at an affordable cost. Everyone can get Feel Good Fresh Food at Amanda’s. Stop by and try our freshly made salads, naturally-raised burgers, freshly stirred sodas and milks, and healthy snacks. The apple fries with a honey yogurt dipping sauce are a must try!

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Hello Feel Good Fast Food readers, we’ve been focused on our restaurant opening, so haven’t gotten a post up with restaurant & food news, other than Amanda’s opening. We’ll get back to that soon.

In the meantime, thought you’d like to see some great pics and a nice review of Amanda’s on the “Garden of Eating” blog.