Monday Q&A | Music and Lunch Snacks
Every Monday, I answer a few of the questions that my readers send me. If you have a question you'd like me to answer in a future Q&A post, just leave me a comment here or email me (thefrugalgirl [at] gmail [dot] com) and put Q&A in the subject line. I look forward to hearing from you!
I finally remembered I want to ask you this. My 18 month old is really interested in music. She always wants to hear some, she rarely is out of key when she plays on the (out of key) toy upright piano we got as a handmedown, she doesn't want me to sing any more (I can't carry a tune), she likes listening to Bernstein's concerts for children. She's been like this almost from birth.
My question is, how do we nurture this? What sort of music is most conducive to further development? What instrument should we start her with, and when? I'm inclined toward piano because of all the theory one absorbs almost by accident, while learning to play an instrument that sounds more than one note at a time - do you think this is correct? My Julliard-trained aunt pointed out that it's important that the keyboard be full-sized as children associate physical distance with musical distance but after that she ran out of ideas. She teaches theory and opera to college students, not playing to babies, after all.
-Elise
This is a great question. For now, I'd simply recommend letting her listen to lots of good music (not just one genre either), helping her learn songs to sing, and giving her toy instruments to play with (drums, shakers, a xylophone, a harmonica, etc).
As far as starting an actual instrument, I usually recommend waiting until a child is 6 years old before starting formal lessons. Except for some unusual cases, most kids who are 5 and younger aren't ready for the responsibility of practicing and don't really have the cognitive ability to learn how to read notes and count.
If you are very anxious to get her started with lessons, you can look and see if there is a Suzuki teacher in your area. Suzuki teachers begin by teaching children how to play by ear rather than teaching them to read music, so they often start children as young as 3 years old. Violin and piano are the two main Suzuki instruments, as far as I know.
I know I'm biased because I'm a pianist, but the piano is a great, great first instrument. As you said, when you play the piano, you absorb quite a lot of theory and rhythm without even trying. I also like how the piano makes it easy to understand music theory. It's easy to see how chords relate to each other, why there are half steps between some white keys and not others, why some keys need accidentals, and so on. Another reason a piano is great for beginners is that it's very easy to produce a sound on a piano. You don't need to hold your breath or blow really hard or press multiple fingers down or move a bow. In addition, a new pianist is never more out of tune than the piano is, which means that a beginning pianist is much easier on the ears than, say, a new violinist! 😉
Of course, after taking piano lessons, your daughter may decide she'd prefer to learn another instrument, but even in a case like that, the time spent on the piano would not at all be a waste. The piano is a great springboard for all sorts of other instruments, and even vocalists benefit greatly from learning how to play the piano.
My husband works a factory job, and has a limited time for lunch. He usually tries to take leftovers from whatever we have had for dinner during the week, but he also likes to take quite a few smaller, snacky type items. I HATE, HATE, HATE buying the expensive, bad for you snacks from the grocery store. You know the ones I mean...brownies, fruit snacks...all the processed stuff. However, since we are a dual income family, I feel pressed for time and feel like I have no other choice. (Other than fresh fruits and raw veggies.)
What does Mr. Frugal Girl take in his lunch? What do you suggest? The cost and lack of nutrition in these convenience items infuriates me to no end...
Thanks!
Shelley
My husband takes leftovers like your husband does, but I do also pack some snacks for him, as he's sort of a grazer. While I don't always manage to send perfectly healthy lunches with him, I do try to send as much unprocessed stuff as possible. Though I usually pack his lunch each day while he eats breakfast, the ideas I'm sharing here could be made ahead if you are really short on time (you might try packaging up a week's worth of crackers at one time, for instance). Though I don't work full-time outside the home, I don't find myself with a lot of spare time, so instead of making homemade versions of convenience foods, like granola bars, I try to pack foods that are naturally convenient.
Nuts
These aren't particularly cheap, but they are really handy, and they provide a lot of nutritional bang for your buck. I buy large bags of nuts and just put a couple of handfuls into a small lidded Pyrex bowl. That keeps the cost and the trash output down.
Fruit/Vegetables
I never do anything fancy with the fruit, and sometimes I send it whole and unpeeled. I often peel oranges or tangerines and put them in Pyrex bowls, or I wash grapes and put them in a glass bowl.
Baby carrots are easy to pack, and so is celery (just quickly slice it into pieces). If he likes cherry tomatoes, you could pack those the same way I pack grapes.
Crackers
These aren't as nutritious as fruit and nuts are, but they're not as bad as brownies, "fruit" snacks, or chips. We buy the huge containers of Wheat Thins from Costco, and I just put some into a (you guessed it!) glass lidded container when I'm packing his lunch.
Yogurt
Again, most commercial yogurt isn't highly nutritious (mostly the problem is that it's high in sugar), but as long as you're not buying something like watermelon squeezable yogurt, you are getting something with good bacteria and some protein.
Eggs
My husband hates eggs in most forms, but oddly enough, he likes hard-boiled egg whites. So, when I have the time and inclination, I hard-boil several eggs and send them in his lunch for a snack.
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I hope that's helpful, and I'm positive that my readers will have some other good ideas to share with you. Readers, what nutritious, easy, and frugal snack ideas do you have? And do feel free to share any insights you have regarding children and music education.
Well, this isn't really a healthy idea. But if your husband wants to snack of sweet food as well, you or your husband could bake a cake over the weekend and then pack a piece for lunch. Buying individually wrapped cakes from the store can get expensive. Plus, you could replace sugar with applesauce to make it healthier. You could also make your own trail mix with dried fruit, nuts, and chocolate pieces. Hope this helps!
Great idea! I have done the "applesauce" replacement before too...it's great! I think it makes it more moist...
You can make your own snack-type items.
1. Pop some popcorn and season it with chili powder, or Tony Chechares, or whatever you like. My kids love cinnamon sugar.
2.Freeze some fruit. Kiwis are great frozen, and strangley, much easier to peel. Melon balls, even orange slices.
3. Pickles are good.
4. If he wants something sweet, you make have to take a couple of hours on the weekend/night and make something like icebox lemon bars, or bake some cookies, just so you don't have to purchase them in the store. Plus, as you know, if you control the ingrediants, you have a better chance of getting some good for you things in there. Here's a great recipe for a no bake bar:
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup sugar (I use 1/2splenda 1/2 honey)
1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 cups Cheerios toasted oat cereal -(I use MultGrain...the kids don't notice)
2 cups crispy rice cereal ( I have forgoten this one...no biggie)
2 cups dry roasted peanuts ( Honey Roasted is even better)
2 cups M&M's plain chocolate candy
In a saucepan, bring corn syrup and sugar to a boil.
( Mine has never >boiled<. Go for melted and melded )
Add in peanut butter and vanilla.
Pour over cereal mixture and toss to coat evenly.
Spread in 13x9 pan for thick bars or a 11x14 pan for thinner.
Let cool and cut into bars.
Hope this helps!
Those are great ideas as well! Thanks for the recipe!
The first question this week really interested me. My daughter's only 10 months old, but she LOVES music. Whenever music comes on (and sometimes even if I'm just making a rhythmic sound washing the dishes), she starts dancing! She's fascinated by musical instruments. I'm glad to know that the best thing to do for her while she's young is to just expose her to a wide variety of music and give her toy instruments. My husband and I have always wanted a piano, but can't justify it since neither of us play. Maybe she'll take an interest in the piano and we can get one! 😉
As for snacks, I agree on the fresh fruit and vegetables/nuts count. If your husband likes sweet things, you could try baking a big batch of cookies, mini cupcakes, etc on the weekend and freezing the extras. Definitely not as healthy as fresh fruit, but if you're making them yourself, they won't be nearly as processed as storebought. You could do the same with muffins.
I agree with Jeanine: frozen kiwi is amazing! I'm not sure why. Or fruit with frozen yogurt...like a Pinkberry in Cali.
We always have music playing around the house (except naptime). We have a little set of play instruments, but not even a little toy piano. I think I'm going to keep my eye open for that. My little guy dances at just about any sound he hears, its adorable.
My husband works 12 hour shifts without access to a microwave and often without an official break. He brings bananas, yogurt packed from a larger container, small bags of pretzels (also packed from a large bag) and Cliff bars. This is in addition to his official lunch.
The Cliff bars are pricey at $1 apiece, but he works really hard and deserves whatever food he wants. He did experiment for awhile at homemade Cliff bars, but they ended up getting eaten by up because they were so yummy. Not a bargain if we overeat them!
I took a look over at your 365 blog, and it looks fantastic! I'll go ahead and mention it on The Non-Consumer Advocate.
Katy Wolk-Stanley
"Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without."
What's a Cliff Bar?
A Cliff bar is a nutrition bar, like one of those "meal replacement" bars. They are nutricious and come in a variety of flavors. You can often find them in the healthfood isle of the grocery store. Although they are not as frugal as home cooking, like Katy we use them sometimes for convenience and portability.
Thanks for all the great suggestions everyone! I'm definitely going to make a more concious effort to make stuff at home...the processed stuff is SO expensive anymore, it's getting ridiculous.
I do have a suggestion for the Elise! My son is 22 months, and we a few different pograms in our town that offer music for young children. For example, the place we go is a woman who teaches piano. She has a series of different music collections that she offers for kids under 4...we go to "class" each week for 45mins and sing songs and she has all different kids of "instuments" for the kids to play with while we sing/listen to the music. (Drums, shakers, pieces of xylephone, trangles, rythmn sticks, etc.) Perhaps there might be something similar where you live? I heard about our program through word of mouth. It's SO much fun, and my son, who is also quite musically inclined, LOVES it!
I like to repackage a big bag of something into snack sized ziplocks (reusing them till they fall apart, of course), making a dozen or so in advance so they're ready to grab at short notice.
For home cooked foods, I suggest starting small. Decide on one thing you want to make for him, for example brownies. Learn to make those by baking a batch every weekend or two. After you're comfortable with that one thing, expand your repetoire.
You can also make dried fruit at home. A simple dehydrator costs about $30 new. Or use your oven: Preheat your oven to the lowest possible setting then turn it off, leave the oven light on. Wash, dry, and slice/prep fruit. Spread it out in a single layer on a pan, put pan is (warm, lit, but turned-off) oven. Remove when the fruit is leathery, anywhere from 12 hrs to a few days.
Finally, if he finds himself buying lunch because there aren't leftovers available, consider making some lunches in advance. Make something suitable for freezing, put it in lunch-sized containers, label with name and date (very important!), stash in freezer. Easy to grab on the way out. If you don't have a lot of containers, line your containers with a ziploc or saran wrap, fill, and when its frozen remove it from the container.
First, for the music I have a wee bit of advice. Do not go crazy! As a child who was extremely musically (and artistically) inclined I picked up the violin as if I was born playing. However parental pressure and a constant pressure to practice (though I didn't need as much as I was forced to do) made me put it down and walk away from it for years, and I am only now really getting back into it again after a 4 year break.
As for the snacks, there are so many things you can do. One my husband particularly enjoyed was radishes I prepared with a bit of cold butter and sprinkled with sea salt. He said it was amazing! Dried fruit and nuts are a big hit here, as well as fresh fruit. And you could also try to make fruit leather (I hear it's fairly simple). Sort of like a fruit snack, only homemade with no added sugars.
I could not agree with you more, Kalee. Music lessons for children are supposed to be FUN and to encourage a lifelong appreciation for music, not create the next Mozart... Also, each child is unique in his or her readiness to start taking music lessons. My husband teaches guitar and has a 7-year-old student who is more serious and focused about playing than some of his 12-year-old students. He's also had 7-year-olds who are definitely not ready for lessons... it all depends on the individual child.
Packing lunch/snacks - here's some of the things we do for two adults (me and the Mister, both grazers) and two kids (niece/nephew, who are at our house two school mornings weekly, so I make their lunches those days):
hearty sandwiches on whole-grain bread
organic whole fruit
cut-up veggies (done on weekend)
healthier crackers/pretzels (eg., Kashi brand)
Clif/Luna bars
homemade muffins/cookies (always made with whole grains, flax meal, etc.)
organic yogurt cups
cheese sticks/string cheese
squares of dark chocolate (gotta have a treat!)
My daughters started learning to play the violin at 8. We chose the violin because it is relatively inexpensive and easily portable. They are now 16 and 18 and both still play. My younger daughter switched to the viola after a few years. The older one continued with the violin and added the piano, which she has taken to like a duck to water. Our education authority (Bristol, UK) offers lessons during school hours and runs a a number of orchestras, through which they have progressed over the years. My elder daughter also joined her secondary school orchestra and has travelled abroad to France and Germany. The ability to make music is a privilege that should be afforded to every child. The benefits it offers in terms of control, co-ordination, teamwork, self confidence and so on, are immense, and so much easier to absorb at a young age.
As for packed lunches, my husband makes his own, but I prepare my daughters' bento style boxes. I like to avoid processed foods as far as possible, so I fry spanish tortillas, mix pasta, couscous or noodle salads and bake biscuits and cakes which I cut to size. Last week I made some cheese biscuits which went down well. I do resort to a few chosen processed items such a tamasalata or humus with pitta bread, quiche cut into trirangles or individual portions of cheese. If it were me I would be a lot more adventurous but the girls have very specific tastes.
The snacks my boyfriend and I typically take to work are cheese sticks (I thought we hated them, but then we tried them and I found out that I like them and he absolutely loves them. Eats them all.the.time.), peanut butter and celery (just a scoop in a container and some celery for dipping - it's easier than filling them all in the morning when we're pressed for time), nuts, yogurt, fruit. I used to buy the processed stuff for convenience, but found that it was super expensive and we went through it really quickly.
How about making your own trailmix with leftover cereal, pretzles, nuts, raisins, M&Ms (just a couple 🙂 ), etc. My mom used to do that all the time when I was little and I loved it, and now that I think about it it's a pretty frugal way to use up all the bits and pieces you have laying around as well!
Oh also - how about rice crispy treats as a sweet option? I was having a craving and got one at starbucks (it was the end of a long day - I gave in 🙂 ). You can tell I was desperate, because I paid $2.25 for it - insane! A bag of marshmallos and box of cheapo rice crispies wouldn't cost much. You could even throw in some peanut butter (with the melted butter) for protein.
You can also make Rice Chex Crispy Treats. Crush the Rice Chex into large pieces (I use a plate to bang on a ziploc of the cereal) and proceed as before. I like 6 c. full-size marshmallows, 4 c. cereal, 4 T. butter.
I make them too for my husband and kids. The options are endless for additional "toppings" or cereal choices.
$2.25 ~ Gasp.... Pass out! LOL
Muffins are great lunch snacks, and they are pretty fool proof, plus you can up the protein and fiber, and lower the sugar and fat depending on preferences. I also make my own whole wheat tortillas, and cut them into 6 triangles, spray with non stick spray and sprinkel with cinnamon and sugar. Just bake till crispy. This works with corn tortillas too, for GF snacks, and can be made into a salty, savory crisp as well.
I also make huge batches of home made granola and chex like mixes, again they are super easy and make a lot at a time, but store well.
Popcorn is a great snack, as it is a whole grain food naturally. We use an air popper which requires no added fat unless we want some, and if you pop in the am, it only takes 3 min, and makes a good snack.
To all the moms of the 'music babies', search the library or half.com for "Choosing the Right Instrument for Your Child". I don't have the author or any other info, but I'm sure you web-savvy people will find it easily. It was written in the UK and so some of its advice is directed toward that audience. However, where it excels is in the outlining of what it takes to play a particular instrument and the personality traits needed for that instrument as well as why some children are drawn to an instrument. One of our daughters plays the harp. Asked why, she responds "I love the sound and have loved it from childhood." She could have been quoted for the book.
Beyond that, I echo all of the suggestions listed. Look for the Classical Kids series (Kristen, I think you mentioned these way back?) which portray the lives of composers in a creative way while blending in their music. Don't go overboard in pressing your kids to play. Let them literally feel the music, delight in the new rhythms, thrill to being able to identify the sound of an instrument being played. Many orchestras have concerts designed just for children and will often let the kids "meet the instruments" up close and personal.
I taught 9 year old beginners on flute for a couple of years. One I remember really well had started on piano but begged her mom for flute lessons. The upside was by the time she got to me she could already read music and count to some extent.
I've known music professors who like to choose what instrument their child will play (in one case viola so she was more likely to get a job).
Personally, I would taking a kid to an "Instrumental Petting Zoo" so she can see and hear many different types of instruments. Some will even let the kids play them and almost all of them let them hold the instruments. Kids can see what they are really interested in. Usually these programs are hosted by universities, colleges and local orchestras.
When you do decide to start lessons I would recommend calling a local college or university music department first. Often the students will teach for less than you'd get from a music store or freelance teacher. One program I attended required us to have a year of supervised private teaching; so the university student got to learn how to teach while supervised by their teacher (who came to the lessons one a month or so) and the lessons cost way less than standard prices for the area.
One more thing, if the child is young (10 or younger) make sure that practice time is FUN. It will require the parent to participate and turn it into a game. Otherwise it might feel like a chore until they mature enough to motivate themselves.
Hey there! Just wanted to say thanks for your comments 🙂 I found your blog a little over a month ago, and I just *adore* it! Thanks for sharing all of your frugal tips!!! We just love the yogurt...and so glad I accidentally came across your site by googling homemade yogurt!
question for you to answer....do you have a favorite brand of yeast?
I wanted to add to the snack-attack group.
I pack lunches for my kids and husband. We often pack all the healthy options listed here but sometimes my kids just want sugar. Once every few weeks I will make jello or instant pudding for them. The packs are super - Aldi's is very very - cheap in the store. Preparing them is super easy and if I make enough it lasts all week with an occasional afternoon snack for me included.
Also the popcorn... Do a search for kettle corn if you like salty and sweet. I found a recipe that is very easy for popping in a sauce pan. So yummy!
Good answer on your husband's lunches. I am a working mom....actually we are a working family, as we own a business and all work together. I always fix a meal to take with us each day. It's not always homemade, sometimes we do eat "heat & eat". A little planning and crockpot use and it makes menu's not so bad for working mom's. I post menu's, kitchen tips and other helpful information on my blog for working mom's like me. 🙂
Several people mentioned baking brownies. Here's an easy take on brownies for packing...rather than placing batter in a pan, do 'drop brownies.' Drop brownie batter into mini muffin pans and bake. Remove from pan and place in a resealable freezer container. Store in the freezer and package for lunches/snacks as needed. They'll be thawed out by lunch time.
My husband takes all snacks for his lunch because he doesn't have time to heat up leftovers. I make up meat rolls (pieces of lunch meat rolled up) and a dozen hard boiled eggs. Everyone has easy protein to put in their lunch all week long.
How about homemade granola. I make it and it is a yummy afternoon snack.
I use oats meal, craisins, nuts, coconut, etc.