Welcome to the PowerUpYourKids Family!
Hello there! We’re the Whaley Family and we are absolutely thrilled you’ve found your way to PowerUpYourKids.com.
If you’re a parent navigating the daily challenge of feeding your family nutritious food without the drama, or wondering how to fuel your kids for their boundless potential, then you are definitely in the right place. We’ve been there, we’ve done it, and we’re here to share how we made it work – deliciously!
Here at PowerUpYourKids, we don’t believe in banning chicken nuggets or saying “no” to pizza night. Instead, we’ve dedicated this space to a simple, yet powerful idea: taking the foods your kids already adore and making them “but better“. We craft simple, picky-eater-approved recipes that skillfully swap out processed ingredients and excess sugars for whole foods, clever hidden veggies, and essential energy-boosting nutrients. The result? Happy kids with full bellies and the long-lasting, steady energy they need to truly thrive, conquer their day, and achieve their dreams.
Let’s stop fighting over food and start having fun in the kitchen.
Our “Why”: A Personal Journey to Lasting Energy
For us, the journey to creating PowerUpYourKids began years ago, right in our own kitchen. With two active, bright children – our daughter, now 18, and our son, 20 – we quickly learned that what they ate directly impacted their energy, focus, and overall zest for life. Watching them grow, we saw firsthand how the right fuel could be a game-changer.
From the soccer pitch to the cricket field, swimming lanes to track-and-field events, netball courts to basketball games, our kids were always in motion. Beyond sports, their passions extended to the arts – captivating us with choir performances, piano recitals, guitar melodies, dramatic stage roles, and confident public speaking. Both excelled academically (top 5 students in their respective years), becoming school prefects, with our daughter leading as Headgirl and our son as Headboy in their respective years. Today, they’re not just “cruising through university”; they’re thriving, driven, and still powered by that same incredible energy.
We knew their achievements weren’t just about natural talent; a huge part of it was the sustained energy and resilience they gained from the food we prepared. We learned how to create meals that didn’t just fill their bellies, but genuinely powered them up – avoiding sugar crashes and providing consistent fuel for every practice, every performance, every study session, and every leadership role.
This blog is a distillation of those years of experimenting, learning, and perfecting recipes that truly work. We want to empower you with the same tools to raise your own energetic, thriving, and high-achieving kids.
Our Food Philosophy: Simple Principles for Powerful Kids
Our philosophy here at PowerUpYourKids is built on a few simple, yet incredibly effective principles:
- Meet Them Where They Are. We understand kids have their favorites! Instead of restrictive diets, we start with what they already love and give it a powerful, nutritious upgrade.
- Focus on Addition, Not Subtraction. Our approach isn’t about what to cut out, but what we can add in—more fiber, more protein, more healthy fats, more hidden veggies, and more essential nutrients.
- Food Should Be Fun. From “Chicken on a Stick” to DIY Pizza Lunchables, we believe that positive, enjoyable experiences around food build a lasting foundation for healthy eating habits.
- Energy is the Goal. Every single recipe we share is developed with one key outcome in mind: providing steady, sustained energy to help your kids feel their best, excel in their activities, and avoid the highs and lows of sugary, processed foods.
Meet the Family Behind the Recipes
- Alexander “the father”: I will always remember when our son, Matthew, went to “big school” – our relationship changed. After a week, he asked me for help with his grade 0 maths, and we clashed as I was “doing it wrong” and “you’re old! Maths has changed since you were at school”, never mind my efforts to explain that 1+1 still is 2… From that day, Maria took over supporting the school homework (supporting, key concept), while I was relegated to the kitchen, doing my utmost to whip up a balanced and nutritious meal in under 30 minutes!
- Maria “the mother”: My wife loves to terrorize us with soups – hated by kids when young, and yet it has become their go-to dish when they feel homesick or simply sick. A mother’s love will always triumph, I guess…
- Our Inspiration, Matthew and Kiara: We will always be grateful to their grandparents, who taught them to eat everything, but more than that – to eat vegetables! Our friends have learnt that when “the Whaleys” come around, you’d better triple the salad portions and forget about a handful of beans – that platter will be divided into 2… Pay close attention, and one day, you may just see Kiara on the world culinary stage. Oh, and she introduced us to Joshua Weissman, he of the “just like but better” fame… what I was doing, just without the catchy title…
Join Our Community!
We’re so excited to share our journey and our best recipes with you. Whether you’re dealing with a picky eater, a budding athlete, or just want to ensure your kids are getting the best fuel for their bright futures, we’re here to help.
Explore our recipes, leave a comment, or say hello! We love hearing from you.
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