Archive for the 'Organic' Category

Study finds “Natural” Kashi Cereals Have “High Levels” of GMOs

Published on April 26, 2012 in Food, Health & Safety and Organic. 3 Comments Tags: deceptive marketing, food, GMOs, Kashi cereal, news, Parenting, pesticides in food.

My dear friend recently emailed an article to me that made my hair stand up on end. The “health food” cereal brand, Kashi, that many people have grown to love, including myself, has been getting some attention recently. The Cornucopia Institute recently found that Kashi, amongst other “healthy, all natural” breakfast cereals, contains high levels of GMOs (genetically modified organisms). And high levels of GMOs means pesticides.

I find this discovery very troubling for a number of reasons. According to Kashi’s website, they are “passionate about good, all-natural foods.” Um, you can’t be very passionate about your product if you don’t notice that the ingredients used to MAKE your products contain pesticides. And secondly, they tout that they are members of the “Non-GMO project.” How can that be if your products contain GMOs?

Here we are again, with another case of deceptive marketing tactics to dupe us consumers.

Shame on you, Kashi.

Here is the article if you’d like to read the findings.

And just so you know, we’re not the only ones peeved with this situation. If you look here on the company’s website, you can scroll through hundreds of other angry comments from former consumers of Kashi (look at the bottom of the page).

Here’s an excerpt from the article,
“The Cornucopia Institute’s “Cereal Scorecard” (http://www.cornucopia.org/2011/10/natural-vs-organic-cereal/) reveals some truly astonishing facts about what’s in our breakfast cereal:

• Kashi brand cereals (Kellogg’s) contains “high levels” of GMOs. Not just a trace of GMOs, in other words, but a high level meaning the key ingredients are genetically engineered from the get-go. In fact, NaturalNews has learned that test results reveal 100% of the soy used in tested boxes of Kashi cereal was genetically engineered soy.”

-What are your thoughts?

Guiltless Chicken Nuggets

Published on April 5, 2012 in Food, Main Dishes, Organic and Recipes. 1 Comment Tags: baked chicken recipes, chicken nugget recipe, chicken recipes, delicious chicken nuggets, food, guiltless chicken strips, homemande chicken nuggets, how to make chicken nuggets, kitchen, meals, organic meals, Parenting, recipes.

My kids love chicken nuggets. They eat them like they’re going out of style. Except with one caveat. They don’t like McDonald’s chicken nuggets. In fact, the last time we gave them McDonald’s chicken nuggets on a road trip, they cried. Not that we were upset or anything – we rarely eat fast food.

Turns out they like REAL chicken nuggets.

I have tried making nuggets a million ways, but this is the easiest, tastiest and healthiest recipe. As you will see, you only need 3 ingredients. THREE. When I made these last, I cut them into strips, so you will notice in the picture that they’re not shaped like a nugget. But since my kids aren’t familiar with the Ronald McDonald kind, they really don’t care what shape they come in. My 4-year old likes to dip them in a side of ketchup, but you could make your own honey-mustard sauce (equal parts honey and mustard) or give your kiddos a side of BBQ sauce. My hubby and I prefer to serve these nuggets with pre-cut organic french cut fries that I buy in the frozen section in the grocery store. Kind of feels like a ‘fast food’ meal, but without the saturated fat, sodium, and upset bellies afterwards.

The best part about this recipe is that the entire family will enjoy this one, and it really takes a minimal amount of effort. And since you aren’t frying these, there’s nothing soggy about them! I used to fry mine in olive oil, but they always either burned or were soggy. YUCK!

Also, if your busiest time of the day is dinner time (like in my house), you can make this ahead of time! I make them in the morning, cover ‘em with aluminum foil or saran wrap and place them in my refrigerator until later in the day, when I just pop them in the oven.

For this recipe, you will also need a cookie cooling rack and a cookie sheet to be placed underneath the cookie cooling rack.

Guiltless Chicken Nuggets

Ingredients:
Boneless, skinless breasts of chicken, cut into strips or small pieces
2 eggs, beaten, in bowl
Bread crumbs, on large plate (I use organic panko bread crumbs)

Instructions:
Place strips of raw chicken into bowl with beaten egg. Using a fork (or you can use your clean hands, which is what I usually do), cover chicken with egg, letting the extra egg drip off of the chicken and then place chicken strip in bread crumbs. Cover chicken strip with bread crumbs.

Place chicken strips on top of cookie cooling rack, which should be placed directly on top of a cookie sheet.

Bake chicken at 350 degrees for 12-20 minutes, depending on your oven AND the thickness of the chicken strips. Check chicken after 12 minutes to see if they need more cooking time by cutting a thick piece in half with a knife. Once the pink is gone, the chicken is fully cooked.

Enjoy!

-Do your kids like chicken nuggets?
-Do you think you’ll try these?

St. Patty’s Day Sugar Cookies

Published on March 14, 2012 in Organic and Recipes. 1 Comment Tags: Baby, family, Luck of the Irish, organic, Parenting, recipe, St. Patty's Day, sugar cookies recipe.

I know, I know, this photo is from Valentine’s Day. And clearly I had my act together enough to get this recipe out in time for Valentine’s Day. So…rather than wait until St. Patty’s Day has come and gone, I wanted to publish this recipe because it is SO perfect for St. Patty’s Day cookies! I’ll be making these with my girls to celebrate our Irish roots.

I usually use organic flour, butter, sugar, and eggs. And for the icing? I mix organic powdered sugar with milk and mix in a little canned beet juice. For St. Patty’s day cookies, you could mix in a little juice from a can of asparagus or puree a few spinach leaves in water and mix into the sugar/milk mixture. Sounds gross, but with the tiny amount you’ll use, you won’t be able to taste the veggies. Try to avoid those food dyes!

St. Patty’s Day Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

2 3/4 c all-purpose flour
1 t baking soda
1/2 t baking powder
1 c butter, softened
1 1/2 c white sugar
1 egg
1 t vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and baking powder.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients. Roll dough into rounded balls (using a teaspoon), and place onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden. Let stand on cookie sheet for two minutes before removing to cool on wire racks.

The Dirty Dozen Processed Food Ingredients to Avoid

Published on January 31, 2012 in Food, Health & Safety and Organic. 4 Comments Tags: Acesulfame potassium, Artificial colors, Aspartame, Autolyzed Plant Protein, Autolyzed Yeast, BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole), BHT (butylated hyroxytoluene), Calcium Caseinate, dirty dozen processed food ingredients to avoid, Equal, family eating, Gelatin, Glutamate, Glutamic Acid, health and food, how to eat healthy, how to feed babies healthy foods, Hydrogenated oils, Hydrolized Plant Protein, Hydrolized Vegetable Protein, Hydrolyzed vegetable protein, Monopotassium Glutamate, monosodium glutamate, MSG, NutraSweet, partially hydrogenated oils, Potassium bromate, Propyl gallate, sodium benzoate, Sodium Caseinate, Sodium nitrate, unhealthy food ingredients, why processed foods are bad, Yeast Extract, Yeast Food or Nutrient.

By now you’ve probably heard of the EWG’s “dirty dozen” foods. This phrase is used to describe the dozen fruits and vegetables that contain the most pesticides and should be replaced with organic counterparts. Well, Dr. Bill Sears has developed a “Dirty Dozen” list of ingredients to avoid in common foods. Most of these ingredients influence the taste, structure, and/or shelf life of processed foods. Below is his list of these ingredients. I have added an explanation for why you should avoid them.

Researching the ingredients in this article has prompted me to re-read food labels on my organic processed foods (organic chicken stock, hummus, bread, cereal, etc.) and I was shocked to find several of these ingredients in my pantry/refrigerator. I make most of our family’s meals from scratch these days. But even making meals from ‘scratch’ (using mostly whole foods) oftentimes means adding chicken stock or other processed foods to complete the recipe. Processed food companies have become really smart, especially organic food companies, at “hiding” ingredients that health foodies try to avoid. My biggest surprises were learning more about the bacon I buy my family (celery salt added to cured meats can = 10x more nitrates than regular bacon!), as well as the organic chicken stock (contains “autolyzed yeast,” or a hidden name for MSG) and hummus (contains sodium benzoate as a preservative) that I have been buying and feeding my family.

-Are you surprised by any of these ingredients/findings?

-What do you have in your pantry that contains these ingredient(s)?

1. Hydrogenated/partially hydrogenated oils

Examples of foods that can contain hydrogenated oils: margarine, vegetable shortening, white bread, non-dairy coffee creamers, tortillas, fast food, donuts, ice cream, peanut butter.

Trans fats are made by adding hydrogen to vegetable oil through a process called hydrogenation. Trans fats gives oil a longer shelf life, which helps food stay fresh longer. However, trans fat, also known as trans-fatty acids, raises your “bad” (LDL) cholesterol and lowers your “good” (HDL) cholesterol.

High LDL cholesterol and low HDL cholesterol increases your risk of heart disease, which happens to be the leading cause of death in the U.S.

2. Aspartame (NutraSweet, Equal)

Examples of foods that can contain aspartame: diet sodas, cereals, chewing gum, flavored water, no sugar added ice creams, fat free/sugar free yogurt, juice drinks, jams and jellies

Aspartame is made of methanol, phenylalanine and aspartic acid, and is used in diet sodas and thousands of other products worldwide. Research has linked aspartame to diabetes, fibromyalgia, vision problems, and certain forms of cancer (i.e. brain tumors).

And did you know that formaldehyde is a product of methanol? Formaldehyde gathers in specific areas of the brain over time and causes degenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Pregnant women especially beware! Aspartame is an excitotoxin, or a substance that has the potential to damage or kill cells in the nervous system. Before a baby is born, its nervous system is extremely vulnerable to dangerous excitotoxins that the mother consumes. Too much exposure to phenylalanine or aspartic acid can cause irreversible brain damage and other serious birth defects.

3. MSG (monosodium glutamate)

Examples of foods that can contain MSG: lunch meats, canned soups, bouillon cubes, instant noodles, cake mixes, fast foods, chips, snack foods, frozen dinners, salad dressings, chicken/beef stocks

Other “hidden” names for MSG on food packages: Monosodium Glutamate, Monopotassium Glutamate, Glutamate, Glutamic Acid, Hydrolized Vegetable Protein, Hydrolized Plant Protein, Autolyzed Plant Protein, Sodium Caseinate, Autolyzed Yeast, Yeast Food or Nutrient, Yeast Extract, Calcium Caseinate, Gelatin

MSG is used in processed foods as a flavor enhancer. However, it stimulates the pancreas to produce insulin, which effectively drops your blood sugar because of this flood of insulin. As a result, you end up hungry again an hour or so later, which is why you’re always hungry an hour after a major chow-down on Chinese food. Research studies have linked MSG to adverse reactions such as headaches, heart palpitations, chest pain, nausea, and other physical symptoms.

4. Hydrolyzed vegetable protein (one of MSG’s hidden names)

Examples of foods that can contain hydrolyzed vegetable protein: soups, sauces, chilis, stews, hot dogs, gravies, seasoned snack foods, dips, and dressings

According to the Food Poison Journal, hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP), is “produced by boiling cereals or legumes, such as soy, corn, or wheat, in hydrochloric acid and then neutralizing the solution with sodium hydroxide. The acid hydrolyzes, or breaks down, the protein in vegetables into their component amino acids. The resulting dark colored liquid contains, among other amino acids, glutamic acid, which consumers are more familiar with in the form of its sodium salt, monosodium glutamate, or MSG. It is used as a flavor enhancer in many processed foods.”

5. BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole)

Examples of foods that can contain BHA: butter, enriched rice, meats, cereals, chewing gum, baked goods, snack foods, dehydrated potatoes, beer. It’s also found in several other types of products including animal feed, food packaging, cosmetics, rubber products, and petroleum products

BHA is used in the food industry as a preservative to maintain food odor, color, and flavor. The same chemical properties which make BHA a good preservative may also cause health effects. The oxidative characteristics and/or metabolites of BHA (and BHT – see #6 below) may cause cancer and/or tumors. Also, there is evidence that some people may have difficulty metabolizing BHA and BHT, resulting in health and behavior changes.

6. BHT (butylated hyroxytoluene)

Examples of foods that can contain BHT: Cereals, shortening, foods high in fats and oils

Like BHA, BHT also prevents foods from becoming rancid and is used to preserve food odor, color, and flavoring. Additionally, packaging materials often incorporate BHT. The oxidative characteristics and/or metabolites of BHT (and BHA- see #5 above) may cause cancer and/or tumors. Also, there is evidence that some people may have difficulty metabolizing BHA and BHT, resulting in health and behavior changes.

7. Acesulfame potassium (K)

Examples of foods that can contain acesulfame potassium: tabletop sweeteners, desserts, puddings, baked goods, soft drinks, candies and canned foods

Acesulfame potassium is used as a calorie-free artificial sweetener. In the 1970s, two rat studies suggested that acesulfame potassium might cause cancer. In 1996 the Center for Science in the Public Interest urged the FDA to require better testing before permitting acesulfame-K in soft drinks. Large doses of acetoacetamide, a breakdown product of acesulfame potassium, have been shown to cause adverse reactions in the thyroid in rats, rabbits, and dogs.

8. Potassium bromate

Examples of foods that can contain potassium bromate: breads, rolls or flour

Potassium bromate is added to foods to increase its volume. Potassium bromate has been known to cause cancer in laboratory animals since 1982, yet the FDA still declares it safe to eat. Potassium bromate has been linked to renal cell tumors and thyroid tumors, and can cause damage to our central nervous system.

9. Sodium nitrate

Examples of foods that can contain sodium nitrate: bacon, ham, sausage, hot dogs, lunch meats, corned beef and smoked fish

Sodium nitrate is a type of salt used in the food industry to preserve meat. When sodium nitrate is used as a curing agent in the food manufacturing industry, the sodium nitrate is converted to sodium nitrite (which is why you’ll see “without nitrates and nitrites” on some packages of bacon, sausages, etc.).

According to this site, “The reality is that companies that make nitrate-free hot dogs have to use something to substitute for the sodium nitrate. Celery juice is a popular choice. And guess what celery juice contains lots of? Sodium nitrate. And guess what that sodium nitrate turns into when you eat it? Sodium nitrite!

As we said earlier, celery is a natural source of sodium nitrate. (Notice that no one is currently claiming that celery causes cancer or that people should reduce their intake of celery.) But by adding celery juice to their hot dogs, manufacturers can make products loaded with sodium nitrate while legally being able to claim “no added nitrates.” Because all the nitrates are in the celery juice. As a matter of fact, these supposedly “natural” or “organic” products sometimes contain twice as much sodium nitrate, even up to a whopping ten times as much sodium nitrate, as conventional products. “

That being said, a Natural News article suggests that sodium nitrite is a poisonous compound. According to the article, consuming processed meats (hot dogs, bacon, lunch meats) results in:

A 67% increase in pancreatic cancer
A 74% higher risk of leukemia
A 40% higher risk of diabetes

Yikes! I won’t be buying bacon anytime soon!

10. Propyl gallate

Examples of foods that can contain propyl gallate: microwaveable popcorn, soup mixes, chewing gum, mayonnaise, and frozen meals

Studies on rats have shown that propyl gallate may cause cancer. Other potential side effect of consuming propyl gallate are stomach and skin irritability, as well as allergic reactions that constrict breathing. Propyl gallate may also cause kidney and liver problems.

Although the FDA considers propyl gallate safe, many other countries have banned its use, or limit use of this ingredient. the substance did not require a pre-market review or approval process. Since the FDA lists propyl gallate as “generally recognized as safe,” the substance did not require a pre-market review or approval process.

11. Sodium benzoate

Examples of foods that can contain sodium benzoate: Soft drinks, packaged hummus, packaged beverages, fruit preserves and jellies, concentrated orange juice, margarine, fast-food burgers, fruit pies, relishes and sauerkraut

Sodium benzoate is used as a preservative in processed foods to prevent the growth of bacteria, yeast or other microorganisms. Sodium benzoate is sometimes used as a preservative in soft drinks, along with ascorbic acid (vitamin C). With excessive heat exposure, the two additives combined may interact to form benzene, which is known to cause cancer.

Sodium benzoate can also cause hyperactivity in children. A research study published in the Lancet, a British medical journal, illustrates that drinks containing food colorings and sodium benzoate nearly double children’s hyperactivity levels. The study included 300 children in two age groups: 3 year olds and 8-9 year olds.

12. Artificial colors

Examples of foods that can contain artificial colors: Candy (M&M’s, Skittles, Starburst Chews), pickles, boxed mac-n-cheese, loli-pops, fruit juices, flavored drinks, bottled pedialyte, boxed muffins with added “fruit”. You want to check any processed foods that are colorful – most contain artificial colors.

Studies have revealed a link between artificial colors and a range of attention and behavior disorders in children, including ADHD, hyperactivity, allergies, asthma, and migraines.

It’s easy to decipher ingredient lists that contain artificial food coloring. Look for any color followed by a number (e.g. Blue 1 or Yellow No.6). Of particular concern are Yellow No.5, Blue No.2, and Red No.3.

For Shame, California Baby

Published on January 20, 2012 in Diapering & Potty Training, Health & Safety and Organic. 5 Comments Tags: calendula, calendula cream, California Baby, complaints, disclosure, Facebook, formula change, formulation change, Jessica Iclisoy, Letter from the founder, new label, product formulation, rash, sodium benzoate.

And we thought we were disappointed with California Baby before. We stopped using their products long ago when they didn’t respond to our requests for more information – a common practice of the company we learned from other bloggers who also sought information. I wasn’t willing to put a product on my child from a company that was unwilling to participate in full disclosure.

And just today, it seems they’ve shown their true colors. They recently changed some of their product formulations without warning to their customers. I found a comment on Amazon.com noting a formulation change as early as December 3. For weeks, maybe more, they denied that any changes had been made despite complaints from customers of irritation and rashes, including reports of burning and stinging sensations from the calendula cream. This comment, among many other similar claims from customers who contacted the company, was posted on their Facebook page earlier today:

December 31st — California Baby: “Hi! The scent has not changed. But as our products are crop based, there will be some variance from from to crop. The only thing that is new is the label; we have been using our in-house extracted calendula for over a year now…expect slight variances to color, texture and scent with natural and organic products (vs. synthetic). That’s how you can tell they are TRULY natural. =) Cheers!”

Just thought I’d reintroduce a comment from California Baby’s founder, Jessica, from a few weeks back when they were stating that the only thing that was “NEW” is the label. No admission at all of the formula change. I can never trust this company again. Ugh.

And then 23 hours ago, they posted on their website a letter from the founder, Jessica Iclisoy, with this admission:

I recently tweaked some of our ingredients, and the result are products that are even more safe, eco-friendly and fabulous than before.

Needless to say, California Baby’s loyal customers are a little more than upset. There’s just no excuse for intentionally deceiving your customers.

If you’re a customer, you may think twice about supporting a company with such a willful lack of integrity.

Update 1-21-12:

All customer postings have now been removed from California Baby’s Facebook page, and the wall has been turned off for further posts (but for comments on company-sponsored posts) despite the following statement on their wall:

As a company policy we do not edit or remove any of these postings reflecting your opinions including those which are critical of us or depict us in a negative way. Likewise, as a matter of policy, we will remove postings that are factually incorrect, exceptionally mean-spirited, or clearly self-promotional..

Last night, the company also issued a statement on its Facebook page to address customer’s complaints. The company describes some of the changes that were made and why and then goes on to make excuses for their lack of full disclosure, claiming “We are a small company and were still in the process of aggregating all of the new information and putting together a complete list of all the changes that we could share with you.”

I find this to be a poor excuse. If a company has the time and resources to research and change their formulation and packaging and distribute a new product, surely they have the information and resources to notify their customers, especially when so many of their customers had flocked to them because of sensitive skin and allergies. The label could simply have been designed to say “new formulation”. Priorities, priorities. If this was not deliberate, it sure was a gross oversight. Judging from the reports of direct denials from the company in the face of concerned customers, my suspicion is that it was deliberate and now the company is attempting, albeit poorly, to control the damage.

Update 1-23-12:

California Baby has issued an apology and a response to complaints about the calendula cream (my emphasis added):

There is absolutely no reason for our creams to cause breakouts or rashes. This cream hasn’t changed — the tweaks did not alter the core formulation — the changes were minor. Keep in mind that we are in the midst of winter, which is when almost everyone has raw sensitive skin, allergies and eczema can act up, the indoor dryness gets the better of many of us, and our skin reacts. If you/your child’s skin is very sensitive, we suggest using our Super Sensitive/no fragrance Lotion because some people can be sensitive to essential oils. Sorry if you feel you were lied to, we certainly did not lie. It maybe that our definition of ‘change’ is different. We stand by and are very proud of our products. All of CB products are made to the highest standard available and great care goes into choosing every ingredient. Our process is carefully monitored and tested along the way. California Baby products are made with truly high quality natural and organic ingredients. We have not changed. Cheers!

You might want to hop on over to SafeMama’s post here to see if you agree that their products have not changed. Or you can read the numerous comments on some of their posts where customers talk of putting the newly formulated cream on their skin and clearly identifying a burning sensation. California Baby – you’re making a bad situation worse. There’s clearly an ego problem going on here, and it’s terribly unfortunate.

Update 1-24-12:

California Baby has now sanitized their Facebook page. All company postings regarding the change, and all negative comments (over 1K) have been removed. If only it were that easy to wipe the slate clean. The company statement describing the changes and the reasons for them can now be found here.

For those looking for another skin care brand, SafeMama provides some great cheat sheets, like this one for baby skin care recommendations. My favorite baby wash is from the Adorable Baby line by Loving Naturals. Their baby wash rates a “0″ on EWG’s Skin Deep scale with a good amount of research data supporting the individual ingredients included. The ingredient list is simple and straightforward, explaining the purpose for the inclusion of each ingredient in layman’s terms right on the label. This company seems to wear their ethics on their sleeve, and that makes this mama happy.

-Jasmine

“Holy Moly” Chunky Guacamole

Published on January 17, 2012 in Food, Health & Safety, Organic and Recipes. 6 Comments Tags: avocado, Baby, chunky guacamole, delicious guacamole, family, guacamole recipe, homemade guacamole, Parenting, recipes, toddler, what to make with avocados, yummy guacamole.

Although guacamole is traditionally Summer fare, it’s one of those foods that has a lot of nutritional value, yet still can be considered comfort food. We make this recipe in our house and serve it with salad, on chicken tortilla night, spread it on homemade turkey sandwiches, or eat it as a snack with carrots and/or tortilla chips. YUM.

And the best part about this comfort food (other than its taste)? It is super healthy for you! Studies have shown that avocados can help prevent breast cancer (as it is high in oleic acid), prohibit the growth of prostate cancer, and destroy pre-cancerous and cancerous oral cancer cells without harming healthy cells. They are also known to lower cholesterol, reduce the incidence of heart disease and stroke due to the fruit’s high levels of folate. Avocados are also chalk full of Vitamin E, which protects our skin from free radicals.

“Holy Moly” Chunky Guacamole

Ingredients:
3 – 4 small ripe avocados, or 2-3 large ripe avocados
1/2 medium-sized red onion
2-3 large garlic cloves, pressed (if you REALLY love garlic, add 3 cloves)
1 large tomato, diced (make sure to remove the seeds & pulp beforehand)
juice of 2 limes
1/4 c fresh cilantro
ground cayenne pepper, to taste
coarse salt and black pepper, to taste

Directions:
Wash the avocados, then separate the flesh (from the seed and peel) with a spoon and place the flesh in a bowl. Gently mash the avocados with a fork, being careful not to mash them up too much (especially if you’re like me and like your guacamole a little on the chunky side).

Add the onion, tomato, garlic, cilantro, cayenne pepper, and a little salt and pepper. Mix the ingredients together. Gradually add the lime juice, tasting the guacamole as you go until desired taste is reached. You can add additional salt and pepper to taste, if needed, as well.

2 tips for preventing your guacamole from turning brown while storing it in the refrigerator:
1) Place the seeds of the avocado in the bowl with the guacamole.

2) Cover the guacamole with saran wrap, so that none to very little oxygen bubbles are between the saran wrap and guacamole.

Enjoy!

How to Encourage Healthy Eating at Home

Published on January 11, 2012 in Activity, Food, Health & Safety and Organic. 6 Comments Tags: Baby, chocolate milk, health foods, healthy eating, how to get my kids to eat healthy food, how to teach kids about eating healthy meals, nutrition, Parenting, teaching children about health and diet, teaching children about nutrition, toddler, unhealthy foods.

The other morning when I dropped my oldest daughter off at daycare, she asked me to come closer to whisper in my ear. As I bent down, she cupped her hands over my ear and asked, “Mom, can you please bring in chocolate milk for me to drink at school?” Her request made me laugh. I said “No, honey, that wouldn’t be fair to all of your other friends to sit there and watch you drink chocolate milk for breakfast and lunch while they drink regular milk. And, chocolate milk is a treat, it has far too much sugar in it to drink at every meal – that’s not healthy for you!”

That’s when her friends in the classroom pointed out several half gallons of chocolate milk that had been brought in by parents for a few kids to drink during mealtimes.

And as I was tucking her in that same evening, she asked, “Mom, can you buy Fruit Loops please?” Stunned, I immediately asked her, “honey, what are Fruit Loops?” And she responded with “they are really bright colored cheerios.” She went on to tell me that one of the same kids in class who gets to drink chocolate milk for breakfast and lunch also brings in Fruit Loops to eat in the morning.

I spent most of that day highly annoyed with the idea that kids could be allowed to bring in chocolate milk and Fruit Loops for breakfast and lunch, while all the other kids sit there and watch. But, by the end of the day, I realized that this was only the beginning of what will become a lifelong discussion with my kids about health and nutrition.

I explained to my daughter that eating those foods every day is not healthy because of the high amount of sugar they have in them. It’s not good for their bellies, as too much sugar will make their bellies hurt, and will rot their teeth. Of course, my argument was met with “But so-and-so’s parents buy them for them.” I went on to tell her that I can’t control what other parents buy for their kids, but that in our house, those types of foods are not eaten every day. I also reminded her that she and her sister had just eaten mint chocolate chip ice cream cones for dessert after dinner.

Although my kids are beginning to ask for foods that I wouldn’t give them on a daily (or even weekly) basis, I am thankful that we’re able to have the dialogue about why those foods are or aren’t healthy, and why they’re eaten in moderation. Afterall, my husband, kids and I have been talking about well-balanced eating for a long time, and they understand that healthy food = healthy bodies.

A few months ago, my oldest daughter was asked by her teachers “What foods do you eat that are healthy and why are they healthy?” She responded “I eat eggs because it’s protein and I eat chicken because it’s protein.” She was three years old at the time.

Healthy eating undoubtedly starts with eating at home. Below are a few games and tips for how to have an open dialogue with your child(ren) about healthy eating.

-How do you encourage healthy eating in your home?

1. Start talking about food with your kids – early

Maintain an open dialogue with your kids about food. The best time to start is when your kids are really young (2 or 3 years old) and the family is sitting around the dinner table. Kids naturally are very curious to learn, and love to discuss why something is good or not good for their bodies and why. You could start by asking your children the colors of the foods on their plate, and to name the food item.

2. Play the “food game – Part 1″

To begin teaching my kids the fundamentals of healthy eating, I often play the food game with my kids. We take our plastic and wooden foods, and one-by-one, name the food and then place them into categories. Our categories are usually proteins, carbohydrates, fruits, dairy, desserts (which could be categorized as a carb, but I prefer to keep them separate for the next game).

3. Play the “food game – Part 2″

Next, I’ll ask each of my kids to make me a plate with a well-balanced meal. I’ll give them a plastic plate, and they will put a meal on it for me. Then, we’ll talk about why that meal is healthy/not healthy. A healthy plate usually consists of a protein, a vegetable (or two), a fruit, dairy, and a healthy carbohydrate (potato, rice, or pasta).

4. Learn about food through the senses

You could take a few of your plastic or wooden food items and place them in a brown paper bag. Either blindfold or ask your kids to close their eyes. Hold the bag open and let them pick out one food item with their hands and name the food item by feeling it with their fingers. Or, you could place real food in a container and allow them to taste the food one at a time (while their eyes are closed) and tell you what they’re tasting.

5. Color your favorite plate

Ask the kids to draw their favorite meal on paper. You can help them choose the right colored crayons. Alternatively, you could draw their favorite foods on paper and have them color them in. Either way, it’s another opportunity to open the dialogue about food with your kids.

6. Cook with your kids!

We’ve written several posts about the importance and pleasure of cooking with kids (yes, it can be messy, too), but kids love to help in the kitchen.

Read Cooking with Your Young Child

I often find myself in the ‘get it done’ mode and just want to get dinner on the table as soon as possible. My four year old begs for me to let her help me. When she asks, I usually oblige. She’s happy even if I just let her pour in a few pre-measured ingredients into a bowl. Or stir/whisk something that I’ve thrown together. The point is, you don’t have to get them fully involved to let them feel like they’re helping (and still get dinner on the table quickly). They are usually happy to help with what adults would consider menial tasks, or to help set the table with napkins and silverware.

Preparing Your Body for Breastfeeding

Published on January 6, 2012 in Breastfeeding and Organic. 6 Comments Tags: Baby, Breastfeeding, how to breastfeed, how to prepare breasts fo breastfeeding, how to prepare yoru body for breastfeeding, lanolin cream, new parenting tips, newborn, Parenting, preparing for baby, tips for preparing for baby, toddler.

Source: Photo by myllissa, Flickr

This morning as I was getting ready for the day, I was thinking about everything I need to do to prepare my body for the arrival of my third baby. And it dawned on me that maybe other expecting moms might be able to benefit from what I’ve learned, and what’s worked best for me and other moms I know.

For those of you moms who have nursed your babies and are reading this, what am I forgetting? Please feel free to add what you’ve done to prepare for your babies!

1. Start applying lanolin cream to your breasts two months before your baby is scheduled to arrive

This is the #1 tip that I received, and I pass along to all new mothers who are planning to breastfeed their babies. After nursing two babies for a total of 20 months, I have never had a cracked or bleeding nipple and I’m pretty sure lanolin cream had something to do with it.

Two months may seem like a long time, but you might end up delivering early. By applying lanolin cream two months before your due date, you can rest assured that your breasts will be ‘primed and ready’ for your newborn. Twice a day (I suggest morning and evening) apply 100% lanolin cream to your nipple and surrounding areola. Make sure to use nursing pads to shield your bra and clothes from getting stained with lanolin cream. It is extremely sticky/gooey, and the pads will help acclimate your breasts to rubbing against another fabric/fiber.

And make sure to have an extra tube of lanolin cream around as you’ll apply it after every feeding once your baby is born.

2. Invest in a good nursing bra

I can’t tell you how important this is. I have bought countless nursing bras, only to find that many of them were uncomfortable and ended up collecting dust in my dresser. I suggest investing in a good nursing bra several months before your child is due, so that you can begin wearing it as soon as your breasts expand. Stay away from underwire if you can. While pregnant/nursing, my breasts are well endowed in size (wish I could say the same after breastfeeding, lol) and I have never felt that my underwire-less bra didn’t provide sufficient support. I wear this Bravado Designs’ Body Silk Seamless Nursing Bra. I know it’s expensive, but it will save you a ton of money in the long run by not settling for the many cheap ones that fall apart or dig into your breasts. As you will see, this nursing bra resembles a sports bra, and it’s both very comfortable and supportive.

3. Take inventory of your pumping equipment

Make sure you have all of the parts you’ll need for your pump, including new tubing. If you have borrowed or acquired a pump from a friend, you will want to buy brand new tubing as the old tubing may have come into contact with someone else’s milk. Also, you’ll need BPA-free milk bags, or if you prefer to pump directly into bottles, you’ll need to make sure that you have the proper attachments that secures your bottles to your pumping equipment.

4. Forego the chemical-laden “stretch mark” lotions and try 100% organic coconut oil

I admit, I’ve fallen for this one in the past too. Many creams say 100% natural ingredients, but when you read through the long list of chemical-sounding names, you’ll probably realize that those lotions are anything but natural. Since skin is the largest organ on the human body, do you really want those toxins getting absorbed into your blood stream and introduced to your fragile baby ecosystem? If you’re curious, you can look up the safety of your lotion on the EWG’s cosmetics database. They’ll tell you how safe that lotion really is for your body and for your baby.

If you’re worried about stretch marks as your breasts expand, try rubbing coconut oil on them instead of creams made specifically for “reducing breast stretch marks.” You’ll save a bundle and as many other moms will attest, stretch marks are more of a product of genetics and less about how much or what type of cream you use.

5. Get mentally prepared

The first six weeks of nursing are the toughest. Trust me, you will probably question whether or not to continue every day for weeks. It takes a lot of commitment and patience to forego sleep when you are more exhausted than you’ve ever been in your life, so that you can continue nursing your baby (and get your supply going). But take it from someone who’s been there twice – it will get better! It will probably take 4-6 weeks after your baby is born to get into the rhythm of things, but once those first few weeks are over, nursing will become much easier. As your baby grows, you won’t need to continue nursing every two hours (24×7) and you’ll start getting some longer breaks between feedings (and they get longer from there, too). And remember that breastfeeding your baby is one of the best things that you can do to give your baby a healthy start in life. And you’ll save a bundle on formula to boot!

Now, if you try breastfeeding and either don’t or can’t produce milk, or can’t nurse for other reasons, please don’t subject yourself to never-ending guilt. You will need your emotional self in tact so that you can continue caring for and loving all over that baby – guilt free!

6. Find breastfeeding support

Whether it is a friend, family member, La Leche League, or a Mom’s group that can serve as a resource, it’s important to have support lined up. This is especially the case in the early days when breastfeeding is hardest and when new moms might struggle to develop proper techniques and latch. Another excellent resource for breastfeeding is kellymom.com. Also, Jasmine’s article “10 Tips for a Successful Start to Breastfeeding” provides other great tips for a successful start to breastfeeding once your baby arrives.

7. Get plenty of rest

So cliche, but no matter how difficult you’re finding sleeping now while pregnant, you haven’t experienced exhaustion until after your little one(s) arrives. Stress and exhaustion can impact your milk supply, so kick your feet up, relax and get as much shut eye as you can now. As if labor and delivery weren’t tiring enough as it is, caring for a newborn takes exhaustion to an entirely new level.

That being said, every time you look into that baby’s eyes, you’ll know the exhaustion, effort, and perseverance are worth every single second!

-Heather

Reboot Your Health in 2012 with Immune and Energy-Boosting Tips

Published on January 3, 2012 in Food, Health & Safety and Organic. 4 Comments Tags: antibiotics, Baby, family, green smoothie, multivitamins, Parenting, probiotics, smoothie recipes, toddler, vitamin D, what is a probiotic?, what probiotic should I take?.

Happy 2012! We hope that you enjoyed the holidays and that the new year has started off well.

We will be focusing on health and nutrition throughout the month of January. To start out, we have created a list of ways in which you can reboot your family’s health in 2012, including how to boost your immune system and increase energy levels. We wish you and your family a healthy year ahead!

Boost Your Immune System

1. Eat as many organic foods as possible
Plain and simple, organic foods do not contain genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Genetically modified organisms were invented so that crops could be sprayed the heck out of with pesticides. If you don’t eat organic foods, especially fresh fruits and vegetables, you’re consuming lots of pesticides. Yes, it is true that organic foods are generally more expensive than non-organic foods. However, if you know where to shop, the difference is minimal. See our comparison shopping results of organic food prices versus non-organic food prices.

If you are beginning your organic food journey, then it’s important not to feel overwhelmed from the get-go. Please read our article on Simple Steps to Begin the Organic Food Journey.

2. Eliminate (or reduce) your intake of processed foods
For the same reasons as above, processed foods are loaded with GMOs and other toxins that are not healthy for your body. If you’re used to eating hot dogs, mac-n-cheese, chicken nuggets and other easy go-to foods, try substituting one or two of those meals with an easy homemade quinoa recipe, a nutrient rich kale Greek salad, black beans and rice, or our potato leek soup.

3. Take a probiotic supplement
Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that inhabit our digestive tract and leave behind useful by-products while bad bacteria leave behind disease promoting waste. Probiotics can be used to help with diarrhea, constipation, reflux (if your child has reflux, please talk to your pediatrician about incorporating a probiotic into their daily food intake), yeast infections, lactose intolerance, restoring the immune system after taking antibiotics, ear infections, acne, diaper rash, colic and a host of other common issues. You can buy a probiotic from your local health food store. Since they are living organisms, refrigeration is necessary.

My children and I are all taking Natural Creations Enterobiotic S-IGC 60Caps.

4. Take a daily multivitamin
A daily multivitamin will provide the essential vitamins and nutrients that your body needs and is not getting from a daily diet. You want a food-based vitamin, instead of a chemical vitamin, as we outline in our article “Is Your Child’s Vitamin Healthy?”

My kids take the Nordic Naturals Multivitamin Gummies.

5. Drink a nutrient-rich smoothie 3-4 times per week
Chalk full of phytochemicals and antioxidants, a smoothie will help your immune system pack a powerful punch against invading bacteria. I have been alternating giving my kids their daily multivitamins with smoothies. So on days they get a smoothie, I don’t give them their multivitamin. If you’d like to try our liquid vitamins, here’s our recipe for our immune-boosting smoothie.

6. Stop using chemical-laden body care products
Right now is a good time to take inventory on how many chemical-based products you use on a daily basis. If you’re ready to “get real” and take stock of how many products are junking up your immune system, this article is a great place to start.

Boost Your Energy Level

7. Make sure you’re getting plenty of Vitamin D
Are you tired all the time? Feeling sluggish? You should go get your blood checked for vitamin D at your next Dr. appointment. I am in my 33rd week of pregnancy and have noticed a HUGE difference in days that I take an additional vitamin D supplement and days that I forget to take my extra capsule. Vitamin D is needed by your body to absorb calcium, and helps prevent osteoporosis in adults and rickets in children. And according to the NIH, laboratory and animal studies suggest that vitamin D could help prevent colon, prostate and breast cancers.

If you’d like to read more about the importance of vitamin D, see our article called “What is Your Vitamin D ‘Number’?”

8. Exercise
Among other healthy benefits, exercise helps control weight, combats disease, releases endorphins that improves ones’ mood, boosts energy, and promotes healthy sleep.

9. Make sure you’re getting plenty of sleep!
Sleep is very important for our minds and bodies to function normally. ‘Nuff said. Now go get some shut-eye!

-What do you do to keep yourself and your family healthy?

-Heather

The Best of Purebebe 2011

Published on December 30, 2011 in Letter from the Editors, LOL Moments, Organic, Parenting & Discipline and Recipes. 2 Comments Tags: Baby, best of list, best of purebebe articles, best recipes for 2011, best sunscreen picks 2011, Eric Carle, family, funny articles, healthy recipes, hilarious quotes, meat glue, organic grocery comparison, Parenting, safe sunscreens, slow cooker mongolian beef, toddler, walmart enfamil recall 2011.

As the year winds down, Jasmine and I decided to put together a “Best of Purebebe” list for 2011. This list was generated based on the number of times readers viewed these articles during 2011.

Although we had planned to have a resolutions post done for 2011, we have simply run out of time with the holidays. So we’ll take a minute to share our Purebebe resolutions with you.

First, the really fun news…
This year we have seen a drastic increase in search engine traffic, mainly because we weren’t getting any love from search engines for the first year and a half that we were blogging (long story, but many thanks to Jasmine for figuring everything out and fixing the issue).

Next, the “what we’re working on” stuff…
One of our objectives for 2012 is to work on generating more comments from you – our readers. By the end of 2011, traffic to our site has more than quadrupled from what it was at the beginning of this year. And we are VERY happy about that! As you may or may not know, Jasmine and I currently don’t make any money from this site. We do a ton of research (research that we’d probably be doing anyways as parents) and publish that research and knowledge so that others can benefit from it. That being said, we’d like to hear from you more often (your thoughts, your ideas, your suggestions)! Please leave comments at the end of the posts, and if you try one of our recipes and like/don’t like it, please come back and let us know.

You can search for anything on our site in the search window, located in the right navigation panel on your screen, directly above “Recent Posts.” We also have a “Blog Archives” link at the top of this page, which allows you to search for articles based on topics.

If you are a new reader to Purebebe, welcome! And if you are one of our faithful readers who’s been with us for a while, well, we wouldn’t still be here doing what we’re doing without you.

-What were your favorite articles from 2011?

-What would you like us to focus on in 2012?

So without further ado, we’d like to present our 2011 Best-of-Purebebe articles:

Health/Safety

Walmart Issues Recall of Powdered Enfamil Formula After Infant Dies

6 Steps to Loving Your Post-Baby Body

PureBebe’s 2011 Sunscreen Picks

What’s the Beef With Meat Glue?

Think Organic Groceries Are Too Expensive? Our Comparison Shopping Results…

Entertainment/Leisure

Eric Carle is a Genius

“Toddler Tax” in Restaurants – Justified or Ridiculous?