Wishing everyone a happy holiday season filled with good food, family and friends!
Merry Christmas!
Jenna
From Table to Tablet
Have you heard? Healthy foods are making their way across gardens and grocery stores and moving onto...iPad screens! I recently read in The Globe and Mail that new applications, or "apps" for short, are being developed as educational tools for kids. Now your kids can learn about vegetables, fruits, healthy lunches and grocery shopping while playing games on an iPod or iPad. What's next??
Here are the blurbs about each app:
Fooducate lets you scan bar codes on foods to see a letter grade rating its healthiness. It turns grocery shopping into a point-and-shoot video game.
Go Go Mongo! has kids teach Mongo, a shapeless, one-toothed orange creature, how to make healthier choices. The game is designed for toddlers and features 40 colourful levels filled with fruits, vegetables, dairy and meats.
LaLa Lunchbox teaches kids and parents how to pack balanced lunches for school. Kids choose from a variety of food options and place them in a daily lunch box. Then, the app generates a full grocery list so parents can buy and prepare healthy, balanced lunches.
Munch5aday helps kids reach their recommended daily intake of fruits and veggies. Tap the icons on the screen each time you munch an apple or a carrot, and the app rewards you with badges when you hit your target.
Awesome Eats allows you to sort and stack fruits, veggies and whole grains in order to learn how to build a healthy plate. Thieving birds and other obstacles make the game challenging and fun.
Click on the links to learn more about each if you and your kids are interested!
Source: http://www.thestar.com/living/technology/article/1289071--smash-your-food-healthy-eating-apps-for-kids
Jenna
Cool Cucumber Bites
What you will need:
- English cucumbers (peeled)
- Dip ingredients: 1 container of nonfat sour cream, ~60g of dried vegetable soup mix, 1 tbsp of chopped fresh dill, 1 tbsp of light mayo, salt and pepper to taste
Start by peeling the cucumbers and cutting them into ~1.5cm slices. Next, use a metal teaspoon to hollow out the centre of each cucumber slice but make sure you leave some space at the bottom so that the dip doesn't fall through. Once you have combined all the dip ingredients together in a medium sized bowl, you can start to dish out a teaspoon or so of dip into each slice of cucumber. Serve and enjoy this snack cold :)
Tip: When I made this snack for my friends I dressed the cucumbers up a bit by topping them off with fresh dill.
Happy Mother's Day!
Wishing all of you mommies out there a wonderful and relaxing day with your family and friends!
- Jenna
Blending Baby Food with "The Baby Bullet"
I have come across The Baby Bullet (a cute and mini version of The Magic Bullet) in many stores over the past couple of months and it always grabs my attention. The Baby Bullet is a small blender that can be used to make your very own baby foods in minutes. Although I have yet to try out The Baby Bullet for myself, it seems like there are a lot of reasons why this little machine would be a must-have for parents of babies and toddlers:
- It is relatively cheap to buy ($59.99 Canadian at Home Outfitters) and you can save thousands of dollars on buying commercial baby food when you make your own at home.
- It comes with all of the tools you need to make AND store your baby food (ie. freezer-friendly batch trays, storage trays and re-sealable containers).
- Making your own baby foods using a blender like The Baby Bullet means that you have control over what goes into the food you feed your little ones - no unnecessary preservatives!
- It is super easy to use and you can make and store many batches of different foods in no time at all. On the package, it claims that one sweet potato can make up to 8 jars of baby food!
Tip: Even though The Baby Bullet is a great way to make quick and healthy baby foods, you do not need to purchase one if you have a blender at home. You still can puree baby foods and store them in ice cube trays or feeezer-safe glass jars.
Have any of you tried using The Baby Bullet? I would love to hear about your experiences with it.
M is for...Melon Pops!
With summer just around the corner, the warm weather and sunshine will have your kids running around outside and enjoying the heat. It's important to keep your children hydrated by providing them with plenty of water. A fun way to keep your kids cool while the sun is shining is to make them these delicious melon popsicles! This tasty and sweet recipe is nutritious and filled with water that will also help your kids stay hydrated.
What you will need:
- 1 1/2 cups cantaloupe chunks
- 1 tablespoon of 100% orange juice
- 1 1/2 cups honeydew chunks
- 1 tablespoon of lemon or limeade
To make the melon pops in layers, you need to make the cantaloupe and honeydew mixtures separately. First, puree the cantaloupe chunks with the orange juice in a blender. You can divide this blended mixture evenly into mini paper cups with popsicle sticks or into popsicle molds. Next, place the cups in the freezer for about an hour or until they become firm. You can then puree the honeydew chunks and lemon or limeade and add this mixture to each of the frozen cantaloupe mixtures. This will now create two separate layers of fruits and colours!
Nutrition facts on the snack:
These little melon pops are filled with nutrients like vitamin C and vitamin B. They are also low in energy so your kids will still be hungry for meals if you serve them as snacks during the day! Since melons are packed with water, you can be sure that these pops will help to quench thirst.
Tip: You can use other combinations of fruits and juices to make even more colourful layers!
Recipe and photo from: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/mint-melon-pops-10000001073881/
Go Bananas!
This treat is so simple you can prepare it in less than five minutes! All you need is a very ripe banana and some peanut (or other nut) butter. Start by slicing the banana length-wise without cutting it in half. Next, add a generous tablespoon of nut butter of your choice into the centre of the banana where you sliced it. Now, wrap the banana in plastic wrap tightly and place it in the freezer. After several hours in the freezer, this delicious snack is ready to be served.
The great thing about this snack recipe is that it is quick, easy and loaded with vitamins and minerals. Bananas are a wonderful source of potassium. Potassium helps the heart, kidneys, nervous system, and muscles to do their jobs. Eating foods that are packed with potassium can even help lower blood pressure. You can find potassium in many other fruits and vegetables like cantaloupe, kiwis, oranges and avocados.
Tip: If you're in a hurry, you can serve this snack without freezing it!
Photo credit: http://ohsheglows.com/2010/06/26/simple-tricks-to-inspire-a-workout/
Discover the Path to Healthy Eating!
I'd love to hear about your experiences with The Road to Healthy Eating and Crunch a Colour™
Thanks to Jennifer for sharing this awesome game with me :)
Jenna
Happy Easter!
Jenna
The Sunshine Vitamin
What's the big Deal about vitamin D? Well, kids need enough vitamin D in their diets to keep their bones strong and to help them fight infections. In Canada, we don't get as much sunshine as other parts of the world, so it's important to make sure your kids get enough vitamin D from their diets too.
Since vitamin D plays such a big role in maintaining proper bone and immune system health, Health Canada actually increased the recommendations for vitamin D (and calcium) in 2010. This means it's even more important to get enough to keep you and your family healthy!
So how much is enough?
- Infants 0-6 months: RDA = 400 IU (10 mcg), UL = 1000 IU (25 mcg)
- Infants 7-12 months: RDA = 400 IU (10 mcg), UL = 1500 IU (38 mcg)
- Children 1-3 years: RDA = 600 IU (15 mcg), UL = 2500 IU (63 mcg)
- Children 4-8 years: RDA = 600 IU (15 mcg), UL = 3000 IU (75 mcg)
- Children and adults 9-70 years: RDA = 600 IU (15 mcg), UL = 4000 IU (100 mcg)
The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) gives you an idea of how much vitamin D you and your family should aim for in a day and the Tolerable Upper Intake Level, or UL for short, tells you the amount of vitamin D you should not go over each day.
You might be wondering what 400 or 600 IUs of vitamin D looks like, so this might help you out:
- 1 cup of milk = 103 IU
- 1 cup fortified rice or soy beverage = 88 IU
- 1/2 cup fortified orange juice = 53 IU
- 1 egg yolk = 25 IU
- 75 g trout = 210 IU
- 75 g herring = 162 IU
- 75 g salmon (atlantic) = 246 IU
- 75 g mackerel = 81 IU
- 75 g tuna (light or white) = 44 IU
I hope this will help you to make sure your kids get enough of that sunshine vitamin each day to keep their bones strong and healthy!
Jenna
Ants on a Log
Since it's been a while since I posted any snack recipes, I thought it was time to post a new one! One of my favourite snack foods as a child was the famous "Ants on a Log"...a celery log smothered in peanut butter and topped with raisin ants.
All you need for this VERY simple recipe is:
All you need for this VERY simple recipe is:
- Celery
- Peanut, almond, or sunflower seed butter
- Raisins or Craisins®
Now it's crunch time!
Tip: Serve Ants on a Log with slices of apple, the pair make a great combo :)
Nutrition Facts on the Snack:
The protein found in peanut, almond and sunflower seed butters will keep your child satisfied until their next meal. You can also count on this snack to be low in calories and packed with nutrients. Celery is full of fibre, vitamins and minerals, which help to keep your kids healthy.
Jenna
Crunch a Colour!
I came across a game called Crunch a Colour when I was yet again, browsing the aisles of Chapters. I decided to buy it since I figured it could come in handy in the future when I am a dietitian, or when I have kids of my own.
The description on the box says,
"For less than the cost of a pizza, you can completely change the dynamic at your dinner table! Created by a mom, Crunch a Color™ is an engaging game that gives kids points for eating a balanced and colorful plate of veggies, fruits, proteins and grains. Bonus points for good manners and trying new foods! To win, earn at least 30 points, 3 color cards, and 1 protein card in a meal. Everyone can win! Play the game in one meal, or over the course of a week using the Crunch a Color™ reward chart that is included. Kids have fun racking up points and collecting the veggie characters while trying new foods, learning about healthy eating, and practicing good table manners."
I think this game is a great way to get your little ones to try new foods and learn more about healthy eating. It is important for children to eat a variety of different foods in order to get the most nutrition out of their diets. By serving your kids foods of many different colours, you will be exposing them to a wide variety of nutrients. Vegetables and fruits are a great example of colourful foods that are loaded with vitamins and minerals that will help your kids stay healthy. The Crunch a Colour game will get your child interested in vegetables and fruits, which will hopefully make them more willing to eat them regularly!
You can use this diagram to help you make a rainbow of vegetables and fruits with your kids:
Little Grocery Helpers
I remember when I was a kid I would always go grocery shopping with my parents and throw everything and anything into the cart. As much as I would have loved to have every sugary cereal, baked good, pudding and potato chips that I grabbed off of the shelf, I was often only allowed to choose one. Now that I'm older, I'm happy my parents didn't let me do the grocery shopping as a kid...or else there might have been trouble!
It's not always fun saying no to your child's favourite (...and sometimes very sugary) foods, but getting your kids involved in grocery shopping doesn't have to be a chore. Have your kids create their own healthy grocery lists by clicking HERE! Kids will love being able to choose their own groceries and soon you will be able to say "yes yes yes" to what they toss into the cart! You can print off their final grocery list and let them find the foods at the store. Giving kids independence will make them feel special and with this awesome tool, you can feel good about giving your kids the control.
Here is what the site looks like:
Give it a try!
Jenna
Picky Eater No More!
"I don't like that!", "I won't eat anything green!", "Yuck", "I want something else", "I'm allergic to vegetables"...If any of these are familiar phrases at meal time, you are not alone. Many parents struggle with finding foods that will please the picky palates of their kids. Although I don't have any children of my own yet, I have had many experiences feeding children while babysitting and I know it's not always an easy task! Kids can get pretty creative when it comes to finding excuses to get themselves out of eating what's on their plate. Even though it may be frustrating when your child says "no" to the foods you serve, just remember not to give up!
Here are some great tips from Dietitians of Canada that may help when feeding your picky eater:
- Add pureed or minced vegetables to spaghetti sauce, hamburgers, soups, muffins or bread.
- Offer some nutritious foods that contain fat like peanut or soynut butter, milk or cheese.
- Satisfy children’s thirst with water. Drinking lots of juice can fill up their little stomachs so that they are not hungry at regular meal times.
- Try new foods in small amounts and in a form that your toddler can easily handle.
- Although parents and caregivers are responsible for what, when and where children eat, children are responsible for how much and whether they eat.
Ellyn Satter is a Registered Dietitian who is known for her expertise in child nutrition. Throughout my university career, I have learned a lot about Ellyn Satter and her great tips and tricks on how to feed children effectively. I like that she really inspires parents to be the best they can be - she is very empowering!
When it comes to picky eating, Ellyn Satter recommends:
- Teach her to say “no, thank you" rather than "YUK." Have her leave the table if she behaves badly.
- Be family friendly with meals. Pair unfamiliar with familiar food, not-yet-liked with liked foods. Don't make special food for her.
- Be sure to put one or two foods on the menu that she ordinarily eats. Bread and milk would work.
- Let her pick and choose from what you put on the table, even if she eats five slices of bread and nothing else.
- Teach her to use her napkin to get food back out of her mouth when she discovers she doesn't want to swallow. (Teach yourself this trick, as well. It will make you braver about trying new food!)
I hope these tips give you hope that you can help your child combat their picky eating habits! It will get easier over time :)
Tip: It can take up to 15-20 tries of food before a child learns to like it!
Jenna
No time? No worries!
I was at Chapters browsing the bargain books section the other day when I came across a book called "Love in Spoonfuls" written by the authors of Parenting magazine. This book gives some great recipes for pureed baby foods and some "first bites" when introducing solid foods. I thought it might come in handy in my future career when I work with parents who are interested in making their own food for their babies. The book outlines some tips on how to make quick, easy and very nutritious foods for babies.
One idea I found particularly interesting in this book was freezing homemade baby food in ice cube trays! This is great for busy parents on-the-go who do not have time to make fresh baby food each day. Most purees containing meat can be frozen for up to 3 months and fruit and vegetable purees will keep for up to 6 months in the freezer. This means you can freeze several trays at a time and just simply thaw out a single serving-sized portion from the tray for feeding times!
Freezing baby purees can save you a lot of time and money since you do not need to purchase jars of food at the store!
Tips:
- Be sure to thaw out frozen servings of puree the safe way by letting them thaw overnight in the refrigerator or in the microwave. Remember not to let them thaw out by letting them sit at room temperature because this could make your baby sick.
- If you are just starting your baby on pureed food, add liquid to the puree to make it similar in consistency to breast milk.
- Before pureeing foods, be sure to cook each ingredient thoroughly.
