Kids’ Nutrition | Dr. Mom Online

“Just One Thing” ~ Simple Solutions for Making a Meal Healthier

March 31, 2010 By Dr. Mom Online Leave a Comment

Copy of P1050288

I know I’ve talked about this before, but I wanted to give a quick example of an important Nutrition tip.

You know I’m not a fan of making refined cereal grains the “center” of a meal. That’s why conventional North American breakfasts are such a nutritional and health disaster. Eating only cereal, or toast, or bagels, or muffins, or donuts, or pop tarts, and so on is truly a recipe for metabolic disaster. Our bodies, brains and overall performance and function suffer with garbage fuel like that.

BUT, I’m a mom. I know how things can go at breakfast.

Recently, a well-intentioned family member picked up a ginormous CASE or organic whole grain quick-cooked (“instant”) oatmeal from a discount warehouse because the sales person SAID it was very, very healthy!!! Sure enough, this stuff DOES lack almost all the big toxic offenders.

A couple problems though. It’s not a health-building food. (But this person was being kind and trying to ease any stress of getting kids ready and out the door in the morning!) Also, it’s LOADED with sugar!!! Yes, it’s in the form of evaporated cane juice… but it still spikes our blood sugar levels dramatically just like refined white sugar.

“Organic” doesn’t automatically mean “healthy” or “health-building”. (Just like “skinny” certainly doesn’t automatically mean “healthy”!!) Organic is definitely LESS toxic… no doubt about it.

Now, I could have just tossed the box… case, I mean. BUT, this kind person showed the kids…. and they, in turn, got all excited about the cool flavors that they hear other kids talk about. Great. Now what to do…?

Honestly, I get kind of worn down from always being the “mean” mom who “never lets them have anything they want”!! (insert eye roll) Puh-leeease!

So, we made a deal. We kept the box… at least for now. There are a couple flavors in there that they can try once, then we toss ‘em. Just too over-the-top loaded with sugar. All the rest, they can have once on awhile… not two days back to back and no second servings.

Also, mom has thrown in a couple other “tricks” to improve the overall health quotient of their meal when they DO have these grains for breakfast:

They are served their fresh fruit AND their clean protein (usually free range eggs) FIRST before they get the oatmeal.

*** Our brains and our metabolism function best when starting the day with fresh fiber and clean protein along with its accompanying natural fats.

Also, I “dilute” the sugary oatmeal with some organic whole grain, UNsweetened slow-cooked steel oats. They still gobble it down, so I’m thinkin’ it’s all good!

(We don’t have a microwave, so that’s not an issue here. But if you do, I’d add that to the list of things to do – or NOT do, in this case – in order to make a meal like this healthier. Microwave and health don’t go together! Boil your water for the oatmeal in a kettle or on the stove top. Microwaves only add to the toxicity issue.)

You can do this! Just ADD some “good stuff”, like the clean protein (and fats) and fresh fiber, to any less-than-healthy meal and it’s automatically healthIER!

If you like this little article, you might also enjoy http://drmomonline.com/nutrition/healthier-doesnt-have-to-be-harder-pizza-day-for-school-lunch/

If you need some ideas for health-building breakfasts, snacks and lunches for your kids, be sure to get your copy of Dr. Mom’s Healthy School Days Menu .

Related Blogs

Filed Under: Kids' Nutrition, Nutrition Tagged With: breakfast, cereal, grains, Nutrition, protein

HealthIER… Not Harder! Adding a Dose of Health to Conventional Breakfast

March 12, 2010 By Dr. Mom Online 1 Comment

choose-healthy-breakfast-cereal-200X200

Every few weeks, I let the kids “talk me into” having cereal for breakfast. I’m not a fan of breakfast cereal in general because of its lack of health-building components and the negative effect cereal grains have on our physiology, so it’s usually only every 3 weeks or more, on average.

I AM a fan of how easy and quick it is to prepare, however! I understand why it’s such an immensely popular breakfast choice. I have not seen any evidence that it is health-building, though. Man, my life would be SO much easier if it were! (Or if I didn’t know… or care!!)

The stuff’s expensive, though! Not much return on investment either.

This morning was a cereal morning. Honestly, it was mostly because we’re still in a Twilight Zone funk after our vacation – we were all up half the night; the animals in this house have all apparently gone nuts; I haven’t gone “real” grocery shopping yet for all our healthy breakfast protein sources and healthIER grains; and I was in a space cadet place this morning! Cereal seemed like the easiest way to go!

However, we have some agreements surrounding “grainy” breakfasts in order to minimize any negative health consequences.

1) We add a protein and its accompanying fat, and some fresh fiber to the meal. Usually before the cereal is even served. This morning, organic free-range eggs were served along with fresh strawberries and blueberries. Once those were finished, the cereal was served. This way, I know we provided the raw materials for building health FIRST.

*** Brains function significantly better if you provide them with a nice dose of protein and fat in the morning. It helps us learn, focus and remember better. It helps regulate our moods. It helps maintain clarity and energy. Having a starchy, grainy meal with no balance of protein and fats tends to have the opposite effect.

*** This is the number one recommendation I make to parents whose kids are cereal junkies. ADD some protein (with its fat) and some fresh fiber!!! You don’t even have to take away the cereal, or toast or baked goods or pastries or whatever it is. Just add the good stuff first. You can slowly reduce the focus on the conventional refined grains… and/or you can serve the protein and fiber first. Either way, just by adding the good stuff, you’re dramatically improving the health and function of your child’s brain each day!

2) I choose a healthIER source of grains for the cereal. In this case, it was an organic, whole grain, very high fiber, very low sugar type of cereal. I’d prefer sprouted grains, but I haven’t re-stocked yet.

3) I use organic almond milk or organic rice milk – both diluted, and only brands that are NOT fortified with vitamin D2. (It’s inflammatory.) D3 is the ‘good’ kind of D. Also, we use coconut milk – again, only if NOT fortified with D2, or organic whole buttermilk. If we consumed milk with any regularity at all, I’d definitely choose organic, raw, unpasteurized milk from grass-fed cows or goats as my top choice. It’s just such a rarity for our family, so I haven’t bothered buying a share of a happy, healthy cow or goat from a safe farm. (Safe, clean, nutritionally-beneficial milk is not sold in stores in Michigan, so you have to ‘buy into’ ownership of the milk provider!)

4) One serving only. No seconds.

5) The next snack or meal will not contain grainy foods. It will be protein and its accompanying fat, and fresh fiber.

There, everyone’s happy. The kids feel satisfied because they got to eat what “everyone else eats”… and mom doesn’t feel too bad about it because: 1) I made it healthIER and 2) the kids really do understand the negative consequences of regularly consuming something like cereal, and they understand how to go about making it a better choice. I think that’s pretty empowering for them.

By the way, I DO understand how tricky it can be to feed kids and FUEL them up with healthy choices that they actually like! It’s not that we don’t have grains for breakfast… it’s just that cereal grains are at the bottom of the list of options in our household. If it’s going to be a grainy option, I prefer to serve slow-cooked steel cut oats (to which I add eggs and nuts), or homemade waffles and pancakes (to which I add a LOT of eggs and nuts), or sprouted English muffins or bread served with grass-fed butter and almond butter.

Related Blogs

Filed Under: Kids' Nutrition, Nutrition Tagged With: breakfast cereal, carbs, fat, grains, healthy breakfast, healthy fats, protein

Successful “Diet” Strategy

March 5, 2010 By Dr. Mom Online Leave a Comment

Apparently, I have subconsciously adopted a “diet” strategy that keeps my family and me pretty darn healthy and without too many worries about weight gain.

I didn’t realize until a few days into vacation that, back home, I don’t each much junk because I DON’T BUY much junk. If it’s not right there in front of me or easily accessible in my house, I’m not going to eat it! Duh. I keep my shopping list pretty simple and clean. Planning meals in advance of shopping trips has proven immensely valuable on many levels!

Vacation has proven that if someone makes tasty toxins easily and readily available to me, there’s a much higher likelihood that I’ll indulge! Duh #2.

I’m not too worried about it on vacation. We’re still getting what we need each day as far as nutrition is concerned… we’re just adding a few more things that we obviously DON’T need! Healthy choices are still winning by a landslide though!

Yesterday was a cheese and crackers day. Organic, yes. But, still not health-building as far as crackers are concerned. I was reminded why I will not buy crackers at home! Yours truly would secretly attempt to live on cheese, crackers, grapes and wine!!

I notice this ALL the time with our kids – I always say, “It’s funny what they’ll eat when that’s all they’ve got to choose from!” When they’re away from all the common snack foods they encounter in their social circles and in the media like chips and crackers and pretzels and cereal and bagels and pizza and so on, I see them happily munching on veggies and fruit and almonds and hard-boiled eggs. BAM! As soon as they’re back in the mix, seeing all the tasty toxins, they’re tempted… and whiney!! Lol!

Don’t buy it. You won’t have it. Your kids won’t have it.

That’s gotta’ be worth AT LEAST 5 lbs. and a few body fat percentage points in your journey to optimal body composition!

Hangin’ With The Boy on our Date Day

February 23, 2010 By Dr. Mom Online Leave a Comment

Tuesdays are sort of a “date day” for my 4-year old son and I. He doesn’t go to school on Tuesdays, but big sister does, and daddy’s at work… so it’s our special one-on-one time.

Some days it’s not overly “special” on the surface – errands, housework and “work” work can cloud the “fun-ness” of the day. But today, I vowed to give him undivided attention for a large portion of our time. I got a nice big chunk of work done before the kids got up this morning, so I’m off-the-hook for a few hours, anyway!

We’ve played dress-up, pirates, dragon warriors, we’ve read lots of books, we’ve fed the birds… we even went through a bunch of his sister’s toys that she never let’s him play with! Shhh…

One of my favorite things about our special days together – in addition to NOT having to hear siblings bicker over next-to-nothing – is our lunch date time. It’s our special day to eat the yummy, healthy things that the other members of our family don’t love the way WE do!

(Oh, I can ‘get’ his sister to eat some of these things… but I need an Academy Award for Best Actress in a Dramatic Role for her each time we go down that little road!!)

Today’s lunch:

Omelette with asparagus and broccoli

carrot slices

Brussels sprouts

We call each other “Brussels sprouts buddies” – we’re definitely on our own with that little tasty morsel!

It’s nice to have at least one meal where he’s not influenced by his big sister’s ever-changing taste buds.

Now, it’s on to word building and a bit of math, then we’ll do some Tae Bo together before heading back to school! Tuesdays rock!! : )

If I could just figure out how to clone myself and get a little more work done on these days, that’d be perfect! For now, the most important things have to come first. Work will wait – being four won’t!

Know Your Food Ingredients ~ Mystery Food Revealed

February 2, 2010 By Dr. Mom Online Leave a Comment

CHEESY-CHILI-MAC

A few days ago, I posted a variety of ingredients that make up a common food. These were the ingredients:

Enriched macaroni, dried cheddar cheese, corn starch, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, dried tomato, salt, buttermilk, sugar, hydrolyzed vegetable protein and other natural flavorings, dried onion, dried corn syrup, disodium phosphate, dried garlic, sodium caseinate, citric acid, dipotassium… phosphate, FD&C yellow No. 5 and other artificial color, sodium sulfite and BHA.

The food is Hamburger Helper, Mac & Cheese flavor.

I was thinking of Hamburger Helper (HH) as I made a “soup-ish” concoction last week with left over ground bison. Something about it reminded me of HH as a kid! (See… I have SO many toxicities to overcome as an adult!)

I made “Buffalo Mac Soup”. I cooked some organic macaroni noodles made from rice (easier to digest than whole grains) and added them to tomato soup. I added the left over ground bison from Southwest lettuce wraps a couple nights prior – it was cooked in pure coconut oil, NOT partially hydrogenated soybean oil (!), and combined with onions, black beans, cumin, red pepper flakes, sea salt and pepper. I topped it with some freshly grated organic and raw Jack and cheddar cheeses.

No corn syrup. No artificial colors. No neurotoxic substance like hydrolyzed vegetable protein. Sheesh… what on earth do they DO to food?!

YUMMY! It makes a nice, thick, hearty soup… with emotional ties to HH from childhood!

No, you don’t have to make it with bison! Then again, the name “Buffalo Mac” won’t make a whole lotta’ sense otherwise! I’m sure you can work beyond that little detail!

If you can find grass-fed beef, that’s a HUGE improvement over conventional ground beef. Or try some other wild game. The biggest point is to move away from all the other toxic ingredients and additives in the HH boxed mix. You can skip the pasta all together, which would make this even healthier. Use real foods and real spices for better health and optimal function.

Related Blogs

Filed Under: Healthy Recipes, Kids' Nutrition, Nutrition Tagged With: bison, healthy recipes, Nutrition

Healthy Recipe for “Dessert”

January 28, 2010 By Dr. Mom Online 2 Comments

We’re not really big on traditional “dessert” in our family… at least not on a regular basis. I grew up in a family that had something for dessert pretty much every night. Now, as a grown-up and as a parent, it just makes no sense to me. From a health perspective, not much good can come of it! I understand the social aspect of sharing a delicious dessert with loved ones… but not the health aspect. (Oh, and I’m all about the emotional aspect of dessert, personally!! That’s why I’ve had to train myself to think healthier thoughts about this little conditioned response of mine!)

Our kids ask for “dessert” a lot now. I think this has come from a variety of sources: spending more time with friends, other families, and teammates, etc. seeing it in movies and entertainment, and just getting older and seeing that other people make different choices than our family. That’s really neither here nor there. Everybody makes different choices. I’m just concerned that they process their incoming information in effective, healthy ways.

The way I’ve handled it thus far is to work on their thought process and try to help them (and me!) understand why they feel the need to have “dessert”… and what “dessert” actually means to them. Since the vast majority of the time they are not asking for something at night because they’re hungry, I know that it’s just a conditioned response… they’ve been around enough people who have dessert after every dinner that they think they should keep on trying with their own mother!!

I don’t give them something at night every night since I feel that that would obviously fuel the fire of this expectation they’re developing. I don’t want an UNhealthy habit to become an expectation.

When I DO give them something, it’s not something that would take away from their health in anyway. They’re definitely not getting cookies, or cake, or ice cream or cupcakes, etc. Our usual choices are yogurt (organic, whole milk) with or without fresh fruit, or a few banana wheels with a glob of almond butter on each. The naturally healthy fats in the whole fat yogurt and the almond butter are good for fending off any hunger bugs that may creep up late at night, plus a dose of protein (with accompanying fats) at night is a great way to balance metabolism, blood sugar and hormonal production. MUCH better than loading up on starchy carbs and other junk at night. The fresh fiber in the fruit is a great thing as well. The sweetness of the fruit is natural candy!

I don’t want to finish the day with a “treat” that would subtract from their health. It’s not a “treat” anyway if it moves you away from your optimal levels of health and function. We call conventional “treats” and “desserts” tasty toxins for this reason.

Now, when it’s a birthday, a holiday or other special event, YES, I let them have some of the tasty toxin if they choose to… as long as they’ve filled up with Health FIRST. You can’t mess with the laws of nature!

I’m simply teaching them that there are no short cuts to health… there’s no drug or surgery that can correct years of abuse. They’ve got to consistently provide their bodies with the raw ingredients for building health and optimal function… or they can’t be fully healthy. Pretty simple. Do they have to be PERFECT? Gosh, I hope not… ‘cuz if they do, they were given to the wrong mother!! : ) No… it’s not about being perfect. It’s about making healthier choices more often. Building health.

Once in a blue moon, I surprise the kids and make them (or have them help me make) a special dessert. When I do, I still make it a healthIER version of a traditional dessert – like homemade cookies with healthier ingredients… fewer toxins (no hydrogenated/partially hydrogenated oils, no artificial sweeteners/man-made sugar substitutes, no artificial colors or flavors, no soy, no refined grains/flour, etc.) No, these less toxic desserts don’t always build health… but they don’t subtract as much health either. Of course there are many other “dessert” recipes that really aren’t that toxic at all.

This little Fried Banana recipe is one of the VERY simple “desserts” I’ve made with the kids. Simple AND yummy! It’s from “Nourishing Traditions” by Sally Fallon from the Weston A. Price Foundation.

Fried Bananas

Ingredients:

Large plantain bananas, and small red bananas, if you like

Extra virgin olive oil or real butter

Fresh (organic) orange juice

Raw honey

Cinnamon

Cream for garnish, if you like (real, heavy cream, real vanilla, natural sweetener like stevia)

To make:

Peel bananas and cut lengthwise. Sauté in batches in olive oil or butter, then transfer (using slotted spoon) to long baking dish. Make a mixture of orange juice, honey and cinnamon. Pour over the bananas and bake at 300 degrees for about 15 minutes. Garnish with cream, if you like.

To make whipped cream topping:

Start with real, heavy whipping cream (preferably raw and not ultrapasteurized). Beat cream in glass bowl with whisk or electric beater until it makes soft folds. Add vanilla and stevia powder to taste.

Enjoy!

Fast Food Lunches at School… Continued!

January 27, 2010 By Dr. Mom Online 1 Comment

As predicted, the article I posted the other day about the school field trip that ended with lunch at McDonald’s has raised some questions, issues and strong opinions!

Good. It should.

Ultimately, we get to feed our children the way we choose to. As parents, I firmly believe that we make the very best decisions we possibly can on behalf of our children, given our current level of knowledge, information on the subject, level of interest and resources. I choose to believe that the vast majority of parents would never, ever intentionally do something to hurt their child or subtract from their health.

I also believe that the majority of us just don’t truly understand the full spectrum of health consequences – good and bad – that result from the decisions we make on behalf of our kids. Again, that’s why my mission is what it is. In order to make better choices, we MUST have better information.

My challenge with the “McDonald’s situation” is not that people go to McDonald’s or feed their kids fast food. I understand the powerful beckoning call of convenience, speed, kids’ approval, and affordability. It makes it all very, very appealing in our busy, stressed out lives.

What floats one family’s boat may not float another’s. We’re all different and place our focus, attention, interest and finances on different areas of importance in our families. Not a big deal. None of us is any “better” than others because of this. I hope you sense that I don’t think our family is “better” than anyone else because of not eating fast food. We’re not. I’m just taking what I’ve learned and applying it in the best way I can to make every effort to raise kids that don’t have to suffer with all the illness and loss of vibrant health that I see around me every day. That’s where I’m hoping for our kids to be “better” – I want them to have better health than what I’m seeing happen to our population. Fast food is simply an area that I can identify and avoid (for now) in attempt to remain congruent with my beliefs about health. We’re all different in what we choose to focus on.

(That’s why I was saying that NOT feeding our kids fast food is a novelty for our family now – it’s something that’s different. Will they EVER eat fast food? Oh, without a doubt! Last I checked, they still live in North America. I’d love for them to avoid it all together, but I’m not counting on it. Until then, my plan is to continue holding off as long as possible and laying a firm, solid foundation of health. The time will soon come when they’ll be making their own nutritional decisions on a regular basis… they need to stock up on health now!)

My challenge with the field trip is simply that I wish school was a “safe zone”. My naive little mind simply wishes for an idealistic time where school was only about learning and socializing and discovery and exploration…. NOT junk food. I don’t think it’s the job of any school to BUILD the health of my kids. I think that’s the job of parents. BUT, I really think we’ve made a dangerous wrong turn when it becomes acceptable for a school (or any other group, organization, team, club, etc.) to SUBTRACT from children’s health.

Once again, we were clearly given the choice – we could join the class at McDonald’s, with or without consuming the food there. Or, we could pass on McDonald’s all together. I appreciate the choice. I appreciate that no one just decided to give this food to my child without checking with me first. That would not sit well! The point is, I wish it wasn’t under our noses and made so readily available in the first place. I feel bad for our kids, and the kids in other families who are making similar choices. They end up feeling left out or ostracized in some way.

Isn’t that silly, when you really think about it? Here you are, making a healthy choice and YOU end up being the one that feels ridiculed! How odd. Guess that would explain why we’ve got the health problems we do these days!

My new mantra to replace the older ones like, “Drug-Free School Zone” and “Just Say No To Drugs” (‘cuz obviously THOSE haven’t worked… we’ve got more kids on more drugs than EVER!!): “Just Say No to JUNK… at Least in School” Not real catchy… but important nonetheless!

Lunch at McDonald’s… or Not!

January 26, 2010 By Dr. Mom Online 1 Comment

Yesterday, my daughter’s class had a field trip. I went along for the adventure… remember? I’m an overbearing control freak!?! Nooo, silly!

Actually, I really enjoy spending time with our kids, I love the place they were visiting, I enjoy learning (or refreshing my memory) along with the kids, and… ok… I’m not thrilled with all the decisions made on behalf of my children when their parents are not present! There. I said it! Move on.

I chose to drive our daughter separately since the class was going to be spending 45 minutes or more on the bus ride each way, then only about an hour and 45 minutes tops in the actual museum. From there, they were scootching out pretty quickly to head to McDonald’s for lunch.

Now, in all fairness, I was given the option to send my daughter along to McDonald’s with a brown bag lunch – no one was going to force her to eat the food.

Ever tried that with any kids you know? I didn’t think it would go over all that well… having her sit there with her friends, munching on broccoli florets while they’re eating french fries and chicken nuggets!! I’m not that cruel!

Anyhow, we chose to pass on the McDonald’s lunch all together. Our kids still haven’t eaten in a fast food restaurant – and I wasn’t about to change that for a school trip! Now, it has become a novelty for our family. I know that one meal at McDonald’s or Burger King or Wendy’s or Taco Bell won’t kill them. I’m no idiot. But, it’s a mentality that my husband and I just don’t feel like introducing quite yet. I’m not OK with someone else introducing it, either.

We’re really working on this “Fill up with health FIRST” idea from a completely different level than what I normally discuss here! I thought about a decade of filling up with health would be a good start before we move into the fast food arena!

I thought the whole idea of a school supporting the idea of feeding kids fast food during the school day was a bit odd. Then again, we’ve long ago established that I certainly don’t think like most folks! So be it. If nothing else, I would have thought a school would avoid any connection with fast foods just solely because of the clear connection to childhood obesity… let alone the myriad of chronic health conditions associated with regularly consuming these types of foods.

I know it was “one meal”. That’s obviously not the point.

So, we stayed on at the museum for another couple of hours and enjoyed a more relaxed pace and a better ability to actually focus on the exhibits with fewer voices and bodies around us. (Home schooling obviously spoiled me.) We had a nice homemade lunch of turkey roll-ups and some fresh veggies, then back to the exploration of the museum.

Not a big deal to us. We were more interested in the museum than hurrying off to eat lunch!

What do you think about fast foods and schools mixing? Good thing? Bad thing? “I-couldn’t-care-less” thing?

The USDA Food Pyramid ~ Healthy or Ridiculous?

January 20, 2010 By Dr. Mom Online 2 Comments

food pyramid vegetarian

The other day, one of the teachers at school sent home a copy of the USDA Food Pyramid and asked if I could teach the kids a nutrition lesson based on the pyramid.

I haven’t responded yet since I’m still trying to figure out how to delicately inform her that the inaccurate, genetically incongruent, bought-and-paid-for, and outdated food pyramid is known by many in REAL health care as “the cancer diet” and the pro-inflammatory diet.

I’m thinking that that’s probably not the message she was looking for me to share! But, it’s the one that NEEDS to be shared.

What’s my challenge with the food pyramid? Mostly the top and bottom of it!

Currently, the base of the pyramid is formed by ALL grains. It is recommended that we, kids included, consume “liberal” amounts of bread, cereal, pasta, rice, potatoes, oatmeal, etc. Wow. Yes, these foods are typically the most convenient, the cheapest, the ones we tend to crave and the ones our kids complain about the least. BUT, none of that means that they meet the innate genetic requirements of the cell to express health.

In fact, there is extraordinary evidence to the contrary. Grains, especially the refined processed sort, have been shown to lead directly to the risk factors for chronic illness (cancer, diabetes, obesity, heart disease, arthritis, learning and attention disorders, depression, anxiety, infertility and reproduction system disorders, digestive disorders, etc.) The risk factors for these chronic illnesses are stress hormone production, increased insulin response, decreased sex hormone binding globulin, chronic inflammation and decreased immune response.

Many experts suggest that, based on our genetics, we should not be consuming grains at all. Others state that we should limit the amount we consume. Virtually ALL nutritional wellness experts agree that if we’re going to consume grains, we MUST upgrade our choices and decrease our intake. Improvements in grain choices means, as often as possible, selecting grains that are sprouted and whole grains. Gluten-free is an important factor for most of us to consider as well. Again, there’s some controversy here. Some experts are saying that we’re ALL gluten-intolerant… because NONE of us should be eating so many grains in the first place. Interesting and worthy of consideration.

I’d say that none of us should be eating “liberal” amounts of refined, processed grains that have been grown with toxic poisons. So, add “organic” to the list of upgrades I recommend.

On to the top of the pyramid. Fats, oils and sweets.

First, Fats & Oils do NOT belong in the same category as sweets.

We REQUIRE healthy fats and oils for optimal brain function and the optimal function and performance of ALL systems of the body. We do NOT require sweets and other junk food!

The image of the pyramid that was sent home to me included soda pop, cookies and butter in the same category! I can’t tell you what I REALLY said inside my head when I saw this, but it was akin to wondering where on earth the creators of this pyramid received their nutritional education and training! (A big assumption on my part, I realize!)

Let me clarify – we DO require fats for optimal mental, emotional, and physical health. We require untainted, naturally occurring fats… NOT man made, synthetic, highly refined, toxic fats that so commonly line our store shelves.

Some of the most highly beneficial fats and fatty foods are omega 3 fats found in marine oils, deep cold water fish and seafood; real butter, preferably from grass-fed cows – abundant in the fat soluble vitamins that our North American culture as a whole is gravely deficient in; the fats that naturally accompany proteins – e.g. the egg yolk along with the whites, the skin with the chicken/turkey meat, the whole fat versions of dairy products, etc. Then there are also many healthy “fatty” foods like avocado, almonds and other nuts & seeds and nut butters, olives and olive oil, coconut oils and other natural tropical oils, and so on.

To recommend that we strictly limit the intake of these healthy fats is ridiculous at best… criminal at worst. You simply cannot lump together the vitally important, physiologically required fats and oils along trans fats, hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated fats, (excess) omega 6 fats, man made fats, processed and refined conventional vegetable oils, AND all the sweets and junk… there’s no scientific accuracy there.

So, we’re teaching our population to:

1) eat abundant grains (without critical clarification of the quality), and

2) limit our intake of fats & oils (again, without any explanation of the differences in quality)

We end up with a population with obesity issues that are escalating at truly unbelievable rates in ALL age groups (And NO, I do not believe recent reports that we are no more obese now than we were a decade ago. What I DO believe is that, just like in so many other skewed reports like this, the parameters and measures for “obesity” were altered since the numbers were reported a decade ago. Happens all the time in health reporting and studies. ALL the time.)

We cannot eat grains ’til the cows come home. There are consequences.

We end up with a population that is suffering from chronic illness like we’ve never seen before in the recorded history of humankind. Again, we see it in ALL age groups.

We end up with a population that is more depressed, more stressed, more anxious, has more learning, attention and memory problems and more mental illness, as well as more issues with reproduction and fertility than at any other time in recorded history.

We cannot give inaccurate recommendations regarding fats & oils required for optimal brain health, emotional health and hormonal health. The results are devastating.

How’s the middle of the pyramid? Not as bad as the top and bottom!

Dairy, we need to be careful with. Just like grains, many would recommend we avoid dairy all together. Others urge us to limit our intake. ALL true health experts agree that our healthiest ancestors who DID consume dairy were consuming nothing like the chemical concoctions on store shelves today. Upgrade! Raw, unpasteurized (where available), organic and from grass-fed sources are your best choices for optimal nutritional benefit and safety.

The meat and “meat alternatives” category requires a bit of clarification as well… keep it clean! Look for the least toxic sources you can find. Organic, free-range, grass-fed meats, poultry and eggs are your best choices. Modern soy foods are considered highly toxic by leading experts. Peanut butter, other nut butters and beans are not sole substitutes for complete proteins like animal products. Keep that in mind if you’re looking to decrease your meat intake. Animal protein and fats are not the “enemy” in so many cases as we’ve been led to believe. Toxic animal proteins and fats ARE. (Animal products is a BIG subject – another article, another day!)

Eating abundant fruits and vegetables is a great recommendation.

Should be a fun nutrition lesson with the kids!!

(By the way, of COURSE I realize there are other foundational factors in our health that will determine our risk factors for chronic illness – our movement patterns and our mindset patterns and emotional “fuel” being the two most critical areas along with nutrition. It ALL plays a role. We require pure and sufficient nutrition, movement and mindset while simultaneously reducing our toxic and deficient input in these 3 areas. That’s the recipe for lifetime wellness!)

Healthier Doesn’t Have to be Harder ~ Pizza Day for School Lunch

January 13, 2010 By Dr. Mom Online 4 Comments

pizza day at school

As some of you know, we made the decision to put our kids back in school for the remainder of the school year starting in January. Tough decision… because there is so much I loved about home schooling. Sure, I have more gray hair now, but I still think it’s a fabulous way to go when your situation supports it.

For now, we simply have to do what we have to do. I’m deciding to embrace the idea of school again… and mentally/emotionally jump in with both feet. (If not, I’ll most likely go crazy!)

One of the number one reasons for taking some time off from traditional school was the sheer number of daily encounters with “health-subtracting” circumstances, events and thinking. It’s challenging to “just accept it” once you know what you know!

Alas, here we are again, and I’m trying to make the best of it… filling my kids up with health and teaching them how to make the healthiest choices possible when we’re not together. They’re actually doing a really good job! My next task is to work on the grown-ups that surround them each day! (muah ha ha haaaaa!!)

Today was the first Pizza Day of the new year. They have these special (optional) lunches once per month. I certainly don’t think pizza is the worst toxic food on the planet… far from it in many cases. (The particular pizza served on these pizza days doesn’t rank overly well in the health-building area!)

Typically, it’s what is served along WITH the pizza that makes the entire lunch an unhealthy meal.

For the youngest kids, they’re usually offered a couple slices of pizza, some carrots with Ranch dressing (ugh – seriously toxic with omega 6 trans fats and other toxins), a brownie and some juice. The older kids are offered pop.

I could pick apart each and every component of a pro-inflammatory lunch like this… other than those poor, lonely little carrots, not much is happening here to build health. Can you say HUGE insulin response and massive production of stress hormones?!

But, guess what? I’m not forced to buy the lunch, so I don’t. No biggie. So as not to make my kids feel completely ostracized, I DO prepare them a healthier copy-cat version of this meal whenever pizza day rolls around.

(I just don’t think it’s all that hard to offer a healthier version of a lunch like this in the first place. For example, lose the ranch, the juice and the pop. Give them water… they all need it. At the very least, the brownie could be an optional part of the lunch, and it could a smaller portion vs. the MEGA size! Better yet, give ‘em a piece of fruit with the lunch. Parents can pack their own tasty toxins for their kids if they want.)

Anyhow, we either make our own pizza with organic whole grain crust (sometimes sprouted), organic raw cheeses and occasionally uncured pepperoni, or we’ll buy a version like this from Whole Foods Market when it’s available. This time, I found one at Whole Foods. Easy, cheesy!

Oh, and I add garlic… my signature! Nothing better than an after school kiss from my two garlic-breath kiddos!

Then, the kids still get their usual assortment of 3 or 4 different fresh veggies. They don’t normally have any type of “dip” at school, but on this day I offer them hummus or organic ranch dressing that lacks trans fats, high fructose corn syrup and the other offenders. Today, I sent some organic lemonade along with their water – they normally only drink water everywhere we go, so they were positively giddy about this! Finally, I secretly packed them each a tiny little square of organic dark chocolate. They’ll go through the roof when they discover that little jackpot!!

Is there a lunch program at your kids’ school? What do you think about it? Healthy or not? How do you make your kids’ lunches healthier?

Related Blogs

Filed Under: Kids' Nutrition, Nutrition Tagged With: childhood obesity, healthy food for kids, Nutrition, pizza, school lunch

HealthIER, Not Harder! Holiday Parties Made HealthIER

December 22, 2009 By Dr. Mom Online Leave a Comment

food_agm2006

Holiday Party tip and reminder:

Tip: Eat something healthy before you go. For example, eat some clean protein and some fresh fiber (veggies, small salad, etc.) Sure, it’s the old story of “feeling full” so you don’t pig out once you’re there. That’s a good point.

But more importantly, it’s making sure you give your body the fuel it needs in order to build health. You cannot be healthy without healthy ingredients. Kinda’ how the whole thing works!

Fill up with Health FIRST!

Reminder: Just because it’s there, doesn’t mean you need to eat it!!

We attended a beautiful Christmas party the other evening… one with a fabulous spread of food. I heard a lot of it calling my name, but chose to ignore those little voices!

This is a VERY big challenge for a lot of us, to “ignore” all the food placed in front of us or offered to us. So, you don’t “have to” ignore all of it, if you choose not to. Sample, indulge, enjoy.

When you’ve been doing a great job filling up with healthy things the rest of your day(s), having some tasty toxins at a party isn’t as big of a deal.

Still, there ARE limitations of matter! Every choices comes with a consequence… positive or negative.

I’d make an agreement with yourself that you’ll have 2 or 3 (or whatever) tasty toxins… or you won’t go back for seconds… or you’ll use a really small plate instead of a big one… you get my point. Try focusing on the people rather than the food. If you’re a nervous muncher at parties, then upgrade what you’re munching on! Stick to the veggies and fruit… the REAL food. Take it easy on all the dips and spreads. These tend to be some of the sneakiest as far as toxic load is concerned.

I did a combination of these things with the kids at the party. We talked about it in advance. Right before we left for the party, they had a plate with free-range chicken, fresh broccoli, carrots, and tomatoes and a glass of water. We agreed ahead of time that they could have a couple of things from the sweets table… within reason! Nobody was allowed to walk off with an entire cheesecake or anything! (unless it was ME!)

It worked out fine – they tried to push the envelope a few times, but no big deal. They had more veggies there, lots and lots of water, and the rest I’m not too concerned about!

I had some of the veggies with the kids, too, then enjoyed all the healthy options (and there were plenty) at the party. I indulged in a couple tasty toxins and felt no guilt whatsoever! What fun is that?!

Live and enjoy! Merry Christmas!

Infatuation with Goldfish Crackers?

December 19, 2009 By Dr. Mom Online 3 Comments

goldfish_cracker

I was speaking with a teacher in our practice the other day about the health and nutrition habits of the children in her classroom.

She said that she sends a note home at the beginning of each year, advising parents to pack healthy, brain-building food for their kids’ snacks and lunches. She has even gone so far as to recommend that sugar and high fructose corn syrup are not the top ingredients on the package. Good for her!

(I encouraged her, for next year, to revise that to NO high fructose corn syrup on the package at all, and no artificial sweeteners, colors or flavors… and really, fewer packages all together! Wouldn’t I have fun writing nutritional guidelines for schools?!)

She was expressing her frustration that no matter how often she reminds parents that their children’s behavior, performance, listening & learning skills and moods are all directly linked to their nutrition (as well as movement, and stress, and sleep), she still sees kids coming to school with packaged snack foods, junk, fake foods, juice boxes, and refined grains.

When I asked her what percentage of her class is armed with the optimal fuel for health and performance,

1. real food – protein/fat, veggies, fruit & water;

2. whole food/food in its closest to naturally occurring state;

3. pure food/ the least toxic food possible;

4. fresh and often raw food

she responded with a laugh! Not a good sign, I thought.

She noted that the vast majority (NOT ALL… relax!!) of her kids and kids in the school are loading up on snack crackers, pretzels, bagels, cereal, pastries, white bread, yogurt tubes & milk (conventional dairy) and Capri Sun-like drinks.

Wow. Not exactly the recipe for optimal health and function.

She said the number one food item she sees consistently for snacks is Goldfish Crackers. Parents tell her that they’re “healthy” snacks because the manufacturer says they’re made with real cheese, no trans fats (a good thing), are low in calories and fat and they’re baked. She commented that kids eat these things by the pound… often in exchange for any real food that may have found its way into their lunch boxes!

The manufacturer does a darn good job of selling the “healthy” angle, I have to admit. I checked out the website and read up on these little fish myself. As usual, I have some thoughts.

1. Sure, there are worse things kids could eat. If that’s as far as we want to take this nutrition lesson, so be it. Personally, I don’t usually make nutritional and health choices for our kids with that type of outlook… “Oh, I could certainly feed them something WORSE than this, so I’ll just feed them THIS!” I’m being facetious… but just trying to make a point. I choose to believe that if most parents knew the truth about what they were feeding their kids, it would be a different story… we’d have a different perspective. BUT, it’s hard to know the “truth” when marketing takes the front seat to health.

2. When it comes to overall nutrition, a more accurate question to ask is, “Does this food BUILD health?” Goldfish crackers…. no.

3. Does that mean kids should never have these snacks? That’s up to you as a parent. My kids have had them because they seem to ALWAYS be given out by grown-ups at school, at soccer, at T-ball, at Girl Scouts, at friends’ houses, etc. (remember, most people think they’re “healthy”… so they freely give them out to kids.) My point is, they’re just like any other tasty toxin in the respect that they’re not health-building, therefore we need to choose wisely. I don’t think they should be a regular part of a kids’ diet… if optimal health is the desired outcome.

4. I understand why they’re so popular. They’re cheap, convenient, kids love them and don’t complain about eating them, they don’t require any work on the part of parents. I totally get it. Plus, we’ve been told they’re “healthy”. Yup. Let me repeat, there are definitely worse things we could feed our kids.

5. Looking at the ingredients, the reasons that these are not a snack you’ll find in our house: they’re made from refined conventional grains (toxic – harmful to blood sugar, brain function, metabolism, stress hormones, etc.) – it’s why we don’t snack on any crackers, not just goldfish; the cheese may be “real”, but conventional dairy is toxic; some of the ingredients are known neurotoxins – toxic to the brain and nervous system. The bottom line is that we don’t require any of the ingredients in this snack in order to be healthy, AND some of the ingredients are actually harmful to our health and function.

6. The fact that a food may be low in calories or fat means NOTHING if that food doesn’t even build health, or it moves us away from health. Not exactly useful information. Being skinny and sick isn’t my goal!

The teacher and I talked about this at length because she said she’s inundated with goldfish crackers (and graham crackers) as donations for the classroom snacks. She said when the kids are “starving” in the late afternoon, she doles out the snacks that parents have supplied. Refined toxic grains that result in a flood of stress hormones and a cascade of negative chemical responses throughout the body and brain.

These are the ingredients for chronic illness that we now see in childhood. We’ve moved beyond childhood obesity and learning/attention disorders, to diabetes, heart problems, cancer, reproductive system disorders, depression and anxiety, and on and on. NOT providing the necessary ingredients for health DOES have consequences. Convenience and affordability can only get us so far.

Anyhow, this teacher is frustrated because this is exactly what she has encouraged the parents to stay away from in their lunches and packed snacks. Personally, I was wondering why a teacher/school would need to feed the kids in the afternoon in the first place? She said that the kids’ lunch time has been moved up so early – they arrive at school at 8 am, eat a parent-packed snack at 9:30 am, and then have lunch at 11:30 am, and that’s it until the end of the school day. She noticed the kids crashing around 1:30 or 2 pm, so she started keeping little bits of food on hand. Eventually it grew to the point of parents bringing in a stash of snack crackers in bulk to be doled out to all the kids.

I asked why the “school” didn’t just have the parents pack a second snack for their kids, since lunch time was moved up. (I know that I would rather provide food for my kids than leave it up to someone else.) She said that many parents didn’t want to spend more money on more food during the school day. Hmmm. So we’re filling them up with empty, toxic calories rather than fueling them up.

What’s wrong with a few apple slices or carrot sticks?

Guess they don’t have little smiley fish faces on them so they’re not quite so popular!

Related Blogs

Filed Under: Kids' Nutrition

Home School Math Lessons AND Back to School ~ Whatever Works!

December 15, 2009 By Dr. Mom Online Leave a Comment

In our home, we have this tiny little outdated bathroom that has the dubious distinction of being the warmest room in our house! This is very important to know when the temperatures drop!

Recently, I discovered two small people hanging out in this sauna of a room. They were my kids… doing math lessons! Too funny! Big sister was reviewing skip counting with her little brother as they sat on the floor in front of the heater.

Unfortunately, I won’t be able to see quite as many of these moments anymore. Looks like the kids will be heading back to school in January… and their mommy has many mixed emotions, for sure!

I know that we can maintain higher levels of health at home – we’re the only ones providing the nutritional choices – no toxic snacks or “treats”; there’s significantly less contact with other little runny noses and sneezes; less sitting at home; no toxic chemicals used for cleaning, painting, bug sprays, etc.; no antibacterial soaps and hand sanitizers to dumb-down their immune systems; and, most importantly, at home the kids are infused with an accurate paradigm of how health and sickness really happen.

Oy, what are we getting ourselves into?! (I know, I know… my expectations are pretty high! lol!)

On the other hand, a big part of me knows that it’s time for the kids to get back in the mix with their school buddies, a team of teachers, and a “brick & mortar” school. In many ways, they’ll be even happier at school. I know in my heart that I’ll see them shine in some new ways. It also brings me peace to know that the school they’re going back to is a fabulous school… a beautiful environment… and full of exceptional families with a deep sense of community. That part is very, very good.

The biggest concern, just like it was when we stepped back from school in the first place, is this: I don’t expect a school to “build” or add to my children’s health. That’s the job of parents, in my opinion. But, my feathers get ruffled when anyone or anyplace subtracts from our children’s health. The status quo approach to “health” (eating, “treating”, moving & thinking) is unfortunately well-versed at subtraction from overall optimal function.

I suppose that will be something we’ll need to proactively focus on as we move forward in this new leg of our journey. A critical component of growing up is learning how to make healthy choices in a less-than-healthy, oftentimes toxic world… whether we’re talking about nutrition, exercise, personal & household care and mindset, or more “worldly” concepts like commitment, honesty, integrity, responsibility, leadership, and moral character.

Big lessons for the little people! : )

Making Healthier Choices is About YOU… Nobody Else!

December 9, 2009 By Dr. Mom Online Leave a Comment

P1030957

Here’s a little article I recently wrote about a recurring lesson I’ve been working on with our kids. It discusses how making healthy choices, regarding food or anything else in life, is really up to each individual… NOT their circumstances (at least not exclusively!).

This is about taking responsibility for our choices. Just because the cake is sitting on the table doesn’t mean you need to eat it! ; )

Enjoy the article and please share with someone who might like it!

http://articlesmind.com/?id=71146

Related Blogs

Filed Under: Kids' Nutrition, Nutrition Tagged With: children's health, healthy food, healthy recipes, Nutrition, school lunch

Nutritional Tips & Healthy Recipes ~ What’s the Deal with Peanut Butter?

December 7, 2009 By Dr. Mom Online 2 Comments

peanut-butter-breakfast-lg

I grew up on peanut butter. I used to eat the stuff almost every day in my school lunch! I never liked lunch meats or hard-boiled eggs, and my mom wanted me to have some type of protein in my lunch… so peanut butter it was!

My hubby loves it, too. Double trouble!

In the past five or so years, we’ve significantly cut back on the amount of peanut butter we purchase and consume. We are officially almond and almond butter junkies!

Several leading health experts warn of the dangers of peanuts and peanut butter.So, what’s the deal with this popular legume?

The good news: peanuts are rich in protein and fat. They are an excellent source of niacin, biotin, pantothenic acid and other B vitamins, as well as vitamin E, iron, calcium, potassium and boron. Peanuts contain the amino acid, tryptophan, known to contribute to a healthy nervous system.

As with most other foods in North American agri-business, peanuts are on the receiving end of massive manmade toxicity. Additionally, since peanuts are often grown in rotation with cotton, and cotton is a heavily sprayed product, it’s even MORE important to clean up your peanut choices. If you are a peanut or peanut butter consumer, it’s important to buy organic for these reasons.

The reason many health experts tell us to avoid peanuts is because of the carcinogenic (cancer causing) mold “aflatoxin” that commonly grows on peanuts, especially those grown in moist climates.

Some say we can skirt this issue by cooking or soaking our peanuts before in an attempt to neutralize the aflatoxin – and by avoiding RAW peanuts all together. This is a unique case where roasted nuts are actually recommended over raw.

So, the best choices?

1) If you’re going to buy peanuts, buy organic and roasted. You can make your own peanut butter from these (recipe below). If you’re going to buy peanut butter, buy freshly ground made from roasted organic peanuts.

2) If you’re not necessarily stuck on peanut butter, per say, try some other delicious, nutritious, and less risky nut butters like almond butter, cashew butter or hazelnut butter.

We use mostly almond butter. But, I do keep a jar of organic peanut butter on hand. Sometimes, if the kids really, really want peanut butter, I’ll mix in a bit with their almond butter. They fall over with joy when I give them 100% peanut butter! Ahh… such simple pleasures!

Recipe for Healthy Nut Butters (from “Nourishing Traditions” by Sally Fallon)

1) Step one is to neutralize any negative properties of the nuts (and to make them easier to digest) by making “Crispy Nuts”:

Start with 4 cups of raw nuts, preferably skinless

1 tablespoon of sea salt

filtered water

Mix the nuts, salt and water and leave in a warm place for at least 7 hours or overnight. Drain in a colander. Spread on stainless steel baking pan and place in warm oven (no more than 150 degrees) for 12-24 hours, turning occasionally, until completely dry and crisp. Store in an airtight container.

This process works well with peanuts, almonds, pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, and pine nuts. With cashews, it’s a slight variation. Soak no longer than 6 hours and keep the oven at about 200 – 250 degrees for the same length of time.

2) Step two is to make the Nut Butter.

(makes 2 cups of nut butter)

2 cups of crispy nuts

3/4 cup pure coconut oil

2 tablespoons of raw honey

1 teaspoon sea salt

Place nuts and sea salt in food processor (or Vitamix) and grind to a fine powder. Add honey and coconut oil and process until “butter” becomes smooth. Once you chill it, it will harden. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Enjoy!

Why Wait Until the New Year to Start Burning Fat and Building Health?

December 2, 2009 By Dr. Mom Online Leave a Comment

MG-TheFatBurningKitchenEbook-Final1

This can be a tricky time of year if you’re a health-seeking social butterfly!

Like no other time of the year, we tend to be inundated with opportunities to stray from our healthy habits. Parties, family get-togethers, holiday festivities… coupled with less daylight, colder temperatures and oftentimes less desire to get out and exercise. Oh, and then there’s the stress that many feel during the holidays.

More food, more toxic food, less movement, more stress. Hmmm. Sounds like the recipe for disaster!

My recommendation? Don’t wait until the New Year to start making healthier choices. It doesn’t have to be HARD or force you to “miss out” on any holiday fun. It simply involves making healthier choices the majority of the time this holiday season. That way, you’re not playing catch up in January. You’re already ON a healthier track!

Two of my favorite, simple eating “guides” are:

1) The Healthy School Days Menu – by yours truly… so of course it’s one of my faves! Seriously though, I love it because it so clearly keeps us on track with healthy menu options throughout the day. It’s simple and easy. It’s not just for kids, either.

Go to: www.HealthySchoolDaysMenu.com

2) The Fat Burning Kitchen – by Mike Geary and Catherine Ebeling, both experts in their fields of nutrition, exercise and wellness. This is a fabulous, no-nonsense, simple tool to finally set you on the right track regarding the right way to burn fat, drop excess pounds and inches, and eat healthier… FOR LIFE.

Whether you’re looking for healthy recipes, trying to improve your physique or add years of abundant health to your life, this is a must-have book.

Go to: www.The-Fat-Burning-Kitchen.com

Give these products a try, and let me know how they help!

Simple Tips for Making a Healthy Breakfast

December 1, 2009 By Dr. Mom Online Leave a Comment

CB065151

Another little recently published article that I thought you might enjoy…

http://articlesmind.com/?id=66916

It’s not that I don’t believe that lunch, dinner and snacks are important… it’s just that we really seem to be blowing it with our breakfast habits! This might be a good starting point for making healthIER – not perfect – choices. If you can apply the same new & improved breakfast principles to all your other meals and snacks… BAM! You’ll be making fabulously healthy choices across the board.

Let me know if this helps… and pass it along!

(Plenty more healthy breakfast ideas… and lunch, and dinner, and snacks… in The Healthy School Days Menu. Go to www.HealthySchoolDaysMenu.com)

Nutrition ~ Tips for Making the Transition from Toxic to Healthy Foods

November 19, 2009 By Dr. Mom Online Leave a Comment

images cupcake

Here are some simple tips and strategies for successfully making the transition from toxic, sickness-promoting foods to healthier food choices and mindset.

No, it’s not about being perfect! HealthIER choices make a healthIER person!

(This article was written for a publication geared toward parenting… but you’ll quickly see that these principles apply for ALL of us!)

Click the link below to read the article. Enjoy… and pass it along!

http://articlesmind.com/?id=59659

Healthy “Dessert” for Kids

November 10, 2009 By Dr. Mom Online 1 Comment

images apples

Today is Pizza Day at the “school” our daughter attends.

(Yes, we home school, but one day each week she attends “school” with many other home schooling kids and takes some great classes in subjects that her charming, talented and brilliant mother would not have necessarily taught her at home!)

Anyhow, just like at “regular” school, it seems that pizza isn’t enough on pizza day. Why does pizza always seem to be teamed up with unhealthy drinks (pop, juice or sports drinks) and junk for “dessert”? Isn’t one tasty toxin enough?!

No matter. As a parent, I get to choose whether or not my kids will partake in these special days… and to what degree. So, I minimize the toxicity by saying “OK” to a piece of pizza (or just making our own, like I’ve done for today), and “nope” to the other stuff. No biggie. I send along a variety of veggies to go along with lunch and water, the drink of choice.

This is usually the only time that I’ll throw in something for “dessert”, on these pizza days… mostly because everyone around her is having some kind of dessert. We don’t “do” dessert at home on a regular basis… particularly for lunch. So I shouldn’t really buy into it in the first place. Guess I’ve caved to the peer pressure as well!!

Dessert is normally something like organic whole milk yogurt with berries or a yogurt tube. Or apple slices with some almond butter for dipping. I know… doesn’t sound like dessert to most people! The kids love it, though!

Today, I’m going right over the top for dessert! It took me HOURS to prepare this masterpiece recipe… prepare yourself!

I sliced up organic apples, sprinkled with some real cinnamon, and put it in a baggie.

Voila!

Don’t laugh… it’s delicious… and the kids think it tastes like apple pie. Bonus!

(Even yummier when it’s baked… but that kinda’ loses its appeal after sitting in a lunch box for 4 hours!)

Today, although I’m not a big fan of it on a regular basis, I’m even including a little cup of organic peanut butter for dipping… ‘cuz my daughter goes crazy for it!!

Making Healthy, Nutritious Food Choices is a Two-Fold Approach

November 9, 2009 By Dr. Mom Online Leave a Comment

Here’s another recently published article that might offer you a little guidance in helping your family make healthier food choices.

Spoiler warning: this is VERY simple!! : )

Enjoy, and pass along to another health-seeker!

(Click this link)

http://articlesmind.com/?id=55188

Related Blogs

Filed Under: Kids' Nutrition, Nutrition Tagged With: children's health, healthy food, healthy kids, healthy meals, Nutrition

Related Blogs

Related Blogs

Related Blogs

Related Blogs

Related Blogs

Related Blogs

Related Blogs

Related Blogs

Related Blogs

Related Blogs

Related Blogs

Related Blogs

Related Blogs

Related Blogs

Related Blogs

Related Blogs

Related Blogs

Related Blogs

Related Blogs

Related Blogs

Stay Connected…

Dr. Mom Recommends…

Latest Tweets

Recent Articles

Tags

Subscribe RSS

Archives