School is in full swing at our house and it’s getting harder and harder to ensure we have a healthy dinner at home rather than eating out or ordering pizza! In the fourth installment of Babyminding’s “Is This A Healthy Dinner?” series, we have breakfast food for dinner along with fresh fruits and veggies. This meal took 15 minutes to prepare and is much healthier than fast food. I can’t think of an easier dinner to make when you are out of time and have hungry kids!

Dinner:
Free range, cage-free scrambled eggs with a touch of sea salt and grated cheese
Low-sodium turkey bacon
Carrot sticks
Raw broccoli
Grapes

Beverage:
Water

Dessert:
None

I think everyone can agree that this meal is healthier than fast food, and you can have it ready in half the time is takes to order pizza. There are just some nights where I run out of time to plan a meal, and having breakfast for dinner is something my kids will eat without a problem. They even eat their fresh veggies with no arguments! So what is wrong with this dinner? Only part of the produce is organic – sometimes organic just isn’t available when I’m shopping, but I still feel eating fresh, raw produce (whether it’s organic or not) is better than french fries or some other fried food. Also, the low-sodium turkey bacon contains added sodium nitrates and “2% or less” of some other things I can’t pronounce. We consider bacon a “sometimes food” in this house since it isn’t healthy, but we opt for the low-sodium turkey variety to save fat, calories, and salt. This meal is packed with protein, calcium, beta-carotene, anti-oxidants, and vitamin c.

Do you think this is a healthy dinner alternative? What do you have for dinner on those busy nights where you run out of time? How do you avoid fast food? Babyminding wants to know!

Related Posts:
Babyminding’s Healthy Dinner Series

One of the greenest things we can do as new mothers is breastfeed our infant. After all, it seems everyone agrees that breast milk is best and of course it requires no possibly BPA-laden bottles (unless you need to pump of course) and no manufacturing facility. I am a big supporter of breastfeeding for the first year when possible. From antibodies to perfect nutrition, it really is the best and greenest option for our children. I nursed both of mine for a year and am glad that I did. It wasn’t easy. I very much disliked it but I did it anyway. From mastitis, to clogged ducts, to bleeding nipples, sometimes breastfeeding feels anything but natural. The pain was worth it, and I am proud of the accomplishment. Having said that, though, I hate the way mothers are attacking each other over the issue, and when we aren’t attacking, we are wearing our choices on our sleeve like some sort of badge. Sorry, but there are no purple hearts for breastfeeding.

What got me thinking about the breastfeeding versus bottle feeding debate are the forums on the iVillage website where not only is there a debate forum on the subject, but women have badges that appear on the signature of any post or reply they make in the forums. These blinking, obnoxious badges proudly show the mother’s stance on many subjects related to parenting, not the least of which is their own accomplishments feeding their children. Some of them say things like “Not one drop of formula” or “Nursing my toddler two years and still going” or even “I have a super power – I make milk.” Umm, it’s not a super power if every mammal on earth can do it. Bottle feeding moms have resorted to combating this in-their-face assault with badges that say “It’s formula, not rat poison” or “Breastfed or bottle fed, my child is still as loved and nurtured as yours”.

Not only do I feel this type of division among mothers is unnecessary and petty, I can’t help but wonder what some of these judgmental breastfeeding mothers are feeding their toddlers. I know what it’s like to have a baby and a toddler, nursing one while trying to feed the older child healthy, homemade meals. It’s not easy. Breastfeeding usually lasts the first year, and while I agree that it’s best, we are required to feed our children in most cases until they are 18 years old. We must concentrate on the nutrition of our children well beyond the first year. It does a child no good to have a year of breast milk and 17 more years of processed junk food or fast food. So as mothers, let’s stop being so judgmental and start sharing our ideas. How did you juggle breastfeeding your second or third child with the needs of your older children? What are your quick, healthy meal ideas? Let’s stop judging and start sharing!

Related Posts:
Does Breastfeeding Make Baby Smarter?

Breast Feeding Mom Kicked Off Plane

Breast Feeding With Clogged Milk Duct

Vitamin D continues to be in the news, and Babyminding has written about it before. From fighting viruses like the flu to healthy pregnancies and mental health, optimal Vitamin D levels have been associated with wellness for years. New information is always coming in from different sources about the importance of  this vitamin for preventative wellness. In this post, we explore a couple of recent articles about Vitamin D and why it’s important for your family.

With school starting back and September almost here, cold and flu season is upon us. I know there are a lot of parents out there wary of the flu vaccines we have available today. While we all want to protect our families, sometimes we don’t know who to trust or what to believe when it comes to the safety and efficacy of flu vaccines and over the counter cold remedies. Since prevention is better than cure, why not explore natural ways to boost our immune systems and ward off viruses this cold and flu season? I love this article at BioVeda Wellness about preparing for flu season naturally. From eating fresh garlic, to getting enough sleep, to taking Vitamin D3, there are ideas in this article for every family.

In other Vitamin D news, a recent study has linked a deficiency in pregnant women to higher instances of preeclampsia, a pregnancy-related form of high blood pressure. While this study doesn’t prove cause, it does once again shine a light on the importance of optimal Vitamin D levels for those women planning to become pregnant. If you are looking to expand your family, this article is worth a read.

Related Posts:
Sun Exposure and Food Allergies?
Double Vitamin D Intake For Children

The journal, Pediatrics, released the findings of a study, “Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 17 938 in Infantile Colic: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial” that shows probiotics may help to ease colic.  According to WebMD:

Colic occurs during the first three months of an infant’s life in which an otherwise healthy child cries and cannot be comforted for three hours or more every day. Colic affects up to 28% of infants and has no known cause or cure.

However, recent research suggests colic may linked to an immature immune system struggling with bacterial imbalances in the gastrointestinal tract, and that high levels of E. coli bacteria in particular may contribute to colic symptoms. Some researchers question whether symptoms could be alleviated using probiotic therapy, or “healthy” bacteria to restore bacterial balance in the gut.

The researchers who led the study discovered that infants who received drops of Lactobacillus reuteri showed a greater reduction in crying — from a mean of 370 minutes of crying per day at the start of the study to 35 minutes.  The babies who received a placebo dropped from a mean of 300 minutes of crying per day to 90 minutes. Researchers speculate infants in the placebo group may have experienced an improvement because of reduced cow’s milk in the mother’s diet.

Overall, the findings support that Lactobacillus reuteri may help reduce colic symptoms by improving gut motility and function, which could reduce gas in the gastrointestinal tract and abdominal pain and cramping.

Related Posts:
Surviving Colic
Natural Alternatives to Children’s Medications

The belief that American girls are going through puberty earlier and earlier is not a new one. I remember when my twelve year old  niece was a toddler, I had this conversation with my sister-in-law. With a new study backing up the idea that indeed our girls are going through puberty earlier, it’s a topic worth discussing again. According to the study, about 15% of girls are showing signs of breast development by the age of seven. SEVEN!! My tiny daughter is six years old now, and while I don’t see this happening to her, I would hate for it to happen to other little girls well before they understand the changes in their bodies and are able to deal with a menstrual cycle. The big question is, how do we stop it?

Some scientists and researchers believe early puberty is related to the obesity epidemic in this country. The more fat we store, the more estrogen we make. More estrogen can mean early puberty, which can lead to more fertile years and an increased risk of breast cancer as an adult. Researchers are also eying BPA and other estrogen-like chemicals as possible causes. While more study and information is needed to determine the exact cause, let’s all do what is best for our girls by making healthy choices for them today. Let’s feed them healthy meals that are low in soy, a plant estrogen, as well as other additives and chemicals. Let’s stop using plastic storage containers in favor of glass and use stainless steal water bottles that are naturally BPA-free. Let’s encourage our daughters to get exercise daily, and teach them that exercise is about caring for your body and not about having the perfect looking body. A healthier and greener lifestyle could keep early puberty at bay for our daughters.

Related Post: Precocious Puberty – Early Onset of Puberty

I love infographics.  I think they are a more compelling way to share information, and in our fast paced lives, they allow us to absorb information more quickly.  Take a look at the infographic below about harmful effects of soda consumption over time, courtesy of  Term Life Insurance: via The Daily Green (click to enlarge).

We don’t typically keep soda in our house unless it’s for an adult party.  In fact my husband broke his Ginger Ale habit last year and my kids are not allowed to have any type of soft drink or soda.  I’m even more convinced now that it’s best to keep it that way!

Via: Term Life Insurance

Click to view additional Babyminding infographic posts.

I have a confession to make.  As “green” and healthy as I try to be for my family, it’s truly a struggle especially since I’m not best friends with my kitchen.  Don’t get me wrong, I can do the basics – boil water, toast bread, even bake chicken, but when it comes to cooking something that goes beyond what I ate in college, I definitely struggle.  Now compound that with the fact that I refuse to buy the processed crap that lines the grocery store aisles…well let’s just say that we’d starve if we didn’t eat a lot of raw foods in my house!  Not that there’s anything wrong with raw foods, in fact some may argue that it’s the healthiest way to go, but my husband grew up with a mother who could really cook – we’re talking five-course, delicious meals every night.  Needless to say, I pale in comparison.  But not any longer, thanks to a good friend who introduced me to an amazing line of gourmet, culinary blends from a little company called Wildtree.

I just returned from a hostess party featuring Wildtree products.  I don’t usually participate in “Tupperware” type parties, simply because I’m an impulsive buyer and tend to spend way too much money on things I don’t need in the first place, especially if it’s for a friend (no wonder I keep getting invited to these things!).  However, Wildtree is different.  We’ve already established that it fits a need of my particular family and situation. I don’t cook well and need an easy solution that is quick and healthy.  But what’s more,  it’s a line of products that are natural, nutritious, easy to prepare and DELICIOUS!  They’ve taken the best of the typical flavor blends of spices, sauces, oils and mixes that you would find in dry goods section of a grocery store and removed all the nasty chemicals in favor of natural ingredients.  There are no preservatives, additives, MSG or dyes.

Some of my favorite Wildtree products so far include:

Expeller Pressed Grape Seed Oil (plain and infused with a variety of flavors including roasted garlic, jalapeno, butter, hickory smoked or zesty lemon):  Grape seed oil is made from grape seeds after wine production.  It’s therefore environmentally sound (love that!) and requires no new farmland or water to produce!  And it has many health benefits including no preservatives, no sodium, and no cholesterol.  In fact it actually aids in cholesterol reduction!  And it’s ideal for frying at high temperatures.

Taco Seasoning: My daughter loves taco night but I struggle to cook it consistently because I refuse to use the standard brand taco seasoning packets (have you read the ingredients, yuck!) but can’t ever remember which spices to use.  Below I “Dare to Compare” the contents of a Nationally Known Brand Taco Seasoning to Wildtree.  I know which one I’m buying!

National Brand Taco Seasoning Ingredients: Maltodextrin, salt, chili pepper, onion powder, monosodium glutamate, corn starch, garlic powser, spice. Contains less than 2% of the following – partially hydrogenated soybean oil, silicon dioxide, natural flavor, ethoxyquin.

Wildtree Taco Seasoning: Masa corn flour, chili powder, cumin, sea salt, onion powder, oregano, garlic powder, black pepper.

If you’re interested in trying one of the many delicious culinary delights that Wildtree has to offer, please consider ordering online through this link. That way my friend who introduced Babyminding to Wildtree gets credit, and you get a delicious product that’s healthy for your family!  It’s a win, win! Oh and if you’re interested in becoming a Wildtree representative you can do that through the link too!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: For Immediate Release, July 12, 2010

WASHINGTON, DC –Kellogg’s recently recalled close to 30 million boxes of some of its most popular cereal brands after customers complained of getting sick from smelling and eating breakfast mainstays such as Froot Loops and Apple Jacks.

Initial press reports did not identify any particular food additive or packaging ingredient as a possible source of the problem. However, EWG has learned from the company that the source of the odor was methylnaphthalene.

Methylnaphthalene, which comes in two forms, is a component of crude oil and coal tar and may also be formed “as a pyrolytic byproduct from the combustion of tobacco, wood, petroleum-based fuels and coal,” according to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The petroleum-based compound is produced in enormous quantities in the United States, and health agencies know very little about its safety, EWG scientists have learned.

The latest EPA records show that companies have been producing the chemical since at least 1986, currently in amounts of 1 million to 10 million pounds per year. Numerous health agencies have sought basic safety data on the compound, but the government still has very little information about this widely used chemical.

In 1998 EPA listed the compound as a high production volume (HPV) chemical that lacked basic safety data in the public literature. In response to requests by the agency, a consortium of large petrochemical interests volunteered to provide vital safety data. They included BP, Chevron, Condea Vista, Exxon, Fina Oil, Koch, Marathon Ashland, Mobil Oil, PDV Midwest Refining, Phillips Petroleum, Shell and Sunoco. Eleven years later, however, EPA’s website shows no data whatsoever submitted by these companies.

“What little we do know about the history of this chemical is checkered at best,” said EWG senior scientist Dave Andrews. “Millions of pounds are produced every year, and this chemical is turning up in the packaging for popular cereals marketed toward children. I think it’s important for federal public health agencies like the EPA and FDA to know everything there is to know about the possible risks this fossil fuel could pose to people’s health.”

###

EWG is a nonprofit research organization based in Washington, DC that uses the power of information to protect human health and the environment. http://www.ewg.org

Commonly used food dyes, such as Yellow 5, Red 40, and six others, are made from petroleum and pose a “rainbow of risks.” Those risks include hyperactivity in children, cancer (in animal studies), and allergic reactions. In 2008, because of the problem of hyperactivity, the Center for Science in the Public Interest petitioned the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ban the use of these dyes (in fact Babyminding reported on this back in 2008!). The British government and European Union have taken actions that are virtually ending the use of dyes throughout Europe.

Food dyes also serve to deceive consumers: they are often used to simulate the presence of healthful, colorful fruits and vegetables. But considering the adverse impact of these chemicals on children, and considering how easily they can be replaced with safe, natural ingredients, it’s time to get rid of them altogether from the United States and Canada.  The Center for Science in the Public Interest is trying to do just that…again!  In their most recent petition to the FDA to ban these artificial food dyes, they cite their biggest concern as cancer, caused by these chemical-laden, artificial substances.  Read more about their efforts on the CSPI website.

Food dyes represent only a part of a group of artificial substances that should all be banned from our food. All of these food additives should be on the list to ban including preservatives and any other artificial substance used to improve taste & appearance. Check out the infographic below regarding the potential harm these additives can cause to your health. It really makes you think twice before going through that drive thru or grabbing one of the many the processed food products that riddle the grocery store aisles today!

Via: Weight Loss

It’s time for another installment of Babyminding’s healthy dinner series. We’ve had a couple of seriously hot weeks in our area, and it’s been really hard to get motivated to cook. I needed to make a quick and healthy dinner for my kids last Monday and had to come up with something that wouldn’t raise the temperature in our house. I also had a full dishwasher, so I grabbed some paper plates and put this meal together in 25 minutes:

Monday Night Dinner – Total prep and cook time: 25 minutes
Toasted whole wheat pita pockets filled with Sloppy Joe mixture made from one pound low fat ground beef, onion, green pepper (optional), 8 ounces all natural tomato sauce, 1/4 cup all natural ketchup, 1 tablespoon mustard, brown sugar to taste, shredded cheese (optional)
Raw carrots and broccoli
Ranch sauce for dipping

Dessert
Fresh strawberries with a sprinkle of sugar and whipped cream

So tell me, what do you think? Is this a healthy dinner? I could have better chosen the produce to be organic, but options are limited at our closest grocery store. When I have hungry children and am out of time and options, I gauge our meals based on meeting nutritional needs and healthiness rather than whether or not the food is 100% natural or organic. While eating organic is a great option for those who can afford it and have access to it, healthy eating is my number one priority. I think this meal is much healthier than take out or fast food, it’s low in fat and sodium, and covers the food pyramid pretty well. My son ate it all up very quickly, but my daughter prefers her Sloppy Joes on buns rather than in pita pockets. What are you having for dinner this summer? Babyminding wants to know!

Related posts:
Is This A Healthy Dinner? Part 1
Is This A Healthy Dinner? Part 2