Apple Fries

Most kids love french fries, but french fries are filled with bad fats and don't have much to offer nutritionally either. Why not give apple fries a try? Quick, easy and packed full of vitamins, what do you have to lose? You can make up a batch of apple fries in less than 5 minutes. Serve them as healthy snack alternatives or pack them in lunch boxes.

 What's needed
• Apples
• Lemon Juice
• Cutting Board
• Knife
• Mixing Bowl

Directions
• Wash apples and dry
• Core apples and peel off skin
• Cut apples into 2-3 inch long sticks. They should be thick enough so they wont' break when transported. Simply cut them so that they resemble french fries.
• Add a teaspoon of lemon juice and the apple fries to the mixing bowl and toss (prevents browning)

Did you know?
Apples are high in fiber and health-promoting phytonutrients, including plant-based antioxidants. Apples come in many different varieties, shapes, and colors. Some are tart, while others are super sweet. Check out the apple chart at pickyourown.org








If I'm making a huge amount of apple fries I like to use The Apple Machine. It was actually a Christmas gift from my parents, and I just love it! My son loves to help Mommy prep apples with it too. It's the best apple peeler/corer I have ever owned, and I have been through quite a few. The suction cup bottom is a nice feature, my old ones just had the clamps, this comes with both so you can use whichever you prefer.

Simple Summer Picnics

Picnics are so fun in the Summer. Kids seem to love eating outdoors, regardless of the location. We picnic under a large tree in our yard nearly everyday for lunch. I'd love for everyone to send me some pics of their Summer picnics to post on the blog.

Picnic Necessities
• Basket, large bag, cooler, or lunch boxes
• Reusable bottles for drinks
• A source to keep perishable items cool such as gel ice packs
• Plates, utensils, napkins
• Wipes
• First aid items (bandaids, bug spray, sunscreen, etc)
• A big blanket

Picnic Fun to bring along
• Books
• Bubbles
• Kites
• Balls
• Bug supplies (jars, butterfly net, magnifying glass, binoculars)

Picnic Activities
• Read a story
• Tell jokes
• Bird watching (try to name them by sound or sight, take along a bird book!)
• Play ball
• Pick flowers

Picnic Food 
• Fruits and veggies
• Snack mixes
• Simple sandwiches and wraps
• Salads
• Water, iced tea, lemonade

Three Simple Kid Friendly Picnic Menu's

Peanut Butter Wraps- Whole grain wraps spread with peanut butter and a dab of honey, bananas optional.
Apple Fries
Baby Carrots with Dip
Raspberry Lemonade

Chicken Finger Salad- Chicken fingers, romaine lettuce, veggies, sesame seeds, dressing of choice.
Whole grain crackers and cheese
Cantaloupe Chunks
Lemony Iced tea

Taco Roll-Ups- Leftover chicken or ground beef heated w/ taco seasoning, lettuce, tomatoes, shredded cheese, sour cream and salsa- add to wrap and roll tight.
Cherry Tomatoes with Dip
Watermelon Slices
Flavored Water



My Picnic Picks

ECO Lunchboxes are absolutely great! I love love love mine. I take it everywhere. It's very safe and durable.

I really like the Picnic Time Metro Basket as well. It has tons of room and makes for easy lugging of all your picnic gear.

This LifeFactory water bottle is my favorite bottle. I have two of them. The opening is large enough for big ice cubes to keep your drinks nice and cool. The actual bottle is glass, but it's a very strong durable glass, I've never broken one yet. It can go in the dishwasher no problem. The outer cover provides great grip.

Where are your lunch boxes headed this Summer?

I'd love to get some pics coming in of everyone's favorite lunch boxes being put to good use this Summer. Lookout for mine soon as well! Email me your pics and I will post them here.

Thanks everyone!

Have a great Summer

Six Summer Salads

Tomato Salad with Honey Vinaigrette

Ingredients

2 pounds of tomatoes sliced- use a variety to include different colors and flavors

(think cherry, grape, heirloom, beefsteak, etc..)

1/3 cup fresh basil thinly sliced

1/3 cup thinly sliced red onions (optional)

Coarse sea salt to taste

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Dressing-

4 tablespoons honey

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 apple cider vinegar

garlic lovers- add 1 tablespoon minced garlic

Directions

1) Wash and prep tomatoes, onions, and basil 

2) You can arrange on a platter or toss in a large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. 

3) Combine evoo, honey, and vinegar in a small bowl and whisk gently until mixed well. 

4) Drizzle desired amount of dressing over the tomato salad. Enjoy!

Cornbread Salad

Ingredients

2 packages cornbread mix

1 bag frozen whole kernel corn

1 each- red, yellow, green, orange pepper chopped

1 pint cherry tomatoes halved

1 pound lean ground beef

1 16 oz container sour cream

1 package ranch dip mix or make your own

1 package taco seasoning or make your own

Directions

1) Set corn out to partially thaw. Chop peppers, halve tomatoes and set aside

2) Brown hamburger add taco seasoning then drain and set aside to cool. 

3) Mix sour cream with ranch dip mix. Prepare cornbread according to directions and bake. Cool and crumble.

4) Once you have everything cooled your ready to layer in a large serving dish. You could use a glass 9X13 cakepan, or any other larger serving dish you wish. Simply arrange the crumbled cornbread in the bottom, spread the meat mixture over cornbread crumbs, add the corn next, then the shreddeded cheese, then the ranch dip mix, sprinkle the peppers over the dip, and lastly arrange your halved cherry tomatoes on top. Cover and chill in the fridge. The longer it sits, the better it gets! If you would rather make your own taco and ranch seasoning mixes visit our spice up lunch seasoning guide.

Spinach Strawberry Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette

Ingredients

Flat leaf spinach

2 pints strawberries sliced

1/2 cup walnuts chopped

Dressing

1/2 cup mayonnaise

5 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/8 cup sweet white onion

2 teaspoons white vinegar

1 1/2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

1/4 teaspoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon water

1/2 teaspoon ground mustard

3/4 teaspoon poppy seeds

1/4 cup canola oil

Directions

1) Mix all dressing ingredients in blender on high except for oil and poppyseeds 

2)Switch blender to low and slowly add oil and poppyseeds a little at a time. 

3) Serve alongside the salad. Store extra in fridge, keeps for quite awhile.

Apples, madarin oranges, and sliced almonds make great additions to this salad as well.

Cucumber Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette

Salad

4 large cucumbers thinly sliced

1 red onion thinly sliced

Dressing

1/2 cup canola oil

2 tablesoons honey

1 tablesppon dijon mustard

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1/2 cup fresh ripe raspberries

1 teaspoon lime juice

coarse sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

1) Mix all dressing ingredients in the blender (or processor) until blended well 

2) Toss with cucumbers and onions in a large bowl, store in fridge

Fruit with Honey Lime Dip

Ingredients

Fresh cut canteloupe

Strawberries halved

Kiwi slices

Dip

1 cup plain yogurt

1 tablespoon lime juice

zest from 1 lime

2 tablespoons honey

Directions

1) Mix all dip ingredients will and chill overnight or 4-6 hours. 

Many fruits go well with this refreshing dip.

Chicken Pasta Salad with Garlic Vinaigrette

Ingredients

1 box (16 ounce) whole wheat pasta of choice

1 pint halved cherry tomatoes

1 cup each broccolli and cauliflower florets

2 cups cooked chicken breast cut thin into bite size strips

Parmesan cheese

Dressing

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves minced garlic

salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1) Cook pasta until tender, rinse under cool water 

2) Wash and prepare vegetables. Toss chicken, tomatoes, broccolli, cauliflower in a large bowl

3) Mix dressing ingredients well and add to the salad.

Turn ordinary water into extraordinary

Water is the ultimate thirst quencher, and something our bodies need to function properly. Yet, many people and moreso kids prefer sugar filled juices and soda. Below are some simple ideas liven up water and hopefully get your family drinking more!

Suggestions-

• Add citrus slices
Orange, grapefruit, lemon, lime, tangerine, and kiwi slices add a little citrus zing to water

• Toss in some herbs
Mint, lemongrass and peppermint in particular are very tasty in water

• Cucumber
A spa favorite, cucumber water is very refreshing

• Berry delicious!
Strawberries, blueberries, boysenberries, raspberries and so on add sweetness and flavor to plain old water

• Spritz up your water
If you really need fizz, add a dab of soda water with some fruit

• Pears, peaches, and plums
Yet more fruit additions to water, the riper the fruit the sweeter your water will taste

Kids will love experimenting with flavors and helping find some great natural flavored water combinations!

Check out your local farmers market this Summer for fresh finds

Lead found in drinks boxes and canned fruits

Yes, you read that right..Lead in food products that many kids consume daily! I simply cannot believe this. Yet, it's one of the main reasons I always encourage people to keep away from store bought packaged foods. Between poor nutritional value and safety issues we're all much better off using alternative methods for packing lunches and everyday use.

The Environmental Law Foundation (ELF) recently sent food items marketed for kids to an independant EPA certified lab for testing. The result was levels of lead that exceeded California State law and in some cases, Federal law as well. These products included grape and apple bottled juices, juice boxes, single serving fruits and applesauce. Several well known household brands contained levels of lead that is considered unsafe for children 6 and under.
Many scientists and The American Academy of Pediatrics have stated that no level of lead is safe for our children.

View the complete list of products tested for lead that exceed regulations 

My website LunchSaks.com has a great article on the hidden dangers of lead


Alternatives to juice boxes and bottles
Iced Tea- See Drink to your health this Summer
Flavored Water-See  Turn ordinary water into extraordinary for some great ideas

Are you a juice box parent? Why not try out reusable bottles? They are a much safer option for your family as well as eco-friendly.

1 Minute Snack Mixes

Homemade snack mixes are a healthy alternative to packaged chips and other snack items that offer zero nutritional value. Keep an abundance of the below ingredients on hand and ready to mix at a moments notice.

• Whole grain cereals
• Nuts- Be sure to check with your school first, some kids are allergic to nuts, also a choking hazard
• Raisins
• Dried Fruits- pineapple, banana chips, mixed fruits, blueberries, cranberries,  apple chips, and so on
• Pretzels
• Sesame Seeds
• Pumpkin Seeds
• Fish shaped cheese crackers
• Chocolate chips
• Coconut
• Cinnamon
• Homemade spice mixes such as ranch

Some snack mix recipes call for prep using the stove or oven, but simplifying these sort of recipes and omitting the need for cooking will save time. You can mix up your healthy combinations and store in a large airtight container to have on hand all week. Another idea is to store the ingredients seperately in airtight cotainers and stack them in your pantry. Simply pull out the stack then pick and choose which ingredients to use, add to a big bowl, mix, and pack! Kids will also enjoy making their own snack mixes.

A few of my sons favorite combinations

Toasted honey o's (whatever brand you like)
Apple chips
Dash of cinnamon
Raisins

Dried pineapple chunks
Banana chips
Coconut flakes
Cashews

Pretzel sticks
Dark chocolate chips
Dried cherries
Peanuts

Kashi Honey Puffs
Banana Chips
Dried Blueberries

The possibilities are endless, hopefully this list will inspire you and your family to create your own yummy snack mixes!

Have some snack mix ideas you'd like to share with everyone? Simply leave a comment.

Healthy Road Trip Snacks

Plenty of healthy alternatives to candy bars, chips, soda, and fast food are available for family road trips. And with a little planning, you can keep your families eating well too, even on the road.

• Wheat Crackers
• Cheese
• Carrots and celery sticks
• Cherry tomatoes
• Raisins and dried fruits
• Snack mixes
• Pretzels
• Bananas, apples, and oranges
• Muffins
• Peanut butter with a swirl of honey and a hint of cinnamon for dipping veggies and fruits
• Iced tea
• Water
• Lemonade
• 100% fruit juice with ice (the ice keeps it cool and waters it down a bit to help lesson the sugar effects)

There's a few options for packing all of your snacks up for the trip as well

• Use one big carry on bag for the snacks and a small cooler for ice and spare drinks, parishables
• Pack each family member their own lunch box filled with healthy snacks and a reusable water bottle
• Keep a larger cooler in the trunk with food for roadside picnics, ice and spare drinks

Suggestions-
Carry all totes- Nubius Organics has a great selection of safe and eco-friendly bags

 My own personal vacation bag is the Sea Turtle bag by Pretty Green
At $14.99 it's a steal! There's tons of room for everything you need. I use mine for snacks and activities on the trip, and then switch it up as a beach bag once we arrive. Another tip is to use a single bag as your beach bag and purse, to reduce the amount of bags your lugging to the beach. Simply put a zipper bag in the beach bag with whatever personal effects you need to carry along.

You definitely want to take along reusable drink bottles. Plastic water bottles are very bad for the planet and our bodies as well. BPA leeches through the plastic and into our systems. You can read up on BPA and other dangerous plastics at LunchSaks.com Safety Tips. Nubius Organics has a large selection of water bottles that are safe and eco-friendly at affordable prices.

10 simple tips to take the bumps out of your next family road trip

Every year we drive 10 hours to our vacation destination. The first time we made the trip with our son he was 9 months old and let's just say it was not fun for any of us. A trip that usually took us 10 hours turned into 15! I have picked up a lot of tips for traveling with kids since then, and now we all look forward to the long drive each year. Preparation is the key to a happy trip. We must arm ourselves with activities, snacks and be prepared for just about anything. Below is my compiled list of 10 tips that will help bring fun and adventure back to the family road trip!

• Plan Ahead Activities
Pack an activity bag for everyone or one for each child. Include games, crafts, coloring books, crayons, pens/pencils, and anything else age appropriate that will entertain. See our kids travel activities article here.

• Take along plenty of snacks
Fill up a carry along bag with travel friendly snacks, or make a snack kit using lunch boxes and bags for each kid. See our one minute snack mixes article for plenty of healthy snack mix ideas to get started.


• Stay hydrated
Along with snacks, your going to want to bring along plenty of drinks. What I do is fill up everyones reusable bottles before we go, and keep cooler in the trunk with larger bottles to refill drinks at each stop we make. You could also bring a long a smaller cooler to keep in the vehicle.


• Don't forget comfort items
Special blankies, travel sized pillows, and your toddlers ragged teddy will be welcome additions for the long drive.

• Vehicle Maintenance
Be sure to perform an inspection on your vehicle in advance of your trip, or take it to a dealer or your mechanic. You will want tocheck fluids, tire pressure and tread, brakes, belts, hoses, and so on. Nothing is worse than breaking down on vacation!

• Roadside Service
AAA, wireless providers, dealerships, insurance companies, and many others have roadside service programs. Vacation is a perfect time to look into getting such a service or checking up on the terms and conditions of your current program. When the worst happens, having roadside assistance will save you a lot of headaches.

• Map it
Plan out your route ahead of time and take along maps or an atlas. AAA has very detailed maps and directions called triptiks that even find ways to get you around construction. You may think you know your way, but what happens if you run into an accident and need to get off an exit and work around for several miles? You can also use a navigator, as we do..but I still bring maps along anyways. They make for fun scrapbook additions later, and are another way to keep your kids entertained on the trip, they can pretend to navigate.

• Potty Breaks
Your husband may be able to hold it for 6 hours but more than likely your 3-year-old cannot. Be sure to stop plenty, and add these stops into your time schedule. Mapquest may say you'll be to your destination in 8 hours, but that's not including stops along the way. I love stopping at the really big rest areas that have picnic areas so we can get out and stretch, enjoy a packed lunch and let our son run around for a little while. Be sure to keep some hand sanitizer and antibacterial wipes, and tissues in your purse! You may come across a rest area that with bathrooms in less than desired conditions.

• Bring the camera
I'm sure you'll be taking it along for vacation anyways, but snap some pictures along the way also. Your kids will enjoy making a scrapbook of their adventures later.

• Emergency Kits (first aid and roadside)
It's a good idea to always keep emergency kits in your vehicle. If you don't have either of these vacation is the perfect time to get them or take inventory and replace out of date items in your existing.
For the first aid kit be sure to include Band-Aids in a variety of sizes, Gauze pads, Q-tips, cotton balls, alcohol wipes, hand sanitizer, antibacterial cream, Ace bandages, scissors, tweezers, ice pack, and any medications you feel safe for your family such as Tylenol or Ibuprofen for pain and swelling. See the about.com build your own first aid kit guide.
For the roadside emergency kit you need flares, jumper cables, tire gauge, roadside triangles, jack and lug wrench, rags, jug of water, and a flashlight. See Consumer Reports roadside emergency kit directions. Of course you could always buy pre-made kits as well.

   












Overall, have fun and prepare for the unexpected. Keep your time schedule negotiable, and enjoy the ride!

Roadtrip Games

Are we there yet?  
I have come to dread those words! But, with a little work you can make your next family roadtrip or long drive a fun experience for everyone. Items such as lunch boxes, snack bags, drink bottles, coolers, pillows, blankets, games and activities, favorite toys, diaper bag filled with everything you might need for baby, and an emergency first aid kit will help make the experience memorable for everyone.

• I Spy
This simple game will be easy for even the youngest of travelers. Simply start out with "I spy something (insert color here)" and the kids will pick up on the idea fast. It's a great way to teach colors while on the road too!

• The banana game
Yes it's as silly as it sounds. Everyone calls out "Banana" when they see a yellow car, truck, etc. You could keep track on a piece of paper and see who has the most "bananas" when you reach your destination.

• Name that tune
Turn the radio to a station everyone can enjoy and see who can name the song the fastest. You could also download fun songs your kids will know on an mp3 player or to a Cd for the game.

• License plate games
#1- Print out a map outline of the 50 states for each kid, give them crayons during the trip to color in each state as they find the matching license plate.
#2- Call out the letters on the license plate in front of you and see who can come up with a phrase with the letters. Example- Dbg= double bubble gum
#3- Take a picture of license plates from different states and see how many you can get. Make a collage of all the photos or a scrapbook page when you return home.
#4- Call out a State and see who can find a matching license plate first by yelling it out when they see it.
#5- Try to get all of the letters in the alphabet in a certain amount of time. Someone times it, says go and stop, and everyone else jots down the license plate letters until you have a winner.
Amazon sells a great magnetic version of the license plate game

• Pipe cleaners will entertain toddlers
Buy a bag of pipe cleaners that come in an assortment of colors and ask your toddlers and preschoolers to try to make different things, or simply let them play independently.

• Puppet Show
Take along some puppets from home and put on some skits as your going down the road. Don't have puppets? Try making some out of socks. Melissa and Doug has some really great puppets.

• Storytelling
Everyone can take turns telling entertaining stories

• Spelling Bee
Have a family spelling bee on the road

•  Slug Bug
Whenever someone spots a Volkswagon Beatle they yell out Slug Bug!

• Counting Colors
Someone starts and names a color. Then you say how many highway exits or miles the game goes for. Everyone points out trucks, cars, vehicles, etc of that color. The first person to call it gets the point, keep a running tally of the points. It teaches colors and counting in a way.

• Town Scramble
You take the name of an upcoming town, state, or county and everyone writes down all of the words they can think of that uses the letters in the name. We use a 3 letter minimum for the words.

• Animal Sounds
Simple fun for toddlers and preschoolers. Make an animal noise and let them guess what you are, or let them take turns making animals sounds and everyone else guessing.

• Travel Packs
Make each kid a travel bag filled with goodies such as stickers, coloring books, picture books, special on the road treats, whatever you feel is age appropriate and safe for travel.

• Comedy act/Tell jokes
Have each family member take a turn putting on a comedy act and see who can get the most laughs. You could also just tell jokes, or take along a joke book and take turns reading them.

 

Free stuff from home to take along for games
Coloring books, crayons, scrap paper, notebooks, storybooks, pipecleaners, construction papers, pens, pencils

Other fun stuff you can buy to make a long trip seem much shorter

Books

 

Games
My favorite travel games come from Melissa and Doug. They have some really great games that will entertain even the youngest of toddlers. My toddler son loves his Melissa and Doug magnetic habitats and the magnetic shape blocks. Both will keep your kiddos busy for hours! 

Keep your teens busy this Summer

Most teens are busy texting, "hanging out", and not doing much of anything productive in the Summer. Below are some ideas to keep your teens busy this Summer. Not only will these ideas busy them, but they will learn about helping others and develop lifelong skills. Not to mention many of these activities will look great on college and job applications!

• Provide lawn services for disabled or elderly neighbors, or perhaps for a busy single parent.

• Provide babysitting services

• Participate in a learn to read program for kids or adults

• Volunteer for the Special Olympics

• Volunteer for Habitat for Humanity

• Volunteer for Salvation Army or Red Cross

• Volunteer at an animal shelter

• Volunteer at a homeless shelter, soup kitchen, or food bank

• Volunteer for a political campaign

• Offer free web design services to non profit organizations or small business owners

• Start their own business

• Get a part time job

Other Resources
Volunteers of America
Get Involved
Biz Kids

Free Summer Fun

Short on money this Summer? Not to worry, Summer can be just as enjoyable on a tight budget. Below are some of the best free activities that the whole family can enjoy.

• Library
The public library system is such a wonderful resource that nobody should waste. Many public libraries now offer dvd's in addition to books. Many libraries also offer weekly story hours for kids by age group. Getting your kids interested in books is one of the best things you can do for them.


• Playground
Even small towns usually have parks. Don't know of any playground near you? Try doing a web search for your county to find great local parks. If all else fails, elementary schools have playground so head over to your kids school this Summer for some playground fun.

• Picnics
Pack a lunch and head to the park for a picnic, this activity goes hand in hand with going to the playground. You could have a picnic at the playground. Take a good book or magazine along to enjoy while the kids are playing.


• Lemonade Stand
Oh the memories, I sold so much lemonade as a child. Iced tea or any cold beverage would work as well. Have the kids make a fun sign and tape it to the front of a small outdoor table or a tv tray. If the kids make any money, you could take them for ice cream as a special treat!


• Nature Hike
Pack some healthy snacks and drinks then head over to the nearest park with trails and go for a walk. Take time to listen to different birds, inspect bugs, and enjoy nature.

• Bike ride
If the whole family has bikes this can be a lot of fun.


• Obstacle Course
Perhaps not for the faint at heart, but the kids will love you forever. Take a big box and cut off the flaps so it makes a tunnel to crawl through, use a small kiddie pool, sprinkler, hula hoops, balls, laundry basket. Anything you can dream up, let the kids in on thinking of ideas. Perhaps they have to crawl through a box tunnel, run and jump through the sprinkler, stop under the tree and blow bubbles, crawl over to the jump rope and jump 10 times, back through the sprinkler and to the finish line.

• Treasure Hunt!
Firstly you need to make a map, then bury or hide some items around the yard. The items could be anything at all, got an old spatula that melted or a broken toy? The map you could make in a paint program on the computer and print it out, or simply draw on a piece of paper. You don't need to be an artist, they'll get the idea.


• Scavenger Hunt
Similar to the treasure hunt, but for this fun game you write clues on pieces of paper. You start them off with the first clue, and it will lead them to the next clue where an item is awaiting them and so on. You can make this as simple or elaborate as you wish.

• A Musical or play
Help your kids write their own musical or play and act it out in the backyard. Neighbor kids may want to get in on this too. And if you wished, you could have brainstorming sessions, rehearsals and so on. The kids could even help make props for the performance. This activity is yet another one where it could take an hour or two, or stretch over a weeks time depending on how much effort you want to put into it.

• Camp in the yard
If you have a tent collecting dust in the basement or garage put it to good use this Summer. Kids will love to camp out, and doing so in your own yard is a safe and free alternative to going to a campsite. Make fun snacks, use flashlights to make shadow puppets on the tent walls, and tell scary stories. The kids will never forget how much fun they had!

• Public Beach
If your lucky enough to live near the ocean, one of the great lakes or another large lake take advantage of public beach access. Be sure to take along cool drinks and your sun protection gear!

• Garage Sale
If you have tons of clutter and are in need of some cash, a garage sale may be the answer. Remember the old saying one mans junk is another mans treasure? Having a garage sale is very easy! You can list it on your local Craigslist with directions and a brief list of what your selling. The kids could have a lemonade stand or bake sale at the garage sale also. You can use masking tape and a marker to make price tags.

• Festivals, parades, fireworks
 Look in your local newspaper for the best activities this Summer. Your city or county's website is another great resource to find out what's happening.

• Star Gazing
The Summer sky at night is filled with stars. You can look online for free star maps to get your family started.

• Catch Lightning Bugs
Give your kids glass jars with holes poked in the lid and let them run free, catching lightning bugs or fireflies. Once they have their jars aglow watch them set the bugs free again.

• Craft Projects
Crafts can be a lifesaver on a rainy Summer day. Look online for ideas or check out some books from your local library. There's plenty of books out there that are filled with kids craft projects using simple items found around the house.

Here's a few of my favorite activity/craft books for Summer, write down the titles for the library or buy.
       

Hopefully this list will give you and your family a great start to a fun and budget friendly Summer!

Find local, state and national parks in the US

Do you have some other great Summer activities that are free? Leave a comment below or email me and I'll add it to the list. Thanks!

McDonald's "Shrek Forever After" glasses- Recall Alert

If you havn't heard by now, McDonald's has issued a voluntary recall on the new "Shrek Forever After" glassware that was available for purchase through the chains recently.

You can take your glasses to any McDonald's for a refund of 3 dollars, no receipt is necessary.

The recall came after the Consumer Product Safety Commission reported the glasses as having "unsafe levels of cadmium". Cadmium is toxic metal known to cause cancer and adverse health affects after prolonged exposure. Over 12 million of the "Shrek Forever After" glasses were sold at McDonald's chain restaurants.

McDonald's stated  that "It's important to know that the CPSC has said the glassware is not toxic.  However, we’re requesting customers stop using the glassware and return them to any U.S. McDonald’s restaurant beginning June 9.  Previous McDonald’s promotional glassware and Happy Meal toys are not involved in the recall".

Further information can be found on the McDonald's website as well as the CPSC website.

The Rename Game

Do you have a picky eater? I sure do and to get him to eat a wider variety of foods we play the rename game. It's one of the best tricks that I've had luck with. What an easy way to make nutrition fun and get your toddlers and preschoolers trying new foods. Perhaps your children already have named some of their favorite eats. Simply add to the list to get them to try even more nutritious-delicious foods!

Here's a few of ours..
• vegetable juice- super juice
• all meats- chicken
• broccoli- tiny trees
• carrots-bunny snacks
• zuchini or cucumber slices- sausage pickles (my son loves pickles and grandma got him hooked on sausage)

Does anyone else rename foods? Leave a comment with yours is so!

5 simple rules to a healthier lunch box

With so many studies, warnings, books and so forth out there on nutrition and eating well it can become quite overwhelming. I decided to simplify basic nutrition for those of you just starting to learn more about nutrition and packing healthy lunches.

1) Choose whole foods
Try to include whole foods over packaged items in your lunch boxes as often as you can.
Packaged foods typically have preservatives and lots of sodium as well as other ingredients that most of us can't even pronounce. Whole foods are..well, whole! Bananas, grapes, lettuce, walnuts, chicken, tuna, and brown rice are examples.

2) Add some yogurt, milk, or cheese
Dairy products are important for good nutrition as well. If you cannot tolerate milk products try soy milk instead. I have terrible issues with milk so I stick to soy milk and yogurts myself which also has the added benefit of being a good source of protein as well.

3) Send along fruits and vegetables
Pack a serving of fruit as well as vegetables in your lunch boxes everyday. This could be a whole apple, or various fruits and vegetables mixed in a salad, etc..Just get some fresh produce in that lunch box.

4) Whole grains
Slowly start to switch over from refined carbs to whole grain.
Refined carbs would include white rice, white bread, sugar, and so on.
The closer a food is to it's natural state  the better it is for you to eat.
Go for whole grain breads, bagels, wraps..
Healthy snack mixes made with nuts, seeds, and grains.

5) Avoid Soda and Drink Boxes
Try to stick with healthier drink options such as milk, vegetable juice/tomato juice, 100% whole juices, iced teas, and water. There's plenty of great reusable bottles and thermoses available. Find bpa, pvc, and lead free water bottles at amazon.

So there ya go, the basics to packing a healthy lunch box for yourself, your spouse, or your kiddos!

Further Reading
10 tips for preschooler lunches- LunchSaks.com
10 reasons to pack your lunch- LunchSaks.com

Drink to your health this Summer

One of my favorite things to do in the Summer is to relax with a good book and a tall glass of iced green tea on our patio. Iced tea is so refreshing, but did you also know it can be quite good for your health? Especially green tea! I first started drinking green tea when I was told by my physician that my ovarian cyst may be cancerous. I went home and immediately started researching what I could do to help myself get through this rough time. Eventually I came across green tea, and I have never stopped drinking it since.

Green Tea has a long list of health benefits. It is thought to assist in preventing or fighting the following conditions:

    •Various cancers
    •Rheumatoid arthritis
    •High cholesterol levels (lower bad and raises good)
    •Cardiovascular disease
    •Infections
    •Tooth decay
    •Immune function
    •Dementia
    •Diabetes
    •Stroke 
    •High Blood Pressure
    •Assists with weight loss/boosting metabolism

So you might be thinking yeah right..how is that even possible. And if it is..why aren't more people drinking it? Green tea is loaded with very powerful antioxidants. Catechin polyphenols known as epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). EGCG is a potent antioxidant that besides inhibiting the growth of cancer cells, it kills cancer cells without harming healthy tissue. It has also been effective in lowering LDL cholesterol levels, and inhibiting the abnormal formation of blood clots. Blood clots are the primary cause of many heart attacks and strokes.

The research being completed on green tea is really exciting, with so many devastating diseases prevalent in our world today it offers hope for a healthier future. New research backing the numerous benefits of green tea are cropping up all the time. At the University of Purdue researchers concluded that a compound in green tea inhibits the growth of cancer cells.

Green tea is different than most other teas due to the way it is processed. Green tea leaves are steamed, which prevents the EGCG compound from being oxidized. Many other types of teas are fermented, and the EGCG is made into other compounds that aren't as beneficial to our health.

So, now that you know a little more about green tea, let me give everyone some tips on making it icy cool for Summer!

1) Firstly, it's best to cold brew green tea. For the longest time I was unaware of this and was brewing it with hot water. Well, I later learned that some of the health benefits can be lost this way.

2) You can use tea bags or loose leaves, I tend to do both depending on how much time I have to spend. The tea is going to vary in quality of course, depending on the brand you use.

3) I brew my iced green tea in a large glass pitcher that I will guess is 64 ounces. A general rule of thumb is 1 tea bag per 16 ounces of fluid, or 1-2 tablespoons per 16 ounces. This will vary according to your personal taste preference as well. It took me a few tries to get an amount that my whole family agreed on. I use 7-8 tea bags in my pitcher usually.

4) Simply drop the bags or tea leaves in and chill for a few hours in the fridge. If you use leaves try not to swish them around too much or they will break into very small pieces and make extraction much harder.


5) Once cooled simply take out the bags, or if you used leaves you will need to pour the tea through a strainer. Then you can have some fun creating unique flavors. I like to add a few tablespoons of honey and squeeze a lime, lemon, or tangerine into my tea. Below are some other suggestions to get you started.

- Honey for sweetener
- Lime
- Lemon
- Tangerine
- Orange
- Mint leaves
- Berry Juices
- Ginger

6) And that's it! Serve in a tall glass with ice, or pour over ice in a reusable thermos/bottle for packing with lunch boxes.

My husband works outside a lot during the heat of the day so I send him out the door with a  large steel thermos of this each morning, it keeps him refreshed and quenched all day.

Spice up lunch

Those packets of spice mixes they sell at the grocery store are so convenient, but a lot of them contain Msg. I try to avoid Msg when possible. Msg (monosodium glutamate) is a chemical additive commonly used by the food industry to enhance flavor. Some studies have shown that Msg more or less excites the neurons in our brains and can cause side effects such as seizures, brain cell and damage, allergies, rashes, asthma attacks, headaches, and brain tumors. The FDA recognizes Msg as a safe food additive, but I like to come to my own conclusions on most things. Is it safe or not? We may never know for sure..but I figured limiting yet another chemical we don't need sure can't do any harm!

Here's a few spice mix recipes that can be premixed then stored in glass spice jars or airtight bags. Double the ingredients for larger batches, and adjust ingredients to your personal tastes. Enjoy!


Ranch Seasoning

1 tablespoon dried parsley, crushed
1 teaspoon dried dill weed
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried onion flakes
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper



Cajun Seasoning

3 1/2 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon ground black pepper



Taco Seasoning

1 tablespoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper



Bay Seafood Seasoning

1 tablespoon ground bay leaves
2 1/2 teaspoons celery salt
1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon red pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground mace (optional)
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom (optional)



All-Purpose Seasoning

1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon celery seeds
1 tablespoon onion flakes
2-1/4 teaspoons cream of tartar
1-1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1-1/2 teaspoons powdered orange rind
1-1/2 teaspoons arrowroot
1-1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon dill weed
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon powdered lemon rind
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper



Indian Masala
2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cayenne



Steak Seasoning

4 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon dehydrated onion
1/2 tablespoon dehydrated garlic
1/2 tablespoon crushed red pepper
1/2 tablespoon dried thyme
1/2 tablespoon dried rosemary
1/2 tablespoon dried fennel




Mediterranean Seasoning

4 teaspoons dried whole marjoram
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried lemon peel
1/8 teaspoon bay leaves -- ground



Lemon Pepper Seasoning

1 cup ground black pepper
1/3 cup dried lemon peel
3 tablespoons coriander seeds
1/4 cup dried minced onion
1/4 cup dried thyme leaves



Apple Pie Spice

8 parts ground cinnamon
4 parts ground nutmeg
2 parts ground allspice
1 part ground cloves or ginger



Pumpkin Pie Spice

1/2 cup cinnamon
1/4 cup ground ginger
2 tablespoons nutmeg
2 tablespoons ground cloves


Here's the spice containers I use for my homemade mixes.  I absolutely LOVE these!! The quality is great and I like the fact that they're magnetic, plus you can see each spice without having to take a bottle out and inspect the contents.

Rainy Day Fun

It's a rainy day here in Northeast Ohio. Storms began moving in earlier and it wasn't long before my son started to get restless.

So what to do on rainy days when everyone is stuck inside? At times it can be hard to think of an alternative plans quickly, and if your kids are like mine at all..You need to have backup plans! Below are a few suggestions to help the kids beat those bad weather blues. Did I mention you'll keep your sanity too?

Summer to do list- Retrain your kids' taste buds

Do what? Yep. That's right, retrain your kids' taste buds. I know it may sound a bit odd to some of you..especially if your family is already eating plenty of whole foods and overall healthy eaters. But for the rest of you, looking for a ways to get your kids eating healthier, this is where it starts.

Eating diets of soda, chips, candy, and highly processed food over the years becomes a way of life for some people. Your body starts to crave those things instead of what it should actually be craving. It's never too late to change though, and Summer is a great time to get started when many fresh fruits and vegetables are in season.

Quick Facts-

• We develop our sweet tooth before we're born. What a mother eats while pregnant could determine what sort of foods her child will crave in life.

• Kids learn their eating habits very young. It's harder to make lifestyle changes as adults and for these two reasons it is best to start your kids eating healthy from the start.

• Kids may need to try a new food anywhere from 8-20 times before accepting it.

• The average person has 10,000 taste buds. Our bodies replace these taste buds every two weeks or so and as we grow older we lose some of them.

• After years of eating things like nacho cheese tortilla chips and sugary cereals our tastebuds tend to not find the more subtle natural flavors such as the sweetness of a banana quite as appealing.

The dish on how to retrain those taste buds

1. Change takes time

• Replace unhealthy foods with healthier options gradually.
• If your kids typically eat a highly processed sugary cereal, start by mixing a healthier cereal in with the sugary one and eventually adding more healthy less sugary until completely converted.

2. Be a rolemodel

• Your kids are likely to follow in your footsteps.
• Practice the same guidelines your trying to set for your kids, and chat with them about the numerous benefits of nutritious foods and being healthy.
• One idea especially aimed towards younger children is to have a fruit and/or veggie of the week. Clip a picture from a magazine or have them draw it and hang it on the fridge. Then talk about what that food does for the body.

3. Educate yourself

• If your new to healthy eating there's no need to feel ashamed! I love my mom so very much but it's no secret we didn't have the best eating habits growing up. Not everyone comes from roots that teach about such things and it doesn't make you a bad parent, just uninformed.
• Surf the web, get books from the library, ask your doctor, read articles on my website or feel free to email me for advice.

4. Spice it up

• Try adding various herbs and spices to healthier foods to give them some added flavor. For example cinnamon tastes great on apples and peaches.

5. Dip into nutritious foods

• I never met a kid that didn't like dip. Dip is like the ultimate snack food..Dip and chips, dip and pretzels and so on. Try out dips for fruits and veggies as well as whole grain or wheat crackers on your kids. I even give my son a little yogurt dip with his chicken when he's in that picky eater mood. Dip just seems to add fun to eating for kids. You can find dip recipes here on the blog, or my website and other places on the web.

6. Make it fun

• Use cookie cutters to make shaped sandwiches
• Make fruit and veggie kabobs
• Make healthy snack mixes
• Use whole grain wraps, tortilla shells, bagels, muffins, etc instead of the usual sliced bread

A few points to remember-

• Never force a child to eat a food

• Never use food as a reward

• Never make treats completely off limits.
It's okay to have the occasional piece of candy or bowl of chips, your kids need to learn the difference between everyday healthy options and treats. Many kids today think treats are something you can eat whenever you wish. Keep in mind that if you ban it completely they will probably just want it even more or sneak it.
One idea is to have a basket out of sight (out of mind) somewhere that has those occasional treats in it.


Overall, what your looking to do is take a step back and slowly change from over processed fake flavored foods and add healthier whole foods to your diet. Any change at all is better than none. Eventually your kids will start to favor more natural foods and flavors. Eventually your kids will come to appreciate and favor healthier foods, and even think some things are too salty or too sweet. It will take time and patience but someday your kids will thank you for it!

Resources for further reading-
Taste Better/Live Better- Today's Dietitian
Handout- Childrens Memorial Research Center