Vending Natural: An Anti junk-food movement

Why organic?
The term organic refers to the way that farmers care for their products, such as fruits, vegetables, dairy, and meat. According to the experts, Organic farming practices are designed to encourage soil and water conservation and reduce pollution. Farmers who grow organic produce and meat don't use conventional methods to fertilize, control weeds or prevent livestock disease. Below is a chart displaying the main differences between conventional and organic farming practices. 

Conventional	Organic
Apply chemical fertilizers to promote plant growth.	Apply natural fertilizers, such as manure or compost, to feed soil and plants.
Spray insecticides to reduce pests and disease.	Use beneficial insects and birds, mating disruption or traps to reduce pests and disease.
Use herbicides to manage weeds.	Rotate crops, till, hand weed or mulch to manage weeds.
Give animals antibiotics, growth hormones and medications to prevent disease and spur growth.	Give animals organic feed and allow them access to the outdoors. Use preventive measures — such as rotational grazing, a balanced diet and clean housing — to help minimize disease

Many consumers choose organic because they enjoy the taste. Furthermore, organic food carries less pesticide residue, fewer amounts of preservatives, artificial sweetner, coloring, flavorings, and other additives. 


Organic flaws?
Cost. Organic food tends to be priced higher due to more expensive farming practices. 

Overall, in comparison to it's counterpart, organic products tend to be safer and more nutritious.

An Anti junk-food movement

  Schools nationwide are making room for inventive vending machines to improve school nutrition. These high-tech bottomless food dispensers store items with fewer empty calories, more nutritional value, and organic offerings. Additionally, there is a major profit-making potential for schools willing to capitalize the anti-junk food movement.  
   Organic and allergen-free vending operators are putting together pilot programs free of charge, giving all profits to schools and vending operators. Companies such as Colorado-based White Wave, Inc., maker of Silk soy milk, has created a platform for transforming the business of food. They recently installed vending machines selling soy milk for a dollar in three Los Angeles-area high schools, and in Texas installed 50 machines selling dairy and soy milk. StoneyField Farm, a well-known yogurt-maker, put health-food vending machines in three Rhode Island high schools in a pilot program, and plans to install more machines in California by year end. H.U.M.A.N. (helping unite man and health), a healthy vending machine company provides a line of allergen-free fresh vending. Focused on the health of the environment, H.U.M.A.N offers more than 500 healthy snacks to stock their machines. They charge nothing for the machine itself and deliver and install them for free. A commission of the earnings is kept by the school, while some goes back to the company itself. 


Invest in your future
Become a vending operator at your child's school. Talk to the school administrator and act as an advocate for organic and healthy products. Remember, children are our future, teach them and let them lead the way. 

Grow.Buy.Eat.Organic. 

Dine & Dash: Tips for dining out with kiddos!

Going out to eat isn't always pleasant, however as a busy working parent it is sometimes a necessity. Restaurants offer parents the perfect opportunity to teach their kids about how to balance healthy food choices and portion size control. With theses tips under your belt you can show your children how to make healthier choices while on the run!

Plan ahead with your child

- Talk to your child before ordering a meal so that substitutions are already agreed upon. Agree on at least 1 healthy substitution with your child. 

- Let your child know that they can ask for food items prepared a specific way to make the meal healthier. (dressing on the side, baked/grilled instead of friend, brown rice instead of white) 

Use portion control

- Ask for child's size, even for a la carte items

- Order regular size, split the order and share it.

- Avoid ordering extra large portions just because they seem like a "deal." Avoid foods with the words jumbo, giant, super-sized, and/or deluxe in the name. 

- Watch out for theses high fat words: battered, buttery, cheesy, bottomless, buttery, cheesy, creamy, crispy, and fried. Avoid these foods; They are high in fat and calories. Instead eat foods that are steamed, broiled, grilled, poached, or roasted.

Making healthier food and beverage choices

- Give your kiddos a choice of 100% juice or water instead of soda.

-  Just say NO to bread or chips.

- Ask for fruit instead of fries and chips.

- Steamed brown rice has more nutrients and fewer calories than fried rice.

- Black beans are a better choice because they have less fat than refried beans.

- Sauces such as low sodium soy sauce, rice vinegar, or wasabi are better choices than sweet and sour!

- Use salsa and mustard instead of mayonnaise. Minimize the use of gravy, sauces and dressings; have them served on the side. 

- Ask for 100% whole wheat bread for sandwiches. Skip the higher fat, lower fiber croissants and biscuits. 

 ***Set a good example by ordering a healthy meal for yourself!*** (more to come on this topic...)

  

It's fun to play with food: Healthy & edible art for stir-crazy kids of all ages

Hey kids, it's finally okay to play with your food! 
Per request, here is a list of healthy and edible arts for stir-crazy kiddos of all ages:

Toddlers-Pre-K:

1. Yoghurt Edible finger paint or sugar-free vanilla/chocolate pudding finger paint (there are vegan/soy options)

Combine plain yogurt and food coloring (gel).

2. Jell-O play dough

1 cup flour 1/2 cup salt 1 cup water 1 tablespoon oil 2 teaspoons Cream of Tartar 1 (3-1/2 oz.) package "unsweetened" Jell-O

Mix all ingredients together and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until consistency of mashed potatoes. Let cool and knead with floured hands until dry. Storage: This recipe needs to cool completely "before" storing it in an airtight container!

3. Vegetable and Potato Stampers

Cut some potatoes in half and carve out shapes into the flat side, such as hearts, stars, circles, triangles etc. Voila, you have some fun, safe shape stampers that your toddler can dip into chocolate or one of your other edible paints! You can also cut up vegetables such as carrot sticks and use them to stamp with as well. Have fun together exploring what shapes can be made with the end of a carrot or a cucumber slice, or see what pattern you can make when a painted carrot is rolled across the page!

Elementary Age Children

How it works:

1. Choose a few foods of your choice, make sure there is at least one food that you know your child will eat.

2. Depending on the age of your child, pre-cut the food or allow him/her to create their own shapes using a butter knife or cookie cutter.

3. Provide some support materials such as toothpicks, straws or skewers.  Some designs will need ‘glue’.  I find that nut butters and hummus are excellent adhesives.

4. Participate in the fun and encourage snacking as your little artist designs an edible masterpiece.

1. Snap Pea Christmas Tree
Snapped peas, pretzels, and cheese


2. Butterfly apples
Two apple slices (wings), carrot (body), blackberry(head) and celery (antennas)


3. Food Faces
Purchase a variety of fruits and vegetables to make the face. 


4. Brussels Sprout Snowmen
Saute brussels sprouts with a little olive oil and sea salt and place three on a tooth pick. 


5. Ice Trays and Popsicle Molds
Purchase and use ice tray and popsicle molds to make words and homemade popsicles. Tell your kiddos the popsicle was actually invented by a kid. I've attached a link for the book:


http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0141302046?ie=UTF8&tag=give06-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0141302046


Here are few of my favorite trays/molds:


1. Sailboat Pop Mold by Cuisipro
2. Fossiliced tray by Fred
3. Ice Kebob by Fred
4. Ice Princess Tray with straws by Fred
5. Rocket Popsicle Molds by Tovolo


You'll will be amazed by what your kiddos will try, if you turn it into art! 

'Tis the season to be healthy: Get your GAME FACE on!

"Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house, Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse..."

Even though this is an excerpt from the famous poem "A Night Before Christmas," sedentary behavior tends to be favored by many American families during the holiday season. During winter days, people love to "hibernate," promoting an inactive and unhealthy lifestyle for themselves and their families. Experts recommend 60 minutes of exercise a day for kids year around. Here is a great way to get your kiddos off the couch!

Adding Variety

As many of you know, the more choices we have the "merrier" we are! For example, there is a direct link between food variety and increase in consumption. Do you ever find yourself overloading (increase in consumption) on sugary desserts and carbs during the holidays? This is not a coincidence. These items are not necessarily things that would (or should) be in your everyday diet (i.e. the variety in food). Therefore, why not use this method when it comes to getting your kiddos active? Parents should introduce three or four new kinesthetic games that promote movement, such as balancing stones, jump rope, hopping ball, mini-trampoline, etc. Due to the novelty, kiddos will spend twice the amount of time, as compared to the usual indoor choices. 


'Tis the Season to be healthy

According to the most updated

 dietary guidelines, 

at www.choosemyplate.gov, half of your child's plate should consist of fruits and vegetables. Sounds easy, right? Whatever! Here's a two-step resolution for families who struggle to get their children to eat the right amount of healthy food. Initially, you should introduce portion size to your children. Print and laminate a set of black and white copies of the "plate." Make a place-mat for each person in the house. During this time, describe and show your child examples of vegetables, fruits, grains, proteins, and dairy products. As a family, color in the laminated place-mats as you consume the allotted amount of each food group. This is also a great way to teach your children how to make their own lunches. They can use the place-mats to divide up the correct amount of food for each category, then they can bag the food and add it to their lunch box. 

View the following website to become better informed and prepared to discuss the food groups:

http://www.choosemyplate.gov/foodgroups/index.html

"Every Point Counts: V-I-C-T-O-R-Y"

Lastly, once everyone in the family has an understanding of portion size, food groups, and exercise expectations, it is time to get your game face on! This is the way it works: For each serving of fruit or vegetables (you earn 3 points), for each serving of protein (you earn 3 points), for each serving of grains (1 point, must be whole), and for each serving of dairy (1 point, must be almond or fat free). Also, for each 20 minute increment of physical activity you earn 5 points. The person in the family that earns the most points by the end of the week (you can do Friday or Sunday), gets to choose from a list of family activities. Family activities can involve, ice skating, going to see a family movie, putting a puzzle together, staying the night at grandparents, making sugar-free hot chocolate with marshmallows, etc. Come up with a list as a family! 

Happy Holidays! 

Thirsty Thursday: Teaching kids to drink responsibly

One of my favorite read-alouds is the classic book, “The Berenstain Bears and Too Much Junk Food." As many of you remember, Papa Bear is distraught to learn that Mama Bear has raided the family pantry and revamped the family’s food habits. She decided to no longer buy Papa's “Sweetsie-Cola.”...“And what are we supposed to drink?,” asked Papa. “Try this,” she said. “It’s called water.” 

Mama bear did what's best for her family, and you should too! It is very important that parents set a good example and lessen the amount of "liquid candy." Teaching children to make better beverage choices is a simple equation Thirst=Water. At the grocery store, take the time to review the nutrition labels with your child. Many beverages have hidden calories and sugar. Talk with your older children about the short-term and long-term effects of sugary drinks, such as tooth decay and obesity. Find out your child's likes and dislikes and try different kinds of beverage choices. On average and for optimal health, kids need between 5 and 8 cups of water a day. I have provided a list of healthier beverage choices (obviously water is #1). Trop 50 offers a variety of flavorful juices with 50% less sugar and calories, and no artificial sweeteners. 


Feed This: Trop 50 No pulp + Calcium & Vitamin D Not That: Sunny Delight
Feed This: Trop50 Farmstand Apple Not That: Mott's 100% Apple Juice
Feed This: Trop 50 Pomegranate blueberry Not That: 100% Juice Capri Sun Berry
Feed This: Trop 50 Raspberry Lemonade Not That: Cool-aid Pink Lemonade


Copy and paste on the following link to receive a .50 coupon for Trop50. 


http://bargainbriana.com/0-501-tropicana-trop50-printable-coupon




Remember: Always compliment your child for drinking responsibly! 

Out of sight, Out of Mind, It's Cereal!

Have you introduced cereal that is chock-full of sugar to your kiddies? Don't know how to take it away without a scream fest? Take back your parental power! Purchase clear containers from places such as IKEA and The Container Store and store your newest healthy cereal choices. Without the box in sight, your kiddos won't know the difference.  

***clear glass jar with lid from IKEA***

Super Cereal

Some of the cereals that kids eat these days have MORE THAN 15 grams of sugar. Not to mention, when a child is pouring a bowl, the serving size tends to double, YOWZA! Unfortunately, when we consume large amounts of sugar, our insulin will jump and fall quickly, which can cause hunger and overeating. Also, sugar has a low nutritional value and is a major contributor to cavities and tooth decay. 

Here are a few cereal and milk alternatives that will satisfy the kiddies breakfast "sweet tooth."

Feed this: Kashi Go Lean, a sprinkle of Truvia, & Unsweetened Almond Milk, Not That: Rice Krispie Treats & Skim Milk

Feed this: Kashi 7 Whole Grain Cereal Puffs, a sprinkle of Truvia, & Unsweetened Chocolate Almond Milk, Not That: Coco Pops & Skim Milk

Feed this: Kashi Berry Blossom & unsweetened Almond Milk, Not That: Captain Crunch & Skim Milk

Feed this: Kashi Heart to Heart Honey Toasted Oat & unsweetened Almond Milk, Not That: Honey Nut Cheerios & Skim Milk

Kashi offers many kid-friendly alternatives. Some of you are probably thinking, Kashi is more expensive than the others. You can find Kashi coupons on websites and in the paper. Also, click on the following link and you can earn $1.00 off any Kashi purchase by playing the "bowl game." 

http://www.kashi.com/kidfriendlyfoods/cereal

Howdy Y'all!

Howdy! My name is Kristen. I am an avid runner and second grade teacher. From a young age, my mother trained my family to recognize healthy vs. unhealthy food choices. I feel that this helped me to develop a healthy lifestyle. As a teacher, I have personally experienced the devastating effects of childhood obesity. Most would say, "Hindsight is 20/20." However, why not lower the risk of your child becoming a statistic, by promoting healthy eating and physical activity. However, I am not here to be negative, but to offer parents healthy and flavorful alternatives to some of our kiddo's favorite foods. I will also provide you with activities to get you and your family off the couch and out the door! Please join me on a quest to educate our youth!