December 3rd, 2010 - Gerald "Gerry" Pugliese
Where does your food come from? If you say “the supermarket,” then stop reading and go sit in the corner. But the truth is a lot of people don’t know where their food is grown, raised, cooked, whatever. That’s why the Iowa City School District is taking time to introduce kids to farmers.
“We’re looking to introduce the kids to their local farmers,” a spokesperson from the Johnson County Local Food Alliance told the Iowa City Press-Citizen. “We want to make it fun because eating local is delicious and healthy.”
Read More: Iowa School Children Meet a Farmer
Tags: children, compost, farming, fruits, Iowa, Johnson County Local Food Alliance, local food, school, vegetables
Posted in Organic | Comments Off
November 1st, 2010 - Barbara Feiner
 High-calorie beverages that have been disallowed by federal guidelines are still available in most U.S. elementary schools, according to a study that will appear in an upcoming issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.
Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago conducted a nationally representative survey to examine the availability of high-calorie and sugar-sweetened beverages for sale in elementary schools during lunchtime, in vending machines and snack bars, and in school stores. They also examined the types of milk available in school cafeterias: low-fat, whole-fat and flavored milks (right).
While 16.1% of students could purchase only those beverages recommended by Institute of Medicine guidelines during the 2008–2009 school year, 44.7% could purchase beverages that the guidelines frown upon. This pattern applied to both public and private school.
Read More: High-Calorie Beverages Still Widely Available in U.S. Elementary Schools
Tags: children, Health, milk, Organic Food, Parenting, school lunches, soda, sugar
Posted in Health, Organic Food, Parenting | 6 Comments »
October 24th, 2010 - Barbara Feiner
In August, I told you about the Salad Bar Project—a program that allows Whole Foods Market customers to donate money for school salad bars.
I’m happy to report that 7 weeks of fundraising have brought in $1.4 million, which will fund 570 salad bars in U.S. schools.
“The overwhelming support our shoppers have shown for the Salad Bar Project is heartwarming—just plain amazing,” says Whole Foods co-CEO Walter Robb. “We nearly doubled the original fundraising goal, so it’s clear our customers share our passion for supporting more nutritious offerings in school lunchrooms across the country.”
Read More: Whole Foods Market Shoppers Donate More Than $1.4 Million for Salad Bars in U.S. Schools
Tags: Chef Ann Cooper, children, Health, Parenting, Salad Bar Project, salad bars, school food, school lunch, Whole Foods Market
Posted in Health, Organic Food, Parenting | Comments Off
October 1st, 2010 - Barbara Feiner
When researchers at the University of Las Vegas tested mercury levels in canned tuna, they were in for a rude awakening.
Of the 300 samples tested, representing three top national brands (unnamed):
- 55% exceeded the Environmental Protection Agency’s standards for mercury levels ( 0.5 parts per million, or ppm).
- 5% of the samples exceeded 1.0 ppm.
Read More: Canned Tuna Fails Mercury Test
Tags: children, EPA, fish, Health, mercury, pregnancy, tuna
Posted in Health, Parenting | 2 Comments »
August 17th, 2010 - Barbara Feiner
Whole Foods Market has teamed with “Renegade Lunch Lady” Chef Ann Cooper for the Salad Bar Project, designed to bring fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and healthy proteins to school cafeterias.
“We see partnering with our shoppers to raise funds for salad bars in local schools as an immediate way for us to come together and make an impact on our children’s health in the communities we serve,” says Whole Foods Co-CEO Walter Robb. “Our goal is to provide a salad bar in a local school in each of the communities we serve with our 300 stores.”
Now through Sept. 29, you can donate to the project at a Whole Foods checkout line or make an online donation. Each salad bar will cost approximately $2,500.
Any public elementary, middle or high school within 50 miles of a Whole Foods Market is eligible to apply through a grant process, which will be administered by Chef Cooper’s Food, Family, Farming Foundation. Grant applications will be accepted between Sept. 1 and Nov. 1.
“I know we can make thousands of salad bars a reality for schools everywhere,” Cooper says. “Since adding a healthy salad bar to school lunch options is the No. 1 thing parents and advocates can do to help improve school food, this is a win-win for schools and their students.”
“Making small changes—like replacing French fries with fresh fruits, steamed or raw vegetables and whole grains—can make a big difference,” Robb adds. “A fresh, healthy salad bar with an array of colorful choices empowers children to make smart food choices.”
More than 31 million children eat a federally funded school lunch each day through the National School Lunch Program. On average, each lunch is budgeted at 90 cents, which means schools rely on mostly frozen, highly processed, packaged foods.
And with no national standardized limits on sugar, artificial colors, flavors or preservatives, it’s common to find hamburgers, chicken nuggets, French fries, chocolate milk and corn dogs on typical school lunch menus. And we wonder why America’s kids are struggling with their weight…
Photo: Ted Major
Read More: Can Salad Bar Project Save School Lunch Programs?
Tags: Chef Ann Cooper, children, Health, Parenting, Salad Bar Project, salad bars, school food, school lunch, Whole Foods Market
Posted in Health, Organic Food | 2 Comments »
August 11th, 2010 - Barbara Feiner
There’s always a chance that dry pet food and treats may be contaminated with salmonella, so it’s particularly important to keep infants and toddlers away from them.
In fact, Procter & Gamble has expanded its recent recall of Iams veterinary and Eukanuba specialized dry pet foods because they may be contaminated.
More than 23,000 tons of dry dog and cat food were recalled during several salmonella outbreaks between 2006 and 2008, with one manufacturer closing its plant permanently.
During this time, 79 human contamination cases in 21 states were identified—48% of which involved children 2 and younger. More individuals may have become ill but failed to report it, according to a study released Monday in the journal Pediatrics. Illness was primarily associated with feeding pets in the kitchen (as opposed to kids putting pet food in their mouths).
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration offers the following suggestions:
Buying
- Purchase products in good condition, with no signs of package damage (dents or tears).
Preparation
- Wash hands with hot water and soap—for at least 20 seconds—after handling dry pet foods and treats.
- Wash hands before preparing food and eating.
- Keep infants and toddlers away from pets’ feeding areas. Don’t allow them to touch or eat pet food.
- Wash pet food bowls, dishes and scooping utensils with soap and hot water after each use.
- Don’t use your pet’s feeding bowl as a scooping utensil. Use a clean, dedicated scoop or spoon.
- Dispose of old or spoiled pet food products in a safe manner (i.e., in a securely tied plastic bag to be placed in a covered trash receptacle).
Storage
- Promptly refrigerate or discard any unused, leftover wet pet food. Your refrigerator should be set at 40º F.
- Dry products should be stored in a cool, dry place (less than 80º F).
- If possible, store dry pet food in its original bag inside a clean, dedicated container with a lid, keeping the top of the bag folded closed.
- Keep pets away from food storage and preparation areas.
- Keep pets away from garbage and household trash.
Read More: Keep Pet Food Away from Curious Infants, Toddlers
Tags: children, food safety, Health, Parenting, pet food, pets, recalls, salmonella
Posted in Health, Parenting | 1 Comment »
August 5th, 2010 - Barbara Feiner
Convincing children to eat their veggies can be challenging, so Chicago-based registered dietitian Jodie Shield encourages parents to get creative.
Tell your kids to play with their food, urges Shield, coauthor of The American Dietetic Association Guide to Healthy Eating for Kids.
You can combine snack time with playtime by creating veggie critters as afterschool treats.
Here’s what you’ll need to make an organic Cauliflower Caterpillar:
1 packet ranch dressing mix
2 tubs (8 oz. each) reduced-fat cream cheese
1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
1 unpeeled cucumber, sliced thinly
1 carrot, shredded
Asparagus tips
Red bell pepper, cut into small, triangular pieces
- Add the dressing mix to the cream cheese. Stir until well combined to create “glue.”
- Create the caterpillar’s body by placing 3 cauliflower florets on a plate and gluing cucumber slices between them .
- Attach shredded carrots for legs and asparagus for antennae.
- Glue pepper triangles to caterpillar’s head to create eyes.
- Use remaining “glue” for dipping, and store leftovers in the refrigerator.
Photo courtesy of Hidden Valley
Read More: Kid Food: Make an Organic Cauliflower Caterpillar
Tags: back to school, cauliflower, children, Organic Food, Parenting, picky eaters, recipes, vegetables
Posted in Health, Organic Food, Organic Food Recipes | Comments Off
July 6th, 2010 - Barbara Feiner
A new study reveals that children were exposed to fewer TV ads for sweets and beverages in 2007, but more fast food ads (as compared to 2003).
Past studies have demonstrated that TV advertising influences the short-term eating habits of children ages 2 to 11, and some research shows ads can also influence daily dietary intake. That’s why major U.S. food companies adopted the Children’s Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative in 2006, which held that 50% of child-targeted advertising would promote healthier products or good nutrition/healthful lifestyles.
But there was one significant problem: Each company had its own definition of “healthier,” according to Lisa M. Powell, PhD, and colleagues at the University of Illinois at Chicago, whose research will appear in the September issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.
Here’s what the researchers found:
- Between 2003 and 2007, daily average exposure to televised food ads decreased by 13.7% among children ages 2 to 5 and by 3.7% among children ages 6 to 11, but exposure increased by 3.7% among teens ages 12 to 17.
- Ads for sweets aired less often, with a 41% decrease for 2- to 5-year-olds, a 29.3% decrease for 6- to 11-year-olds and a 12.1% decrease for 12- to 17-year-olds.
- Beverage ads decreased by 27% to 30% across the three age groups, with substantial cuts in ads for sugar-sweetened beverages.
- But exposure to fast food ads increased by 4.7% for children 2 to 5, by 12.2% for children 6 to 11 and by 20.4% for teens 12 to 17.
Dr. Powell and her colleagues chalk up the last statistic to the power of branding. They also found a racial gap in advertising, with African-American children viewing 1.4 to 1.6 times as many food ads per day.
The researchers recommend continued monitoring of ads targeted toward children, as well as nutritional assessments for advertised products.
Read More: Kids See Fewer Sweets/Beverages Ads, But More Fast Food Ads
Tags: advertising, children, fast food, Health, Parenting, soda, sugar, TV
Posted in Health, Parenting | Comments Off
June 17th, 2010 - Barbara Feiner
Children love summer vacation, but parents often find it difficult to keep them engaged in productive activities.
Most kids experience a learning slump during their time away from school. At best, they show little or no academic growth over the summer, according to the National Summer Learning Association. At worst, they lose 1 to 3 months of learning.
It is, however, possible to keep your children engaged and stimulated over the summer months. Books like I’m a Scientist: Backyard—part of a new series for younger readers (5+ years)—introduce kids to the world of science with interesting outdoor experiments. Clear, step-by-step instructions allow children to absorb science easily.
You can also use summer vacation to instill a love of nature, the outdoors and organic gardening. I’m a Scientist: Backyard teaches preschoolers and early elementary students to:
- Take a garden safari
- Make a bug house out of a soil sample to observe the creepy-crawlies that live within
- Perform plant-based experiments that foster an interest in botany
- Experience wind power by making their own pinwheels
- Discover a tree’s age and measure its height using just a stick and a piece of string
- Make a sundial to tell time using only the sun’s position
- Learn about centrifugal force with a simple bucket of water
The book retails for $12.99 and will be released July 19. You may preorder it on Amazon and save 20% ($10.39).
Photo courtesy of DK Publishing
Read More: Teach Your Child to Be a Backyard Scientist
Tags: books, children, education, nature, organic gardening, Parenting, science, shopping
Posted in Parenting, gardening | Comments Off
June 7th, 2010 - Barbara Feiner
Julie Pickens and Mindee Doney have impressive executive resumes.
Pickens, 43, was a sales manager for Gallo Winery and Miller Brewing, and she operated six Coldstone Creamery and Wetzel’s Pretzels franchises. Doney, 34, managed West Coast marketing for Procter & Gamble.
Each woman also had three children who suffered from the usual pediatric colds and allergies. As noses ran and became chapped, dry tissues abraded tender skin.
Pickens and Doney had an entrepreneurial epiphany: Why not invent moisturizing, saline-infused nasal wipes that dissolve mucus naturally and soothe kids’ red and crusty noses?
Boogie Wipes launched in 1997. The extra-soft wipes are hypoallergenic and contain no alcohol, phthalates or parabens—chemicals organic consumers definitely want to avoid. Added chamomile, vitamin E and aloe soothe sore noses.
Boogie Wipes are available in four scents: Fresh, Unscented, Grape and Magic Menthol. Suggested retail price for a 30-wipe package is $3.99.
You can find the Boogie Wipes at Target, Rite Aid, Walgreen’s, Toys “R” Us and Babies “R” Us, as well as online.
For addition information, follow Pickens and Doney on Facebook.
Read More: A Natural Solution for Runny Noses
Tags: allergies, children, colds, Health, Parenting, shopping
Posted in Health, Parenting | Comments Off
|
|
|
