When it comes time to feeding your baby solid foods, your initial vision might be dipping a spoon into a little jar of pureed peas, carrots or bananas. Did you know that your baby will eat about 600 of these cute little jars of baby food? And that the cost of all these jars can add up $400-$600?

If you are interested in making a HUGE dent in this baby budget line item, we recommend you make your own baby food. Now don’t laugh, roll your eyes or start trembling at the thought of cooking – most people find it surprisingly simple and quick to make baby food.

Homemade baby food will cost less than $100, saving your family up to a whopping $500! And before you ask ” but who has the time?”, think about using the tried n’ true ice cube tray method of making baby food. It will take only 30 minutes per week! There are not many things you can do in 30 minutes a week to save hundreds of dollars.

Here are the four basic steps to making baby food:

Step 1: Start with fresh fruits or vegetables. Depending on the type of food, you will need to wash, chop and peel the fruits and vegetables. If you are using frozen produce, simply open the package.

Step 2: Cook the food in the microwave or steam the food on the stove. Foods are done when the can be pierced or mashed easily with a fork.

Step 3: Pour the food and cooking juices into a food processor or a blender and puree to a soft and velvety texture. You may need to add water to get the right texture.

Step 4: Spoon the food puree into ice cube trays. Cover and place them in the freezer. When frozen, pop the baby food cubes out into a freezer storage bag. Baby food cubes stay fresh for up to two months in the freezer.

When it comes time to feed your baby, simply select baby food cubes from the freezer, defrost and the rest is YUM!

Apple Puree
6 medium golden delicious apples

Step 1: Prep – Wash, peel, core and cut apples into one-inch (3 cm) slices.

Step 2: Cook – Place apples in a microwave safe dish. Cover. Cook 5 minutes and let stand for 5 minutes. Cook an additional 5 minutes. The apples are done when they can be pierced easily with a fork.

Step 3: Puree – Place apples and cooking juices into a blender or a food processor. Puree to a smooth texture.

Step 4: Freeze – Spoon into So Easy Baby Food Trays or ice cube trays. Cover. Place in freezer eight to 10 hours or overnight. Remove cubes from trays, place in storage container or freezer bag, and return immediately to the freezer.
Makes 24 1-ounce servings. Stays fresh for two months in the freezer.
To serve, select frozen apple cubes from the freezer, defrost and warm, check the temperature and feed.

Age to introduce: About 6 months.

Sweet Potato Puree
2-3 medium to large sweet potatoes

Step 1: PREP – Wash, peel and chop sweet potatoes into one-inch (3 cm) cubes

Step 2: COOK – In a medium-size saucepan, pour ½ cup water. Set a steamer basket in the saucepan and place sweet potatoes cubes in the basket. Cover. Bring water to a boil and turn down the heat and simmer for about 12-15 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes. They are done if the sweet potatoes can be mashed easily with a fork. OR Place sweet potatoes and 2 Tablespoons (30ml) of water in a microwave-safe dish. Cover. Cook 8-10 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes. They are done if the sweet potatoes can be mashed easily with a fork.

Step 3: PUREE – Place sweet potatoes and cooking juices into a blender of food processor. Add ½ cup (60 ml) of water. Puree. Add additional ¼ to ½ cup (60 – 100 ml) of water, as needed, to develop of smooth texture.

Step 4: FREEZE – Spoon into So Easy Baby Food Trays or ice cube trays. Cover. Place in freezer 8-10 hours or overnight. Remove cubes from trays, place in storage container or freezer bag, and return immediately to the freezer.
Makes 24 one-ounce servings. Stays fresh for 2 months in the freezer.
To serve, select frozen sweet potato cubes from the freezer, defrost and warm, check the temperature and feed.

There are few more money saving secrets to making baby food:

1. Buy fresh produce that is on sale or in season
2. Use coupons for frozen fruits and vegetables
3. Make baby food in large quantities and freeze it in single servings

Soups are a terrific way to introduce your toddler to vegetables and fruits. There are many types of soups. The best place to start with your toddler is with pureed soups. They have a pleasing smooth texture. If your child’s “spoon” skills are not refined enough for soup, pour it in a cup and sip away.

Pureed soups, such as cream of asparagus may sound exotic, but they are quite simple to make. Even a novice in the kitchen can be successful. A hand held immersion blender is a good appliance to invest in for making pureed soups hassle-free. This appliance is placed right into the soup pot, move it around, and viola – pureed soup!
Don’t overlook fruit soups. They are sweet, healthy and refreshing. Most fruit soups require no cooking. You simply put ingredients in a blender and whirl away. Fruits soups are a huge hit with toddlers.

Toddler Treat: Creamy Asparagus Soup

Teething toddler? Frozen, cooked asparagus spears make a soothing teether.
Even some of the pickiest of toddlers will eat their veggies when they are in soup. This soup is a creamy puree, so it if you child’s “spoon” skills are not refined enough for soup, pour it in a cup and they can sip away. Always check the temperature of soup before serving it to small children.

Ingredients:
1 pound of asparagus, cleaned and chopped
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 medium potato, peeled and cubed
1/2 tsp Herbs de Provence (optional)
1 cup milk (dairy or soy) OR 1 cup coconut milk
3 cups of chicken or vegetable stock
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:
Directions: Over medium heat, add oil, celery, and onions to a large soup pot. Saute until soft. Add asparagus, potato, herbs de Provence, and soup stock. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 15 minutes. Puree soup until smooth with a hand blender, food processor or blender. Stir in milk (dairy, soy or coconut). Salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm.

Leftovers can be frozen for up to 2 months.

Create a “Soup Bar” to make it family fun! Prepare a simple soup recipe and spoon it into bowls or cups. Line up a series of topping choices and let the kids sprinkle their own toppings on the soup! Here are some suggestions:
• Thinly sliced green onions
• Chopped cilantro
• Cubes of avocado
• Wedges of lemon or lime
• Sour cream
• Bacon bits
• Diced Ham or chicken
• Shredded cheese
• Croutons or broiled cheese toasts

Here are some affordable meal ideas to help you get dinner on the table each night without too much time or effort.

Casseroles
Casseroles are an all-time favorite comfort food and can be inexpensive one-dish meals. Here are two recipes that are crowd and wallet pleasers.

Classic Tuna Casserole:

Ingredients:

1 yellow onion, minced
2 Tbsp butter or margarine
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup frozen green peas
1 can cream of celery soup
3/4 cup milk
1 5-oz. can tuna in water, drained
3 to 4 cups flat egg noodles
1/4 cup breadcrumbs

Directions: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare the egg noodles according to the package directions and drain in a colander. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until soft (about 4 minutes), and then add in the mushrooms and peas. Cook for another minute and turn down the heat to low. Mix the soup, milk, and tuna in a separate bowl and add to the skillet. Stir until blended together. Combine the noodles and the contents of the skillet into an oven-proof casserole dish. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Bake 25-30 minutes. Let stand for 10-15 minute before serving.

Chicken n’ Rice casserole

Ingredients:

1 can cream of chicken soup
1 soup can of milk
1 tsp. dried Italian herbs
2 cups cooked chicken, cubed
3 cups brown rice, cooked
1 package frozen asparagus, thawed and cut into 1″ pieces
1 cup Colby Jack cheese, shredded
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the soup, milk and Italian herbs together. Add remaining ingredients except ¼ cup of cheese with the soup and stir gently until combined. Spoon the mixture into an oven-proof casserole dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake 25-30 minutes. Let stand for 10-15 minute before serving.

Friday Night Quesadillas
A quesadilla will turn plain leftovers into a great meal! Simply use leftovers as filling. Be creative use up leftovers and save money too!

Ingredients – for each quesadilla:
1/4 cup shredded cheese (Colby, cheddar, jack, or a mixture)
1 10 inch flour tortilla
2-3 Tbsp of leftover filling mixture
2 tsp. vegetable oil

Directions: Sprinkle cheese and filling over one of the flour tortillas. Leave a ½ inch edge empty all the way around the tortilla. Place the other tortilla on top of the cheese mixture, making a sandwich. Brush the top of the tortilla lightly with oil. Place the tortilla sandwich with the oiled side down in a non- stick frying pan over medium heat. Brush the top of the tortilla lightly with oil. Using a spatula, turn the tortilla over when it is golden brown (about 2 minutes). Brown the other side (about 2 minutes). Remove from pan and slice into pieces like a pie.

Leftover Filling Ideas: shredded/diced pork, steak or chicken, steamed vegetables chopped into small pieces, any kind of beans, avocado, tomato, pineapple or mango pieces.

Beans:

Beans (Navy, Black, Cannelini, etc) are a great substitute for meat or chicken and they are VERY inexpensive. Canned beans are super convenient to use. They are already cooked. Simply pour them into a colander, rinse them in cold water for one minute and add them to your recipe.

Black Bean Soup:

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cans (16 oz each) Mexican style tomatoes with mild green chilies (do not drain)
2 cans (15 oz each) black beans, rinsed
1 can (15 oz) chicken broth
2 teaspoons ground cumin

Directions: In a medium-sized saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes, until the onion is tender. In a blender or food processor, combine the onions, tomatoes, and beans. Process until smooth (this can be done in 2 batches, if necessary). In the medium saucepan, combine the bean mixture, broth, and cumin. Cook over low heat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve the soup hot, topping each bowl with any or all of the garnishes below.

Have a “Soup Bar” for dinner! Spoon the soup into bowls and let the kids sprinkle their own toppings on the soup! Here are some suggestions:

Thinly sliced green onions
Chopped cilantro
Cubes of avocado
Sour cream
Bacon bits
Diced ham
Shredded cheese

Feeding your 12-24 month old

Babies are introduced to solid foods at about six months old, and from this time to about 24 months old, they will learn plenty about food, and it goes well beyond taste.

First it is just swallowing solid foods, then lumps, picking up pieces, chewing (or gumming) and much more. It takes a great amount of coordination, muscle development and motor skills for your baby to master these tasks. The best approach is to take things slowly and to wait for your baby to give you signals he or she is ready. There is no need to rush this development process.

While babies are people, they are not little adults. Their dietary requirements are different than adults, and different than toddlers, preschoolers and adolescents. Unless your baby’s diet is under the supervision of a healthcare professional, it is not necessary to count calories, or choose low-fat and non-fat foods.

In the past three decades, the number of overweight two year olds has doubled. Hurried lifestyles, the abundance of processed foods, and the lack of focus by parents is creating unhealthy two year olds with poor eating habits and cheeks that are much too chubby. These statistics are alarming and should concern all parents. When your baby reaches 12 months old, you need to focus on some basic nutritional aspects.

Breastfeeding/Formula/Milk:

The fat and calcium found in breastmilk, formula and milk are essential for bone growth and brain development. While the requirement for fat reduces dramatically after two years old, the calcium requirement gradually increases through adolescence.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding your baby to 12 months old and the World Health Organization recommends to two years old. If you decide to wean your baby at 12 months old, you should wean them to 16-24 ounces of whole milk (preferably in a cup) per day. If you wean your child at two years old, you wean them to 16 ounces of low fat or nonfat milk (in a cup) per day. If your child is not being introduced to dairy products, it is very important that you introduce calcium-rich foods that will satisfy their calcium requirements.

If you were unable to or decided not to breastfeed, you should switch from formula to 16 to 24 ounces of whole milk per day when your child is 12 months old. If you have not already done so, this is also a good to transition from a bottle to a cup. At two years old, you switch from whole milk products to 16 ounces of low fat or nonfat milk products per day.

Unless recommended by a healthcare professional, toddler formulas and toddler nutrition drinks are not necessary. Many of these drinks contain large amounts of fat and sugar and are high in calories.

Serving sizes are small for toddlers

Over the past 20 years restaurants and food companies have been increasing the amount of food that is contained in a serving. These larger serving sizes are considered to a contributing factor to the rise in obesity. Interestingly, children eat more if the size of the portion on their plate in larger.

In most cases, a serving size for a child under two years old is one ounce — about 2 tablespoons. Every day, your baby should eat two to four servings each of fruits and vegetables and two to three servings each of proteins (beans, eggs, lean meat, fish) and grains (preferably whole grain brown rice, whole wheat bread and pasta, oatmeal).

Meal frequency

Your little baby has a very small tummy and a fluctuating appetite, so The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends small, frequent meals over fewer larger ones. Your baby should be fed four to six “mini meals” per day. Each meal should include a fruit or a vegetable and you may want to vary proteins and grains throughout the day. Following the mini-meal concept, means that you need to pay just as much attention to offering well-balanced nutritious snacks as you do the traditional meals of breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Variety

As your toddler begins eating “grown up” food, they might also develop “grown up” eating habits – like too much junk food and too few vegetables. It is important to pay attention to eating patterns, and to remember that the ultimate key to a balanced diet is variety. Different foods provide different nutrients. In order to ensure your child is getting all of the nutrients he needs to grow, he has to eat a good variety of foods.

Everyday, your baby should eat vegetables, fruits, whole grains (i.e. whole-wheat bread pasta, brown rice, oatmeal), proteins (i.e. beans, fish, lean meats), and dairy products. When your child is 2 years old, you should switch dairy products to low-fat or nonfat varieties. According the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) the average 2 year old should be eating the following amounts:

Vegetables 8 ounces
Fruits 8 Ounces
Grains 3 ounces
Proteins 2 ounces
Dairy 16 ounces milk/yogurt or
4 ounces cheese

To sum it all up a healthy approach to feeding your toddlers is to offer small servings, many choices, frequently throughout the day.

Here are few time saving tips for healthy homemade meals:

1. Make meals in large quantities, in advance, and freeze them ice cube trays or small plastic containers. When it’s time for a meal, simply defrost a few food cubes or a small container. Some toddler meals that freeze well are:
a. Whole wheat macaroni and cheese with tomatoes and peas
b. Ground beef (or firm tofu), spaghetti sauce and whole wheat elbow macaroni
c. Burrito filling made from beans and mild enchilada sauce. Defrost a roll up in a flour tortilla.
d. Hash brown potatoes with chopped broccoli or spinach. Defrost and serve with melted cheese on top.
2. Have no-hassle healthy snacks on hand at all times.
a. Frozen veggies (peas, carrots, green beans) – a small handfuls cooks up quickly
b. Fresh fruits (blueberries, peaches, strawberries, grapes) – avoid hard fruits (unless they are cooked), and cut the fruits into small pieces, grapes should be quartered.
c. Whole grain cereals (puffed wheat, cheerios)
d. Rice cakes and whole grain crackers
e. Yogurt
f. Semi-hard cheeses (cheddar, Jack, Provolone) cut into cubes of thin slices
3. Bake healthy foods for your family. Most baked goods freeze great and defrost quickly. Freezing some of your homemade treats
a. Make cookies with real fruit or fruit juice. Do not make large cookies, keep them small. For toddlers, two cookies are much better than one, not matter what the size.
b. Add shredded carrots or zucchini, or pureed pumpkin to muffins and sweet breads. Consider buying a mini muffin pan or slice the quick bread loaf in half longwise and then slice it into pieces.
c. Bake bread with whole-wheat flour.

The American Academy of Pediatrics conducted a study of toddler age children that concluded the average toddler may need to see a new food on their plate at least 10 times before they will eat it!

Here are some tips for introducing new foods:

1. Always let her know what she is eating. At the beginning of each meal, point at each item on her plate and tell her what it is. The more she hears about it, the more familiar it becomes.

2. Offer new foods first and at times when she is most hungry. When children are hungry or first sit down to a meal, they will often eat without thinking about what they are eating.

3. Don’t give up. Try very small portions of new foods, so you can throw them out without feeling guilty about wasting food and be patient, 10 times can seem like a long time.

4. Encourage your child to “try it”. Do not force her to eat, but ask her several times during a meal to “try” the new food. Show her how you “try it” too – make it look like fun to try new foods!

Visit www.FreshBaby.com for more tips!

Is it your turn to host the holiday dinner this year? Lucky You! The holiday season can be stressful enough without the extra added pressure of making one of the “big” holiday meals for 15 of your closest relatives or friends. We wish we could give you an “Easy” button for your holiday meals, but the best we can do is offer you a few terrific tips that will help you get through it smoothly!

Write down the menu: The best way to get started with the task of planning a big meal is to develop the menu. This can be lots of fun. Start this task with the guest head count divided into adults and kids and before setting the dinner menu, check with your guests about any food allergies. Buy a few magazines or look through cookbooks for ideas. Unless you have a lot of cooking experience, we don’t recommend picking all new dishes. It’s best to pick a few new items and few stand-bys that you know how to make.

Don’t overdo it: Holiday meals should be feasts, but you don’t need to make an entire cookbook worth of side dishes. Side dishes are often the most time consuming part of making the meal. Select a menu that includes 4-5 side dishes that compliment your main entrée.

Accept help: When you call your relatives and friends to extend the invitation, be ready when they offer “What can we bring?” Most people grew up with holiday meals where everyone pitched in. Try to match up people with things they do best. Have a suggestion ready, but don’t be too specific. Ask your friend to bring a vegetable dish, not broccoli with hazelnuts in a sherry cream sauce. Or you can ask if they have a special dish and let them tell you what it will be. Adjust your menu accordingly. If your relative does not cook, ask him to bring a no cook item – wine, juice, dinner rolls, etc.

Select make-ahead foods: The less you need to do the day of the event, the more you will enjoy it. Most foods can be made 2-4 days ahead and warmed up prior to serving. Many foods often taste better when they have a chance to set. Review your menu and identify the dishes you will make ahead of time and set aside the time to make them a few days before the event.

Buy prepared foods and ingredients: It’s a holiday meal not a test to see if you can perform the culinary act of making dinner for 20 completely from scratch. Don’t be afraid to buy prepared ingredients that will make meal prep easier – canned soup stock, chopped nuts and dates, stuffing mix, etc… If you don’t know how to make gravy, buy it. If you are not a baker, ask someone to bring desserts or buy them at the bakery.

Get the table ready: Set the table the night the before. Get your serving dishes ready too. Write down your menu items on small pieces of paper and place each piece of paper in the serving dish you plan to use for that food. If you are serving buffet style, set out the serving dishes as you want them for the meal. This organization allows guests who volunteer to help get dinner on the table to be most helpful.

Recognized in the literary world with stories such as Cinderella, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, and Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater, the pumpkin is no stranger to the spotlight. Each year in the USA, thousands of pumpkins are carved into jack ‘o lanterns and many pumpkin pies are eaten at Thanksgiving celebrations!

Pumpkin is excellent for you. It has no cholesterol and is low in fat and sodium and rich in vitamins. The bright orange color of pumpkin is a dead giveaway that it is loaded with the antioxidant, beta- carotene. Current research indicates that a diet rich in foods containing beta-carotene may reduce the risk of developing certain types of cancer and offers protection against heart disease and other aspects of aging.

On top of being good for your health, Pumpkins taste good too. That’s why they are a part of the diet in almost every country in the world.

Age to introduce: About 8-10 months (cooked and pureed).

Toddler Treat: Pumpkin Sauce

This is the not-so-well-known cousin of apple sauce — a side dish that can go with any meal, delicious as a spread on bread too!

Ingredients:
2 cups of fresh pumpkin puree (see below)
1/4 cup apple sauce
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 cup of honey

Instructions:

Mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl. Serve

Age to introduce: Over 12 months

Storage: Refrigerate for 2-3 days. Freeze for up to 2 months.

Fresh Pumpkin Puree: You will need 1 small to medium pumpkin.
Prep: Wash, cut in half, and remove seeds. Cut each half into four pieces.
Cook: Place in microwave-safe dish with 1 Tbsp of water. Cover. Cook 13-15 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes. Pumpkin is done if you can pierce it easily with a fork.
Puree: Scoop out pumpkin meat into blender/food processor. Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water. Discard Skins. Process. Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup additional water to develop smooth texture.

Pumpkins for everyone

Pumpkins find their place across the menu — breakfast, lunch and dinner and dessert — whether its pancakes, muffins, seeds for snacking, hearty soup, stuffed pumpkin or tasty pie. Here are few ideas for adding more pumpkin to your family meals:

1. Add 1/2 cup pumpkin puree (fresh or canned) and 1/4 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice to you pancakes for breakfast. They taste terrific with maple syrup and chopped pecans!

2. Add 1-2 cups of pumpkin puree (fresh or canned) to your favorite chili recipe

3. Use pureed pumpkin (fresh or canned) instead of banana in your favorite banana bread or muffin recipe.

4. Make mashed potatoes with 1/2 white potatoes 1/2 pumpkin.

5. Bake pumpkin like a squash. Before baking, drizzle pumpkin meat with a mixture of balsamic vinegar, honey and chili flakes.

Roasted Pumpkin seeds: Don’t waste pumpkin seeds after cooking or making jack-o-lanterns. It is easy to roast the seeds for a delicious and nutritious snack. The hulls are a great source of fiber with the seeds containing a high amount of phosphorus. Let the kids slosh through the slippery seeds and pick out the fibers.

1 quart water
1 Tbsp salt
2 cups pumpkin seeds
1 Tbsp vegetable oil or melted, unsalted butter (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 250°F.

2. Pick through seeds and remove any cut seeds. Remove as much of the stringy fibers as possible.

3. Bring the water and salt to a boil. Add the seeds and boil for 10 minutes. Drain, spread on kitchen towel or paper towel and pat dry.

4. Place the seeds in a bowl and toss with oil or melted butter.

5. Spread evenly on a large cookie sheet or roasting pan (cover pan with aluminum foil for easy clean- up).

6. Place pan in a preheated oven and roast the seeds for 30 to 40 minutes. Stir about every 10 minutes, until crisp and golden brown.

7. Cool the seeds, then eat or pack in air-tight containers or zip closure bags and refrigerate until ready to eat.

Pumpkin Fun Facts

Original recipe for pumpkin pie: Colonists sliced off pumpkin tops; removed seeds and filled the insides with milk, spices and honey. This was baked in hot ashes.

Eating a good breakfast can do a lot more for your children than you may realize. There are many studies that conclude that eating breakfast has many health benefits, including reduced risk of obesity, better school performance — both learning and behavior — reduced tooth decay, and children who eat breakfast are more likely to get a full day’s supply of calcium.

Many of us often meet the challenge of getting everyone out the door on time. When this happens, breakfast runs the risk of being short changed or overlooked. Breakfast is just too important to your children’s success at school to let this happen.

Here are some tips for breakfast success:
• Sit down and eat breakfast as a family
• Turn TV off and avoid other distractions
• Develop the habit of getting your children ready for school before bedtime, so there is more time in the morning for breakfast
• Prepare breakfast foods in advance, and freeze them in single servings
• Have “on the go” breakfast items, such as small boxes of whole grain cereals, fresh fruits, yogurt in the tube, granola bars, etc. on hand. Just in case someone sleeps through the alarm clock.

A healthy breakfast should consist of:
• Protein
• Whole grains
• Fruit or vegetable
• Calcium

Here are some examples of healthy breakfasts:

• #1: Breakfast burrito: scrambled eggs, black beans and salsa wrapped in a flour tortilla, and a glass of orange juice
• #2: Toasted English muffin, a hard boiled egg, a glass of milk and a bowl of strawberries
• #3: Bowl of whole-grain cereal with milk and a banana
• #4: Buckwheat pancakes with maple syrup, a bowl of melon and a glass of milk
• #5: Bowl of oatmeal with brown sugar and milk and glass of orange juice
• #6: Yogurt, a slice of whole wheat toast and a handful of raisins
• #7: Piece of spinach quiche, a slice of whole wheat toast and a handful of blueberries

Spinach Quiche
Quiche is quick to make, and makes a healthy breakfast for children and adults. Make it ahead of time, cut it into single serving pieces, wrap the individual pieces in foil or plastic wrap and freeze them. In the morning just defrost and reheat in the microwave. Simple and very tasty.

Ingredients:
3/4cup of shredded Swiss cheese
3/4 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup of finely chopped onion
1 (10oz.) package of frozen chopped spinach, squeezed dry
4 eggs
1 cup of half & half or milk
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 prepared 9-inch pie crust

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Sprinkle spinach and onion in prepared pie crust. Toss cheese with flour and sprinkle in the pie crust. In a large bowl gently whisk together eggs, half & half (or milk), salt and pepper. Pour this mixture over all of the other ingredients in the pie crust. Bake 50-60 minutes, or until knife inserted in middle comes out clean.
Let stand 10 to 12 minutes before serving. If you are cutting it into single servings and freezing it, let the quiche cool completely.

Here are some great recipes that offer a new twist to your child’s vegetarian diet!

White Bean Burritos
White beans have a great mild flavor that most children find appealing.

Ingredients for each burrito:

4 Tablespoons canned, white beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
2 Tablespoons cheddar or jack cheese
1/2 teaspoon chopped cilantro
1 Tablespoon mashed avocado
1 small flour tortilla

Directions:
Place beans and lemon juice in a bowl and mash with a fork. Mix in cheese and cilantro. Heat the mixture in microwave for 30 seconds, until cheese is melted. Spoon the bean mixture and mashed avocado on the flour tortilla crosswise, fold the tortilla in on 2 opposite sides, and roll it up lengthwise. Let it cool before serving.

Tip: If the flour tortilla seems a bit stiff, you can soften the tortilla by placing it between 2 damp paper towels and microwave 20 seconds.

Broccoli and Rice Casserole

Simply steamed, it is a perfect finger food. While broccoli is terrific in it’s native “tree” form, it is also yummy chopped, julienned and pureed. Our broccoli and rice casserole is an example of what can be done with pureed broccoli. If you don’t feel like making the rice called for in the recipe, stop by a Chinese restaurant and buy a quart to go (by the way, brown rice is better for you than white rice).

Ingredients:
2 cups chopped broccoli
3/4 cup vegetable stock
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp olive oil
2-3 cups of cooked brown or white rice
½ cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

Instructions:
Pre heat oven to 350 F. Steam broccoli until tender (about 3-4 minutes in microwave/stovetop). Place broccoli, soup stock, oil and lemon juice in a blender or food processor and process to a smooth puree. Place rice and cheese in an ovenproof dish. Pour broccoli mixture over the rice and cheese. Toss mixture gently to blend ingredients. Place in oven for 15 minutes or until heated through and the cheese is melted. (Instead of using the oven, you can heat this dish in the microwave for 3 minutes, stir, and cook 3 more minutes)

Storage: Refrigerate leftovers for 3-5 days, or can be frozen for up to 2 months.

Creamy Cukes for Kids

Our Grandmother made this delicious creamy cucumber salad, and it was a staple on her dinner table all summer long. This salad is a great childhood memory of times spent with grandma, and we are delighted to share it with you. We hope your children love it.

Ingredients:
2 medium cucumbers, peeled
1/2 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon fresh dill, chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
Cut cucumbers in half longwise. With a small spoon, scrape out seeds and slice cucumbers about 1/4 inch thick slices. In medium size bowl, add sour cream, vinegar, sugar and fresh dill and mix together with a spoon until smooth. Add the cucumbers and toss gently to coat the cucumbers with dressing. Chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Makes 4-5 servings.

Variation: Add 1/2 cup of mango, watermelon or cantaloupe chunks to this recipe.

Pineapple Kabobs
Ingredients:
Makes 4 mini-kabobs
• 4 Fresh Pineapple Chunks (1/2-inch pieces)
• 2 ounces Colby Jack Marble cheese cubes (½ inch pieces)
• 2 ounces teriyaki-flavored baked tofu (1/4 inch slice, cut into 1-inch squares
• Toothpicks
Directions:
Using toothpicks, assemble the mini-kabobs on a toothpick in the following manner: 1 ham square, 1 pineapple chunk, 1 ham square, and a cheese cube.

Kiwi Wraps or rolls
These wraps can be served as a traditional wrap sandwich or slice it into pieces (like a sushi roll) for bite-sized treats.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon peanut butter or sunflower butter
1 tablespoon cream cheese
1/2 kiwi
Tortilla — whole wheat or plain (squared)

Instructions:
Remove the skin from the kiwi and slice it into thin rounds. Spread peanut butter over half the wrap and cream cheese on the other half of the wrap. Arrange the kiwi slices evenly over the cream cheese. Beginning on the cream cheese end, gently roll up the tortilla forming a log shape. The peanut butter will act as the glue to keep it together. Serve.

Frosted Zucchini

The fun name of this recipe may be just enough to get your kids to try this delicious veggie dish. This is also a great recipe to get the kids involved in preparing. Older children can frost the zucchini and younger ones can dip them into the bread crumbs.

Ingredients:

3 medium zucchini (about 8-9 inches long)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup green onions, finely chopped
1/2 tsp. lemon zest
3 Tbsp parmesan cheese
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/3 cup bread crumbs

Directions:
Cut zucchini into 3/4-inch rounds. Steam in microwave until barely tender, about 2-4 minutes (test with fork). Drain and let cool. Mix together remaining ingredients except the bread crumbs. Frost one side of the zucchini slice with the mayonnaise mixture. Dip the frosted side of the zucchini in bread crumbs and place them on a foil-lined cookie sheet. Broil them in the oven until lightly browned. (4- 6 servings).

Fruity Smooth and Creamy Popsicles

These simple popsicles are the perfect refreshing solution! For variety, change the flavor of the pops by adding different fruits. You can purchase a Popsicle mold at a grocery store or online. If you don’t want to invest in a Popsicle mold, small plastic or paper cups or empty yogurt containers work wonderfully for making popsicles. Add a wooden craft stick for the Popsicle stick.

Ingredients:

1 10.5-ounce package silken tofu
1 medium banana
2 cups unsweetened orange-pineapple or apple juice
1 cup of diced fruit: strawberries, blueberries, pineapple, kiwi, watermelon, cantaloupe, peaches, pears, plums, mango or papaya

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a blender; cover and process until smooth. Pour the mixture into a Popsicle mold and freeze. Makes about 12 Popsicles.

TIP: If you find the mixture to be a tad on the tart side, don’t reach for the sugar, add a little sweetness with a tablespoon or two of maple syrup, honey or fruit spreads.

Introducing your baby to real food takes time. Fortunately, there is no need to rush, In fact, going slowly gives your baby a chance to develop a taste for different types of food, and in the long run enables her to make healthier food choices.

There is an enormous selection of fresh, natural food that your little one can eat, but there are also several foods that are not good for babies. Here is a list of many of the foods that you should avoid:

Foods with sugar, salt and caffeine as a main ingredient – Avoid introduction as long as possible: As a general rule, foods containing high amount of these ingredients, usually do not contain much nutritional value and are not very healthy.

High nitrate foods – Introduce over 8 months: Vegetables: beets, carrots, green beans, spinach, and collard greens, Meats: hot dogs, cured ham, bologna, sausages, salami, and many other deli meats. Foods containing high levels of nitrates can deplete iron stores and can cause anemia.

Honey – Introduce over 12 months. Honey contains bacteria that can cause botulism.

Un-pasteurized, juices, food items, and raw fish – Introduce over 12 months. Juices, such as apple cider, other food items such as raw goat’s milk, blue cheese, brie cheese, and raw fish, such as sushi can contain disease causing bacteria.

High allergens – Introduce at least over 12 months, possibly later: Food that most often cause allergic reactions include berries, chocolate, citrus fruits, cow’s milk, egg whites, fish and shellfish, nuts, peanuts, and tomatoes. Processed foods containing food additives, coloring agents and preservatives are also known to cause food allergies in your children. If you have a family history of any food allergies, discuss them specifically with your baby’s healthcare provider and seek their advice on food introductions.

Choking hazards– Introduce over 2-3 years old: Nuts (other than finely ground), peanut butter, caramel, candy, gum, whole grapes, raw hard fruits and veggies, chunks of meat, pieces of bacon, hot dogs, sunflower seeds, popcorn, raisins, potato chips and hard candy. As a precaution, learn the American Red Cross choking for infants emergency procedures.

Hot foods – Introduce over 3-4 years old: Baby and toddler foods should be served cold, at room temperature or slightly warm. If you use the microwave to warm your baby’s foods, make the sure the food has been thoroughly stirred (if possible) or allowed to stand and cool down to remove any hot spots. Always check the temperature of food and drinks before serving them.

If you are looking to reduce your carbon footprint making organic baby food is a great way to go. Consider the green facts:

Organic- Organic fruits and vegetables are the best choice for making baby food. They are the most natural ingredients and organic foods drastically reduce harm to the environment.

Less waste – When you make your own baby food, there are no jars, labels or metal lids to dispose or to recycle.

No factory required – Just a little energy to steam foods and run a blender is all you need to make your baby’s meals! Did someone say near “zero” greenhouse gases?

Local – Your baby’s food does not need to trucked to you from a factory thousands of miles away. Instead you can simply buy organic produce from your local farm market and get started.

Healthy – Homemade baby food is safe and nutritious. Baby food jars are often lined with bisphenol-A, a controversial hormone disruptor that should be avoided. In addition, homemade baby food has no preservatives, additives or chemicals – it is pure and natural goodness.

Homemade baby food and healthy meals in less than 30 minutes per week:

To prepare: Wash, peel and cut fresh fruits or vegetables, then stove-top steam or microwave in less than 10 minutes. Create a very smooth texture with a blender of food processor. Add a little water if needed to reach pudding-like texture. Pour into baby food storage trays, cover and freeze overnight. Pop cubes out and store in freezer in an air-tight container or freezer bag. Frozen baby food cubes last up to 2 months.

To serve: Select frozen baby food cubes from the freezer place in a dish and thaw or warm. Stir food before serving and check the temperature. If you want to thicken something, use baby cereal, yogurt or mashed banana. For thinning, use breast milk/formula, 100% juice or low-sodium soup stock.

Making healthy Meals: You can mix different baby food cubes together to create tasty, healthy meals. You can also add yogurt, melted cheese, ground nuts, mashed pasta/rice to introduce new flavors and textures. Here are a few ideas:
• Green peas and sweet potatoes
• Butternut squash and mashed banana
• Broccoli, cauliflower and melted cheese
• Peaches, pears and oatmeal baby cereal
• Black beans, corn and rice
• Strawberries, apples, yogurt and ground pecans

The bottom line: Making baby food is a great gift to give the environment and your baby. Plus homemade baby food tastes great. Who knows? Your baby may even grow up to like the taste of Brussels sprouts and mangoes!

Apple Puree

6 medium golden delicious apples

Step 1: Prep – Wash, peel, core and cut apples into one-inch (3 cm) slices.

Step 2: Cook – Place apples in a microwave safe dish. Cover. Cook 5 minutes and let stand for 5 minutes. Cook an additional 5 minutes. The apples are done when they can be pierced easily with a fork.

Step 3: Puree – Place apples and cooking juices into a blender or a food processor. Puree to a smooth texture.

Step 4: Freeze – Spoon into So Easy Baby Food Trays or ice cube trays. Cover. Place in freezer eight to 10 hours or overnight. Remove cubes from trays, place in storage container or freezer bag, and return immediately to the freezer.

Makes 24 1-ounce servings. Stays fresh for two months in the freezer.

To serve, select frozen apple cubes from the freezer, defrost and warm, check the temperature and feed.

Age to introduce: About 6 months.

Many believe that the gemstone garnet got its name from the pomegranate. The tiny arils of this fruit resemble the garnet’s deep-red color and shape. This recipe mixes the deep-red arils into cottage cheese creating the look of garnets buried in a blanket of snow. Try this simple dish for breakfast. The jewel and snow filling can also be spread onto graham crackers or celery sticks for a crunchy after school snack or meal time side dish.

Ingredients:

½ cup small curd cottage cheese
2 tsp honey
2 Tbsp pomegranate arils
2 tsp ground pecans (optional)
2 slices whole grain toast

Directions: Combine the cottage cheese, honey and pomegranate arils in a small bowl. Spread the mixture over the toast. Slice the toast into 4 triangles and sprinkle with ground pecans. Serve with apple or peach slices.

Note: Pomegranate arils are a choking hazard for children under 3 years old, so this recipe is best suited to children over this age.

Makes 2 servings.

Granola can be great tasting hippie food, but buyer beware. On one side, some of the packaged brands cram a lot of unfamiliar flavors in the mix. While these ingredients are often healthy, the flavors can be tough to swallow for kids. On the flip side, the more mainstream brands cram a lot sugar and artificial ingredients into their products which put them on par with the nutritional value of a candy bar. Sticking to basic ingredients is the trick.

Simple flavors – oatmeal, pecans and cranberries baked with natural goodness. This recipe is so simple, that homemade granola may soon become a staple in your house for breakfasts and snacks! Best Granola Ever is perfect for family members 3-99 years old.

Ingredients:
4 cups of old-fashioned oats
1 ½ cups chopped pecans
½ cup packed brown sugar
½ tsp salt
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ cup cooking oil
¼ cup honey
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup dried cranberries

Directions: Preheat over to 300 degrees. In a large bowl, mix the oats, pecans, salt and cinnamon. In a saucepan warm the oil and honey and stir in the vanilla. Carefully pour the liquid over the oat mixture. Stir gently with a wooden spoon until the mixture is evenly coated.

Spread the granola onto a large cookie sheet (15X10X1 inch). Bake 40 minutes, stirring carefully every 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely. Stir in dried cranberries.

Storage: Store granola in an air-tight container at room temperature for one week or in the freezer for 3 months.

Makes 9-10 servings.

After baby cereal, bananas are often the first solid food given to infants. They are easily digested, very nutritious, and taste great. Dubbed “Nature’s Wonder Fruit”, bananas are the only fruit to contain all the major vitamins: A, B1, B2, B6 and C. Bananas are also high in fiber, potassium and magnesium.

Sometimes referred to as the anti-stress, good mood vitamin, B6 is involved in the transmission of impulses in nerves and muscles and is important in making red blood cells.

Potassium is essential to mental function, brain power and nerve impulses. In fact, according to certain biochemists, new brain cells cannot be made without potassium. Bananas, one of nature’s richest sources of potassium, are also one of the easiest ways to give your body this important mineral that powers your brain and your muscles.

Age to introduce: about 6 months (pureed or mashed).

At the market: There is more to bananas than the standard yellow variety that your Mom used to buy. Most stores offer several different varieties Here is a description of some common ones:

Red bananas have a green/red peel and pink fruit flesh. They taste the same like yellow bananas. The redder a fruit, the more carotene it contains, so maybe they are healthier than their yellow colleagues.
Fruit-bananas are the normal, yellow bananas, 6-12 inches.

Apple-bananas are smaller, 3-4 inches, and ripen faster. They are also yellow. Baby-bananas are yellow as well and measure 1-3 inches. It is the sweetest of the banana family.

Baking bananas are 12-15 inches long and are green, yellow or red-like. They cannot be eaten raw. They fulfill the role of the potato in the tropical countries.

Storage and ripening: Countertop. To speed up ripening, place them in the sun. Bananas will turn black if placed in the refrigerator.

Here are a few easy ideas to add banana in your meals:

Add ripe, mashed bananas to pancake and muffin recipes.

Sliced bananas are great breakfast fruit, add them to cereal or oatmeal.

For an ultra smooth, smoothie, toss a banana in your blender with milk,
yogurt, juice and other fruit.

Add bananas to a tossed salad and try this salad dressing: Whisk together
1 finely diced jalapeño pepper, 1 teaspoon grated ginger,
1 tablespoon fish sauce, 2 tablespoons lime juice,
1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1/4 cup coconut milk.

Add sliced banana circles to the middle of a layer cake. Frost and top
with strawberries.

For a quick dessert, layer sliced bananas, vanilla pudding and peaches
in a bowl, add whipped cream and a cherry on top!

Toddler Treat: Frozen Banana Pops

These frozen banana pops – with or without the chocolate – are a simple summer treat.

Ingredients:
Bananas
Popsicle sticks
Chocolate (1 ounce per banana) (optional)

Directions:
One banana makes 2 pops. Peel bananas and slice in half crosswise. Insert a Popsicle stick in the end of each piece. Place in freezer for 2 hours. They are ready to eat (unless you want to dip them in chocolate).

To dip in chocolate: Melt chocolate according the package directions. You may need to add a bit of cooking oil (1 tsp – 1 Tablespoon, depending on the amount and type of chocolate) to the chocolate to develop a good “dipping” consistency. You can also purchase chocolate that is specially designed for melting and dipping. It is often located in the baking or produce sections of a grocery store. Once the chocolate is ready, remove the frozen bananas from the freezer and dip or spoon chocolate over them. Put them back in the freezer to set. They’ll be ready in minutes.

Storage: Wrap individually in plastic. Freeze for up to 2 months.

Eating fish is heart healthy and supports your children’s proper growth and development. Dietary guidelines call for eating fish twice a week. Along with being a source of high-quality protein, essential nutrients, fish and shellfish contain omega-3 fatty acids which can reduce the risk of heart disease, lower risk of stroke, particularly in women and can reduce risk of Alzheimer’s by as much as 60 percent.

The choices for fish and shellfish are plentiful and there are a few factors may effect your decision on which types of fish you and your family eat. Mercury is a main health concern with fish and shellfish. It is a naturally occurring element and nearly all fish have some level of mercury in them. Yet some species contain higher levels than others.

Mercury may harm an unborn baby or a young child’s developing nervous system. Women who may become pregnant, pregnant women, nursing mothers and young children (under 6) should avoid some types of fish. The EPA provides the following general guidelines to reduce exposure to mercury:

1. Do not eat shark, swordfish, King Mackerel or tilefish. They contain high levels of mercury.

2. Eat up to 12 ounces (about 2 meals) a week of fish and shellfish that are lower in mercury. Five of the most common fish that are low in mercury are shrimp, canned light tuna, salmon, pollock, catfish and tilapia.

3. Check local advisories about the safety of fish caught by family and friends in your local lakes, rivers, and coastal areas.

About 75 percent of Earth is water and the global demand for seafood is huge. Keeping our oceans and waterways clean and healthy is a top environmental concern and the issues that impact our oceans and waterway include:

• Over fishing threatens entire fish populations. Some fish are being caught at such a fast pace, they are not able to reproduce fast enough to maintain their population. Over fishing also threatens the existence of other animals that live off that species.
• Fishing practices (they way fish are caught) have environmental effects. Some practices do a great job at catching fish, but they also catch other animals too – sea turtles and albatross are just two endangered species that wind up in fishing boats. Still other practices damage surrounding habitats making it difficult for sea life to survive.
  
• Fish farms appear to be the answer to satisfying the huge demand for fish and shellfish but many cause pollution problems. Tilapia is one fish that is farm raised and considered eco-friendly.

• Real Fish Sticks Fish sticks can be a kid staple, but most of the “boxed frozen” brands have lots of breading, very little fish and a long unappetizing list of ingredients. This healthy recipe for fish sticks is faster to make than cooking the other kind in the oven. Plus they are so tasty; the whole family will enjoy them.

For a change of pace, make little fish sandwiches by buying small dinner rolls and cutting the fish pieces in squares instead of strips. The cute sandwiches are fun and easy to manage for little hands too!

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp Flour
2 Tbsp Corn Meal
1 egg
3-4 Tilapia fillets
2-3 Tbsp peanut oil
Salt and pepper

Directions:
Crack egg into a wide bowl and beat with a fork. On a shallow plate mix the corn meal and flour together. Cut the tilapia into long strips; season the strips with salt and pepper. Dip the fish pieces in egg and then coat both side with the flour mixture.

Heat peanut oil in a skillet over medium heat. Place fish in skillet and sauté until they are nicely browned on both sides and cooked all the way through (about 2- 3 minutes per side). When done transfer tilapia to a paper towel.

Serve fish sticks warm with tartar sauce, ketchup, lemon butter or low fat Ranch dressing for dipping. Makes 9-12 fish sticks.

Makes 5-8 servings.

A festive drink for the Holiday season. One the whole family will love.
Ingredients:
1 pear peeled, cored and cut in chunks
1 cup of egg nog (dairy or soy)
2 ice cubes cracked
Dash of cinnamon

Directions:
Place all ingredients in blender. Blend at high speed for 15 seconds. Makes 2-3 kid-size servings, or 1 1/2 cups.

It’s nice to have food traditions; they make for fond memories, lasting impressions, and great stories. Sometimes even funny stories, like the year Joanie proudly took over Christmas dinner responsibility from Mom, and forgot to put the goose in the oven. Let’s just say, we had a very late Christmas dinner that year (and many laughs about it).

Whether you carry on the traditions of your family, or invent new ones (Joanie has ditched the goose and now serves cheeseburgers for Christmas Dinner), they provide your family with something to talk about, something to look forward to, and something to remember.

Outside of the serving traditional meals during your holiday feast, here are a few ideas for starting a tradition that may remain with your family for years:

Pot Luck Dinner Party: These are great family fun, easy to put together, and you won’t spend the night in the kitchen. Here is how they work: each family you invite to the dinner brings a dish. When you do your inviting specify what type of dish (i.e. pasta side dish, veggie appetizer, main dish, etc.) you want each family to bring. Let them know how many people it needs to serve. Also, ask everyone to bring recipe cards for the dish they are bringing. Keep it simple by setting the dinner up buffet style. Collect all the recipe cards and send each family home with a “mini” cookbook of the evening.

Make homemade gifts: Preserves, salsa, relishes and candies make thoughtful gifts. Find one of your grandmother’s famous recipes and bring it back in her honor. The kids can help cook, and they can also help decorate the packaging. If the thought of more cooking during the holidays does not sit well with you, a fruit basket makes a wonderful holiday gift. Decorating the basket or hand making cards adds a great personal touch.

Volunteer during the holiday: The holidays can be very lonely for folks without family. Family volunteering is quite common, and can involve children of all ages. Whether it’s Christmas caroling in a hospital, helping at a soup kitchen for Chanukah, or visiting the elderly during Kwanzaa, it will leave a great impression on you and your children.

Winter fun: After a snowstorm, take the whole family sledding. Bring along a Thermos of thick, creamy hot chocolate with plenty of whipped cream. When you get home make a nice pot of the warm soup and relax. Or have a new jigsaw puzzle, firewood, plenty of hot spiced apple cider and cheese fondue on hand to celebrate the first snowstorm of the year.

We asked our Mom to share her hot spiced cider with all of you. She has been making this recipe for as long as we can remember. It conjures up awesome family memories for us; we hope you can create some of your own around it.

Charlotte’s Hot Spiced Cider
Ingredients:
1/2 gallon apple cider
1 quart cranberry apple juice
1/2 cup orange juice
Juice of a lemon
8-10 whole cloves
4 cinnamon sticks
1/4 – 1/2 cup sugar, to taste

Directions:
It is best to make the cider a day ahead. Heat all of ingredients in a large pan and stir it until the sugar melts. Refrigerate overnight. When ready to serve, Reheat and ladle into cups. Avoid getting the cloves and cinnamon sticks into the cups.

For most kids, Halloween is ALL about the treats, but it really doesn’t have to be! If you don’t feel like to contributing to the neighborhood children’s tooth decay, consider giving treats that are healthier.

Here are some suggestions:
• Cheese and cracker packages
• Naturally flavored and sweetened gun or sugar-free gum
• Small bags of pretzels
• Small packages of nuts or raisins
• Peanuts in the shell
• Fruit-Roll Ups
• Granola bars

If you are not opposed to sugar, but would prefer your treats to be natural or vegan, we suggest you visit your local natural food store. There are many natural candy companies that offer a big variety of candies. The one drawback, expect to pay more for these items. Natural products come at a higher price tag.

You could make a homemade treat. Unless you are in a neighborhood with close friends, we don’t suggest this approach. Most parents are trained to go through the Halloween candy and throw out unopened, unwrapped or homemade treats. If you decide to make your treats, wrap your homemade item up well, and add your name and phone number to the bag with the treat. If the parent recognizes your name, it will make them feel the treat is safe.

Halloween treats do not have to be edible
An alternative to avoiding the junk food challenges is to hand out a non-food treat. Today, many families are opting for this choice. With a little bit of thought and some clever shopping, you can find some really nice items for a few cents per item.

Here are few ideas:
• Cool stickers or temporary tattoos
• Halloween balloons, you can even rent a helium tanks and fill them on the spot
• Crayons, pencils, colored chalk or fun-shaped erasers
• Whistles or noise makers
• Rubber spiders, worms, or other equally creepy figure
• Spider, skull, or pumpkin plastic rings

Check your local dollar store for fun items. There is also plenty of time to shop online, and have items shipped to you. A quick search on Google will give you plenty more online shopping choices.

Halloween Day:
Start the day off right, with a festive breakfast of bagels, pumpkin cream cheese (recipe follows) and fresh apples. This meal also works as a great treat for a morning Halloween party at your child’s school.

Pumpkin cream cheese
Beat in a bowl:
8 ounces softened cream cheese
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 cup of canned pumpkin
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Serve with toasted bagels and fresh apple slices.
Before your children venture out in their costumes, make sure they eat a meal before going trick-or-treating. Try the Incredible White Bean Pizza recipe below. It is fast and simple. With full tummies, they won’t be so tempted to dig into their bag of goodies before they get back home. Ask your kids not to eat candy while they are out.

Incredible Bean Pizza
1 can white beans, drained and rinsed
1 clove garlic
2 tablespoons water
½ teaspoon oregano
1 pizza crust (like Boboli)
Shredded Mozzarella cheese
Fresh diced tomatoes
Chopped basil

Directions:
Puree first five ingredients in a blender and spread mixture over the pizza crust. Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese, fresh, diced tomatoes and chopped basil. Bake in a 425 degree F oven until cheese is bubbly, about 10-12 minutes.

When your children arrive back at home, don’t let them take control over their bag or bucket of candy. Working with them, check the treats and keep only treats which are unopened. Be sure to inspect fruits and homemade goods for anything suspicious. While you are going through their candy, let them pick two or three treats that they can eat on this special night. Store the rest of the candy out of reach and out of sight.

Over the next few days or weeks, rationing the treats is the best approach. Allow your children to make their own selections, but tell them they can pick one large piece or two small pieces. If your children have trouble with this, do it for them (in advance). Just place small amounts of candy in bags, and let them select one of the bags. If there is just too much candy, consider donating some of it to a shelter. It will bring smiles to others.

As you know by now, all parents have a different idea of what is healthy food and what is not. For years, you have had the opportunity to hand select and monitor what your child eats for lunch. Now it is time to test their ability. It is only natural for your child’s eyes to wander and notice, and be envious of, what the other kids are eating. Here are a few tips that may help your child’s lunch be healthy, fun and get noticed by the other kids.

The lunchbox: It is important to have the right gear and the lunchbox is an important asset. Consider letting your child pick out his own lunchbox or purchase one and let him decorate it with paint or markers. Make sure your child’s name is on it with a permanent marker or paint. Most schools will not provide a refrigerator to store lunchboxes, so you should select an insulated one with a re-usable freezer pack to keep the lunch fresh. Or, instead of using a freezer pack, you can freeze a bottle of water, and add it to the lunch box. It will keep the lunch cold and fresh during morning classes and by lunch time it will have thawed and be ready to drink.

More gear – containers: Those gimmicky, salt, fat and sugar-filled, “Lunchables” trays are very popular with kids. Not because they taste so good, but because look so cool. There is no reason a homemade lunch needs to look dull and unappetizing. Buy colorful containers in different shapes to pack your child’s lunch. They are better than plastic bags and less wasteful too. If your child is drawn to characters, buy some stickers and decorate the containers. Put your child’s name on the containers, but it is inevitable that some containers may not make their way home. Another option is to purchase inexpensive or “semi” disposable containers that will not disappoint you if they accidentally end up in the trash.

Offer plenty of choices: Provide small servings and many choices — variety is a key to healthy eating. Providing your child with plenty of variety is not hard or time consuming. Many lunch foods can be prepared, in advance, in large quantities. Each morning, simply fill up small containers with different foods. Quick lunchbox food suggestions include:
• Dried fruit
• Nuts
• Fresh fruit pieces or a piece of whole fruit
• Applesauce (no sugar added)
• Celery sticks filled with cream cheese and raisins, or white bean dip
• Sugar snap peas with Ranch dressing for dipping
• Yogurt or a smoothie
• Lunch meat roll-ups with cream cheese and an asparagus in the middle
• Hard boiled egg
• Cheese cubes or string cheese logs
• Peanut butter (or sunflower butter) and apple slices or crackers
• White bean dip or hummus with carrots and mini pita breads
• Whole grain crackers or pretzels
• Trail mix made from cereal, nuts and dried fruit

Talk to your child about lunchtime: Don’t assume that your child’s uneaten lunch is sign that he did not like the food. If you ask a few questions, you may find that your child does not have enough time to eat lunch or that he is spending more time socializing with his friends than actually chewing. Asking questions will give you the opportunity to help him learn other important skills such as managing his time and selecting times to socialize.
Simple lunch box recipes:

Pineapple Kabobs

Ingredients:
Makes 4 mini-kabobs
• 4 Fresh Pineapple Chunks (1/2-inch pieces)
• 2 ounces Colby Jack Marble cheese cubes (½ inch pieces)
• 2 ounces deli ham (1/4 inch slice, cut into 1-inch squares
• Toothpicks

Directions:
Using toothpicks, assemble the mini-kabobs on a toothpick in the following manner: 1 ham square, 1 pineapple chunk, 1 ham square, and a cheese cube.

Per Serving: 66 Cal (17% from Fat, 16% from Protein, 67% from Carb); 3 g Protein; 1 g Tot Fat; 12 g Carb; 1 g Fiber; 9 g Sugar; 14 mg Calcium; 0 mg Iron; 131 mg Potassium; 48 IU Vit A; 0 mg ATE Vit E; 48 mg Vit C

Veggie version: Substitute teriyaki-flavored baked tofu for the ham/cheese. Baked tofu can easily be sliced into small cubes and is very tasty with the pineapple.

Per Serving: 54 Cal (11% from Fat, 11% from Protein, 79% from Carb); 2 g Protein; 1 g Tot Fat; 12 g Carb; 1 g Fiber; 9 g Sugar; 34 mg Calcium; 0 mg Iron; 116 mg Potassium; 48 IU Vit A; 0 mg ATE Vit E; 47 mg Vit C

Trail Mix

Directions:
Combine any or all of these ingredients in an airtight container and toss gently to mix. Store airtight. Lasts for weeks.

Ingredients:
Dry snacks: cereal (low in sugar – under 5g per serving), small pretzels, graham cracker or rice cake pieces, or animal crackers.
Dried fruits: Cherries, apricots, raisins, mangoes or coconut flakes (Tip: big pieces of dried fruit can be cut up easily using kitchen shears).
Nuts and seeds: sliced almonds, pecan pieces, cashew pieces, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds or peanut pieces.

Kiwi Wraps or rolls
These wraps can be served as a traditional wrap sandwich or slice it into pieces (like a sushi roll) for bite sized treats.
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon peanut butter or sunflower butter
1 tablespoon cream cheese
1/2 kiwi
Tortilla — whole wheat or plain (squared)

Instructions:
Remove the skin from the kiwi and slice it into thin rounds. Spread peanut butter over half the wrap and cream cheese on the other half of the wrap. Arrange the kiwi slices evenly over the cream cheese. Beginning on the cream cheese end, gently roll up the tortilla forming a log shape. The peanut butter will act as the glue to keep it together. Serve.

Per Serving: 323 Cal (46% from Fat, 12% from Protein, 43% from Carb); 10 g Protein; 17 g Tot Fat; 35 g Carb; 4 g Fiber; 5 g Sugar; 92 mg Calcium; 2 mg Iron; 308 mg Potassium; 235 IU Vit A; 52 mg ATE Vit E; 42 mg Vit C

Editor’s Note: Like the looks of the lunchboxes pictured above? Find the Fashion Lunchbox Tote, the Jr. Construction Worker Lunch Box and many more at www.lunchboxes.com.

Blueberries are available in many forms: fresh, frozen, juice, puree, concentrate and dried. Fresh blueberries should be firm, dry, plump and smooth-skinned. Ripe berries are deep purple blue to blue-black. Stay away from containers of berries with juice stains, or that contain moldy, soft, watery or wrinkled fruit.

Storage: Store covered in the refrigerator for five to seven days. Don’t wash blueberries until to you are ready to use them.

Preparation: Wash fresh or frozen berries before using them.

Freezing fresh blueberries: While blueberries are available year round, they are least expensive when they are in season in your area. Take advantage of your local crop year round by freezing blueberries. That’s right, blueberries freeze very well. To freeze blueberries: Do not wash them. Lay a single layer of blueberries on a cookie sheet (or flat pan) and freeze them. Once frozen, packed the berries into containers or freezer storage bags. This method makes it is easy to grab a handful of berries from the freezer for pancakes, smoothies, etc. Wash them before using.

Blueberry pancakes: A weekend family favorite. To prevent your batter from turning purple and for easier flipping, add the blueberries as soon as the batter has been poured on the griddle.

Dried blueberries: Available in many stores, dried blueberries are great in scones, banana bread, cookies, trail mix or sprinkled in popcorn or Chex mix.

Blueberry Relish: This delicious and simple relish is great with grilled chicken breast. It is also wonderful on grilled cheese sandwiches.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup onions, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup sherry
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 cup fresh (or frozen) blueberries
• 1 cup chopped tomatoes or canned diced tomatoes (drained)
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Add olive oil to saucepan over medium heat. Add onions, and cook until onions are golden, about 5 to 7 minutes.
   
2. Add sherry, vinegar, blueberries, tomatoes, salt and pepper.
   
3. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and gently simmer 3 to 4 minutes.
   
4. Remove from heat and transfer relish to a serving bowl. Stays fresh in the refrigerator for five days. Can be frozen for up to two months.
   

• 6 cups blueberries (fresh or frozen)
• 2 cups diced mango
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 teaspoon cardamom OR cinnamon
• 1 cup apple juice

Directions:

1. In a saucepan, combine blueberries, sugar, lime juice and cardamom. Over medium-high heat, bring mixture to a boil; cook and stir until sugar dissolves, about 7 minutes.
   
2. Transfer to a blender and purée until completely smooth. Stir in apple juice and chill in refrigerator until serving. Serve in martini or margarita glasses.
   

Unlike most fruits, the blueberry was not introduced to the United States by Europeans or other immigrants. Blueberries are native to North America, and it was the Native Americans who introduced European settlers to this wonderful, healthful fruit.
Blueberries were important to the Native Americans. They were eaten fresh, added to soups and stews, dried for the winter and used for medicinal purposes, making strong teas from the roots.

American settlers learned quickly about blueberries, and early medical books show blueberry tea was used by wives of settlers during labor. Blueberry juice was used for “old coughs” and tea made from Wild Blueberry leaves was believed to be a good tonic to help purify the blood.

New research provides proof that the Native Americans and settlers were correct in believing that blueberries held great healing power. Ranking No. 1 in antioxidant levels, blueberries are most likely the best food to eat for cancer prevention. The total antioxidant capacity of blueberries is twice that of spinach and three times that of oranges. This extraordinary fruit is also rich in pectin, a soluble fiber that has been shown in several research studies to be effective in lowering cholesterol. Blueberries are also rich in vitamin A and C.

Blueberries can be effective in combating the “runs,” because they contain anthocyanin. This substance has mild antibiotic properties, especially against intestinal bacteria that cause diarrhea.

Even though, blueberries have a short season, they are almost always available in your grocery store. They are grown throughout the US (35 of the 50 states), with local seasons ranging from early summer to the fall. And thanks to today’s modern transportation methods, blueberries from South America are available throughout the winter.