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. Read the rest »

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: Read the rest »

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. Read the rest »

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. Read the rest »

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. Read the rest »

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. Read the rest »