Because natural isn't always possible — or easy.
Posted in Eating Healthy, Emotional development, Food, toddlers on Jun 16th, 2010
I use food as a reward for my little girl. There. I admitted it. I’m doing something I absolutely shouldn’t do, and I don’t know how I feel about it. I was way more careful with my big girl. I never used food as a reward. Hugs and kisses, yes. A cup of yogurt or [...]
Posted in Consumer Packaged Goods, Eating Healthy, Food, Friendship, Organic on Jun 9th, 2010
As many of you know, I belong to an amazing community-supported agriculture program called the Golden Earthworm Farm. This year, in fact, I am a drop-off location, which means my house is the place where 19 people come to get their just-picked organic veggies. While the price is pretty reasonable — about $20 per week [...]
Posted in Consumer Packaged Goods, Eating Healthy on Jun 1st, 2010
This isn’t a shocker. A recent study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that television ads promote poor, imbalanced diets. Researchers analyzed 84 hours of television on the big four networks — ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox. According to researchers, if someone selected only foods advertised on TV during that time [...]
Posted in Emotional development, Friendship, parenting on May 30th, 2010
We went to a Game Night friend‘s house for a barbecue tonight. Seven adults (one was working) and eight kids. The four big kids played from 4 p.m. until 9:30 p.m. At one point I grabbed my big girl and gave her a hug. As soon as I touched her I was brought back to [...]
Posted in Eating Healthy, Food, Going Green, Health, toddlers on May 12th, 2010
Little Girl had her 21-month well visit a few weeks ago. The nurse came in to take height and weight. She put her on the scale. “She didn’t gain an ounce since her last check up,” explained the nurse. Then she got measured. She only grew 1/2 inch since her last visit, which was three [...]
Posted in Emotional development, Food, Health, parenting on Apr 28th, 2010
“On nights you go to the gym: What do you eat for dinner? Do you eat with Daddy or not eat at all?” We were sitting at the table eating dinner yesterday. It was a nice dinner. I baked sweet potatoes. We had broccoli and rolls, too. Everyone got to pick their protein from leftovers: [...]
Posted in Siblings on Apr 21st, 2010
I just emailed my local CSA — an organic farm called Golden Earthworm. I’ve been a member off and on for about five years. (The year before last I didn’t sign up in time and got shut out.) I wanted to make sure I’d be on the list again. Belonging to a CSA is sort [...]
Posted in Eating Healthy, Organic, Shopping on Mar 25th, 2010
At the beginning of the year, my first-grader ate whatever I put into her lunch box. It came back empty every day. These days, however, I guess the honey wheat pretzels and animal crackers I’ve been sending aren’t cool. There have been many days her box comes back full to the brim minus the sandwich [...]
Posted in Eating Healthy, Food, Health, Illness, Preventative medicine on Mar 9th, 2010
When my daughter was about 15-months-old I took her in for a well-check. “Whoa, she’s gained a lot this month,” my doctor told me. “What is she eating?” My answer was sort of complicated. Big Girl was a hungry kid and a good eater. This was a good thing, I thought, which is why I [...]
I got a press release the other day informing me that February is National Snack Food month, a distinction created by the Snack Food Association back in 1989 to build awareness during an otherwise slow sales month. As I sit here eating Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate Hearts (yum!), I realize I am not one of [...]