lunch Archives - Happy Healthy Kids

Found: Easy Homemade Bread Recipe

August 27, 2015 by Kelley 4 Comments

In this inaugural summer of bringing three children out to eat to places that don’t serve your dinner in paper sacks, I learned that my kids and I share a favorite thing about restaurants: the breadbasket. Especially when it’s filled with warm, chewy, just a little crunchy, freshly-baked dough. When the chicken is “too spicy” or the vegetables “too saucy,” good bread saves a meal.

A little while ago, my middle son, the biggest carbophile in our crew, started asking me to serve “restaurant bread” with dinner. The truth is, in my early 30s, when I had one baby and grand plans about home-making everything, I tried my hand at baking bread, and never landed on a good recipe that didn’t involve a day of proofing and kneading (who has the time?) or a bread machine (who has the space?)

But a couple months ago, I hit bread-recipe gold, thanks to Alicia over at Somewhat Simple. It’s (no joke) really easy, as well as a nice way to pass the time with kids: while kneading, I give them their own balls of dough to shape. It’s also delicious—perfectly soft on the inside and a little crunchy on the outside. I can’t think of a better perk to a Sunday (or a boring mid-week) dinner. It goes well with summery salad, grilled chicken, or as the weather turns to fall, soup. Serve with a side of great olive oil for dipping or whipped butter for spreading.

Easy Homemade Bread (adapted from Somewhat Simple)

Ingredients

1 1/2 tablespoons instant yeast
3 cups warm water
1 tablespoon salt
6 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Instructions

Dissove the yeast in the warm water in a very large bowl.
Mix in salt and flour until just combined. I do this in a food processor but you could also use a wooden mixing spoon or large fork. The dough will be very soft.
Cover with a slightly damp kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place for 2 hours.
After rising, divide dough into two pieces and shape each into a round ball. Coat your hands and counter in flour to make it easier to manipulate dough.
Place each ball of dough on a piece of parchment paper or wax paper, and let it rest for 40 more minutes.
During this second rise, preheat oven to 450. Place a baking stone or overturned baking sheet (this is what I did; it worked perfectly) on the upper oven rack. Put a small broiler pan or small metal cake pan on the lower shelf. Heat the stone or sheet at least 20 minutes before baking.
When the dough is ready to bake, dust it with flour and cut three deep slashes across the top. Slide or place the dough from the parchment paper onto the stone or pan carefully. Put stone or pan back in oven if you have taken it out to place dough on it.
Pour a cup of water into the broiler pan/cake pan on the bottom of the oven and shut the oven door quickly. Bake until golden brown, 24-28 minutes.
Cool and freeze one loaf if not using within a day or two. Defrost on counter for an hour before serving.

https://www.happyhealthykids.com/found-easy-homemade-bread-recipe/

Ultimate Summer Salad

July 31, 2015 by Kelley Leave a Comment

It’s late July, which means in the Northeast, at least, summer produce is peaking—to the point, in some cases, of total garden domination. We gardeners—and anyone who regularly hits a farmer’s market or

Our overflowing late-summer garden.

even just a well-stocked supermarket—are faced with bumper crops of just-ripe (or low-priced) corn, zucchini, cucumbers, tomatoes, peaches, and more. Too often, we pick or purchase perfect produce with high hopes, only to be digging a spongy specimen out of the crisper too weeks later.

The boys at our favorite local market, Volante Farms.

Rather than try to selectively use all this great produce one at a time, I’ve lately been making a big salad that showcases several at once. This approach is nicely family-friendly, kids can pick around the one or two things they don’t like, and seem to be more inclined to try something new when it’s cozied up to a fruit or veggie they’re used to. You can also mix and match to highlight whatever is growing or on sale. The one constant: watermelon, which all kids seem to love and has a mild taste that pairs well pretty much any summer veggie.

By not dousing it with heavy dressing—just a squeeze of citrus and a splash of good olive oil—this salad lasts for at least a few days in the ‘fridge. It’s great on its own or mixed with some protein—quinoa, edamame, cheese, pine nuts for lunch, or shredded rotisserie chicken, salmon, or shrimp for dinner.

Ultimate Summer Salad

Ingredients

1-2 cups diced watermelon
1 cup tomato chunks (about five halved cherry or 1-2 seeded and chunked standard tomatoes)
1 cup fresh corn kernels (shuck and boil 1-2 ears for 4 minutes; cool and slice kernels off)
1 cup cucumber pieces (about 1 large cucumber; make half moon shapes or use these great flower shaped cutters
1 cup yellow or green zucchini chunks
1 cup diced fresh peach (about 2 small peaches)
1/4 cup basil or mint, minced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt (to taste)
1/8 teaspoon pepper (optional, to taste)
One small lemon or lime, or 1/8 cup rice wine vinegar

Instructions

Place veggies in large bowl. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with herbs and salt (and pepper if desired). Place fruit chunks on top, and squeeze lemon or vinegar to taste. Mix well and serve at room temperature. Refrigerate leftovers.

KIDS LUNCH: Serve with ham roll ups, cheese sticks, or mini sandwiches on the side

GROWN-UP LUNCH: Mix in any or all: 1 cup cooked quinoa, 1/4 cup pine nuts, 1/4 cup shelled, edamame, 1/4 cup feta, 1/4 cup diced mozzarella

FOR DINNER: Mix in or add to the side: shredded rotisserie chicken, poached salmon, grilled shrimp

https://www.happyhealthykids.com/ultimate-summer-salad/

Do Table Manners Matter?

April 28, 2015 by Kelley Leave a Comment

I’ll never forget the first time I gave serious thought to my kids’ table manners. It was maybe four years ago, at my friend Megan’s house. She and her husband and kids had invited our family over for brunch. When it came time to sit at the beautiful table on her lovely porch, I noticed a few things: We were all sitting together (preschoolers, toddlers, and parents). We were all eating the same thing (I don’t recall what it was exactly, but I know it didn’t involve dinosaur-shaped nuggets or squeezy yogurt). And everyone’s place was set with glasses. Glass glasses.

My children hung in there for a few minutes, but before long, cream cheese was smeared, fussing ensued, and at least one boy had drifted away from the table in the direction of a toy, trailing bagel crumbs along the way. Our friends didn’t seem to care, but I did. Clearly, we had a lot of work to do when it came to eating in anything approaching a civilized manner.

Progress has been slow, and I know I have mainly myself to blame. To my husband, who’s more vigilant about keeping the baby-wolf-like behaviors in check at mealtime, I’ve tried to explain, lamely, why I sometimes let manners slide. It’s a matter of priorities: When you’re chiefly concerned with making sure three active and picky boys get enough to eat, some manners are going to fall by the wayside. Perhaps that means letting a child bring his Garfield comic book to the table to get through three more bites of chicken. Or letting someone use their hands to eat their green beans “because it’s more fun that way.” Or letting the baby drift away mid-dinner, because you’re just too damn tired to convince him to stay. (And too tired to stand your ground when the same child inevitably asks for a bowl of cereal an hour later.)

I’ve also occasionally questioned whether, in the grand scheme of a family meal, especially in the privacy of one’s home, table manners really matter. But I know they do, and not just for appearance’s sake. Convincing kids to sit at a table longer increases the likelihood that the food you’ve taken time to prepare gets eaten. Cutting out the kicking, interrupting, or yelling better allows family members to have those meaningful, important conversations. Keeping fingers out of food, drinks, mouths and noses reduces the risk that kids will spread and catch illnesses. The list goes on.

The trick is getting kids to do all these things without behaving like canines ourselves by barking our way through an unpleasant mealtime. Luckily, Lisa Collins, the mom behind Perfectly Mannered classes and workshops, lives in my town. She shared some really persuasive reasons for why we should be paying more attention to good table etiquette—and great tips for getting kids on board. As with so much smart parenting advice, the theme is pretty simple: consistency.

HHK: Do you think kids today have more trouble with table manners than previous generations?

Lisa Collins: Yes, because our fast-paced, on-demand approach to life minimizes the importance of table manners, and doesn’t create opportunities to learn and practice these skills. If we’re only sitting down for a quick seven-minute meal between carpooling to three different practices, homework and last-minute trips to the market, good table manners are barely on our dinner time radar. Our focus is on getting nourishment into our kids’ bodies, not on using the proper fork! But our schedules also reduce the time needed to practice good table manners. We are not born with this knowledge and skill set, and unless we give our kids the opportunity to practice table manners, we can’t expect them to simply pick it up by holiday mealtime.

HHK: What are the core table manners you suggest focusing on when teaching kids?

Lisa Collins: The four table manners I focus on first with kids are the ones which ensure we’re being considerate of the people around us.

Sit squarely at the table
Napkin on your lap
Don’t talk with your mouth full/close your lips when you chew your food.
Be present and engaged with the other people at the table.

HHK: What are some traditional table manners that you think are outdated now?

Lisa Collins: Anything to do with the role of women and girls at the table. Traditionally, women took a backseat to the men at the table, in terms of both the food and the social experience. Today, obviously, genders are equal at the table. However, it is important to remember to continue to give deferential treatment to any elders with whom you are sharing your meal.

HHK: What are some “new” manners we should be teaching our kids, that our parents didn’t have to worry about?

Lisa Collins: We need to be aware of what I call “digi-manners.” Electronic devices are a part of our everyday (every minute!) world, but need to be set aside, away from the table and out of reach, at mealtime. They take our attention away from the people we are with, they distract us, and they exclude (how many people can really watch a YouTube video at one time!). The key here is to practice what you preach. As hard as it is to restrain ourselves from checking our phone, there’s no way our kids will be okay stashing away their devices at mealtime if we don’t do it ourselves.

HHK: What are favorite strategies for helping children learn and follow the table manner rules you’ve set up for your family?

Lisa Collins: Practice, practice, practice. Give kids the opportunity to try out their new skills each and every day—and that means gentle reminders not only during meals, but also snack time and even pretend playtime for the younger set. Modeling good table manners is also a critical element of successfully teaching our children good table manners. Take your time to emphasize what it is you are doing, so those behaviors become a natural part of your family mealtime. This might mean setting aside a little more time, when possible, for mealtime, and not trying to cram it in between other, seemingly “more important” things.
At home, good table manners should also include setting the table and helping to clean up. These “jobs” help kids to not only learn proper table setting, but also to appreciate the entire dining experience.

HHK: How about restaurants?

Lisa Collins: Going out to eat is one of my favorite things to do with kids to teach good table manners. Eating in a restaurant provides a clear structure for learning and practicing good table manners, and ensures the meal will last longer than 15 minutes! From the time kids learn to talk, they should be ordering their own meal. Using the phrase, “May I please have…” is one of the easiest things for them to remember, and sets the stage for good table manners from the beginning of the meal to the end. And remember, no restaurant is too casual for proper table manners!

HHK: I’ve talked about how table manners can improve family bonding, nutrition, and hygiene. What are some other reasons you think we should be paying more attention to teaching table manners?

Lisa Collins: Three big things: One, good manners demonstrate you have respect and consideration for others. Things like chewing with your mouth closed or not grabbing the last roll teaches us a larger lesson of being sensitive to people around us. Second, it helps kids practice social confidence. Mealtime provides an endless number of social decisions that we have to make in short order and on your own (like, how do I answer a question if I have food in my mouth?) Finally, good manners can cultivate a healthy relationship with food. It creates a positive environment that connects food, other people, and ourselves to a singular positive experience.

Well said! For more about Lisa Collins, or to contact her with further questions, check out her website, Perfectly Mannered.

photo credit: Noo via Photo Pin, cc

Simple, Sneaky Nutrition Boosters

February 11, 2015 by Kelley Leave a Comment

I’ve never been a huge fan of relying on “sneaky” nutrition when it comes to kids’ diets. It’s not the subterfuge that bothers me; it’s the lack of real progress. Scientists say it can take more than 10 tries of a certain food before a child will like it: If the only way you prepare zucchini is to bury it in a loaf of chocolate chip bread (granted, a recipe I love), how are you training kids’ palates to accept the food? Not to mention that “sneaky” recipes—which invariably seem to rely on purees and the like—are usually twice as time-consuming and complicated than our busy life can bear.

And yet: I have three children who are on the picky spectrum, and getting at least one to try a new food one time, much less 10, is hugely challenging to us both. So I’m all for making quick-and-painless ingredient swaps and additions that nudge up nutrition, healthy fats, and calories without sacrificing taste. Here are some easy ideas.

25 Superfoods For Kids

January 22, 2015 by Kelley 1 Comment

I love the idea of superfoods—produce and proteins that naturally pack a nutritional wallop in each bite. However, the typical superfood lists found in magazines and health websites aren’t exactly workable for my family of three boys. If I have trouble finding, much less enjoying, goji berries and kombucha, how am I going to get my six-year-old on board?

Thankfully, Dana White, R.D. who is on our advisory board, has compiled a go-to list of kid-friendly superfoods in her fantastic new book, First Bites: Superfoods for Babies and Toddlers, which includes tips and easy recipes for feeding children of all ages. Whereas many healthy food lists are compiled by sources whose expertise lies, er, elsewhere (i.e., bodybuilders and massage therapists), Dana is a certified dietitian and mom who knows her stuff and provides stats and delicious recipes to back it up. Click here or on the image link in our “Great Reads” column on the right to pre-order the book or its Kindle edition (it’s available Feb. 3), and check out 25 of her 50 favorite superfoods for kids, below. One of my New Year’s resolutions: adding one new food from this list to my shopping cart each week, and trying it out with my kids. (Next up: coconut milk smoothies.)

And here’s a hint: Go ahead and tell your kids that you are serving them a “superfood,” and explain to them how it benefits their bodies (“carrots can help your eyes have super vision”; “salmon is good for your brain and can help you learn,” etc.) They may be just a little more motivated to try it.

Apples

Full of fiber, vitamin C, and antioxidants, this is a naturally sweet treat that’s great to always have on hand.

HHK recipe: Best Easy Applesauce, Six Ways

Avocados

A great first food, this creamy green fruit has heart-healthy monounsaturated fats as well as vitamin C, vitamin K, folate and potassium.

Beans

Black or kidney beans can pump up the protein and fiber in kids’ diets, and are soft and easy to eat.

Bell Peppers

There’s more vitamin C in a bell pepper than an orange, and kids who are opposed to cooked veggies often love to snack on raw red pepper strips.

Berries

Blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, and cranberries are all filled with antioxidants called anthocyanins, which protect blood vessels and the nervous system and improve eyesight.

HHK recipe: Summer Berry Corn Muffins

Broccoli

Served raw, steamed or oven-blasted with a bit of butter, these “little trees” contain cell-protecting antioxidants as well as fiber and other vitamins.

Brown Rice

Brown rice has 10 times more energy producing B-vitamins than the white kind. Get kids started on it early, and try brown rice crackers, breads, and pasta, too.

Carrots

These bright-colored veggies, served raw or cooked to bring out their natural sweetness, provide all kinds of nutrients important for growth, development, immunity and vision.

HHK recipe: Carrot-Apple Muffins

Cheese

Cheese packs protein plus bone-building calcium, vitamin D, and phosphorus—try mild versions like Monterey Jack, mozzarella, or American at first.

Chicken

The flavorful dark meat contains healthy, polyunsaturated fat, and the mild flavor and tender texture makes it a great first protein for babies.

HHK recipe: Honey-Lemon Chicken Thighs

Coconut

Swap water for coconut milk as a cooking liquid for rice or noodles or add it to smoothies—it’s a natural source of electrolytes (sodium and potassium), and most boxed versions are fortified with calcium and vitamin D.

HHK recipe: Hummingbird Bread

Corn

Do you know corn is actually a whole grain? It’s full of the antioxidant zeaxanthin, which benefits vision, and also contains some fiber and protein. Opt for unprocessed versions—in popcorn or corn on the cob.

Cucumber

Low in calories, high in water content, and pleasingly crunchy and mild, this is a great choice for kids who turn their nose up at other green veggies.

Eggs

Hard-boiled, scrambled, or mixed into baked goods, eggs contain just about everything that’s good for growing bodies: protein, healthy Omega-3 fats, and vitamins A and D.

Honey

Suitable for kids over age 1, honey is a natural sweetener for oatmeal, cereal, and baked goods; a teaspoon or two can also help soothe coughs.

Kale

Surprisingly kid friendly when used as a crunchy salad ingredient or baked into chips, this leafy green vegetable contains oodles or vitamin K plus iron, potassium, calcium, and folate.

Kale Chips

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Yield: 6 to 8 cups

You can find these packaged in the chip section of many supermarkets, but making your own is quick, easy, and cost-effective. Excerpted from First Bites: Superfoods for Babies and Toddlers by Dana Angelo White. © 2015 by Dana Angelo White. A Perigee Book, Penguin Group USA, A Penguin Random House Company.

Ingredients

1 large bunch kale, stems removed and roughly chopped (about 6 to 8 cups)
1-2 Tablespoons of oil
Kosher salt and black pepper
A pinch of paprika, cumin or mild curry powder (optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400. Place kale on baking sheets. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste, and toss well. Bake for 3 to 5 minutes, turning once or until leaves just become crispy.

https://www.happyhealthykids.com/superfoods-for-kids/

Milk

One cup provides about a quarter of the daily recommended amount of bone-building vitamin D, and is also a great source of vitamin B12 for DNA formation and energy metabolism.

Oats

Use it in granola, cookies, or muffins—it’s full of heart-healthy soluble fiber.

Oranges (and other citrus)

Oranges and clementines are sweet, simple treats most kids love; try dipping segments in dark chocolate for a special treat.

HHK recipe: Orange Juice Sherbet

Pasta

A classic kid-favorite food, pasta is enriched with vitamin B and iron, and is excellent fuel for active little ones. Start with easy-to-digest white versions, but introduce whole grains early so kids can acquire a taste for them.

Pears

A truly under appreciated fruit, pears are a serious source of fiber and vitamin K. Pearsauce is a great alternative to applesauce.

Pork

Chops and tenderloin are low in fat, and have more B vitamins than most other meats. Slow cook to make tender for tots—they’ll love the mild flavor.

Pumpkin

High in vitamin A and antioxidants like beta carotene, it can be pureed and served plain for babies or added to muffins and quick breads for the whole family. Don’t forget the seeds—a tasty source of iron.

Seafood

In June, the FDA increased their recommended amount of fish that children should be eating. Low-mercury choices like cod, salmon and shrimp are high in protein and a good source of Omega-3 fats that are vital for brain development.

HHK recipe: Kid-Friendly Fish Recipes

Yogurt

Each cup contains a hefty dose of protein, calcium, and gut-friendly probiotics, and many brands are fortified with Vitamin D.

HHK recipe: Popeye Smoothie

The Real School Lunch Problem

November 11, 2014 by Kelley 2 Comments

Over the past decade, cafeteria food has become school reformists’, nutritionists’, and foodies’ favorite punching bag. Advocacy groups and even some reality television shows have been established for the sole purpose of decrying the state of the food served on today’s school lunch trays. And with the criticism has come a new cottage industry: packed lunches that border on works of art, complete with sculpted sandwiches, carved fruit animals, and elaborate packaging.

But here’s a zinger: Your kid may be better off buying lunch than brown-bagging it (or perhaps even bento-boxing it). Last week, in a study published in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, Virginia Tech researchers compared 560 packed lunches with 750 school-served lunches. They found that homemade lunches had more fat and sugar, and less protein, fiber, fruits, and veggies than school-made ones.

By no means should this research let school kitchens off the hook: They’re the front lines of nutrition for countless kids across America, and plenty of solid research has shown that the lunches many serve are too short on fresh, healthy produce and too high in processed animal fats. Movements like the School Lunch Project and legislation like the USDA’s Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act are incredibly important for holding schools to the highest possible standards when it comes to both nutrition and kid-appeal (because it doesn’t matter if a meal is chock-full of vitamins if your child doesn’t want to touch it).

But it does give us food for thought. How can we boost nutrition in our packed lunches without effectively starving picky children? I’ve collected some simple expert tips and mom-tested ideas, and am listing the ones that seem to come up again and again. Don’t worry: None of them involve making jicama roses or string-cheese-and-raisin panda bears. That’s not how I roll, even in my most ambitious mom moments, and I’m assuming that if you read this blog, you likely don’t either.

1. When packing veggies, think of rainbows. A stack of celery sticks is pretty blah. But an array of carrot, celery, and red pepper slices, perhaps mixed with some fave fruits, is colorful and appealing.

2. If your child doesn’t like plain fruit or veggies, think of sending a small container with a dip. Nut butters go well with celery, apples, and carrots; vanilla yogurt pairs great with strawberries, pineapple, or melon spears. We love these handy little containers (right). (They’re also great for carrying a portion of raisins, nuts, or berries).

3. In the Virginia Tech study, home-packed lunches had more crackers and chips. If you pack crunchy snacks, choose wisely: Whole grain crackers or plain popcorn with a sprinkle of sea salt are good, high-fiber choices.

4. Yogurt and string cheese are excellent protein sources, but if they’re served warm, they’re probably going to end up in the trash. (Plus, a 2011 study led by University of Texas researchers found that perishables in 90 percent of preschoolers lunches were at unsafe temperatures at mid-morning.) If you pack dairy products, add a mini cold pack that won’t weigh your kids lunchbox down, like this.

5. Use bread that has whole wheat flour as the first ingredient. Go ahead and cut off the crusts if that makes it more appealing to your child; the choice of whole-wheat bread is more important.

6. Think outside the sandwich. If your child doesn’t like bread, try whole-wheat tortillas packed with favorite fillings or whole-wheat crackers with hummus or a cream-cheese spread.

7. Don’t get stuck in “lunch” mode. Chicken nuggets don’t have to be piping hot to be palatable to most kids. Yogurt and a low-sugar trail mix can be healthier than a lot of traditional sandwich-and-chip options.

8. Instead of juice or sweetened milk boxes, pack water, seltzer, or plain milk in a snazzy (and environmentally friendlier) cup or thermos. For keeping milk cold and reducing chance of spills, my kids, who range from 2 to 8, all love Thermos’s FUNtainers, which feature characters from Frozen to fire trucks.

9. If your child expects a sweet, see if you can find the time to make and freeze a double batch of mini muffins. You can take them out of the freezer in the morning and they’ll defrost by lunchtime. Try these carrot-apple or sweet-potato muffin recipes; just reduce cooking time by half.

10. Need more inspiration? Check out HHK nutrition adviser Dana White’s D.I.Y. Lunch Kits here.

Toddler Dining Solutions

October 8, 2014 by Kelley 13 Comments

There comes a time in every parent’s life when the whole family dinner thing starts to make sense. Your child steps up and tries the chili, and maybe even likes it. She answers a question or two about her day. She might even remember to clear her plate from the table without being asked. It’s a beautiful thing.

Until then, your child may be more apt to treat mealtime like a crime spree. He dumps his milk into the spaghetti bowl. He delicately picks up his peas, one at a time, and drops them to the floor. Every so often, he arches his back and screeches like a banshee, for no apparent reason at all. And finally, without warning, he shimmies down from his seat and makes his getaway, in search of a toy, book, or anything more interesting than you or his older siblings. Many a weary day, at least in our house, he isn’t likely to get an invitation back.

Luckily, there’s a growing number of clever tools that can make mealtime a little less painful for you and your toddler. We’ve chosen three of our favorites, below. And for a limited time: Pass along your own best tip or trick in the comments section and be automatically entered to win a Bambinos! Tidy Table Tray (see description below).

1. Tidy Table Tray (by Bambinos!). Plates and placemats might as well be Frisbees in the eye of a curious (or mischievous) toddler. And if you’ve ever tried to solve the problem with silicone mats and tableware that suction directly to the table, as I have over the years, you know they’re no match for a determined child. Enter the Bambinos! Tidy Table Tray. BPA and phthalate-free, it clips easily and securely to your table in seconds, and has an ingenious spill-catch lip that expands and ergonomically molds your child’s body to reduce the amount of food that finds its way into laps, chairs and floors. Additional inserts available in blue, pink and white. And it adjusts to suit kids ages 18 months to 5 years. Food safe and dishwasher safe.
Buy it: Bambinos! Tidy Table Tray, $34 on Amazon.

2. Dinner Winner Kids’ Plate (by Fred). This interactive Melamine plate eliminates the need for pleas for “just one more bite.” You can divide your child’s food into small portions that fit into each little box that marches across the plate; kids are encouraged with messages like “Keep it up!” and “Good job!” along the way. Feeding experts may frown at reward systems when it comes to food, but this plate is just plain fun.
Buy it: Fred Dinner Winner Kids’ Plate, $13 on Amazon.

3. Drawing paper roll dispenser. That’s right; a fat roll of paper that serves as a cheap alternative to drawing pads can double as the at-home equivalent of a restaurant kid’s meal placemat. When you can’t seem to keep your toddler at the table, pull out a placemat-sized length of paper, a couple crayons, and let your child go to town in between bites. Distraction technique? Maybe. But on challenging days, it might also be just the thing to keep a meal on track. Plus, there’s no need to wipe down a placemat or countertop afterwards; just tear and toss or recycle.
Buy it: Cra-Z-Art Wooden Paper Roll Dispenser, $9 on Amazon; or Melissa and Doug Tabletop Paper Roll Dispenser, $15 on Amazon.

What’s your secret for keeping mealtime fun and sane with a toddler? Describe it in COMMENTS section below for your chance to win a Bambinos! Tidy Table Tray.

The Problem with Salt

October 2, 2014 by Kelley Leave a Comment

My kids bicker over any number of household items, and the salt shaker, I’m not proud to say, is one. They love to shake extra salt on pasta, potatoes, rice, and eggs; I’ve even caught one of them licking the top of the shaker before. But they aren’t alone, apparently, in their taste for the stuff. According to the CDC, 90 percent of children between ages 6 and 18 consume an unhealthy amount of salt. This is a big reason why 1 in 6 kids over age 8 have too-high blood pressure, which is a major risk factor for stroke and heart disease.

This report was a bit of a wake-up call to me. I’ve always associated sodium concerns with older Americans, and frankly, health experts have been so busy decrying the amount of sugar in our kid’s diets, salt awareness has gotten little play as of late. If anything, salt seems to be experiencing a “moment”; I just spied something called Pink Himalayan Sea Salt among other exotic variations in the spice aisle of my not-fancy supermarket the other day. Upon having babies, neither our pediatrician nor the parenting books I read made much mention of sodium restrictions. I had a vague notion that I shouldn’t salt my baby’s food; until one day, when I told my neighbor down the hall, who was from Spain and also had a baby, that my son was picky about meat and fish. “Are you adding salt to his food?” she asked. When I answered no, she said, “Would you like to eat meat or fish that didn’t have any salt?” This made sense. I started adding a pinch of salt to his food during cooking, and sure enough, he did seem more interested.

But according to the CDC, salt used in home cooking isn’t even the problem when it comes to sodium in our kids’ diets. The perps include the usual suspects in the realm of kids’s junk food: frozen pizza, chicken nuggets, and chips, as well as deli meats and prepared Mexican foods. These processed convenience foods are loaded with salt, among other questionable ingredients. Problematically, to children’s taste buds, they are also like manna from heaven, which is why it’s unrealistic to take things like pizza and nuggets off our kids’s plates entirely. But you can make some healthier swaps, and your children’s hearts may be healthier for it. “Reading labels may take a little extra time, but it’s a must,” says Dana White, R.D., nutrition adviser for HHK and author of the forthcoming book, First Bites: Superfoods for Babies and Toddlers. “There’s an incredible amount of variation across brands, especially for things like snack foods.”

Here’s a cheat sheet for cutting back on salt in your house:

For more tips for reducing sodium in your family’s diet, check out the CDC’s helpful page on the subject, here.

5 Ways to Make a Healthier Hot Dog

August 29, 2014 by Kelley Leave a Comment

Hog dogs are on my weekly shopping list, and odds are they are on yours, too: last year, more than 1 billion packages were sold in retail stores, according to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council. Including hot dogs in my culinary rotation wasn’t something I exactly aspired to back when I was steaming and pureeing my own zucchini for my first son, but I’ve since surrendered to their allure: They are easy, they are cheap, and they are almost always met with something other than a look of utter dismay, which is more than I can say for a good number of the main dishes I’m apt to serve on any given weekday.

Photo by: TheCulinaryGeek

But obviously, the nutritional stats on franks leave a lot to be desired. Mass produced and processed, they also tend to be high in preservatives, sodium, and saturated fat. They pair nicely with a squishy white bun, which may contain about as much sugar as your average lollipop. I’d love to feel a little better about our hot dog habit if I had a few guidelines for making it less detrimental to our collective health. So, just in time for your Labor Day cookout, I’ve conducted some hot dog industry research and chatted with HHK resident nutritionist Dana White, R.D. about my quest for a healthier hot dog. Here are some tips worth remembering next time you’re facing down the franks aisle at the grocery store.

Choose a 100% Beef Dog. Choosing a product that doesn’t have gross fillers is a no-brainer. But long ago, I also got it into my head that turkey dogs would be a better choice than beef dogs, and bought two packages to try. If you’ve ever made the same mistake, you’ll understand what I mean when I say that both brands tasted almost exactly like pencil erasers (an anxious middle school career gives me ground to make the comparison). The good news, says White, is that 100% beef hot dogs aren’t much worse nutritionally than the alternative meat brands, and are sometimes even better. “There are very few good-tasting turkey or chicken ones, and sometimes they have even more preservatives and sodium than traditional beef dogs,” says White.

Look for lower sodium brands. Some hot dogs contain more than 600 mg of sodium, a high daily intake of which is linked to high blood pressure and other health problems. Other brands keep salt a bit more in check. Applegate and Coleman are two companies that offer all-beef hot dogs with less than 350 mg of sodium per serving.

Serve on a whole wheat bun. Many mainstream bakery companies, like Pepperidge Farm, now make whole wheat buns. Just like whole wheat bread, these buns cause less of a blood sugar spike than their white counterparts, and keep us feeling fuller, longer. And hot dogs are so flavorful, chances are your kids won’t notice the switch.

Add some veggies! Sometimes, the best thing you can do with a less-than-healthy food is balance it out with a more virtuous one. A side that contains vitamin C, like sliced red bell peppers, is extra-good, because a healthy dose of the vitamin may help counteract the affects of the nitrates found in hot dogs on our body (see below for more on nitrates). White likes to serve her dogs with a side of zesty Jalapeño Pickle Relish (see her full recipe, here, and below).

Save them for special occasions. Nitrates and nitrites, which are chemicals added to hot dogs and other foods to preserve freshness and color, have been linked to cancer in some studies (particularly when a nitrate-containing food is cooked to high temperatures). Many companies now market their hot dogs as nitrite- or nitrate-free, but these dogs often have preservatives in the form of celery powder or juice, which do in fact contain nitrates. More research needs to be done to assess the long-term effects of chemical or natural nitrates on our bodies, but it’s perhaps one more reason why hot dogs perhaps shouldn’t be, alas, a weekly staple. Save them for birthday parties, the ballpark, or the occasional busy Friday night. Like any special treat, they may taste even better to our kids when served every so often.

Jalapeño Pickle Relish (courtesy of Dana White)

Ingredients

½ cup apple cider vinegar
½ cup granulated sugar
?1 cup water
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 cup each thinly sliced cucumber, carrot, onion and jalapeno pepper
?2 teaspoons honey
Juice and zest of ½ a lemon
Hot sauce (optional) *I recommend Cholula brand

Instructions

In a small saucepan, combine vinegar, sugar, water and salt. Bring to a boil and allow sugar to dissolve. Stir in vegetables; turn off heat and allow to sit on the stove for 10 minutes. Transfer to a glass jar and place in the refrigerator to cool. Once cool, drain and place pickled veggies in a food processor. Add honey, lemon juice, lemon zest and hot sauce, if using. Pulse until well chopped.

https://www.happyhealthykids.com/healthier-hot-dog/