I am one of those types of people who need to eat every three hours or I get hangry (hungry + angry) and become a monster. It’s like I’m a totally different person, and I either go silent or lash out. Once I have a few bites of some clean-eating snacks, I can see straight again and all is well.
I remember when my sister and I were growing up, my father would make us keep granola bars in our bags/pockets/anywhere for easy access. Over the years, I’ve continued to keep food with me wherever I go and am not shy about making sure I get to eat frequently.
I know it’s worse when I’m stressed or battling adrenal issues, and fuelling my body continuously is just another tool to get my glow back!
Now that I’m more aware of what my body needs nourishment-wise and what it doesn’t need because of dietary restrictions/health problems, I’ve come up with some go-to snacks whether I’m at home or on-the-go.
Here are some of my favorite easy, nutrient-packed, clean-eating snacks:
1. Stuffed dates – medjool dates are amazing by themselves, but stuffing them with tasty treats takes them over the edge
2. Plantains & avocado are an old stand-by. Use the plantain chips to scoop out the fresh from half of an avocado (sprinkle pink salt on the avocado for even more oomph)
5. Hardboiled eggs + avocado, fresh fruit, plantain chips, cherry tomatoes, sliced cucumbers, and pink salt
6. Pumpkin bars – combine pumpkin, medjool dates, and cashew butter for a light, cake-y bar
7. Coconut yogurt powerbowls – I make my own coconut “yogurt” by blending up fresh coconut meat or coconut milk (full fat) from a can. Top with bananas, berries, seeds, dried fruit, nut/seed butters, cacao nibs, and more for a satisfying snack
8. Kale chips, apple chips, and plantain chips are great options for some healthy crunch
9. Trail mix of your favorite dried fruit, nuts, and seeds – I like mulberries, goji berries, walnuts, pecans, and chunks of 99% dark chocolate
11. Berries and cherries with seeds, cacao nibs, nut butter – I like to use frozen raspberries and cherries and top them with hemp seeds, cacao nibs, and a drizzle of tahini
12. Fresh papaya (or mango or pineapple) drizzled with coconut butter and sprinkled with cinnamon for a tropical twist
15 Delicious Ways to Use Chocolate Chips and a Big Enjoy Life Chocolate Chip Discount!
I shared this last year, but am re-sharing today to be sure you all see the awesome Enjoy Life Chocolate Chip deal happening right now!
It’s always fun this time of year to find discounts on my favorite Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips! Companies avoid shipping them out during the summer months because they arrive in the mail messy and melty. Therefore the price always goes up when it’s warm. But winter? Well, this is one reason to like winter. If we can’t enjoy warmth and sunshine, at least we can enjoy chocolate. (One must choose to seek joy in all circumstances.)
Why the Enjoy Life brand? Because they are soy free, dairy, and nut free. They taste just as yummy as any other brand, and we have the benefit of avoiding soy! I keep these on hand at all times!
Right now (but who knows how long this price and coupon will last??) you can get a 6-pack of the chocolate chips for just $18.60! That makes each package just $3.10 – and amazing price for these gems!
Want some chocolate chip recipes?
Malachi has been helping in the kitchen more lately, thanks to the Kids Cook Real Food course. At this point, he’s mostly motivated by dessert – as in, he would prefer not to “waste time” making boring ol’ scrambled eggs or ranch dip. I’m going to need him to get over that very soon, but to keep it light today I asked, “What do you want to make?” His answer? “FUDGE.”
Okay then.
I had him make this Peanut Butter Honey Fudge recipe, but with almond butter instead of peanut butter. It doesn’t get any easier than this 3-ingredient recipe. Though we’ve decided that the result tastes more like a Tootsie Roll than fudge. Still awesome.
Our other favorite recipes that include chocolate chips are:
There. I gave you 15 excuses to eat chocolate chips. Plus a lovely discount on my favorite brand of chocolate chips. Plus a lot of pictures to make you want chocolate right this minute. You’re welcome or I’m sorry – take your pick.
Some of the links in this post are my affiliate links.
Original article and pictures take heavenlyhomemakers.com site
As is always the case this time of year, I have absolutely no idea who is playing in the Super Bowl. If it mattered to my husband it would matter to me. But it doesn’t, so it doesn’t. Make sense?
What does matter to me is the fun night of fellowship we will have at our friend’s house during the game. Matt and I actually do enjoy watching the occasional game of football. The big buffet of fun foods never hurt my feelings either. I’m all about the dips at a Super Bowl party. I have several I’m thinking of making to share. Here are some of our favorites:
Black Bean Salsa – Five healthy ingredients, it’s like a flavorful meal all by itself.
Cream Cheese Salsa Dip – This is the easiest dip on the planet (2 ingredients!) and everyone loves it.
Easy Veggie Dip – Oh my cucumbers. This is the very best way to enjoy raw veggies. It stirs together in about two minutes.
Healthier Cheese Dip(a Velveeta/Rotel Knock-Off) – Who needs “processed cheese product” when you can have the real deal?!
Spicy Avocado Dip – My family devours avocados when we quickly mix this up. Hello, healthy goodness.
Easy Cheesy Bean Dip – This also only includes five delicious ingredients. Easy and healthy – that’s how I roll.
Hamburber Sauerkraut Dip – Even if you don’t like kraut, you will love this. It is incredibly good.
Cream Cheese Fruit Dip – This is like whipped heaven in a bowl, perfect with apples and strawberries.
But there’s more! A big part of healthy snacking is healthy dipping. I love that dips can add nutrition as well as help us get the veggies down. In our newest eBook, 227 Healthy Snacks, we’ve included several new dip recipes like:
Super Easy Hummus
Green Chili Dip
Fresh and Quick Salsa
Spicy Sausage Chip Dip
Spicy Lentil Dip
Not only will you find these 5 awesome new dip recipes, you’ll find 222 more healthy snack ideas and recipes too. From bars to muffins to hearty cookies to fruit and veggie snacks, you will be totally equipped with loads of healthy snacks to keep your and your family full and nourished! Get all the details about this book here.
Grab your copy and start putting together these easy, healthy recipes!
Yesterday, I posted about 10 Chore Ideas for Toddlers. Today, I’m going to share some chore ideas for 4-year-olds.
Why 4-year-olds? Well, because I happen to have a 4-year-old right now. �� However, don’t feel like these chores are only appropriate for 4-year-olds. They’d probably work great for children of other ages, too.
3 Important Things to Remember
1. Children Need to Know What You Expect of Them
If you don’t show your children how to do a job well, you can’t expect them to know how to do it right. Before asking them to do a chore on their own, work alongside them a few times showing them specifically how to do it.
2. Don’t Expect Them To Do It Well–Especially At First
It often takes a lot of repetitive teaching, gentle correcting, and practice before a child can do a job well. Don’t expect perfection–especially when they are young. What matters is that they are putting forth effort and trying their best.
3. Praise 10 Times As Much As You Correct
It’s easy to want to focus on pointing out all the things a child does wrong and where they need to improve. Instead of dwelling on what they didn’t do right, focus most of your energies on praising those things they did well. Encouragement and affirmation go a very long way!
Teach Me to ServeLooking for more ideas for teaching children to serve? Get the Teach Me To Serve: 99 Ways Preschoolers Can Learn to Serve and Bless Others. This ebook includes 99 ideas for ways preschoolers can serve in the home, in your neighborhood, in the community, and in your church. Many of the ideas were very original and a number of them I highly doubt I ever would have thought of on my own.
Children at this age are probably able to dress themselves, brush their teeth, and comb their hair. If they aren’t doing these things on their own, I’d encourage you to start by teaching them those chores.
1. Pick Up Their Room — Make sure you show your child exactly what a clean room looks like. And if their room is really messy, I’d suggest working with them to clean it and giving them one specific project to work on at a time. Young children are often still learning the concept of staying on task, so you want to make sure you don’t overwhelm them by giving them too large of a task to accomplish then they are ready to tackle.
2. Vacuum — If you have a vacuum with an attachment, they can use the attachments on furniture or small areas in your home. Kaitlynn also can vacuum one room, with a little help from me.
3. Water Plants — Use a plastic watering can (we found ours at the dollar store or you can make one from a milk jug) to make it fun and easy for small hands.
4. Fold Washcloths, Hand Towels, Underwear, & Other Small Items — I often will sort these out from the big laundry pile and make a small pile for each child to fold, based upon their folding abilities.
5. Sort & Fold Socks — Sorting and folding socks can be a fun job for little people. And you can teach matching, colors, and counting with it, too.
6. Put Away Laundry — When the girls help with laundry, I have each of them put away their own laundry plus sometimes some towels. It’s amazing how much more quickly things get put away when multiple people are working together!
7. Dust/Wipe Down Surfaces — 4-year-olds are great at cleaning baseboards, small floor areas, wiping down cupboards, or dusting surfaces. If you have a feather duster, they might have fun trying that out, too!
8. Wipe Down Sink/Toilet — Cleaning wipes work especially well for young children to use. Or, you can spray some nontoxic cleaner onto a rag and let them wipe down the sink, toilet, or floor in the bathroom. Kaitlynn is also learning how to clean the toilet with the toilet brush, with my supervision.
9. Empty Trashes — 4-year-olds are usually big enough and strong enough to tie up the trash bag and haul it out to the garage or back door.
10. Wipe Down Door Handles — Give your child a cleaning wipe or a damp rag and have them wipe down all the door handles. This is a favorite chore at our house!
11. Clear the Table — Teach your children to clear their plates after each meal (our children are still working on doing this without needing to be reminded!)
12. Rinse Dishes/Load Dishwasher –A 4-year-old is usually old enough to stand on a chair at the kitchen sink and rinse nonbreakable dishes (be sure to remove the knives and other sharp or dangerous objects before letting them do this). They can also help to load silverware and other nonbreakable dishes into the dishwasher.
13. Simple Meal Prep — Kaitlynn has learned how to pour cereal/milk, make toast and peanut butter & jelly sandwiches, and pop popcorn on her own. She also often helps me when I’m cooking.
14. Set the Table — Teach your children how to set the table correctly from the time they are young–it’s a skill many adults still don’t know! ��
15. Mop — My dad got the girls child-sized mops for Christmas and they love them. And while Kaitlynn is still working on perfecting her mopping skills, she does a pretty good job at mopping a small area.
My Job Chart
Have you heard of My Job Chart? It’s a free, easy-to-use, online chore chart and reward system for organizing and motivating your kids to learn first hand how to Save, Share, and Spend.
We have used this program in the past when we had some children who were feeling unmotivated to do their chores. We were amazed at how well it worked and would definitely recommend it!
Looking for other age-appropriate chore ideas? You might find these chore lists helpful:
First thing in the morning, look into your child’s eyes. See the world and the twinkling of innocence. Hold his gaze and whisper affirmations, or even just a simple ‘I love you babe’. Follow his lead and cuddle, play, or whatever he wants, to start the day off with a solid connection between you.
2. One on One Time
Spend fifteen minutes a day with each child one on one. Make sure you leave room for chatting and sharing feelings and thoughts. Creative play is often the easiest way for this to happen. You don’t even have to leave the house. Whatever you do, be sure to spend the time focused solely on the child, and nothing else. No electronic distractions, no chores, no other people. It can be tough with more than one kid, but it can be done most days. While little ones nap, spend time with the older ones. While older ones amuse themselves, spend time with the little ones.
3. Get Down On the Floor
Connect on their level and physically get down to the floor to play legos, dollies, puzzles, or whatever they want. Even the simple act of my husband lying down on the floor brings giggles of delight as the 2 and 4 year olds proceed to crawl all over him and wrestle and play.
4. Fall Asleep Together
You may have a different sleep routine than us (we’re pretty attachment parent-ish), but there is just something so sacred about watching your little one’s eyes get heavy and flutter closed, breathing peacefully in the inimitable security that being in your arms or lying next to you provides. Even if you aren’t normally with your child while they fall asleep, let it happen every once in a while for the sheer magic of the moment. Plus – sleeping children are ridiculously adorable and heart-warming.
5. Let Them Do Grown-Up Things
Instead of always assuming they can’t do something, try letting them. Normally I keep my four-year-old away from sharp knives, but once in a while I’ll let him try cutting his own food (under close supervision, of course). He loves having tea because it’s a grown-up thing to do, he loves pressing the buttons on the debit machine when paying for things. When he wanted to move from the booster seat to a regular chair at the table we said yes, even though it was more messy. Letting your child know that you feel he is maturing and continually ready to try new things instills confidence and a healthy sense of pride, and will deepen his trust in you.
6. Pray Together
Pray together throughout the day about the things that concern your child. Be sure to also let him hear you pray for him. Don’t dumb it down – pray earnestly from the heart, modeling the way you want him to learn how to pray himself.
7. Ask For Your Child’s Help
My kids absolutely light up when I ask for their help with a task they enjoy, such as vacuuming, laundry, or anything in the kitchen. They will proudly dump ingredients, stir, or even just hold something for me in order to help me out. Helping doesn’t have to just be at home, either. It can anywhere, and is a great way to make a child feel needed and appreciated.
8. Accept Tough Emotions
Staying calm and loving through the ‘meltdown moments’ not only helps you be a better parent, it also teaches your child how to regulate and manage her own emotions. Empathize with the ‘negative’ emotions (I’m sorry you are so frustrated right now…etc), and be sure to allow your child to express anger, frustration, and sadness freely. Teach positive ways to express these emotions instead of rejecting them altogether (Don’t just bark at them to ‘stop crying’).
9. Talk Up, Not Down
Speak to your child as if he is intelligent. Answer questions simply, but don’t dumb down the information you give. Be aware of sparks of interest in things that your child may want to learn more about, and encourage it!
10. Assign Positive Intent
Whenever any undesirable behavior occurs, before you react, first stop and ask yourself if the child may have been acting from an unknown motivation and/or influence. Is the behavior fueled by an age-appropriate developmental stage? Is the behavior influenced by major life changes happening in the family, major milestones occurring, or simply fatigue or hunger? Maybe his emotional security levels are low or he’s having a bad day, and he just needs a hug. Try to give as much empathy and understanding as you desire when you don’t do the right thing.
11. Have Inside Jokes
We all have little special things that we do or say with our child to make them smile. Laughter is has an amazing ability to heal and bond a relationship. Share laughter together as often as possible.
12. Reconnect After Rough Moments
After I’ve spoken more harshly or unkindly than I should have or after we’ve had an intense time of discipling and teaching over some issue, I try to ensure that our connection is still strong and neither of us is holding on to any negativity. Apologies are made if necessary, and hugs, play, laughter, or even a simple squeeze does the trick.
13. Help Them Obey
If my child is having trouble obeying a command I’ve given (for whatever reason), I get up and help them. This is for things like me picking up the two-year-old, moving her hand to the blocks, gripping it with my hand on hers, and moving it to the bucket, or me physically moving the four-year-old toward the table if he won’t come on his own. It usually doesn’t take long before they are happily obeying on their own, and a nasty power struggle is avoided.
14. Say Yes
To painting even though it makes a mess, to eating watermelon in your underwear, to getting muddy after a downpour, and of course to splashing in puddles. Say yes to going to the park, to accepting help with chores even if you have to go back and re-do them. To reading the story ‘one more time’ even though you already said it was the last time. Say yes and smile and kiss that darling head again and again because you can.
***
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Original article and pictures take redandhoney.com site
I live in the suburbs of a city of seven million people.
We rent the main part of a house in a solidly middle-class neighbourhood where it’s cool to recycle, sure, but anything beyond that is just plain weird. I am the weirdo of the neighbourhood, and I’m ok with that.
Being a city-dweller, I often lament my lack of wide open space and closeness to nature. I don’t have several acres and space for a humungous garden. I don’t have room for a chicken coop (plus, it’s illegal). I don’t even have my awesome clothesline hung up because I can’t figure out exactly where it could go.
Are you an urban dweller too? Whether you are in the heart of the city or in the commuter ‘burbs, city folk often find themselves pining away for more opportunities to tend the earth.
I often complain about my serious inability to really go all eco-friendly crazy crunchy mama because of the darn city bylaws and breathing-down-your neck neighbours and teeny-tiny yards, but in reality there are lots of ways that I can bust out of that typical suburban mold and get my hippie groove on.
Here are fourteen ways you can go green while living in the city. Fourteen ways to embrace the homesteading mentality of eco-friendliness, self-sufficiency, and slow living.
Some of these are things you can do despite living in the city, and some of them are things you can do because you live in the city. Embrace them all in their own way, and be proud of your city-dweller status!
1. Hang clothes
It’s simple, easy, and you can even do it without a clothesline! I am using a simple drying rack from Ikea until I figure out how to get my real clothesline strung up. Check out Stacy’s recent post on the many benefits of line drying your clothes! Save energy by reducing your dryer usage (and save money too!).
2. Reduce toxins into air with houseplants
Everybody knows that plants are great for the air, right? They have been scientifically proven to filter out a wide variety of nasty toxins. Unfortunately I am a serial plant-killer, but in the interest of eco-consciousness and an enthusiastic attitude, I am giving it another whirl. This one is doing well so far, plus my first-time-ever vegetable garden has sprouted, so I’m pretty well just singing the hallelujah chorus over here.
3. Use non-toxic, green cleaners
Don’t bother with the so-called eco-friendly stuff from the stores. Most of it is no good and if it is ok then it probably costs an arm and a leg. Get a spray bottle from the dollar store. Fill it halfway with white vinegar and halfway with water. Spray, wipe with a rag, the end. That’s all I use 98% of the time! If you need ideas for a specific type of cleaning, then check out Erin’s recent post for more ideas: 67 Homemade, All-Natural Cleaning Recipes.
4. Grow food
Have a garden, if you are able! It doesn’t have to be too complicated, and there’s nothing better than biting into a freshly-picked green bean that you grew yourself. Rewarding, delicious, and great for the environment. I have a small garden of about 10 x 6 feet, but if you don’t have a yard at all, you can always try container gardening.
5. Take public transit or walk
One of the greatest assets of city-living is the accessibility. My city has great public bus and subway systems (along with a really cool streetcar system downtown), which I have ridden many a time before. Bonus: they are the best places for people-watching. There are all kinds of interesting characters in big cities!
6. Adopt pets instead of buying
A city is usually well-stocked with pet stores, but they are also normally hubs for animal adoption services. We adopted “Mittens” our gentle, sweet cat from an adoption center within a local pet store. This helps give an animal a home that otherwise wouldn’t have one.
7. Compost
What could possibly be more eco-friendly than turning garbage destined for a landfill into luscious, rich soil instead? That’s the magic of home composting! It can seem intimidating at first, but it’s really quite simple, and can be done in any-sized yard. Check out this helpful guide over on my site on How to Start a Successful Backyard Compost.
8. Use kijiji/craigslist or consignment shops
I have gotten some pretty amazing deals on kijiji – everything from toys to a dishwasher, to the rental house we’re currently living in! I love buying second-hand and getting stuff for a fraction of the cost that still works perfectly fine.
I especially love consignment shops for my kids’ clothing. I save hundreds (if not thousands) of dollars every year! Buying second-hand is almost always the more eco-friendly choice, and there are thrift store, consignment shops, and kijiji listings in abundance when you live in the city. I buy clothes, shoes, outerwear, and more. (Anything but underwear and socks!)
(This is what you get when you asked them to smile big. Or maybe they’re super excited about their 100% thrifted wardrobe. Either way they’re pretty cute.)
9. Share
One area in which our culture is sadly lacking compared to other cultures is in the community mindset, especially when it comes to our possessions. Does it sound silly to anyone else to have 300 lawnmowers in a subdivision, each one mowing no more than 100 square feet of grass, once a week?
Why not have a shared lawnmower? Or shared gardening supplies? Combining this concept with something like kijiji can bring you all kinds of awesome finds, like folks willing to share kefir grains or kombucha scobies!
10. Buy local
There are lots of things you can buy local, especially if you find a great farmer’s market – fruits and veggies, meat, dairy, clothing, honey, toys, furniture, and the list goes on! When you buy local you help out the environment by not buying something that had to travel a long way causing air pollution and using fuel. Check your local farmer’s market, craft fairs, and local non-chain shops in your community.
11. Resist stuff
It’s easy to get sucked in to the fast-paced, highly consumeristic culture in the city, but what is the cost? The short illustrated film “The Story of Stuff” is worth every minute of the twenty it takes to watch it. It is compelling and engaging, and will show you just exactly why our culture’s obsession with “stuff” is harming our planet. If you’ve never seen it, I highly recommend it!
12. Experiences over things
One way to help reduce your consumption of the earth’s resources (especially cheaply made stuff in our throw-away culture) is to value experiences over things. Instead of a tangible item as a birthday gift, consider giving an “experience gift” such as concert tickets, passes to the museum, zoo, or park, a fun day at the beach, or even things like music lessons or summer camp.
These are all great gifts that don’t come with too much packaging, nor will they end up in a yard sale next summer! The possibilities are endless in the city!
13. Alternative energy
Dive into the world of renewable energy sources! This is an an area that I don’t yet know much about, but hope to learn. Solar and wind, geothermal, and community power are all fascinating ideas which are growing in popularity, and are totally doable in an urban setting! My city has a page set up to read more, or do a simple google search and start reading.
14. Collect rainwater
Like composting, it can be complicated, or it can be simple. There are expensive systems you can set up if you are really serious about it, but collecting rainwater can be as easy putting a barrel in your yard. The water you collect will be perfect for gardening and other outdoor uses, and it is the perfect way to use less from the tap.
According to this site with a tutorial, “A typical 40-by- 40-foot roof is capable of collecting 1,000 gallons of water from only one inch of rain.”
Wow! That’s pretty incredible. If you have a Berkey, you could even filter it for drinking water.
These are 14 ideas are just getting started. There are lots of ways to be an “urban homesteader”, embracing the mentality of simple, slow, eco-friendly living.
What ideas do you have for urban homesteading?
Original article and pictures take redandhoney.com site
I once was. My husband likes to remind me that he “thought he married a morning person” because we went on a mountain biking date at 5 am when we were dating. I told him that I was a morning person…until the boys came along.
And then, I stopped sleeping…sorta. Then I started sleeping again, and now there are those nights that someone wakes me up for something. So I sleep sometimes. And because of all the sleep disruption, I now am not a morning person. Maybe I’ll be one again, but not right now.
Having meals and goodies in the freezer really helps me get through the mornings, while still walking around with a foggy brain. Plus, these grab ‘n go or quick-to-reheat breakfast options really help me get everyone fed easily and quickly. Because getting 4 boys ready and out the door before 7:30 a.m. is CHAOTIC. Even with all my systems, strategies and organization, it’s still HECTIC.
One of our resolutions for 2016 is to take better care of ourselves. That is everyone’s resolution, right? But it can mean different things for each person. Whether your goal is eating better or including more natural products in your beauty routine or stressing less, we want you to have a beautiful 2016. It’s the year to be your beautiful you!
One of our favorite beauty resolutions is focusing on inner beauty because we all want that healthy glow. One of the best ways to do that: smoothies. Filled with good-for-you greens and fiber to keep you full, smoothies can also give you a dose of beauty antioxidants.
We plan on having more smoothies in the new year, to build stronger hair and glowing skin from the inside out. Here are some of our favorite beauty smoothie recipes, some tried and true, some brand new:
13 Beauty Smoothie Recipes
Summer Love Smoothie
Brazil nuts are packed with selenium which, combined with raspberries’ and coconut oil’s beauty benefits, helps protect skin from sun damage and retains its elasticity.
Nourishing for the skin at a cellular level, this smoothie is filled with vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients and antioxidants that make your skin and hair healthier.
12 Tips to Transform Your Picky Toddler into a Healthy Eater
Today Lauren from The Military Wife and Mom shares her great tips that have transformed her picky toddler into a healthy eater.
I have a confession to make…
We struggle with getting our toddler to eat enough healthy foods. Some days it’s smooth sailing; others, are tough. I honestly don’t mind eating macaroni and cheese with hot dogs, but it’s unfortunately not a balanced diet when that is all your child wants to eat.
Well balanced meals and good nutrition make a huge impact mood, behaviour, and overall health in the long run. So lately, we developed a healthy eating action plan, and we’ve seen some great results.
Maybe you are a parent, just like me, looking to instil the value of healthy eating into your young child, but you aren’t sure where to start. Here are a few things I learned about encouraging your toddler to be the healthy-eater you always dream about:
If you have a picky eater, it can make feeding them a healthy diet really difficult. We patience and persistence you can teach them to love healthy food.
1.Offer different fruits or vegetables at every meal.
This might sound like a bit of work, but I think you can simplify it to make it easy on yourself. When you head to the store, try to buy a variety of fruits and vegetables, but a smaller amount of each. That way you don’t risk everything rotting before you get around to eating it.
After stocking up, try offering different fruits and vegetables throughout the day. The more variety toddlers are exposed to the more likely they will discover something they love. When I tried this with my son, I learned that he doesn’t care for kiwi, but will gobble cherry tomatoes like candy.
2. Even if they don’t like it, keep trying.
It can take up to 10-15 times of trying a food before acquiring a taste for it. So even if your toddler doesn’t like a food, keep it in the rotation anyway and see what happens. My son is like this with any green vegetable. He is very suspicious of them. I’m not sure if it is the colour or texture, but he simply doesn’t care for them. I keep trying anyway. Some days he likes them; others, not so much.
3. It’s okay not to offer dessert.
We are pretty healthy overall in our house, so I don’t know why I always feel compelled to offer my toddler a treat after meals. What is it about food that makes us want to use it as a reward? So I’m still working on this one myself, but you don’t have to offer dessert after a meal. Actually, you don’t have to offer it at all, ever. I’m working on this one.
4. Prepare foods different ways.
Sometimes it’s really just a texture issue, rather than a flavour issue. My toddler doesn’t like baked fish, but he loves fish cakes. Similarly with potatoes, he won’t eat them mashed, but he will enjoy them roasted. Try a variety of flavours, spices and textures to see what works well for you kids.
5. Offer a healthy dipping sauce.
Meals are sometimes more fun if toddlers have something to dip food into. Maybe it helps them feel more independent? Or maybe they like it because it’s easy to master? Either way, you can create a healthy dipping sauce by combining Greek yogurt with some seasonings or by making a homemade ketchup or mayonnaise. Store bought is 100 percent fine too!
6. Blend it in.
Okay, this isn’t my favourite option because I want to encourage my toddler to eat the vegetable and fruit in its natural form, sans puree. However if you are really having issues, you can try to steam and puree the vegetable, followed by mixing it into your dish. I do this from time to time just to get more greens in my son, since that is the area of most resistance. Many days we also offer a spinach smoothie as a snack after nap time.
7. Set them up for success.
One of the things that was sending us into troubled waters with picky eating was offering food or drink too close to mealtime. Mealtime came around and our toddler wasn’t hungry for anything except crackers or toast. Set your kids up for success by minimising snacks for 1-2 hours before mealtime.
8. Save the drinks for later in the meal.
Sometimes in order to get a toddler to enjoy healthy foods they have to be fairly hungry. If you offer milk at the beginning of the meal, it can quell the hunger enough to allow them to turn good food away. We try our hardest to save milk for the middle or end of the meal. It’s not always possible, but it is another option to try. Most toddlers need about 480 millilitres or 16 ounces of whole milk per day. (That’s diary in total, so that can be cheese, yoghurt or soy milk.) Use this as a gauge to ensure your toddler is getting enough milk in balance with other healthy foods. (If you want to know more about how much dairy your children should get, check out MyPlate.gov.)
9. Don’t be a short order cook.
It’s easy to feel compelled to offer a default favourite food after your toddler rejects healthy foods. Eventually toddlers will get hungry enough and eat what is offered if you are being reasonable. This simply means if you are offering your toddler a good variety of healthy foods that taste good, you should feel confident not offering crackers and juice if he rejects a meal.
10. Allow them to help you cook.
If your toddler is able to assist you with the cooking process, they may be more inclined to eat the meal. My son loves to help stir or mix things in a bowl. He also loves dumping ingredients into a bowl for me. It’s messy and it takes more time, but this is a great way to help children learn about cooking and enjoying food from a young age.
11. Don't pressure them
I know that it's really tempting to tell your children that they have to eat their peas, or to take "just one more bite". But a bad experience can put them back in terms of accepting in a food. It won't help them truly like the food if they eat it because they are forced to. It's really difficult not to pressure your kids, but it's really important too.
12. Be consistent and keep plugging along over time.
Getting a toddler to break picky eating habits takes lots of diligence over time. We’ve enjoyed quite a bit of progress during the past few months, and it is our hope that over time things will continue to get even better. Consistency is key when it comes to any aspect of parenting kids, so we are plugging along and sticking to our plan.
How to Feed Your Toddler A Healthy Diet
How to Feed your Toddler A Healthy Diet
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Lauren from The Military Wife and Mom
Lauren Tamm is a mother, military spouse, freelance writer, and the author of TheMilitaryWifeandMom.com. She is passionate about practical parenting, enjoying motherhood and navigating military life. She welcomes you to connect with her via her blog, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest
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One of the best things you can do for your child is teach them good dental habits early on in life. Here are 12 tips for keeping your baby or toddler's teeth squeaky clean and cavity free!
When I first started going to the dentist as a young child, my mom took me to their family doctor. I mean, why not? None of the other kids really had a problem going there, they took our insurance, and he was a family friend.
Apparently, I wasn’t about to let someone dig around in my mouth with dentist tools, so I bit him. And at that point, he forced recommended my parents take me to a pediatric dentist, and I think that was a wise decision. Although I still did not like going to the dentist, it really helped make it easier to go. The dentist and the dental assistants were always so kind and willing to go at a slow pace..plus, I always got a sweet toy afterward.
Back at the beginning of February, we took Jack to his first dentist appointment. Did you know that the earlier you go to the dentist, the better? It’s recommended to go as soon as their first teeth come in, or by the time they turn one. And, as you’ll find out in a moment, I wish we had gone earlier than we did.
We took Jack to a pediatric dentist in the Salt Lake area.
We were taken back pretty quickly to the room, and I was surprised that Jack, my normally timid of new situations boy, laid down on the dentist chair right away. I think it might have had to do with the fact that there was a movie playing on the ceiling…as you can see him watching in this picture:
The dental assistant was incredible! She took time to let Jack hold the tools, and went at a very slow pace. Jack only whimpered for me a few times, and let her clean his teeth with no struggle.
The dentist was great, too. He explained everything really thoroughly to us, which I appreciated, and didn’t act like we were terrible parents when he discovered that Jack’s two front teeth had some decay already. This was quite the shock to me, since he doesn’t drink juice, never has had a bottle, and we limit his sweets considerably. The dentist said it was most likely because a) there’s no fluoride in the water where we live and b) genes. I had a lot of cavities when I was younger, and continue to have dental issues.
After we took Jack to Burg’s, we decided to be even more proactive about making sure he doesn’t get any more cavities. This led me to doing research on baby and toddler dental tips, and I thought I’d share that information with all of you!
1) Dental Care Starts Before Teeth Arrive
From the moment your baby is born, you should be concerned with their dental hygiene. Babies aren’t born with teeth (except in rare cases) but taking care of their gums is important. Gently massage their gums with an infant toothbrush (I’ve heard great things about the banana training toothbrush) or a soft washcloth. It’s important to brush the gums before teeth even come in.
2) When Teeth Come In
When teeth appear, brush twice daily with an infant toothbrush and training toothpaste (which doesn’t have fluoride – xylitol toothpaste is a great option.) Start flossing when two teeth touch each other. Even if your child resists, make sure you get those teeth cleaned as good as possible, especially before bedtime. Jack really loves to use children floss picks.
After your infant takes a bottle, gently wash off their teeth with a wet cloth, so the milk doesn’t stick to their teeth more. For older children, encourage them to drink water every time they eat something, which helps cleanse the teeth as well.
3) Visiting the Dentist
As I mentioned earlier, try to visit the dentist by the age of one. Some people think this is a silly recommendation (me included), but I wish we had. If he had gone in earlier, we could have been alerted to the fact that his teeth were more susceptible to cavities, and perhaps avoided having to put him under anesthesia and go through the process of putting fillings in.
4) Wean From Bottle by Age One
Jack had a bottle maybe twice his entire life, so this wasn’t something we had to worry about. However, baby bottle tooth decay is a real thing. It can be prevented (tips at the link provided), but it’s best to try and wean your child from their bottle by the age of one to prevent damage from occurring.
Some dentists will insist that a mother wean her baby from breastmilk. There’s a lot of debate on the subject, but I think this is a great article on whether or not breastfeeding is linked to tooth decay. Do your own research, but if your dentist says to wean for this reason solely, I would seek a second opinion.
5) Be Careful about Sippy Cup Choices
Even the sippy cup you use could contribute to tooth decay, particularly when they are drinking milk or juice (with water, it really doesn’t matter.) No-spill cups are popular for obvious reasons, but the valves make it so your child can’t sip from the cup. They end up sucking the liquid, much like from a bottle, which can cause similar issues to bottle decay. So, even they may cause more messes, try and avoid giving your child milk or fruit juice in the no-spill cups, and opt for ones like these take-and-toss kind. These are less expensive anyways!
I have heard AMAZING things about the Munchkin 360 Miracle cups. There’s no sippy top, supports normal mouth muscle development, and were created to help prevent dental issues. I’m definitely ordering some soon.
6) Water instead of Juice
When given a choice, what kid isn’t going to pick juice over water? Although it’s been hard having to limit a lot of Jack’s foods, it’s been worth it, because we had good reason to not give him juice, and convince other people not to give him juice either. However, too much juice can cause teeth to decay faster, so limiting this early on is a smart idea. When you do give your child juice, dilute it with water.
7) Signs of Decay
Decay can be hard to spot, especially on baby and toddler teeth, because they often won’t let you look too far into their mouths! However, if you start to notice white spots, or that they have a sensitivity to cold or sweets, this made indicate decay is starting, or already has. 0
9) When to Start Using Fluoride Toothpaste
Fluoride is an interesting thing. It has a lot of benefits, but you can definitely use too much. With toothpaste, when you spit it out, you don’t get a lot of the fluoride going into your body, but when a child or baby who can’t spit out the toothpaste yet, you don’t know how much they are getting. So as a general rule of thumb, don’t use toothpaste with fluoride until they can spit it into the sink. Instead, use a children’s xylitol toothpaste.
If your area doesn’t have fluoride naturally in the water (like our town), then be sure to get some fluoride drops from your doctor or county health building (it is typically by prescription only.)
10) Cut Food Up
This is one tip Jack’s dentist gave him — cut up his food into smaller pieces. That way, he’s using more of his back teeth (which are stronger, in general) rather than his front teeth. FunBites food cutters can help make this easier with certain foods.
11) Foods that are good for teeth
Cheese, sweet potatoes, oranges cranberries, apples, water
12) Foods that are bad for teeth
Sweets and sugar, juice, white foods (white bread, rice, potatoes, white pasta, crackers (can be as bad as candy for the teeth), fruit snacks, and raisins.
Original article and pictures take www.clarkscondensed.com site
Unfortunately, many of the same people who are trying to tell you that pregnancy is bad and scary and that you need to do a million tests and stop questioning your doctor, also believe these things about newborns.
This kind of stuff is really even more important. Regardless of how your pregnancy and birth goes (and yes, it does matter), it’s a temporary part of your life. But raising a baby, that impacts your entire life and more importantly, your baby’s entire life. It’s really important to know the truth here!
Let’s dive into some of the most common baby myths!
12 Baby Lies You Probably Believe
1. “Let your newborn cry it out or he’ll never learn to sleep.”
Sorry, mamas, but this is a total lie. Your baby doesn’t “learn” anything from being left alone to cry, except that no one is coming to meet his needs. That doesn’t make the needs go away, and it doesn’t mean your baby has gained the skill of helping himself fall asleep.
Instead, teach your baby to sleep by holding him, rocking him, nursing him, and showing him various ways to settle himself. We shared our Gentle AP Method to Teach Your Baby to Sleep a couple of years ago. It’s worked on all our kids so far (who co-sleep with us for a year, give or take) and nobody’s been left to cry. And guess what, the older four all fall asleep on their own and sleep all night now! And, nobody’s afraid of bed time, nobody wakes with nightmares, and we just don’t have any sleep issues. That’s no accident. Babies whose needs are met will learn to sleep on their own when they are ready.
2. “Your newborn is manipulating you/getting spoiled when you answer her cries.”
This one absolutely drives me nuts. It’s setting up your relationship with your baby as adversaries — her vs. you. But mamas, your baby is not out to “get” you. She is not manipulating you. (Heck, she’s not even capable of it — a baby has to understand that she’s a separate person from you, what your wants are, and what her wants are, and be able to deliberately play your emotions to get her way in order to manipulate. This is far too sophisticated for a baby. Kids aren’t capable of this until at least 2 or 3 years old.)
Your baby cries because she needs something. Period. That need may be to be held; it may be to fed, changed, be warmer or cooler, etc. But she cries to communicate her needs because it is nearly the only way she can communicate as an infant. As she gets older you’ll notice more of her subtle communication — looks, squirms, grunts, rooting behavior, and so on. The more quickly you notice her communication and the more quickly you meet her needs, the less she’ll cry. And, if you always meet her needs, she won’t (often) try to manipulate you even when she’s finally capable, because she’ll trust that you’ll be there for her! This isn’t “spoiled,” either, this is trusting. And trust is so important to a healthy emotional life.
3. “Add rice cereal to his bottle so he’ll sleep longer.”
Sorry, mamas, another lie.
First of all, young babies should not sleep too long. Their tummies are tiny and they need to eat often, because they’re growing so rapidly. Rice cereal does make babies feel fuller sometimes, but it can also make some babies wake more often because it upsets their tummies. Young babies can’t digest grains and aren’t getting any real nourishment from this practice. It’s best to stick to only breast milk (or formula) and not add anything to it.
Even when it’s time to eat food, it’s best to avoid grains, and always to let baby decide if he wants to eat and how much. He can’t do that when it’s in his bottle.
4. “Limit breastfeeding to ___ minutes per side so she doesn’t make you sore or eat too much.”
There is so much bad breastfeeding advice out there, and this is one of the most common. There is no need to limit a baby’s time per side, or total nursing time. It will not help you to be less sore. (Using a high-quality breast cream, which we’ll talk more about in a week or so, and making sure your baby is properly positioned, will help avoid soreness.) And, your baby cannot eat too much when breastfed. She will naturally stop when she has had enough, or when she needs to burp. If baby pops off, try burping and offer the other breast. She won’t overeat.
By the same token, a baby who is offered the breast whenever she seems to want it won’t undereat. She doesn’t have to nurse a certain number of minutes to get enough — some babies are more efficient than others. Just forget the clock altogether when it comes to babies, and follow your baby’s cues.
5. “Your newborn has to be supplemented with formula because _____.”
First, there are legitimate circumstances where a baby requires formula supplementation. In some cases, moms can’t produce enough milk no matter how hard they try (insufficient breast tissue, hormonal imbalances, certain autoimmune conditions, etc.). This isn’t to say that formula is never necessary.
But. A lot of women are told they have to supplement in circumstances where it’s not necessary. For example, when baby wants to nurse very frequently. This is normal for new babies and is not a sign of low milk supply (as long as baby seems satisfied after eating, however briefly).
Other women are told they “have” to supplement because their milk is ‘bad,’ or because babies can’t get what they need from breastmilk alone, or because they need to sleep, or because others need to feed the baby in order to bond. These are all wrong!
6. “Jaundice is not normal and requires aggressive treatment.”
Honestly? Most newborn jaundice is normal. Almost all babies have a slight yellowish tint to their skin for a few days after birth. While jaundice can become a problem, it’s pretty rare. Biliblankets, formula supplementation, and other interventions are not necessary for most babies.
7. “Co-sleeping is dangerous, your baby needs to sleep alone.”
This is a pretty silly one. In most cultures, babies sleep near their parents. It’s also safer, because it facilitates breastfeeding, helps infants maintain their body temperature and breathing, and more. Co-sleeping is not dangerous, unless one or both parents are on medication, under the influence of alcohol, are seriously sleep-deprived, or have some sort of medical condition which makes them sleep too heavily. A breastfeeding mother is ordinarily a light sleeper who is well aware of her baby’s position in her bed.
Plus, sleeping alone is hard for new babies. They crave the comfort of their mothers, and easy access to the breast. They certainly do not “need” to sleep alone to learn to sleep separately later on.
8. “Start your baby on newborn enrichment classes now so he’ll be smarter.”
It’s admirable to want to give your baby the best — every advantage that there is. But the thing is, babies are learning rapidly, all the time. They need to learn everything about life. The best way to teach babies is to talk to them and look at them. They need to learn about you, about human interaction. You can also take them places so they can observe life outside, other people, and so on. There is no need for “newborn enrichment” classes or videos, and absolutely no evidence that they work anyway.
9. “If your newborn boy is intact, you should retract his penis to clean under it.”
NO!
Please, never do this. An intact penis should be left alone. Wipe the outside of it, but never mess with the foreskin. Trying to retract a newborn will tear the foreskin, cause bleeding and pain, and can cause adhesions and future issues. Don’t let doctors retract your baby, either. There is no reason to do so “just to check and make sure it’s all okay” (ever), nor even any reason to do so for a catheter. Find someone who is educated about intact care if your baby needs any medical procedures.
Your baby’s foreskin will naturally retract at some point later — often in the preschool years, but sometimes not until adolescence. At that point, your son should be taught to retract himself to wash in the bath. But never force it, and never do it yourself. Only the owner of the penis should retract it.
10. “Feedings should be scheduled every 3 or 4 hours so baby learns to eat when it’s the ‘right’ time.”
This is really terrible advice and can lead to failure to thrive, as well as sabotaging breastfeeding. A woman who is only nursing every 3 – 4 hours often cannot produce enough milk, because breastfeeding is about supply and demand. When demand is lower due to infrequent feedings, her body won’t get the message to produce more.
As for the baby, most newborns need to eat at least 12 times in a 24-hour period, and many nurse quite a bit more than that. The typical newborn won’t go longer than 2 hours between feedings, on average. (Typically there are times of day that they eat more often, up to every 30 minutes; and they may sleep a 3 – 4 hour stretch at night.) A baby who does not eat often enough will be fussy, difficult to settle, and will sleep poorly. The baby may also gain weight poorly and not meet milestones on time. They could end up hospitalized for hunger or dehydration and be marked failure to thrive.
And even worse, some recommend offering baby water in between scheduled feedings to keep them quiet. Never do this, unless explictly instructed by a doctor. A new baby’s electrolyte levels are very precariously balanced. Plenty of breast milk or properly prepared formula is good. But water can dilute sodium levels in the baby’s blood and cause lethargy, coma, or even death. Babies have died because of parents watering down breastmilk or formula, or offering too much water in between feedings. Just don’t do it!
Feed your baby on demand. Lessons on “when to eat” and “meal times” can wait until the toddler years. (And it’s debatable even then.)
11. “It’s safe to put the car seat on top of a shopping cart at the grocery store.”
Although it’s a really common practice, it is, in fact, not safe. Car seats on top of grocery carts are very top-heavy, and carts can tip over if you go over bumps unexpectedly or turn too sharply. A few babies each year actually die from falling off of a grocery cart! Since it’s entirely preventable…just don’t do it.
Instead, put the baby’s car seat into the basket of the cart. Or, wear your baby in a wrap or other carrier (which is what I choose to do).
12. “It’s safe/beneficial to start solids at 2 weeks/2 months/3 months/etc.”
Sorry, but early solids really are not beneficial, and may be very harmful. Young babies are meant to get extremely nutrient- and calorie-dense breast milk or formula to meet their nutritional needs and rapid growth. And, their intestines are immature and “open,” meaning that undigested proteins can escape into the bloodstream, sensitizing the child and causing allergies. Breast milk actually promotes maturity of the gut and helps it to seal properly, so that baby won’t have allergies later in life. It’s best to wait to start solids until at least 6 months, but follow your baby’s lead. (Baby showing interest in your food doesn’t mean she’s ready — infants are typically fascinated by everything you do. Being able to pick up the food and put it into her own mouth is good rule.)
These are just twelve of the lies I can think of! Can you think of more?
Psst! My brand-new book,“Natural Remedies for Kids,” is coming out in August! Whenyou pre-order it, you get up to 25% off — plus, some amazing bonus offers (details coming soon). It’s the best book for learning to use simple, natural remedies with your family (the one I wish I’d had when I was just getting started). Get the details on the book here, and porder your book here.
Which of these lies surprised you the most? Which do you hear most commonly?
Ready to get started living a healthier life? This complete, 50-page guide will walk you through the steps, product swaps, recipes, and more that you need to get started today!
Original article and pictures take www.modernalternativemama.com site
