Over the last several weeks (months, really), I have seen two related stories increasingly pop up in my natural health and natural parenting groups.
They go like this:
#1: “I visited the emergency room today because I cut myself pretty deeply with a knife while cooking dinner. The doctor recommended a tetanus shot. Should I get one?”
and
#2: “My kid just got a cat scratch/paper cut/other tiny and non-serious abrasion. Should I rush him off to the ER to get a tetanus shot?! How many different essential oils and homeopathics do I need to give him to ensure he doesn’t get tetanus?”
Please, please, please. Just stop already.
That Paper Cut is Not Going to Give You Tetanus
Look, tetanus is serious, but it’s not lurking around literally every corner, ready to kill you.
Tetanus used to affect a few hundred people per year, or fewer than 1 in 100,000. And today, it kills about 10% of people (who catch it). That is astronomically high compared to, say, the 1 in 2 million people who die of chicken pox, but it’s not exactly 100% fatal, either.
Tetanus is found in soil, animal feces, and rusty implements. Chances are, if you’ve been cut by something other that’s relatively clean, and you don’t go rub your open wound in feces or soil, you basically can’t catch tetanus. And even if you do get your wound dirty (say, if you cut yourself while gardening), wash that bad boy and watch for signs of infection. But if it’s a shallow cut, the chances of tetanus are almost impossible.
On the off chance you do show any signs of tetanus, get thee to an emergency room and get a tetanus immunoglobin (anti-toxin) shot to stop the disease, and follow medical procedure until you are well. This is most likely on deep puncture wounds that don’t bleed well, and which get dirty in soil or with animal feces (like on farms). Even then it’s not a certainty, but I would definitely care for such a wound very carefully.
Fear Sells
This nonsense about fearing every little cut and scrape is just not realistic. It’s based on fear, and not on fact.
If your child is running outside, and trips and skins his knee, he does not need a tetanus shot. You also do not have to rub the skin raw, cleansing it with every antibacterial you have, every hour on the hour, until it is healed. I have seen some parents nearly describe such things….
I have seen parents flip out about small cuts they didn’t even know their children had…after they are well scabbed over, already healing, and showing no signs of infection.
Please, for the love. Learn what really is worth worrying about and what is not. Minor, everyday, shallow wounds are simply not something that should even be on your radar.
Of course, doctors are not helping by suggesting a tetanus shot for basically everything. Glass sliced your leg open? Tetanus shot! Stapled your finger? Tetanus shot! Bumped your head on your car door slightly? Tetanus shot!
(I sincerely hope you do not go to the ER for a slight bump on the head. A serious one that causes loss of consciousness or vomiting, okay, I get it. But the bump that causes you to say “ow” and rub it for a minute, please. Don’t.)
Stop letting doctors scare you. Not every single tiny cut is going to put you at risk for tetanus. This is a technique to scare you into just getting the vaccine. And if you have reasons why you are not getting it, why are you letting people scare you? Why have you not armed yourself with enough real information that you don’t fall for it?
Get Informed
Please, if you are opting to delay or forego vaccines, get informed.
Learn about each disease. Learn the signs and symptoms, and where each comes from. Learn the possible complications. Learn the likelihood of those complications. Learn how to treat the disease naturally and when to call a doctor for help.
If you know all of that…then you will not be scared when someone tries to give you false and over-the-top information. Because you’ll know they’re full of it, and it won’t even give you pause.
We have a great series on vaccines (cited from pubmed, CDC Pink Book, and WHO) to get you started. If you’re still feeling uneasy, read through it today.
Just, please. Let’s stop giving in to the scare tactics and flipping out about things that are never going to happen. Because I promise you, that tiny little paper cut? It won’t give you tetanus.
Do you worry about tetanus a lot?
Original article and pictures take modernalternativehealth.com site
“It’s the MOST wonderful time of the year!” Can you hear the music?
For some of us, it’s time to figure out if we’ll send out Christmas cards, letters, family pictures, or all three. Sending out a Christmas letter doesn’t have to be a chore.
Here are ten creative Christmas letter ideas.
1. Have a child write it.
Even if they are young, a child’s perspective, along with their singular spelling habits, can be quite entertaining. You can type it up when they’re finished, or even better, simply photocopy their letter in their very own handwriting, and it makes a unique snapshot of this time in your family history.
If you have more than one child, have them all participate. With each one writing a paragraph about their experiences the previous year, you’ll have a letter whipped up in no time. Make it even simpler by having each child write one highlight and one lowlight of their year.
2. Write the letter TOGETHER with your younger child.
Write a letter with your family highlights, but leave blanks. You can ask your child to fill in the blanks with the words that come into his/her head. These can be pretty funny sometimes. For example:
“In May we added a new family member. He weighed ______ pounds and looked just like ______ when he was born. He loves to ______ and _______ all day long.”
3. Announce that year’s awards for the various family members.
This is not supposed to be pretentious. Be charming. For example:
Pretentious: “The award for the most straight A’s in school AND solos in choir AND Bible verses memorized in Sunday School for 57 months straight goes to the Amazing Wanda.”
Charming: “The award for the most artistic TP job goes to Penelope (2), who carefully decorated the master bathroom AND bedroom 7 times for us this year.”
Notice how one example tells the reader what the little girl DID and makes us want to roll our eyes, while the other example gives the reader a glimpse of what the little girl IS LIKE, as a person. And it makes us smile.
4. Write a poem.
The sky is the limit here. You can be corny and make it rhyme, like Dr. Suess, OR you can make it more free flowing – as if you are writing a serious piece, but of course, you aren’t.
You can also select a famous poem, nursery rhyme, or Christmas song and change the words to tell your own family story.
5. Lay out your letter like a newspaper.
Again, you can have different family members be the different reporters if you want to minimize your own time investment. Otherwise, just select some of that year’s highlights and write a news story for each one.
Pick “MERRY CHRISTMAS,” or the last name of your family (we did “KLEJWA 2010” one year), or something like “PEACE, JOY, LOVE.” Write the letters down the side of the page and have each one begin a sentence that tells something about your family that year.
Alternatively, you can do a 12 Days of Christmas countdown with each number representing something about your family. For example:
12 puppies born to Rover this spring.
11 bags of poop in our garbage every Saturday.
…and so forth. (That one could really go places, I think.)
7. Write from the perspective of your dog, cat, bird or hamster.
Have you ever listened to Hank the Cow Dog? Oh dearie me. I almost wet my pants listening to Hank. If you ever have the misfortune of needing to be in a vehicle with lots of kids for several hours at a time, I highly recommend taking Hank along. (Make sure you haven’t recently sucked down a Super Slurpy. Just sayin’.)
An added bonus is that you’ll find out how animals think, and then you can write your next Christmas letter from their point of view.
8. Do a “Famous Quotes” letter.
If you already write down the funny things your kids (or your husbands) say, then you’ve got a Christmas letter! They can tell a lot about your family and make for very entertaining reading. (If you don’t already write them down, consider doing it for the following year.)
Not only does this make a great Christmas letter, but these quotes provide endless kicks for the kids when they grow older.
9. Write a Family Recipe.
For example:
Makes One Big Batch of Jones’s
“2 Cups of Ballerina: Cleopatra and Geraldine dance the days away in tutus.
1 teaspoon of Temper: Maxwell blew out our eardrums 285 times this year.”
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/409546159835321709/
10. Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words.
See how this adorable picture tells a story? I love that. And the picture at the very top of this post is going to be our “family letter” for 2013. I usually write a letter every other year, and since this is our “in-between” year, we decided to do something different.
It was simple. I looked for ideas on Pinterest, found this one HERE, and we set it up using a square of our bookshelf and Photoshop.
What are some creative Christmas letters you’ve either sent out or received?
Original article and pictures take keeperofthehome.org site
Teaching Kids Where Real Food Comes From {and 20+ Strawberry Recipes}
I’m thrilled to have my dear friend Tiffany from Don’t Waste the Crumbs join us to share her tips and encouragement on how we can teach our kids about where real food really comes from.
By taking a family field trip to a beautiful u-pick farm, Tiffany documents how easy and FUN it is to teach your children about real food!
And she’s also sharing more than 20 delicious and nutritious ways to enjoy fresh, ripe summer strawberries! YUM!
P.S. Incase you missed her inspiring post “A Real Food Journey: Small Steps in the Right Direction,” I highly encourage you to take a minute to read it and learn how small steps forward really do lead to healthy changes that last a lifetime.
As a mother who also happens to be a real food blogger, it should be a given that my kids know what real food is, and where it comes from.
That’s why I feel like cringing when one of my kids pipes up with “we can just get more from the store,” if we happen run out of something. Yikes!
Thankfully, I had a hands-on opportunity last week to teach them where food really comes from – God’s beautiful and bountiful earth.
We traveled to a local u-pick farm where the kids were able to walk through row after row of beautiful strawberry plants – giving us all the opportunity to observe the berries in their various stages of development and better understand the connection between these fields and our kitchen table.
As we journeyed, plants overflowing with strawberries surrounded us on both sides. The kids quickly learned how green and pink berries aren’t yet ready to be picked, but to look for the big, “red red red” strawberries instead. With each step, they excitedly found more and more ripe strawberries and with a little bit of muscle, were able to pick them off of the plants themselves. Their red stained faces were evidence that a few strawberries were “accidentally” eaten, yet their buckets were still nearly full before we even made it to the end of the first row!
Conversations in the field were easy – they already knew that God made the earth and everything in it. But this trip helped them to understand that God causes food to grow from the ground, that people have to use their hands and work to get cultivate and pick it – all so we can eat it and nourish our bodies.
When our buckets were full, we took them to be weighed. Between three adults and two kids, we managed to pick just under 11 pounds of strawberries!
We brought our bounty home and our real food education continued … the kids helped me wash the berries using homemade natural produce wash and we talked about how nutritious strawberries are and what kinds of ways we might enjoy them.
The kids had permission to eat as many as they wanted, yet even with their little hands continuously reaching into the bowl (and mommy continuously refilling it), the flat of berries still looked to be completely untouched!
It was clear that if we were ever going make a dent in the 11 pounds of fresh strawberries we brought home, I would need to get serious about gathering a lot more healthy and delicious strawberry recipes (and I would also need to get serious about Freezing, Blending and Dehydrating them too)!
After talking to a few of my favorite real foodie friends, I’ve put together a plethora of strawberry recipes – more than enough to cover our bountiful pickings AND yours too!
20+ Strawberry Recipes Your Whole Family Will Love!
Delicious real food recipes perfect for using with fresh ripe strawberries:
There are so many ways you can teach your children about real food – from something as simple as visiting a local farmers market, to getting hands-on and planting a garden together or visiting a local u-pick farm.
In the mood to pick real food?
Start here to find a u-pick farm in your area. Be sure to call ahead for availability, and don’t be afraid to ask the farms for recommendations of other u-pick sites too, if one close you isn’t listed. Our local farm gave us a huge map of all the u-pick farms in our area – many more than we were able to find online and this enabled us to find a few more farms to visit that are closer to home!
P.S. Visiting a u-pick farm is not only a great way to teach your kids about where real food comes from, but it’s also a great way to save money too. This field trip taught us that by doing the work ourselves and eliminating the cost of packaging, handling and shipping we were able to enjoy far more fresh produce for far less. At left are the same strawberries, picked by the local farm, for sale in their local shop. As you can see, by picking the berries ourselves and bypassing the packaging, we saved over $17. The cost of the kids learning where our food comes from? Priceless.
Meet Tiffany! Tiffany is a newbie real foodie who is trying to master real foods and incorporate them into her kitchen without breaking the bank. She documents her baby-sized strides at Don’t Waste the Crumbs and Google.
You Might Also Like:
Original article and pictures take thenourishinghome.com site
Me: Hey guys, you need to go clean your playroom and then you can do whatever you want until Levi wakes up.
Micah: We can play with sharp knives !?!!?!?!?
Me: . . . .
Maybe it’s just me, but the thought of giving my kids knives makes me cringe a little. Unless you count “baking” a potato in the microwave along with a few other – ummm, skills? – the reality is that I didn’t really learn to cook until after I got married. I can’t pull from personal experience about what helped me learn as a child, so I’ve struggled a lot with trying to figure out where to start and what’s age appropriate.
And yet, MY KIDS REALLY NEED TO LEARN . . . for their own good and my sanity!
That’s why I was so excited when my real-life friend Katie from Kitchen Stewardship gave me behind-the-scenes access into her new class, Kids Cook Real Food. If you don’t already know Katie, she’s a former teacher who totally gets how to break things down for kids (and their parents.)
Why Kids Need To Learn To Cook Real Food
There are so many reasons, really. It can help with:
Math (measuring ingredients, tracking cook times, etc.)
Developing fine motor skills (cutting bananas, peeling carrots)
Teaching responsibility (my personal goal is for my kids to make breakfast at least one morning a week)
Building self-confidence
Here are a few of my personal reasons for going through this class with the potami:
I’ve noticed that the they’re more willing to try foods that they’ve helped prepare, so by welcoming them more into the process I’m helping them learn to love real food. Not just a handful of ingredients, but a huge variety that changes with the seasons . . . and their mama’s mood.
I want to send them to college with a good understanding of how to care for themselves, both in solving everyday problems and taking care of their bodies. Teaching them to cook is fundamental to that.
I can really use the help, provided it’s actually help and not just my preschooler rubbing butter in my hair.
That’s why I love this class. It’s practical and doable, and there suggestions for children of all skill levels. With Katie’s help, I can keep my toddler busy with a simple task while I work with the older kids on more advanced techniques. We’re all getting more comfortable using knives – turns out I needed to work on my technique as well!
How To Get The Free Mini-Class
You guys, this class has me SO PUMPED about getting into the kitchen with my kids. Yes I said pumped. No I am not sure what decade that’s from. But seriously, my family needed this, and my guess is that some of you need it, too.
Right now Katie is giving away a three-part series that covers:
Basic Knife Safety and Techniques (Appropriate for ages 2-teen)
Challenges & Developmental Readiness
The Biggest Mistake Parents Make
So are you ready to do this?
Original article and pictures take www.mommypotamus.com site
Tart Cherry Juice to Help Kids and Toddlers Sleep {Naturally raises melatonin levels}
Sleeping dominates many a mother’s group discussion.
Is your baby sleeping through the night? (no), sleep training? (no again), when will they move out of your bed (I moved mine when I weaned them – around 2.5-3).
What time do your kids go to bed? (7-8).
When do they wake up? (until now at 5:30-6 every.single.day.)
Until now.
Then a couple weeks ago I was in the grocery store with only one child (as opposed to 3 – when I do it with 3 I’m not reading labels or looking at anything except for exactly what is on my list). I saw this tart cherry juice on the shelf, checked quickly for other juices in it (the cheaper version had apple juice – you want 100% tart cherry), and then I gave about 2 ounces to my kids.
They wanted to know what ‘tart’ meant, I explained it was kind of sour. They didn’t think so, and they’ve been thrilled to have it daily since then, other than the times that we’ve run out.
How did it work?
It worked great- The kids who had been consistently up with the sun no matter what time they had gone to bed (even after watching fireworks for the 4th!) have been sleeping til 7 or so. They’re also sleeping deeper.
I love mornings, I’m a morning person and I’m most productive then. But I had given up getting up before the kids a couple years ago since no matter how early I got up, they woke up when they heard me get out of bed, no matter how quiet I tried to be. When they have the cherry juice I”m able to sneak downstairs and work, cook, clean, do laundry, and they still stay asleep until 6:30 or 7, so they’re able to get the rest they need to learn and play all day long.
I’m hooked!
Real placebo controlled studies
I love it when there are placebo controlled studies for things that I try, and there are for this. See the study here, showing the increase in sleep quality associated with taking tart cherry juice.
What we buy
I’ve bought the juice pictured above, and I just added this tart cherry juice concentrate to my Amazon subscribe and save order to keep on hand. My kids are thrilled because we rarely buy juice. I’ve added a little to smoothies as well.
How we use it
I just give my kids a couple ounces in the morning or afternoon – for us we seem to see the benefits regardless of the time they drink it.
And a recipe
I like to make this into gummies, they’re super easy to make, and the gelatin is good for their skin and gut :) See my Superhero Gummie Recipe here.
Curious about eating grain-free? I want to show you how easy and delicious it can be!
Try our best-selling meal plans... for free!
Just enter your information and I'll email it to you right away.
Original article and pictures take healthhomeandhappiness.com site
From the very first time I was at a La Leche League meeting and encountered a mother who was tandem nursing her toddler and infant, I knew it was something I wanted for my children someday.
Tandem Nursing Your Infant Toddler 4 Questions Answered
My oldest was only four months old at the time, but the adoration these two young siblings had for one another was so beautiful and sweet. I knew I wanted that for my children someday. I was thankful that my first daughter was still nursing when I became pregnant with her sister. She was two-and-a-half when our second was born. We tandem nursed for two more years and it was an amazing bonding experience for the girls.
There were some questions I was asked frequently by curious family members and friends.
Tandem Nursing: Question 1
One question I was asked many times was, “Doesn’t the toddler drink all the baby’s milk?” Our amazing bodies were designed to make as much milk as our children demand. Unless you have an extenuating circumstance and a history of low supply, your body will make enough milk for both of your babies without concern that the newborn will not be getting enough.
Tandem Nursing: Question 2
Many people wondered whether I made “toddler” milk or “baby” milk. It is pretty well known that breastmilk changes as our babies grow. What does that mean for those who have babies of two different ages nursing? Our bodies make milk specific in nutrients for the youngest baby. Typically when we’re nursing an older child they are eating solid food in addition to breastmilk to cover any gaps from the “younger” milk.
Tandem Nursing: Question 3
Booby Button 2
Several people wondered if I fed one child, then the other. Many moms choose to do this. Sometimes, I nursed them together and sometimes I nursed them separately.
A follow-up question to this was often how do I fit a toddler and newborn on my lap together. Every mom has to work this out for herself and find her most comfortable configuration.
One of my favorite ways to tandem nurse were to put my toddler on my lap in the cradle position then to lay the newborn in her lap in the football position. I was able to hold her head and help her latch on and they were able to snuggle and bond.
The other way that worked well for us was to put both of the girls in the football position. When they lay like this they held hands and were able to look at one another.
Tandem Nursing: Question 4
I’ve heard people wondering about their toddler being gentle with the baby during tandem nursing. During pregnancy, I ended the nursing gymnastics due to nipple tenderness. By the time baby was born, my toddler knew to be still if she wanted to continue nursing. If she was less than gentle during nursing sessions, I stopped nursing her and finished nursing the baby.
Overcoming Tandem Nursing Problems
We didn’t have any issues until our baby became six months old and began to poke her older sister in the hair and pull her hair. At this point, I stopped nursing them at the same time and began nursing one then the other, preferring to nurse baby first then toddler since my oldest was eating plenty of solids and my baby was not yet eating any. If gentleness is an issue with your children, it can be preferable to alternately nurse.
Some moms prefer to nurse one at a time while others feel this leads to nothing but nursing all day. As with all things, it is important to find what works best for you and your nurslings. If you are feeling overwhelmed, there are different ways to alleviate many of the issues that may arise such as limiting the number of times per day your toddler nurses or changing positions.
I am so thankful for the opportunity to tandem nurse my girls. Their relationship is very strong. My youngest has always looked to her sister for comfort if I couldn’t get to her as quickly as I would have liked. They are best friends and thoroughly enjoy one another. This, for my family, has been the greatest benefit of tandem nursing.
Megan Rabideau lives with her husband, Don, and their two daughters, Lydia and Charlotte. She is a certified childbirth educator. She enjoys crocheting and sewing in her free time.
Original article and pictures take www.intoxicatedonlife.com site
This time of year may people get sick, especially kids. I am often asked the question, “what can I do to boost my immune system in the winter?” There are many dietary upgrades that can help keep your immune system strong as well as some herbs that can be taken daily to keep the immune system strong. For all of my dietary recommendations read my post, Preparing for Cold Season. Most of these things need to be done year round and not just in the winter. During the summer, the last thing you might be thinking about is the flu but that is the time when immune boosting regimes should be started to prepare for the Fall and Winter. Personally, we use this immune boosting herb all year long.
Elderberry
The elderberry (Sambucus Nigra) is a dark purple or blue berry that grows on the elderberry bush or elder tree. Elderberry is very high in antioxidants and is a good source of potassium, vitamins A, B and C and nutrients like, amino acids, carotenoids, tannin and rutin. Anthocyanins, one of the most powerful antioxidants known to man, are found in these remarkable berries in far higher quantities than either Vitamin C or E alone. This accounts for the excellent health benefits of elderberry. Elderberries have been a folk remedy for centuries in North America, Europe, Western Asia, and North Africa. Greek philosophers also believed in the medicinal value of elderberry. Hippocrates called elderberry his “medicine chest.” It was used for centuries on those suffering from constipation, the common cold, arthritis, and asthma.
In 1995, a study was done on the effectiveness of elderberry during a flu epidemic in Panama. In a placebo controlled double blind study of influenza B, a complete cure was achieved within 2 – 3 days in nearly 90% of the elderberry-treated group compared with at least 6 days in the placebo group. More recently, a study done in 2004 published in The Journal of International Medical Research found similar results to the study in Panama. The results showed that elderberry syrup is also effective against both influenza A and B virus infections. It showed that the duration of the illness can be reduced by 3 – 4 days with elderberry syrup compared with placebo.
Elderberry boosts the immune system, and helps to heal coughs, colds, flu, viral and bacterial infections and it has also been known to treat sinus infections, sinusitis, and tonsillitis. This powerful herb is gentle enough to be take daily as a preventative and when an illness is present it can be take more then once a day to help fight off infection.
How to Take Elderberry
The easiest and most common way to take elderberry is elderberry syrup. Elderberry syrup, like this one Sambucus for Kids, can be purchased already made and would be found in health food stores or even some drug stores in the cold medicine section. Elderberry syrup can also be made at home very simply, read my tutorial here How to Make Elderberry Syrup. I use this recipe to make my syrup and sometimes add cloves or rose hips for added benefits. These are the elderberries I purchase and I keep them on hand to make batch after batch. Making your own syrup with raw local honey increases the health benefits even further.
What do you do daily to boost immunity?
Original article and pictures take theholisticmama.com site
Things that get me excited these days are few and far between – I think I’m too old for exclamation points.
But!
When I heard that we snagged an Instant Pot and a food processor for someone out there who’s going to get their kids in the kitchen – THAT got my left pinky finger going!!!!!!
Yay!!!!!!
This challenge is simple.
Simple, simple, simple – because no parent has time for anything more than that!
Just this:
Get your kid(s) in the kitchen once a week this month.
4 times.
Doing ANYTHING.
That’s it!
Hopefully you’ll set yourself up to work with them even more in the summer when time tends to be more flexible, but it doesn’t matter. It’s all about the BABY STEPS!
And to tempt you with more than just the abstract hope that your kids will be able to help YOU in the kitchen and also, you know, be adults who eat better than Ramen noodles – we have goodies.
You get 3 extra entries in this giveaway when you sign up for the #mykidmadethis challenge and FIVE entries every time you share a pic or story of your kids in the kitchen with the hashtag #mykidmadethis on social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram; entries count once per day).
PLUS I’ll randomly draw winners from all #mykidmadethis shares on social media for prizes like one of my 8 eBooks, a membership to Plan to Eat, and memberships to the full Kids Cook Real Food eCourse!
How to Share on Social Media
Facebook:
In order for me to see your share on Facebook, you’ll have to make your share “Public” by clicking the little dropdown that usually says “Friends.” And lots of you are cautious with pics of your kids on social media – well done being vigilant! You can always share pics of just the food they created or tell the story without photos at all, just words. OR share on the KS Facebook wall.
Instagram:
Just use the #mykidmadethis hashtag OR if your profile is private, also tag me @kitchenstewardship. Follow me on IG to see what my kids are up to!
Twitter:
Easiest yet! Just use the #mykidmadethis hashtag. Phew!
No Social Media at all?
You can go old school and email a few friends and I’ll still count it for the giveaway entry – be sure to enter in the Rafflecopter below!
I don’t actually like bringing my kids in the kitchen either, and I hear from a lot of parents that it’s a difficult challenge for them (so much for simple simple, right?). Here are some of our adult excuses:
There’s not enough time – kids are slow!
Parents don’t want the kids to fight them about it – feels like one more thing to discipline/correct them about.
The kids don’t like it.
The mom doesn’t know how to cook very well.
It’s stressful!
Moms like being in the kitchen alone!
Some feel embarrassment or shame that they don’t know how to cook and don’t want their kids to see.
But let’s be realistic – our kids see us make mistakes all the time, and they’re going to have to eat when they grow up. The investment is worth more than the temporary pain of training them…but even though our heads know that, it can be hard to practice delayed gratification when you’re just exhausted!
So…whether you have a competitive streak, love the chance to win prizes or do well when someone else gives you a game plan – I am here to help!!
Sign up NOW for the #mykidmadethis Challenge and let’s do this thing!
The challenge and giveaway are over – our winner is Mary and she has been contacted. Congratulations!
But wait – just because the prizes are over, doesn’t mean you should kick your kids out of the kitchen.
Check out our FREE Knife Skills Series to get just a sample of the Kids Cook Real Food eCourse. Perfect for those summer days when the “I’m bored” chorus starts, amiright?
What do I win, Katie?
Cuisinart Elemental 8 Food Processor {$99.95}
Instant Pot IP-DU60 {$114.86}
Plan to Eat Annual Membership (1 year) {$39}
VIP Kids Cook Real Food eCourse Membership {$95}
Signed copies of The Everything Beans Book, Better Than a Box, and Healthy Snacks to Go {$41.85}
Set of Four Glass Straws from Strawesome {$59.70}
SwissClassic Paring Knife and Fibrox Pro 6-Inch Chef’s Knife from Victorinox {$45.50}
Snack Happens Reusable Snack and Everything Bag Bundle from Itzy Ritzy {$39.99}
TWO Stainless Steel Airtight Food Containers from Life Without Plastic {$35.90}
Einkorn Kneading Tool, All-Purpose Flour, and Whole Grain Flour from Jovial Foods {$34.97}
Custom Starter Label Pack from Mabel’s Labels {$34.95}
Family Starter Kit from Squooshi {$24.49}
Kids Bamboo Utensil Set plus Ice Pack and Cover from Mighty Nest {$21.98}
That’s $688 in prizes!
Woot! I feel some more you-know-whats coming on…!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This Cuisinart® Food Processor is designed to perform just about any food prep task a recipe calls for. It’s big enough to chop ingredients for a party-sized portion of salsa, and powerful enough to turn a full work bowl of veggies into healthy puréed soups in seconds. Rubberized touch pad controls, and reversible shredding and slicing discs make this food processor a favorite of creative home cooks!
From Katie:
I use my food processor all. the. time. and although it’s not a Cuisinart anymore, I used the heck out of their most basic model, and it was a GREAT product. It held up better than the pricey one I have now that I don’t even love! Shred cheese, slice veggies, make power bars, bean dips, and so, so much more. If you don’t have a food processor, my friend, you’re missing out!
Large, easy to use control panel with 14 built-in Smart Programs, Dual pressure, Automatic keep-warm, and 3 temperatures for saute/browning and slow cook
Delay cooking time up to 24-Hours; Manual setting up to 120 minutes of cook time
UL and ULC certified with 10 proven safety mechanisms; Highly energy efficient and kitchen friendly
Includes 6Qt 3-ply bottom stainless steel cooking pot, stainless steel steam rack with handle, rice paddle, soup spoon, and measuring cup.
From Katie:
That fateful moment…when you realize you forgot to turn on the slow cooker, and not only did you miss the “8 hours on low” but you’re even way too late for the “4 hours on high” because it’s…3:30 p.m. Drat!
The best part perhaps is that the interior bowl is made of stainless steel, and if you’ve looked into materials for slow cookers or rice cookers lately, you know that there’s a lot of nonstick and ceramic (the question of leaching lead with ceramic is a big one). So for materials safety, functionality (did I mention it can even saute!), and pure efficiency, this baby is definitely a new favorite thing of mine. The world’s largest retailers now also carry Instant Pot, but YOU can get the best price today on Amazon.com.
Our physical and emotional health is directly tied to what we eat, and the best way to ensure we are getting the highest quality food is to prepare it at home.
Without a system to organize recipes, plan menus, and compile shopping lists, our kitchens will lack the ingredients we need to prepare our meals.
Our hope is that Plan to Eat will equip you to prepare delicious, wholesome food at home that nourishes both body and soul.
From Katie:
Meal planning is VITAL to real food success, and Plan to Eat allows you to choose your own menus and recipes but have your shopping list auto-generated, puts prep notes and meals directly into Google cal or iCal, and has drag and drop simplicity that I adore. They have a 30-day free trial if you don’t win!
from Katie Kimball
Value: $95
I’ve spent the better part of a year working on creating this comprehensive eCourse to teach kids to cook.
It is an 8-week multimedia online course designed to help adults teach kids to cook (it doesn’t have to just be parents). It includes videos, PDF downloadable lesson plans, printables, and recipe eBooks, and at the VIP level, interactive group support.
We’ll release a few lessons for free starting on May 23, and registration will be open May 30-June 6.
This prize membership includes all 3 age levels, lifetime access, plus a VIP membership with $110+ in freebies!
Three of my eBooks have made their way into print, and I’ll autograph them and send out a package to the winner.
I use each of these books ALL the time for our favorite meals, and I hope you find some favorites too!
Better Than a Box: Stop Making Dinner From a Box. Start Making Those Same Family-Favorite Meals Healthier and Homemade With 100% Whole Foods. Learn how to reverse engineer your favorite recipes without any processed ingredients – 60 recipes and 200 pages of tutorials!
The Everything Beans Book: If you want to save money, eat healthier, and still have a happy family at the dinner table, you need this book! The Everything Beans Book is an incredibly comprehensive resource explaining everything you want to know about beans and legumes – one of the most frugal and nourishing foods out there. Get over your fear of dry beans and break through dinnertime monotony with these family-friendly, tried-and-true recipes from a home cook with little mouths to feed.
Healthy Snacks to Go: You’re ready to dash out the door, but the 4:00 snack monsters are grumbling…when you’re trying to eat healthy, REAL food, how do you deal with cupboards full of ingredients when you need to grab and go? Healthy Snacks to Go to the rescue!From homemade granola bars to 15 flavors of a fruit/nut power bar and even homemade beef jerky, you will not go hungry with this helpful resource in your corner. Every recipe (over 45 of them, most with multiple variations) has extensive notes, rookie FAQs, time-saving tips and allergy-friendly icons.You’ll learn to make from scratch to save your budget and nourish your family, even when your calendar says you’re spending 9.2 hours driving people around in a day.
Strawesome is a family-owned and operated Michigan-based green company with a commitment to health and the environment. We offer fun, safe, and reusable glass drinking straws to people of all ages – making it easy to go green! Our straws are all hand-made in our workshop in Michigan and we take pride and care to offer the best products and service possible.
Winner will receive:
From Katie:
What can I say, these are just FUN! They make any drink a special experience, and my kids love when we get them out…which is mostly only for food photography because I’m scared of cleaning them, but they are durable enough that I’m not scared of breaking them anymore!
No matter what you’re about to prepare, the Paring Knife will help you do it. Small, sharp and agile, this knife is delicate enough for delicacies and tough enough for the toughest meats. Keep it close at hand and cut, slice and carve your way through to a beautiful meal every time.
What the 6″ Fibrox® Pro Chef’s Knife lacks in size, it more than makes up for in versatility. Uniquely sized between the length of a utility knife and a typical chef’s knife, you’ll find yourself reaching for it more often than any of the other knives in your block. The high-carbon stainless steel blade allows it to perform a number of tasks without compromising its sharpness. Swiss Made.
From Katie:
We recommend these knives to our members because they’re truly perfect for little hands. The paring knife can even be used on big jobs like a chef’s knife, which is awesome! They’re excellent quality and rated no. 1 by America’s Test Kitchen, and yet they’re affordable too. Win win win for everyone!
A set of 5 top-selling Snack Bags for the price of 4 – perfect for gifts!
Neutral Bundle includes: Mustache Madness, Sunshine Chevron, Monkey Mania, Avocado Damask, Little Fox
Reusable, machine washable bags for snacks, sandwiches, fruit, school lunches, mini first aid kits, cell phones, car & plane trips, crayons, toiletries, iPods, cameras, hiking, camping, travel, beach gear & more
FDA approved, BPA Free, Lead Free, PVC Free
Measured 7-inches by 7-inches
Machine wash in cold water with like colors, no bleach, line dry recommended
100% cotton fabric exterior
Zipper closure and PVC free waterproof lining
Winner will receive Neutral Bundle Colorway.
From Katie:
The star feature for Itzy Ritzy is the zippered closure, which is unique among all 7 styles I own.
The zipper means that there’s no loud rrrrrrrrip! sound when you open the bag, vital for quiet places like church or meetings. It’s very easy for even young children to open (sometimes strong Velcro can be a challenge for young toddlers).
The inside is a very smooth BPA-free, PVC-free, pthalate-free plastic lining that wipes clean so easily. Sometimes I’ll put off cleaning our reusable bags out because I think it will take too long, but any Itzy Ritzy bags usually get rinsed and flipped open to dry right away. There’s just something about the material that makes food just fall right off it.
The inside also reverses completely while allowing the cotton exterior to remain right side out, such that both parts can dry really easily at the same time.
Yes, it’s airtight and the food grade silicone seal, which fits on the container base – not the lid – can be removed easily to wash the container in a dishwasher without risk of damaging the silicone. The silicone seal can be replaced if it gets lost or broken.
The screw on lid is easy to open and close and creates a snug seal.
The container is completely made of high quality 18-8 food grade 304 stainless steel.
It is made in India by a small, trusted, super-friendly, family-owned manufacturer very committed to working with us to offer high quality, unique products that meet customer needs.
From Katie:
No plastic worries, lightweight and unbreakable (ever sent glass in a lunchbox?), and dishwasher safe. Score! PLUS little hands can usually open the lids, double score. I love everything I own from Life Without Plastic!
Einkorn is the most ancient wheat, and more easily digested because it has very weak gluten. In fact, if you knead einkorn dough by hand, you can see for yourself how different it is by how sticky the flour gets when mixed with water (kneading is believing!) Our founder, Carla, who has been working with einkorn for almost eight years now, loves to bake bread for her family but she was getting tired of sticky hands. One day at a dinner in Italy with relatives, she got to talking to a relative of a relative who manufacturers stainless steel tools. Together with Maurizio, she created a simple tool that she uses at home to knead most types of einkorn bread without touching the dough.
Winner will receive kneading tool, a 2-pound bag of Organic Einkorn All-Purpose Flour, and 2-pound bag of Organic Einkorn Whole Grain Flour.
From Katie:
I just heard from someone last week who is gluten sensitive and tried einkorn with no digestive distress. It doesn’t work that way for everyone, but it’s a wonderful ancient grain that I’m so grateful Jovial is cultivating for our era!
Our Starter Label Pack is an ideal introduction to the Mabel’s product family. This collection of durable, waterproof labels is an ideal way to help your kids get organized. Use it alone or to complement our other label combo packs.
24 Mini Custom Name Stickers: 38mm x 8mm (1-1/2″ x 5/16″)
8 Custom Shoe Stickers: 33mm (1.3″)
42 Tag Mates™ Stick On Clothing Labels: 21mm x 10mm (13/16″ x 3/8″)
2 Personalized Bag Tags: 57mm x 32mm (2-1/4″ x 1-1/4″)
Winner will be able to personalize their label pack.
From Katie:
I’m very jealous of whoever gets this prize, and I truly need to order some more. These labels STICK. I mean, seriously people!
My friend Tsh from The Art of Simple (formerly Simple Mom) put a label on the inside of her dishwasher, and three years later when they moved, it still looked as good as new. We have them on all our expensive stainless steel lunchboxes, of course, stainless water bottles, soccer balls, lunchboxes and backpacks, and more at our house. But I’ve only had the basic “personalized sticky labels,” and now I want some of those other renditions too!
The Squooshi Family Starter Kit has everything you need to provide your family with the most nutritious fresh food in a convenient reusable container they will love to use. Less waste, less mess, more fun!
This kit includes six adorably designed Squooshi reusable food pouches, four white replacement caps, two ChooMee Sip’n soft tops, and fifty content & date labels.
From Katie:
Whether you’re gearing up for lunch packing, are already in the swing, or homeschool with occasional outings, today’s giveaway is a cool find for kiddos.
Squooshi reusable food pouches have been a fun way to feel more mainstream for my kids, and I really can’t wait to hear more of other kids’ reactions when they get to start taking them in lunch boxes this fall.
Basically, you choose your own ingredients for things like smoothies, applesauce, oatmeal, or anything “squishy” and fill the BPA-free pouches (they close with a super strong zipper on the bottom).
Send them cold or frozen to school, in the vehicle, or on outings. They’re easy to use and have two kinds of openings, no spill with Sip’n lids and very few spills with the small open hole (with thick stuff). And they’re not too bad to clean either.
Less waste, more fun, real food. Right up our alley here at Kitchen Stewardship…
For little hands and big hearts, this reusable utensil set is made with beautiful, durable and renewable bamboo. Perfect to take anywhere, anytime, for play dates, picnics, day trips, campouts or out to eat. Buh-bye plastic, hello bamboo! Set includes fork, spoon and knife.
U-Konserve ice packs are BPA, lead and phthalate free! A non-toxic ice pack comes in the cover made from recycled bottles. Keep your lunch colder longer with this sweat-free eco-friendly solution! Store the ice pack with cover in the freezer and place on the bottom of your lunch when you’re ready to use it.
Colors will be selected by sponsor.
From Katie:
I admit that I stashed our wooden utensils away for food photography…but an ice pack that wouldn’t get everything wet is a joy! Mighty Nest is well known for non-toxic products that make taking care of your family and the environment at the same time so much easier.
Don’t forget to sign up for the challenge for 3 extra entries in the giveaway!!!
Want it? Enter Now!
ONE lucky Kitchen Stewardship reader will win OVER $600 in Kid-Friendly Kitchen Items!
Giveaways at Kitchen Stewardship are run via a Rafflecopter form, which means comments on this post do not count (and will be deleted).
Please use the Rafflecopter widget below to enter and have fun!
Email subscribers, please click over to the post to enter OR on the link above that says “a Rafflecopter giveaway.” In order to win you must use the Rafflecopter form above. Remember, comments here DO NOT COUNT and will be deleted.
I will use Rafflecopter, powered by random.org’s integer generator, to choose the winners, who will be announced on the blog and will receive an email.
Giveaway is open to continental US mailing addresses only. Entries will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. EST on Monday, May 23, 2016 and I’ll post the winners the following week. Please add mailadmin@kitchenstewardship.com to your email server in order to receive notifications of the winners.
All prizes are being sent by the sponsors. Kitchen Stewardship is not responsible for any prizes lost in the mail.
Official rules and small print stuff: 1) No purchase necessary to win 2) must be 13 or older to enter and have a mailing address within the sponsors’ boundaries (see above) 3) only one survey entry per person 4) odds of winning depend on number of entries 5) employees of Kitchen Stewardship, LLC. or sponsoring companies are not eligible for participation 6) contest sponsored by each individual company 7) prizes must be accepted as-is and are not redeemable for cash 8 ) Kitchen Stewardship, LLC. and sponsoring companies are not liable for any injury or damage to persons and/or things as a result of the acceptance of the prize offered. 9) This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook. 10 ) By entering this contest your are agreeing to have your email address added to our list. You may unsubscribe at any time.
The Winners!
August 2016 Winners
First random draw on 8/5/16 at 3:00 p.m. EST.
Nicole Foras, an all-access membership to the Kids Cook Real Food eCourse. Her adorable daughter made mint chocolate chip ice cream – YUM!
Sabrina Lee, a copy of Better Than a Box. She had dinner made for family by their cute daughter!
If you see your name and haven’t connected with me yet, email katie at kitchenstewardship.com with the subject “I WON #MYKIDMADTHIS” and we’ll get you your goodies as soon as we can! Congrats!!
Tiffany and her kids did a bunch of the recipe from the #mykidmadethis eBook and won both an All-Access pass to the Kids Cook Real Food eCourse and a copy of The Everything Beans Book. Congrats!
LifeDietHealth on Instagram shared this great smoothie that her son made – what a great thing to be creating one’s own recipes so young! They won a copy of Kerry Wekelo’s If It Does not Grow, Say No: Eatable Activities for Kids.
Fourth random draw on 8/16 at 4:00 p.m. EST.
Ashley and her son made pancakes and won a one-year membership to Real Plans. Congrats!
Elisa’s son chose all the seasonings for the shredded superfood greens they made together and won a copy of The Healthy Lunch Box!
May 2016 Winners
First random draw, on 5/11/16 at 8:45 a.m. EST.
Serena Kidder, a copy of Better Than a Box. Her child peeled a cucumber!
Savanna Nicholson, an all-access membership to the Kids Cook Real Food eCourse. Her lovely girls did a bunch of tasks for dinner, including seasoning salmon, setting the table, and serving themselves!!
If you see your name and haven’t connected with me yet, email katie at kitchenstewardship.com with the subject “I WON #MYKIDMADTHIS” and we’ll get you your goodies as soon as we can! Congrats!!
Heather Radix, a one-year subscription to Plan to Eat. Her kids made the chocolate chia pudding from the recommended snacks in the challenge! Woo hoo!
Melissa Arcona, a copy of Healthy Snacks to Go. Her kids made BBQ sauce and snapped green beans for dinner!
5/19/16 8:30 a.m. EST.
Melissa Luria, a copy of Smart Sweets. Her daughter made blueberry ricotta muffins from freshly picked blueberries by hand!
Elisa Marks, a VIP membership to the Kids Cook Real Food eCourse. Her son was learning to use an immersion blender and made broccoli soup!
Lauryn Rescoe’s kids were very busy for the challenge – the strawberry birthday cake won them a lifetime membership to the Kids Cook Real Food eCourse!
Final drawing on 6/1 3pm EST.
Julie Ponsford Holland gets a single-level Kids Cook Real Food eCourse membership! Her daughter was learning how to use the toaster oven.
Krysta forced herself to be brave and taught her kiddos how to use the cutting board and knives! She and her kiddos get an All-Access membership to Kids Cook Real Food eCourse!
Christy Bagasao and her kids were creative and made a cherry ‘grunt’ and won a VIP membership to the Kids Cook Real Food eCourse!
Original article and pictures take www.kitchenstewardship.com site
