Earthly Eating

• Include kids in the lunch prep: Kids are more likely to eat something if they helped make it. Kids as young as age three can help even at the grocery store and help pick out fruits and vegetables.

• Limit choices: Don’t just ask you child what they want for lunch, give them two ot three options to choose from. Stock your pantry with healthy choices so that your child will have these choices to choose from as well.

• Utilize hungry moments: Use these moments to introduce new foods to your child. And give them to your child along with familiar foods so they can get used to them at their own pace.

• Educate them: Let your child know what each foods benefit is, such as calcium for healthy bones and carrots for healthy eyes.

• Looking and feeling good: Kids love things cut into shapes and cute containers and dipping foods as well. Things have to look and smell fresh. A tip: apples slices won’t turn brown if you toss them in a little lemon juice before packing them.

**January 2nd episode of Criminal Minds will be a rerun to start the new year with. Over at Watching Criminal Minds blog here at 451 Press, Katie Mientka has the details on that episode and the some tidbits for the upcoming broadcasts. Read it here.**

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Earthly Eating Recipe

Chocolate, Cranberry and Oatmeal Bars
Serves: 32

Bake 20 to 22 minutes or until center is set. Cool completely on a wire rack before cutting to serve.

Happy Eating!

Organic food sales make up just 2.5 percent of the retail food market, they’re rising by about 20 percent each year. Why?

According to the Whole Foods Market survery posted in OCA on April 2007, 70 percent of consumers buy organic to avoid pesticides; another 67 percent do so to promote good health. Yet questions remian: are organic foods indeed safer and more nutritious?

Are organic foods safer because there pesticide free? The facts are organic crops produced without chemical fertilizers and most senthetic pesticides. But, they may not be free of pesticide residues. A lot of the residues found on our food are from long-banned pesticides, such as DDT, because it’s persistent in our soil. Plus, pesticides can blow over from a neighboring convetional farm. And, these lower pesticide levels haven’t been established as safer. In fact, everything in supermarkets has earned the government’s seal of approval for safety. The Environmental Protection Agency set standard for the residue levels allowed in or on food, which are in the parts per million, even billion. The bottom line: If your kid eats a lot of fruits and veggies, it might be worth the extra bucks. But, don’t freak about it if you can’t afford it, most fruits and veggies are safe.

Are orgnaic snacks better got you than convential? The fact is a cooke, whether it’s organic or not, is still a cookie. Dont’ forget theat organic processed food can be hgih in calories and total fat as well. And may contain refined grains and undesirable additives. It’s still important to read the labels closely on orgainc packaging to see what you are really getting. The real issue is whether you’re eating and offering your family nutritious foods rather than foods that are high in calories , sugar, salt and fat. Fresh is best, and those snacks can still be convenitent and offer a nutrional punch. The bottom line is spend your organic dollars on produce instead.

AND ALWAYS REMEBER:
*A varied diet that’ts rich in whole grains, fruits, and vegtables-regardless of whether or not they are organic-is the best way to ward off illness, obesity, and some cancers.*
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Earthly Eating Recipe:

Butter-fried PB&J Crepes:
Serves 10-12

Mix first 5 ingredients and set aside. Combine peanut butter and 1 tbs. dry ingredients, then water. Allow batter to rest for 15 minutes. Heat medium (8-inch) skillet over high heat. Melt 1/2 tsp ghee. Pour 2 tbs. batter into pan, swirling to cover a thin layer. Cook about 30 seconds, until top appears dry; flip and cook for 10 more seconds. While the bottom is cooking, drop a tsp. of jam on top, spreading lightly with a spoon. Fold pancake in half, then fold again into a quarter-circle. Remove from pan, repeat process, melting 1/4 tsp. ghee for each new pancake.

Happy Eating!

Do you have a picky eater in your house? Check out some of the tips Jackie has posted over on Kids Dish.