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!

Try to follow these guidelines when food shopping to ensure you eat more healthy.

• Try to buy as many organic and all-natural foods as possible.

• For bread and grain products, look for whole grains, whole wheat and flour that hasn’t been enriched or bleached.

• Buy pesticide-free fruits and vegetables, and look for dried fruits labeled “unsulphured” and “unsweetened.”

• For all dairy products, the best options are lowfat and prganic.

• In the protein category, choose nitrite, antibiotic- and hormone-free lunchmeats, low-mercury tuna and soy products that haven’t been genetically modified.

• Stick with sunflower or olive oil for dressings or cooking, and remember that plain lowfat yogurt can often be used as a substitute for mayonnaise.

Here are the ingredients to avoid:

• High-Fructose corn syrup

• Partially hydrogenated oils

• Trans fats

• Sodium nitrite and sodium nitrate (chemical additives often used in lunch meats that become a carcinogen in our bodies-labels should say “uncured” and “no nitrites added”.

• Artifical sweeteners (often found in animal products like milk and meats- look for “anitbiotic-free”, “hormone-free” and “no rGBH”).

**Looking for a stamp cleaner? Over at Getting Crafty, Jummy has found one. And it works great. Read where to get the stamp cleaner and how it can be used.**
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Earthly Eating Recipe

Pokey Cupcakes
Serves: 24 (Makes 2 dozen)

Tint whipped topping with food coloring; spread over cupcakes. Add decorations. Store in the refrigerator.

Happy Eating!