Health for life

Holy cow! Did you guys know that the Ice Cream Man/Woman makes between $400 and $900 a day in the summer, depending on the weather? Wow. Time for a career shift.

Speaking about fun foods, reader Rachael wrote in with a question pertaining to last week’s Cooking for Small Children post:

Q: I have 3 children 3 and under. My two oldest love to snack! I have plenty of fruits and veggies for them, but sometimes they arent the easiest on the go. Id like to steer clear of snacks like cheddar fish or crackers, even. What are some delicious whole, nutritious, on the go snacks?!

A: Thanks for writing, Rachael! While I don’t have kids of my own, my cousins/friends/guy on the corner really seem to like Sabra’s single-serving hummus tubs. They’re portable, cute, and ain’t nothing wrong with a little chickpea dip. If you’re concerned about environmental factors, you can buy a larger tub and scoop little portions into a smaller piece of Tupperware.

But sweet readers, I know you have more on this. What are your little ones’ favorite healthy snacks?

Want to ask the interweb a question? Post one in the comment section, or write to Cheaphealthygood@gmail.com. Then, tune in next Tuesday for an answer/several answers from the good people of the World Wide Net.

As I was browsing Facebook the other night, just about to go to bed, I came across an interesting link that fired me up and kept my up far past my bedtime... an article called "Vegetarianism Demystified by a Toddler". It links to a YouTube video, which Ill just embed here for your convenience... voila!



The video has received overwhelmingly positive feedback from YouTube users. Nearly every comment praises this child for being an irresistible, sweet little boy with a big heart...  See?? Hes only 3, even a TODDLER knows its wrong to eat animals!! What an inspiration!!!

Okay. Fine. Thats your opinion. I, on the other hand, saw it differently. Here is how I interpreted his message...

Little Luiz Antonio is just sitting down to eat his octopus gnocchi, when he begins to question the ethics of eating an animal. After a little back and forth with his mother, Luiz decides we shouldnt be eating animals because theyre cute, and because every living thing deserves to be a winner in life... all of them all at the same time. If theres one thing Luiz is sure of, this is it. It would just be so great if we could all live forever and ever, and we could all live with the animals and pet each other and cuddle. Everyone could be friends. Everyone in the entire world. Well be pen pals and Skype friends and tweet each other and eat grass and well never have any reason to fight. For ever and ever.

Realistically, this is whats going through this little tykes head. Does he sound like an inspiration now? Does he make you want to throw out all your meat and slide headfirst into veganism!? I hope not. Hes a 3-year-old... He has a 3-year-old brain. Is it adorable? Yes. Very. But is it groundbreaking? Inspiring? Life-changing?? No. Get your head out of your ass.

The crux of this argument, what it really comes down to, is whether its human nature to want to be a vegetarian. Thats one of the main points of contention the article brings up. Is it really possible that were naturally vegetarians? Are we herbivorous animals? Is meat-eating just a social construct?

The answer is really very simple. No. No to all three. Big no to all three.

Ive explained my position on vegetarianism before...

1. Humans are not herbivores.
2. Avoiding animal products will not save the environment.
3. Avoiding animal foods doesnt save animal lives.
4. The people most likely to adopt a vegan diet are the people who need animal products the most.
5. Veganism is a very recent phenomenon.

You should probably read the linked article yourself for a little more explanation. Going vegetarian isnt the answer to your problems, and it wont save the world. If youre really honest with yourself, I think thats pretty clear.


I applaud your intent, vegetarians, but I think you need a reality check.
Dont get me wrong, I do understand the rationale behind vegetarianism. Many vegetarians view cessation from animal foods as a sort of "next step in the evolution of humans". In other words, we no longer have to hunt and gather and rely on animal foods to get by, so we can choose to sustain ourselves on plant foods that are less damaging to the environment. We have plenty of plant food for everyone. And of course theres the compassion factor... we no longer need to carry out the "barbaric", "uncivilized" act of eating something that once had a cute face.

Where the vegetarians go wrong here, in my opinion, is in their assumption that an animal-food-free diet is a healthy diet. If we as a species were ever to decide to spontaneously switch to veganism, we would likely kill off a HUGE chunk of our population over the first few generations. What survives long-term would be, in my estimation, a very small fraction of humans, if any.

Dont believe me? Look what happened to this poor infant, who died at just 11 months... born of vegan parents, this little girl died of vitamin deficiencies from her mothers nutrient-depleted, vegan-borne breast milk.
Are you prepared to kill off most of the human race as some sadistic form of forced "evolution" in the name of veganism? Okay that statement was a little dramatic. But seriously, shit just wouldnt work out. Itd be traumatic. We have physiological, biological needs as humans, and some of those needs are only fulfilled through animal foods. Its not morally wrong to eat animals... its just how life works. There is no life without death and vise versa. Its the circle of life. Like the Lion King.


Okay back to Little Luizs video.
Back to reality land, and that cute little cherub. To set the record straight, I do not have kids. Although I do want to have kids some day, I dont want kids at this particular moment, and I dont claim to be any sort of child-rearing expert. I do adore the innocent, naivety of Luizs mind, though. At the age of 3, Im sure a lot of kids have this same peachy outlook on life, and if I were a parent, Id probably like to preserve this blissful ignorant phase for a long as I could. I also dont ever want to force my child to eat anything he uses to eat. Good nutrition is of the utmost importance to me, but so is letting my child have some autonomy. I want to support his/her in life, not get in the way of it.

But thats neither here nor there. Im all about the tangents today.

To sum this all up, theres just no reason for Luizs thoughts on meat-eating to be taken as an affirmation for vegetarianism. For crying out loud, hes a 3-year-old child.

Its a cute video. Lets just leave it at that.

Reader Jes writes in all the way from Taiwan:

Q: This summer, I’m teaching two cooking classes each week to about 14 or so Taiwanese nine-year-olds. We have access to a camping stove with one burner. This is the closest image I could find:


We have a pot and a pan to use on it. I made sandwiches, French toast on Monday, and yesterday I made spaghetti. With a jar of "USA Good Tomato Sauce For Put on Italy Noodles.”

Im pretty much out of ideas. Do you have any?

A: Wow, Jes. Good question, and probably an excellent one for those readers with camping experience.

I have three suggestions:

• A simple stir fry.
• Fajitas, because kids like anything they can eat with their hands.
• Eggs, several ways - scrambled, over-easy, poached - you name it. Easy, versatile, and breakfast appropriate

Readers, what think you? What kinds of kid-friendly dishes can Jes make with her class? The comment section, she is open.

Want to ask the interweb a question? Post one in the comment section, or write to Cheaphealthygood@gmail.com. Then, tune in next Tuesday for an answer/several answers from the good people of the World Wide Net.

If childhood obesity expert Melinda Sothern could wave her magic wand and help kids live healthier lives, shed want parents and children to dine together every night. "Research is clear that family meals equal healthier weights, emotional stability and better school performance," she says.
She would have parents insist that their kids ditch cellphones and other media devices when they come home from school and go outside to play for an hour, or if its too dark when they get home, then they can put on some music and dance inside.
"This active time will burn four to five times more calories than sitting and help prevent obesity and type 2 diabetes," says Sothern, an exercise physiologist and a professor at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans, who has treated more than 3,000 overweight children over the past 23 years. Shes the co-author of Trim Kids.
She also wishes parents would make sure that kids eat a healthy breakfast daily, get plenty of shut-eye and stop snacking mindlessly. "Parents have far more power than they realize to guarantee a healthy future for their children."
Sothern and other top national researchers in childhood obesity and nutrition are presenting their latest research at the annual Obesity Society meeting in Atlanta this week. In one session on Tuesday, several experts will offer parents practical tips on how to create healthy habits at home.
Currently, about a third of kids in this country are overweight or obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Extra pounds put kids at a higher risk of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, liver disease, sleep apnea and other health problems.
Some ideas from nutrition and exercise researchers on setting up a healthier home environment:
• Plan healthy, tasty breakfasts. Offer children a lean protein at breakfast such as eggs, string cheese, Canadian bacon, turkey bacon or hummus, Sothern says. Serve them fresh fruit such as berries. Or whole-grain cereal with nuts is another option. Top off the meal with a glass of fat-free or 1% low-fat milk or a carton of low-fat yogurt, she says.
• Discourage mindless munching. Dont let kids eat in front of the TV or computer and gradually restrict all eating and drinking, except for water, to the kitchen counter, table or dining room, Sothern says.
• Get them involved. Take kids to the grocery store. Skip the soda, cookie and candy aisles and have children select one fruit and vegetable to try each week. At home, include children in lunch and dinner preparation, Sothern says.
• Reinstate family traditions. Insist on family dinners, set the table with real cloth napkins, light candles and play soft music in the background to encourage discussion. Compliment the children on their healthy food selections, cooking and manners, she says.
• Get some shut-eye. Allow kids no more than one hour of media time before bedtime. Try to make sure they get the required 9 to 10 hours of sleep a night. Research shows that lack of sleep equals unwanted weight gain, behavioral problems and difficulty concentrating the next day, Sothern says.
• Offer a nutritious starter course. Pennsylvania State University research shows that adults who eat a broth-based bowl of vegetable soup; a large, low-calorie, lettuce-based salad; or an apple before a meal consume about 110 to 190 fewer calories at the meal, including the calories in that first course. The same idea could work with kids, says Barbara Rolls, a professor of nutritional sciences at Penn State. Theyll not only fill up on fewer calories, but theyll be eating a healthy first course.
• Trick their tummies. Add their favorite fiber-rich vegetables — such as spinach, zucchini, yellow squash, broccoli, carrots, peppers and onions — to lasagna, casseroles, pasta dishes and pizza. The veggies lower the calories and increase the nutrients in each bite, Rolls says. Also increase the proportion of vegetables in stir-fry dishes, broth-based soups and stews and extra vegetables to sandwiches. Substitute vegetable or fruit purees for half or even two-thirds of the added fat in quick breads and muffins, she says.
• Use smaller plates. A study of first-graders showed that most kids served themselves more at lunch (about 90 calories more) when they used adult-sized dinner plates compared with using child-sized plates, which is about the size of an adult salad plate. "We know that adults over-serve themselves with larger plates, and this study says the same holds true for children. Using smaller plates at home may promote healthy child portion sizes," says Jennifer Orlet Fisher, an associate professor of public health at Temple University in Philadelphia.
• Teach kids to dance. Tell them youre playing Dancing with the Stars and let them waltz, do the cha-cha-cha or swing dance, Sothern says. This active time will burn four to five times more calories than sitting and improve their overall health.
• Swap sedentary time for active time. Kids only burn 30 to 50 calories when they are sitting for an hour, but they burn 400 to 500 calories in an hour if they are playing tag, dancing or doing field sports, she says. The governments physical activity guidelines say children and teens should do an hour or more of moderate-intensity to vigorous aerobic physical activity each day. Sothern recommends they do at least two hours of physical activity a day.
• Play outside with your children. Moms and dads should teach their kids to throw, pitch, catch, pass, jump and ride a bike because their kids may not be learning these important skills at school.
• Encourage physical-activity breaks. "There is a lot of evidence that kids should not sit still for more than 60 minutes at a time," says Penny Gordon-Larsen, a professor of nutrition at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. When kids are doing their homework or on the computer, they need to get up regularly and move around or consider standing while they are working, she says. Every little bit of activity counts. Have them do at least 20 to 30 minutes of physical activity after school, such as shooting hoops, biking, playing soccer, jumping rope, dancing, walking or playing a fitness-related video game, Gordon-Larsen says.
• Steer clear of sugary drinks. This includes regular sodas, sweet teas, high-calorie specialty coffees, energy drinks and juices, Gordon-Larsen says. "Its such an easy way to cut out excess sugar and calories," she says. Instead offer water and low-fat milk, even low-fat chocolate milk.
_http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/11/10/kids-eating-exercising-healthfully/3358229/

Too often the mere idea of travelling with your kids in tow can make you feel very old and tired. Just getting into the car and driving out of the city for a well-deserved weekend away can seem filled with unsurmountable obstacles. The preparation, the packing, and the unhappily restrained kids in the back seat… it just seems easier to stay at home until they’re eighteen.
But if you’re properly prepared and well-informed before you leave home, travelling with kids can be a fun and extremely rewarding experience. By travelling with your kids, you’ll get to create family memories together that will last their – and your- lifetime. And there is nothing like a little travel to make you really appreciate home.
As with travel at any age, there are the obvious pitfalls that you can avoid if you’re organised - a problem as minor as running out of nappies can take the shine off your holiday if you’re delayed in an airport with a stinky child - but occasionally there are more serious and complicated issues that need to be overcome; Australian parents travelling overseas with their children may encounter legal difficulties ranging from issues relating to family law (such as child custody or support issues) to questions about childrens passports, but these too can be overcome with a little forward planning.
Common Sense Advice. Share your experiences, tips and advice on the Kidspot Forum.
This article was written by Ella Walsh for Kidspot.
_http://www.kidspot.co.nz/article+570+46+Travelling-with-kids.htm