Eating Out

Apparently Americans spend nearly half of their food dollars at restaurants.  That totals about $566 billion in a year! (National Restaurant Association, 2009) Wow. This leaves me speechless, especially for two reasons:  a lot of that is spent on low-nutrient, disease promoting fast food, and, the nutrition and behavioral benefits of eating home cooked meals at home way exceeds the convenience of eating out.  Now moms, please, I understand the lure of  a breakfast, lunch and dinner solution  -  I was a working single mom for years and have experienced the related time issues.  However, the health of children holds a greater value than succumbing to the ease of fast food restaurants. I hear moms saying, "I just have to spend less on food."  I say to you, spend less on having someone else prepare food – buy and prepare it yourself. Then enjoy a good meal at a restaurant once in a while.

… for the health of your family,
ellen

Don't forget to enter to Win a Case of Greek-Styled LowFat Yogurt by Cabot of Vermont.  www.KidKritics.com/sweepstakes

     Inside someone's refrigerator…

Research says you do. Yearly you throw out: Milk & Yogurt: 13%. Grains: 14%. Fruit & Juices: 16%. Vegetables: 25%*  Rest: non-perishables. A number one reason is we buy too much – overstock – that means lack of planning. I would add that with good intentions, moms buy fresh vegetables but then do not prepare and serve them bowing down to a number of excuses… time especially.  Please pay attention to what you are buying: those who make grocery lists waste less.

It doesn't help that fresh vegetables are off to a bad start thanks to the constant spraying by stores. They are dripping wet when you put them into your cart… a recipe for decay.  These need to be wrapped in paper towels for moisture absorption while being refrigerated.  Then washed and dried before use.  I know, it takes time.  To avoid this issue, I reach for those stacked in the back, buy from Fresh Product Markets and try to grow some of my own. If you see some vegetables on the verge of going bad, throw them in the freezer for later use in omeletes, casseroles, sauteed dishes, and soups. 

Another thought: weekly, check those back corners of all the shelves in your refrigerator.  That's where the forgotten gets shoved and stays awhile.  I am often surprised at what I find in these darker places.  Wish they would invent rotating shelves… !

They say that only 12% of contents in refrigerator-freezers are leftovers*… that's really low. Does this mean you are throwing out too much, or, your family is eating all the food your prepare for them?  I'll bet some of these leftovers are "doggy bags."  Even in this economy, "spending on restaurants and take-out meats still makes up about half of food expenditures."*

We love leftovers in our home.  They open the door for lunches and subsequent dinners. Bottom Line: Leftovers can save you time and money  – all $500 to $2000 of it. 

… for the health of your family,
ellen

It is your turn to Win a Case of Kid Kritics Approved food?  This week, a case of Cocoa Brownie Mix, Gluten-Free and Organic by Simply Organic.  You will be well supplied with birthday and holiday treats!  These are yum!  Even your family and friends with wheat allergies can enjoy every bite! www.KidKritics.com/sweepstakes

* "Leftovers: Tasty or Trash?", Sarah Nassauer, Wall Street Journal, March 21, 2012, p. D1.

“Hooked on chicken nuggets: Girl, 17, who has eaten nothing else since age TWO rushed to hospital after collapsing.” *

Apparently this teenager has never eaten fruit or vegetables.  Now she is in hospital with  swollen veins in her tongue, has anemia and has been warned that she was killing herself.

You say, no way this can happen.  I say, “Yes Way.”  Too many times I have has parents tell me, “My son/daughter will only eat chicken nuggets so that’s what I give him or her.  They refuse to eat anything else.”  I simply look at them and wonder who’s the boss.  Moms and dads, you have to guide your children away from the wrong decisions and to the right ones.  Sometimes that is easier said than done, yet, the alternative can be deadly.

Keep in mind you may be working against addictions.  Unfortunately, ingredients put in some foods are purposely habit forming.  Take charge now and avoid disaster later.  I am using strong words.  Don’t underestimate the consequences.  Steer your kids into making better food choices today and tomorrow.

… for the health of your family,
ellen

P. S. Please pray for this girl.

* This is a report from the U.K.

Prepare your womb with good eating habits before you are pregnant.  When you test positive for pregnancy you are already at least 2 weeks along.  So stop with the smoking, drinking and drugs well before you conceive to give your baby his or her best odds. Also, Dr. Keri Batiskov  says no raw fish or meat (sushi), deli meats, fast foods, unpasteurized milk and soft cheeses, artificial additives, fake sugars, fish with mercury, sodas… AND YES to fruits, vegetables, grains, meats, good fats, eggs,dairy and WATER!  "Eat from the earth."  Definitely take supplements per your doctor's recommendations, especially folic acid, and hold off on herbal supplements during your pregnancy.  Take the time to listen to more from Dr. Batiskov, go to www.BetterFoodChoicesRadio.com or iTunes ("Better Food Choices".

… for the health of your family,|
ellen

We are starting a Did You Know series.  This first one is a whopper.  It is reported that Chicken McNuggets are 50% chicken and 50% "corn derivatives, sugars, leavening agents and completely synthetic ingredients.  Two include: dimethylpolysiloxane anti-foaming agent made of silicone, and, tertiary butylhydroquinone (TBHQ) "a chemical preservative so deadly that just five grams can kill you."  Holy smokes.  Well, you say, there aren't  5 grams of TBHA in a serving.  That's no excuse.  Every bit adds up. How many times a week do your kids eat Chicken McNuggets?  How many weeks a year?  PLEASE, take a stand for your children and vote NO with your pocketbook…

… for the health of your family,
ellen

Win a Case of 6oz. bags of Pizza Veggie Sticks and the DVD, "The Princess and the Pop Star" by Veggie Tales.  This Veggie Stix & Veggie Tales sweepstakes series is more than half way over.  Don't miss out.  Go to www.KidKritics.com/sweepstakes today.  Enter more than once to up your odds!

SOURCE:  "The Chicken Which Should be Banned," posted by Dr. Mercola, www.Mercola.com, 11/8/2010