Family Food Experts - Kid Kritics » Restaurants

Some Good News on Sugar

ellenbriggs — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 19:24:33 +0000

High Fructose Corn Syrup – looks harmless… not.

Sugar Cane Crystals (not bleached)

Some restaurants and packaged food companies are “bowing to consumer concerns about HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) and replacing the sweetener with sugar…. It’s so hard. It’s in everything.” True. From ketchup to oyster crackers, HFCS has been the sweetener of choice for decades. Finally, many are waking up to the reality this needs to stop due to the research associating it with cancer and more. Sugar cane crystals are still sugar but are at least less processed. This change will up their prices since part of the appeal of HFCS was how cheap it was as an ingredient. Still, this is a good move and you can thank those who spoke up and said, “We don’t want it.” Keep speaking out…

… for the health of your family,
ellen

* Katy McLaughlin, “Sweet Revenge, Chefs Pour on the Sugar,” Wall Street Journal, 7/6 11, p. D1.

Watch out for the Latest Food Craze!

ellenbriggs — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 18:51:32 +0000

Food companies are jumping on the appeal of sugar and salt flavor combinations. This flavor profile is a recipe for obesity… and other illnesses. Outsmart them and don’t buy such products they will sell in stores and at fast-food restaurants. Instead, stick to fresh foods and season them yourself with a little sea sale or sugar.

… for the health of families,
ellen and sally

Fill in the blank: “It’s easier to _______than figure out what to feed my kids every day.

ellenbriggs — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 20:18:28 +0000

Please fill in this blank: “It’s easier to ____________________ than figure out what to feed my kids every day.” Answer in a comment or email your response to ellen@KidKritics.com. We will chose one and send the “author” a signed copy of our new book after it is finished and hot off the press! We look forward to hearing from you… more than one fill-in is encouraged!

… for the health of your family,
ellen and sally

Dangling Feet are related to Picky Eaters

ellenbriggs — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 17:32:31 +0000

If your kids’ feet are not touching the floor or a rung on their chair or stool while eating, odds are, they squirm and are picky eaters. This has been noted by Dr. Bob Sears. There is a relationship between being able to focus on your food and the sense of being anchored. Some kids stand on one leg and lean into their chair or stool to avoid the dangle. From the day they sit to eat, make sure your childrens’ feet are not hanging loose in your home or at restaurants. Please help them out and make the needed adjustments. (For more information on Picky Eaters, go to www.KidKritics.com and download this radio show)

… for the health of your family,
ellen and sally

How does the Child Nutrition Act affect you? Tune in to find out.

ellenbriggs — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 20:53:18 +0000

Jolie Root helps make sense of the latest Nutrition News including the Child Nutrition Act and food safety. Tune in live on July 23rd, Noon ET on www.BetterFoodChoicesRadio.com or listen on iTunes for free. Call in with your questions: 914-803-4091.

… for the health of your family,
ellen and sally

Radio Gems: How to find your Local Farmers Market

ellenbriggs — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 18:07:46 +0000

Thanks to Radha Marcum, Editor-in Chief from Delicious Magazine, we now know how to find your local Farmers Market. Go to www.LocalHarvest.org. Save money and get fresh produce filled with rich nutrients that will taste better than what has been harvested and shipped from mega miles away. That’s not all. Find great restaurants, Grocery co-ops and CSAs (Community Shared Agriculture – be sure to look into this deal!) This is the way to go.

… for the health of your family,
ellen

Radio Gems: Alice Bast shares Celiac Answers

ellenbriggs — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 20:31:56 +0000

Celiac is a mystery to too many, including physicians. Three million have it and another three million are undiagnosed and don’t know they are suffering from it. Here’s what to do. Go to www.CeliacCentral.org and use their symptoms checklist. Print out your answers and take them to your doctor and ask him or her to give you a Celiac Panel test. If you know you already have Celiac or have just been diagnosed with it, at this same website, go to Celiac 101 Guide – How to Get Stated.

IMPORTANT: you do not need to feel deprived of delicious meals in or out of the home if you can not eat wheat, rye or barley – and oats. There are lots of other grains to enjoy – quinoa is one! Google Gluten-Free recipes and check those on www.CeliacCentral.org. And, if you are going out to eat, Carrabba’s and Legal Seafood have Gluten-Free menu sections. Fill up on vegetable, fruit, meat, bean, nuts, seeds and herbs – and be healthy!

… for the health of families,
ellen and sally

Nutrition Information on Fast Food Menus May Surprise You

ellenbriggs — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 23:16:09 +0000

Which do you think has the most calories: Subway foot-long tuna sub, Panera Bread fresh tomato and mozzarella salad, Jamba Juice banana berry (original size), Starbucks no-sugar-added banana nut coffee cake, or, Wendy’s Chicken BLT salad? Take a good look. Think carefully. If you were watching your calories, which one would you not pick?

If you choose the Jamba Juice banana berry, you lose – or gain weight : 1,060 calories – you have to watch what they put into smoothies. There has to be a lot of sugar in this one and not many berries. Bet they use a fruit juice as a base.

Starbucks no-sugar added banana nut coffee cake: 890 calories – at what point do they stop adding sugar? Must contain lots of fat.

Panera Bread fresh tomato and mozzarella salad: 790 calories – probably the dressing and cheese

Subway foot-long tuna sub: 470 calories – eat half and you are down to 235 calories … don’t add any stuff!

Wendy’s Chicken BLT salad: 450 calories – watch the salad dressing or your calorie count will go up.

The good news is that calories counts are being listed, giving you the option to make Better Food Choices!

Source: Be a Menu Genus, Prevention Magazine, November 2008, p. 78.

Now You Will Know Where Your Food Comes From – It’s the Law!

ellenbriggs — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 00:11:20 +0000

As of Sept. 30, of this year (2008), a federal law “require supermarkets and other big food retailers to label or otherwise display the country of origin for meat, produce and certain kinds of nuts. (uncooked beef, chicken lamb, pork and goat meat, raw peanuts, pecans, and macadamia nuts , fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables, ginseng, fish and shellfish) A number of foods will be exempt, including processed foods like breaded chicken, roasted peanuts or packages of mixed vegetables.” … this applies to products sold in grocery stores and mass-merchandise outlets. It effectively exempts small food outlets and such places as butcher shops, restaurants and school cafeterias.” If these exempted purveyors of food are smart, they will also identify the places of origin.

There is a transition time, allowing those produce produced or packaged before Sept. 30th to be exempt. Food producers were given six months to comply. Then they will be fined. Organizing the labeling of all products takes time and a billions of dollars. This grace period is reasonable. The good news is that it won’t be long before you know where you food is coming from – a plus when you are trying to avoid unregulated growing procedures and want to save money with more locally produced and shipped foods.

Questions: There is a noticeable absence of some foods such as turkey and other nuts and seeds. We will have to investigate this. Secondly, will this cost be passed on to us, the consumer… probably.

Is this progress? In this global economy we say YES. You should have a choice of buying an onion grown in Georgia or Mexico. Do you agree?

Source: David Kesmodel, Julie Jargon, “Labels Will Say If Your Beef Was Born in the USA”, Wall Street Journal, 9/23/2008, pp. D1, D2.