Family Food Experts - Kid Kritics » Calories

New School Lunch Nutrition Requirements

ellenbriggs — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 17:46:27 +0000

The government is setting new school lunch nutrition requirements: Establish maximum calorie and sodium limits. Serve a fruit and vegetable every day in larger portions. Offer a minimum number of leafy green vegetables, red-orange vegetables, starchy vegetables and legumes each week. After 2 years, all grains must be rich in whole grains such as brown rice. Breads, buns, cereals and pastas must list whole grain as 1st ingredient. Milk must be either low-fat (1%) or fat-free. Flavored milk must now be fat-free. No trans- fats.

Cost – 11 cents more per lunch. Who is going to pay for this? Government will give schools 6 cents more per lunch. The additional 5 cents will have to come from states and local taxes it seems. What are you paying for each lunch at your children’s school?

We are pleased with these positive changes. There are two possible problems to address. One: the government has no money. We are in serious debt. Two: kids have to like these foods. With the right cafeteria managers and chefs, this is possible. To limit their other choices is critical. Kids will eat healthier foods if they taste good.

Best possible school lunch – probably the one you make at home for your kids to take to school. That is why we give you Lunch Box menus in our Family Food Newsletter. Sign up to receive it twice a month. www.KidKritics.com.

… for the health of families,
ellen

Mac and Cheese – all natural, no artificial anything, no Trans Fats. Win a whole case by Annie’s Homegrown. Add some carrots or peas and a few parsley and paprika flakes. Put some in thermos for school lunch. Go to www.KidKritics.com/sweepstakes today!

Breakfast for about $1.00 – all good!

ellenbriggs — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 17:51:18 +0000

One free-range egg scrambled with Parmesan cheese and a smoothie made with water (your own filtered), ice, half a banana and peanut butter – about $1.00! For some green power, sprinkle in a few parsley flakes. You can replace PB with another nut of seed butter -use just a spoonful or two. (Please avoid sugar added brands). Your kids will stay healthy full for hours and hopefully be totally focused and behave as well!

… for the health of your family,
ellen

Win a Case of Organic Raw Honey Fair Trade by Wholesome Sweeteners. A holiday baking bonus! Go to www.KidKritics.com/sweepstakes today. To up your odds, enter more than once.

If you are aging, better tune in to this radio show!

ellenbriggs — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 21:51:55 +0000

Quite frankly, I don’t know anyone who is not aging, me included! It really starts in your 30s. Bernat Meltzer, MD, author and wellness expert ,will clue in to what you should do in your thirties, forties, fifties to minimize and manage aging and its health consequences. Tune in on Friday, June 3rd at Noon EDT for 30 minutes of invaluable advice that’s free! Go to www.BetterFoodChoicesRadio.com or look for this interview later on iTunes: Better Food Choices. It’s a podcast – convenient!

… for the health of families,
ellen

Healthy Kids Survey by YMCA – time to take action!

ellenbriggs — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 15:23:32 +0000

"Most kids don’t come close to getting enough exercise daily and don’t eat enough fruits and vegetables: 62% of 1,630 parents with children ages 5 to 10 say their kids eat junk food one to four days a week. Only 14% of parents say their kids eat at least five fruits and vegetables a day.These results shed light on the reasons for the childhood obesity epidemic. About a third of children in the USA are overweight, which puts them at higher risk for type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol and other health problems."*

We know you care. That's why we have the Kid Kritics program so you can serve you family healthier foods they will like! Lean on it to up your kid's
consumption of fruits and vegetables and to down their odds of being overweight and sick. By the way, hundreds of YMCA children are Kid Kritics!

Come see us at the Boca Raton, FL. YMCA "Healthy Kids Day" event this Saturday! Or, find one in your neighborhood and have some fun with your kids!

… for the health of your family,
ellen and sally

* Hellmich, Nanci, "Survey: Kids Lack Exercise, Healthful Foods", USA Today, www.usatoday.com/health, 4/13/11.

Performance Food: Avocados fuel your Brain, Heart and more!

ellenbriggs — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 19:59:16 +0000

Avocado nutrients feed your brain, blood, eyes, hair, heart, mouth/teeth, nerves, nose and skin! This fruit (seed in the center), grow on trees in CA and FL, are easily found in the stores now. Pick some up, ripen them in paper bags, and serve them in salads, wraps, dips (guacomole),tacos and on top of fish, shrimp, eggs and chicken dishes. Ripe ones melt in your mouth. They are loaded with essential fatty acids especially needed for healthy brain development and maintenance – all good calories! To make one go a long way, chop it into small pieces. Their thick skin provides protection so no need to buy organic. Try to serve one a week in your home.

… for the health of your family,
ellen and sally

Enter our Kid Kritics Approved Food Giveaway Sweepstakes. Have a case of food delivered to your home! Until 11pm EST on 4/3 win Almond and Peanut Butter. Next week win a case of Wild Blueberry Juice by Wyman’s of Maine! Go to www.KidKritics.com .

RADIO ALERT: SCHOOL LUNCH CHEF tells his secrets.

ellenbriggs — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 18:42:12 +0000

If you care about how you kids are being fed in school, you will want to listen to Chef Carlino. He reveals his secrets to getting kids to choose to eat healthier foods, and, actually eat them with a smile! Don't miss this opportunity to meet this School Lunch Chef. Call in with your questions: 877-486-3450. Join us on Friday, Nov.12th, Noon EST at www.BetterFoodChoicesRadio.com, or listen later on iTunes. You will be so glad you did.

… for the health of your family,
ellen and sally

70% are concerned about their weight

ellenbriggs — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 12:31:29 +0000

Since 66% are overweight or obese, the fact tht 70% are concerned about their weight is a good thing.* However, most have no idea how many calories they are eating, nor the amount of calories and exercise they need. It’s simple. Less calories and more exercise works for most. Fresh food has fewer calories than processed. Eat fresh and get moving!

… for the health of your family,
ellen and sally

*Reported by USA Today, Nanci Hellmich, “Study: American mostly clueless when it comes to calories.”, 9/7/2010, p. 6D.

Radio Gems: The Stubborn Fat Fix – Meet Authors Dr. Keith and Valerie Berkowitz

ellenbriggs — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 18:27:08 +0000

What happens when you fill you car with gas, put the foot to the metal and go, go, go fast. You wear out the car. If you put the wrong kind of gas in the car, the engine breaks down – it was not fueled properly. Can you see yourself as this car? Are you not eating right and running hard all day long? Dr. Berkowitz and his nutritionist wife , Valerie, have written a book, The Stubborn Fat Fix : Eat Right to Lose Weight, Cure Metabolic Burnout without Hunger or Exercise. In it they make it easy to understand that both slow or fast metabolisms can make it hard for to you to lose weight. Yes, fast metabolisms can contibute to fat gain. A fatigued body can put your body in the starvation mode which signals, hold on to the fat. You need an effecient fuel program to put your metabolism, hormones, insulin and more back into balance for balanced weight. Get this book! (bookstores and amazon.com) P.S. It is filled with nutrient-filled easy recipes your whole family will like.

… for the health of families,
ellen

Vote with your pocketbook!

ellenbriggs — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 17:16:58 +0000

Kraft has introduced some new products. In a time when healthier foods are in demand, you would think this food manufacturer could cough up some healthier products for kids. Don’t hold your breath. How about the ingenious idea of mac and cheese crackers? Wish I had thought of that. Cool Whip Topping in can. Just what we need – a fast and fun way to cover desserts with processed sugar and stuff. Just spray it into your kids mouths – they’ll love you! Nilla Cakesters – come on. NUTrition trail mix and more one hundred calorie snack packs are also being introduced to the market. Portion control can be helpful. Still, what ever you put into your mouth has a positive or negative reaction. That fact can’t be altered by the amount you eat. For example one hundred calories of a snack made with high fructose corn syrup is an absolute no, no. One hundred calories of a dried fruit, nut and seed trail mix – preferably organic – is a good product. I did not see this on Kraft’s new product list. Too bad. This company has the money to create and package healthier snacks. Vote with your pocket book. Don’t buy the junk stuff. Mac and cheese crackers – really. What’s next, Luncheable crackers?

… for the health of your family,

Ellen

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.