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Crunchy wheat-free 100% Natural Cereal: a good fun snack for kids.  This cereal is made with yellow and blue corn giving it's real food colors.  Oat Hull Fiber is a big nutrient plus, as is the Expeller Pressed High Oleic Acid.  There are zero saturated and zero trans fats.  It is free of dairy, eggs, peanuts, trees nuts and wheat.  Plus a serving gives your kids about 20% of their needed Vitamins A and C.  Relative to other cereals, it is not only lower in sugar, the source is evaporated cane juice – nothing fake or highly processes.  We are fans of Barbara's Bakery products because they care about the health of your family. 

Check out the Fruit Medley Yogurt Pudding recipe made with Puffin Puffs Fruit Medley Cereal.(Click Here)  It is an easy and nutrient filled breakfast, lunch, or snack one the Kid Kritics highly recommend, "Seconds, please can I have seconds?"  All but those who are not banana fans want it served at home. Try it!

… for the health of your family,
ellen

How would like to have a case of Creamy Almond Butter with Omega 3s by Once Again Nut Butter delivered to your home?  Enter to win: www.KidKritics.com/sweepstakes

How many times have you seen kids walking out of Starbucks with a Latte or Frappuccino, what I call coffee milk shakes? Some kids are given homemade versions to start their day.  I am not talking about teenagers.  I am talking about preteens and younger, even toddlers.  Should they be drinking coffee?  Though research has shown plain coffee to offer some health benefits such as reducing the risk of diabetes, there are many other issues attached to the coffee bean drink that raise red flags, especially for kids.  First, it may serve as an appetite suppressant. It also may negatively affect a their nutrition, aggravate heart problems and nervous disorders.  It many contribute to heartburn, headaches, stomach problems and increased blood pressure.  Some researches are concerned that caffeine affects may last longer in children.

But most importantly, caffeine from the coffee bean is a proven stimulant and addictive substance. Why in the world would give a growing boy and girl a “drug” that may make them jittery and hyper?  Why introduce an addictive behavior to your son and/or daughter?  The truth is, you are inviting a dependency pattern into their lives.  Another question: how many young kids drink black coffee?  Don’t they usually drink it with milk, cream and sugar?  A Starbuck’s Caffe Frappuccino Blended Coffee with whipped cream  has 430 calories, 15 teaspoons of sugar and 110-115 mg of caffeine.  There’s a recipe for physical and mental health challenges.  And, don’t kid yourself into thinking that decaf is any better.  Some think it is worse due decaf  chemical process.

Please, stop and think before you give your children any kind of coffee drink.  Instead, offer them some green tea with lemon and a little honey.  This leafy source of caffeine is full of health benefits, including balanced energy and mind clarity.

… for the health of your family,
ellen

Would you like a case of Rice Cheeze Snack Sticks, Mozzarella Style (Lisanatti Foods), and The Lucky Escape children’s book by Dr. Heather Manley to be delivered to your door?  Enter to win. www.KidKritics.com/sweepstakes today!

APPLES, number 1 on Dirty Dozen list.

“Dirty Dozen” means these vegetables are the most “12 heavily pesticided crops.” * Apples, Celery, Strawberries, Peaches, Spinach, Grapes, Nectarines, Sweet Bell Peppers, Potatoes, Blueberries, Lettuce, and Kale. They are listed from the most chemically filled to the lesser of the twelve. To avoid these chemically laden fruits and vegetables buy organic.  Fortunately, organic apples, celery, spinach and lettuce are readily available in most grocery stores.  Do you best when buying the others. Though organic is your best bet, it is better to eat produce that contain pesticides than none. Just be careful of the amount and frequency, especially for children.  I do seriously recommend that you buy only organic apples.  Eat fewer of them and focus on regular pineapple and watermelon which research shows contain very few harmful chemicals.  You can thank their thick skins for this!

… for the health of your family,
ellen

A WHOLE CASE of ORGANIC POPCORN by Good Health Natural Foods!  Enter to win, www.KidKritics.com/sweepstakes

In this week’s Fuel Your Dream Nutrition Program, a group of  Kid Kritics learned some muscle facts including how to feed them. Each one made themselves a Grilled Cinnamon Raisin Almond Butter and Jam (raspberry or blueberry) Sandwich.  They spread the almond butter and jam on sprouted cinnamon raisin wheat bread and together we grilled their sandwiches.  All were surprised how easy it was to make a warm creamy delicious muscle sandwich.  Since all of them want to feed their over 600  muscles to support their dreams, they vowed to make these sandwiches at home.  Almond butter can be replaced by peanut butter but then you are switching to a nut butter for your lungs.  That’s good too! For more recipe details, please go to www.KidKritics.com and click on the Lunch Recipe icon.

… for the health of your family,
ellen

Wouldn’t you like to have a Case of Wild Blueberry Juice by Wyman’s of Maine, and, a children’s book, A Heart Pumping Adventure, by Dr. Heather Manley delivered to your door?  All you have to do is go to www.KidKritics.com/sweepstakes and enter. Maybe I will be calling you next Monday to say, “You Won!”

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!