12 Foods Even Nutritionists Try To Avoid (And Say We Should Too!)

Before you do your meal-planning for the week, check out this list of 12 unhealthy foods nutritionists avoid (and say we should too.)

There could be one or two that might surprise you.

1. Pretzels

Yep, crunchy salty pretzels may be fun to eat, but sadly, they have made the list of unhealthy snacks to eat.

According to celebrity nutritionist and healthy cooking expert, Keri Glassman, eating a bowl of pretzels is like eating a bowl of jelly beans!  Whaat??

Seems that those crunchy salty snacks have lots of sugar in them. More than you might think. Not to mention that Pretzels also do not provide fiber, protein or healthy fat.

So unless you have the willpower to eat just a few pretzels, (and seriously, who can do that?) it may be best to avoid them altogether.

2. Fat-Free Whipped Cream.

If you want a creamy dessert topping, then make sure it is the real deal.

Food Network nutritionist Ellie Krieger says a dollop of fresh whipped cream is a healthier choice to make than that fat-free whipped cream you want to grab because, well, it says 'Fat Free' after all. And isn't that a good thing?

Nope, says Krieger. Not only does it not taste as good as the real thing, it has too many artificial ingredients.

So go ahead and indulge guilt-free in delicious real whipped cream (just keep it to a dollop!)

3. Imported Farm-Raised Shrimp.

Shrimp can be a very nutritious part of a healthy diet. It is low in calories, high in protein and contains healthy fats.

Shrimp is also a good source of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids

However, try to avoid imported shrimp, as it often contains antibiotics. Instead, make sure to buy wild-caught shrimp, or shrimp farmed in the United States (which prohibits the use of antibiotics.)

And then enjoy your shrimp cocktail!

4. Reduced Fat Peanut Butter.

Surprisingly, regular peanut butter and reduced-fat peanut butter contain about the same amount of calories - 200 calories for two tablespoons.

Even more surprising is that reduced-fat peanut butter often contains more refined carbohydrates and sugar than the regular spread.

We can thank ingredients like corn syrup solids, sugar, molasses, and starchy fillers for the higher sugar and carbs in the low fat spread, according to Tanya Zuckerbrot, author of The Miracle Carb Diet.

"Low-fat peanut butter can have 4 grams of sugar and about 15 grams of carbohydrates, while natural peanut butter has just 1 gram of sugar and 6 grams of carbs, says Zuckerbrot.

5. Bacon

I'm fairly certain that no one is shocked by this one. Those crispy strips of bacon have way too much sodium, definitely too much fat ( much of which is of the saturated kind to boot) and too many calories.

More Unhealthy Foods Nutritionists Say to Avoid or Indulge in Sparingly 

Blended Coffee Drinks

Pre-Baked Toaster Pastries

Oysters

Crickets

Nacho Cheese

Carnival Corn Dogs 

Diet Soda

The Art of Healthy Snacking

Healthy snacking ideas for kids and busy grown-ups as well!)

The art of healthy snacking is a delicate thing, and one we must cultivate carefully.

The best way I have found to stay on track when it comes to snacking wisely is to have lots of healthy snacks in my kitchen at all times.

Which leads me to the next very sad, however, obvious rule to follow. Remove all forbidden snacks from cabinets, pantries, and refrigerators pronto. And yes, that includes any errant munchies stashed under the bed.

Make it easy to grab a healthy snack by having them prepared ahead of time. It is downright near impossible to follow the art of healthy eating when one's stomach is in the throes of hunger pains. So it is imperative to have safe snacks ready to grab at all times in one's kitchen.

 15 awesome foods to have ready before you are hungry

1. Hard-boiled eggs
2. Pretzels
3. Salad - washed and mixed with your favorite salad fixings. Just add oil&vinegar.
4. Turkey Jerky
5. Cut Watermelon
6. Carrot sticks
7. Homemade Baked Zucchini Strips. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Cut a zucchini into thin slices, then drizzle olive oil, sea salt, and pepper on them. Sprinkle with paprika and bake for about 30 minutes.
8. Cottage Cheese
9. Canned salmon (or cook salmon and have it cut up in the refrigerator) - Use in a salad, or put salmon on crackers for a tasty treat.
10. Crackers
11. Pickles. Lots of pickles.
12. Black beans and salsa. (yum.)
13. Lean turkey slices, veggie burgers, or lean chicken cut up. Eat with a scoop of cottage cheese, or make a wrap with lettuce.
14. Peanut Butter (delicious with sliced apples)
15. Low-fat Popcorn

Finally, we must remember that healthy snacking also requires munching in moderation. Snacking on crackers does not mean eating half the box at one time.

And as much as we may like to, we cannot smear oodles of peanut butter on a couple of bagels or bread with jelly.

The good news? Pickles have no limits.

Creamy Pumpkin Pasta Recipe For Fall

I have been finding all kinds of fall recipes that use pumpkin in them, mostly desserts that sound delicious. I came across this recipe for creamy pumpkin pasta. Must admit though, I have never thought about using pumpkin filling in pasta - maybe that's just me?

Anyway, I thought the recipe sounded perfect for fall, so I may just have to give it a try (though something tells me this one might not go over big with the kids. Maybe dinner for two with the hubby??)


Related post

3 Easy Apple Dessert Recipes For Fall

Woman's Day

Pasta With Pumpkin Sauce

Ingredients:

1 pound pasta of your choice
1 1/2 cup(s) broccoli florets
8 ounce(s) turkey breakfast sausage, casings removed (**I will be using veggie sausage instead**)
1 teaspoon(s) pumpkin pie spice
1 1/4 cup(s) non-fat half and half
1 cup(s) canned pure pumpkin
2 tablespoon(s) brown sugar, packed
1/4 teaspoon(s) salt
1 teaspoon(s) olive oil

Directions

Cook pasta according to package directions, adding the broccoli to the pot during the last 3 minutes of cooking. Drain the pasta and broccoli and return it to the pot.

While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until no longer pink, about 4 minutes. Drain off any fat.

Sprinkle the spice over the sausage and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

Stir in the half and half, canned pure pumpkin, sugar, and salt and bring to a simmer. Let the mixture simmer for 1 minute.

Add the pumpkin mixture to the pasta and broccoli and toss to combine.

I am so interested to try this because I just can't decide if it sounds good or not. I am a girl who loves her red pasta sauce, what can I say? Hopefully it will be delicious - either way, I will report back after our taste-test!!

Autumn Love: Baked Apple-Cranberry Dessert

Nothing says Autumn has finally arrived like baked apples bubbling in a casserole dessert in the oven. Add in some juicy good-for-you cranberries, and this recipe should be a perfect contender for one of the yummiest fall desserts ever.

This baked apple-cranberry dessert had my mouth watering before I even finished reading the directions.

I decided that the kids and I would try making this as soon as we got back from our library trip this afternoon - and I can't wait.

Seriously, I am sitting here imagining the awesome aromas that will fill my house as the apples and cranberries start to bake....oh my!

Plus, this looks like a pretty easy-peasy recipe - the kind I heart!

Baked Apple-Cranberry Dessert

Ingredients 

1. 5 medium-sized Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2 inch slices
2. 1 cup fresh whole cranberries
3. juice from 1/2 a lemon
4. 1/3 cup sugar
5. 1/2 cup flour 

Topping

6. 1/2 cup quick-cooking oatmeal
7. 3/4 cup brown sugar
8. 1/4 teaspoon salt
9. 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
10. 1 teaspoon cinnamon
11. 1/3 cup cold butter, cut into cubes 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. In a large bowl toss together apple slices, cranberries, lemon juice and sugar. Pour into a greased 8x8 inch baking dish.

3. Make topping. Mix flour, oats, sugar, salt and spices in a large bowl. Blend in butter, using a pastry cutter or your fingers, until the mixture resembles small peas. Sprinkle over apples.

4. Bake for 30 minutes, or until apples are bubbling and topping is brown and crisp. Serve warm with a scoop of ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.

'Make Your Heart Berry Happy' Milkshake {Yummy Recipe Ahead!}

In the mood for a yummy summertime milkshake recipe that is actually healthy for you? This shake is made with two different kinds of berries {you can always feel free to add more though!} which we know  are very good for your heart's health. Plus, this recipe calls for replacing ice cream with Greek yogurt which really boosts the health benefits.

The Good Stuff You'll Need To Make This Heart-Healthy Berry Milkshake

3/4 cup plain Greek Yogurt
3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup strawberries
1 1/2 cup frozen blueberries
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. honey (for sweetness)

 Directions

Get out your blender and blend away! Pour this yummy berry shake in a cold glass - enjoy!!

{P.S. This drink goes really well with a new summer mystery and/or while getting your legs ready for summer!}

No Bake Mother's Day Dessert {psst..Cheesecake Is Involved!}

Came across this cute, easy and very cool No Bake Mother's Day dessert recipe in Woman's Day. As soon as I read the words, 'cheesecake,' I started drooling. When I saw the pictures of these desserts I decided I needed to share.

 I love the idea of serving these decadent treats in clear jars with lids - add a pretty ribbon and these jars of scrumptious cheesecake desserts would make perfect Mother's Day gifts to hand out to teachers, friends and anyone you have on your list. Plus, the basic recipe is easily adaptable so you can add chocolate, blueberries, lemon, etc...and create your own fabulous creation.

Make a few of these 'jarred desserts,' add some tea, mugs and a new book all stashed snugly in a basket, and I think you would have one very special handmade Mother's Day gift to give someone!

See the recipe and more pics here!

Spiced Apples: Easy Recipe Perfect For Fall

There is probably no better aroma than spiced apples cooking in the kitchen! Even the words sound yummy! This is a super easy recipe I stumbled upon, but it is sooo good and smells heavenly. And it can be delicious alone, fantastic on oatmeal (which I am trying to eat everyday now - more on that later,) and too darn good with some vanilla ice cream!

The only things I did different on this recipe is switched out Splenda for some brown sugar and the light butter spread for real butter. I did not use too much sugar either - probably less than 1/4 cup (my kids gobbled it all up, so I guess I used enough anyway!)

10 Gala apples, peeled and cut into 1-in slices
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
6 tsp Splenda  (I used brown sugar here.)
2 tbsp light buttery spread (I used regular butter.)

Put all spices into small bowl and stir, set aside.
Melt the butter in a medium size saucepan, add apple slices.
Spoon spice mixture over apples, stirring to cover completely. Cover and cook on medium heat for 20 minutes, stirring frequently.

((Can't you just smell these spice apples already??)

Easy Delicious Homemade Fish Sticks Recipe

I came across this crunchy homemade fish sticks recipe at Woman's Day and decided to 'borrow' it on account of my kids.

One would think that as their kids get a bit older (we are talking 5 and 8 here) that they would be easier to feed. One might be wrong.

They seem to be getting pickier and I seem to be getting less creative.

Not a good combination come dinner time.

It has become much too easy for me to reach in the freezer and grab the box of frozen fish sticks, pop them in the oven and serve the kiddos.

So when I found this recipe, I decided to try and make my own fish sticks to surprise the kids. (and hopefully get back at least some of my cooking 'mojo!')

What You'll Need:

1 1/2 pound(s) red-skinned potatoes, cut in 1-in. chunks
Kosher salt and pepper
1/2 cup(s) whole milk
4 ounce(s) Cheddar, shredded (1 cup)
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 large egg
1 pound(s) flounder or sole fillets, cut in 1-in.-wide strips
4 cup(s) baked potato chips, crushed
3/4 teaspoon(s) paprika
1/2 cup(s) tartar sauce
3/4 cup(s) grape or cherry tomatoes, quartered

To Make:

Heat oven to 450°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with nonstick foil.

Beat the egg in a shallow bowl until foamy. In another shallow bowl, combine the chips, paprika and ¾ tsp salt. 

Dip the fish in the egg and then in the crushed chip mixture, pressing gently to help them adhere. 

Transfer the fish sticks to the prepared sheet and bake until light golden brown and opaque throughout, 8 to 10 minutes.

Stir together the tartar sauce and tomatoes. Serve with the fish and mashed potatoes.

"Smashed Potatoes'

Place the potatoes in a medium saucepan, add enough cold water to cover and bring to a boil. Add 1 tsp salt, reduce heat and simmer until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain, return to the pan and mash with the milk, cheese and ¼ tsp each salt and pepper; fold in the scallions (we skipped the scallions. Just saying.); cover to keep warm.

Easy enough, and not really much different than the mashed potatoes I already do make, but somehow the 'smashed potatoes' just sounds so much more fun.

Father's Day Buzz: Easy Breakfast in Bed Recipe

Oh yum. This is an easy and kid-friendly breakfast recipe that is perfect for serving dad in bed this Father's Day! And because dad's whole entourage can easily munch on this breakfast together while watching cartoons in bed - you may want to make a double batch!

Chunky Chocolate Chip Cookies (And Chocolate Chip Baking Tips)

The Best Super Chunky Chocolate Chip Cookies Ever Recipes. Plus some baking tips for the perfect chocolate chip cookies!

Is there anything better than a warm gooey chocolate chip cookie baked to perfection?? 

Yes, actually there is something better.....

A decadent chocolate chip cookie made with chocolate chips and chocolate chunks.

Two kinds of chocolate, one amazing perfect chocolate chip cookie!!

I have gathered the best chocolate chunk chip cookie recipes that I think you'll love. But first, check out these best tips from cookie-baking experts!!

For the record, I am not a cookie baker expert. I am a cookie eater and lover of all things chocolate, but I am more of a recipe finder and trier (is that a word?) and sharer of recipes I try and love.

Whew. That was a long sentence😌.

With that said, check out these baking tips for the best-ever chocolate chip cookies!!

Secrets For The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies EVER!!

Chocolate 

Everyone with experience cultivating the best chocolate chip cookie recipes agrees that chocolate is the most important part of chocolate chip cookies. The chocolate used in chocolate chip cookie recipes affects the taste and texture of cookies, as well as how cookies look when they come out of the oven.

So what are the best types of chocolate to use for chocolate chip cookies?

According to baking experts, semi-chocolate chips or dark chocolate are the best chocolate to use in chocolate chip cookie recipes. 

And the consensus seems to be that the best chocolate for chocolate chip cookies is dark chocolate with at least 60% cocoa solids. 

The bitterness of dark chocolate balances out perfectly with the sweetness of the cookie dough, creating the best-ever chocolate chip cookies.

And the best chocolate for chocolate chunk cookies? Definitely use semi-sweet chocolate chips and dark chocolate chunks. With a combination of chocolate, you get the best-tasting perfect chocolate chip cookies ever!! 

Also, try to use high-quality dark chocolate like Ghirardelli, and chop the chocolate bar into chunks.

Butter: Salted or Unsalted ??

Who knew this was a thing when making chocolate chip cookies? 

Anyway, I will say the overwhelming opinion on using salted or unsalted butter in chocolate chip cookie recipes is......

Unsalted Butter. 

Specifically a good quality cream unsalted butter. But I have to be fair and say that there were also recommendations for salted butter. So in the end, maybe just go with what you have on hand already?? 

Vanilla

Always try to use quality vanilla, no skimping on it if you want the best-tasting chocolate chip cookies ever!!

Measure Flour Carefully

I came across this particular baking tip a lot. It is very important to weigh flour perfectly to help make sure cookies turn out perfect after baking. Too much flour will give you dry cookies.

If you have a food scale, then it is worth the extra step to weigh the flour. And if you don't have a food scale, then carefully spoon the flour into a measuring cup and level it off with a flat edge.

Lastly, Don't Over Bake!

When you think it is almost time to take the cookies out of the oven, but you want to give them a couple more minutes, that is precisely when you should take them out of the oven.

The cookies should be golden brown around the edges, and the middle of the cookies should look pale and undercooked still. They should also be a bit puffed up, not flat, when you take them out.

Cookies will continue baking a bit after you take them out, and the centers will get nice and gooey. As the cookies cool off, they will also flatten out.

Best Ever Chocolate Chip Chunky Cookie Recipes!!

1. Giant Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Photo: Bless This Mess Please

These bakery-style chocolate chip chunky cookies are everything you could ask for and more in a chocolate chip cookie!

For this recipe, you chill the cookie dough in this recipe for 24 hours before baking. This lets the sugar and flour absorb into the dough, balances out the taste, and lets the butter solidify which helps the cookies flatten out. 

And best of all, this chocolate chip cookie recipe uses a combination of milk chocolate chunks and semi-sweet chocolate chunks. 

2.  Chocolate Chip Chunk Cookies

Photo: Averie Cooks

The gooey melty chocolate in these perfect chocolate chip cookies made from scratch says it all.  

All that chocolate bliss comes from mixing both Bittersweet Chocolate and Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips into the dough. 

3. Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies With Chocolate Chunks ( Just Skip The Chocolate Chips!)

Photo: Tasty

The secret to making these decadent chocolate chip cookies is to only use chocolate chunks. Yep, skip the chips in this chocolate chip cookie recipe! 

Instead, use two kinds of chocolate chunks (because we need that chocolaty goodness😁)

Cheddar Potato Soup (A 'Perfect for Fall' Recipe)

Cheddar Potato Soup is soothing, warm and just tastes so good on cold days. My kids like adding veggie bacon cut up in small pieces to this soup, and sometimes a bit of broccoli even. This soup recipe is inexpensive and very easy to make, so it is one of my favorite dinners this time of year!

Cheddar Potato Soup

In a large pot, melt 2 Tbs. butter or margarine. Add in some chopped celery and onion (my kids don't like onions, so I skip it, but they do add flavor so if your family likes onions, I would suggest you add them!) - about 1/3 cup of each.

Cook about 3 minutes stirring frequently- until tender.

Add about 4 cups of diced peeled potatoes and 3 cups chicken broth.

Boil over high heat and cook until potatoes are tender (about 15-20 minutes, roughly.)

Reduce to heat to medium and add 1 cup milk, 1 cup half and half, and 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded. Also add some pepper/salt to taste.

Stir until cheese is melted and soup looks smooth.

Add bacon, extra cheese, broccoli, croutons, or whatever else you might like as garnishes on top!

Garlic bread, fruit and/or salad goes great with this soup too!

Here is a recipe for lentil soup too!

(Looking for a work-from-home job? Check out our work at home moms page for today's newest job listings!)

Cheerios Caramel Crisp Bars ~ No Baking!

Our refrigerator always (well, almost always,) has that yellow box of Cheerios on top of it (Btw, where do you keep your boxes of cereal??)

Everyone loves munching on them, even without the bowl, spoon and milk because a) it's easy b) it's easy and c) they are crunchy, healthy, and delicious. Did I mention they make an easy snack?? 

So I was on the Cheerios website today looking around, and look what I came across- this awesome, easy, and delicious-sounding recipe for caramel crisp bars! I have not made these-just want to be honest here-but I so plan to! But since I found this recipe like 5 minutes ago, I still need to go buy the caramels.

I can't wait to try these out and see what my kids think of them (if you have made or do make them before I do-please let me know what you think~pretty please!)

Cheerios Caramel Crisp Bars Recipe

You'll need:

6 cups Cheerios® cereal
1 bag (14 oz) caramels
3 tablespoons water
2 cups miniature marshmallows
1/4 cup miniature semisweet candy-coated chocolate candies for baking

Directions:

1. Butter 13x9-inch pan. 

2. Put cereal into a large bowl. 

3. In medium microwavable bowl, microwave caramels and water uncovered on High 2 1/2 to 4 minutes, stirring after each minute, until smooth. 

4. Pour over cereal; gently stir until well coated. Add marshmallows; gently stir. 

5. Press mixture evenly in pan, using buttered back of spoon.

6. In small microwavable bowl, microwave glaze ingredients uncovered on Medium (50%) about 1 minute or until mixture can be stirred smooth; drizzle over bars.
7. Sprinkle bars with candies.

8. Refrigerate about 1 hour or until bars are firm and glaze is set. 

9. For bars, cut into 9 rows by 4 rows. Store loosely covered.

Got Spinach? Kid-Friendly Pizza Recipe With Spinach (Shhh...)

Veggies and my kids do not mix well. Pretty much they avoid each other as much as possible. So being the conscientious and wonderful pearls-around-my-neck sort of mother that I am, (what? did I push it too hard??) I try to find kid-friendly recipes where I can sneak in a veggie or two and get the satisfaction of seeing my kiddos eat said food. I also resort to bribery. But that is a different story for a different post.

Proven: Broccoli Really Does Fight Cancer!

Make some steamed broccoli for dinner tonight (and maybe for lunch too!) Why? Because there is now scientific proof that broccoli, if it is cooked the right way actually does fight cancer!


And if you add in some broccoli sprouts along with that lightly steamed broccoli you get twice the benefit.

Happy Healthy Families Asks: Have You Read The 8 New Food Rules?

A new report by 13 of the country’s top scientists was released last week, and it has some new advice on how and what we eat. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the USDA publish the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which basically tell us what we should be eating. To advise them on what these nutrition “rules” should be, the Secretaries of these two agencies appoint a committee of 13 top scientists to review loads of research and come up with an advisory report. This same report will also serve as the basis for the Dietary Guidelines (that's where the "Food Pyramid" comes in, and new final guidelines will be released towards the end of 2010.)

Here are the 8 New Food Rules that the Advisory Committee has proposed:

1. Eat Less Calories. (Can' t help but add a 'duh' here. sorry.)

2. Eat More Food From Plants.  Add more vegetables, cooked dry beans and peas, fruits, whole grains, nuts and seeds to your daily diet.

                                                                   
3. Eat More Fish.  Increase your intake of those heart healthy omega-3 fats! The previously recommendation was two servings per week, but now the experts say to try and eat more. In 2005 the recommendation to eat more fish was made only to those with heart disease to reduce their risk of mortality.

4. Switch to low-fat dairy. While limiting our intake of saturated fat is important, excluding dairy is not the answer either.  Including dairy in your diet is a great way to get calcium—a bone-strengthening mineral that most of us don’t get enough of.  But replace the full-fat dairy products with low-fat dairy. An extra bonus:  new research suggests that replacing full-fat dairy with low-fat dairy may also help lower blood pressure.

5. Eat Only Moderate Amounts of Lean Meats, Eggs and Poultry. Notice the change here? No longer does the recommendation say to choose lean meats and poultry for your diet. Now the word from the study is to actually eat less  meat, lean or otherwise, as well as eating fewer eggs and poultry.

6. Reduce Intake of Added Sugar and Solid Fats. (ack.)

7. Reduce Sodium and Refined Grains.

8. Exercise. The advisory report suggests, strongly, that we follow the  current Physical Activity Guidelines for adults, which happens to be  2 1/2 hours a week of moderate-intensity or 1 1/4 hours (75 minutes) a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity or an equivalent combination.  These guidelines also recommend muscle-strengthening exercises that are moderate or high intensity, and involve all major muscle groups, 2 or more days a week.

To learn more about the 8 New Food Rules you can read more here.

Happy Healthy Families Asks: Got Mommy Brain?

Got mommy brain? 

Not sure?

Have you forgotten where your keys are at least once this week?
Have you found yourself standing in front of a shopping cart trying to remember what you wanted to buy?
Have you walked past an overdue library book sitting on your table, and still forget to take it back to the library? (or worse yet....keep thinking you had?)
Do you stare blankly at your hubby and wonder who and where he came from???And why he has kids with him? (okay....just kidding here!)

But seriously, mommy brain is as sure a side effect of having kids as is a waist that refuses to fit into skinny jeans anymore.

I have no words of wisdom to get you back in your skinny jeans...but I do have some tidbits to share that may help improve your mommy brain situation.

There are foods we can eat that may help with memory. So take a peek and make a mental note (yes,pun intended) to add these to your diet:

Curry: Contains turmeric, which according to studies melts plaque build up in the brain.

Olive Oil: An excellent source of monounsaturated fat, which instantly promotes faster, easier blood flow to the brain.

Spinach: In lab studies, animals fed spinach improved their learning ability immediately.

Blueberries: Studies have shown that people who eat blueberries improve their test scores by 20%.

Brown Rice: Boosts the heart's ability to pump extra blood to the brain.

Peanuts and Tofu: Both are rich in choline, which our bodies need to make a key neurotransmitter that boosts memory.


Now all we have to do is remember to eat these things.  Better write them down. Better yet, draw pictures and stick on refrigerator door.  Read more about healthy brain foods.

Breaking Up is Hard To Do (Bye Jack.)

My mantra (or at least one of them) should be : Stay away from Jack. Not all Jacks, mind you. Just the ones that look like clowns and have a pointy hat. We are a vegetarian family, and while you might think that would in itself keep us from over-indulging in fast food, sadly it does not.

I often find myself visiting Jack and ordering from the friendly guy those yummy Breakfast Jacks. Minus the meat. And Taco Bell lures me in with their bean burritos. And have I mentioned I love french fries. Almost as much as onion rings?

We are going to stop those fast food habits though. Seriously. This will be the year (because I know I cannot hope to get Eva Longoria's butt if I am stuffing nachos in my mouth.) because  I want my family to eat healthier and smarter. I want my kids to have clean clear arteries and healthy hearts. That goes for me and the hubbs too (though it may be too late for us. Thanks, Jack.)

So I need to break up with Jack, and hook up with my kitchen again. Yep, I need to start planning out some meals. If I don't plan, I won't cook. If I don't cook, we get hungry. If we get hungry, we look for the quickest way to satisfy that hunger. We go visit our friend named Jack. Or a close relative of his, like Ronald. I need healthy easy to make recipes. And I need them pronto.

Oh yeah, before I forget. Here is a list of the worst of the worst when it comes to fast food per The Cancer Project, a nonprofit cancer prevention organization that is linked with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine--just in case you want to go cold turkey on Jack with me--. The organization put their dietitians to work to determine what meals at the five biggest fast food chains are the worst offenders for our health, measuring the sodium, fat, and fiber content. Here are the five meals they deemed the worst of the fast and the cheap:

1.  Jack in the Box's junior bacon cheeseburger (23 grams of fat, including 8 grams of saturated fat, 55 milligrams of cholesterol, 860 milligrams of sodium, 1 gram of fiber) costs $1 and is the organization's top pick for unhealthy fast food.

2. Taco Bell cheesy double beef burrito (460 calories, 20 grams of fat, and 1,620 milligrams of sodium) is 89 cents.

3. Burger King breakfast sausage biscuit (27 grams of fat, including 15 grams of saturated fat, and more than 1,000 milligrams of sodium) is available for one dollar.

4. McDonald’s McDouble (19 grams of fat and 65 milligrams of cholesterol) costs the consumer $1.

5. Wendy’s junior bacon cheeseburger (310 calories and 16 grams of fat) is the most expensive and the best of the worst, ringing in at $1.53.

I guess I should break-up with the pizza delivery boy too. Sigh.

Got Your Milk Today?

I know that I try to make nutritious meals for my kids, and keep healthy drinks in our refrigerator, but I also know that too often I slack off and let my kids drink too many of those tempting sugary drinks. But apparently I am not alone; According to a new survey conducted by the national Milk Council, more than 1,000 moms across the U.S. reported fruit drinks and slushies among their children's top summertime drinks.

I was very interested to check out whymilk.com when asked by Mom Central and the Milk Council. I really needed ideas for getting more milk and less sugar into all our diets. While my kids do drink milk, I do not hardly ever pour myself a glass. Even though I know I should...I always zoom in for coffee or juice or water. Even soda will take precedence over milk for me. Ack.

So off I went to learn more about the importance of milk in my diet, as well as my kids and hubby, and to get some yummy recipes to help me incorporate milk into our daily diets.

The whymilk website really opened up my eyes to what my body is missing out on by skipping the milk. For example, did you know that milk is naturally nutrient-rich like no other beverage? In each 8 oz. glass of milk there are nine essential nutrients, plus an eight-ounce serving of milk costs less than 25 cents on a gallon basis. Milk actually provides more nutrients per penny than almost any other beverage option in the supermarket.

I think what I liked the most on the website was the Beverage Analyzer. I selected the drinks I had all day, including coffee, wine, water, soda, etc., and my weight, height and age. I was then given a report on what my BMI is (it's in the normal range for me..yes!), and how many calories I should have daily. It also showed me the percentage of daily calories that were coming from my beverages every day. I also learned that I am not getting the nutrients I need everyday because of my beverage choices.

But what impressed me most was learning some important facts about milk, bone health and kids:

Children (ages 3-13) who avoided milk were found to suffer from fractures more frequently than their milk-drinking peers. The majority of the milk avoiders had family members who did not drink milk.¹
• In a two-year study of young children with a history of prolonged milk avoidance, the milk avoiders were more likely to suffer from osteopenia (low bone mass), were shorter, and had higher body mass indices (an indicator of body weight) compared to children who regularly drank milk.
• Regular calcium intake, especially calcium from milk, had a favorable effect on girls’ bone mass and attainment of peak bone density, which are critical factors in determining risk of osteoporosis later in life.

I am now 100% committed to getting more milk in all our diets. And to help me with my goal, I checked out some delicious smoothie recipes like the Strawberry Banana Smoothie and the equally yummy Blueberry Blast Smoothie. Both recipes taste as good as they sound!
So what's it like in your family? Do your kids drink milk? What about you...got Your milk today??

GoPicnic Meals

We had a fun delivery the other night -- a package arrived full of GoPicnic Meals samples. To say my kids were delighted and more than willing to be taste testers is an understatement. You would think they had not eaten all day the way they anxiously wanted to tear into those samples, LOL. But trust me, I do feed my kids--several times a day even!

The GoPicnic Meals come in cute colorful individual boxes. Each box contains a complete ready to eat meal. How cool so far. What mom does not get intrigued by a meal that is healthy, nutritional and requires no cooking, heating or cleaning up after? My kids immediately perused all the boxes that we got, with my daughter officiating as the announcer (my other two don't read yet--well my 4 year old is trying but my two year old could care less about reading just yet)and she read out loud the items that each meal box contained.

Mom here checked out ingredients (boring stuff to kiddos, but way up there on my list!) before actual eating ensued. I was very happy to read that GoPicnic Meals only use food that has NO trans fat, NO high fructose corn syrup, and NO MSG. All the kids meals are 100% peanut free and have NO tree nut ingredients. I was so impressed and happy about that. While my kids do not have peanut allergies, I know there are kids at my daughter's school that do - in fact one such student is in my daughter's class and the whole class is very careful of what they eat and bring into school- so knowing my daughter could safely take one of these meals to school with her made me breathe a sigh of relief.

Then the real fun began. We had containers of organic applesauce, veggie cheese dip, pretzel crisps,organic tortilla chips and honey graham crackers being munched and shared by all three kids. There were yummy organic cookies ( I snagged one of those...hmmmm!), and all natural trail mix (the hubbs commandeered those ASAP). The jumbo raisins were a big hit with my 4 year old and my 11 year old, (though I do have to say that raisins and my two year old were a combination I chose not to allow--he didn't mind as he happily munched on organic crackers with all natural jam!) as were the white cheddar puffed corn snacks.

By the end of our rather impromptu taste testing, bellies were getting full and smiles were emerging as chewing slowed down. I asked each of my kids what there favorites were, and resoundingly the cheese puffs ranked as number one, followed by the applesauce, then the cookies (my personal favorite), and pretzels.

Hubby voted for the trail mix and creamy veggie cheese dip. The only item that did not get rave reviews from my kids was the sunflower seed spread.

The added touch of having moist towelettes and utensils in each meal box made eating and wiping up kids faces easy. Even cleaning my toddler's jam smeared face was handled well by the moist wipes. And I would be amiss to not give special mention to the "surprise item" in the meal boxes. My 4 year old was beaming when he found rub on tattoos inside the boxes!

GoPicnic is a woman owned company located in Chicago, Il. There are over 25 different meal choices that work for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. I am impressed with the company's dedication to keeping these meals as high quality as possible, using natural and organic foods with dietary options including vegetarian, kosher, gluten-free and Halal. Even the boxes the meals are packed in are made from 100% recycled material with a minimum of 35% post-consumer waste.

And I am pleased to say that GoPicnic has put together a special discount for readers of Happy Healthy Families -- just use coupon code GPTHANKS and get a 25% discount on your first order at GoPicnic.com

I am so happy my family was able to do review GoPicnic Meals. We had a blast, ate some healthy fun snacks, and shared lots of laughter. Thanks GoPicnic!

Sneak Some Veggies Into a Smoothie Drink

Yes it's sneaky, but still a yummy way to get some veggies and fruits into a toddler's diet:

1 1/2 cups carrot juice
1 cup apple juice
6 ounces plain yogurt
1 ripe banana (frozen if desired)

Directions: Blend all ingredients in blender and puree until consistency is very smooth. For older toddlers, try blending a little less time to get a bit more texture.