“Tasty Baby” for Babes (and Moms) with Taste

Yes, when we had a baby we tried to make our own baby food. But honestly, working full-time and trying to prep all the little containers of food ended up driving me crazy. I know there are tons of moms out there able to juggle more balls than me, but I just could never quite get down the routine of boiling the veggies, pureeing them, and storing them. So I usually resorted to the good ole’ Gerber for help. But I am happy to pass on that help is now here! In the freezer section of many health food stores has arrived “Tasty Baby” which is organic baby food, already prepped, frozen, and ready to use.  Yes, it tastes good too, and saves a few precious minutes that a parent with a newborn needs. So, for us moms that just quite can’t get that food processor going, thank you Tasty Baby for doing it for us!

A Great Treat for a Mom in Motion

I am currently addicted to Luna Bars. Honestly, I am. Our grocery store just had a special of “10 for 10″ and of course I bought ten. I just wanted to pass on that this mommy treat is relatively low in calories, high in protein, full of vitamins, and made up of mostly organic ingredients. I usually store one in my purse or diaper bag for emergencies, but mostly I have one to hand for when I feel my energy is waning and I need a bit of a kick. My personal favorite right now is “S’Mores” and “Nutz Over Chocolate” but they also do a “Peanut Butter Cookie” version which is delicious. These are definitely great healthy treats for any mom in motion.

A Cool Store for Very ‘Kool Kids’

After reading about my “Wild Goose Chase for Toys Not Made in China” a friend referred me to a great online toy company called Oompa Toys. Most of their toys are made in the USA or Europe and have been strictly tested and the company tag-line reads “NO BATTERIES. NO BLINKING LIGHTS. NO CARTOON-THEMED TOYS. PERIOD.” They produce quality toys that are meant to stand the test of time and are especially concerned that toys should be of the highest quality, natural and safe. We applaud this sort of “counter-cultural” toy company for their efforts and we will be sure to add this company as one of mom’s favorites.

Mom’s Favorite Chocolate Treat

Yes, I admit it - I am addicted to chocolate. I figure that there could be worse things to be addicted to, and although I do *try* to limit my chocolate in-take, I have to admit it is hard. Recently the health food store near us started stocking one of my favorite chocolate bars which is now widely available in the United States- Green & Black’s Organic Chocolate. I know I should be more skeptical about all the “health benefits” of dark chocolate - but this company makes me sold - as I rationalize every little piece away. Their Maya Gold bar is especially good, as it has a hint of orange & spice. So when you need a little mommy treat, you might want to try one of this mom’s favorites - because a little does go a long way (honestly).

Reasonable Health Food For Your Body & Soul

I love the concept of “soul food,” though I find food categorized as such a bit too rich for me. But the idea of “soul food” is a very important one - it reminds us that food, health, and our very well being & soul are interconnected. As such, what we eat matters. There is no big surprise there. Even on a family budget we try and pay attention to what we are eating. A lot of research suggests that the cheapest foods in the grocery store are usually the ones that are worse for you. In the last few weeks of trying to only spend $20 a day, I believe this claim. I have been shocked to see what is on sale for $1 or less - mostly cheap, sweet condiments & relishes, candy products, and what can only be described as “junk food.” But there are many foods out there that are reasonable & healthy. Some of these foods recently have had attention brought to them in a great article from the NY Times, “The 11 Healthy Foods You Aren’t Eating.” This list was originally put together by Jonny Bowden, Ph.D. at Men’s Health Magazine, and has received wide circulation recently. The eleven with Mom’s Favorite twist & tips for preparation include:

1. Beets: Buy fresh whole beets and roast them in foil with a bit of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Price: $2.99 for a bunch.
2. Cabbage: Buy a head of cabbage and grate it with vinegar, oil, sugar, sunflower seeds, and shredded carrots for a healthy version of slaw. Price: $0.69/lb.
3. Swiss Chard. This is a largely ignored vegetable in the West, but it is cheap, and easily prepared. The NY Times suggests simply sauteing it with a bit of olive oil. Price: $2-3 a bunch.
4. Cinnamon. Once you buy it, it lasts forever! Put it in hot chocolate (not kidding), in bread recipes, on top of toast or cereal, and even sprinkle a bit onto ice cream or yogurt for a special kick. Price: $3-5 for a bottle of ground cinnamon.
5. Pomegranate juice: This comes in the pure juice form, which I find to be quite expensive. Instead buy a few pomegranates in season, pluck out the seeds, and simply pop them on top of a salad (or in your mouth). Price: $4-5 for 6-10 fluid ounces (but a little goes a long way!).
6. Dried plums: Buy prunes in bulk and store them properly, and they will last a long time. You can puree them and add them as a replacement for sugar and/or butter in most recipes. Price: $2-3 for a bag.
7. Pumpkin seeds: These are pretty reasonable in bulk or already packaged. Roast them in a dry skillet or baking sheet to bring out their natural “nuttiness” and them simply snack on them or add them to a salad. Price: $2.00 a bag.
8. Sardines: These are not my favorite. But the NY Times suggests that you “choose sardines packed in olive or sardine oil. Eat plain, mixed with salad, on toast, or mashed with Dijon mustard and onions as a spread.” Price: $3.50
9. Turmeric: A reasonable spice, simply add to eggs, baked vegetables, or rice for color, flavor, and nutrients. Price: $4-5 a bottle.
10. Blueberries: My personal favorite. Buy them frozen or fresh. Eat them plain, throw them into cereal, bake a cobbler or some bread, and these will make any dish “pow” with both nutrients & flavor. A cost saving tip from Mom’s Favorite is to buy blueberries now when stores are doing “2 for 1″ deals, rinse them, and store them in the freezer (in their own container). They freeze well, last a long time, and you don’t have to buy them out of season. Price: $2-4 a large container.
11. Pumpkin. I love pumpkin and canned pumpkin is reasonable (at our Whole Foods it sold for 99 cents last Winter) and we make desserts, breads, and side dishes out of it. I have roasted pumpkin as you would a squash (flesh side down with olive oil, cinnamon, and nutmeg) and though messy, this tastes amazing (buy the small “pie pumpkins” - not the large jack-o-lantern pumpkins). Price: $1-2 a can.

This is Mom’s Favorite adapted and shared list, and I think it is easy to see that many of these foods are not only good for the soul, but that they can be good for the pocket-book too.

Mom’s Favorite Treat for a Snack Pack

So our little one is just about to make his first foray into a summer program, and all of a sudden we find ourselves desperate to find good and healthy snacks he can take with him. We love cut up grapes, apples, halved cherry tomatoes, and defrosted beans - which all hold up well with heat and travel. But we have recently found a new favorite to add to mom’s list - which is a healthy & organic version of “animal cookies” - called Barbara’s Bakery Vanilla Snackimals Animal Cookies,. Although we try to limit sweets, every now and again we do allow a little treat and we discovered these at our local health-food store. We love them so much, that we have now started to buy a pack of 18 through Amazon.Com as they make a nice addition to a healthy snack pack for mom & dad too.

Mom’s Favorite Tips For Going Green

This mom is dedicated to trying to go green. Seriously, do we need another documentary to realize that things are not good for mother earth? So what are mom’s favorite ways to go green?

Recycle. Get the kids involved and have them help you think of ways to do this. I know it sometimes is not convenient, and that might be an understatement. (We recently had our recycling left at curb because we were told they do not collect #1 and #2 plastics - which makes up 90% of what we recycle, leaving us to collect and deposit these items on are own). So we make it a priority to recycle our empty containers, even if it takes a little elbow grease to do.

Change to Biodegradable Products. We also have started to move toward using “Earth Friendly” cleaning products. This mom is very concerned with using healthy cleaning products that won’t harm the whole family. There are now a large amount of “mainstream” products which are going “green.” It is so important that moms (and dads) use these products because they are biodegradable, lack harsh chemicals, and are environmentally friendly. Some of mom’s favorite “green” cleaning brands include: Method Home, Mrs. Meyers, Seventh Generation, and even Clorox Green Brands.

Ditch the plastic bags. We recently traveled to Europe and were pleasantly surprised to see that there was a charge for plastic bags. We have tried to always remember to bring our cloth bags with us so that they are easy for us to use and we have no excuses not to use them.

Change the light-bulbs. Really, this is probably one of the easiest things to do. Conserve energy by turning off the lights and using GE Energy Smart Light-bulbs.

Educate yourself and your family. I have been really happy to see that moms are doing just that lately. But there is always room for more learning, so educate yourself on other ways to stay green by going to some many great websites out there to help you live a “green lifestyle.” Some of mom’s favorite websites include:

Find Green Stores.

Dr. Greene and Raising Baby Organic

Healthy Child for a Healthy World

Kid’s Recycle

Even Oprah has done quite a few shows on this topic, giving 101 ideas for going green.

Keep inspiring yourself to live a green & organic lifestyle. Recently Amazon just published their “My Three Green” list where over 3,000 customers voted on the top three “green items” they believe everyone should have. Check out ‘Your Three Green’ by clicking here.

Mom’s Top Tips for Eating Organic Without Breaking the Bank

As I have mentioned several times, this mom believes in raising her family as much as possible in an “organic manner.” But with rising food costs this sometimes seems impossible while keeping our family budget. So Mom’s Favorite tips of achieving the balance in healthy & organic eating without breaking the bank include:

Pick and choose produce that is in season. Sometimes having a little patience and eating in season can save lots of money on all produce, not just organic produce.

Look out for coupons. Increasingly, as organic companies are becoming more popular they distribute coupons in mainstream newspaper circulars - so look out on Sunday for those great savings. You could also directly visit your favorite organic company’s website, as many post printable coupons.

Find a local health food store and compare prices. You might be surprised that most organic products are cheaper in these small stores because the demand is higher.

Follow the guide above to pick and choose the produce that it is most important to eat organically. Some produce simply acts as a sponge in soaking up unwanted pesticides, so if possible try and buy organic versions of high pesticide foods.

Just like with all of Mom’s Favorite tips - pick and choose your battles. Sometimes compromise is necessary, so if you can’t buy organic, do try to buy local, fresh, and healthy!

For more information on organic eating, see The Food News guide to organic & healthy eating or see the Health Section of the NY Times.