LilSugar

Does Red Dye No. 40 Cause Behavioral Outbursts in Children?

LilSugar — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 05:00:00 -0800

You are what you eat and so the saying goes, but a group of parents believe that the food coloring their children digest affects their behavior. Commonly found in processed foods like Twizzlers, Doritos and Twinkies as well as baked goods, red dye no. 40 is to blame for aggressive outbursts in kids according to some moms and dads. The FDA maintains that the dye is safe for consumption. What's your opinion?

Delilicious: Picture Perfect Pumpkin Treats

babysugar — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 04:00:08 -0700

The possibilities of Rice Krispies treats are endless when mama's got food coloring, candy and gloves at her disposal. The red apples were such a hit that I figured we'd go for broke on some savory orange pumpkins. Take a platter full of these delectable delights in for the classroom Halloween soiree and mama will be the toast of the tots.

To see how to make these lil jack-o's, just read more.

Like any old Rice Krispies dessert, mommy will use the same ingredients plus food coloring and bits and pieces of candy for added decor. Before mixing the cereal to the bowl, it is necessary to make the marshmallow mix the desired orange color, which can be done with a tiny squirt of red and a heavier amount of yellow dye combination. Once the hue is achieved, it is time to add the Rice Krispies and stir. Allow the mixture to cool a bit, as it is tough to manage the heated ingredients. A pair of water rinsed gloves can be used to aid in the shaping of the pumpkins once the mixture is ready for molding. Make round balls and use your thumb to indent the top of it for a leaf and a stem. To make them look like realistic gourds, use quartered caramel squares and add a green sugar coated leaf on top. To dress them up like jack-o-lanterns, add mini chocolate chips for eyes and a grin. This treat is sure to get spooktacular reviews!

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Baked on the Fourth of July Cupcakes

babysugar — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 06:00:02 -0700

Come on mom... let them eat cake - and a colorful one at that! In the last few months I've discovered the fun to be had with cake mix and a box of food coloring. I'll still push strawberries and blueberries for a healthy dose of patriotism, but a lil red, white and blue cupcake love will be a welcome surprise to all guests at our Fourth of July dinner.

To see how to make them, read more.

Buy white cake mix and all necessary ingredients.
Get a box of Betty Crocker food dye gels.
Mix the batter as instructed.
Divide the mix into three separate bowls and add red to one and blue to the other leaving one as is.
If you want to achieve layers, pour a small amount of red, then the white, and top it off with the blue mix.
Bake as directed.
Allow them to cool, frost them with white icing and top 'em however you like.

Ask tots to help stir while baking and include them in the decorating. Satisfaction guaranteed. Happy Fourth everyone!

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Go Ahead - Play With Your Food!

LilSugar — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 05:00:08 -0700

Parents may not be keen on their kids playing with food at the dinner table, but when it comes to tykes setting up a little restaurant or grocery store, things are more hands on. Food play encourages creativity and the more realistic the food looks, the better.

San Francisco-based Sweet Meats creates plush "pillows" designed to look like popular cuts of meat, including T-bones, pork chops and ham bones ($65 for the set). The adorable fleece toys are made from 100 percent recycled materials and colored with recycled AZO-free dyes. Ideal for carnivorous families wanting to encourage their kids to try new foods, the company also plans to introduce a plush bacon line this Summer.

The Last Time I Really Enjoyed a Candy Bar I Was Seven

LilSugar — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 08:00:53 -0800

Ignorance is bliss when it comes to some childhood habits like eating junk food. A chocolate bar tastes ten times better when you don't know how many calories it has or care. Kids pick their favorite flavor of ice cream based on the color or amount of bubble gum chunks it contains. As adults we worry about food dye, processing, trans-fats, sugar, sodium and whatever other substance is headlined in the articles we devour and then decide to limit from our lil ones.

A recent New York Times article explored food worries and potential eating issues in today's children. While an 8-year-old stresses about sodium increasing his heart rate - his mother was proud of his nutritional awareness. The report said:

While scarcely any expert would criticize parents for paying attention to children’s diets, many doctors, dietitians and eating disorder specialists worry that some parents are becoming overzealous, even obsessive, in efforts to engender good eating habits in children. With the best of intentions, these parents may be creating an unhealthy aura around food.

I primarily feed my tots an organic and non-processed diet, but every blue moon - I let them have cake for breakfast. How do you balance this with your kids?

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Kiddie Soiree: Cookies on Sticks

LilSugar — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 09:00:34 -0700

What offers kiddos the crunch of a cookie and the fun of a lollipop? A fellow Sugar staffer was inspired by the website The Decorated Cookie and created what she promises is a simple party favor - sugar cookies on sticks. She says:

I am by no means an expert baker, but I'd seen this cookies on sticks phenomenon on a couple websites and realized they are the ideal bite-sized treat. The project took about two hours (I made about 50 cookies!), but the end result was a personalized, inexpensive and sweet party favor that elicited ohhhhsss and awwwwws from all the kids and parents at the party. I decorated the cookies with sprinkles, hearts and the letter "C" in honor of the birthday girl's name.

For recipe suggestions and tips, read more.

Don't be afraid to cheat a little. Instead of making the cookies from scratch, try a frozen pre-made cookie dough you just have to bake like Pillsbury's frozen Sugar cookies, which are sectioned into the perfect size for the sticks. Before you bake the cookies you skewer them with popsicle sticks (these can be found at a local craft or party store). The Decorated Cookie site has recipes for both the cookies and hard frosting. If you want to go natural, use natural food coloring from the health food store. The color of the cookies will be a bit pastel and muted (like the ones pictured here), but you can rest easy that there's no red dye.

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Lil Tips: Making St. Patrick's Day Fun for the Lil Leprechauns

babysugar — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 05:00:14 -0700

One of my friends plays the cutest trick on her first grade students on St. Patrick's Day.

While my daughter is too young for her antics, maybe you can take a page from her book.

Before your kids wake up or while they are napping, make a mess of their toys, books and other household things. When they notice someone has been tinkering with their toys, you can tell them that a naughty lil leprechaun has been scurrying around the house. They'll delight in the surprise and mischief.

To see more St. Paddy's Day treats, read more.

To further the Irish celebration, whip up some green eggs and milk. Grab a bottle of green food dye at your local grocer. At breakfast, plop a few drops of the emerald juice into their milk. To make green eggs, watch the demonstration on the video clip below.

Make Green Eggs For Your Ham! - The most amazing videos are a click away

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