LilSugar

Homemade Goodies Banned at NYC School Bake Sales

babysugar — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 14:00:21 -0700

Bake sales are as much a part of the school year as field trips, fire drills and book fairs. But, in its continuing effort to help reduce childhood obesity among its students, New York City is considering a ban on the sale of homemade foods at school, due to their unknown nutritional value.

According to the proposal, "... students may sell fresh fruits and vegetables, or one of 27 specific packaged items that have been approved for sales in city vending machines, between the start of school and 6 p.m. on weekdays." Once a month, parents will be allowed to hold a bake sale with homemade goodies. Earlier this year, the city developed 11 criteria a snack must meet before it is sold in their schools, including, a calorie count under 200, no artificial sweeteners and at least two grams of fiber in grain products.

We've already seen how other countries handle lunch in their schools. Would you support a home-baked snack ban like NYC's?

Eat Your Greens: Spinach Pesto Grows Lil Muscles

babysugar — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 06:00:42 -0800

St. Patrick's Day may conjure up memories of Irish soda bread, corned beef, and pints of Guinness, but we're approaching the holiday from a different direction this year – an opportunity to get our kids to eat more green. We're taking five green vegetables and trying out different methods to get our tots to gobble them up.

First up, spinach! Popeye's favorite vegetable isn't always tops on lil ones' list of favorite foods. The leafy vegetable may be known for supplying vast amounts of iron, calcium, and rich antioxidants, but its overall texture can scare away the kids. By transforming it into a sauce to accompany a favorite pasta dish, the vegetable's nutritional value remains intact, and wee ones will be begging for more. We added some fresh lemon (both juice and peel) to some baby spinach, pine nuts, and Parmesan cheese to create a pesto that my son helped blend to perfection.

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Check out the recipe, and step-by-step instructions, when you read more.

Spinach Pesto
Adapted from Giada De Laurentiis' Grilled Chicken with Spinach and Pine Nut Pesto

Ingredients

2 cups lightly packed baby spinach leaves (about 2 ounces)
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 to 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
1/3 cup plus 2 teaspoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Directions

Combine the spinach, pine nuts, lemon juice, and lemon peel in a processor. Lightly pulse. With the machine running, gradually add 1/3 cup of the oil, blending until the mixture is creamy. Add salt and pulse. Put half of the pesto into ice cube trays and store in the freezer for future use.
Transfer the rest of the spinach mixture to a medium bowl. Stir in the Parmesan. Season the pesto with salt and pepper, to taste.
Spread the pesto over your favorite pasta and serve.

Print recipe with images | without images

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Reader Tips: Birthday Party Dos and Don'ts

babysugar — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 07:00:36 -0800

Though they occur just once every 365 days, birthday parties can be the most thrilling, magical, exhausting, and stress-inducing events of the year - for parents and tots. Readers had some strong opinions on our birthday party dos and don'ts guide, so I asked you to share your tips for a perfect party. Here are some of your spectacular fiesta suggestions:

Don't plan an activity that is going to send the kids home dirtier than they arrived. Face painting may be fun, but no parent enjoys cleaning the party off their child. - Findingmyway
We've found that you shouldn't over plan activities for the little ones. Many times a few activities to do with them and some free play time is best. The kids most likely are just happy to get together to play and will flutter through many different activities on their own if they have the stuff. We also make sure to plan little kids parties for the morning. Many kids need naps or down time after lunch, so they are often in the best moods and behave best if you get them when they're "fresh" in the mornings. - Anonymous
Make sure to have food for both the adults and kids, nobody wants to be hungry! - elisabeth
Same as any other event - have fun, relax, and don't worry if things don't go perfectly. Go with the flow. - Anonymous

To see other great dos and don'ts, read more.

My niece's first birthday was very fun until we put her in front of the cake. We tried to put a adorable hat on her combine this with the attention from all of these strangers and she LOST it. I think if I ever have child, I will avoid those uncomfortable birthday hats and keep the first birthday small. - Lauren
Do plan a major activity and backup for partygoers who can focus and play on their own, but don't get upset if it turns into a nicely decorated, but disorganized playdate. Do put care into your menu and have simple and tasty veggie and meat options, but don't think you need to deliver a gourmet spread. It's a kiddie party, not a dinner party! - Angelica
Do incorporate games into your day of fun to keep the kiddies occupied! This can range from using your Nintendo Wii as a group play station (four controllers and a scheduled rotation = happy kids), to outdoor games where the attendees can win prizes (bean sack toss, wheel of fortune, duck duck goose, etc.). My favorite part of my cousin's birthday parties when I was a kid was the interactive games my uncle used to build. It was like a circus midway in their backyard! - GeekSugar

Do you have a treasure trove of party suggestions? Share it in the comments of this post, or start sharing your advice and tips in our The Mommy Club! Here's a detailed guide to posting questions or posts to groups if you are new to the PopSugar Community.

Must Haves For February

LilSugar — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 12:05:18 -0800

This month cupid will be flying high so we've selected a few of lil's favorite things for the littlest loves of our lives -newborns! Fresh back from maternity leave, I selected the five mommy and baby must haves that I could not live without! From outfits that take your infant from sleep to play to a fabulous activity mat that gets their little limbs moving, check out our picks!

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Tune Into These New Children's Shows

LilSugar — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 06:00:00 -0700

Lil ones can sit and watch the same programs over and over again, but their parents often like variety. Mama may already have a new crop of motherhood shows programmed into her DVR, but what will you be selecting for your offspring? Take a look at these shows that will soon hit the boob tube and tell us which ones you are interested in!

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Lights, Camera, Action! Eat, Sleep, Poop

LilSugar — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 12:18:06 -0800

Hollywood isn't just having babies it's making movies about them too. Fresh off the heels of the announcement that What to Expect When You're Expecting will be made into a romantic comedy, comes news today that Dreamworks has plans to turn the upcoming Eat, Sleep, Poop: A Common Sense Guide to Your Baby's First Year into a movie too.

The soon-to-be-published book, written by Beverly Hills pediatrician Scott Cohen, is a humorous guide to raising a baby. Filled with stories about his posh clientele, the guide also includes anecdotes about Dr. Cohen's experiences raising his own children, which were often counter to what he learned in medical school.

They say it takes three to make a trend, but with the adaptation of these two parenting guides, it looks like baby fever has hit Tinseltown. Are you excited to head to the theater to catch these flicks?

Table For Two For Fresh Baby Food

LilSugar — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 11:00:35 -0800

Waiter, we'll have one zucchini, carrot and potato puree please – hold the salt. The homemade baby food trend has taken the parenting community by storm, so it is hardly a surprise that restaurateurs are jumping on the bandwagon.

GustOrganics, a certified organic restaurant in New York City's hip West Village neighborhood, caters to a foodie crowd that can't even order for themselves. In addition to the adult menu of all natural dishes, the eatery introduced a baby menu featuring fresh, organic purees for early solid food eaters. With menu items such as baked squash, tenderloin beef puree with zucchini, carrot and one bay leaf and macaroni with spinach and Parmesan cream, the restaurant gives parents a break from the Beaba machine.

But such luxury comes at a cost. GustOrganics offers home delivery of their gourmet creations which starts at $60 for a four day supply – quite a bit more expensive than steaming and pureeing in your own home.

Dirty Lil Secrets of a Mom of Three

LilSugar — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 07:00:30 -0800

All moms have secrets, but do mothers of multiple children have more? Once a woman has a few kids, she knows the perfect mother doesn't exist and that enables her improvise in lots of different situations. As long as the kids are happy - right? Fresh back from maternity leave, I'm ready to divulge the shortcuts I've taken to get through the days since having my third baby. Set yourself free by sharing your secrets in the comments section.

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Lil Tip: Add a Squeeze of Lemon and a Drop of Honey

babysugar — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 10:00:32 -0700

Tots have a tendency to turn their noses up at fruit skins - apples, peaches, plums, etc. Peeling tends to tarnish and age the tasty treats leaving them brown and mushy. Before heading out for a long day of errands, consider adding a bit of honey and a fresh squeeze of lemon juice. The acidic liquid keeps the skin–free fruit from browning and the honey zaps the bitter citrus taste.
Source

Family Resolutions: Tips For Cutting Costs, Not Fun

LilSugar — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 12:30:39 -0800

Resolutions typically come in the form of self promises for weight loss, general health, a better work-life-balance, saving more money and being more organized. All tough goals when you are trying to keep up with feedings, sticky fingers and day-to-day life as a parent. Usher in the new year with productive goals that focus on the whole family. Check out some of my favorite family saving tips and resolution inspiration as you set your sights on a healthy, happy and green 2010!

Encourage the Kiddos to Make Resolutions - Whether their goal is to make a new friend or keep their room clean, let them take advantage of the fresh start.
13 New Uses For Old Household Items - Many a mom has bags or boxes full of old household items that seem useless and trash worthy. Before mommy throws everything away, check out Real Simple Family's suggestions on how to make old household items new again.
10 Simple Ways to Cut Everyday Costs - If you are starting a family you're probably worried about what you should and shouldn't splurge on, but families with one or more young children often have the toughest battle: how to cut back on the little expenses that add up big time. Here are some suggestions for near effortless ways to reduce your family's budget and be mindful of everyday costs.

For additional savings tips, read more.

Simple Ways to Waste Less and Save More - Tots are carefree so it's up to parents to incorporate food saving remedies into our family routines. While mama may be doing it to save a buck, it won't hurt that she's helping out the environment with these easy tips to reduce her brood's waste.
Have Your Baby, and Keep Your Budget Too - Hospital bills, wardrobes, and gear for baby can cost a small fortune but it doesn't have to! Check out these ten budgeting tips to ensure that your growing baby bump does not lead to a diminishing bank account.
Recession Proof Toys You Probably Have Around the House - Sometimes the answer to mama's prayers is a household item sitting right on the counter and in these tough economic times who has the cash to keep stocking up at the toy store? Check out the sundry items that can suit a tot's fancy and feel free to add to our list.
Five Economical Ways to Spend Time With Your Spouse - Once kids are in the mix, it can be difficult to squeeze in alone time with your spouse. In these tough economic times, the babysitting fund is often the first cut from the budget. Find time for your relationship by testing out one of these tricks with your partner.

Photo courtesy of Real Simple Family