LilSugar

A Few of Lil's Favorite Things: September

LilSugar — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 13:00:00 -0700

Send your kids back to school with a hardy lunch in hand. While your children may be focused on hitting the books, there's no time like the present to make sure they are mindful of the world around them. Help them choose an Eco-friendly lunch box or lunch sack to tote and store their mid-day meal. These reusable options are economical as you won't have to invest in any brown paper bags and environmentally conscious since they make for limited debris. Don't forget to tell your tots to toss their leftovers in the compost bin.

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School Year's Resolutions: Eco-Friendly Lunch Boxes

LilSugar — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 12:00:00 -0700

Brown paper bags are so passe. Make sure your child isn't outcasted at the earth-friendly lunch table by buying them an eco-friendly lunch box that helps reduce waste. Unlike the green lunch carriers of years past, today's bags are cute, kid-friendly, and serve many purposes. Check out a few of our favorites:

Kids Konserve lunch kit comes with a stainless-steel bottle, two stainless-steel containers with leak-proof plastic lids, a reusable baggie, a cloth napkin, and both a recycled aluminum name tag and recycled cotton lunch sack all made from nonleaching, BPA-free, lead-free and phthalate-free materials.
Munchlers Backpacks come in three cute polypropylene designs that unzip right into a place mat. The insulated bags easily fit lunch and a beverage.
The Lunchsense Lunchbox Set is BPA, PVC, and phthalate free, and comes with four food containers, a drink bottle, and a reusable ice pack. It opens up flat so it can be used as a place mat as well.
The lead, PVC, BPA and phthalate free Gator Tots Lunch Bag is large enough for a large lunch and keeps foods cool throughout the day. Its retro fabrics make it fun to look at too.
Cartoon and movie-loving tots will love Zak Design's phthalate-free lunch totes that feature every character from Spiderman to High School Musical.
Crocodile Creek's fun designs are a great alternative to character-driven ones. The eco-friendly bags even have an outside pocket for notes, utensils, or extra lunch money.
The Land's End Critter Lunch Box is a classic that has been lead and PVC-free for years.
Fleurville's Lunch Pak functions like a backpack that is insulated and ready to hold a midday meal. The lean and PVC-free bag also has storage compartments for holding projects from school.

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Delilicious: After School Snacks That Won't Spoil Dinner

LilSugar — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 12:00:34 -0700

Breakfast was a brain-stimulating balance of eggs, fruit and whole-grain cereal, their lunch bags may have been filled with sandwiches cut into fun shapes. But once the children walk in the door from school, all they can think about is their growling stomachs.

Satisfy your hungry students with after-school snacks that provide nourishment without killing their dinner appetite. Skip the cartoon character decorated, pre-packaged snacks and give them something inspiring. The key to keeping it healthy and exciting is having fresh ingredients on hand – be it leftovers or an assortment of fruit and vegetables that are already washed, cut and ready to go. Try some of these ideas.

Ants on a Log mixes protein and vegetables and look fun on a plate.
A brown paper bag filled with air popped corn is healthy and reminiscent of a trip to the theater.
Left over sloppy joes can be added to small whole wheat rolls for some fun-to-eat sliders.
Rachael Ray's Banana-sicles are as fun to make, as they are to eat.
Homemade smoothies can be made with frozen fruit, making them a perfect treat year round.
Open the freezer and have your children munch on frozen grapes or yogurt tubes.

What is your child's favorite after-school snack?

School Year's Resolutions: Lunch Box Makeovers

LilSugar — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 05:00:34 -0700

You've moved from brown bagging munchies to an eco-friendly lunch bag, so now it's time to upgrade its contents! Get out of the everyday sandwich rut and start getting creative with what you pack to sustain your kids.

Shape up. Simply changing the shape of the food you are packing can make a big difference. Use cookie cutters to create sandwiches that will put a smile on your lil one's face.
Roll it up. Use creative "packaging" to put a sandwich together. Wraps and pitas can add some interest to the lunch box, as can turning an ordinary tuna sandwich into a sushi-style roll.
Put it on a stick. String some fruit and veggies onto a stick for a mini-kabob that looks more enticing than fruit in a baggie.
Repurpose dinner. Cook up some extra pasta at night and mix it with fresh vegetables and some protein to make a tasty cold noodle salad.
Build it up. Put the ingredients for a nutritious sandwich in the lunch bag and allow the kiddos to build their own creation, in the order they want.
Make it brunch. French toast and fruit salad can easily make their way into the lunch box for a fun alternative.

For some added inspiration, check out these books filled with lunch-bag-ready recipes.

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School Year's Resolutions: Eco-Friendly Backpacks

LilSugar — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 05:00:14 -0700

Send them off to school with the right pack on their back. When selecting the prefect bag for lugging books, art projects and supplies to school, eco-conscience parents know that avoiding knapsacks with shiny plastic designs will help limit their child's contact with PVC and lead. Selecting an eco-friendly backpack does not mean forgoing style for function. Take a look at some of our favorite selections:

Dante Beatrix's "Big Kid Eco Pack" is made entirely from recycled plastic drinking bottles with naturally biodegradable canvas trim. Available in three designs, the bags are the perfect size for elementary school kids.
Bazura's small messenger bag is 100 percent lead-free, made from non-biodegradable juice containers. Each bag saves landfills from being clogged by the foil juice containers.
The Fleurville Kids Backpack is lead, PVC and Teflon-free, and includes a removable lunch tote to help keep everything together when not in use.
Ecogear's Ecozoo packs are perfectly sized for younger schoolchildren and feature adorable designs. Made from organic cotton canvas with non-toxic dyes and sustainable wood components, kids will want to take these "pets" with them wherever they go.
Known for their durability, Land's End's eco-conscience knapsack is made from 100% recycled fabric.
Though it costs a pretty penny, the Reactor Solar Backpack is integrated with a solar charging unit that can be used to power cell phones, iPods and more. Designed for older elementary kids, the backpacks will provide a whole education on the power of solar energy.

Enter to win a $1,000 wardrobe for your child from Tea Collection!

Mural Meals on the Go: Ants on a Log

babysugar — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 06:00:33 -0700

After a Summer filled Popsicle fest, most kids face a let down in the fun food department as PB&Js get shoved into plastic bags for a run-of-the-mill lunch day. Moms can keep up the feast festive with easy and nutritious mural snacks that will have lil munchers grinning. Pull out a trick that mama taught you and craft some "ants on a log" with three healthy ingredients: celery, peanut butter, and raisins. Strip the celery's skin so tots don't get string stuck in their chompers. Cut the stalk into two to three inch pieces and fill them with peanut butter. (If you have a peanut-free rule at your school, you can substitute cream cheese or another spreadable filling.) Finally, place raisins on top and voila, you've got yourself ants on a log!

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More Kids Saying Embarrassing Things

babysugar — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 13:05:39 -0700

"Mommy! She has big chi chis!" My 2-year-old daughter shouted this at a woman behind us in the airport security line. I quickly responded, "Yes honey. If you are good and eat all of your lunch, you can have your 'chi chis' for a special treat. They are in the backpack." Pursing his lips to contain his laughter, my husband surveyed the situation and looked at our completely confused child and said, "That's right. Mommy's got the candy in her bag." Candy was all she needed to hear to get her mind off of the huge "chi chis," and our embarrassing moment was over. We got quite a few good ones from our readers, and I've recently heard some other goodies worth sharing. Tell us some of your own in comments.

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Is Boxed Water For Wee Ones Worth the Price?

LilSugar — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 09:00:24 -0700

Most mamas toss a beverage into their tyke's bagged lunch whether the kiddo is headed to school or camp. To keep the meal fresh some parents even freeze the juice box so it will stay chilled by the time the tot needs their thirst quenched. As health-conscience parents moved away from serving junior juice, the options became plastic bottled water or pricey BPA-free canteens.

So companies like Wateroos ($6 for eight boxes) and Hansen's Organic Junior Water ($1.50 for four boxes) produced boxed water - plain purified or naturally-flavored versions that can be discarded after drinking. The packages feature characters like other mainstream brands to appeal to children while limiting their sugar intake. Would you spring for these?

Ecotot: Kids Konserve

LilSugar — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 13:00:01 -0700

Think about all the disposable goods that go into a packed school lunch - plastic baggies, aluminum foil, wrappers and often times, a paper bag. Children each generate an average of 67 pounds of lunchtime trash every year. Chance Claxton and Lynn Julian, founders of Kids Konserve, were appalled when they read that statistic. Taking lunch into their own hands, they created a re-usable and waste-free lunch system that appealed to both parents and kids.

Their Signature Waste-Free Lunch Kit ($40) comes with a stainless steel bottle, two stainless steel containers with leak proof plastic lids, a reusable baggie for items like sandwiches, cheese and cut apples, a cloth napkin, and both a recycled aluminum name tag and recycled cotton lunch sack. All of the kits products are made from non-leaching, BPA-free, lead-free and phthalate-free materials. To continue educating tots about the benefits of recycling, the company has also launched the Waste-Free Lunch Challenge, offering schools the opportunity to sell the kits and earn 25 percent of each sale. With Earth Day just two days away, switching to a reusable lunch kit may be the easiest way to begin greening your life.

Interview with Kate Gosselin: Feeding a Family of 10

LilSugar — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 07:00:00 -0700

Parents watch TLC's Jon and Kate Plus 8 in shock and awe. Moms and dads are awed by the way the young couple, Jon and Kate, are raising two sets of multiples and shocked by the fact that all the children - Cara, Mady, Alexis, Hannah, Leah, Aaden, Collin, and Joel - eat! The twins' and sextuplets' diets don't consist of just peanut butter and jelly and buttered pasta; they entertain their pint-sized palates with everything from traditional Korean food to cracked crab and fresh vegetables.

lilsugar recently had the opportunity to ask queen of the Gosselin kitchen, Kate, a few questions about feeding her family of ten, the importance of an organic diet, and her recent partnership with the Grains Foods Foundation to promote brown bag lunches. To see her tips and what she had to say, read more.

lilsugar: Why did you decide to team up with the Grains Foods Foundation?

KG: These days, everyone is looking for ways to cut costs while still managing to eat healthy. With a family of 10, we’re certainly no different. We’ve been brown bagging for years and I’m working with the Grain Foods Foundation to show other families how packing lunches can be an easy and fun way to save money and eat healthy. There’s even a calculator on their website - grainpower.org - that shows how much money and calories you can save when you pack a lunch instead of eating out. It’s amazing!

lilsugar: Does or did incorporating grains into the Gosselin family diet bring down the food bill?

KG: Definitely. Grains like bread, crackers, pretzels, and granola bars have always been a part of our family diet because they are affordable, delicious and nutritious. We go through a loaf of bread at every meal so I usually buy a whole flat of bread at one time!

lilsugar: How important do you think it is to raise children on an organic diet?

KG: More than anything, I think it’s important to raise children on a healthy diet. As I’m sure you’ve seen on the show, I try to find fruits and vegetables from local farm stands but when that isn’t possible, there are always great and healthy options available at the supermarket.

lilsugar: As someone who fed a family of 10 on a budget, what tips would you offer other mothers to cut costs?

KG: Pay attention to the things that are on sale, clip coupons and, above all, avoid buying things that you don't need. Being organized and planning ahead is one of the best ways to stick to a budget. I know it’s not always easy for families to plan ahead but making sandwiches and packing lunches is a relatively simple way to save money and eat healthy. Nutrition has always been important to me personally as a woman, a nurse and especially as a mom.

lilsugar: On Jon and Kate Plus 8, your children seem to eat all of the healthy things you prepare. How have you managed to raise eight adventurous eaters?

KG: I have always prepared healthy meals without other options. I firmly believe that if they are hungry, they will eat what is in front of them. I also do not "over-snack" them. That said, if they do have a snack, it's usually something with grains (pretzels, wheat crackers, etc).

lilsugar: What are your family's favorite meals? Are there any foods your children do not like?

KG: We have a lot of favorites and I believe in exposing kids to a variety of foods from a very young age to avoid those childhood ruts (eating and wanting to eat the same four things for every meal).

lilsugar: You are often filmed packing cereal bags, lunches and picnics prior to outings on your show, do you do that for convenience or to save money?

KG: Both. Packing lunches and snacks ahead of time saves us money and help me make sure my family eats healthy no matter where we are. It ensures I’ll have something nutritious on hand when we’re away from home.

lilsugar: Do you have advice for moms on how to pack lunches that children will actually eat?

KG: Try to make their lunches fun. Include a note in their lunch bag or scribble words of inspiration on a napkin. And if you want to get really creative, use cookie cutters to transform your child’s sandwich into a work of art – or even into their initials. These little surprises are sure to bring a smile to their face.

Another thing I do is aim for variety. For instance, I’ll make them checkerboard sandwiches where I mix up the bread - using one slice of light colored bread and one slice of a darker bread, I simply cut the sandwiches into quarters and flip two of the quarters over to make a checkerboard. This is a great way to start introducing kids to whole grain bread. Kids love fun-looking food, even if it’s good for them!

lilsugar: You are extraordinarily organized. Do you have favorite products to pack food in a certain type of cereal bag, lunch box or drink container, etc.?

KG: I love cute reusable lunch bags and am a huge fan of color coding. With a family of 10, everyone having their own special color makes things much easier! Plus, it fosters a sense of ownership in the kids, which makes it less likely they’ll leave it behind or swap it with another child’s lunch!

lilsugar: You make cool, interactive snacks from edible play-dough to the pudding paint, do you have others?

KG: Those are the latest ones. Anything that is able to be eaten as well as fun (and healthy!) thrills my kids!

lilsugar: What is your family's favorite edible splurge, for example, ice cream for dinner?

KG: Well, ice cream for dinner is great but sometimes we will also have breakfast for dinner (French toast is always a big hit). Think variety with nutrition and it will keep everyone interested!

Check back on lilsugar each morning this week for some of Kate's delilicious kid-friendly sandwich recipes!