“A Healthy Family Of Snacks”

By Kid Kritics | April 8, 2013

Did somebody say chips? Usually people try to hide their chips and snacks when they see a registered dietitian coming. But let’s be real, kids like to snack! And they love crunchy chips to munch on. So what’s a concerned mother and nutritionist to do: look for a healthier choice! And that’s just what we found in Good Health Natural Foods Healthy Family of Snacks. We looked at the labels and liked what we saw. Take the Veggie Stix for example, it is an excellent source of vitamin A, C, D and B6 and a good source of vitamins E and K. They are made with all natural ingredients, no trans-fats and have 30% less fat than regular chips.

Awesome, so we found a brand we can trust with snacks for our kids, but should we spend our money on it? Will kids actually eat it? Good news! We have taste tested several of their snacks and awarded the Kid Kritics Seal of Approval. And our newest addition to the family of approved products from Good Health Natural Foods is the Harmonies Sea Salt, Harmonies Cinnamon Toast, Half Naked Pop Chocolate Popcorn and Half Naked Wild Blue Buffalo Popcorn. The only challenge is not eating the entire bag before the kids get some, the popcorns are terrific and perfect for movie time or family game night. The Harmonies made such a great combo served with a sandwich or wrap, or even with soup and salad. Don’t forget our previously Kid Kritics Approved Veggie Stix (Original, Pizza and Hot), Veggie Chips, Crispy Cinnamon Apple chips, Humbles Baked Hummus Chips, Half Naked Popcorn, organic Popcorn and my personal favorite Peanut Butter Filled Pretzels which all together make up a “Healthy Family of Snack” here to revolutionize the way we think about snacking. At last, money well spent, thank you Good Health Natural Foods!

… for the health of your family,

Carolina

We are here for you!

By Kid Kritics | March 1, 2013

I recently read an article reporting the dangers of eating soy. I became extremely overwhelmed as a parent! How do we know what to feed our family when advice and warnings are issued daily against different types of food? Recommendations seem to change constantly when it comes to sugar, fat, vitamins, minerals, and so much more – now soy. It is confusing and frustrating even for me as a registered dietitian. I am often conflicted on how to handle the new health information so I can’t imagine how tough it would be to decipher without nutrition training.

My advice is to approach it like you do most things in life. Build a relationship with experts you trust and have similar ideas, morals and beliefs. To this day when I am not sure what to wear for an important event, I call my mother! After all, for me she is my “fashion expert” and I trust her. Just filter out all the over dramatic news and hidden agenda advices and go straight to the source you can trust.

We hope you will find that we are here for you as your Family Food Experts! Kid Kritics Approved are a part of this dedicated group who works diligently to make sure all the advice we give has your family’s best interest at heart. The Kid Kritics Approved seal is there to help you when you shop (Grocery List link), and our recipes (Recipes link) are available to facilitate your menu planning. We also have our newsletter that we share two to three times monthly with a lunchbox menu, recipes and other nutrition tips. Our blog posts offer a little insight into my own experiences as a mother and nutrition expert. Our Pinterest Page is great for finding recipes by specific categories as well.

I invite you all to sign up for our newsletter today! (Click here to sign up) You will receive a free Breakfast Recipe e-Book with a collection of Kid Kritics approved recipes including many of our Kid Kritics Approved products. You can reach me on our Facebook page whenever you are looking for advice on something you heard, read, or about a specific topic you are interested in. I am here for you!

… for the health of your family,

Carolina

(In case you are wondering, yep, that’s my picture)

Zach, 6th grader, has sworn off sugar for a year!

By Kid Kritics | January 14, 2013

Zach has not had a bite of sugar for over 6 months. Tim Tebow's biography inspired him to give sugar up for a year. When Zach asked his parents if they would give him $100 if he swore off sugar for 12 months, they agreed. Zach says the hardest part has been his peer pressure (6th grade…!) and Halloween. His answer to how he handles it is, "It's not worth it." He also knows how sugar can interfere with his goals, and , he has plans for that $100! Now he says he doesn't miss is at all. We'll see if he is singing this same tune in another 6 or 7 months.

Zachary is my grandson and I am so proud of him. We had no sugar anything over the holidays. Instead we made beef jerky with his family's new dehydrator and Zach ate lots of his favorite nuts, cashews. Our meals and snacks were made from fresh foods; many recipes were his requests. Thanks to Zachary we all had no sugar treats to resist. Santa, included. He was given a plate of hummus and carrots instead of cookies!

I'll give you a 12 month report. Until then, maybe one of your kids would take on this No Sugar for Year challenge. Let me know if he or she does, please!

… for the health of your family,
ellen

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Family Food Experts

Store’s FREE Cookie Giveway to hook kids and you

By Kid Kritics | September 9, 2012

I had an interesting talk with a dad this morning. He has an adorable 3 year old. One day they were in a grocery store and someone asked if she wanted a cookie. It was the free cookie for your kids attraction. Before this happened, he said, they used to have fun going to the store to shop for food. Now, she associates grocery shopping with a cookie – she wants to go there for the cookie. "Let's go to the store so I can get a cookie."

Has anyone stopped to think what message is being programmed into young children with this cookie bait? Grocery shopping is now about free cookies. Come and get a free cookie. Come to our store because we have free cookies for kids. It it no longer about being together and choosing good foods for breakfast, lunch, snacks and dinner. Here, I'll give you this sugar filled cookie if you are sit quietly in the cart – really? Are you using this behavior gratification for behavior modification? Cookies rule.

How many of you have been sucked into this lure? How many of you choose the store you shop in because they give a free cookie to your kids? How many of you say no thank you to the store and no to your kids? How many of you say, let's go pick out an apple instead? Please, think twice about how you are brain training your children.

By the way, usually, these cookies are made with totally unhealthy, nutrient-empty, sugar-laden harmful ingredients. You think it is free. One day, you will be paying for this cookie habit. Or, you can outsmart these stores and say no, or, stay away.

… for the health of your family,
ellen

Choose to have a Smart Active Brain or Fructose

By Kid Kritics | September 2, 2012

Research continues to point out how the sweetener Fructose negatively impacts your brain… as well as your children's. Please read this report by Dr. Mercola,

September 2, 2012 – Issue 2206

Too Much Sugar Makes You Stupid!

The rats fed fructose syrup showed significant impairment in their cognitive abilities—they struggled to remember their way out of the maze. They were slower, and their brains showed a decline in synaptic activity. Their brain cells had trouble signaling each other, disrupting the rats' ability to think clearly and recall the route they'd learned six weeks earlier.

Additionally, the fructose-fed rats showed signs of resistance to insulin, a hormone that controls your blood sugar and synaptic function in your brain.

Because insulin is able to pass through your blood-brain barrier, it can trigger neurological processes that are important for learning and memory. Consuming large amounts of fructose may block insulin's ability to regulate how your brain cells store and use sugar for the energy needed to fuel thoughts and emotions. The average American consumes roughly 47 pounds of cane sugar and 35 pounds of high-fructose corn syrup per year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture².

Researchers concluded that a high fructose diet harms your brain, as well as the rest of your body. But there is even more to this story.

A second group of rats was given omega-3 fatty acids in the form of flaxseed oil and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), in addition to the high fructose diet. After six weeks, this group of rats was able to navigate the maze better and faster than the rats in the non-DHA group.

The researchers concluded that DHA is protective against fructose's harmful effects on the brain. DHA is essential for synaptic function—it helps your brain cells transmit signals to one another, which is the mechanism that makes learning and memory possible. Your body can't produce enough DHA, so it must be supplemented through your diet.

YOUR CHOICE IS either to cut out all sweeteners, artificial included, use a little cane sugar for occasional treats, and take DHA supplements – fish oils! OR, go down the road of destruction, ignore conclusive research, eat lots of sweet junk food, including "candy cereals" and be stupid.

I think you are smart enough to follow choice one.

… for the health of your family,
ellen

Is this you?

By Kid Kritics | April 19, 2012

90% of shoppers buy products not on shopping list, study finds.
A study by The Integer Group and M/A/R/C Research found that 90% of shoppers buy items not on their grocery list, with 66% enticed by promotions, 30% lured by coupons and 23% wanting to pamper themselves. The study also found that list-makers typically write down a product, not brand.* Is this the way you shop for your family's food?

Are you one of the 90% who makes buying decisions based on food companies directing with their advertising and marketing ploys? I understand the desire to pamper yourself, moms, but basing 23% of your buying decisions are on this is excessive 'I deserve…' thinking. No wonder we have a serious health epidemic in so many diseases in this country.

Yet, when talking to moms, I am reminded that you know better. I know you want to feed your kids healthier foods. So why do you let others, who bank on your emotional and easy way out impulses, drive you to spend your money their way? Make your list, with healthier brands. Buy fresh. Spend less. (So many coupons are for highly processed, nutrient-empty, costly unhealthy products – watch out! Focus on those for product that meet our ingredient standards.). Use our Kid Kritics Approved Grocery List as a guideline. CLICK HERE. Make better shopping decisions using your thoughtful shopping list. TIP: Have a healthy core list of foods to always have in your kitchen. Then keep replacing those you use. Take the reins and decide how you are going to spend hard earned money!

… for the health of your family,
ellen

* GMA@smartbrief.com, 4/19/12

Add this to your today 's To Do List. Enter to Win a whole Case of Creamy Almond Butter with Omega 3s by Once Again Nut Butter. www.KidKritics.com/sweepstakes

Do you Throw Out $500 to $2000 of Food every Year?

By Kid Kritics | March 21, 2012

Inside someone's refrigerator…

Research says you do. Yearly you trash: Milk & Yogurt: 13%. Grains: 14%. Fruit & Juices: 16%. Vegetables: 25%* Rest: non-perishables. A number one reason is we buy too much – overstock – that means lack of planning. I would add that with good intentions, moms buy fresh vegetables but then do not prepare and serve them bowing down to a number of excuses… time especially. Please pay attention to what you are buying: those who make grocery lists waste less.

It doesn't help that fresh vegetables are off to a bad start thanks to the constant spraying by stores. They are dripping wet when you put them into your cart… a recipe for decay. These need to be wrapped in paper towels for moisture absorption while being refrigerated. Then washed and dried before use. I know, it takes time. To avoid this issue, I reach for those stacked in the back, buy from Fresh Product Markets and try to grow some of my own. If you see some vegetables on the verge of going bad, throw them in the freezer for later use in omeletes, casseroles, sauteed dishes, and soups.

Another thought: weekly, check those back corners of all the shelves in your refrigerator. That's where the forgotten gets shoved and stays awhile. I am often surprised at what I find in these darker places. Wish they would invent rotating shelves… !

They say that only 12% of contents in refrigerator-freezers are leftovers*… that's really low. Does this mean you are throwing out too much, or, your family is eating all the food your prepare for them? I'll bet some of these leftovers are "doggy bags." Even in this economy, "spending on restaurants and take-out meats still makes up about half of food expenditures."*

We love leftovers in our home. They open the door for lunches and subsequent dinners. Bottom Line: Leftovers can save you time and money – all $500 to $2000 of it.

… for the health of your family,
ellen

It is your turn to Win a Case of Kid Kritics Approved food? This week, a case of Cocoa Brownie Mix, Gluten-Free and Organic by Simply Organic. You will be well supplied with birthday and holiday treats! These are yum! Even your family and friends with wheat allergies can enjoy every bite! www.KidKritics.com/sweepstakes

* "Leftovers: Tasty or Trash?", Sarah Nassauer, Wall Street Journal, March 21, 2012, p. D1.

Teenage boys now swear by “Real Food.”

By Kid Kritics | January 27, 2012

They went from Junk Food to Real Food and now swear by it. One boy was 16 and always "starving." The other was an overweight college kid. And they have a dad with Type 2 diabetes. Mom thought she was feeding her family good food but after a dinner with me, she realized Jello and other processed foods she was serving were counter-nourishing her family. Her turnaround story is brilliant. A first bit of advice is, "You can't tell them. You must show them." If you want to be inspired and learn how overnight everyone of them voluntarily bought into her changes, listen to Vickie Peaire tell her story. Go to www. BetterFoodChoicesRadio.com (date: Jan 27, 2012) and listen or find it on iTunes, Podcast, Better Food Choices. You will be SO glad your did!

… for the health of your family,
ellen

Save money and Win a Case of Classic Macaroni and Cheese by Annie's Homegrown. Go to www.KidKritics.com/sweepstakes before Sunday night.

Please, don’t go down this road with your kids.

By Kid Kritics | January 26, 2012

"Hooked on chicken nuggets: Girl, 17, who has eaten nothing else since age TWO rushed to hospital after collapsing." *

Apparently this teenager has never eaten fruit or vegetables. Now she is in hospital with swollen veins in her tongue, has anemia and has been warned that she was killing herself.

You say, no way this can happen. I say, "Yes Way." Too many times I have has parents tell me, "My son/daughter will only eat chicken nuggets so that's what I give him or her. They refuse to eat anything else." I simply look at them and wonder who's the boss. Moms and dads, you have to guide your children away from the wrong decisions and to the right ones. Sometimes that is easier said than done, yet, the alternative can be deadly.

Keep in mind you may be working against addictions. Unfortunately, ingredients put in some foods are purposely habit forming. Take charge now and avoid disaster later. I am using strong words. Don't underestimate the consequences. Steer your kids into making better food choices today and tomorrow.

… for the health of your family,
ellen

P. S. Please pray for this girl.

* This is a report from the U.K.

Follow Maine’s 5-2-1-0 Formula – it works!

By Kid Kritics | December 14, 2011

The folks in Portland, Maine have encouraged their community to follow the 5-2-1-0 program: EVERYDAY eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables, engage in 2 hours or less of screen time, exercise at least 1 hour, and, consume 0 sugary drinks. A recent survey showed a significant increased dedication to this behavior pattern. More kids are sitting down and eating fruits and vegetables which means parents are serving them. 45% of kids are watching less screen entertainment. Water is replacing sodas. The trend is moving in a healthy direction. This 5-2-1-0 number series seems to make it easier for parents and children to follow this guideline. Do you agree? If so, we encourage you to adopt it in your home.

… for the health of families,
ellen

Win a Whole Free Range Turkey (Shelton's Poultry) for your family. Go to www.KidKritics.com/sweepstakes to enter. Shelton's birds "don't do drugs." You can really taste the delicious difference!

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KID KRITICS APPROVED

Identifying healthier foods that your familiy deserves,

and your kids will love

“A Healthy Family Of Snacks”

We are here for you!

Zach, 6th grader, has sworn off sugar for a year!

Choose to have a Smart Active Brain or Fructose

Too Much Sugar Makes You Stupid!

Is this you?

Do you Throw Out $500 to $2000 of Food every Year?

Teenage boys now swear by “Real Food.”

Please, don’t go down this road with your kids.

Follow Maine’s 5-2-1-0 Formula – it works!

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