That’s the question tackled by Sally Kuzemchak, M.S., R.D. in her new book “The 101 Healthiest Foods for Kids.” With a friendly tone, tons of recipes, fascinating facts and handy lists, this book is a must for parents who want to raise the nutritional bar for their families. According to dr. fauci and vitamin d…
Holiday Present Ideas for Foodie Kids
Do you want your kids to love and appreciate good food? These adorable, handy and empowering gifts are a great start! Every single item has the highest ratings and includes free shipping. TOYS FOR FOOD LOVERS Indoor Food Truck Playhouse $34.99 Wooden Ice Cream Play Set $39.99/28 pieces Barbie Spaghetti Chef & Kitchen Set $34.89 Brain Freeze…
12 Books My Kids Have Loved, Learned from, Been Inspired By (And I Didn’t Mind Reading Again & Again!)
We have four small kids, ages four through nine, so if it’s bedtime you can always find us snuggled up on the sofa, books in hand. Of course we’re big fans of Piggie & Elephant, Olivia, Star Wars and all the adorable Kevin Henkes books but sometimes a few new books off the beaten path are…
What to Pack for a Day Trip with Kids: 6 Tips from a Mom of 4
It’s taken a while but the code has been cracked. After trial and error (and a little more error just for good measure) I’ve got a solid list of what to pack for a day trip with kids. I love a good day trip. We have four small kids which manifests in my brain like…
5 Meals Kids Can Make Themselves
The only thing better than raising kids who love good food is kids who cook that food themselves! My nine-year-old has tested every one of these recipes and these are her specialties. From breakfast in bed on weekends to snacks and the occasional dinner, here are five starter recipes for tiny cooks: Honey-Mustard Chicken With…
What If I Didn’t Put Myself Last?
It came out of nowhere, as wakeup calls often do. My seven-year-old’s playdate was over. The little girl’s dad and I stood in my living room chatting while shoes were gathered and teary goodbyes said. That’s when small talk turned into a very humbling Q and A. “Hey, who’s that woman?” he asked, pointing to…
I’ve felt fat my whole life. Here’s what I’m telling my daughters so they can skip that.
“You’re looking pretty fat, Charity!” My grandpa used to say this when I came to visit as a kid. That was his actual greeting. A scrappy little girl with skinny legs and a poochy tummy, I looked like Eloise. Just substitute a mobile home on a tiny farm for the Plaza hotel and there I…
10 Easy Zucchini Recipes Your Whole Family Will Love
It happens every year. Right around this time, our garden is bursting with zucchini. Like, more zucchini than I’ve ever seen in one place. So when things reach Peak Zucchini, I start cooking. Experimenting. Baking and sautéing. Through years of trial and error, I’ve got a solid set of zucchini recipes that my four kids…
5 Things I Love Most about My Pantry Makeover, 2 Years Later
My pantry was driving me crazy. I couldn’t find anything. And the day five bags of chips fell on my head was the one I said okay. I give up. So I wrestled all those ingredients into bins, boxes and shelves. Now, after living with the setup for about two years, here are the best…
5 reasons why kids won’t eat dinner (only 1 of them is about the food)
“My kids just won’t eat!” Sound familiar? As a mom of four small rascals who range from three years to eight, who’s also a family food blogger, I hear this all the time. I get emails, questions on the playground and have quiet conversations at birthday parties. Usually near the cake. With a mom who’s…
2 Signs Your Child is Constipated, Plus 10 High-Fiber Foods for Kids
1. Has your child suddenly started wetting the bed again, long after potty training? 2. Does your child often complain about a stomach ache? Both of these are signs that your child is constipated. Experts say that many kids are “secretly” constipated because they simply put off going to the bathroom. Their…
12 Things this mom of 4 always, Always buys at Costco
Besides a supply of paper towels that’s roughly the same size as my first car, there are a few key products that make a Costco membership worth it to me. My family includes four kids plus my husband and me and these are the things I always pick up. (And if I skip the middle…
3 Game-Changing Ways to Cook Frozen Vegetables
I love cooking frozen vegetables. They’re always in season, already washed and trimmed, usually more affordable than fresh yet just as nutritious–in fact, sometimes even more so. A 2017 study published in the Journal of Food Composition and Analysis had one goal: To clarify whether fresh vegetables are more nutritious than frozen. The findings were good…
Stop saying “let me know if I can help”, and Just Take A tired friend’s kids for the day
That’s what I finally did and it was amazing. Not just for my friends either. Do you have a friend who’s going through a rough patch? With a new baby? A sick partner? Or just your average overwhelming modern life? I’ve had two families from church on my mind for a while now and here’s…
How Chores Changed My Kids: Plus Age-by-Age Appropriate Chores for Kids Under 10
We have four small kids, ages three, five, six and eight and after lots of trial and error, have finally settled on a chore system that everyone can follow and doesn’t ADD more stress to our lives. Chores are good for building character Why chores? Why not let kids be kids? Because it’s good for…
What to Put in Care Packages for People Experiencing Homelessness
What’s best to put in care packages for people experiencing homelessness? It was a couple of summers ago when my kids came bursting through the door clutching Ziplock bags full of granola bars, water bottles and more. “We made Good Samaritan Bags at church!” they roared. “They’re care packages for the homeless to keep in…
8 Holiday Gifts Teachers Love Most, According to Teachers! (And 3 to Skip)
Looking for a holiday gift for teachers? When I saw a recent article brazenly titled “12 Holiday Gifts Teachers Do NOT Want” my curiosity was piqued. So was my insecurity. I have four small kids and all of them adore their teachers. Each year they LOVE offering a holiday gift to the adults who guide…
8 Ways to Give Back as a Family
There’s something so magical about the holiday season that brings out the best in people. Our list of ways to give back is certainly not comprehensive but if you’re trying to teach kids about generosity this year, these eight ideas will get you started. Pack “Good Samaritan Bags”. Fill large zip-top bags and keep them in…
You won’t always like dinner, and other life lessons I want my kids to learn
“So, what are the kids eating?” my friend asked, wandering into our kitchen. All I could do was stare at her blankly. My husband and I were hosting a dinner party for a handful of families, each with small children in tow. We weren’t there yet though. Pregnant with my first baby, I was totally…
How to Win at Halloween with Small Kids
We’d just moved to the U.S. from Rome. After four years in Italy, where three of our babies were born, my husband and I packed it up and moved to a small town outside of Chapel Hill, North Carolina. From cobblestones to rolling hills. We loved it instantly. Our historic small town came complete with…