This is KRAZY

Now this is KRAZY



OK before you read on go grab the bottle of ketchup in your pantry or fridge! I'm serious what are you waiting for?





Do you have it? Good! Now look at the back label. Where it says ingredients... What are the first 3 ingredients? (read)
Did you say HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP?
How did that get in there? Are you scratching your head as to why you have been dousing your child's meatloaf, hamburgers, hotdogs and potatoes in pure sugar food ? Well thankfully I'm here to get you on track! So throw that old bottle away and keep reading...

KRAZY KETCHUP

Check out these ingredients


Ingredients: Organic tomato puree (organic tomato paste, water, salt), organic agave* nectar, organic butternut squash puree, organic carrot puree, organic sweet potato puree, organic spices, and citric acid

You did not see any High Fructose corn Syrup, now did you? Only vegetables and a whole lot of goodness!

I can not wait to get my hands on this stuff and as for my kiddos they will have no idea they are eating butternut squash, sweet potato, carrots and tomato puree!
Gotta

Love,

Always Healthy Mom

Pancakes for your Baby Cake

Pancakes for your Baby Cake!

Does your family like pancakes as much as mine does?

Here are a few ways to make your pancakes a healthier treat!

• Top your cakes with fresh or frozen fruits! Try strawberries, blueberries, peaches, apples and bananas!
• Add a dollop of low fat yogurt!
• When making your pancakes use applesauce instead of oil!
• Try low calorie cooking spray instead of butter or oil!
• Use cookie cutter to make fun shapes and characters.
• Add fruit to the batter like, mashed bananas or pumpkin puree!
• Try to find 100% maple syrup, light sugar syrup or honey as a sweet topping!
• I love to add a dash of vanilla or cinnamon for a special touch!
• Look for maple extract or almond extract to make your cakes ones to remember!

Pancakes are not just a breakfast food. Surprise your family with pancakes for dinner or lunch any day of the week!

P.A.C.K. Week

My children's school is participating in a national healthy eating initiative called P.A.C.K. week- Pack Assorted Colors for Kids week, October 10-14. This is a fun and educational program to encourage kids to eat more fruits and vegetable! O' Yeah... did I mention it gets the parents involved too!

So here is how you can get involved...

     

Monday, October 10th is pack purple day:

Did you know that only 3% of our current fruit and veggie consumption is from the purple/blue category? Yet, these fruits and veggies provide natural plant nutrients not found in other colors. Here are some great Purple ideas to pack:

• Plums
• Rasins
• Blackberries
• Blueberries
• Purple Grapes

Tuesday, October 11th is pack white day:


White, tan and brown fruits and veggies make up this color category, which accounts for 23%
of our fruit and vegetable consumption. The most common white fruit is the banana…and they're easy to pack. Here are some other fruits and veggies your kids might enjoy on Pack White Day:

• Pears
• White peaches
• Dates
• Cauliflower florets

Wednesday, October 12th is pack Red day:
Red fruits and vegetables account for 24% of our fruit and vegetable intake.
The most common red produce item is one that may take you back to your own school days: red apples. You could send your children to school with a red apple on Pack Red Day,
or consider any of the following:

• Cherries
• Strawberries
• Red pepper slices
• Tomato wedges

 

Thursday, October 13th is pack
Yellow/Orange day:


Yellow/Orange fruits and vegetables account for 24% of our fruit and vegetable intake.
The most common yellow/orange fruit is the orange, and there are many varieties to choose from. Your kids may also enjoy one of these fruits or veggies on Pack Yellow/Orange Day:

• Baby carrots
• Nectarines
• Peaches
• Yellow pears

Friday, October 14th is pack Green day:

Green fruits and vegetables are the most commonly eaten, accounting for 26% of our fruit and vegetable consumption…but there's always room for more!
Green grapes and green apples are kid favorites, and they're easy to send to school on Pack Green Day. Here are some other delicious fruits and veggies to consider:

• Celery sticks
• Green pepper slices
• Snow peas

 There are many ways to be creative and pack more fruits and veggies in your child's lunch!

For more tips check out http://www.foodchamps.org/ , http://www.welchs.com/ or http://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org/



Here is a great tracking sheet to help you have a fun and colorful week... http://www.welchs.com/pack/Welchs_PACK_Tracking_Sheet.pdf

Please join my family as we celebrate
P.A.C.K. Week!
Share your thoughts and colorful lunches on my facebook page today!

A is for Apple

Last weekend we went on a family field trip, to the orchard! A fun activity to get the kids thinking healthy and having fun! You don't have to wait for the orchard to have a fall festival to enjoy apple picking!

ORCHARD FUN!

FRESH produce

Fall specials

                                                                    Fresh Cider

      A fun trip to the orchard with the family

An apple for you?

Finding the BEST apples!

                                                             My little helper

                                                           The family!

Party pooper!

                                                                    More Apples!

                                                            Fall FUN!

                                                                      Kettle corn time!

                                                                One last apple for the road!

Pumpkin Veggie Tray

Pumpkin Veggie Tray

What you need:

I large round platter

1 large bag of baby carrots

1 cucumber

1 head of broccoli

1 container plain Greek yogurt

I packet ranch seasoning

Ramekins or small bowls

How To:

• Fill in large round platter with baby carrots.  
• Once you fill in the platter with carrots, remove enough of the carrots to create a cucumber-filled smile.
• Place the extra carrots on top of the other carrots to create a second layer on the pumpkin.
• Place halved cucumber slices in the space you created for your pumpkin's smile.
• Fill your ramekins with the your ranch yogurt dip and place them into place where you want the pumpkin's eyes and nose to be.
• Slice off the stem of the broccoli head.
• Place the broccoli at the top of your pumpkin for the stem.

This is a great idea to take to ant fall or Halloween party! Kids and adults will love the healthy fun dish!

Homemade Gronola Bars

 As promised here is my latest healthy experiment in the kitchen. I attempted to make my own granola bars. I have to say it worked out pretty well. And we all enjoyed a healthy treat! These are great for lunch boxes, breakfast on the go ( that never happens in my house) and road trips.

Granola bars

Ingredients

4 cups oats
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1tsp almond extract (optional)
1/2 cup honey

A personal touch
You can ADD...
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup cranrasins
1/2 cup dried cherries
1/2 cup marshmallows
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup dried fruit
or 1/4 cup nut of your choice
sunflower
walnut
almond
peanuts



I would try to pick two add ins that makes a hearty tasty treat!
This way everyone has a combination that they like.

Directions

• Preheat oven 325 F
• combine dry ingredients in bowl
• in separate bowl mix oil, extracts and honey and whisk
• pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients and stir
• place mixture on parchment paper or non-stick foil about 1 in thick
• bake for 30 min
• cool, cut, serve and enjoy

Picky Eaters

PICKY EATERS

You have them, I have them, we all have them!

You are not alone!

But what do we do besides make multiple meals every evening?

After a long day at work and scrambling to make a healthy meal the last thing you are looking forward to are the picky eaters who don't approve of tonight's dinner! Inevitably it will happen now and then! Here are some tips that I use to introduce new foods to the family!

Picky Eater tips and tricks...

•  DON'T GIVE UP! I know it sounds cliche but  it takes time for kids ( and adults) to try new things and accept them! Sometimes even love them!!!!
• Go in with a POSITIVE attitude! I hear so many parents say "my kids will not eat that"! Guess what they will sometimes surprise you! But the defining factor is they won't like it if you don't offer it to them.
• Don't preach the clean plate club, let them try it and let them have a preference. If my kids try the broccoli and don't like it why would I make them eat it? That's not to say I wont make it again or ask them to try it again in the future! CONSISTENCY!!!!!
• Let them feel EMPOWERED! take them to the store and ask them to pick out a veggie they would like to try! Have them help you with the grocery list and ask them to pick out the fruits and veggies they want in their lunch!
• VARIETY! If they don't like steamed broccoli, try it raw with low fat ranch dip or humus. Then try it in a stir-fry or casserole... you get the picture!!! Don't give up!

 I don't think there is a specific science to this dilemma, just get creative and for gosh sakes don't feed them Mac and Cheese  because that's all you think they will eat! Set the standard and role model these health behaviors for them. Trust me if you are not eating your veggies neither will they!

Remember they are watching you!

*Think back to your childhood! Did you like lots of fruits and veggies? Do you like more now? Have your tastes changed? Did your parents offer you a variety of fresh choices, did they eat healthy? Were you pressured to be a clean plate club member? These are just a few things to think about when working with your picky eater!!!

Why we took on the challenge!

Check out..

Why we took on the challenge!



Food Fare

This weekend we went to the fair! 
We went to see the cows, horses and livestock, and enjoy a nice family outing, but what we got instead was a FOOD FARE! I understand that a fair is just not a fair without lemon shake ups, fresh cut fries and elephant ears. I have done my fair share of Fair going with my horses years ago! But I  never noticed how much attention was given to food until this year.

OK I don't live under a rock, I see the media calling attention to new items like deep fried butter and Twinkies but I never knew how hard it was to go to a fair and ignore it ALL! If you have been following my blog you know that my family with a little coaching and encouragement has taken on a challenge for the month of September!
NO Fast Food, Take Out, or Restaurants!
Why, you ask! BECAUSE! It's just too easy to eat out!

How many times do we really think before we order or call in an order? So we decided to take a break from The French Fried World as a fellow blogger would call it! And it has been hard!!! I prepared my kids for the fair, reminded them of our challenge and packed some healthy snacks! This did not help as much as I thought it would. Especially when there are rows and rows of midway to navigate through! It was definitely a challenging obstacle to take on! You can only appreciate a cow on so many levels before you want to move on! On a positive note they did offer sweet corn this year only $2.00 each! OUCH!

Follow our Challenge this September at www.alwayshealthymom.com

and become a fan today on facebook!

GIVEAWAY time!!!

BROTHERS-ALL-NATURAL

GIVEAWAY

100% Fruit and Nothing else!

I am in love with these fun healthy snacks for my kids. They are 100% fruit and fun to eat.

Go to www.brothersallnatural.com/toledo

to get a 10% off coupon and free shipping!

We are also giving away a 24 pack

of fruit chips to one healthy fan!

Make sure you like

Always Healthy Mom

and

Brothers-All-Natural

on Facebook and Twitter

and you will have a chance to win!

Just LIKE us!

Check back for the segment on healthy lunches with Always healthy mom on ch 13abc!

Scheduled to air Tuesday, August 30th on the 5:00 news.