Lead found in common kid's foods & juices

It seems unthinkable that even in this day and age, studies are still finding lead in our kids things. This time is in some of the most unlikely places - the juices and foods that we serve our kids. See the below article and links for all the details, do you serve any of these at your house? Will you continue to do so?

Courtesy of Cafe Mom

Get ready to clean out your refrigerator ... a new report from the Environmental Law Foundation (ELF) shows an outrageous number of children's snacks and juices -- even organic ones -- contain high levels of lead.

Of the 146 items they tested -- including those from brands like Whole Foods and Trader Joe's -- 125 contained "high" levels of lead. Tests were performed on a variety of products specifically marketed to children such as bottled baby food and juices and canned fruits.

So incredibly frightening! It's absolutely outrageous to me that in this day, in this country, this is allowed to happen. I'm so sick of recalls on things we buy for our children (from cribs to clothing), trusting that they will be safe, only to find out that they could be deadly.

So what now?

The ELF has sent warnings to the companies producing the contaminated products. They either have to find a way to remove the lead or place a warning on their products.

Although I question why if there's enough warrant for a warning, the products would even be allowed on the market, I am at least grateful to have this information now. We don't buy juice in our house, never have, thankfully, but some of the organic fruit products are definitely sitting on my shelves ... or were.

Lead exposure can result in a number of serious health consequences for children.

"Exposure to lead can have a wide range of effects on a child's development and behavior," states the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. "Even when exposed to small amounts of lead levels, children may appear inattentive, hyperactive and irritable. Children with greater lead levels may also have problems with learning and reading, delayed growth and hearing loss. At high levels, lead can cause permanent brain damage and even death."

For the entire list, click here

Supermarket Savvy

Buying organic can be difficult and costly. Most mainstream markets carry only a small selection of organic produce and meats and they can be very costly. We're also learning that organic doesn't always mean the best quality or bang for your buck.

Below is an excerpt from Stroller Traffic on shopping supermarket savvy.

Chicken and beef. Seek out free-range chicken and grass-fed (or pasture-fed) beef. Meat, poultry, dairy, and eggs that are certified organic are not medicated with antibiotics or steroid hormones, and have indeed been fed certified organic food. However that statement does not tell us specifically what they have been fed (corn? grass? grains?). When cows and chickens are allowed to eat their natural diet, their eggs, milk and meat tend to be richer in nutrients and typically have higher levels of omega-3 (and fewer omega-6) fatty acids, which helps improve our omega 3/6 balance. Free-range, pasture-fed animals are typically treated more humanely and taste better, too.

Soy products. Look for "non-GMO" on the label. Genetically modified foods are on the rise. Also known as genetically modified organisms (GMO), these foods are created by changing the DNA of a plant's seeds (genetically modifying the seed). It's typically done to increase a plant’s ability to fend off bugs or to increase a crop's production. However, the new genes of a genetically modified plant create a new protein that the human digestive tract has never seen before. Some studies suggest that the human body may have trouble digesting these new proteins, and that this may in fact increase the incidence of soy allergies.

Pasta. Unless your child has a gluten allergy, you do not need to stock up on gluten-free pasta. (Gluten is a type of protein found in wheat; it is not bad for you unless you have a gluten allergy or intolerance). Instead, look for whole grain pasta with at least 4 grams of fiber per serving. One of my favorites is Barilla Plus, which contains 4 grams of fiber and 10 grams of protein per serving, versus the 2 grams of fiber and 7 grams of protein found in regular white pasta.

Peanut butter. Read the ingredients. Even some organic brands contain added sugar and hydrogenated fats; your peanut butter should contain only peanuts—and maybe some salt, but that is it!

Cereal. Many brands are not as healthy as their names suggest. Just because a cereal is labeled organic does not mean it is more nutritious. Often, they are loaded with extra sugar: "evaporated cane juice" is still SUGAR. For example, Barbara’s Shredded Oats contains 12 grams of sugar per serving—more than Kellogg's Frosted Flakes! On the contrary, Post Shredded Wheat n' Bran contains no added ingredients—just 100 percent whole wheat and wheat bran (and less than 1 gram of sugar). Top with fresh fruit and enjoy.

Yogurt. Organic yogurts do not use any artificial sweeteners. Therefore, the flavored versions typically have a lot of added sugar. Your best bet is to buy plain yogurt and flavor it yourself with cinnamon or fresh fruit or defrosted frozen fruit or wheat germ or nuts . . . .

Easy, Tasty Recipes for the entire family

As spring and summer approach, we all are probably starting to think about eating a bit healthier. Especially since all sorts of fruits and veggies are in season now (not to mention bathing suit season is fast approaching). And, regardless of the season, we're always trying to make sure our bebes are eating healthy.
But who wants to give up some of our favorite things? That's where the Skinny Chef saves the day! Although there are a countless number of resources (many mentioned here before) for ideas and tips on feeding your family healthy meals, this one might just be one of my favorites. Jennifer Iserloh is a professional chef who specializes in taking our favorite foods and making them in healthier ways so that we don't have to give them up and we can even make them for our kids without feeling guilty.

The recipes on the website are broken down into the standard groupings (apps, main courses, desserts, etc) including a Kid Friendly group. She points out the various nutritional benefits of each recipe and even suggests wine pairings to make even the Kid Friendly recipes Adult Friendly.

On her website you can also request a free pdf of her Tips for Busy Moms and supplements to her new cookbook.

Happy Dining (and drinking!)

Mum Mums on sale - yum yum!

Amazon.com is having a special offer:

Save up to 40% off select Hot Kid products, such as Mum Mum crackers - our favorite. Save 25% when you enter code MUMMB333 at checkout. You can also save an additional 15% when you combine the instant rebate with their Subscribe & Save offer. This offer is good until February 28, 2010.

After our little one out grew her puffs, these Mum Mum crackers quickly became the family favorite. They are easy to hold, super healthy, and great with yogurt, hummus, cheese... the list goes on.

Why can't I find any good fruit?

I always end up craving juicy, sweet fruit in the winter, when there isn't much in season so the markets (especially in Vegas) are full of apples. There are of course the random baskets of strawberries and they just look a little sad. That's because strawberries aren't actually in season until March. These poor guys have either been in storage or have been produced in an artificial environment.

In case you are like me and never know what's in season when (or just wanting to know when cherries are coming back to the market), here are some great, fridge posting friendly, charts:

Vegetable Seasonality Chart
Fruit & Nut Seasonality Chart

The website has links for printer friendly versions and also shows seasonality for flowers, meats, & cheeses.

Breastfeeding Advice

If you're like a lot of us and not pleased with the help from La Leche League, here is another site our member, Manpreet found:
http://www.breastfeeding.asn.au/default.htm

Do you get any advice you found to be priceless?

What well balanced meal will I make today?

I've started looking at everything I make for lunch and dinner and wondering if it's Soph appropriate. They say once babies start eating toddler food it gets easier because you don't have to make 2 meals. Um - that might be true if you're already eating well balanced meals. I'm pretty sure things like taco night (full of packaged seasoning and salsa) and cereal for dinner night don't qualify as the well balanced meal Soph should be getting. The good thing is that it is definitely helping us make sure we have some healthier meals. I've also become a pro at adding vegetable puree into everything. It's amazing how much better you feel about eating mac n cheese for dinner when you've added some butternut squash and broccoli puree into it.

Some of my favorite books about feeding and recipes for our little ones are:
Baby Bites - great month by month feeding guide
The Healthy Baby Meal Planner - a lot of great easy recipes broken out by month. It also includes weaning schedules and tips on helping ensure you baby gets all of their vitamins.
Healthy Meals for Babies & Toddlers - concise book with tips, recipes (with clearly marked cook times), storage tips and most importantly, pictures. I love recipe books that show pictures of the food.

One great website that I visit often for recipe ideas is: http://weelicious.com/
She has great unique recipes that are fit for parents & baby alike.

Happy Feeding!

Skip Hop Giveaway!

Skip Hop is giving away their Chow Baby Food Organizer (great space saver) with purchase of any feeding item. Offer is good thru December 25th, while supplies last. Just put any feeding product into your cart, and the Chow Baby Food Organizer will be automatically added.

We have the Palette Plate and love using it. It is super handy when we're serving Soph a meal with a few different components. It's also great that all of their products are BPA free.

While you're on the Skip Hop site, some of my other favorites are the Splash bottle drying rack, the Studio diaper tote (it's like Mary Poppins bag, and looks great when you have to go somewhere nice), and the Farmyard Animal Chime Balls.