Monday, August 23, 2010

Teething Time


As anyone with a small child knows, teething is a tough time.  And that's probably an understatement.  It means that baby is in pain, and mom is getting even less sleep than usual.  Teething toys, manufactured in all sorts of standard plastics, have become a staple way of easing the process along.  It's come out in recent years though, that they aren't always totally benign.  PVC plastics, which many are made out of, carry serious health risks, as well as polluting our environment.  
Mothers in search of more natural remedies can find plenty of ideas online.  Here are some interesting ones:
-frozen washcloths
-frozen food, like bananas
-organic teething biscuits
 I really favor the frozen fruit idea.  Many stores also now carry manufactured toys in safer materials.  Although these can be more expensive, they can be pretty darn cute.

Monday, August 9, 2010

A Brand New You. Healthy Recipes from General Mills!


General Mills recently rolled out a new initiative, entitled "eatbetter america," with emphasis on whole grains and healthy food.  Eating healthy can really be a chore when you are busy with a small child, but General Mills is out to show the world that food that's fast, easy, and suited to a modern life can still be wholesome.  I especially love their recipe section, with hundreds of inspirational ideas including breakfast recipes that are alternatives to sugary cereal (a guilty pleasure of mine that usually results in a sugar crash a couple of hours later).  All of the instructions are clear and include calorie counts.  I tried "Whole-Grain Raspberry French Toast" this morning, and all I can say is "wow!"  I love the mixture of a tangy and sweet, with the texture added from whole grains.  Sign up here to get free coupons and recipes!

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Always on the go? Grab granola!

I've loved granola bars for years, as an easy, healthy snack that can be enjoyed by adults and children alike.  General Mills offers the Cascadian Farms brand, which is undeniably tasty.  Apparently I'm not the only one who thinks so: Cascadian Farm Fruit and Nut Granola Bars were voted Best Granola Bar by SELF magazine in their 2010 Healthy Food Awards!  You can sign up to get coupons here, and get $1.00 off your first box.  Yum!