The March edition of the Fit Family Digest is hot off the press and packed with great information to start SPRING off right. Click through for great tips on incorporating more fruits and veggies into your day, more sleep into your nights, and more time outside into your life.
A Family Wellness Blog
Are You a “SNACKTIVIST”? You SHOULD be.
My fellow family health advocates, Susan Hayden and Patrick Fellows recently turned me on to the fantastic concept of “Snacktivism” through the blog Real Mom Nutrition by Sally Kuzemchak, MS, RD.
Click through to find out exactly what “Snacktivism” is and for some great snack ideas to help you be the “Snacktivist” your kids need you to be. Continue reading
Bullies Called Him Pork Chop
This video is a must watch. The bullying epidemic is only getting worse. Suicide is among the leading causes of death for children under the age of 14.
Click through to watch this beautiful, painful and all too relevant original animated video rendition of Shane Koyczan’s spoken word poem about his shared experience being bullied.
For more information on what you can do about bullying and how to talk to your kids about bullying visit the American Academy of Pediatrics page on bullying. Don’t be another silent observer.
Continue reading
Fit Family Digest
As part of my role as the Health Educator for the Baton Rouge Children’s HEALTH Project I create a monthly health EDUCATION newsletter called the Fit Family Digest. The newsletter is geared towards parents and includes tips on increasing physical ACTIVITY for the whole family, ideas from Dr. Denise Sellers, clinical child psychologist, on methods for improving health behaviors, and even recipes that are delicious, healthy, cheap, and KID friendly.
Click through to download the latest issue. This month’s has a recipe for DELICIOUS Pizzadillas, a cross between a quesadilla and a pizza. These are a MUST make!
Do You KNOW What Your Kids Are Eating?
The food industry in our country has become so complicated that many times it’s almost impossible to understand what’s in the food that we and our children are eating.
Most of us already know this is true for processed foods. For instance, sodium tripolyphosphate is an ingredient in Kraft Macaroni & Cheese. I’d bet money that the average person has no clue what sodium tripolyphosphate is much less what it does! Turns out it acts as an emulsifier and helps the food retain moisture. It’s most common use, though, is as a water softener in detergent. Other uses include antifreeze, leather tanning and flame retardants. I’m suddenly wishing I hadn’t looked up sodium tripolyphosphate!
But what about our fresh food: fruits, vegetables, meats, dairy, and grains? Surely they’re safe since they aren’t processed. We buy these in their original form. Right? Maybe not.
Click through for an amazing TED talk by Robyn O’Brien on why we should, at the very least, be informing ourselves before making decisions on the foods we feed the most vulnerable and most vital people among us, our children.
Cajun Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie
Shepherd’s Pie isn’t something you see a lot of in the Deep South. In fact, until yesterday, I’d never tasted it. Since I’m a meat and potatoes guy at heart, the idea of a “pie” made of those two things had always intrigued me.
Last night was a clean-out-the-fridge night so that I wouldn’t waste money by letting meat and produce go bad sitting on shelf. So when I found sweet potatoes, zucchini, squash, and bulk Cajun sausage it seemed like the perfect time to finally try a Shepherd’s Pie. The result was so DELICIOUS that I’ve already added the ingredients to my grocery list so I can make it again!
Want to use this recipe for Meatless Monday? Simply replace the sausage with a can of drained black beans. Now you’ve got a hearty vegan dinner!
Experiment with different veggies. Mushrooms, tomatoes, or eggplant would all be super TASTY in this. Or trade out the sweet potatoes for roasted and mashed butternut squash. The possibilities really are endless! Have fun and make it your own.
Click through for the recipe for this SUPER healthy and VEGGIE packed casserole. I promise you won’t be disappointed! Continue reading
Fuel Your KIDS’ Brains
The spring semester is upon us! For anyone with school-aged children that means lots of time PREPPING for a standardized test of some sort or another. It takes more than books to ensure an AWESOME score. Click through for some amazing BRAIN foods that can make all the difference come test day. Continue reading
