What's Cooking With Kids

Apr 3Just in Time for Earth Day – Michael Recycle

My review copy of Michael Recycle landed on my front porch just in time for an afternoon playdate...and ended up being the topic of conversation for the rest of the afternoon. The kids, ages 5 through 8, loved the bold coloring of the fantastic illustrations and found the writing to be hilarious! Michael Recycle is an adventure about a superhero (clad with a colander-hat!), who teaches people about how recycling can help make their town more beautiful and their bodies healthier. The book is...

Mar 31Did Your Shopping List Kill a Songbird?

March 30, 2008 Op-Ed Contributor, New York Times By BRIDGET STUTCHBURY Woodbridge , Ontario THOUGH a consumer may not be able to tell the difference, a striking red and blue Thomas the Tank Engine made in Wisconsin is not the same as one manufactured in China — the paint on the Chinese twin may contain dangerous levels of lead. In the same way, a plump red tomato from Florida is often not the same as one grown in Mexico . The imported fruits and vegetables found in our shopping carts in winter...

Mar 28Win a copy of The Toddler Cafe!

How many times have parents worked hard to make a new dish for their toddler only to have them throw it on the ground or refuse to eat it? Every mom has been there, and they all want to know how to get their kids to develop into healthy eaters that actually enjoy their time at the table. While there is no easy answer to this question, author Jennifer Carden and her photographer husband Matthew have created a cookbook to get parents started in the right direction. They learned with...

Mar 28Knut - How One Little Polar Bear Captivated The ...

At our local elementary school, we recently began a program called Cancel-A-Car that encourages families to take action at home to offset carbon emissions from cars. After the school-wide launch assembly, where a mama polar bear and her cub discover that their home is melting, the kids were excited to learn what they could to to prevent global warming. My kids are taking shorter showers, using reusable Sigg water bottles and encouraging their teachers to recycle more in the classroom. With the global...

Mar 25Turn Off Your Lights and Make A Difference

My friend at Crunchy Domestic Goddess turned me on to the Earth Hour 2008. If everyone turned off their lights, even for one hour, that we could reduce greenhouse gases and raise awareness about global warming. So simple. So obvious. Time to mark your calendar: Sunday, March 29, 2008 is Earth Hour 2008. During Earth Hour 2007, Sydney made a powerful statement about the greatest contributor to global warming – coal-fired electricity – by turning off its lights. Over 2.2 million Sydney...

Mar 23Who Feeds The Kids?

When I found this article on Culinate, I knew that I was in love. So eloquently put, I had to share directly with you. For more inspiring articles, recipes and opinions, please stop by and take a look. Too many options, too much junk food, By Kim Carlson Recently I attended a meeting with fellow parents of teenagers where we were asked what practical know-how we hope our children will gain in the next five years. Progressive and sensible, my fellow parents tossed out such ideas as “Learn...

Mar 22"My Bag and Me" helps kids go green

"My Bag and Me" is a new book, released from Penton Kids Press just in time for Earth Day, 2008. Shaped like a grocery bag, this board book is just the thing to get toddlers excited about going green at the market. This story follows a little boy on a shopping trip with his mother and clearly shows his pride when he is able to hand his reusable bag to the checker and say, "Paper and Plastic no more!" Stored in the back of this book is a small reusable and recyclable bag that your own child can bring...

Mar 21Creative sack lunches for kids

I have a new favorite in the Online Cooking world. Culinate is a meeting place of food professionals and aficionados, and their articles inspire me, both in the kitchen and out. Here is one of the first articles that I read there, and had me instantly coming back for more. Creative Sack Lunches for Kids Reprinted from Culinate, By Keri Fisher The worst thing about living in a communal household with a combined seven children is, without a doubt, packing lunch. Most...

Mar 19FruitaBu – Tasty and Portable

Ever since I was invited to become a contributor to KidsCuisine.net, my children have loved their new role as Taste Testers. They wait eagerly by the mailbox to see if samples of fruit or yogurt snacks have arrived. Even when we aren't reviewing foods for a specific assignment, they ask if I can write down their opinions on other recipes, snacks, baked goods and restaurants! Yesterday, they tore open the wrappers of the some new FruitaBu Organic Smoooshed Fruit Flats with relish! Between bites,...

Mar 14The Toddler Cafe - Feeding Kids Just Got Easier!...

It happened! Finally! A cookbook for fun, delicious AND healthy recipes for kids - that uses an honest to goodness approach to feeding kids real foods, as they were meant to be. The Toddler Cafe, by Jennifer Carden, is a breath of fresh air when it comes to the world of kids cookbooks. I own a company that teaches healthy cooking classes to children, so you can believe me when I tell you that the overwhelming majority of cookbooks "for kids" aren't worth your time. Most of them focus on "kid...