June 19th, 2012

Nature is not neat. It produces vines that overtake your house and trees; little creatures that make homes in your ductwork and summer gardens that can appear ready to croak in the heat just before they birth a barrel of vegetables all in the same 5-day time span.
That’s why we have canning.

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January 31st, 2011

Eat your veggies! And, while you’re at it, quit drinking so much soda.

The government’s new dietary guidelines issued today are unequivocal. Americans need to get serious about eating healthier. They need to put more produce on their plates and push out the sugar, saturated fats and sodium that have crept into the American diet in so many ways, via soda, packaged meals and sweet snacks.

The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (yes, it’s 2011, in case you’re reading in real time) are more explicit than ever, federal officials said, because the nation’s got big obesity issues.

So instead of just urging us to eat 5 to 7 “servings” of fruits and vegetables every day, the mantra of the last adjustment in the food pyramid, these new guidelines tell us to drink water instead of “sugary drinks”, switch to 1 percent milk, and fill half of our plates with fruits and vegetables.

But wait! Don’t overfill that plate. Portion size and exercise also are part of the equation.

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August 5th, 2010

If you’ve ever taken a pre-schooler out to eat, you’ll know that toys are a powerful lure. We adults consider appetizers, drinks, entrees, pricing, calories and ambiance, evaluating a matrix that leads us to lunch.
But five-year-olds are at the mercy of their bellies, and the pull of shiny baubles. A five-year-old wants food and treats.

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February 13th, 2009

By Hosea Sanders
WLS – Chicago

Chicago — Some parents are combining nutrition, convenience and eco-friendliness and they’re bringing it to a school cafeteria near you.

Parents get a guarantee that their kid’s lunch won’t consist of cheese pizza or chicken nuggets and for $5, they’ll also know they’re helping to protect the planet.

Check this out. No parents around and one kid chooses to devour apple chunks before a chocolate brownie with edamame as a close second. It’s every parents dream. He’s one of the students at Wilmot school in Deerfield who gets a green bag lunch.

> Watch Now

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November 20th, 2008

By Michelle Chan Santos

When Jeanne Wallace’s two daughters woke up from their nap the other day – the oldest girl is 3 ½, and the younger one 23 months – they ate radishes for their afternoon snack. Each girl happily ate ten radishes – washed, raw and fresh from their mother’s garden. It was a typical of their tastes – both the children love vegetables, and their favorites are broccoli and cauliflower. They didn’t even want any salad dressing.

Wallace, who lives in Austin, Texas, credits her young daughters’ healthy eating habits to the fact that she made her own baby food for them. Wallace ate many nutritious foods during her pregnancy and while breastfeeding, and making her own baby food for the girls when they were infants seemed to be the natural next step, she said.

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October 21st, 2008

Organic milk is more healthful than conventional milk. It contains 68 percent more omega 3 fatty acids, which has been linked to reducing the risk of heart disease and cancer. Learn more about the benefits from the Organic Milk Cooperative.

– Nima Kapadia

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June 24th, 2008

By Julie Bonnin

Aging baby-boomers who love fruits and vegetables may like the results of a recent study that found fruits and vegetables can help preserve muscle mass in older men and women.

Researchers from Tufts University analyzed data from 400 participants 65 years and older who completed a three-year osteoporosis trial. They found a link between higher measures of lean body mass and diets relatively high in potassium-rich fruits and vegetables. Such diets could help mediate the muscle-wasting response that occurs with aging.

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