Healthy Kids

Our busy lifestyles and the convenience of prepackaged foods have made it easy to fill our kids up on some not so nice things which contain artificial additives and preservatives so with the New Year here and the beginning of a new school year fast approaching we thought it appropriate to share some healthy snack and lunch box ideas and do a bit of research into what really is in our food.

Slices of Fruit
Banana Slices Coated in Coconut
Dried Fruit (Apricots, Sultanas)
Fresh Dates
Frozen Fruit
Roasted Veges
Vege Sticks with Hummus/Cottage Cheese or Avocado
Raisin Toast
Pikelets with Ricotta and Honey
Rice Cakes with Vegemite
Weetbix and Honey
Jaffles filled with Baked Beans, Tuna,
Sandwiches – Egg and Lettuce, Ham and Salad, Peanut Butter (if no peanut allergy)
Mini Pizza on English Muffin
Cheese and Dried Fruit
Lavash Bread Roll Ups with Hummus, Grated Carrot, Cheese and Avocado
Frittatas or Vege Slices
Yoghurt with Extra Fresh Fruit
Baked Potatoes filled with Tuna, Creamed Corn or Baked Beans
Fruit Smoothies

Of course there are heaps more great things to put into our kids mouths so if anyone out there would like to add their suggestions then please feel free.

In terms of additives and preservatives if you are feeling confused then take a look at this site for some clarification http://www.fedup.com.au/ Here you can download some really useful information to help decipher what all those numbers mean on the food ingredient list and most importantly which ones to avoid.

Whilst visiting this site consider taking part in the Kids First Campaign which is a bid to demand Australia’s Food Standards Australia New Zealand follows the UK’s lead and puts consumers first by banning six additives in question from Australian Food. Additional information linked to this was recently featured on Sunrise and clearly outlines the colourings in question.

Also an Australian List of Foods which contain the nasty colourings in question can be found by following the below link:

http://www.fedupwithfoodadditives.info/features/colours/colourfoods.htm

Please feel free to make commnet about this topic as i would to hear about some of your thoughts and experiences.

Whole Food

My interest in nutrition and what we consume in our daily diet has always been of interest to me so when I stumbled across this book at my local fruit shop/deli yesterday I couldn't help but buy it.

It is called "Whole Food" and is simply about eating good food the natural way. Authors Gavin Pitt and Rachel Thomsom have interesting backgrounds and have observed how people feel and look better if they eat healthier and more nutritious meals. I am definately looking forward to trying out some of the recipes - blueberry truffles and coconut and lime tartlets. It all sounds to good to be true. I will deliver my experience once I have made them to see if they are as good as they sound.

And speaking of looking and feeling better - now that I am pregnant with my second child I have made a concious effort to be extra vigilant with what I consume and put in and on my body. So I have been researching some more natural alternatives to my chemical laden face cream that mind you cost a packet (more fool me right) and does absolutely nothing for my skin and probably never will.

So two products that I have found that are definately worthy of a mention and I am sure there are zillions more are:

Joliv offers an exquisite range of chemical-free, environmentally friendly and entirely natural beauty products and comes with a unique guarantee that they contain absolutely no harmful or artificial ingredients. Better still every product is freshly hand made, from scratch, to order. They even do cleaning products which is great too!

Another to consider is Simplicite. Experienced Naturopath David Lyons has turned his 2o years of experience in naturopathy and herbal medicine toward a range of skin care which is made uses natures purest plant, flower, aromatherapy and Australian bush-flower extracts. It sounds delicious!

They both sound good enough to eat!