31 Day Challenge- Day 1: Establish Accountability

Happy New Year!

Welcome to day one of the 31 Days of Teaching your Kids to be "Good Eaters" Challenge!

Your challenge today is to find a way to record or account for the steps that you are taking in the challenge.

Talk to your family about the challenge. Get them excited about the idea and help them to feel some ownership. Talk about foods that they like. Talk about times they may have tried something new and ended up really enjoying it, or the time that they went to a new restaurant and had a great meal. Talk about the fun foods that you had over the holidays... whatever it takes to get your kids excited about the challenge.

Then, decide how you're going to record or account for the time.

Perhaps you'll post on your blog daily- if this is the case, I encourage you to find a way to involve your kids in the process. They can tell their family members and friends about the challenge and ask them to "check in" on your blog to see how your kids are doing.

Another great idea is have your kids start a journal. Depending upon the age of your kids they can write or draw pictures about their experiences.

A reader of the blog, Hip2Save shared a "Things I like to Eat" poster that her son had made. He was was challenged to write down 30 foods that he liked. He started with several foods that he already knew he liked. His challenge was to find more foods over the course of the month to try to fill in the 30.  This would be a great idea and a great way to track your children's accomplishments and to help them see the variety of foods that they like.

Finally... Lorie at Reading Confetti, posted about "Baby New Year." Baby New Year is much like the "Elf on the Shelf" except his job is to check up on everyone and see how they are doing on their new years resolutions! I absolutely LOVE this idea and I think it would be a great way to inject some fun into the challenge... If you do incorporate this idea, please make sure that you share pictures and posts about "Baby New Year" and his adventures at your home!!

So, how will you be incorporating accountability into your 31 day challenge?  Please share your ideas in the comments...

Join the Challenge! 31 Days of Teaching Your Kids to be "Good Eaters"

This is the time of year for resolutions and goal setting. As adults, many of our resolutions tend to be about food and health... This is likely, in part, due to the overindulgence of the holiday season!

This January, I'm hosting a challenge to set better eating goals, not only for yourself, but for your whole family!

Tomorrow I will be launching the "31 Days to Teach Your Kids to be Good Eaters" Challenge.  Each day I will post a task that will help you move your kids towards better eating habits.  As a teacher, I believe in differentiation (i.e. everyone is starting at a different place and learns in a different way and at a different pace.) Therefore, these challenges will have entry points for all kinds of families and all kinds of kids.

I encourage you to join the challenge and spread the word! There's nothing like accountability and the support of others to keep you on track. I'm hoping to build community over this next month.  Each day you will have the opportunity to share or link-up about your progress.  You'll be able to take advantage of advice from me and from other challenge members as well. The more members who join the challenge, the better the experience will be for all.

Here's your first challenge- a "pre-challenge" if you will...  "Find a Reason," to join the challenge.

When I'm pregnant, my eating habits tend to deteriorate.  Although I know that I should be eating better for the baby and for myself, I have trouble motivating myself to change.  Then, several months ago, I was diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes. My blood sugar was ok during the day, but my fasting blood sugars were high and the doctor wanted to put me on medicine.  Finally, I had the motivation I needed to change my habits. I didn't want to go on medicine, and in order to make that happen, I was going to have to follow all of the "rules," even when I don't want to!

Today, your challenge is to find your reason for changing the way your family eats:

*Are you tired of making "two (or more) dinners?
*Are your kids snacking all day and driving you crazy?
*Is meal time stressful and you're just sick of it?
*Are you concerned that the foods your children are eating are affecting their behavior?
*Do you want to be able to attend family events or go out to a restaurant without worrying about whether there will be something that your kids will eat?
*Are you having trouble cutting your food budget because your kids will only eat "certain" foods?

Whatever your reason, find your reason, find your focus, and then: Join the Challenge!!

Share your reason in the comments, and don't forget to spread the word- post about the challenge, share it on Facebook, and grab the 31 Days Button!



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Tuesday Picky Eater Tip- Take Advantage of Positive Peer Pressure

Peer pressure gets a bad rap, but, the truth is, that kids are influenced by peers that they trust. When it comes to good eating, you can use this to your advantage.

My youngest son and my niece are three months apart in age. When my niece was first starting to eat, my sister tried feeding her many of the foods that she knew I was feeding my son.

One of my favorite foods for babies (and older kids too!) is avocado.  Knowing this, my sister tried multiple times to introduce my niece to avocado, but it seemed that she just wasn't interested.

One day, my mom was feeding both my niece and my son. She had them in Bumbos side-by-side. The two of them were enjoying the social interaction of being fed together. My mom gave some avocado to my son who happily started devouring it. She then gave it to my niece, who, for the first time, ate it as well!

During the week between Christmas and New Year's, you may have opportunities to share meals or snacks with family members and friends. Use these get-togethers as opportunities to introduce your children to some new foods.

This can be done in either subtle or overt ways:

Find out if there is something that your child's friends or cousins will eat that your children won't. Serve the food to their children and yours without comment... see what happens.

Ask friends or cousins to encourage or talk up new foods to your child. Sometimes kids will listen to your peers better than they will listen to you- My son's preschool class had a fruit testing day. He mentioned that several of the kids didn't want to try plums. He encourage them to try them and told them that they tasted, "like apples." He reported that they not only tried them, but liked them.

Plan a taste testing party. Invite several friends to your house and ask them to each bring sample sizes of a healthy food that they enjoy. Set up a buffet or give each child a testing tray. Make a booklet, placemat, or recording card or sheet on which students can rate the foods they try.

If your kids try and like something new, keep introducing them to this food over the next few days and weeks. Remind them how much they liked it when they were with their friends.

Don't get discouraged if your kids won't try the foods. Keep it light, keep it fun, but keep encouraging them!

Have you ever noticed that your kids ate something when with their peers that they wouldn't eat for you?

Disclaimer: Any links to Amazon are my affiliate links. If you click on the link and make a purchase, I receive an advertising fee.

Tips for Reducing Christmas Meltdowns

If you have kids, the “Christmas Meltdown” is likely a familiar event… Holiday meltdowns have many causes, many of which are out of our control.

However, there is one cause that we can control and that is the amount of sugar that our children consume…

You may be thinking… it’s just one day, it’s Christmas!! I’m all for treats and cookies and desserts, but, what you’ll find is that with moderation and in combination with “real food,” you children will be happier, and ultimately have a better day (and so will you!)

Here are some tips to help cut down on sugar-induced meltdowns on Christmas:

1.   Plan a hearty, healthy breakfast, loaded with protein.  Since my family cut out cereal in the morning, I’ve noticed that they are much more balanced the whole day.  My mom always made a sausage and egg breakfast casserole for Christmas morning. Most breakfast casseroles can be made the night before. Refrigerate overnight, pop it in the oven, and you’ll have a great breakfast ready by the time everyone’s finished unwrapping presents.  For other high protein, high fiber, low sugar options, check out my list of cereal alternatives.

2    2. If you typically have candy in the stockings, start the tradition of opening stockings after breakfast. This way, the kids can still enjoy a treat from their stockings, but it won’t be the first thing hitting their stomachs.

3. Don’t leave Christmas cookies and treats out in plain site all day long. We made Christmas cookies a few nights ago. Since they were on a big tray, they didn’t really fit anywhere but on the counter. It seemed like my kids were constantly asking, “Can we have a cookie?”  I finally put the cookies in a bag and put them away in the cupboard and this drastically cut down on the requests for cookies.

4. Leave a fruit and/or vegetable tray out on the counter instead… In my family the tendency is to “hang out” in the kitchen all day and pick. If the healthy options are the easiest to access, they will most likely get eaten.

5. Plan for, and encourage, small healthy snacks throughout the day. Don’t try to “save appetites,” for dinner. The hungrier children are, the more cranky they tend to be, and the less likely they will be to make good choices.

6. Help children be aware of how junk food and sugar make them feel.  I remember eating tons of candy from my stocking first thing in the morning and then not feeling well. Talk to children about times they may have done this in the past and how they felt. Encourage them to choose one special piece of candy or cookie and discuss when it would be a good time to have another one (such as after dinner.) If they know that another treat is coming, they will look forward to it with anticipation, rather than feeling deprived.

7. Offer fun treats that aren’t necessarily packed with sugar. Try “apple donuts,” or baked “apple donuts.”  Dip the bottoms and tops of strawberries with white or dark chocolate and coconut and make “santa hats.”  Try a fruit kebeb, make and eat “elf donuts,” or try this fun idea I found on Pintrest- cut celery sticks and give kids a cup of peanut (or other nut) butter and a dish of goldfish cracker and let them “go fishing.”

For more ideas, including how to encourage healthy eating at holiday meals, check out my post, “How to help teach your kids to be better eaters on Thanksgiving.”

Merry Christmas!!

Food Adventure Friday- Week 8 Merry Christmas!!

I don't know about you, but we've been lucky enough to eat this week, let alone have a "Food Adventure" The closest I came was my daughter's lunch on Wednesday...

Though I must say that I love the "Elf Donuts" so much I just have to show them again! If I have enough time, I may even make up a few packets for my daughter to give some of her friends as gifts :)

If you had time for some "Food Adventures" this week, I'd love to hear about them... please link up!

If you have fun Holiday meal sometime during the next week, that would be great to share! I'd also love to hear what foods are "traditional" in your families for the holidays... For example, for Christmas Eve at my Grandparent's house we have always had corned beef sandwiches! Not exactly classically traditional Christmas Eve Fare, but it's tradition for us!!

We'll also be having our "traditional" day after Christmas breakfast (which is just like our "traditional" (not traditional at all!) day after Thanksgiving breakfast!!)

My Favorite Foods- Apples

This week's "favorite food," is Apples! Apples are a staple at my house. Every Monday we stop at the "Healthy Food Store," and buy a bag of organic apples. The apples are always on the counter in a bowl, and they are my "go to," snack.

Generally, if my kids ask for a snack, I offer an apple... If they want something else, I usually encourage an apple first...

Sometimes they are excited about eating the apples and sometimes they aren't. But if I don't offer any other choices, they will usually take me up on my offer. They always end up eating them and are typically satisfied when they're done.

Apples are full of wonderful soluble and insoluble fiber. They help to keep cholesterol levels low, are great for balancing blood sugar, and help to cleanse the system by keeping things moving in the intestinal track.

There is a great deal of fiber content in the skin of apples and much of the vitamin C is located just under the apple's skin. Therefore it's a good idea to get your kids accustomed to eating the apple skin.  If your kids don't like apple skin, start by leaving just a little bit of skin and then leave just a little bit more each time. Another option is to cut very skinny slices so that the skin in barely noticeable.  Be aware that some apples have much thicker skin than others (such as Red Delicious.) Gala and Fugi apples have very thin skins and may be a good place to start.

To keep things interesting I serve apples in a variety of ways:

*Slices
*Chunks (Cutting a big slice from each side making 4 big "chunks"
*Whole Apples... (My kids love getting to eat a whole apple. However, sometimes if they are larger apples, I know that they may not eat the whole thing. In that case I  cut a "big chunk" and one kid gets the chunk and one kid gets the rest of the apple...)
*Apples with Nutbutter (fiber AND protein!)
*Apples with Slices of cheese (again, fiber and protein- plus calcium!)

*Apple Donuts:

*Baked (Microwaved 1 minute) Apple Donuts with sugar and cinnamon. (I used Coconut Sugar)

*There are many different kinds of apples and the variety can also help to keep things interesting. I usually buy Fugi (because that's what I like the best) but one day my son came home from preschool raving about "Goldalicious" apples. That day we went and bought some Golden Delicious apples and now my kids think those are a "special treat!" Also, although they are typically only available (at least where I live) in the fall,  Honey Crisp apples, are as sweet and crispy as they sound and are always a favorite!

What kinds of apples do you usually buy? How do your kids like to eat them? I'd love to hear your ideas in the comments.

Little Treats Can Make a Big Impact- Elf Donuts!!

It seems like this time of year is all about treats!! I'm all for treats. I'm all for fun. I'm NOT all about the way my kids act when they have too many treats, and especially, too much sugar!

Therefore, when I saw these "Elf Donuts" on Pintrest, I was totally sold!! The "donuts" are Cheerios coated with either powder sugar, a mix of powdered sugar and cinnamon, or melted dark chocolate with sprinkles.  The actual amount of sugar in these treats is minimal, the treat itself is small, but the impact and the fun factor is HUGE! I can't wait for my daughter to find these in her lunch!!

I also made "Santa Hats," (I saw these somewhere... if you posted about these before, let me know so I can site you!) using cream cheese mixed with a little bit of powdered sugar- However, it was too stiff for my cheap icing dispenser and I broke it, so I had to just spread the icing with a knife.  Also, the strawberries were too tall for the box, even when I cut them way down, so I used raspberries for all but one. They are sitting on a bed of coconut snow.

I also made Rudolph sandwiches (Cashew butter and all fruit jelly on Sara Lee Soft and Smooth 100% Whole Wheat Bread, carob chip eyes, raspberry (for rudolph) and dried cherry noses, and pretzel antlers) ... again! They were a hit on Monday morning, and I thought my daughter would enjoy showing her friends at lunch today.

This post is linked up to "What's For Lunch Wednesday." 

Check out this AMAZING lunch I found there today!

7 "Last Minute" Homemade Gifts for Kids

I love seeing all of the wonderful homemade gifts that people make this time of year. I admire the projects and even pin them, but I know that I have little chance of ever making them. The truth is that even though I like making things, I'm just not very crafty.

I did make some homemade gifts this year. However, all of these gifts require little time, no "crafty abilities," and cost little to no money (depending upon what you have around the house and which parts of the gifts you decide to use.) Incidentally, this is not an advertisement for Dollar Tree- but it should be!

*One last note: I have made PDFs of all labels/ artwork/ and recipes used in these gifts, however, most of the files are too big for Google Docs. I would love any suggestions for how to share these, but in the meantime, e-mail me at: info (at) teachinggoodeaters.com, and I'll send you the PDFs for any or all of the kits.

Mancala- Cost: $0-$1 Time:15 minutes or less Skill level: None!

This one is the simplest, easiest, and cheapest, but can provide hours of fun for anyone 5-95!

Mancala is a game of strategy that is fun for all ages. I taught my 5 and 6 year old and sometimes they can even beat me. It doesn't take very long to play a single game, but is fun enough to play over and over.

To make a Mancala game, all you need is an egg carton, these Mancala Printables (which includes the rules) and 48 of either stones (mine were $1 at Dollar Tree), beads, or dried beans.

Cookie Baking Kit- Cost: $0- $4, Time: 30 minutes Skill Level: Minimal (due to glue gun designs!)

This one was inspired by this felt cookie kit posted on Pink and Green Momma. I loved her kit, but sadly, I don't sew, so I came up with my own "low craft" version.

I made three batches of homemade play dough: Sugar Cookie, Chocolate, and Cinnamon.  I put them in little round containers (I splurged and bought these at Michaels, but you can buy similar ones 3/$1 at Dollar Tree, or you can use ziplock bags) and then I added labels.

I filled an empty sprinkle container with pony beads, added a cookie cutter and made design "rolling pins," using a wrapping paper tube and hot glue ( I got this idea from somewhere, but now I can't find it! If you happen to know where the idea may have come from, please let me know!) I also bought a small cookie sheet at Dollar Tree for, $1.

Monster Dough Kit- Cost: $0-$2, Time: 15 minutes, Skill Level: None!

Also inspired by Pink and Green Momma...

I used some extra dough from when I made my cookie kit (one is made with ginger, and one is made with blueberry tea, and although it's not blue, it smells like blueberry muffins.) Both of them are somewhat strange in color- perfect for monsters!  In the second container I put large and small googlie eyes, feathers, pipe cleaners, and pony beads. 

Rainbow Dough Kit- Cost: $0-$1 Time: 20 minutes   Skill Level: None!

This was inspired by Cameron Homemade. I loved the brightly colored dough she made and how great it looked in the cute little containers ($1 for 10 at Dollar Tree.) I started by adapting her recipe to make smaller batches since I was using so many colors. I also used unsweetened Koolaid instead of food coloring so that I would get fun scents along with fun colors.

After 2 batches I ran out of cream of tartar. I actually don't usually even have cream of tartar in the house which has prevented me from making baked play dough before. After some google searches which suggested you *might* be able to substitute baking soda and baking powder, and lots of experimentation with ratios, I came up with this recipe: Rainbow Dough Recipe and Ideas I love that it's even more frugal since it doesn't require the pricier cream of tartar!!

Sensory Lentil Bucket- Cost: $0-$10, Time: 5 minutes (plus shopping), Skill level: None!

When my oldest was around 2, I was going to make a sensory bucket using rice, but had a moment of inspiration at the store and bough lentils instead. Lentils make a wonderful sensory play medium; they are small, but non-toxic and not a choking hazard. They are also smooth and soft and make a great noise when they are shaken or poured.

I put the lentils in an empty Parmesan cheese container; this makes a great storage and play container! I then bought a bucket, scoop, set of funnels, slotted spoon, set of salad tongs, measuring cups, and measuring spoons. (Again, ALL from Dollar Tree!)

Puffs and Pipe Cleaners- Cost: $0-$4   Time: 10 Minutes plus shopping   Skill Level: None

Inspired by a busy bag we received through our busy bag swap, and another idea I also saw on Kidlet Occupation...

This is made using an empty oatmeal container which I covered with a colorful label. I punctured the lid using a corkscrew and then widened some of the holes just slightly with the tip of a knife (for threading pipe cleaners) and other holes I made a bit larger using scissors (for "popping" puffs).

Inside the container are puffs, pipe cleaners of different lengths, two pairs of plastic tongs and clear plastic shot glasses. (Once again, these can all be purchased at Dollar Tree.) My boys have been known to play for a very long time with the puffs, tongs and cups!

Artist Trading Card Binder- Cost: $0-$15 Time: 5 minutes plus shopping Skill Level: None!

This idea was inspired by an article in Family Fun Magazine about the new "fad" of creating and trading small works of art.

If you are a couponer, you could possibly create this gift for free using items you have around the house because one of the pricier items is 9 pocket page protector sheets.  The only necessities are a binder, trading card protector sheets, small pieces of paper, and art supplies.  I also added a zip pouch for the art supplies, a folder, and some store bought "official" blank artist trading cards from Michaels. (These are not necessary. For my own kid's binders, I just cut pieces of paper to size.)  

I also included a copy of the article to help explain the concept and provide ideas for how to create different kinds of art.

What easy homemade gifts have you made? 

I'd love for you to share your ideas or links in the comments! 

Disclosure: The links to Amazon are my affiliate links. If you purchase something through the link, I receive an advertising fee.

Picky Eater Tip- Watch the Labels

In my post, Help for Picky Eaters, I promised to add a new "picky eater," tip each Tuesday.

Today's "Tuesday Tip," may seem ironic, considering the title of the series: Don't call your child a picky eater.

With the craziness of the season at the moment, I'm doing my best to keep things as simple as possible, and this one is as simple as it comes, and yet, it is very powerful.

I can't tell you how often parents have said to me in front of their child, "(Insert Name Here) is such a picky eater." "He/ she won't eat anything." or "He/ she won't eat any vegetables."

When kids hear their parents say this, it reinforces their behavior and becomes part of their identity. I've had children join us for lunch or dinner, and before trying anything they will announce, "I'm a picky eater."

When it comes to eating, you are your child's primary teacher. Think how you (or your child) would feel, if you heard their teacher announce, "(Your Child's Name) just isn't a good reader," in front of your child.

This isn't meant to be a criticism (in fact, as I write it, I realize that I need to be aware of the language I use in reference to my own children's habits (i.e. "He sucks his thumb constantly!") Instead, it is meant to make you aware of the language you use in front of your children and the message you're sending. Plus, beyond even saying that your child is picky, it could hinder you to even be thinking it. After all, if you assume that your child is picky and won't eat something, you won't serve it to them, or expect them to eat it, and it becomes a self-fulfilling prophesy.

Try changing the language around and focus on the positive. If you child eats anything new, talk up how adventurous they're becoming in their eating or say, "Aren't you glad you tried that, otherwise you'd be missing out on something great."

When you see other children eating vegetables, or for any other reason are tempted to say that your child won't eat vegetables, say, "(Your child's name) just LOVES (insert name of any vegetable that your child will eat (carrots, tomatoes in tomato sauce, etc.)

Finally, if your child says that they're picky, say, "Being picky is no fun. There are so many good foods that picky eaters miss out on. Let's work on being more adventurous eaters!"

Be sure to check back next Tuesday for more "Picky Eater" tips.

From Slacker Mom to Cool Mom- Muffin Tins to the Rescue Again!

Truth be told, I was not going to make a muffin tin today and was not going to participate in Muffin Tin Monday.  There simply is too much that I need to accomplish this week...

But then, I looked in the refrigerator- no milk, no eggs, no bread, no yogurt, no fruit except 1 pear and some clementines.  I thought about making homemade chicken sausage but the chicken is frozen, and oops... sage, cloves, and ground red pepper are not spices that I keep on hand.  I desperately need to go to the store, but it just hasn't made it to the top of the priority list (until now!)

Muffin Tins have saved me before (play dates, salads, leftovers) ... and so, I pulled out the muffin tins and set off to figure out what I could use to fill them.

I started with the pear and clementines. I had two rolls left over from dinner. I cut each one into four thin slices to make cashew butter and jelly sandwiches. To help add appeal, I decided to make "Rudolph Sandwiches." I've seen these many times but didn't really have the usual supplies. I only had big pretzels so I broke them and used the middle portion for antlers.  I used dried cherries for the noses, but they aren't really red, so they're really just reindeer sandwiches and not Rudolph sandwiches. I then used carob chips for the eyes (my kids aren't really fond of the carob chips but I'll just keep introducing them in small ways- and I didn't have chocolate chips so there really wasn't another option anyways.)

I needed to fill one more cup, so I tossed in a few more of the dried cherries and some of the spicy nuts that I had for myself that have coconut sugar instead of regular sugar (they were excited to get what is typically a "desert" for breakfast that they didn't notice the difference.)

Thanks to muffin tin meals, instead of feeling like a total slacker mom this morning, my kids came down to breakfast saying, "This is so cool!" Mission accomplished. Now on to the rest of my day!

Disclosure: The link to dried cherries is my associates link. If you make a purchase from following this link, I  receive an advertising fee. These are, however, the only dried cherries I have found that do not have anything added (sugar or sulfites.)

Food Adventure Friday- Week 7

About a month ago, I saw an idea for a North Pole Breakfast on the site Little Pumpkin Grace. I was so inspired, but also totally in awe and a little bit intimidated! I decided to file this idea away for "sometime," in the, likely distant, future.

Then, two nights ago, I was in Dollar Tree and I saw these amazing candy striped cups and I started thinking... maybe, just maybe...  I decided that these would be perfect for a breakfast smoothie! The cups came with twisty straws but I knew that the smoothies would get stuck so I bought some wider straws to use instead.

I knew that I needed a table covering but the tablecloths at Dollar Tree were very thin and not very cute. I decided, instead, on an extra-long roll of wrapping paper.

Spotting some bells, I decided that I'd call my breakfast a "Jingle Bell Breakfast." I made invitations for the kids to leave at their bedsides telling them to wear their bell and wait to be called downstairs.

The kids were super excited when they found their bells and notes, unfortunately, they had a short wait because I underestimated the amount of milk we were going to need (you mean you need milk for the pancakes??!!) and had to run out to the store!

They noticed the cups right away- I don't think they even noticed anything else at first!  They immediately starting drinking their smoothies : 1 T Chia soaked in 1/2 cup water for @30 minutes, 3 frozen bananas, @ 1 cup frozen strawberries and raspberries, and enough milk to get the right texture.  This is the first time I added Chia to the smoothies, no one noticed and I do think it did a good job helping them to feel full because they ate fewer pancakes than usual and no one was "still hungry," after breakfast.

I requested candy cane pancakes and, I must say, my pancake maker really outdid himself!

I also made homemade hot chocolate using coconut sugar. It definitely wasn't as sweet as the hot chocolate they're used to, but I didn't want to start the morning with a huge sugar rush.  My daughter made a face on the first sip, but then she swirled her candy cane in her cup and didn't say another word as she drank the rest of it down! The boys didn't even seem to notice- they were just thrilled to have "hot chocolate!"

Everyone was "all smiles," after breakfast. I'm thinking that this will become a yearly tradition!

Surprise Giveaway!


Congratulations to JDaniel4sMom- Winner of a $100 Restaurant.com Certificate!!


Just for fun, everyone who links up or comments on this post will be entered in a giveaway for a $100 Restaurant.com gift certificate!  If your comment doesn't have a link to your blog, or is not connected to an e-mail address, send me an e-mail at info (at) teachinggoodeaters.com so that I'll know how to contact you if you win! The winner will be chosen randomly Saturday evening.

My Favorite Foods- Sweet Potatoes or "Yams"

Note: I always call them sweet potatoes, but in the Unites States, they are typically sold as "Yams." Though they are typically called, "yams," they are not true yams which are typically only found in tropical regions. Confused? Read more here.

For much of my life, I thought that I didn't like sweet potatoes. I had only ever had them at Thanksgiving. They were canned, sweetened, and had marshmallows on top. Every attempt had been made to make them appealing, and to me, they weren't. I assumed that if I didn't like them this way, I wouldn't like them any way!

Then, 8 years ago, I was put on an elimination diet. One of the few foods I was allowed to have was sweet potatoes. Since sugar was definitely not on the allowed food lists, I tried sweet potatoes in a variety of savory ways, and I have loved them ever since.

I've used sweet potatoes in a variety of ways: soup, sweet potato pancakes, mashed, baked, and even in sloppy joes.

Sweet potatoes make a great "first food" for babies. As babies, my kids weren't huge fans of pureed sweet potatoes (and they still don't really like mashed sweet potatoes), but as soon as they could handle finger foods, I gave them baked sweet potatoes cut in cubes or sweet potato fries.

Sweet potatoes are high in Vitamin A and Vitamin C, and despite their sweetness, they are actually good for balancing blood sugar! Since Vitamin A is a fat soluble vitamin, you will get the most benefit from them if you serve them with butter or oil (olive or coconut.)

By far, my favorite way to eat sweet potatoes is sweet potato fries!  I was first introduced to sweet potato fries through Alexia frozen sweet potato fries... but now, I typically make my own.

I slice them by hand (I'm looking for a solution to this because it does take a long time!) I then toss them with olive oil and season salt or garlic salt.  This evening my husband made them with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and I must say that I think this may be my new favorite way to eat them!  I cook them at 425 degrees on a cookie sheet for about 15-20 minutes turn them and then cook for approximately 10 minutes more.

If you don't think you kids will eat sweet potatoes, try "Scaffolding," your fries.

*If your kids will only eat fast food, or prepackaged frozen fries, start by introducing them to different frozen varieties and shapes. If you usually fry them, try baking them. If you think that they will even be resistant to this change, try Ore-Ida potato smiles, they bake up crispy and the smiles make them fun!

*Next try making your own homemade fries from  regular white potatoes.  Rachel Ray has a great recipe for making them crispy (you'll likely want to just stick to salt for your seasoning.)

*Continue to make homemade fries, but start incorporating some sweet potatoes in with the regular fries. Start small (perhaps 1/4 sweet potato fries.) If your kids are skipping the sweet potato fries in favor of the regular fries, encourage them to eat "just one," each time. Perhaps only even put one sweet potato fry on their plate. (If you can find them, you could start with white sweet potatoes.)

*Continue to increase the ratio of sweet potatoes to white potatoes.

**You may be surprised, my kids actually prefer sweet potato fries to white potato fries!

How do you serve sweet potatoes? I'd love to hear your ideas and recipes in the comments!

Help for Picky Eaters

Several days ago, I received an e-mail from Sandy from We Can Do All Things:

Hi Julie,

Thanks for stopping by. I checked out your blog. I must come back later. I am really having a hard time in the food area with my youngest Adeline. All she will eat is pasta and sauce. I have been trying to doctor it up with hidden veggies. Not sure what to do, do you have some ideas for me on your blog? If you can think of something feel free to send me a link.

Thanks,

Sandy

I know that this is a sentiment echoed by many parents (and incidentally I've received several other similar e-mails/ comments in the days since expressing similar concerns.)

I'm still new to blogging and there's just so much to learn! I'm still struggling to figure out what to post and when to post it. However, my intent, when I started this blog, was to use what I've learned with my own kids, as well as what I know about teaching and learning, to help parents help their kids to be better eaters.  Though I've posted several times about picky eating, I haven't posted nearly enough, and I haven't made it all easy to find.

I realized that what I need is an easy to find, easy to access, page that I can update with all posts about picky eating. That way, no one has to search around to find tips on the topic.  I am launching the page today and will be adding to it each time I post something new which would be helpful for parents struggling with picky eaters.

I am also going to dedicate Tuesdays to Picky Eaters, so be sure to check back each week for a new post on the topic.

If you have any specific questions, please post it in the comments or send me an e-mail at info (at) teachinggoodeaters.com... I'll use your comments and questions to help guide my future posts.

In the meantime--- check out my all new, Picky Eaters Page!!

Ever have one of Those Days?

Cashew butter and jelly gingerbread men on tortillas with carob chip eyes and apricot mouths,

 with a bowl of berries.

I actually woke up early today... no one else was up yet so I thought I'd get a jump start on the day. Several days ago a reader asked for help with her picky eater, and I realized that I needed to compile all of the "picky eater," posts. I decided to make a page to house all of these posts. I was making headway on this task when my little one woke up. My husband got up with him and I was happy to have time to try to finish this task...

Then... I heard my husband waking my daughter, "It's 8:00..." 8:00!!!! I abandoned the computer, ran to my daughter's room to find her groggily stumbling out of bed with hair that was going to take at least 10 minutes to calm! After helping her find an outfit and combing her hair ("Ouch," "You're spraying my face," "Aren't you done yet??!!") I went downstairs to find my husband attempting to fish half-cooked sticky waffles from the waffle maker...

After making my daughter a bagel and bowl of berries, I realized that I couldn't slack on her lunch... Again!

She's been asking for a gingerbread man lunch-

Last week, my husband made his own, "gingerbread man cheese sticks":

Ever since then, my daughter has been asking for a gingerbread man lunch. I envisioned having my husband make more "cheese men," and then I would make gingerbread man sandwiches and, maybe some sort of gingerbread house. (My daughter waned men, a house, and trees...)

I couldn't find either my "real" bento box, or my kinda fake bento box. I made the lunch in two different containers, and when I was done, it wouldn't fit in her lunchbox, and I couldn't find the cooler that I sometimes use.  

Then, when it was time to take a picture, I couldn't find my camera and had to take a picture with my, "not smart"phone.  

I finally got her out the door only realize that today was my youngest son's last day of preschool before Christmas break and I didn't have a present for his teachers yet... Thank goodness I had made some jars of nuts and although I already had other plans for these, I realized that, right now, this was the best that I could do!  Ahh... all this, and it was only 8:30.

Hope you're having a better morning than me :) (Not that it's morning anymore... it only took me until 3:00 in the afternoon to finish this post!)

Muffin Tin Breakfast Buffet

I've mentioned before that if there's one thing my family is picky about... it's leftovers, and muffin tins are a great way to make use of them because it presents them in a new way, and, if there isn't enough for everyone, they can be supplemented with other foods.

My parents were in town this weekend, which meant lots of "meals out."  We had some leftover breakfast quesadillas, and some leftover potatoes from a dinner. I heated the quesadillas and my husband sliced and cooked the potatoes like homefries.

I then made bagels with cashew and almond butter, clementine slices, plain Greek yogurt with all-fruit jelly, Muslix, and some "Apple Donuts," heated with cinnamon and coconut sugar.

The kids were then able to build their own muffin tins. It worked out really well (though no one wanted the potatoes...) Whatever they didn't eat, became breakfast for my husband and me!

An Alternative to Christmas Cookies

These nuts make a great alternative Christmastime treat. I love Christmas cookies (don't get me wrong) but if I eat too many, I feel miserable; and if my kids eat too many, they act miserable!  These nuts have just the right amount of sweetness to make them a treat, but the sugar is well balanced by the protein in the nuts!

"Spicy Nuts"

1T egg white
2 c Pecan
1/4 c sugar
1T cinnamon

Mix 2 cups of nuts with 1 T egg white in a bowl (this works best if you use your hands to make sure that the nuts are evenly coated.

In a separate bowl, mix sugar and cinnamon. Dump the egg coated nuts into the sugar and toss (again this works best with your hands) until the nuts are coated.

Bake at 300 degrees for 10-15 minutes, flipping them halfway through. Remove the nuts once they no longer appear wet.

Note: I also made some this year, for me, with coconut sugar (due to my gestational diabetes. They aren't as good, but they do satisfy my desire for something a little bit sweet without causing a spike in my blood sugar. 

These are super easy to make, but can sometimes be a challenge to master... here are a few tips:

1. Sometimes the nuts are drier and seem to absorb the egg white more. If the nuts seem to be on the dry side after tossing with the egg, you may want to add a bit more.

2.  Toss the nuts until all, or just about all, of the sugar and cinnamon mixture is coating the nuts (there shouldn't be any left in the bowl.)

3.  Watch them carefully as they are cooking. Depending upon your oven and the nuts that you buy, the cooking time can vary greatly. I have burned many, many batches of these nuts over the years!

These nuts also make a great gift! I usually give them in tins, but I have been inspired this year to add a crafty touch. (I am not by any means a skilled crafter, so this is about as easy as it comes!)

I'm allergic to peanut butter, so we go through a LOT of cashew butter around here. It's quite pricey, but, at least it comes in a great jar! I decided to repurpose the jars for my nuts this year.

Using a glue gun, I covered the lids with fabric.

And then added ribbon around the edges. The final touch was to search Microsoft Word Clip Art for "Merry Christmas," printed a label and attached it to the jar.

Since I'm not ready to give them away yet, I've displayed them on the windowsill above my sink- I love how pretty they look!