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Guest Post from Happy Family Brands – Eat Your Veggies!

Thanks to Happy Family Brands for joining us on the Blog this week and for introducing us to their new “Love Your Veggies” line at Toddler Camp’s Community Snack Break! Big hit with our hungry toddlers!

Guest Blog From Happy Family Brands

Did You Know?
Carrots are not always orange! They can also be found in purple, white, red or yellow! Carrots originated around 900-1000 A.D. in Afghanistan. Today, they provide 30% of the vitamin A in the US diet which is important for healthy vision and skin, and helps hearts stay healthy.
Sweet potatoes are not the same as yams! True yams are native to Africa and part of the lily family, while sweet potatoes come in two colors and share the same family as morning glories. In South America, traces of Peruvian sweet potato dating as far back as 8000 BC have been found.
Sweet potatoes are rich in complex carbohydrates and dietary fiber and are an excellent source of vitamin A, an important nutrient for vision and immune system health.
Spinach was first cultivated over 2,000 years ago in Persia! It is a nutritional powerhouse, rich in iron which plays a central role in the function of red blood cells. Spinach is also an excellent source of vitamins A and C, as well as being a good source of magnesium which is necessary for healthy artery, blood, bone, heart, muscle, and nerve function.

Happy Tot Love My Veggies organic vegetable and fruit blends make it easy and convenient for your little one to get these essential nutrients. Enjoy peace of mind knowing each pouch contains a full serving of veggies for your toddler (1/4 cup). Read more HERE.

Available exclusively at Target as part of the Made to Matter – Handpicked by Target™ collection, Love My Veggies are packaged in 4.22 oz. pouches with 4 pouches per box, and a retail price of $5.89. Find them HERE

Feeding Your Picky Eater! Guest Blog Post from Orgain

Feeding Your Picky Eater – Guest Blog Post by Orgain
Oh, picky little eaters. You are the kryptonite of health-minded moms everywhere. We wring our hands over every bite you (don’t) take, every mouthful you spit out. You drive us crazy. But because we love you, we forge on, looking for new ways to fill your little bodies with something (anything!) healthy.
Though it may not always feel like it, picky eating is really common, especially among toddlers and preschoolers. You are not alone.

Here are six tried and true tricks for adding nutrition to your child’s diet without starting an all-out meal-time brawl:
• Think small: Can you get your picky eater to eat two, three or four bites of something? Well, that’s a great start. Consider serving small portions so that your child doesn’t feel daunted by the amount of food in front of him, and give him the opportunity to ask for more on his own.
• Get sneaky: If you have a very picky eater, you might already be an expert at the art of food camouflage. If not, consider hiding some grated zucchini in your spaghetti sauce, bits of fruit in pancakes, and beets or black beans in your brownies. (Check the internet for recipes.)
• Minimize distractions: As adults, eating in front of the TV can become mindless; your spoon hits the bottom of the somehow emptied bowl in what seems like just seconds, leaving you to wonder, “who ate my ice cream?!” But for kids, distractions can actually prevent quality eating. Turn off the TV and other electronics for meals, and whenever possible, sit down and eat together. This brings us to our next tip…
• Set the example: If your kids see you trying and eating new things on a regular basis, it should help reduce their anxiety about new foods, too.
• Drink up: Maybe your child is more than happy to consume anything out of a straw? In that case, consider making a smoothie for her. You can load it with all kinds of healthy, nutrient-rich foods including milk, yogurt, fruits & veggies, and nut butter.

If you don’t have time to get out the blender, try an Orgain Healthy Kids Organic Nutritional Shake. It tastes great and packs 8 grams of protein and 23 vitamins and minerals.
• Go dense: Whenever possible, offer your picky eater foods with a lot of nutrient density – or try adding a nutrient dense topper to something they’re already eating. It turns out the 1950’s classic of melted cheese over broccoli is actually a pretty solid snack or side dish.
• Keep up your energy: Feeding your picky munchkin day in and out can be trying, and you might be so focused on her meals, you forget all about your own. Rather than finishing off that half-eaten grilled cheese she left behind and washing it down with a swig of your now-cold coffee, consider grabbing an Orgain Nutrition shake for yourself. With original, high-protein, and vegan versions in several delicious varieties, you are sure to find something you’ll like and actually feel good about the choice you made.
Whatever your plan of attack, try to remember that picky eating is often a stage that passes with time. If you can fill your feeding arsenal with a few solid strategies in the meantime, chances are very good that both you and your child will come out on the other side happy and healthy. And hey, it just so happens that black bean brownies make excellent treats for grown-ups, too.

Thank you to Orgain for sponsoring Toddler Camp snack break this summer as well as joining us on the blog today with such great information!