Thanks to Facebook, I not only found out my neighbor, Julie,  has a preschool, but I also noticed she did a fun, food activity with her preschool kids this week!

Rainbow Toast: In honor of St. Patrick’s day, of course!  Julie was so excited about making these with her kids, she couldn’t even sleep the night before! 

Here are Julie’s pictures:

So cute!  For the directions to make rainbow toast Click here!  She has other fun preschool activities too!  I haven’t shown Erica these yet! She will be super excited.  She’s my artist.  Try this anytime of year and let them paint anything they want.  Thanks Julie!

While I’m on the St. Patty’s topic, here was my St. Patrick’s Day muffins from last year:

Another fabulous blog with fun ideas for your pre-schoolers is Dresses and Messes! (also a very creative neighbor o’ mine!)

Have a great weekend!

Ahhh salt.  We have to have some.. but not too much. 

I’ve never been concerned about buying healthier salt.  I never wanted to pay extra money for something we should be cutting back on anyway!  And I’m pretty skeptical about most products touted to be healthier.  A recent recipe got me curious enough to check out some Sea Salt at the store.

Upon arriving at the store and looking at the sea salt, I noticed almost all of them said they do not contain Iodine!  A- Wha-Whaaat??   I’m love my iodized salt. Without it, we would be a nation full of goiters!  Who wants a goiter? Not me!  I almost didn’t want to buy the sea salt. But for $2.50, I gave in cause it had the little turny thing that grinds the salt.

So, what is good about sea salt:

Pro’s:

• Sea salt is minimally processed- right from the sea.
• People may prefer the taste
• People prefer the texture
• Trace minerals are present

Con’s

• It’s More expensive  (but really not unreasonable)
• The main composition is sodium and chloride.. same as table salt.
• It’s still salt, which means… cut back!
• The trace minerals are probably quite insignificant unless you are consuming large amounts… to which it’s not good for you anyway. 

My kids like to add salt to their cooked vegetables and their eggs.

But remember! The Dietary recommendations are no more than 2400 mg  (or 1 added tsp) of sodium per day. However for children under 8 it is recommended no more than 1900 mg per day.  I’ll be honest, I never feel good about adding salt to my kids food, so why spend the money on sea salt.

Random fact: Did you know that the lasagna at Macaroni Grill has 3900mg of sodium?

What’s your opinion?  Sea salt? Love it or leave it?

My other sodium post:

• Pillar of Salt (where I track my kids sodium for a day.. although this was two years ago, so I think we would be healthier today if I did it again)

We decided to do a science experiment at our house.  I was hoping by pouring some cola onto a tooth, that we would see the tooth disintegrate.  And maybe it would if we left it there for a very long time.  But after two weeks,  the teeth don’t disappear.  However, the results in my mind were equally disturbing:

Gross, huh?!?!?  Enough to scare your kids away from cola?  

A friend (Doreen) picked up the following handouts from her dentist.  You will have to click on the images to see it full size, but basically, image #1 indicates enamel being destroyed after 14 days of exposure to various drinks.  Image #2 shows the pH value for different candies, as compared to battery acid).  Good talking points to have with your children tonight!

Other posts about dental health:

• Kids and Cavities
• Cavities

Did you see this guy in the Opening Ceremonies last night?

Sport: Short Track
Birth date: July 17, 1990
Birthplace: Monterey, CA (Like ME!!)
Hometown: Federal Way, WA
Residence: Long Beach, CA
Ht: / Wt: 5’8” / 138 lbs

We all want to know how Olympic athletes become so amazing at what they do. We want to know how they prepare their bodies for such extreme competition.  My kids wanted to know too!  So, when I was approached with the opportunity by Crest Pro Health to interview JR Celski, Olympic speed skater, I asked my kids to come up with the questions. 

• TJ’s Question: Do you like to eat fruits and vegetables?  Because if you are fast, you should be eating fruits and vegetables. The top foods in his diet that he really pays attention to IS fruits and vegetables.  He loves fruit cause they’re sweet, and he eats lots of vegetables for energy and hydration! It took a while for him to get used to, but now he knows its good for him, so he does it.   But he also eats lots of rice and meat due to his Filipino background.
• Erica’s Question: What do you do in your free time?  He likes to spend time with friends, movies, comedy clubs, and playing golf.
• Nate’s Question: How often do you practice?   Daily.. 20-30 hours a week.  Upwards of 30.  Anywhere from 4-8 hours a day. Very intense.  One day off a week.. Sunday.
• What do you eat for breakfast?   Oatmeal, cereal.
• How many calories do you eat in a day?  During the summer, building phase, intense workouts. 4-8000 a day.
• What is your typical menu? Make own food, wheat pasta, lots of rice, salmon, chicken, stays away from beef.  Sushi.  He says he’s a  “Sushi snob.”
• Do you have any food weaknesses?  Oreo’s. Chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream.  Although there is never enough cookie dough in the ice cream.
• Did your mom teach you how to cook?  Not until he moved out.  Which was at the young age of 14years.  To move in with his brother to train in skating.
• Did you have any food rules in your home growing up, like no pop, no sugar, etc? His mother definitely moderated their junk food intake. They never drank soda.  Kept sugar levels down. 
• What healthy habits are important to you?  Hygeine is very important to JR.  He washes his hands a lot.  His teeth get sensitive from skating on the ice all day, so he uses Crest Pro Health and brushes a lot.  People get sick because they don’t pay attention to that stuff.  JR doesn’t get sick very often.

This interview opportunity is being provided by Crest Pro-Health. Crest is the official toothpaste sponsor of the 2010 U.S. Olympic Team.

I just got back from teaching 50, first graders about fruits and vegetables.  Here is what we did:

• Read the story, “Gregory the Terrible Eater”
• This is an adorable story about a goat that would not eat anything but fruits, vegetables, bread, and butter.  This disappointed his parents terribly, as they wished he would eat tires, shoelaces, tin cans, and cardboard.  Everytime I said a food that was good or delicious, they would pat their tummies and say, “Yum, yum”. When I would mention a “food” that was not good, like boots, and coats, they would stick their finger in their mouth and give me a disgusting look.
• I brought a bowl of all the things that Gregory ate, and pretended to eat it.

• Discussion about the book:  What foods could Gregory eat if he wants to be healthy? When Gregory enjoyed all foods, why did he get sick? Who wants to taste some shoelaces and a tin can? Will those make us strong? Use hand weights and one helper. Did anyone have any fruit or vegetables yet today? When we eat fruits and vegetables, we are strong!!  When we eat food without vitamins and minerals, we are weak!!
• Game:  For the game, I made a big dice with all the colors on the sides.  We talked about how all fruits and vegetables come in all the colors of the rainbow. 

The kids would roll the dice and think  of a fruit or vegetable that was that color.  Then I would tell them what was good about the fruit or vegetable, such as “Spinach makes our brains work better, so we can be smart!”  Then we would sing for every single food item: (to the tune of “Are you sleeping?”, from www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org)

We love (oranges). We love (oranges)

They’re so sweet. They’re so sweet.

(Oranges) are delicious, and they’re so nutritious

Yum, yum, yum.  Yum, yum, yum.

• Then we talked about different ways to get fruits and veggies:
• Fresh, dried, canned, frozen, and as juice
• Then we took a survey, they could only vote once.  How many like fresh the best, frozen, etc.  Decided which way most of the 1st graders liked to eat fruits and veggies.

• Then we pulled out food cut out of a newspaper and put them in Breakfast, lunch, dinner, or snack, and talked about how we could add fruits and vegetables to each meal in order to get 5 in the day.

• Then, in conclusion, I handed out a page from this (page 21, the word search about fruits and veggies)
• We had a blast!!!

So, there you have it. If you are looking for some fruits and veggie presentation ideas, lesson plans, health curriculum, these are a few ideas for you!  This was 1st grade, but pre-k through 3rd I think would be appropriate.

Finally, your tax dollars, hard at work for something I can get behind. 

My political views: less government, less rules, less laws, less money, less of everything.  However, since my children go to public school, I am willing to support any initiatives that encourage healthy education, and opportunity in the school!

Here is a quick 2 minute clip, summarizing the new initiative to eliminate childhood obesity: My video’s do not always feed through readers:

 Let’s Move!

The components include:

• Make Healthy Choices, pediatricians will monitor BMI, a food atlas will be available showing parents where healthy food can be found, A new food pyramid will be developed (HOORAY), and we will start to see new food labels (did you know the old labels haven’t been updated in like 20 years!)
• Healthier food in schools. Do we even need to go there?  Here is the problem as I see it:  Yes, essential vitamins and minerals ARE included in school lunches… only because they are “fortified” and added in LATER! I would like the focus to change to FRESH, WHOLE, LOCAL FOOD!!
• Access to healthy foods.  One thing I was not aware of until yesterday in my nutrition class, as well as on this new website, was there are many inner cities where there literally is no grocery store within a reasonable distance.  There are however many fast food joints within walking distance.  They call these “Food Deserts”.  For low income families, this makes it difficult to have access to healthy, fresh food.
• increase physical activities Kids need 60 minutes of physical activity a day.  In our elementary school, the kids only get PE like every 9 weeks for three weeks!  Because this problem starts at the top, where curriculum is mandated, It’s refreshing to see that PE could become a priority!

There is some great links and information on this new website. www.letsmove.gov

They also have a BLOG, a Facebook Page, some fun PSA’s to watch.

From their website:

We believe every kid has the right to a healthy childhood.

We can’t let this be the first generation in our history to grow up less healthy than their parents.

The ingredients…better food + more activity…are clear.

Let’s Move isn’t just noble, it’s a necessity.

It’s not just a slogan, it’s our responsibility

Are you with us? Let’s move!

What do you think?  Good place for your tax money?

Although I hate to be in charge, I love helping out at the class holiday parties, at the kids school.   However, my running BFF, Eliece, is in charge of her son’s 5th grade class Valentine Party this Friday.  She wanted to put a healthier spin on it, considering they’ll get plenty of candy when they exchange cards, so this is what she came up with!

Heart Healthy Valentines Party!

5 FUN ACTIVITIES THAT ENCOURAGE HEART HEALTH

1. Our HEART needs Exercise:

• throw a bean bag onto a poster-sized grid with different exercises in each square
• roll dice (or spinner)
• do the exercise the bean bag lands on that number of times (or for that many seconds)

2.  Our HEART needs Friends:

• She made a game , A paper grid they get friends to initial. For example:  someone who has read all 5 Percy Jackson books, someone with a clean desk, someone who takes dance lessons, someone with the same birthday month as you they have to get a different person to initial each box (there are 20) then they get a prize (bouncy ball).  Click here for the game download.

3.  Our HEART needs Hobbies/activities you enjoy

• Craft:  Make a key ring that says I (heart) ______________
  It is actually a clip they can put on their backpack, so clips, string, alphabet and heart beads.  Example:  I basketball    or Imusic  (whatever they like doing)

4.  Our HEART needs to Serve

• make a gift for teacher:   each child writes 3 specific things they like about Mrs Day.  Put them all in a jar for her to read

5.  Our HEART needs Healthy Food

• make own trail mix (Ziplocs, pretzels, fish crackers, raisins, m & m, etc.)
• fruit shish-kabobs (skewers, apple chunks, pineapple, grapes, strawberries)
• water

Some great ideas, right!  Changing Valentines from a sugar fest is a healthy way to show your kids you truly love them!

Are you wearing red today?

National, Wear Red For Women is TODAY, FEB 5TH!

Go Red For Women is the American Heart Association’s initiative to raise awareness of heart disease in women and educate them about how to prevent this No. 1 killer. Visit GoRedForWomen.org, and learn how to make heart-healthy choices every day.

• Cardiovascular disease kills approximately 450,000 women each year, about one every minute.
• While 1 in 30 American women die of breast cancer, about 1 in 3 die from cardiovascular disease.
• More women die of cardiovascular disease than the next five causes of death combined, including all forms of cancer.
• Ninety percent of women have one or more risk factors for developing heart disease.
• Only 1 in 5 women believe that heart disease is her greatest health threat.
• Heart disease is largely preventable. In fact, 80 percent of cardiac events in women may be prevented if women make the right choices for their hearts, involving diet, exercise and abstinence from smoking.

So, dress your cuties in red today and open a dialogue about the habits they can create to prevent heart disease.  A blog reader recently commented that her young daughter told the kids at school that they need to blot the grease off their pizza, or else they’ll have a heart attack!  Good advice Venessa!

The First Lady is taking on childhood obesity (as reported in the Deseret News)!  She spoke at the YMCA of her own children “getting off track”, and their pediatricians warning to watch it!

So, she made small changes (my own commentary about small changes here).  Which truly is the best way to make big impacts.  Among the small changes she made were:

• No weekday TV
• Switching out sugary drinks for low fat milk
• Putting bottled water in their lunches.
• Watching portion sizes

Good job Michelle!  Her official campaign formally launches in just a few weeks, and I’m excited to see what it entails.  Here is the YouTube file of the speech she gave at the YMCA! (Michelle shows up about minute 25)

I’d like to write more posts on how to teach good nutrition to your children.  I’m currently preparing a presentation for 1st graders on fruits and vegetables, so this has really been on my mind.

My poor kids have been completely brainwashed by me. Especially Erica, my teacher at heart.  I came downstairs to find these signs on our cupboards:

I have always enjoyed finding books at the library that teach kids about healthy food in a fun way.  Recently, I was introduced to this adorable book of poems called:

POEM ON FRUITS & ODES TO VEGETABLES

One of the poems from the book:

CARROTS

by Judith Natelli McLaughlin

Carrots orange, long and bright

Make my snowman’s nose tonight

Carrots shredded thin and fair

Make lovely, layered orange hair

Carrots crunchy, cold and sweet

Make my favorite snack to eat

Isn’t it sweet! Simple and sweet.  And what a great forum to start a discussion about all the great things about carrot.  You can tell your kids that:

• Carrots help us to see better (especially at night!, like a spy!)
• Helps our blood move better through our bodies
• One carrot a day has been shown to reduce lung cancer by 50%!!!

Does your family love to read? Do you love poems? Do you love talking about healthy eating?  You can win a copy of this book by leaving a comment on this post.  And of course, tweet or blog about it for extra comments.  I’ll choose a winner Monday morning.

Or, visit the website of this gorgeous author, Judith McLaughlin, and purchase one if you aren’t lucky in the winning department

Other Teaching ideas from my blog:

• Teaching kids about carbs
• Watermelon homework