There is good news for families living in Massachusetts.

The Massachusetts legislature is nearing passage of a bill to ban high calorie sodas and salty and sugary snacks from elementary and high schools.  The House recently approved the bill, which also encourages schools to serve low fat dairy products and whole grain bread and pastas.  Governor Deval Patrick wants to take it one step further and start to tax candy and soda and funnel the extra revenue into health programs.

Great start!

If you’re a parent you can certainly appreciate how challenging it can be to consistently promote healthy-er eating for your children. 

There are days when we stand on the top of that mountain, red cape whipping in the wind behind us, when less than a boat-load of sugar and/or additives have made their way past our kids’ lips.

Of course there are less heroic times when we let down our guard and just praise the fact that we’ve managed to “arrange for” something edible to be within kid-range a few times throughout the day – wholesome or not.

Bottom line – we live in a world where less-than-optimal choices for nourishment abound and we need all the help we can get when it comes to solidifying our efforts to raise healthy kids.  It seems that food marketing so often works against us. 

According to a recent piece in the Arizona Daily Star, while many food manufacturers have made strides toward marketing healthier food options to children, more than 70% of the food advertising aimed at youths is for the least nutrious foods.

I need a bigger cape.

It would be terrific if only the healthiest of healthy foods passed the lips of our children.  Let’s be honest, it would be terrific if we could claim that for ourselves.

In the real world we teach our kids about nutrition and, if we’re lucky, pass on an appreciation for the way the media tries to influence what we think about things.  It can be fun to challenge kids to figure out what ploys the advertisement writers are using to make kids feel they need to own, do, or eat the product-of-the-moment.

Take a look at this article about how Nickelodeon is getting bashed for providing air time to food manufacturers promoting less-than-optimal foods to our kids (please recognize my exceedingly diplomatic language).

Are you planning to do some holiday food shopping this weekend?

Make your way over to Whole Foods Hingham to get yourself some FREE Indigo Rabbit cookies.  We’ll be there handing out delectable samples this Saturday, December 5, from 11:00-2:00.

Can’t wait to see you!

Did you know that our bodies benefit more from the disease-fighting antioxidants from fruits and veggies when we eat them together than when we eat them individually?  So – make yourself a salad!

My daughter’s school ran a babyfood drive last week.  In her eagerness to participate, she threw WAY too many jars in the grocery cart on a recent grocery store trip with Daddy (hmmm).  Needless to say, we had lots of left over ready-made veggie puree – at least that’s what my kids saw on the fridge shelf (not “baby food”).

So, what do they do?  Obviously, what any other normal American kids would do – MAKE MUFFINS!  Could I be prouder?

They used up the carrots, some squash and I think some sweet potatoes, added cinnamon, some maple syrup, and some random raisins they found in the pantry and voila, baby food muffins – I mean muffins with veggie puree.  I wish I could relay the exact recipe, but it faded from their memories after the 3rd or 4th muffins got swallowed.

First, I’ll start with the assumption that you all know Dr. Oz.  That assumption made, Dr. Oz’s daughter Daphne, a recent college graduate, is making her own mark in the world of healthy living publications with The Dorm Room Diet.

She is also talking about her exploration of possible gluten intolerance as an explanation for some of her own health challenges.  Take a look at this piece on Oprah.com and see if any of her experiences ring true for you.

It is apple picking time in New England.  Grab the kids and head out to one of these orchards for some fresh fruit and fresh air.

Old Frog Pond Farm in Harvard, MA

Westward Orchards in Harvard, MA

Kimball Fruit Farm in Pepperell, MA

Tougas Family Farm in Northborough, MA

This fall I am teaming up with a colleague of mine, Amanda Graves of Amanda Cooks Catering, to teach a course called “Montessori Masterchefs” at a local Montessori School.

We’re joining up with 4th, 5th and 6th graders in a food adventure that involves meal planning, food preparation, food safety and, of course, lots of nutrition fun.

We can’t wait to teach these young chefs all about high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, and how to hide nutritious ingredients in their favorite dishes!

Get those kiddos off to a terrific start for the school year!  Include delicious, healthful, allergy-safe goodies from Indigo Rabbit in their lunch boxes.  The convenient grab n’ go pouches are great for the backpacks, sports bags, even those cute little pencil cases!

Leave those preservative-laden ”100 calorie packs” on the shelves and pick up some scrumptious Indigo Rabbit cookies so your kids get the taste they want and the nutrition they need to make the most of their school day.

If you’ve got college students in your brood, send along a care package they’ll LOVE filled with their favorite varieties of Indigo Rabbit cookies!  They AND their roommates will be the hit of the dorm.

NO high fructose corn syrup

NO hydrogenated oils

NOTHING artificial

You can PRONOUNCE every item in the ingredient list

Make sure you try every delicious flavor

Heavenly Chocolate Pillows, Seriously Cinnamon Almond, Gingerlicious, Luscious Lemon Chewies, Perfectly Peanut Butter