Healthy Food for Your Family and Kids

Make any casual meal into a party with these fun and unique sandwiches. Both kids and adults will have fun making and eating these creations and what better way to get kids to eat more veggies than to make them a fun sandwich like these.  You can make a fun party sandwich to fit any theme.  Here we show you how to make some really creative sandwiches, starting with this cute Pirate.

Our preference is to use thin slices of bread and you can choose white or whole wheat.  Even though we always eat whole wheat bread on a normal basis, for these we like the contrast of the white bread and the colorful vegetables.  Note that you can get creative yourself and make any fun food substitution that works.  Change veggies, add grapes or walnuts ... lots of options for food fun!

For the Pirate:

• 2 slices white bread
• Red pepper
• Olive slices
• Cucumber
• Radish slice
• Chives
• Orange nose (carrot, orange pepper or cheese)
• Sandwich filling of choice (turkey, cheese, ham etc.)

Cut slices of bread into circles with a sharp knife.  Fill sandwich with a combination of your favorite ingredients, such as ham and cheese, turkey and cheese, turkey and avocado slices.  If it is for a child's party, try to choose ingredients that kids will be most likely to eat.

Now, cut a large red pepper slice to make the bandana of the pirate.  Cut two little pieces to make the "ties".  Add eyes, nose, mouth and ears, as shown.  Use olive slices without pimentos for earrings.

As more people choose to go vegetarian or simply reduce the meat in their diets for health and ethical reasons, the question of what to serve at Thanksgiving dinner becomes bigger than ever before. Instead of simply debating between Mom’s recipe versus Aunt Ruth’s for the turkey, the entire staple entrée is tossed aside. If you have vegetarians coming to dinner or just want to take the non-traditional route, here are some must haves for your Thanksgiving table: * Vegan Pot Pie: Served steaming hot with tons of veggies, a flaky crust, and chewy tempeh or seitan. Mealsmatter.org * Butternut Squash and Apple Soup: the rich sweetness of butternut squash plus the natural tartness of apples, pureed with cinnamon and nutmeg. Simplyrecipes.com * Soybeans: they are packed with protein, fiber and omega-3 Fatty Acid. Also rich in bone building calcium, zinc, magnesium, iron and isoflavones. You do want to choose the minimally processed soy for healthy, all-natural and energizing foods. * Autumn Harvest Casserole: pumpkin seeds, golden potatoes, cracked pepper, and portabello mushroom soup combine to make a savory casserole. Vegcooking.com * Walnut Apple Stuffing: Baked separately from any bird, this recipe will have your guests asking for more. Vegkitchen.com * Red Cabbage with Cranberries: Bright in color and full of sweet and sour flavor! Theveggietable.com * Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Coconut Milk: A unique take on mashed potatoes and chock full of Vitamin A to boot! Vegetarian.about.com And of course, what’s Thanksgiving dinner without dessert? The Pumpkin Patch “Cheesecake” is one definitely worth giving thanks over! Find it on vegcooking.com. Happy Holidays! Article by Mitzi Dulan

We are extremely happy to announce that the FDA has stepped in and addressed the Smart Choices food labels that have been hitting shelves.  A food industry group is voluntarily halting promotion of its "nutrition" labeling program after the FDA suggested that their labeling could mislead consumers.  We informed you about this program when it first was introduced, with our grave concerns over this labeling. http://www.ziggityzoom.com/parentsguide/content/smart-choices-food-label...

The Smart Choices program, which includes nine major companies such as Kellogg's, Kraft Foods and General Mills, has been highly critized for handing its green seal to processed foods that are high in sugar, such as Froot Loops and Cracker Jack snack foods.

The FDA is working to define the criteria manufacturers must meet to make certain nutritional claims on product fronts.  Stay tuned, we will keep you updated here on ZiggityZoom.com.

School is back in session for many kids so let’s talk school lunches. Sodas, juice drinks, cookies, hotdogs, and chips- all common school lunch components but none healthy. Over the past years, some schools have improved the nutritional quality of their lunches but it is an area that desperately needs more attention by both schools and parents.

What’s scary is that the obesity rate of young kids to teens is significantly rising and poor lunch options aren’t making things any better. Over 1/3 of our nation’s youth are either overweight or obese. Poor food choices and a lack of physical activity are contributors to this epidemic. So, what can you do as a parent do to help prevent your child from weight control issues?

For starters, making sure that they have a healthy and adequate lunch will put them on the right track. Kids can be awfully picky when it comes to choosing and eating certain foods. In general, there is an overconsumption of high calorie drinks and high fat foods and an underconsumption of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. If you are unsure about what your kids may be eating at school, get the school menu and consider visiting at lunchtime. You can also volunteer to serve the children to get a better understanding to see what they are actually eating.

If your kids are taking lunches from home try to limit the highly processed snacks and give them more fresh food items like fruits and vegetables. If you have healthier foods available at home to make a healthy lunch, you can send your kids to school with the reassurance that they’re getting a nutritious meal.

Follow these 5 tips for packing your kids school lunch:

1. Plan Ahead: Since you can only pack a good lunch if you have the foods available make sure to go shopping at least 1-2 times per week so you will have fresh foods on hand.