nutrition Archives - Happy Healthy Kids

Why We Should Cook with Our Kids

January 16, 2017 by Kelley 2 Comments

This is a guest post by Cassie Phillips, a freelance writer from Ohio. For more on Cassie, see below.

There’s no better time to get your children involved in cooking than winter—we’re all forced to be inside more, and there’s something cozy about being in the kitchen together. So why not just break out the board games and order a pizza? Solid research—as well as nutrition gurus like Michael Pollan—have convinced us that kids who are exposed to cooking eat more healthfully and try new things. And the benefits aren’t only health-related either; teaching your children cooking basics can boost their confidence, inspire conversation, strengthen math skills, and foster independent thinking.

Ready to shake images of accidents and messes, and get your kids in the kitchen? Follow these steps to get started.

Start Small

It’s important to begin one step at a time and first determine what sorts of cooking tasks your children can safely and confidently complete. Giving them too many tough tasks too quickly can set the stage for disaster. To keep you and them organized, establish firm roles at the start of meal prep, and give them just a job or two to focus on.

Preschoolers have limited dexterity, so should be given tasks that involve less fine motor work. Think:
-finding and fetching ingredients from the fridge and pantry,
-tearing leafy greens or fresh herbs
-stirring and mixing ingredients together
-mashing potatoes, yams, or turnips
-garnishing dishes with spices (or baked goods with sprinkles). Just be sure to measure out ingredients for them in advance if you want them to decorate or garnish anything!

Kindergarteners and young elementary-schoolers love to get their hands into things. Put them to work by:
-Washing and cleaning dishes; fill up a sink with soapy water and let them have at it
-Scooping, kneading or forming dough
-Preparing pans or bakeware by oiling, greasing or lining
-Spreading jams, peanut butter, or frosting
-Squeezing or juicing citrus and pouring ingredients into mixing bowls.

Older children can be given the tougher tasks as they get better and more comfortable in the kitchen. Teach them to:
-Chop and slice carefully. It might sound counterintuitive to hand children knives, but they can be taught to respect and be proficient with them by the age 7 or 8.
-Measure ingredients. Older kids can begin learning and remembering recipes.
-Use food processors and electric mixers. Close supervision is essential, but once they get the hang of these appliances, it will really make them feel like a chef.

Find Kid-Friendly Recipes

A lot of the food that will catch a child’s eye might not be practical to make. Obviously, it may not be a good idea to start out by baking something complicated like a triple-layer cake or macarons, as pretty as they are. You want them to be excited to eat what they cook, though, so picking a stew, if your child is meat- and veg-averse, may not be a good idea either. Children need time to pick up the basics, so you should start by researching some kid-friendly recipes, and your kids will love. One nice recipe to start with is a healthy, simple afterschool snack like these easy apple rings.

YouTube has a great lineup of different cooking channels with age-appropriate recipes. Some of my family’s personal favorites include Cook with Amber and Nerdy Nummies. Cook with Amber is hosted by a kid—which children love—and has a great mix of both healthy recipes and desserts. Nerdy Nummies is unique because it focuses on fun food that references our favorite fantasy worlds.

Get Cooking!

As there are so many benefits to cooking with your kids, there’s really no reason not to get started right away. It may even help improve your health if you’ve traditionally avoided spending much time in the kitchen.

What kinds of dishes are you looking forward to cooking with your children? Tell us your thoughts in the comments.

About the Author: Cassie is a health and technology blogger for eHealth Informer as well as Secure Thoughts and Culture Coverage. When not writing about her experiences and passions, she enjoys preparing healthy, delicious meals with her family.

Top Kids’ Health Headlines of 2016

December 30, 2016 by Kelley Leave a Comment

I think we can all agree that 2016 was a news roller coaster —at turns nauseating, exciting, and just plain sobering. And the output of fascinating headlines included an unusual amount of news relevant to parents and kids. Here are five family-centric health topics that caught my attention last year, and are good to catch up on if you haven’t already. What am I missing? Be sure to comment here or on Facebook to let me know. Happy New Year to you and yours…and thanks so very much for reading.

Screen Time for Tots O.K.—As Long as Parents Get Involved. For the past decade, parents have struggled to heed American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommendations banning any and all screen-time for kids under 2. But now, conceding the ubiquitousness of digital media in all our lives, the AAP have updated their guidelines to not include an age floor for screen use—but instead encourages parents to be more proactive in how, what, and for how long kids of all ages watch. They recommend printing out and sticking to a Family Media Use plan like this one that encourages careful vetting of games and shows, time for outdoor play and exercise, and putting phones and tablets “to bed” when kids do.

HPV Vaccination Works—But Not Enough Kids Are Getting It. The prevalence of the cancer-causing human papilloma virus (HPV) in teen girls has dropped impressively—by 64%—since the HPV vaccine was introduced a decade ago. And yet, just 42 percent of girls and 22 percent of boys between the ages of 13 and 17 are getting the recommended 3-dose vaccine series. A just-released study in Pediatrics suggests that pediatricians take a more formal approach to getting families on board—presenting it clearly as one of the recommended vaccines for kids rather than launching an open-ended conversation about it over the course of a well visit.

Dads are Crucial to Kids’ Healthy Development. Shifting family dynamics have gotten more fathers involved in childcare, but old stereotypes and gender norms still perpetuate the notion that moms are the emotional center of kids’ lives. New research and guidelines may change that perception: In a rigorous review of recent research on fatherhood, the AAP released a clinical report showing that dads’ involvement is a stronger predictor of kids’ health and success than many might assume. Among their findings: Healthy “horseplay” often initiated by dads may challenge children to be more confident in taking risks; the amount of father communicates with a child at age 3 may be one of the chief predictors of kids’ later verbal ability; and teens with involved dads are less likely to engage in risky behavior or suffer from depression. Michael Yogman, M.D., chair of the AAP Committee on Psychosocial Aspects of Child and Family Health and co-author of the report, goes so far as to suggest that pediatricians start giving dads, specifically, a prescription at infant well visits: “Play with your baby every day.”

Zika Hits Home—and the Impact Goes Beyond Microcephaly. A little more than a year after we started reading about the devastating effects of the mosquito-borne virus in South America, cases of Zika started popping up in Florida in July 2016. The spread, at least domestically, seems to have been contained by now, but public health officials warn that warm weather in 2017 could bring about more cases—and more dangers. A new study in the New England Journal of Medicine, suggests that damage during fetal development from the mosquito-borne virus can occur throughout pregnancy, and that other birth defects are even more common than microcephaly, when babies are born with very small heads. Given Zika and the increase in tick-borne illness diagnoses in kids, it’s more important than ever that parents get as serious about applying an effective insect repellent to kids—and themselves, especially if pregnant—as they’ve become about slathering on sunscreen. We’ve listed the most effective safe bug sprays, here.

U.S. Kids are Heating Healthier, But… Finally, some good news on the kid diet front: Brown University research on children’s eating patterns between 1999 and 2012 reveals that kids are eating more whole grains, whole fruits, dairy, and protein from seafood and plants. They’re also laying off sugary foods and drinks more than ever before. But: they continue to eat too much salt and not enough vegetables—even fewer veggies than previous, less health-conscious generations consumed, say Brown epidemiologists. Here are some HHK ideas for some simple, kid-friendly veggie side dishes, and 25 superfoods—including seven vitamin-packed vegetables—worth trying on your children.

12 Healthy Gift Ideas

December 13, 2016 by Kelley 1 Comment

When considering our nearest and dearest at the holidays, we’d all like to find a happy medium between passing off a plastic gift card and spending a hair-raising amount of time or money for the sake of “meaning.” Enter what I’ll call a “healthy gift”—an easy little something that helps a loved one feel, look, or do better; and, ideally, keeps on giving throughout the coming year. I tapped some of the doctors and wellness gurus whose advice we’ve shared on this blog to share their favorite healthy gifts to give in 2017. Hope you can find something for a special someone—including, maybe, you.

For your neighbor…
Instead of a cookie platter, dietitian and fitness trainer Dana White, R.D. likes to give homemade flavorings that people can use to make a recipe taste even more delicious. Her two favorites, that are super-easy to make but have a big “wow” factor: Homemade vanilla extract and rosemary-citrus sea salt. She packages the vanilla extract with her pumpkin chocolate chip muffin recipe, and the gourmet salt with her “ready-in-minutes” baked sweet potato chip recipe.
Get Dana’s vanilla extract recipe here and pumpkin-chocolate chip recipe here. Be sure to order small food-grade bottles in advance. You can get them at craft stores or 12 for $16 at Amazon.
Get Dana’s rosemary-citrus sea salt recipe here and baked sweet potato chip recipe here.

For elementary schoolers…
Balance toys promote all-important core strength, keep children active inside or out, and are unique in that they actually keep kids interest as they grow. Curt Hinson, Ph.D., founder of the Dr. Recess program encouraging more effective and creative physical fitness in schools, has two faves:
Teeter Popper: Kids can sit or stand on the treads, and rocking motion makes for cool suction noises on pavement $35 at Amazon.
Spooner Board: Kids can master tricks on this wide balance board, and get a jump start on the core movements they need to master surfing, skateboarding, or snowboarding. $45 at Fat Brain Toys.

For big kids…
Yale Pediatric Sleep Center director Craig Canapari, M.D. has written on here and on his phenomenal blog about how crucial rest is for kids and grown-ups alike. But due to anxiety, hormonal shifts, or noisy households, many kids have sleep problems that develop or persist beyond their baby years. For them (or sleep-deprived adults), “you can’t beat a Marpac sound conditioner,” says Dr. Canapari. Appropriately tech-y-looking for discerning older children, the domed device emits the soothing, consistent sound of gentle rushing air, with customizable tone and volume control. Marpac Dohm All-Natural White Noise Sound Machine, $45-50 at Amazon.

For ‘tweens and teens…
It may be infuriating, but it’s natural and even healthy for teens to crave some space from parents and younger siblings. For Two Peds in a Pod pediatricians and moms Julie Kardos, M.D. and Julie Kardos, M.D., a well-received gift for this age group are tools that honor their desire for privacy—”within reason.” Along with journals that can lock and remote controls that allow kids to put out their own light before putting themselves to bed, Drs. Kardos and Lai like bedroom doorbells that can attach to the outside of teens’ doors. Girlz Own Bedroom Doorbell, $13, Amazon.

For a sister or best friend…
When life feels like a closed circuit board of family and work, a great gift is something pampering and utterly self-involved. New York City dermatologist and mom of three, Julie Karen, M.D., of CompleteSkinMd, tries and tests hundreds of products, and is head-over-heels right now with one in particular: Alastin Restorative Eye Treatment. “This peptide rich cream is very hydrating, helps diminish undereye dark circles and puffiness, and also has the unique ability to stimulate new healthy elastic tissue,” she says. Alastin Restorative Eye Treatment, $85, CompleteSkinMD.

For your mom…
The growing season doesn’t have to end with the cold weather. Gardening guru Marion Mass suggests giving anyone who appreciates nature (and healthy eating) a “sprouting kit” to grow salad- and smoothie-friendly microgreens on the windowsill. You can buy a complete kit, like the one below), or give a cute, small container and seeds separately. Include a written or e-card with a link to Marion’s how-to on kitchen gardening: http://www.chicksforlife.com/videos-pxhnf. The Simply Good Box by Home Greens, $28, Amazon.

For your significant other…
“My favorite suggestion is to give a gift that does not involve a material possession but that involves growth,” says Ellen Braaten, Ph.D., director of the Learning and Emotional Assessment Program (LEAP) at the Clay Center for Young Healthy Minds at Massachusetts General Hospital. Classes in a budding hobby or a personal passion, like cooking, can be a real treat. You can pick a Sur La Table specialty class in a fave topic—cookies to roasts—in many different culinary areas in 22 states. Sur La Table cooking classes, surlatable.com

For anyone…
A totally free and meaningful gift that family members can give one another is a handwritten gift certificate for a gesture or service that only they can provide, says Erica Reischer, Ph.D., a psychologist and parenting coach and author of What Great Parents Do: 75 Simple Strategies for Raising Kids Who Thrive. “One might say, “when presented with this certificate, mom or dad will put down their phone (or get off their computer) and spend time with me,” suggests Dr. Reischer. Other ideas: a 10-minute back massage before bed, a round of a favorite board game, or help with a house project that’s been back-burnered. What’s more: Honor it—and your loved one—with your full attention when it’s cashed in.

Photo credit: Dana White

School Morning Doughnuts

August 23, 2016 by Kelley 2 Comments

Hear me out.

Like lemonade, ice cream, and Fruit Ninja, doughnuts appeal to just about every kid. Of course, doughnuts are the epitome of a breakfast that you grab in a moment of weakness and regret when your child is hyperactive and hungry 20 minutes later. I’m pretty sure that if you want your child to bomb a test, your contribution to the effort would be to offer him a rainbow-sprinkled on his way out the door.

That said, what is a doughnut, technically, other than a fluffy, puffy, ring-shaped pastry? (Yes, I realize that connoisseurs would balk at this—including Pennsylvania Dutch grandparents, professional bakers who made, by all accounts, delicious fastnachts, yeast doughnuts traditionally fried in lard.) But with the whole wheat croissants at my favorite New York City coffee shop, Via Quadronno, in mind, it occurred to me that one could fortify the simple “cake” doughnut, even just a little bit, and have them still be appealing to kids. Having not seen whole grain doughnuts in the wild, I turned to my friend the Internet, and found and tweaked a couple of recipes (thanks to eatgood4life for getting me started). With some milk and fruit for good measure, these are two school-morning-worthy treats kids—and you—can get behind.

(A few things that seem key, here: A nonstick doughnut pan (I got two of these Wilton doughnut pans from Amazon); whole wheat pastry flour (pastry flour makes baked goods more tender, important for cake doughnuts); and some really good flavorings. Inspired by Ina Garten’s bookmark-worthy list of favorite pantry staples and a few free samples from the company itself, I’ve become pretty devoted to Nielsen-Massey’s vanilla and chocolate extracts. (At the risk of sounding like a really annoying baking purist, in simple baked goods, especially, quality extracts do make a difference.)

Whole Wheat Cinnamon-Sugar Doughnuts
Makes 6-8

Ingredients
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 large egg
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
(For topping:)
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Cooking or baking spray oil (I use Coconut Oil spray for most baked goods)

Steps
Preheat oven to 350 and lightly spray doughnut pan with cooking spray. Sift together dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt) in small bowl and set aside. In medium or large bowl, whisk together sugar, milk, yogurt, egg and vanilla until smooth. Fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Distribute into doughnut pan holes, taking care to not overfill (about 3/4 full is just right). Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until doughnuts spring back slightly at a light touch. Cool completely. While cooling, in a shallow dish, mix melted butter and sugar and cinnamon for topping. Dip cooled doughnuts into butter and sugar mixture, coating on all sides.

Whole Wheat Chocolate Doughnuts
Makes 6-8

Ingredients
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 cup white flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (my favorite is Ghiradelli’s cocoa powder)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup plus 3 tablespoons of milk
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons canola, sunflower or coconut oil
1 teaspoon chocolate extract
(For topping:)
1 cup white chocolate chips or white baking chips
Cooking or baking spray oil (I use Coconut Oil spray for most baked goods)

Steps
Preheat oven to 325 and lightly spray doughnut pan with cooking spray. Sift together dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa and salt) in small bowl and set aside. In medium or large bowl, whisk together sugar, milk, eggs, oil, and chocolate extract until smooth. Fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Distribute into doughnut pan holes, taking care to not overfill (about 3/4 full is just right). Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until doughnuts spring back slightly at a light touch. Cool completely. While cooling, in a shallow dish, melt white chocolate chips in the microwave at 30 seconds intervals, stirring each time you take it out, until smooth. (Should take at most 2 rounds for a total of 60 seconds. Don’t overheat. Spoon melted chips into snack or quart sized plastic bag. Snip tiny corner off of end. Pipe onto cooled doughnuts in any design you like.

Healthy Summer Thirst Quenchers

June 29, 2016 by Kelley Leave a Comment

When most of us were kids, Coke was as common in the ‘fridge as milk, and thirsty Little Leaguers were as likely to be given Hi-C as water. But times have changed, and so has awareness when it comes to what our kids drink. Even wholesome-sounding juice has gotten a bad rap, and for good reason; a 16-ounce Ocean Spray Cran-Apple drink has 320 calories and 62 grams of sugar—more than three Twinkies.

“Think of juice like sugar water,” my friend, an obesity researcher at Harvard, recently told me while we watched second-grade soccer players suck down OJ and Munchkins after a recent game. Like the American Academy of Pediatrics, he advised that we should be offering children two beverages: milk and water.

Sound advice; but not much fun. Especially on a hot summer afternoon or evening.

I’m not ready to deprive my kids of soda and juice completely. Some of my warmest childhood memories involve Shirley Temples. I think lemonade is a rite—and right—of summer. But for those hot, not-so-special occasions, I wanted some refreshing options that don’t involve a snack-cake’s worth of sugar. So I fooled around with the blender and talked to my nutritionist and foodie friends. Then, I asked the kids to belly up to the kitchen island for some taste testing. Here’s what they say are worthy of second rounds.

Watermelon Slushie

This is a great way to use up the watermelon in your ‘fridge that’s become a little mushier than ideal. If grown-ups are involved, add a vodka or gin to the adults’ pitcher. Delicious.

3 cups watermelon chunks
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup cubed or crushed ice
1/2 cup water

If ice is in big chunks, add that to blender first to chop it up a bit. Then add other ingredients and blend until smooth but not too frothy. Serve immediately; give a quick stir if watermelon pulp floats to top.

Makes 4 cups

Lighter Lemonade

I have yet to meet a kid who doesn’t love lemonade, and to deny children this summer staple seems cruel and unusual. But to counteract the sour base fruit, lemonade typically includes loads of sugar—27 grams, or 2.25 tablespoons, per cup. Thankfully, the kitchen scientists at Cook’s Illustrated have come up with a simple trick to cut half the sugar out of lemonade without losing sweetness: adding the zest to the lemonade while making it (and straining before serving). It works!

5 lemons
4 tablespoons sugar
2.5 cups room temperature or warm water
a pinch of salt

Put the juice of five lemons and most of the zest from all of them into a pitcher. (If you don’t already have them, a Microplane zester and an enameled citrus press make these jobs easy, and will serve heroically in countless other recipes.) Let the zest and juice sit for five minutes. In the meantime, mix water, sugar, and pinch of salt in a pitcher. Then, strain the lemon juice into the sugar water so the zest is removed. Chill in fridge for at least a half-hour and serve cold or over ice.

Makes 4 cups

Ginger Iced Tea

While kids aren’t commonly fans of hot tea, many like cold tea, and it can be a real treat for a summer dinner, luncheon or picnic. I love this flavorful homemade version, adapted from healthy chef Ellie Krieger. The ginger doesn’t overwhelm, just adds a nice zip (and some stomach-soothing benefits).

1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup roughly chopped ginger
2 cups water (plus 6 cups later)
5 black tea bags (I use decaffeinated Lipton, but choose your favorite—Raspberry or Orange flavored black would be good)
Juice from half a lemon

Bring 2 cups water, honey, and ginger chunks in saucepan over stove. Once it starts to boil, lower heat and simmer for five minutes. Turn off heat and add tea bags, letting steep for a half-hour. Meanwhile, fill pitcher with 6 cups cold water and juice from half of a lemon. After tea has steeped, strain out solids and add warm tea into cold water and lemon juice mixture. Chill for at least half-hour in fridge and serve cold or over ice.

Makes 8 cups (a large pitcher’s worth)

Berry Bubbler

This is a simple idea that elevates plain old seltzer into something a little more special. While I’ve posted about making homemade fruity ice cubes before, you can also skip the dicing and the trays and just freeze whole, small, firm fruit, like berries or grapes, to create instant, easy ice cubes that are really fun to eat at the end of your drink. Challenge the soda-lovers in your family to replace diet or flavored soda with seltzer or plain club soda for a week. We find that once you wean off of it, regular soda tastes cloyingly sweet.

1 liter favorite flavored seltzer (we like raspberry-lime, cranberry-lime, or Polar seltzer’s new Watermelon Margarita flavor)
1 cup raspberries (or blueberries or blackberries)

Spread a cup of berries on a small tray, plate, or piece of waxed paper in the freezer for at least an hour. Pour seltzer into a pretty pitcher and float a few frozen berries on top. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 cups

Green Monster Water

HHK’s resident nutrition advisor, the fabulous dietitian and cookbook author Dana White, loves serving fruit-infused waters to her kids in the summertime. “My girls like experimenting with different colors and flavors so we make a bit of a game out of it— making small batches to see what we like best,” she says. Because we are Red Sox fans around here, and it just so happens that a handful of Fenway-hued fruits and veggies—green apples, cucumbers, and green grapes—happen to hold up extra-nicely in a pitcher of water over time, we’ve landed upon this as our favorite flavor combo this year.

1/2 cup while green grapes (frozen in freezer for an hour beforehand makes them extra cold and crunchy)
1/2 cup cucumber slices (about 1/4 inch thickness)
1/2 cup green apple slices (about 1/4 inch thickness)
8 cups water

Combine cold or frozen fruit and water in pitcher, and chill in fridge for at least one hour. Serve infused water alone or with a couple of the fruits and veggies floating on top.

Makes about 8 cups (a large pitcher’s worth)

The One Vitamin Worth Taking

May 5, 2016 by Kelley 1 Comment

Anyone who reads my blog knows that I’m skeptical of supplements. I echo the advice that most medical experts have given me time and again in my years of health reporting: The absolute best way for kids—and grown-ups—to get their vitamins is by eating a colorful variety of vegetables, fruits, lean proteins, low-mercury fish, and whole grains.

Except, it seems, when it comes to Vitamin D.

At my pediatrician’s office for my youngest son’s 4th year well visit in early January, I confidently checked off every box she presented to me in terms of monitoring his health. I was presenting him with (mostly) healthy foods, putting him to bed early(ish), etcetera. (The thumb sucking conversation was a can I kicked down the road). But then Dr. Gara asked if I was giving him Vitamin D each day. Yes, I told her; he drinks a lot of milk. No dice, she said. He—and his brothers—should still be taking a 400 IU supplement of Vitamin D each day, she told me.

Funny, I thought that Vitamin D were mainly for breastfed babies, and that once kids started drinking fortified milk, they got what they needed. So I double checked with my trusty pediatrician advisers at Two Peds in a Pod, and they confirmed what Dr. Gara said. In 2009, the AAP upped all kids’ daily requirements of Vitamin D to 400 IUs. But what about kids—like mine—who put away enough milk in a year to nourish a small city? “(400 IUs) is equivalent to 32 ounces of milk per day. This is TOO MUCH milk for anyone other than an older formula-fed baby who has not yet started solids foods,” the pediatrician bloggers wrote in a post on the subject.

And what about Vitamin-D-rich sun exposure? In the summer months, kids should be wearing sunscreen to protect against skin cancer, which blocks much of the penetration of the vitamin; in the winter months, most children don’t spend enough time outside in sunny climates to get enough of a benefit.

The reason this all matters is that sufficient Vitamin D is essential for healthy bone growth, and also seems to help protect kids against certain illnesses, asthma, and allergies. Add to that a new study showing that toddlers who took extra Vitamin D were leaner and had greater muscle mass, and supplements are—I totally concede, now—a no-brainer.

For the past four and a half months, I’ve given my kids a Vitamin D supplement every morning (along with a Culturelle probiotic, but that’s a post for another day). None of them has had more than a mild cold all winter, a fact I realize provides absolutely zero evidence beyond the anecdotal but, given our family history of pukey and flu-y winters, I’m mentioning just for kicks.

There are a ton of fine-tasting, kid-friendly supplements of Vitamin D3 (the kind best absorbed by the body). Some are folded into a “complete” multi-vitamin, but as long as your child has a reasonably healthy diet, there’s no need to pay extra for that if you don’t have to. In 2013, Consumer Reports rated options for both adults and kids, here. Their top recommendations for kids are:

Carlson Laboratory for Kids 400 IU drops

Nature Made Kids Chewable D3 400 IU

Nature Factors Vitamin D3 for Kids

CVS Children’s Chewable Vitamin D 400 IU (This product doesn’t seem widely available anymore; my kids take the CVS brand gummies, here.)

Bottom line: We should keep serving kids milk and making sure they have lots of time outdoors, in the sunshine. But when it comes to Vitamin D, a supplement is best.

Photo Credit: Mark’s vitamin via Photo Pin, cc

Healthy New Year’s Resolutions for Kids

December 29, 2015 by Kelley 1 Comment

In late December, on one of the family walks we try to do around our local pond every weekend, my husband and I share our New Year’s resolutions with our kids—and prompt them to share theirs. But usually, little boys’ resolutions are either overly specific (“I won’t trip my little brother near that big rock again”) or overly broad (“I will be good”). But this year I will be able to provide some guidance, courtesy of the American Academy of Pediatrics, who recommends these ideas for preschoolers through high schoolers.

Preschoolers

I will clean up my toys by putting them where they belong.
I will let my parents help me brush my teeth twice a day. I will wash my hands after going to the bathroom and before eating.
I will help clear the table when I am done eating.
I will be friendly to all animals. I will remember to ask the owners if I can pet their animal first.
I will be nice to other kids who need a friend or look sad or lonely.
I will talk with my parent or a trusted adult when I need help or am scared.

Kids, 5 to 12 years old

I will drink reduced-fat milk and water every day, and drink soda and fruit drinks only at special times.
I will take care of my skin by putting on sunscreen before I go outdoors on bright, sunny days. I will try to stay in the shade whenever possible and wear a hat and sunglasses, especially when I’m playing sports.
I will try to find a sport (like basketball or soccer) or an activity (like playing tag, jumping rope, dancing or riding my bike) that I like and do it at least three times a week!
I will always wear a helmet when riding a bike, scooter or skateboard.
I will wear my seat belt every time I get in a car. I’ll sit in the back seat and use a booster seat until I am tall enough to use a lap/shoulder seat belt.
I’ll be friendly to kids who may have a hard time making friends by asking them to join activities such as sports or games.
I will always tell an adult about any bullying I may see or hear about to help keep school safe for everyone.
I will keep my personal information safe and not share my name, home address, school name or telephone number on the Internet. Also, I’ll never send a picture of myself to someone I chat with on the computer without asking my parent if it is okay.
I will try to talk with my parent or a trusted adult when I have a problem or feel stressed.
I promise to follow our household rules for videogames and internet use.

Kids, 13 years old and older

I will try to eat two servings of fruit and two servings of vegetables every day, and I will drink sodas only at special times.
I will take care of my body through physical activity and eating the right types and amounts of foods.
I will choose non-violent television shows and video games, and I will spend only one to two hours each day – at the most – on these activities. I promise to follow our household rules for videogames and Internet use.
I will help out in my community – through giving some of my time to help others, working with community groups or by joining a group that helps people in need.
When I feel angry or stressed out, I will take a break and find helpful ways to deal with the stress, such as exercising, reading, writing in a journal or talking about my problem with a parent or friend.
When faced with a difficult decision, I will talk about my choices with an adult whom I can trust.
When I notice my friends are struggling, being bullied or making risky choices, I will talk with a trusted adult and attempt to find a way that I can help them.
I will be careful about whom I choose to date, and always treat the other person with respect and without forcing them to do something or using violence. I will expect to be treated the same way in return.
I will resist peer pressure to try tobacco-cigarettes, drugs or alcohol. I will also avoid the use of e-cigarettes.
I agree not to use a cellphone or text message while driving and to always use a seat belt.

See more at AAP.com. And best wishes to all of our phenomenal followers for a healthy and happy 2016! Thanks so much for your support.

5 Kids’ Health News Stories of 2015

December 23, 2015 by Kelley Leave a Comment

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know that 2015 was packed with big, debate shaping events, both here and abroad. In the global grand scheme of things, everyday kids’ health news may seem relatively unimportant, but to parents, good pediatric research—especially when paired with good, actionable advice—can lead to life altering positive changes. (Which is why I created this blog in the first place!) Here, I’m sharing the five, kids’ health headlines from 2015 that most fascinated—and in some cases, inspired—me.

1. Measles isn’t going away.

What started with a bout of measles among kids at Disneyland in December ballooned into a multi-state outbreak, affecting more than 100 kids in January alone. The CDC is “very concerned” about the possibility of an even larger outbreak down the road, says Tom Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

Besides being seriously dangerous, potentially leading to pneumonia, encephalitis, and even death, the problem with measles is that its one of the most contagious viruses there is. Measles spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes, and 90% of the people around an infected person will catch it if they aren’t protected, according to the CDC. So, talk to your pediatrician to make sure your children’s shots are completely up-to-date, and if your infant is too young for a vaccine, make sure he or she doesn’t come into contact with infected children.

2. Pets make for healthier kids.

In case your kids needed any more fodder for their case for a fluffy new friend: Mounting research shows that having animals in or around the house can lead to big health benefits for growing immune systems and developing brains. In November, Swedish scientists published data on one million children that found that dog exposure during infancy was associated with a 13% lower risk of asthma in school-age children, while farm animal exposure was linked to a 52% risk reduction. Separately, CDC-funded researchers discovered that kids with dogs, specifically, were less anxious than their peers, even after controlling for family income, age, gender, and other variables. Pets may be hard work, but it appears they give back more than companionship.

3. Big kids are seriously sleep deprived.

Think you’re tired? In August, the CDC revealed that 2 out of 3 high school students get less than the recommended eight hours of sleep per night for their age group. Too-early school start times are partially to blame: The average start for middle and high schools is 8:03, which many sleep experts believe is out of sync with adolescent sleep cycles. But screen-based gadgets may be the worst culprit: A Norwegian study of 10,000 teens found that more than 90 percent of girls and 80 percent of boys use a cell phone in the hour before bed, a practice that’s been strongly linked in recent research to thwarted sleep (the blue light can trick the brain into thinking it’s daytime). If your children own gadgets, consider putting the phones and pads to sleep in a different room than them, and be sure to revisit the National Sleep Foundation’s guidelines on how long children of different ages should snooze: it’s 10 to 13 hours per day for preschoolers, nine to 11 for kids between ages 6 and 13, and eight to 10 hours for teens.

4. Cutting back on a little sugar goes a long way.

If you had to choose just one healthier habit to adopt for your family this year, clearing the kitchen of too-sweet snacks may be your best bet. Endocrinologists at the USCF Benioff Children’s Hospital in San Francisco showed that lowering overweight kids’ sugar intake dramatically boosted their health—in just 10 days. Even without changing the amount of calories they were consuming or exercise they were doing, children who cut out almost all sweetened foods were able to improve their levels of blood sugar, cholesterol, fasting glucose and insulin (all markers for diabetes). They also reported feeling less hungry. Need inspiration? Print out these easy ways to cut back on sugar from nutritionist Dana White, R.D., here and post on the ‘fridge.

5. Beware of “overvaluing” kids.

It seems intuitive to tell kids how special they are, but a new study adds to growing evidence that this could do more harm than good. In the first prospective study of its kind, scientists from Ohio State University and the University of Amsterdam surveyed families four times over one-and-a-half years to see if they could identify which factors led children to have inflated views of themselves. They found that kids of parents who “overvalued” them—thought they were more special than others—developed narcissistic behaviors later on. (The full report is an interesting read: In order to measure parental overvaluation, researchers asked parents, among other questions, whether their 8- to 12-year-olds are familiar with not only real historic people, like Neil Armstrong, but also fictional ones, like “Queen Alberta.” As you might have guessed, quite a few parents held firm that their little Einsteins knew all about “Queen Alberta.”)

Rather than convincing yourself and your kids’ of their greatness, researchers recommend greater “parental warmth”: simply letting kids know, often, how much you love them. This leads to high levels of much healthier self-esteem, without the narcissism. The difference? “People with high self-esteem think they’re as good as others, whereas narcissists think they’re better than others,” says study co-author Brad Bushman, Ph.D.

Holiday Goal #2: Fill Up on Feel-Good Foods

December 9, 2015 by Kelley Leave a Comment

As we go full-steam into the busy holiday season, we’re featuring guest posts from three wellness professionals who specialize in helping parents feel more centered and energized. On January 23, coaches Cory Halaby and Molly Shrewsberry and nutritionist Stacy Kennedy are also leading the Wellesley Wellness Retreat, where they’ll teach moms strategies for self-care and managing family life all year long. If you live anywhere near the Boston area, register now for the morning program as well as yoga, private coaching sessions, nutritional counseling, and massage in the afternoon. It’s sure to be a motivational and relaxing day. Consider it a holiday gift to yourself—and your loved ones.

Today, I got some major motivation from Stacy Kennedy, MPH, RD, a nutritionist at Dana Farber-Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center in Boston as well as a licensed personal trainer and fitness instructor. Stacy is featured in the award-winning documentary, Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead and works as the nutritionist for its affiliated company, Reboot with Joe. While many of us think of this month as a free pass to indulge in the snacks and sweets of the season, Stacy makes a case for trying to eat healthier than ever. Here are her top-four strategies—and some delicious nourishing recipes.

Hydrate with herbs. Choose a calming herbal tea over that extra cappuccino. Excessive caffeine can ramp up heart rate and contribute to feeling stressed and jittery. Herbal teas like ginger and lemon or chamomile help warm you up, keep you hydrated, and may exert calming effects.

Go for greens. Magnesium rich foods like kale, Swiss chard, collards and mustard greens can all help to regulate metabolism and stress hormones. Try a Roasted Pumpkin Salad, Green Smoothie, or Hearty but Healthy Soup.

Pick potassium. Foods naturally high in potassium like bananas in this Cinnamon Chai Protein Smoothie, avocado in these Fresh Veggie Enchiladas, sweet potato like these simple, tasty “fries”, and winter squash in this Harvest Cinnamon Spice Juice can help keep blood pressure in check.

Sip while shopping. Bring a juice or smoothie to sip on while shopping, and eat a healthy snack before heading out to work, errands, or your third holiday pageant of the week. Whether you’re shopping or attending one of the many events sprinkled throughout the season, there are rich and extreme calorie laden snacks everywhere. The fuller on nutrients you are, the better you’ll feel; more energized and resilient to resist temptation or at least make wise choices.

—Stacy

To find out more about the Wellesley Wellness Retreat and register yourself or a loved one, go to the website here. The event will be on January 23, with morning and afternoon sessions.

Go-to Weeknight Dinners

December 3, 2015 by Kelley Leave a Comment

Recently, a friend asked if I’d scout around for some foolproof weekday dinner recipes and post about it. Mission accepted: Tasteless, thrown-together meals on a busy Monday are the worst. First, I polled around about typical aversions and preferences (turns out my kids aren’t uniquely averse to “mushy, saucy things”). I also chatted up fellow parents, who, almost universally, place a premium on recipes that are easily adaptable to picky or adventurous tastes. Then I collected, tried and tweaked recipes, including favorites of mine and HHK advisory board members. The finalists are here: Six, rock-solid recipes that can serve as a foundation for dozens of school-night meals. I know I’m not splitting the atom here. But these just work.

CLASSIC ROAST CHICKEN
In terms of taste and ease, no preparation beats Ina Garten’s from her first book, Barefoot Contessa. I’ve adapted it so you aren’t running to the grocery for non-essential, obscure ingredients on a Tuesday. If you have a larger family or have some dark meat lovers, like me, buy an extra pack of drumsticks or wings, salt and pepper them and cook them on a baking sheet in same oven as the chicken for the final 45 minutes of cooking.
Ingredients:
1 (5 to 6 pound) roasting chicken
salt to taste
pepper to taste
1 lemon, halved
1 head garlic, cut in half crosswise (OR several shakes powered garlic)
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter, melted
1 large yellow onion, thickly sliced
To Make: Preheat the oven to 425. Remove the chicken giblets and rinse and dry chicken. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the chicken. Stuff the cavity with the lemon and garlic. Brush the outside of the chicken with the butter and sprinkle again with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with kitchen string (if you have) and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken. Sprinkle onions in a roasting pan and place the chicken on top. Roast the chicken for 1 1/2 hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh. Remove the chicken and cover with aluminum foil for about 20 minutes. Slice the chicken onto a platter.
Simple menu: Chicken slices or leg/wing pieces + carrot sticks (roasted or cold) + quick drop biscuits
Adventurous variation: Shredded chicken + butternut squash chunks (oiled, salted, spread on cookie sheet, and roasted in same oven as chicken for last 25 minutes of cooking) + penne with garlic salt

FISH TACOS
HHK advisor Dana White, R.D., developed this recipe, simplified here, for the Food Network. Feel free to sauté fish in two Tbsp. oil if you prefer that to oven-cooking. Put toppings in small bowls on the table—children love to build their own tacos.
Ingredients:
1 1/4 pound cod (OR tilapia or any other firm white fish) cut into 16 pieces
1 cup all-purpose flour for dredging
1 1/2 cups of panko breadcrumbs
2 eggs, lightly beaten
salt to taste
pepper to taste
1 tablespoon canola OR vegetable oil
8 small corn or flour tortillas, warmed in microwave or oven
Nonstick cooking spray
one lime, quartered
choice of toppings (see below)
To Make: Preheat oven to 450-degrees. Place a wire rack over a baking sheet and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Place flour, eggs and panko in a 3 shallow dishes and season with salt and pepper. Dredge fish in flour, then egg and then breadcrumbs; transfer to wire rack. Drizzle with canola oil and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden, turning once. Serve with tortillas, toppings, and limes to squeeze over everything.
Simple menu: Shredded or diced chicken + supermarket salsa + shredded cheese + thinly sliced green cabbage + white or brown rice
Adventurous variation: Fish + mango salsa (1 cup combined diced mango, red pepper, and cucumber) +thinly sliced cabbage + sour cream or plain greek yogurt + white or brown rice

MAPLE-CANDY PORK
Of all the recipes in Jenny Rosenstrach’s useful Dinner: A Playbook, this seems to be a homerun with everyone. It’s also a good way to ease pork into the dinner rotation. You don’t really use candy in the recipe, but you don’t have to tell your kids that.
Ingredients:
4 boneless center-cut pork chops
1/3 cup maple syrup
3 Tbsp. canola oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup rice wine OR apple cider vinegar
1 garlic clove, halved, OR a shake or two of powdered garlic
To Make: Place the pork chops in a re-sealable plastic bag. Add the maple syrup, canola oil, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, and garlic. Marinate anywhere from 1 hour to overnight.When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 450. Remove the chops from the marinade and pat dry with paper towels, removing any garlic slices. Place the chops on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet and bake, flipping once halfway through, for 15 to 20 minutes, until firm but not hard.
Simple menu: Pork + buttered egg noodles + applesauce cups
Adventurous variation: Pork + white or brown rice + canned black beans, rinsed and sautéed for 5-10 minutes with finely diced onion (green, red, or yellow)

PERFECT POT ROAST
My sister Julie, a former professional chef and the best home cook I know, passed along this recipe when I first became a mom and was working full-time. Including all the ingredients here is your best bet, but I’ve made it without bay leaves and wine without a problem. This is a slow-cooker recipe but you can use a Dutch oven, too.
Ingredients:
1 3-pound boneless chuck roast
1 1/2 tsp. house seasoning (mix together salt, pepper and garlic powder)
1/4 c. canola OR vegetable oil
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
2 bay leaves (can omit if you don’t have)
3-4 beef bouillon cubes, mixed in 1/2 cup water OR 1/2 cup beef stock
2 garlic cloves, crushed OR 1 Tbsp. garlic paste
1 can mushroom soup or stock
1/4 cup white wine
To Make:
Sprinkle house seasoning on all sides of roast and sear each side in medium-hot pan coated with oil. Place in slow cooker, scatter onions on top. Whisk together bouillon/stock, garlic, soup and wine. Pour on top of roast and scatter bay leaves around. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours, until roast is easy to slice and at 150-160 degrees internal temperature.
For simple tastes: Sliced pot roast + oven-blasted broccoli + homemade french fries (heat oven to 450, slice two baking potatoes into long, 1/4-inch wide strips, soak for 10 minutes in bowl of water and pat dry, toss with canola or vegetable oil and liberal shake of salt, and roast on foil -covered baking sheet for 20-25 minutes)
For more adventurous eaters: Mix shredded pot roast + sautéed veggie mix (thinly sliced pepper, onion, and carrots, tossed continuously for five minutes with oil on medium-high heat on stove) + 1/2 cup cashews + 2 cups cooked quinoa or couscous

CONFETTI SALAD
Adapted from cookbook author Ricki Heller, my new favorite salad tastes even better for lunch the next day, and can be broken up into healthy components for kids whose food can’t “touch.”
Ingredients:
1 whole napa cabbage, washed, trimmed, and sliced thinly on the diagonal
1 cup cooked and shelled edamame or stringless, chopped sugar or snap peas
2 cups rainbow/vegetable fusilli or rotini pasta, cooked and cooled
1 carrot, grated
1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup champagne, apple cider or white vinegar
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil (best) or canola/vegetable oil
1 very small onion, grated on the finest holes of your grater (it should almost liquefy)
1 clove garlic, crushed or 1 Tbsp. garlic paste
To Make: Toss the vegetables, pine nuts, and pasta in a large salad bowl. In small, separate bowl, whisk together last seven ingredients and drizzle over salad.
For simple tastes: Separate pasta, edamame or peas, and diced ham, chicken or turkey on the side (separate on plate)
For more adventurous eaters: Serve confetti salad as is.

TURKEY MEATBALLS
This healthier alternative to beef, courtesy of Dana White, R.D. for the Food Network, is made super-tasty with a few tricky add-ins. Make extra and freeze for a quick protein source for any dinner.
Ingredients:
1 pound ground turkey
1 large egg, beaten
2 tsp. panko bread crumbs
2 Tbsp. traditional bread crumbs
1 Tbsp. prepared pesto
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil to taste
To Make: Preheat oven to 375. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, combine ground turkey, egg, both bread crumbs, and pesto. Season with 1⁄2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Mix well and form into 16-18 1-ounce balls. Transfer to lined baking sheet, brush with olive oil and bake for 20 minutes, turning once.
For simple tastes: Meatballs + spaghetti + favorite jarred sauce (optional)
Adventurous variation: Meatballs + 2 cups rice of couscous + diced cucumbers + dollop of hummus and/or greek yogurt + shake of paprika, salt, pepper to taste

Preschoolers

Kids, 5 to 1​2 years old

Kids, 13 ​y​ears old and older

Kids, 5 to 12 years old

Kids, 13 years old and older