3 Kids and Us

How to Encourage Your Kids to Eat Healthily

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A healthy and nutritious diet is essential for everyone, and particularly for children as they grow. However, as many parents know, it can often be a bit of a challenge to encourage them to enjoy eating well and can lead to fussy eating habits as well as plenty of meltdowns at mealtimes. There are some simple ways to introduce healthier foods into your children’s meals, so read on to find out more about them.

Have meals together as a family

Eating together as a family can be a wonderful way of spending quality time together, as well as encouraging better eating habits. While many of our lifestyles have gotten busier and more complex, making time to enjoy at least one meal together every day is a good start to make a healthy diet part of the family lifestyle.

Use family mealtimes to model good eating habits by having a variety of ‘safe’ and more novel foods in the mix, allowing children to try a little of everything for themselves, without pressure to eat anything specifically. Meal times are a great time to relax and have a conversation about what has been happening in everyone’s lives, and this can also reduce stress overeating unfamiliar foods.

Have a mix of healthy snacks and treats available

While eating a high amount of sugary, processed, or high-fat foods is certainly unhealthy for anyone, especially kids, this does not mean that they need to be eradicated or demonized entirely. In fact, this can often be counter-productive by making certain forbidden foods more alluring, especially as children get older and are able to access snacks at school and other places.

Instead, encourage a healthy approach to enjoying treats in moderation by mixing up a few treat items with more healthy foods, such as fruits and vegetable pieces. Children’s gummy vitamins are also a fun way of adding a nutritional boost to their daily diet in a fun and enjoyable form.

Get kids involved with food preparation

Helping children to feel more engaged and connected with the food on their plate is a great way of encouraging a healthier approach to eating habits, as it can be empowering to see and understand where their food comes from. You can get children involved with their food in several ways, such as encouraging them to pick a new item from the produce section to add to dinner. This can be a fun way to experiment with flavors and textures as well as making healthy foods seem less daunting.

Allowing children to get involved in the kitchen during meal preparation is also a fun way of helping them to learn more about food. Giving simple tasks, such as mixing a salad, chopping vegetables, or sampling a home-made dressing, can help them learn more about what goes into their food, as well as helping them feel more independent. Don’t worry about making messes – this is an inevitable part of having kids in the kitchen!

Yummy Fall Foods

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The appearance of fall brings about more than just cooler weather and foliage. With fall come seasonal foods that we all enjoy. Here are a few of the foods that make great fall dishes.

Apples

It is true that apples are available all year round, but they are more connected to the fall season. On a chilly day, a great way to warm yourself is with a serving of warm apple cider. One sip of this yummy beverage and you will instantly warm up. In addition to being the main ingredient of a tasty beverage, apples can also be turned into a topping for homemade biscuits. Apple butter is a delicious spread that can be applied to toast or warm, homemade biscuits.

Apples not only help to make tasteful treats, they also can be used in Halloween games. Bobbing for apples is a game that is played by filling a large tub with water and adding apples to it. The apples will float in the water and allow players to catch them with the teeth. The person that catches the most apples with their teeth wins the game.

Pears

Apples are not the only fruit associated with fall; pears are also considered to be autumn’s fruit. These delicious fruits can be eaten raw or prepared with other ingredients. Pears are great for making preserves and canning them for the colder months.

Pumpkins

Pumpkins are deeply connected to the fall weather thanks to Halloween and Thanksgiving. During Halloween, pumpkins are gutted and carved into Jack-O-lanterns. Creating Jack-O-Lanterns are a great way to release your creativity and to spend time with the family. Once the Jack-O-Lantern is created, a light is placed in the inside and the world will be able to see your creation.

Some people throw away the pulp and seeds inside of pumpkins while making a jack-o-lantern, while others save the pulp and seeds in order to create delish treats. The seeds of the pumpkins can be roasted and turned into on-the-go snacks. In addition to roasted pumpkin seeds being a favorite treat, these snacks are packed with antioxidants, fiber, and vitamins which also allow them to be a healthy snack.

The pulp of the pumpkin can be used to make pumpkin pies. Just add a couple of ingredients such as all-purpose flour, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg and you will have created a tasty treat.

The meat of the pumpkin can also be used to create fall drinks. A pumpkin spice latte is a tasty drink that can help to wake you up in the morning. You can also get Spiced pumpkin puree to make a delicious fall beverage.

Sweet Potatoes

Pumpkin pie is not a Thanksgiving favorite for everyone. Some people enjoy the taste of sweet potatoes over pumpkins. Sweet potato pies are also a tradition for Thanksgiving and the fall season. Sweet potatoes have their own sweetness so you can bake them and enjoy them as a healthy snack. Sweet potatoes are full of vitamin A and C, calcium, and potassium. Other items can be added to the sweet potato in order add more flavor to them. Nutmeg can add a more distinct taste to your sweet potato, just sprinkle some on the baked snack and enjoy.

Cauliflower

The season of fall is not just associated with fruits, but vegetables as well. Cauliflower is a vegetable that is mostly associated with the fall season. These white vegetables are usually looked over because people view them as being plain and lacking taste. Cauliflower can be a healthy alternative to mashed potatoes. You can mash cauliflower until it reaches almost the same consistency of mashed potatoes. Mashed cauliflowers are healthier than mashed potatoes because they have fewer calories and they are a great source of vitamin C.

Brussel sprouts

Another vegetable that is connected to the fall season is Brussels sprouts. Brussels sprouts have gotten a horrible reputation in the past. Brussels sprouts are often given the description of a distasteful vegetable. You can steam or roast them and add salt, pepper, or other spices to the vegetable. If you prefer a sweeter taste from the Brussels sprouts, try roasting them and adding olive oil, salt, and pepper to them. This method of preparing Brussels sprouts can help to release the natural sweetness of the vegetable. Brussels sprouts are not only a tasty dish, but they also help to protect your body against vitamin A and iron deficiency.

Why cheese is an important dairy product?

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Cheese is one of the major dairy products which is very popular amongst the people due to its royal taste. Most of the people like eating cheese and it is available in various distinct qualities. It also has different varieties. Cheese is usually obtained by using pasteurized milk. The cheese has distinct flavour and texture depending on the quality and process of cheese making.

However, some cheese varieties require that the milk is warmed a bit before it undergoes any treatment. This heating kills the bacteria and germs which are present in the milk and provides optimum condition for the cheese to be made. It is essential for milk to be aged at least for 60 days so as to reduce the disease-causing bacteria get dead.

There are other products apart from cheese which can be obtained from milk like yoghurt and other products which are equivalently important. Yogurt strainer bag is often used to drain out excess water from the yoghurt.

Ingredients

Usually it is made up of milk. Cheese can be obtained from all sorts of milk of cow, goat, sheep and water buffalo. They can also be obtained by the blend of different type of milks.

The other important aspect is choosing of coagulant and it depends on the type of cheese that you require. If you want acid cheese then an acid coagulant is used like acetic acid and lemon acid. If you want rennet cheese more commonly it is calf rennet which is famous. Sometimes calcium chloride is also used to make the cheese more solid and better in quality. Different kinds of flavours can be added depending on the needs. Some common types of ingredients which are used are port wine, hers, spices and hot pepper.

Different type of cultures used

Usually bacteria act as a main source to turn raw milk into yoghurt or cheese. These bacteria are present in lactic acid as these micro organism feed on the energy which is given by lactose of a milk. There is wide type of bacteria which are used for the making of cheese. Some distinct cultures techniques are used to improve cheese quality and flavour.

Where to buy rennet?

Buying rennet cheese is not an easy task you should always consider it buying either from a reputed shop or you should buy cheese from a good company. The rennet is the most popular type of cheese and is available abundantly. Always keep in mind that you should find a quality product. Rennet is usually made from calf milk which provides it a good texture and colour.

Rennet varies in the type of strength. They have the tendency to be coagulated with various kinds of different milk has also one of the major cause which make rennet cheese one of the most popular cheese. It is recommended that you use Kosher certification-based equipment for the manufacturing of rennet cheese. It is one of finest cheese quality which you will get out there.

Choose The Best Baby Food For Your Baby

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When we talk about feeding baby food to babies, most mothers will desire for their babies to be fed home cooked baby food. For mothers who are not working, preparing home cooked food for their babies is of no big issue. They have the time to shop for the freshest natural food including fruits and vegetables. They can then prepare the food in batches, pack and store them in small portions in the freezer. There are some working mothers who will make extra effort to make their own home cooked baby food for their babies this way. This can be very tiring for mothers who worked long hours away from home.

For mothers who are not able to prepare home cooked baby food, they have no choice but to depend on commercial baby food. There are many brands of baby food displayed on the shelves of supermarkets or shopping malls for the mothers to choose from. Compared to home cooked baby food, buying commercial baby food is very convenient.

We all have heard or read that mass-produced baby food is not hundred percent natural. In order to produce baby food commercially, the natural food has to be processed, bottled or packed for distribution. Commercially produced baby food contains additives e.g. rice flour, water, citrus acid and etc. Salt and sugar are also added to the mass produced baby food.

With advanced technology and increase of knowledge, we know that manufacturers of commercially prepared baby food are aiming to produce baby food with quality as near as possible to the best natural baby food prepared by mothers. Amara is one of these baby food that is ranked 2nd this year. Amara baby food is known for using fresh and nutritious ingredients. The fruits and vegetables used are organic and pesticide free. The preparation technique used retains the essential nutrients and goodness of the natural fruits and vegetables and with the minimal addition of sugar.

For mothers who are looking for safe and nutritious baby food, Amara baby food is one of the best options. The baby food come in pouches and each pouches is enough for one meal. The pouches are packed in boxes. They are packed for easy storing and handy for travelling. The shelf life is around 12 – 18 months. Preparation of the baby food is simple. Just add breast milk, baby formula or water. Then mix into a smooth paste and it is ready for your baby to eat.

5 Best Snack Foods to Keep Your Family Healthy

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Keeping your family fit and healthy is a challenge. It’s not that easy maintaining a healthy lifestyle all year round because people, especially kids, are drawn to processed and sugary foods.  Anything that’s green and fresh is often considered unpalatable because of the influence of tempting food commercials.

As a responsible family member, your job is to make sure that everyone at home gets the essential nutrients he or she needs to ward off sickness and diseases like flu, obesity, and diabetes. Providing healthy and nutritious snacks is an excellent strategy to promote health in your family.

In this article, we’ve prepared a list of the best snack foods that are sure to delight everyone. These snacks guarantee that your family eats right without the dangers of processed carbs and sugar. Read on.


  1. Banana Nut Oatmeal

Nothing is healthier in the morning than a bowl of oatmeal. Oatmeal is a wholegrain which is a healthy source of fiber that lowers bad cholesterol (LDL). If you find oatmeal a bland choice for snacks, mix it with sliced bananas, chopped walnuts, and a teaspoon of ground cinnamon.

Bananas help lower your risk for developing asthma and are a good source of vitamin C. Walnuts support brain health by improving cognitive function. Lastly, ground cinnamon contains anti-inflammatory properties that relieve allergies.


  1. Apple Slices with Organic Peanut Butter

Do your kids hate apples? Apples are extremely beneficial since they’re rich in polyphenols, plant chemicals that work as antioxidants to fight off free radicals in the body. Polyphenols offer protection from heart disease  and certain cancers.

To make apples super tasty, the trick is to add a spread of organic peanut butter on each slice. This isn’t only a yummy snack treat, but also provides added protein and potassium.


  1. Strawberry Almond Smoothie

Here’s an easy to make, delicious snack that’ll satisfy your family’s mid-morning or afternoon cravings: Strawberry almond smoothie. Consuming smoothies is a creative way to incorporate fruits into your daily diet. Adults and kids love smoothies since they’re cold and creamy.

To prepare strawberry almond smoothie, simply blend strawberries, almond milk, sugar, and tofu. You can use Splenda as a sugar substitute. Adjust your sweetness preference. Strawberries and almond milk promote a healthier brain and nervous system while tofu provides all eight essential amino acids.


  1. Frozen Yogurt Blueberry Bites

If anyone in your family is a sweet tooth, he or she will absolutely love frozen yogurt blueberry bites. These deliciously sweet and sour treats can be the best substitute for any unhealthy dessert. Loaded with calcium, antioxidants, and fiber, you can pop as many as you want in your mouth without the guilt of gaining weight.

You only need 10 minutes to prepare these frozen yogurt blueberry bites. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Prepare a bowl of blueberries and a bowl of Greek yogurt. Poke each blueberry with a toothpick and dip it into the Greek yogurt. Place each dipped blueberry on the sheet. Once you’re done, freeze the dipped blueberries for about an hour.


  1. Celery with Peanut Butter and Raisins

Kids love calling this snack treat Ants on a Log. Adding a spread of peanut butter and raisin on a celery stick is a great way to have fun with this versatile vegetable. Because celery contains vitamins such as A, C, E, and B6, it lowers cholesterol levels, promotes healthy joints, and calms the nerves.

The addition of peanut butter and raisins add taste to the celery and provides your family with protein, potassium, and iron.

Conclusion

An effective way to help family members gain healthy eating practices is to provide them with nutritious and delicious snack foods. Snacking for children and adults is an important element of a healthy lifestyle. You can be as creative as you want when preparing snack treats. Don’t be afraid to mix and match fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

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