What happnes in kindergarten, doesn't stay in kindergarten...it comes home.

Long before my daughter could talk, she taught me that well-timed nutrition snacks were my secret weapon to keeping her balanced and eager to explore the world around her. I discovered, first hand, the effects that good nutrition had on her behavior and moods. By the time I figured it all out and felt like I could predict her every move, my toddler grew into a preschooler and now a kindergartener.


What happens in kindergarten, doesn’t stay in kindergarten…it comes home. Sugary snacks, high-fructose corn syrup chocolate milk, fried everything and candy rewards. My kindergartener was exposed to and expected to maneuver through a new landscape of food choices except this time I couldn’t act as tour guide. My only hope was to teach my daughter to make healthy choices for herself because I wasn’t there to make them for her.

All of a sudden, nutrition wasn’t just about what we ate at home. Once my daughter entered school, nutrition became a community-wide concern. And so, I decided to tackle school lunch as I did my daughter’s snacks. Replace the junk with fresh food. They have a name for it. It’s called Farm to School.

No big deal right? Well my county doesn’t have one high school, two middle schools and 5 elementary schools as did the town I grew up in. No, my county has 19 high schools, 19 middle schools, 79 elementary schools and 20 specialty schools. Here is how I got involved.

When my daughter started kindergarten at our neighborhood public school this past fall, I asked the newly formed school garden PTA committee who was working on a Farm to School program and how could I get involved. Aside from the brand new and exciting school garden, no one else was heading a farm to school initiative. In fact, no one in the county had started one either. That day the school garden PTA parents looked at me and said, “You do it.”

And so here we are. More than halfway through the school year and I have assembled a group of PTA parents devoted to the Farm to School initiative, introduced some ideas about nutrition awareness campaigns to do in our very own school, and organized a county-wide stakeholders meeting to discuss how our county could start a Farm to School program.

Our county-wide meeting is scheduled for the end of March but already I have received an RSVP from three principals, a school board member, our state representative, a member of the county board of health, our county school nutrition director and possibly more elected officials. We also have many parents and teachers from schools all across the county as well as farmers and local businesses coming to our meeting.

This meeting is truly exciting for the fact that it will bring so many varied members of the school community together under one purpose, to improve the school nutrition and support local farmers. Whatever the outcome of this meeting, we have taken a gigantic step in the right direction just by initiating a discussion of Farm to School.

Salad: Dressed for Success

Salad dressing is one of my favorite foods. As much as I love greens, I am in it for the dressing. But here’s the thing, most commercially made salad dressings are expensive, use poor quality oils and contain large amounts of sodium and additives.

When I find myself wondering if I should make something from scratch rather than buy it in a store, I ask myself a simple question. How much effort goes into making it myself and how much healthier is that home-made version? For salad dressing, my answer is not much and quite a bit. It hardly takes any time at all to make your own salad dressing while the health benefits and taste over a commercially-prepared one are tremendous.

Salad dressing is like a child’s drawing. There are no wrong answers. As long as you have something to draw with and something to draw on, the rest is up to you. Salad dressing is the same – as long as you have 1 part vinegar and 2-3 parts oil, you are ready to dress those greens! The beauty of salad dressing is that the variations are endless. Once you understand the basic components, start experimenting with your own concoctions.

As for the kids…I will never forget the discussions I had with my 3-year-old son about the difference between salad dressing, getting dressed and wearing dresses.   His older sister got dressed in dresses almost every day so he was sure that the lettuce had something to do with it too.  After you’ve had a good laugh over how Amelia Bedelia might dress her salad, what better way to get the kids eating greens than dipping them in a homemade dressing?

Here are some simple guidelines to making your own fabulous dressing with ingredients you might already have on hand.

Basic Balsamic Vinaigrette:
1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar
1 tsp Dried Oregano (optional)
1 tsp Dijon mustard (or whatever mustard you have)
1/4 tsp sugar (optional)
1 pinch Kosher salt and pepper to taste
3/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil



Basic Lemon Vinaigrette:
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 pinch Kosher salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp. dried herb like coriander, basil, or oregano (optional)


Basic Yogurt Ranch:
1/3 cup Greek style plain yogurt
1/3 cup buttermilk
3 Tbsp. mayonnaise
1-1/2 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. onion powder (optional)
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp. finely chopped fresh chives (optional)
Salt to taste

The Lost Art of Stovetop Popcorn

Are you still making microwave popcorn? Didn’t you open a bag one time, just out of curiosity, before popping and get so grossed out by all the fat and chemicals that you never bought another box of microwave popcorn again?


Well if you didn’t, let me give you a healthy and inexpensive alternative that takes just as long as the microwave version. I am talking about the lost art of STOVETOP POPCORN. And don’t even start in about the air-poppers of the 1980’s that turned perfectly good kernels into cardboard. Stovetop popcorn tastes better that the microwave version and is ten times better for you.

All you need is a large pot with a tight-fitting cover, popping corn kernels and canola oil.

Sprinkle a couple handfuls of kernels in the pot and then generously cover them with a few table spoons of oil. (You will have to experiment with the amount of corn that will fit in the pot so start small if you are unsure. You don’t want the popcorn to pop itself out of the pot!) Pick up the pot and shift the kernels around in the oil until they are all coated. Then cover tightly and put it on the stove on high. Stand by the pot and shake it back and forth every minute or so to make sure the kernels don’t burn. Once it starts popping, continue to shake it every ½ a minute. When the popping starts to slow down, shake the pot again and remove from the flame. Remove the cover immediately (stand back in case there are stray kernels ready to pop) and dump popcorn in a large bowl. Salt to taste and enjoy the healthy snack of fresh popcorn!

Snow Day Blues

The possibility of a snow day is typically met with excitement, anticipation and joy. However when you find yourself starting snow day #3 in a row, it can feel more like a very cold block party with no end date in sight. Life gets put on hold while snow ball fights, hot chocolate and cabin fever become the reality. The first 24 hours is a dream come true. The second, not so much, and the third feels more like punishment. How to cope? Here are some tips to remember.


1. Don’t watch TV all day. Remember that although it’s cold outside and everyone is stuck inside, watching TV all day long won’t end well for anyone. Decide when the TV will go on rather than just leaving it on all day. Turn the TV off and organize another indoor activity that doesn’t require looking at a screen. Art projects or dress-up plays tend to work well. Try putting large paper all over the wall or floor and letting the kids go crazy with the crayons.

2. Don’t forget to move. Bundle up and take a walk in the snow or go outside and build a snowman. Getting outside, even in cold weather, can do wonders for you and your kids. But if it’s just too icy, figure out ways to move inside. Putting on some music and having a dance party also works wonders. Try organizing an indoor scavenger hunt.

3. Don’t forget to drink water. I don’t know about you but for us snow means hot chocolate. That’s all fine until you find yourself on your third cup of the day. Keep track of how many cups you are drinking and remember to drink lots of water in between.

4. Don’t forget nutritious snacks. Of course this tip is Veggie Toddler’s favorite. I honestly think it is the key to many behavior issues. Well-timed, nutritious snacks throughout the day can do wonders for everyone’s personality and mood. After breakfast try chopping up some veggies or steaming frozen ones for snacks later that day. Then when you need a snack in the afternoon, you are good to go with something healthy. The best way to get out of the kitchen and enjoy the day yourself, is to do a little extra preparation in the morning.

5. Enjoy the time with your neighbors. Everyone is home, no one can go far so spend some quality time with the people who live nearby. A change of scenery from your house to your neighbor’s can do wonders for the cabin-fevered kid (and grown-up).

White Broccoli

When I prepare a food that I haven’t yet served to my kids, I sometimes attempt to market it in terms that are already familiar to them. For example, when I steamed cauliflower for the first time, I introduced it to my kids as white broccoli. I figured since they eat plenty of broccoli without complaining, why not align the new vegetable with an already accepted one?
“It’s just like broccoli,” I argued to my kids, “but white!”

My kids looked suspiciously at the white florets but eventually took a bite. My 2-year-old son gave it a dramatic “blech,” while my 4-year-old daughter went back for more.

“It does taste like white broccoli,” she confirmed and then tried to coax her little brother into one more bite.

Fast forward a year when one day I open my weekly box of organic vegetables and find three heads of cauliflower. For dinner that night I bring steamed cauliflower to the table.

“Tonight,” I tell my kids, “we have white broccoli.”

“I know that’s not what it’s called, Mom,” says my 5-year-old who acts like a teenager.

“What do you mean?” I ask.

“I know what it is,” she says as she takes a bite.

“You do?” I ask.

“It’s called cauliflower, Mom!” she says in triumph.

Meanwhile my son has removed all of the cauliflower from his plate. White broccoli or not, he wants nothing to do with it. I resolve to serve cauliflower more often.

My daughter likes it plain and steamed. My son, not at all.

My husband and I, however, prefer a little more flavor.

Garlicky Cauliflower

1 large cauliflower head, rinsed and trimmed into florets

3 cloves of garlic, minced

¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

2 tbsp olive oil

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F. Mix cauliflower, olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic in a bowl to evenly coat. Transfer into a baking dish. Bake for about 30 minutes or until the florets are softened. Remove from oven and sprinkle in cheese. Serve warm.

Getting to know unfamiliar vegetables

There is a lot of talk of super foods these days. Those are food that have been identified as packed with more vitamins and nutrients than most other food. Many nutritionists remind us to eat our super foods. However, if I ate only blueberries, broccoli and walnuts I’m not sure how healthy I would actually be.

Super foods are great, no doubt. But eating a wide variety of fruits, vegetables and grains is still the best way to go. Nutrition fads come and go because they all claim to hold the key to healthful living. No one wants to know the boring truth which is that there is no one key; if you eat a wide variety of fresh food, simply prepared with good oils, in moderation, chances are you will be pretty darn healthy.


I always take note of Super Foods (yogurt, nuts, sweet potato, berries, and broccoli for example) and make sure I include them in our diet. However I like to bring vegetables out of the super hero realm and integrate them into our boring every day life. I strive to make eating vegetables in our house to be no big deal rather than doing a song and dance every time something green hits the table. I’ll take Clark Kent over Superman any day.


So then, let’s talk about what a wide variety of vegetables means. I plead guilty to cooking (and therefore eating) the same old vegetables day in and day out. I eat what I know how to prepare and therefore only know how to prepare what I eat!


It takes effort, self confidence, and a little bit of inspiration to get me to buy a vegetable that I have never or seldom prepared. This year I tried artichoke, brussel sprouts, rutabaga, and collard greens. My family willingly tasted some of the “new” vegetables but certainly not all of them. The key is repetition. If I get comfortable with preparing vegetables that are unfamiliar to me, then eventually my family will too.


What vegetables have you tried new this year or don’t usually serve because you find it challenging to prepare?

Eat Your Veggies

[October 5th, 2010 in the Dining section of the New York Times, Jane E. Brody wrote an article called “Even Benefits Don’t Tempt Us to Vegetables.” At the end of the article, Brody asks for opinions of why America won’t eat their vegetables. What follows is my response.]

I eat plenty of food during the day so why is it that I can’t seem to consume enough vegetables? If I treat vegetables as an afterthought, waiting to be “fit in” to my daily routine, like an optimistic visit to the gym, even I know it just won’t happen.

Nutritionists bombard me with technical information proving why vegetables are good for me. They label some of them “super foods.” I know vegetables are good for me. That’s not the problem. But no matter what cape my broccoli puts on, it won’t swoop down to save the day unless I actually eat it.

Maybe the problem is less about the actual vegetable and more about the stigma surrounding the unfortunate food group. If simply adding vegetables to my diet doesn’t work, then maybe I need to fundamentally change how I am thinking about them. What if I manipulate my daily routine by swapping out the unhealthy food, those with empty calories, and replacing them with nutritional ones like vegetables?

I can identify three basic concepts that will get me eating more vegetables, every day.
1. I don’t need to be a trained chef in order to prepare vegetables.
I visit the farmer’s market or the produce section of my grocery store and bring home some vegetables. Now what? When did vegetable-preparation become so complicated? I look on line for how to cook broccoli, for example, and I find an array of recipes from a mushy casserole to a sauté with exotic ingredients, smothered in cheese. No one tells me that I don’t need to add anything at all in order to eat broccoli but perhaps a little heat to soften up its raw crunch. A lot of vegetables can be consumed raw. Most vegetables may also be steamed, baked or sautéed. Then all I have to do is put them on a plate and enjoy. Sure I can add some butter or olive oil and salt or I may need some tips on how to peel or chop or steam, but vegetables don’t have to be gourmet.

2. I need snacks with calories that count.
 I eat snacks for a reason; I get hungry between meals. Snacks need to satisfy my hunger, give me energy without making me feel too full so I can go about my day until the next meal. Who said junk food is the only snackable food group? Companies have been perfecting junk food’s packaging, shape, taste and texture for years making it more irresistible each time. There is no way vegetables can compete on the outside. But when it comes to the inside, there is no choice. Vegetables will give me the nutrients I need without the unwanted fat, sodium, sugar or calories. A veggie snack truly gives me more bang for my buck when I consider nutrition first. Why not grab some carrots and dipping sauce or a bowl of steamed peas for a snack? How about rushing out of the house with a bag of snap peas or sliced up bell peppers? Why does a snack have to be shrink-wrapped with a shelf life of over a year?

3. I won’t eat what I don’t crave.
In between meals, my energy drops and I look around for a snack. I grab a bag of chips or a muffin or maybe even an organic granola bar. I eat the junk food and I feel satisfied. The next time I need a snack, I crave junk food. It is a cycle. My body wants what my body knows. If I satisfy my cravings with junk food, I will only crave it again the next time hunger strikes. Consider the alternative. My energy drops and I grab a vegetable snack (an avocado and salad dressing or lightly steamed string beans, for example) or even an apple. I feel satisfied after my snack and so the next time I am hungry, I crave another veggie or fruit snack. Could it really be that simple? My body craves what I give it. If I don’t reach for vegetables, my body will never know what it is missing or be able to ask for more. The same goes for meals. If I don’t include a vegetable as an integral part of dinner, I won’t miss it and then I will never eat it. But if I eat vegetables every night, when I do forget, I will miss them and crave vegetables.

If I keep vegetables on a silver platter saved for special occasions, they will never have the opportunity to infiltrate my everyday life. Super foods may have super powers but I need them to put on their street clothes and meld into my daily routine without all the excitement. Eating vegetables should be no big deal. America needs to pop the mystery bubble that makes vegetables appear unattainable and take them off the to-do list that simply never gets done.