Healthy kids

What’s on Michelle Obama’s Plate? How the First Lady Wants to Make Your Dinner Healthier Using MyPlate

Penelope Wall — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 14:51:36 +0000

First Lady Michelle Obama is the ultimate busy mom—last week she presented at the Oscars, this morning she’s on Good Morning America talking about her latest effort to help Americans eat healthier—the MyPlate Recipes Partnership.

DIY easy slice & bake cookies (skip the processed refrigerator tubes)

Nifer — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 15:34:11 +0000

To me, cookies aren’t just for special occasions; I can find a reason for a cookie (or two) anytime. Before I had children, my cookie jar was always stocked with a fresh, homemade batch. Fast-forward 10 years: my time is limited and my cookie jar often bare. Some might resort to packaged cookies or store-bought dough, but being a baker and health-conscious mom, I try to steer clear of processed treats in favor of homemade.

Retrain your cravings: 5 ways to learn to love healthier foods

Nifer — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 18:16:36 +0000

Trying to clean up your diet and eat healthier this year but having a hard time loving the new healthy foods you should be eating? I’m the same way: there are so many bad foods I love and so many good ones I feel like I’m forcing myself to eat.

9 “Bad” Foods You Can Feel Good About Eating

Easy retro halloween treats

Nifer — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 14:10:58 +0000

Before I became a mother I didn’t think too much about Halloween and candy bars … and sugar comas. But now that my daughter is old enough to indulge in all that Halloween has to offer, I’m paying more attention. I know a few candy corns won’t hurt anybody, but the problem with Halloween is that even though it’s only one day, the candy and parties appear for weeks beforehand (and of course the candy hangs around afterward too.) So this year I’m going to make some healthy Halloween treats that I used to enjoy when I was a kid.

Amazing 20-minute dinners

Nifer — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 17:22:29 +0000

Kneesocks and plaid skirts—that’s what “back to school” conjures up for me at this time of year. Then, after I reflect on how glad I am that that look is behind me (plaid’s really not my color), what lingers is the itch to learn something new. This fall, learn how easy it can be to make dinner for four in 20 minutes—even if you’re an elementary cook (like me).

4 foods to pack in your kid’s lunchbox

Nifer — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 13:27:25 +0000

It’s that time of year when many of us start thinking about back to school. And, as a nutrition editor and registered dietitian, that means lunch (and maybe even breakfast or snack). “What should I be packing for meals for my kid while they’re at school?” is a question I hear often.

Don’t Miss: 5 Healthy-Sounding Kids’ Foods That Aren’t

Here are a few suggestions to help you fuel your kiddo’s young brain and body.

Foods to prevent allergies and asthma—what works and what doesn’t

Nifer — Tue, 08 May 2012 17:28:50 +0000

Can a healthy diet help you breathe easier? Some research says…yes. But there are also a lot of unproven dietary strategies touted help manage allergies and asthma. What works? What doesn’t? Find out here. (Of course, if you have allergies or asthma, you should always follow the advice of your health–care provider.)

One-Skillet Dinners for Easy Clean-Up

Erin McCormick — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 15:39:37 +0000

Like Johnny Appleseed setting off with a pocketful of hope and a saucepan for a hat, my children have begun to make their way in the world. They don't have to wear their pots—but their kitchens are tiny enough that they have to choose carefully. Microwave or toaster? Saucepan or skillet? I say skillet—a pan you can cook your whole dinner in. And it will do a better job of keeping off the rain.

The best natural peanut butters and jellies

Nifer — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 21:14:04 +0000

There was a year of my life, first grade, when I literally ate peanut butter and jelly sandwiches every single day without fail, even on weekends. It’s not that I was a timid eater—at that age I was happily sampling my mom’s macrobiotic vegan experiments and even requesting some favorites of my own—it’s just that when you find a good thing you stick with it.

A week of dinners for $50

Erin McCormick — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 20:24:29 +0000

Don’t send me to the store if you want to eat tonight. I can wander the aisles for ages, clutching a few ragged coupons, and wind up with a jar of capers, a bag of organic buckwheat flour, 2 kiwis, some Vermont Cheddar and a bag of frozen peas. That’s an Iron Chef challenge, not dinner. (Good thing I’m somewhat more coordinated as managing editor of EatingWell than I am in the grocery store.)

USDA gets solid "A" for school meal fixes

Nifer — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 17:33:53 +0000

Will pizza and French fries soon disappear from school cafeterias? In a word, no. More on that later. But thanks to new rules issued this week by First Lady Michelle Obama and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, school meals are about to undergo a major nutritional makeover for the better.

Fighting to Sell Junk Food to Kids

Erin McCormick — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 21:41:55 +0000

Really, grocery manufacturers? That’s your highest priority?

Think of all the things that food manufacturers could be doing to improve the nation’s health. They could reduce the amount of salt in packaged foods to help prevent blood pressure from rising. They could make healthier foods for school lunches. And they could use their billions of advertising dollars to encourage children (and their increasingly overweight parents) to eat healthier foods.

How to make 20-minute Halloween popcorn balls

admin — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 17:02:17 +0000

EatingWell’s popcorn balls have very few ingredients, come in at 78-103 calories each, contain whole grains and fiber from the popcorn—and the caramel popcorn ball variations have half the sugar and butter of traditional recipes. Our easy master popcorn ball recipe (below) is flexible, so you can really mix and match your flavors, add-in ingredients and rolled toppings to make the popcorn balls your own. Get easy recipes for all 4 mix-and-match popcorn balls here.

How To Roast Pumpkin Seeds

Matt Malenczak — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 15:39:49 +0000

Ever since I was a kid, I’ve loved the smell of roasted pumpkin seeds that followed our Halloween pumpkin carving. It was such a fall ritual in my house: after a clear, cool day picking pumpkins at a local farm, we’d spread crinkly newspapers on the kitchen table before cutting open our pumpkins, the rich leafy smell emerging as we scraped out the seeds and pumpkin goop and lit the first candle inside our newly finished jack-o-lanterns. And then, of course, we’d roast the pumpkin seeds.

Which type of yogurt is the healthiest?

Matt Malenczak — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 16:25:06 +0000

Since I'm not a big milk drinker, yogurt is my preferred form of dairy. Eating yogurt is an easy, tasty way to get some much-needed calcium. Plus it delivers a healthy dose of protein and good-for-you probiotics. (Enjoy it in these Smoothie Recipes and More Healthy Breakfasts with Yogurt.)