I’m often surprised by young kids who have littler life experience outside of their own small “me” world. I don’t expect them to come up with ideas that have the potential of changing the world. But some do. Such as this young man.
Tag Archive for food
To Do List for Winter
Today is the first day of winter. Time to change some habits. Here’s a helpful list.
- Check and turn on your heater & be sure your outside animals have warmth and protection from the cold.
- Dig out heavy coats and sweaters for your family & set aside those in good condition that no longer fit or you don’t use and drop them off at a charity or shelter for the homeless.
- Buy more groceries at one time so you don’t need to go out into the cold so often & donate some non-perishable food items to a local food bank to help hungry families.
- Cook heartier meals for your family & dedicate some hours to a soup kitchen to help feed the hungry.
- Lay in a supply of board games to play with your kids when it’s too cold to go out to play & call to chat with someone who is alone and not able to go out even when it’s warm.
This winter, think of both your immediate and your extended family.
More Antibiotics in Our Kids
Are you concerned about the amount of antibiotics your kids are eating? Not the prescription kind, which we choose to ingest on our doctor’s advice. The hidden kind we don’t know we’re eating.
A huge culprit is a kid-favorite, McDonalds. Their beef patties are loaded with antibiotics. This is true, too, of other fast-food restaurants.
Scientists say we’re close to overusing antibiotics, which means that, at a certain point, the prescription kind will no longer be effective.
Read more about this at McAntibiotics. And while you’re there, sign the petition asking McDonalds to cut down on their antibiotic use in our food.
Grandkids Then and Now, Pt. 1
When I saw this, written by Annie Korzen and published in the AARP Bulletin (May 2016), I alternated between chuckles and nodding in agreement. Because I like to keep my posts short, I’ll divide this up into a few, spread-out posts. Enjoy!
I’m a new grandmother [says Annie Korzen], but am I cut out for it? Look at how differently I raised my son from how he’s raising his.
Passtimes — Then: eating, drinking, peeing and pooping, often simultaneously. Now: Swim classes at six months, gymnastics at one year.
Food — Then: Whatever could be mashed–like last night’s spicy meatballs. Now: Gluten-free and grass-fed only, if you please!
Hygiene — Then: “Don’t let the baby eat anything that’s been on the floor longer than three hours.” Now: “You want to hold the baby? Sure–mind wearing these surgical gloves?”
Halloween candy — Then: “Because I’m the mother, and I say you can’t eat it all tonight.” Now: Lovingly explain the glycemic index until Junior understands and accepts your point of view.
[Watch for more, in Parts 2 and 3. And, grandparents, just enjoy the kids!]
Do You Waste Food in These Ways?
According to the USDA, each year we Americans throw away more than 30% of our groceries, which adds up to about $162 billion worth of food. Much of that food is tossed out during the holidays, beginning with Thanksgiving.
We simply do it without thinking.
The article “7 Most Shameful Ways You Waste Food During the Holidays–and How to Cut it Out” points out habits all of us fall into and suggests ways to avoid them.
Organic, Wholesome Food
There are no regulations defining organic or wholesome or many other terms you’ll find on packaging. To make sure your food is environmentally responsible, find out what trustworthy labelers like the USDA and Food Alliance have to say, or shop at your local farmers’ market.
[For more easy, money-saving, earth-friendly tips, download a FREE copy of Green Riches: Help the Earth & Your Budget. Go to www.Smashwords.com/books/view/7000 or your favorite e-book seller and download to your computer or e-book device. Totally free, with no strings attached.]
Eat Expired Food?
An expiration date on a food package is not the same as a sell by date, which is when it should be off the store shelf and on its way to being consumed. Don’t waste perfectly good food. Go to www.shelflifeadvice.com to check how long it’s safe to eat specific items (fresh and packaged) before tossing good food into the land-fill.
[For more easy, money-saving, earth-friendly tips, download a FREE copy of Green Riches: Help the Earth & Your Budget. Go to www.Smashwords.com/books/view/7000 or your favorite e-book seller and download to your computer or e-book device. Totally free, with no strings attached.]
Cooking Dinner for the Garbage Can
Tonight, cook dinner and throw away 1/3 before you serve it to your family. Sounds not only wasteful but downright stupid, doesn’t it? However, that’s the amount of the food that we grow in our world that goes to waste. And yet there is famine, hunger, and food insecurity among children while our landfills overflow.
Supermarkets put out only the perfect produce for us to buy. They know that we won’t pay their prices for misshapen vegetables or fruit that has a slight bruise. Not that we get the chance to buy it, because stores toss it out, even though it tastes the same and is just as nutritious. After all, it’s all grown the same, in dirt or dangling from buggy trees.
I like the idea of a Canadian company who is packaging its appropriately named “No Name Naturally Imperfect” produce. These fruits and veggies can sell to markets cheaper, and markets can sell to us for less. In fact, Raley’s Nob Hill has announced that they’ll do just that in the near future.
I’ll be in line to buy it. I like saving money, getting a bargain, and eating apples that aren’t perfectly rounded or a shiny uniform color. Who knows? I might even learn to eat healthy.
Help Furry Orphans
You’ve already donated your old pillows, blankets, and towels to the orphaned furry ones. Did you know that many animal shelters can also use pet food, cleaning supplies, plastic bags, and gloves? Drop off these items to your local shelter, and take a peek at the orphans. Be careful about looking into those little soulful eyes, though, or you may not go home alone–which isn’t a bad idea.
[For more easy, money-saving, earth-friendly tips, download a FREE copy of Green Riches: Help the Earth & Your Budget. Go to www.Smashwords.com/books/view/7000, choose a format, and download to your computer or e-book device. Or download a free copy from your favorite e-book seller.]
Chill–with Glass
Here’s a tasty way for you and the earth to chill out: Store refrigerated food in glass, which keeps the food colder longer. Use glass jars you would have discarded rather than oil-based plastic containers you’d buy. A bonus is that when those labels fall off you know what’s in the jar because you can see inside it.
[For more easy, money-saving, earth-friendly tips, download a FREE copy of Green Riches: Help the Earth & Your Budget. Go to www.Smashwords.com/books/view/7000, choose a format, and download to your computer or e-book device. Or download a free copy from your favorite e-book seller.]
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