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Bento Box for Kid's Lunch

I recently came across a forum on Mothering.com that discusses ideas for packing lunches for your child. There are some great ideas and I thought I’d share those as well as some of my own. I’ve written a previous post about the poor nutritional quality of most school cafeteria lunches, which makes me even more motivated to pack Britton’s lunch when the time comes. Even at her Montessori school, where you would think they understand the ties between diet an behavior, the school-provided lunches leave a lot to be desired. Monday is Chick-fil-A day, Wednesday is lunch from a local sub shop and Friday is pizza day, likely from Domino’s or Pizza Hut. There are so many possibilities for lunchboxes especially if you also use a Thermos! And creative presentation is key!! Bento boxes are a great way to assemble lunches in a way that makes them even more appetizing for children (see example above).

Healthy Snacks and Lunches for Kids:

• Peanut Butter/Almond Butter & Jelly on Whole Grain Bread
• Bagels and Cream Cheese
• Celery Spears/Cucumbers/Carrots and Dip of Choice
• Ants on a Log - celery sticks with cream cheese and raisins
• Freshly Cut Tomatoes
• Pretzels
• Hard Boiled Eggs
• Cheese (and crackers sometimes)
• Cottage Cheese and Peaches/Pears
• Granola
• Sunflower Seeds
• Chicken Caesar Salad (assemble yourself)
• All-natural Lunch Meat with Crackers and Cheese
• Hummus and Pita
• Spanakopita
• Vegetable/Fruit Kababs - spear fresh vegetables with tofu or fruit and cheese
• Anything in a Wrap
• Avocado and Mushroom Sandwich with Dijon mustard and Shredded Cheese
• Baked Potato with Broccoli and Cheese
• Bean and Cheese Burrito
• Annie’s Cheddar or Sour Cream crackers
• Sweet Potato Chips
• Yogurt
• Fruit
  • Grapes
  • Dried or Fresh Strawberries
  • Pineapple
  • Bananas
  • Pears
  • Peaches
  • Blueberries/Raspberries
  • Kiwi
  • Pomegranate (in the winter)
  • Cantaloupe
  • Watermelon
• Fruit/Veggie Breads or Muffins
• Frozen Pancakes or French Toast (put it in the lunchbox frozen, by lunch it’s thawed & ready-to-eat!)

Healthy Thermos Meals for Kids:

• Smoothies
• Rice Pilaf
• Beans and Rice
• Meat and Rice
• Couscous and Vegetables
• Pasta and Garlic and Oil
• Pesto Pasta
• Macaroni and Cheese (We love Annie’s!!)
• Any Soup - chicken, pea, vegetable
• Ham and Beans
• Assemble Yourself Tacos
• Veggie mix in the Thermos (favorite veggies like broccoli, corn, peppers, cauliflower, peas, beans, etc. mixed up, steamed and topped with a bit of cheese of choice)

This is just a start! There are so many great ideas out there if you look hard enough. Please share your own ideas for healthy kid lunches by leaving a comment.

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A friend of mine is having difficulty conceiving her second child. She leads a healthy lifestyle, exercises daily and recently stopped working to reduce stress. She is currently taking Progesterone pills but I had told her that I would research some natural ways to boost her fertility. I’ve come across some very interesting information related to the potential causes of unexplained fertility and natural ways to overcome infertility. This information comes from many sources and as with any medical information, should be discussed with your physician.

The following is a list of natural remedies that are suggested to boost fertility:

Vitamin C & Antioxidants: Eat your fruits and vegetables, as antioxidants help to reduce stress on the reproductive system. In fact a recent study by Harvard researchers, as reported by WebMD, found that 79% of infertile couples had a low intake of fruits and vegetables.

Vitamin Supplements:

• “In a small study published in the Journal of Reproductive Medicine doctors found the nutrient formula in a supplement known as Fertility Blend increased conception rates. It’s key ingredients: folic acid, vitamins E, B-6, and B-12, iron, magnesium, zinc, the amino acid L-arginine, selenium, the herb chasteberry (also know known as vitex), and green tea.” - WebMD
• Magnesium, Zinc and Vitamin A are needed for egg production.
• Zinc is a vital mineral for enzyme systems that affect fertility. The growth and development of the embryo depends on zinc which can be deficient in many women due to stress, pollution and alcohol consumption. Many infertile couples tested show low zinc levels.

Avoid Sources of Synthetic Estrogen (Xenoestrogens): Limiting your exposure to Xenoestrogens, such as those found in birth control pills, non-organic produce and meat, mercury-polluted fish, pesticides, plastic containers and plastic wrap can help increase fertility.

Moderate Exercise: exercise keeps your body in good health and balances hormones, but too much exercise can lower progesterone levels and impair fertility.

Avoid Caffeine and Alcohol: both caffeine (as little as one cup of coffee per day) and alcohol can reduce fertility up to 50%

Reduce Stress & Get Adequate Sleep

Fertility Herbs: the following herbs can be used in a tea or tincture form to possibly boost fertility

• Red Clover Blossoms: This herb is said to be the most useful herb in aiding fertility, especially when combined with Raspberry Leaf.
• Chasteberry: Chasteberry should help fertility by balancing the sex hormones.
• Dong Quai: Dong Quai is a Chinese fertility herb, long-used to solve menstrual difficulties. It also helps to balance estrogen levels in the body and improve chances of egg implantation. It is suggested to use this herb during the days between ovulation and menstruation only.

WebMD has a pretty good, comprehensive article about wellness choices you can make to naturally increase your chances of conceiving. Keep in mind that outside of this article, most of the information on WebMd related to infertility involves more medically invasive treatments instead of natural remedies. It is my opinion that the root cause of unexplained fertility can be linked to an imbalance in your body which may be solved by proper nutrition, exercise and care of the psyche. If those areas are at optimal levels and there are still problems conceiving and maintaining a viable pregnancy, then it may be time to consider more aggressive measures.

I’d love to hear you share your own personal experiences related to fertility, suggested remedies for infertility and success stories!

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I’ve written about the benefits of Vitamin D in the past with regard to it’s correlation with a lower incidence of Diabetes. A new study out has reported that mom’s who have high Vitamin D levels during pregnancy through milk consumption or supplementation, have babies with stronger teeth and less decay and cavities. Vitamin D is produced by the body in response to sunlight but can also be taken in supplement form. Adequate levels of Vitamin D are necessary and also known to help prevent rickets or weak bone development. As these studies suggest, Vitamin D influences many areas of the body. Another reason to go outside and play! And, even though some experts think it’s irresponsible to expose children to sunlight without being lathered in sunblock, I don’t see anything wrong with letting children have some sun exposure during the milder times of day, before 10 am and after 4pm.  And with the recent press related to the questionable safety of many popular sunblock products, in some cases it may be wiser to avoid certain sunscreens.  What do you think? Is it safe to expose children to sunshine sans sunblock or better to supplement with Vitamin D or both?

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My infant daughter has exhibited food sensitivities in her early culinary life. Bananas and avocados have caused her develop eczema on her chest. As a result I have been hesitant to introduce foods that are common allergens such as dairy, for fear that she may be allergic. However, a recent study published in the Journal of American Academy of Pediatrics, “Age at First Introduction of Cow Milk Products and Other Food Products in Relation to Infant Atopic Manifestations in the First 2 Years of Life: The KOALA Birth Cohort Study” has found that delaying the introduction of certain common allergen foods, particularly cow’s milk, is not favorable and does not prevent the development of allergic response such as eczema, wheezing or atopic dermatitis. They studied data from 2558 infants in the Netherlands to come to this conclusion, through questionnaires administered at 34 weeks of gestation and 3, 7, 12, and 24 months postpartum. They then measured allergic sensitivity at age 2, through blood sampling. They determined that delaying introduction of common allergens may actually increase the risk of eczema at age 2 and beyond.

I’ve also read that a child’s allergies may be prevented by exposing them to a household pet early in life. We have two dogs who could stuff pillows daily with the fur that they shed. If dogs offer prevention, my daughter should have no allergies by the time she grows up!!

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As you all may know from reading my previous blog posts, I’ve been trying to avoid artificial ingredients, flavorings, colorings and high fructose corn syrup especially with concern to my children. I’ve been able to replace much of what we eat with the healthier, natural alternatives without sacrificing taste. My most recent find was ketchup. I love ketchup…I use it on everything from french fries (Cascadian Farms Organic Potato Fries that I bake); hot dogs (nitrate/nitrite-free, no added growth hormones and no antibiotics) and hamburgers (see hot dog). However, I discovered in reading the ingredients that the quality of good old Heinz Ketchup is dubious…and they’re probably the best of the conventional ketchups. So, I’ve found a new healthier ketchup, Annie’s Naturals Organic Ketchup that’s free of high fructose corn syrup and tastes great!

Below is a comparison of ingredients:

Now that you know the ingredients, which one would you prefer for your family?

You can buy Annie’s Ketchup at some grocery stores, Vitacost.com, and Amazon Grocery in bulk (6 pack).

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The Center for Science in the Public Interest is requesting that the Food and Drug Administration ban artificial food dyes added to many foods due to the fact that they may be linked to attention and behavioral problems such as hyperactivity, ADD and ADHD in sensitive children. They are requesting that eight artificial dyes including Yellow 5, Red 40, Blue 1, Blue 2, Green 3, Orange B, Red 3, and Yellow 6 be replaced with natural alternatives that are already being used in the United Kingdom as they phase out the use of the synthetic dyes. Artificial food dyes are used in everything from candy and soft drinks to cereal and other processed food products in the United States. In fact, Americans consume twice the amount of artificial colorings today than they did 50 years ago and some studies show that the end result is more children with increased risk of hyperactivity.

The FDA has yet to comment on this petition, but hopefully it will lead to a ban or at the very least better labeling of foods containing these artificial substances. More details on this request are available at the The Center for Science in the Public Interest website.

Also check out Kim’s recent post “Food Dye Rebellion Starts Now!” on BabyCenter.

Related Babyminding Posts:

Study Shows Link Between Food Additives and ADHD

How a Child’s Diet Affects Behavior

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A recent study reported by WebMD, indicates that The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is going to revisit the role food additives play in behavioral disorders such as ADHD. Dr. Andrew Kemp conducted the study and found that children with ADHD improved when food colorings and the preservative Sodium Benzoate were removed from their diet. The study involved 297 children given either beverages with these food additives or a placebo without. The results…children given the additives exhibited higher levels of hyperactivity and a shorter attention span. Continue reading ‘Study Shows Link Between Food Additives and ADHD’ »

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I’ve recently read a couple of studies that seem to support breastfeeding even more than before! I’ve always heard that breastfed babies can have higher IQ’s than their formula fed peers. Historically, there has been debate as to whether this phenomenon is due to breast milk itself or the differences in how moms who breastfeed interact with their children. WebMD released an article “Does Breastfeeding Boost IQ?“, that discusses the results of a study published in Archives of General Psychiatry. The study shows that children who were breastfed, scored 7.5 points higher on verbal IQ and 5.9 points higher overall. This increase is attributed to long-term, exclusive breastfeeding. It is recommended that mothers breastfeed exclusively for the first 3-6 months and to some degree for the first year.  The CDC reports that the rates of breastfeeding in the United States are up to to 77% for babies born in 2005-2006 versus 60% for babies born in 1993-1994.   This is great news for our future generations!

Another study, reported by BabyCenter contributor Susan Markel, M.D., shows that iron in infant formula may actually delay development.  The study supported by National Institute of Health (NIH) shows that infants fed iron-fortified formula scored 11 points lower in IQ.

It’s important to note that many factors influence a child’s development and isolated studies do not always tell the whole story.  Also, iron is important in a child’s development as it helps in the production of red blood cells, which carry oxygen throughout the body.  However, I believe that nature knows best and our bodies are made to produce milk to meet the nutritional needs of our babies. I encourage all moms to try to breastfeed for 3 months exclusively, as there is no question that breast milk is good for your baby! For more information on the benefits of breastfeeding, visit La Leche League.

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Given the recent attention the news has given to toxic Bisphenol-A (BPA) found in baby bottles, sippy cups and infant formula packaging, it’s important to recognize the safest choices if you are unable to or choose not to breast feed your baby. Environmental Working Group (EWG) is an organization dedicated to protecting public health and environment by providing public information about potentially toxic products. On their website, EWG provides a Guide to Infant Formula for parents to use when determining which formula to buy for their infants. You can reduce your baby̵