By the time most children enter toddlerhood, they’ve tasted enough flavors to realize that some foods taste a lot better than others! This, combined with their inability to sit still for long periods of time, often turns toddlers into picky eaters. Vegetables are frequently the first foods toddlers reject. These are so important for … [Read more...] about How to Get Toddlers to Enjoy Vegetables
Promoting Healthful Living
Why and What to Read to Babies
It felt very natural to read to my daughter throughout her first year. Though she didn’t understand many of the words in the books, I figured that reading provided an opportunity to cuddle, to instill in her a love for reading, and to foster her intellectual development. It turns out that I figured correctly. The American Academy of … [Read more...] about Why and What to Read to Babies
Dare to Prepare: Innovative Disaster Preparedness Tools and Equipment
Do you ever come across a tool or piece of equipment that is so innovative that you think it is pure genius? As I’ve done research for my own family and for these Dare to Prepare posts, I’ve come across some of these products. I’m going to share a few with you today. You can roll up your sleeves and tackle some as DIY projects, but … [Read more...] about Dare to Prepare: Innovative Disaster Preparedness Tools and Equipment
Dare to Prepare: 8 of the Best Foods to Keep in Your Disaster Preparedness Kit
As part of National Preparedness Month (observed every September), I like to take a straightforward look at various disaster preparedness topics (see the series page for a complete list of the topics we’ve explored previously). This year, as I update my family’s preparedness plan and replenish the supplies in our disaster kit, I’m … [Read more...] about Dare to Prepare: 8 of the Best Foods to Keep in Your Disaster Preparedness Kit
Getting Exercise as a Busy Homemaker
I’ve noticed that exercise occupies a precarious position in the minds of many women I know. Some shun it because they view it as vain, believing it is only a means of losing weight to become more attractive. Others worship it, spending hours each week pushing themselves to extremes to prove they are stronger than their aching muscles. Still … [Read more...] about Getting Exercise as a Busy Homemaker
Healthy Snacks for Road Trips
We’re about to spend three long days on the road as we move across the country. I find it challenging to be cooped up in the car for long periods of time like this, but snacks somehow make the experience more tolerable. Instead of absentmindedly consuming tons of high-fat, high-sugar, and/or high-sodium snacks, I’m identifying and … [Read more...] about Healthy Snacks for Road Trips
Easy Ways to Increase Your Consumption of Vegetables
Do you love vegetables or do you view them as necessary evils? I really enjoy a number of them, but there are also many that I don’t like. My husband enjoys far fewer than I do, so we struggle to eat recommended amounts of these very important foods. Because the health benefits of diets rich in vegetables are so significant (decreased … [Read more...] about Easy Ways to Increase Your Consumption of Vegetables
Food Safety at Barbecues and Picnics
‘Tis the season for picnics and barbecues. I’m eager to eat a juicy burger, flavorful baked beans, and refreshing watermelon. What I’m not eager for is foodborne illness, a surprisingly common consequence of improper food handling at these gatherings. Fortunately, several commonsense measures can keep us safe as we enjoy our favorite foods … [Read more...] about Food Safety at Barbecues and Picnics
