1.     What are the most common challenges you hear from parents  about  getting children to eat healthy snacks?  Parents of school-aged children often complain about the difficulty in finding healthy snacks that can compete with the junky snacks their kids see at school, on TV, at the store, and at friends’ homes. They often worry about repetition and wonder if it’s “bad” to let their child have the same snacks day after day.  Many parents are also concerned that their child seems to be “hungry” for snacks all the time.

2.     What are your best snacking strategies for addressing these challenges? One strategy is good role modeling. Select healthy snacks and enjoy them in front of your children. It’s also important to set boundaries with snacks. Don’t allow the child to make the selections at the grocery store, instead, give them healthy options to choose from.

To avoid over-snacking, set a snack-time just as you set meal times and then stick to it. Allowing your child to snack all the time will only ruin their appetite for meals and start a vicious cycle of filling up on snacks at the expense of healthy meals.

3.    What are your best recommendations for nutritious snack options that kids will love, and why?

• Great snack products / standbys to rely on. Fresh fruit of course – keep carrots, cucumbers, bell peppers, jicama, and other vegetables sliced in a container in the refrigerator. This is especially good for after school/before dinner when kids are hungriest.

• More go-to snacks
  • Happy Squeeze smoothies (organic fruit combinations – some with vegetables, Salba® the Super chia, coconut milk or Greek yogurt – in convenient portable pouches from Happy Family)
  • Whole wheat pretzels, organic cheese sticks and slices
  • Unsweetened dry cereal, unsalted nuts and dried fruit – try combining all three to make a healthy trail-mix!
  • Homemade whole grain pancakes which can be easily kept on-hand in the freezer

• Sweet Treats. Sweets have their place, and in my opinion, many children will just get obsessed with them if over-restricted. Give your children healthy sweets such as frozen grapes and homemade fruit popsicles, as well as the occasional ice cream, all-natural or homemade cookies, fruit leathers or fruit snacks. Don’t make every evening snack a sweet, but if you have a sweet treat in the house every so often, and control the portion size, this is a healthy way to teach moderation.

• Snacks that get kids involved in the prep
  Two great snacks to make with your children are muffins and smoothies.  There are plenty of muffin recipes made with nutrient-packed ingredients like fruit purees, oats, wheat germ, whole grain flours, and dried or fresh fruit. You can even sneak in some veggies. Let young kids mix the ingredients, and older children can measure the ingredients and pour the mixture into the muffin tins. To control portion size, use mini-muffin tins instead of full size. Don’t forget to make extra – they freeze well and are a quick snack anytime!Smoothies can easily be made at home with yogurt, fresh and frozen fruit, milk and ice. Kids can get involved by choosing the ingredients, putting them in the blender, and turning it on. Another tip is to freeze smoothies in popsicle molds for a healthy frozen dessert.

• Other snacking ideas. Parents should think about “real” food as being great potential for snacks, like sandwiches, quesadillas, pancakes and pizza bagels. Turn snack-time into a mini-meal instead of relying on less nutrient dense snack foods. This is a good strategy for two types of snackers – the active tween or teen who is truly ravenous all the time and the young child who tends not to eat enough at meal times

4.     Please explain why it’s so important to get children to adopt healthy eating habits early in life and the possible future implications.
Eating habits are just that – habits. The best way to set up a child for a lifetime of healthy eating is to get them into the habit early through offering healthy foods in and out of the home. Physiologically, a key time for developing healthy food preferences is before age three, as that’s when the child’s taste buds are learning to accept and enjoy flavors.

Amy Marlow is a registered dietitian (RD) and New York State certified nutritionist. In addition to her work with Happy Family, Amy helps manage a Fortune 100 company’s employee wellness program and sits on the board of the New York State Dietetic Association. Amy is the proud mother of three.

HAPPYFAMILY is a leading premium organic food brand delivering nutritious meals and snacks for babies, toddlers and beyond.  The company supports Project Peanut Butter, a nonprofit that feeds starving children Africa.  Since its launch Happy Family has underwritten more than 1 million meals through PPB.  For more information, visit www.happyfamilybrands.com

Being in a new environment and around tons of new people sometimes is bittersweet. Baby skin is super sensitive so you never know when it might not agree with newness. I particularly worry about allergies when it comes to introducing new foods, so I have a tendency to stick with something that works.

I don’t want to shelter them per say, but I am trying to keep my sanity in check. I am half tempted to ask the doctor for a prescription for an epipen just in case…or as discussed at my routine twin mommy lunch today- just sit in your car at the ER and try peanut butter for the first time. That’s normal, right?

-Courtney Bell is a Sitter2Mom, sister of BFC President, Lindsay Bell, and mama of two beautiful twin girls. 

When your baby is napping or you have an extra 20 minutes, I recommend rolling out your yoga mat or a towel and doing these moves. I personally started doing yoga again around 3.5 weeks post delivery. This routine has helped me work out the kinks in my body from breastfeeding and carrying Timothy Grayson. I also feel more energized after many sleepless nights when I can find some time to stretch my body.  Performing these postures will help to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles, core, legs and arms as well.

 Rounded Cat:

Rounded Cat

Start on all fours, with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Find a neutral spine and take an inhalation. On an exhalation engage your pelvic floor muscles and tuck your tailbone under as you round your back and bring your chin towards your chest. Draw your lower abdominals deep in to your spine. Come back to neutral then repeat 3 to 5 more times. This move will help you reconnect to your core and pelvic floor muscles, while stretching out the spine and back.

Knee To Nose:

knee to nose part 1

Knee to nose part 2

Stay in a rounded cat position. On an inhale draw your right knee towards your nose, then exhale extend the right leg straight back behind you. Repeat 5 times then switch to the other leg. This exercise builds strength in the shoulders, core muscles, hips, thighs and lower back.

Bird Dog:

Bird Dog

From all fours, extend your right arm in front of you at shoulder level and your left leg behind you at hip height. Try and imagine you are balancing a glass of water between your shoulders and on your lower back and keep your body completely steady as you switch sides. Alternate sides 5 more times each and on the last one you can hold each side for 5 to 8 breaths as you engage your core and feel the length from fingers to toes. Bird dog works the core, stabilizes the lower back, and tones your arms and legs.

Kneeling Bow:

Kneeling Bow

I love this next pose to open up my shoulders and chest since I’m breastfeeding all the time. Even new moms who opt to bottle-feed can suffer from rounded shoulders from carrying their newborns. Extend your right arm forward and your left leg straight back. Once you feel steady reach around with your right hand as you bend your left knee and catch the ankle or foot. Bow the leg back as you lift your chest open and breathe deeply. Hold for 5 to 8 breaths then repeat on the other side.

Pigeon Prep and Pigeon:

Pigeon Prep & Pigeon

Pigeon Prep & Pigeon part 2

Pigeon is one of my favorite postures and it’s perfect for new moms. Tension and stress as a mother as well as inactivity can lead to stiff hips and a tight lower back. From all fours slide your right shin forward and parallel to the front of the mat as you lengthen your left leg long behind. Lift your chest and open your heart then move your chest forward and rest on your forearms of forehead. Hold the pose for 8-10 deep breaths and repeat on the left side.

Half Bridge:

Half Bridge

From pigeon on your left side, you can swing your back leg around and lie down. Place both feet flat on the mat hip width apart and lift your hips up. Interlace your hands under your lower back and lengthen the shoulders down away from the ears as you bring your shoulder blades towards each other. Engage your hamstrings, buttock and lower abs. Lower your butt down then lift back up 2 to 3 more times. Each time you lift up, engage your pelvic floor as well.

Try this routine 2 to 3 times a week when you can fit some time in for yourself. Your body, mind and baby will appreciate it!

-Kristin McGee is a fitness professional here in NYC; she a certified yoga and Pilates instructor as well as an ACE certified personal trainer. She is a new mom and loves sharing her fitness and health expertise with the NYC community! 

According to renowned skin expert and widely published dermatologist and dermatopathologist, Dr. Vermén Verallo-Rowell, the root cause of dry skin is the loss of both lipids (oils) and water from the skin. Transepidermal water loss (the loss of water through the skin) causes skin cells to shrink, curl upwards and decrease in volume. For a visual, imagine a grape turning into a raisin – not pretty! To make matters worse, the drier your skin, the more susceptible it is to irritations, allergic reactions and even microorganisms that can cause itching and infection.

Now, let’s establish some healthy habits. Here are a few surefire tips to turn winter-dry skin into soft, pliable, glowing skin:

1.) RESIST THAT LONG, HOT SHOWER
Those few extra minutes under a scalding hot shower might feel so necessary after a cold, wet day, but they encourage evaporation of water from the skin’s barrier. Try bathing in lukewarm water instead and/or shorten your time in the shower (which also has the added benefit of saving water: a win-win for skin and planet!)

2.) RE-ASSESS YOUR FAVORITE BATH PRODUCTS
That cinnamon-scented soap bar might smell so holiday, but it could be causing your dry skin! Due to how they’re made soap bars have inherently high pH levels that can destroy the skin’s natural proteins. Opt for cream cleansers instead which tend to have lower pH-levels. Also, ease up on rough scrubs or products that use degreasing agents, both of which strip oils from your skin.

3.) DON’T SCRIMP ON THE MOISTURE
The holidays are the perfect time to spoil yourself, especially when it comes to moisturization!

Apply moisturizer or a non-pore-clogging oil to damp skin immediately after bathing to replace the natural oils lost. Massage in gently but thoroughly, and remember to apply as often as necessary. Take note that the most commonly affected areas are the lower legs, arms, thighs, sides of the abdomen, hands, and face, so make sure to concentrate on those areas.

Be on the lookout for oils without preservatives or other additives that can cause irritations. Virgin coconut oil has the added benefit of containing fatty acids native to the skin, so it serves the dual purpose of preventing water loss and replacing the skin’s natural lipids.

4.) HUMIDIFY
Cold air outside and hot artificial air indoors takes it’s toll on the skin. Use a humidifier whenever you can. There are even portable humidifiers that are great for work or traveling! And they could help if you have a houseful of painful, stuffy noses, too!

5.) WATCH WHAT YOU EAT
Aside from keeping the holiday weight gain at bay, a nutritious diet throughout winter also has the benefit of keeping skin healthy. Malnourishment from bad diets, or erratic or poor nutrition can lead to a loss in vitamins and minerals that can directly affect the regeneration of your skin’s barrier layer.

VMV Hypoallergenics proudly offers The Safest, Most Effective Care On The Planet in skincare, cosmeceuticals, makeup, sun, mom & baby care, shaving, and body & bath for women, men, kids from diapers to dermabrasion. With over 75 published (even awarded!) studies in medical journals and conventions — including the first and only hypoallergenic “grading” system — there’s no safer or more clinically-proven care out there.

-If you would like to find out more about VMV Hypoallergenics, head over to their website and use the exclusive 10% off site-wide discount code, “SITTERS10″ for LLD friends and family only! 

Luckily people like me love to navigate all the food terminology that gets thrown around these days and share simple, healthy tricks. And this time of year is no exception! Whether you’re a parent or sitter, check out these tips about food labels, cooking and baking for a happy, healthy fall.

Halloween Candy Labels:
With trick-or-treating around the corner, it’s good to watch out for what’s in your child’s candy sack. The number one rule is to avoid high fructose corn syrup and corn syrup. Yup, this excludes most of the traditional brands. If you’d like to give out a healthier option, consider the brand UNREAL candy; it’s gluten-free with no GMO’s, artificial flavors or preservatives http://getunreal.com

Healthy and cute snacks

Cozy Snack Recipes:
Classic munching favorites are potato chips and fries. Two fantastic alternatives are kale and sweet potatoes; they taste great and are more nutrient dense than your plain old spud. Use sea salt rather than table salt to get more trace minerals and less blood pressure stress. Tip: leave the skin on to save time.

Crispy Kale Chips
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/melissa-darabian/crispy-kale-chips-recipe/index.html

Sweet Potato Fries
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/baked-sweet-potato-fries-recipe/index.html

Seasonal Gluten-Free Squash Sides:
Try these recipes instead of processed mac’n’cheese or spaghetti noodles.  The delicata squash skin can be left on and eaten.  With spaghetti squash: scoop, pour on sauce and serve.

Parmesan-crusted Delicata Squash
http://projects.washingtonpost.com/recipes/2011/12/21/parmesan-crusted-delicata-squash/

Spaghetti Squash
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/cheese-and-pepper-cacio-e-pepe-spaghetti-squash-recipe/index.html

Baking Substitutes:
I recommend cutting out refined, processed sugars (white or brown) and unhealthy fats (shortening and canola oil). Fruit, like bananas, applesauce and avocado, can be used for all of the above, as well as for egg and dairy allergies.  The finished product will usually be softer and sweeter. Try just one substitute per recipe until you get comfortable!

Brown Sugar: natural applesauce (no sugar added) in 1:1 ratio

Canola Oil: coconut oil in 1:1 ratio

Shortening: ¾ cup coconut oil for 1 cup shortening

Butter: coconut oil or avocado in 1:1 ratio (avo will tint green, but the flavor cooks out)

Egg: ¼ cup mashed avocado or banana for 1 egg 

-Rebecca Kittle recently graduated from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition as a certified health coach. She is interested in educating people about clean eating, recognizing chemicals in processed and packaged foods, special dietary restrictions, and increasing your digestive health. 

• What is Junior’s Fresh?

Junior’s Fresh is dedicated to providing New York City families with healthy & fresh meals for their children from 0 – 5 years old. Fresh, tasty and seasonal meals that your kids will eat are delivered to your doorstep (or office) every Tuesday.

• What are the benefits of Junior’s Fresh compared with organic brands I can buy in a store?  

The biggest differences are the taste & freshness. Even organic store brands have to be shelf stable, that means they can be on the shelf for three months or more – and who knows how far they traveled to get there in the first place. Your baby or toddler has a small footprint, and their food should too. We focus on local and seasonal fruits and vegetables you can find at places like the Union Square Greenmarket as the basis of our meals to get your children all the nutrients they need to grow and develop.

Seasonal & local produce is the key to Junior’s Fresh!

•  Can I make special requests or is the menu dependent on the Green Market at Union Square?

Every child is different, and we work with each family to create a menu that works for them.  If your child has food allergies, or just doesn’t like certain things, let us know so we can create something that works for you.

• Does Junior’s Fresh provide meals for the whole family or just lil’ ones?

Our delivery meals start with purees for the newest eater and go up to toddler meals that will satisfy children up to 5 years old. For a great family experience, stop in the Junior’s Fresh Soho Kitchen at Citibabes, 52 Mercer Street on the 3rd floor. We have the same healthy food for the children, along with fresh made salads, soups, wraps and sandwiches for the parents.

Meals are delivered right to your door!

• How does delivery work?

Place your order by Sunday night and then let us know when you want delivery – morning or evening – that Tuesday. We deliver to apartments throughout Manhattan – as well as offices – to help families who live outside the city feed their children fresh and healthy.

 - Michelle Hoffmann is the founder of Junior’s Fresh and incorporates an “Eat Local, Buy Local, Be Local” philosophy into every day of her family’s life.

• What is Moms In Training?

An 8-week flexible Saturday morning work-out program that provides moms with the opportunity to get in shape, meet other moms & raise crucial funds in the fight against cancer.

• Who does the program benefit and how did you get involved with this organization?

The program directly benefits The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. However, participants are encouraged to fundraise in honor/memory of someone impacted by any type of cancer. I have been working for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society for over 12 years. During my time with the organization, I have fundraised $40,000 while training for 4 marathons. However, after becoming a mom and no longer having the same drive or time to commit to long-distance training, I still wanted to find to find a way to engage new moms in The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Mission while integrating fitness into their lives. Thus, I created the program, Moms In Training!

• Where do you meet, is the training flexible, do I need to be a runner to get involved?

The groups meets in five different locations in the NYC area: Central Park, Madison Square Park, Astoria Park, Prospect Park & Clove Lake Park. The work-outs cater to moms of all fitness levels, so moms can either walk or run. Moms also have the ability to bring their baby & stroller to the work-outs! The 8-week program culminates with an opportunity for moms to complete a 10K (6.2 miles) on June 8th. Trainings are not mandatory and everyone will be given a training calendar that they can follow on their own. Training starts on April 13th @ 9:00am.

• How can moms get involved and sign up?

There is a $50 registration fee, which goes towards the $500 fundraising commitment. Last year, the average mom ended up raising $1,500! Upon registering, each participant will receive a fundraising website to get you started.

-For more information, contact helena.scott@lls.org or visit the Moms in Training website.

Tuesday at 3pm

Thursday at 10:30am

Friday at 9pm

Saturday at 2pm

For those of you who don’t live in the Hampton’s, this video shows the connection between Cycle for Survival & LLD. Cycle for Survival is very important to us as many of our families and sitters have been directly affected by rare cancers. We want to help raise funds to find a cure & need your  help!

Lindsay at a past Cycle event with ESPN’s Chris Mullin

All funds raised at Cycle for Survival go directly to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center for research on rare cancers, which  drastically reduces the time it takes for new treatments to reach patients – in some cases cutting the span from years to months.

This event is especially meaningful to LLD because of Perry and her family, long-time members of LLD, who are dedicated to participating in this indoor cycling event.

Perry is a HUGE Cycle for Survival supporter!

From the moment Perry was born, she has been battling cancer, but the lil’ firecracker has remained extremely positive and is currently recovering. Perry is a huge supporter and lover of Cycle for Survival along with her family. Perry has been receiving treatment at MSKCC and all of the proceeds from Team Perry goes to research on retinoblastoma and children’s brain tumors.

To donate to LLD’s team click here.

To donate to Perry’s team click here.

-LB

Some LLD cyclists raising support for Cycle for Survival!

Here are the stats for this year’s Cycle for Survival:

• 5 days, 10 cities, 27 rides, 2,750 bikes & 13k participants
• 2013 Cities include: Boston, Chicago, Greenwich, Long Island, Los Angles, Miami, New York City, San Fran, Summit NJ & Washington DC

LLD is cycling again this year to raise funds for cancer research. To donate to our team click here! If you’re in the Hamptons check out our clip on LTV this January to learn more about LLD’s connection to Cycle for Survival with interviews from sitters, families, and cyclists on why Cycle for Survival is a great way to get involved with cancer research.

This young man needed help & I wish he knew about Transcendental Meditation (TM).

The David Lynch Foundation was established to ensure that any child in America who wants to learn and practice the TM program can do so. The TM program is the most thoroughly researched and widely practiced program in the world for developing the full creative potential of the brain and mind, improving health, reducing stress, and improving academic outcomes. The foundation believes that in today’s world of fear and uncertainty, every child should have one class period a day to dive within himself and experience the field of silence—bliss—the enormous reservoir of energy and intelligence that is deep within all of us. At-risk populations suffer from epidemic levels of chronic stress and stress-related disorders—fueling violence, crime, soaring health costs, and compromising the effectiveness of education, health, rehabilitation, and vocational programs now in place. The TM program is a way to combat these stressful situations.

I attended a benefit last evening for the foundation where I learned more about TM from the founder himself David Lynch. I don’t know David personally, but after hearing him speak last night it is apparent that he truly wants to make a difference in the lives of men, women & children across the globe.  He has been meditating for over 30 years & he spoke about the ways it has changed his life.  People of all ages, religions, and walks of life practice the technique and enjoy incredible benefits.

David said, “Someday, hopefully very soon, ‘diving within’ as a preparation for learning and as a tool for developing the creative potential of the mind will be a standard part of every school’s curriculum. The stresses of today’s world are taking an enormous toll on our children right now. There are hundreds of schools, with thousands of students, who are eager to relieve this stress and bring out the full potential of every student by providing this Consciousness-Based education today.” This method of introspection and slowing down seems like a great way to help kids & adults deal with stress, anxiety, and fears.  And it’s so simple to implement, it’s all about slowing down and introspection, a way to examine one’s inner emotions and fears.

My heart & prayers go out to the families of the Newtown community.

-LB