New York Nanny Center » healthy

Junior’s Fresh: Food For Your Baby

Alison Gore — Fri, 17 May 2013 15:39:56 +0000

Wondering how you can incorporate seasonal fruits and veggies from local markets into your lil’ ones diet? With Junior’s Fresh, you don’t have to wonder or worry! We asked Michelle Hoffmann, the founder of Junior’s Fresh, a few questions about how it works!

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.

Pass The Pickles ‘n’ Ice Cream… STAT!

Alison Gore — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 15:41:04 +0000

Lately I can’t seem to escape a pregnant belly – everywhere I look my friends are getting preggers! Cue wicked ‘n’ weird pregnancy cravings like pickles and ice cream. Cravings are our body’s way of telling us to give it more of something – specific nutrients, water, primary food (TLC). Ever wonder what’s behind cravings?

Well, it all depends on whom you ask and there are a variety of causes, including.

Nutritional Deficiency – Your body may be craving a specific food as a result of a nutritional deficiency. For example, a craving for ice cream may mean a calcium deficiency.
Hormonal Changes – Your hormones undergo a major transformation during pregnancy, affecting your smell and taste.
Lack of Primary Food – You may just be craving some primary food from your partner. If this is the case, ask him/her to turn up the TLC, so you can turn down the cravings!

According to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition the most commonly craved foods during pregnancy were:

Ice cream
Sweet foods
Chocolate & other candies
Fruit
Fish

Tatiana’s Tips For Fighting Off Food Cravings:

Give into your cravings every once in awhile. (Except for alcohol!) However, it’s important that you control your cravings by not giving in all the time, and when you do give in, limiting yourself to that special treat.
Grab the healthier version of what you crave. For example, if you want a brownie try a LaraBar chocolate chip brownie flavor, made with no added sugar, made with fruits, nuts and spices. They have plethora of healthylicious flavors to curb your cravings, like: apple pie, key lime pie (my fave), pecan pie, and more!
Exercise. Try walking, spinning, the elliptical machine, pre-natal yoga, and other low-impact activities (as permitted by your Doctor).
Grab a green drink. Drinking your greens will help to regulate your cravings and provide you with the Folate, a B vitamin, which is crucial during pregnancy. Here’s my Green Goddess Smoothie recipe if you want to make it at home.

Important: Contact your health practitioner if you crave unusual substances such as ashes, clay, dirt, paper, or laundry starch (yes, you just read that!). This craving, known as pica, may be a flashing red sign of nutritional deficiency, usually of iron or zinc.

Boy or Girl? According to an Old Wives’ Tale, the type of food cravings one experiences can indicate the baby’s gender. For instance, if you are craving protein rich foods like cheese and red meat, or sour foods like lemon, supposedly you’re expecting a boy. And if you crave sweet things like chocolate or fruit, you could be expecting a boy.

Questions? Contact me for a free phone consultation and let me help you tackle your pregnancy cravings the healthy way!

Blissfully Yours,

Tatiana Ridley

-Tatiana is a a Board Certified Nutrition and Health Coach (CHHC) and graduate of The Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN), and member of the American Association of Drugless Practitioners (AADP). She is the founder of Tatiana’s Health and Wellness.

Get in Shape, Meet Moms, & Fight Cancer!

Alison Gore — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 14:36:29 +0000

If you’re looking to get in shape, meet other moms, and fight cancer, we’ve got the perfect solution! Moms in Training is a combination of fitness and fundraising to support the fight against cancer. We asked Helena Scott, founder of Moms in Training a few questions about the program and how you can get involved!

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.

Live and Learn

Alison Gore — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 15:23:26 +0000

I’m not one for making resolutions. I hope by this time in my life that my life style choices have been good and I just try to live within those boundaries. The most influential choice I have made has been diet changes. Since I’ve retired Dr. Oz has become a trusted family friend. Not that I do everything he says, I don’t, but I do listen to what he has to say and apply what I think will help me. I feel badly that I spent the last 20 years feeding my kids the taboo processed foods. They grew up on Spagettios, Hamburger Helper and frozen pizza. I didn’t know any better. It’s so much easier today to make healthy choices where food is concerned.

Luckily, my girls have grown up and are making better food choices than I did for them

So I have put super foods into my diet, berries, broccoli, whole grains, almonds, kale and I’ve started to drink lots of water. Dr. Oz says drink lemon water before bed and when you get up to remove toxins from the body. I hope he is right because all the acid from the lemons is probably eating away at my tooth enamel. All my new found knowledge is shared with my daughters. They probably think I’m becoming a food guru or Oz groupie. I feel it’s my duty after feeding them fructose and enriched flour all those years. Live and learn. Happy New Year and healthy eating to all.

-Mama Bell