Greetings! In this week’s Five for Fridays, I will highlight a few interesting videos and articles related to toddlers and restaurant manners. I started the week with 7 ways to handle bad manners when eating out with kids, so this seems like an appropriate way to reinforce the message! Let me know what you think and share your favorite tips.

How dinosaurs eat their food

This video is sure to catch the attention of your little one because of the dinosaurs who show really bad table manners like burping,  belching, making loud and rude noises, throwing food etc. In a funny way, it can teach your child what not to do!

Needs first, manners second

A very interesting perspective is offered by Dionna in her article Mind Your Manners, where she suggests that we pay attention to the child’s underlying need behind the behavior that shows bad manners. It may be a physical reason such as hunger, fatigue or sleepiness. Or it may be psychological reason such as frustration, jealousy, anger or need for attention. Adults have these needs too – and if you think about it – they too do not show good manners and friendly behavior if they are feeling that way. In those moments, it is not helpful to lecture about good manners with a don’t do that, or a do this. Rather, you have to pay attention to the underlying need and find a way to fix it before a meltdown!

Toddlers and mealtime manners

Excellent tips on mealtime manners from the Better Health Channel of the Victorian Department of Health from Australia! A range of mealtime topics such as sitting down to eat, making a mess, wasting food, table manners and reward systems are covered and several practical suggestions are provided under each. I really liked their perspective on why getting angry or worrying whether your child has had enough to eat is not useful. Kids are very perceptive and usually reflect back your anger and anxiety through unruly behavior. Keeping your emotions in check is the key. Have realistic expectations which are appropriate for age and development level. Keep your cool, stay firm and be consistent. And by the way, persuading children to clean up their plate because there are hungry children in the world does not work!

Parents speak out on teaching children to behave at restaurants

I liked this discussion about teaching restaurant manners to children because of a range of opinions and tips from parents based on real life experience. Consensus opinions seem to be training at home, family meals, early exposure to restaurants, and being ready to leave when things get out of hand. One parent advises good luck, patience and understanding, while another suggests involving them in food selection and engaging in a conversation. Another interesting suggestion is to go out in a group with other friends and their kids. Lots of interesting comments here!

Can you teach my alligator manners?

This is a funny series on Playhouse Disney which features a young boy named Mikey and his alligator pal Al, who is fun and cute but has no manners at all! The music is catchy and animation fast paced to capture the short attention of young kids. The great thing about it is that it asks the kids to recognize when Al is being polite and when he is not by picking one of the two color-coded squares which show these behaviors. Very good reinforcement indeed!

In this particular clip about restaurant manners, kids learn about eating with a fork and not their fingers, eat without making faces or noises, and not burp!

The alligator series is one of our favorites; have you seen it?

Enjoy and let me know what is on your mind.

©2010 Littlestomaks.com

Eating out with kids is not necessarily a stress-free experience for most toddler parents, us included. Not only do we have to worry about selecting nutritious foods from the menu, we also have to keep an eye on misbehavior and less-than-ideal table manners. Sure, kids are kids and a certain amount of mischief is only to be expected, but it is hard as a parent to ignore the looks of pity, annoyance and sometimes even hostility from others. Suddenly, the spotlight is on us and it feels like we are the worst parents in whole world!

Last week, I reviewed a wonderful children’s book called Wiggens Learns His Manners at the Four Seasons Restaurant and also invited comments from readers about their dining-out experience with kids. I asked the following two questions -

• What is your most difficult restaurant manners problem with your toddler?
• Share a difficult dining out experience with your toddler where you had to manage a bad manners situation and how you handled it

Here are a few common manners problems people shared in response to my questions -

• Feeling bored, not able to sit still
• Throwing food on the floor, making a mess
• Running around, jumping on chairs
• Talking loudly or being rude to others

I think we can all relate to them one way or another. It also happens at home I am sure, not just when you go out to eat. From that point of view, this kind of behavior is probably normal from 2-5 year olds because they are full of energy and curiosity and constantly trying to push the limits as they learn to exercise their independence. They don’t know that their behavior can be labeled as misbehavior and that it can cause a lot of embarrassment to their parents in public!

That is why, I believe that the issue of bad manners is not a problem of the child, rather it is a problem of the parents.

Having said that, clearly we have to teach children about good manners and acceptable behavior. It will prepare them to be socially responsible and be able to get along with others. However, I fully agree with Dr. Spock who writes in his bestseller book on baby and child care:

Good manners come naturally – teaching children to say please or thank you is not really the first step. The most important thing is to have them like people and feel good about their own worth as a person. If they don’t, it will be hard to teach them even surface manners.

The important word here is naturally, they cannot be forced based on a schedule and should be treated like any other developmental milestone. There can be many ways to teach them manners and good behavior; you should adopt a style that is consistent with your personal style and attitude.

As far as behavior in a restaurant is concerned, here are a few tips you may want to consider -

Be consistent at home and outside: if you get your child in the habit of sitting down for a family meal at home, she is more likely to find the idea of a sit-down meal at a restaurant familiar and comforting. Consistency in family meals is key to not only good nutrition, quality family time and good habits, but also positive behavior when eating out. Do not have one set of rules at home and another for outside.

No rewards or punishments: promise of a reward or threat of a punishment works only for a short time. Kids will figure it out very quickly and pretty soon you will have to offer a bigger reward or a bigger punishment to get the same result. What you can do instead is consistently show your approval for behaviors you want to encourage and disapproval for behaviors you want to avoid. This approach, when combined with consistent role model behavior by you and others in the family is more likely to work in the long run.

Know the limits and enforce them no matter what: although I just talked about not using a reward or punishment, it is a good idea to set a few limits, especially when it comes to safety. Kids are unpredictable, and no matter how much you plan, it is possible that their behavior may create an unsafe situation for them or others around you. Running, jumping and throwing food or sliverware can fall in this category. Calmly explain to your child that it is not safe to do those things because someone can get hurt and that is not nice. If the softer approach does not work, be prepared to get your food-to-go and leave. In these situations, it is very important for both parents to be on the same page. There might be differences in parenting styles between the two of you, but you have to agree on a common plan when dealing with difficult parenting situations

Timing is everything: If you arrive at a restaurant when your child is too hungry or when he has just had an energy boosting snack, you are more likely to have a manners problem. Keep a healthful snack at hand just in case she is starving when you arrive. You can also minimize waiting time at the restaurant by ordering ahead, especially if it happens to be a place you frequently visit. We like to keep a few of our favorite restaurant menus in the car just for this purpose.

Be a role model: just like any parenting situation, the importance of being a role model when eating out can hardly be over emphasized. Children learn by imitating their parents and others they come in contact with. They will simply reflect your behavior because they admire you and want to gain your love and affirmation. It does not mean you have to be perfect at all times, but you do have to be consistent overall on average. Everyone can have a bad day, you don’t have to feel guilty or apologetic when you occasionally slip! In those moments, rely on your partner to do the heavy lifting.

Plan to entertain: even adults get bored and restless if they have to wait too long to get a highly anticipated meal or drink! Children have even a shorter attention span! Keeping their favorite toy or a book handy is a good idea. We like to make up stories and engage them in all kind of silly conversations a the table to keep their interest. We also keep a basket full of toys and books ready in the car just in case!

Keep your cool: parenting is an extreme sport and there are times when things don’t go your way. We also feel under pressure in public because these days everyone is quick to judge and have their own ideas about what it means to be a good parent. I say, just ignore it! You don’t have to be a perfect parent – if there is anything like that in the first place! Keep your cool and laugh it off. If your children aren’t behaving perfectly, it won’t help to yell or scream at them or try to shush them! Enjoy as much as possible, and if everyone is having a bad day, just walk away and try another day!

How have you managed a difficult parenting moment when eating out with your little ones? Leave a comment, I would love to hear from you!

This is part 2 of a series by guest writer Lauren Morgan, a dietetic intern at the University of Maryland and blogger at The Blue Plate Special. Having grown up with food allergies, and because of her training as a dietitian, she has a strong interest and technical knowledge of this topic. Feel free to leave a question or comment for follow up!

In part 1 on milk allergy, we introduced a definition and some common symptoms of milk allergy. In this second part, we offer a few tips if you are trying to manage your child’s nutrition when he or she has a known milk allergy.

Do we know the reasons why a child may develop milk allergy? Is it because of genetic reasons or are there environmental factors?

This is a good and complicated question because the causes of allergies are not well understood.  Children develop allergies when they come into contact with allergens, thus this is an environmental trigger.  Children are at greater risk for developing allergies if one or both parents have allergies, so this is the genetic component.  Researchers do think that there is generally a strong genetic component although it is not well understood.

How to achieve proper nutrition and avoid calcium and vitamin D deficiency if my child has a milk allergy?

Like we mentioned last week, milk is a great source of calcium and vitamin D which are very important to the body.  Calcium is key for healthy bones, especially for children as their bodies are growing and developing, and vitamin D is necessary for our bodies to absorb the calcium.  The good news for parents of kids with milk allergies is that there are other places to get these important nutrients if your child cannot have any milk or milk products.

Many foods are fortified with calcium these days including fortified ready-to-eat cereals, soy milk (although many children with milk allergy are also allergic to soy so be careful with this one), sardines, collards, spinach, kale, okra, and soybeans and tofu (again watch out for the soy allergy).  Many of these foods have much lower amounts of calcium then a dairy source so be aware of this to make sure your child is getting enough calcium.

Our bodies can make vitamin D, and all we need for this is some sunlight to activate the process!  However, many Americans are deficient in vitamin D for several reasons including that we are more careful and precautious in the sun by applying more sunscreen.  While sunscreen is very important (especially on your children!) it is still possible to make some vitamin D.  By exposing your arms and legs in the sun for about 15 minutes and then applying sunscreen you will be safe in the sun and produce enough vitamin D when doing this 2-3 times a week.  If you are uncomfortable with this or do not think you can be out in the sun enough then food sources or a multivitamin with vitamin D are a good way to make sure you are getting enough.  Food sources include egg yolks, saltwater fish, liver, and some vitamin-D fortified cereals.

What precautions should be taken when traveling or eating out?

Eating out when you have a child with a milk allergy can be a scary thing.  Closely evaluate the menu and pick items that are traditionally milk free; however, you cannot completely rely on this because you never know what ingredients a specific recipe will call for.  The safest strategy is to ASK!  Talk to your server and ask to speak with the chef; they can tell you exactly what ingredients are in the dish and if it is safe for your child to eat.

The Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network has a wonderful resource for eating out!  Their chef card template is available for download for FREE.  Just fill out the card with the ingredients your child cannot have and then present this to your chef when dining out.

Stay alert, stay safe, and stay nutritious with food allergies!
©2010 Littlestomaks.com

Ask The Expert is a weekly column on Littlestomaks.com. The idea is to have a reader-submitted question answered by a nutrition expert or a pediatrician. Feel free to submit your question in the comments section below.

This week, registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator Tami Ross offers offers practical tips for a stress-free dining out experience if your child has Type 1 diabetes.

Question: My child has Type 1 diabetes. What should I be careful about when eating out in a restaurant? What questions should I ask?

Eating out is an enjoyable part of life for kids of all ages! Eating out with a child that has type 1 diabetes need not be a far different experience than eating out with any other child. Carbohydrate consciousness is top of mind when it comes to blood sugar (blood glucose) control. Most families quickly learn what foods and beverages contain carbohydrate and how much, how carbohydrate affects blood sugar, and how to dose insulin accordingly to keep blood sugars in target. With a little forethought, eating out can be as nutritious as it is tasty, and maintain blood sugar control too!.

Here are my favorite four tips to help make eating out a winning experience for everyone in the family:

Do some research: Check out nutrition information for favorite restaurants and identify healthy options in advance that fit your child’s carbohydrate and nutrition needs. You can find this information online for many restaurants.

Think ahead and time your dining: To avoid waiting for table with a hungry child, make a reservation if possible, or try to avoid times when the restaurant is busiest. Time insulin injections accordingly and have an appropriate snack with you in case blood sugar levels drop while waiting for the food to arrive.

Keep it simple: Choose foods in their simplest forms more often, such as grilled chicken sandwich, rather than chicken nuggets.

Stick with kid size portions: Kids meals are kid-sized and a more favorable portion-controlled option than “value” meals, which mean more calories, carbohydrate, fat, and salt

The following questions may be helpful to ask when ordering at restaurants and fast food favorites. You may have others to add to the list taking into account your child’s specific preferences, allergies, etc.

1. What grilled meat options do you have?  (grilled is lower in fat)
2. Can the sauces/dressings be served on the side?  (so that you can see the actual portion size, and assess how much your child consumes to count carbohydrates accordingly)
3. If your child isn’t a fan of salad, ask: Can we substitute a favorite raw veggie my child likes (such carrot sticks or cherry tomatoes) with small amount of dressing for dipping, or substitute a fruit cup?
4. Is it possible to order thin crust pizza? (fewer carbohydrates than original or thick crust)
5. Can we request fruit instead of fries as a side with the fast food meal? (lower in fat; generally lower in carbohydrate; more nutrients and fiber)
6. May we have low fat milk or water as a beverage (lower carbohydrate; healthier)
7. Are bite size desserts an option (to satisfy the sweet tooth, but control portions)?
8. May we have a to-go box? (to take home extras for later rather than encouraging over-eating to “clean the plate”)

These are all general tips -  I recommend consulting with your child’s diabetes care team about what is best for your child.

Food for Thought…

• Identify 3 meals at your child’s favorite fast-food restaurant that fit their carbohydrate and nutrition needs.
• Check blood glucose 1 ½-2 hours after eating out and see if you’re child is in his/her target range. If not, rethink food choices, portion sizes, carbohydrate estimations, and insulin dosing…maybe they were off a bit? Make note, think about what you’ll do differently next time, and discuss with the diabetes care team.
• Consider cooking up some fun food fast in your own kitchen with kid-friendly recipes like Under the Sea Submarine and Ranch Style Nachos, both which can be found in my book Cooking Up Fun for Kids with Diabetes . A delicious and fun meal is less than 15 minutes away!

For more questions and answers on diabetes please join Tami and the International Food Information Council Foundation for a special diabetes chat on twitter Thursday, April 15 at 1:00 ET, #foodinsight.   A transcript of the chat will also be available afterward at the IFIC website.

©2010 Littlestomaks.com. All Rights Reserved

Disclaimer – Information provided in Ask The Expert column on Littlestomaks.com is intended to give you general guidance on a question related to toddler nutrition. It is not meant to be treated as medical advice. You are welcome to contact this expert for a detailed consultation on your specific situation to determine what actions, if any, you should take regarding nutrition and health of your toddlers. We do not recommend you to take any action based solely on the information presented in this column. Experts have agreed to provide their professional opinion on toddler nutrition related questions on a voluntary basis and no compensation is offered to them by Littlestomaks.com.

This contest is now closed. Comment #2 is the winner.

Continue the St. Patrick’s Day party at your favorite restaurant!

Enter this giveaway to win a $50 gift certificate from Restaurant.com which can be used at over 13,000 restaurants in the United States (except Hawaii and Alaska).

Note: you must be a subscriber to the Littlestomaks newsletter to enter this giveaway.

3 simple ways to win (choose one or more if you like)

1. Leave a comment with an answer to this  question: What is your favorite kid-friendly restaurant and why?
2. Leave a comment with an answer to the second question: What is your child’s favorite meal at a restaurant?
3. Tell a friend to sign up for the Littlestomaks newsletter and leave a comment (they don’t actually need to sign up, but if they do, they can also play!)

Full Disclosure (a.k.a. the fine print)

1. You must be a current subscriber to the Littlestomaks newsletter
2. Open to individuals only, no commercial outfits
3. I will select a winner by drawing a random number using random.org. This number will correspond to the number assigned to your comment on this post. So, if you want all your chances to be counted, leave a separate comment for each; not all in one comment
4. Make sure to leave a valid email address when you fill the comment box. This should be identical to your email address where you receive the weekly newsletter
5. If you win, you will need to send me your mailing address within 48 h of receiving notification or I will draw another winner
6. Allow up to 2 weeks to receive your gift certificate
7. This giveaway will end at midnight EST on Sunday March 28, 2010
   

Let’s play!

©2010 Littlestomaks.com

For this week’s Ask the Expert, I asked Registered Dietitian Elisa Zied, MS, RD, CDN, to share one of her video tips for kids. She is the author of Nutrition at Your Fingertips which just came out in November 2009 and is a “Go-to guide” according to More magazine. Her channel on YouTube has lots of great videos on nutrition tips for both adults and kids; check it out!

Elisa earned a bachelor of arts in psychology from the University of Pennsylvania and a master of science in clinical nutrition from New York University.

She blogs at The Zied Guide. You can follow her on Twitter @elisazied.

Here are  few tips from this video to help you make healthy choices for your kids when eating out.

• Keep portion size small – limit sodium, fat, saturated fat and cholesterol
• Emphasize fruits and vegetables
• Lean meats, chicken without breading and unfried
• Share “grown up” food – lead by example and pick healthy choices
• Soups and salads may be a hit with kids – give ‘em a try
• Look up calorie information if available – 400- 500 calorie for a little kid is perfectly fine

Enjoy and eat healthy!

©2010 Littlestomaks.com. All Rights Reserved

Disclaimer – Information provided in Ask The Expert column on Littlestomaks.com is intended to give you general guidance on a question related to toddler nutrition. It is not meant to be treated as medical advice. You are welcome to contact this expert for a detailed consultation on your specific situation to determine what actions, if any, you should take regarding nutrition and health of your toddlers. We do not recommend you to take any action based solely on the information presented in this column. Experts have agreed to provide their professional opinion on toddler nutrition related questions on a voluntary basis and no compensation is offered to them by Littlestomaks.com.

Ask The Expert is a weekly column on Littlestomaks.com. The idea is to have a reader-submitted question answered by a nutrition expert or a pediatrician. Feel free to submit your question in the comments section below.

This week, Registered Dietitian Wendy Reinhardt offers practical tips on how to make healthy choices when eating out with your kids.

Question: How often can we go out to eat and still be healthy?

Answer:

As a busy mom of two small boys, it often seems that eating healthy can be a challenge – anytime – anywhere.  But…I believe that we can eat out every day and still be healthy.  Yes, I said every day.  Many restaurants offer healthy food items. The challenge is we actually have to CHOOSE THEM.  Here are some of my top tips for making eating out healthy and happy:

Plan ahead.  Eating healthy at home and on-the go requires some planning.  Planning ahead can help you relax and enjoy your dining out experience while also getting some power-packed nutrition.  If there are certain restaurants you frequent, visit their Web sites to get nutritional information. Make a list of healthy selections to keep with you and determine what you and your family will purchase BEFORE getting to the restaurant.  Give your kids two or three meal choices (including beverages) that are higher in nutrition and lower on the calorie range.  Empower your kids by having them select their meal from the choices YOU provide; letting them pick builds their nutrition savvy!

Be portion size wise. If the restaurant offers several sandwich sizes, pick the smallest or order half a sandwich, if available. If you want a burger, choose the kid-sized hamburger (FYI: The kid’s meal is for big kids too.)  You can also consider taking half home or dividing the portion with a friend or your kids. The potential payoff: Sharing now can make dessert a reality in your future. YES!!!

Go ahead and “veg (and fruit) out”.  Most of us (and our kids) do not get the recommended amount of servings of fruits and vegetables each day. Instead of french fries choose a side salad with low-fat dressing or a baked potato. Or add a fruit cup to your meal. Other healthy choices include apple slices or carrot sticks, corn on the cob, steamed veggies or brown rice, or baked chips. For sandwiches or pizza, ask for extra veggie toppings and add more vitamins and fiber (and flavor) and only add a few calories. This can help turn a small sub, burger, or slice of pizza into something more substantial. Or…before you head out the door, pick-up that piece of neglected fresh fruit, turn good intentions into some good nutrition, and literally – run (NOTE: Kids love running; please remove hazards from running path before you attempt this)!

Enjoy your food…and your family! Savor the flavor of each bite. Chew your food thoroughly and encourage your kids to “come up for air.”  Talk between bits (but not with your mouth full).  Stop before you feel like YOU are the turkey at Thanksgiving dinner. If it is a special occasion, or you know you want to order your favorite meal, make sure your other meals that day are on the healthier side and/or take a family walk; play with the kids instead of watching on the sidelines.

Visit www.kidnetic.com for more kid- and parent-friendly tips to keep your family healthy and happy.

©2009 Littlestomaks.com. All Rights Reserved

Disclaimer – Information provided in Ask The Expert column on Littlestomaks.com is intended to give you general guidance on a question related to toddler nutrition. It is not meant to be treated as medical advice. You are welcome to contact this expert for a detailed consultation on your specific situation to determine what actions, if any, you should take regarding nutrition and health of your toddlers. We do not recommend you to take any action based solely on the information presented in this column. Experts have agreed to provide their professional opinion on toddler nutrition related questions on a voluntary basis and no compensation is offered to them by Littlestomaks.com.

We just got back from a week-long visit to the Disney World!

It was a great vacation and we had a lot of fun at the Magic Kingdom, Epcot and our own cabin at the Fort Wilderness Resort.

But it was a nightmare trying to feed our twins during the entire trip. The usual kids menu items like the fried chicken tenders, pizza and hot dogs didn’t go well at all and they only nibbled at the Mac ‘n Cheese and carrots. Surprisingly, they also rejected the milk and took only a few sips each time. The only somewhat healthy option we found was at Epcot’s Le Chefs de France restaurant, which offered grilled flounder and fresh green beans on the menu in addition to the usual chicken tenders and pasta. Sadly however, it didn’t turn out to be a pleasant dining experience for us because by that time the twins were tired and fussy!

We came to the realization that we don’t eat out and we don’t go on vacations often enough to prepare us for proper eating outside of home!

So to all of you more experienced toddler Moms out there, I have a question this week:

How do you manage your child’s nutrition on extended vacations out of home?

Please share your tips in comments below. Leave your twitter ID, blog or Facebook profile  so I can link to you when I compile your tips in a future post.

Thank you!!

©2009 Littlestomaks.com

Greetings! Hope you all have had a great week so far. Here are 5 interesting nutrition stories of the week that caught my eye. Enjoy and drop a comment to let me know what’s on your mind.

Would you take advice from a fat doctor about controlling your child’s weight?

When weight is the issue, doctors struggle too! After all, they are humans just like the rest of us. In some ways, as this article in the New York Times argues, overweight doctors might show more compassion and might have a more pragmatic view about how to control your child’s weight. It is easy to say “eat less, exercise more and watch less TV”, but it is not really that easy to follow it day after day. An overweight doctor might still be able to sound credible if they stick to the facts and explain the problem to the parents using growth charts. A recognition of the challenges parents face in managing their child’s nutrition is also important. The advice is still useful, especially if it is based on personal experience and offers practical tips to solve the challenges in real life. If the overweight doctor simply tells you what you might read in a book, then you would probably feel like throwing it back at them. Have you found yourself in this situation? Do leave a comment to share your experience.

Overweight kids eat more when exposed to food marketing

Kids today are targeted for marketing of packaged foods, which are usually full of sugar, fat, salt and calories. There is a belief that this type of targeted marketing is causing overweight and obesity. If this was true, then all kids should show a preference for branded food if they can recognize the brand and eat more of these foods. In a surprising result, researchers from Columbia University and University of Liverpool, UK found that only the overweight kids ate more when presented with branded foods such as Kraft Lunchables, Trix yogurt and Lays potato chips. In this study, 4-6 year old kids were given branded foods on two occasions and the same food packaged in ordinary non-branded containers on the other two occasions. The overweight kids ate 40 calories more when branded foods were given. The non-overweight kids actually ate less when the food was presented in a branded packages. In general, overweight kids ate more on all occasions compared to the non-overweight kids. This is an interesting result, although there are many unanswered questions. I think the key point is that the non-overweight kids show a better control over their appetite, while the overweight kids eat more especially when they can recognize a brand. Teaching kids how to recognize when they are full is probably the best way to protect them against overeating. Eating branded foods in moderation is not a problem, but overeating is.

Believe it or not, you can eat healthy on the cheap

Times are tough; you want to eat healthy but cannot afford to buy fresh produce or fancy organic foods. You live a busy life and cannot always find time to cook from scratch. At the end of a busy day, the idea of getting some cheap fast food on your way home seems too good to pass. But with the right information and a little preparation, you can eat healthy without busting your budget says this article published in the USA Today. Sure fresh vegetables and fruits are expensive, but you could consider frozen and canned varieties if you watch for the sodium content. Potato is rich in potassium; just avoid the french fries and go for boiled, mashed or baked without too much butter or cream. Salmon, Tilapia or Flounder out of your reach? Go for chicken or lean beef. Skip the ready-to-eat frozen meals – they cost a lot more on a per pound basis and even the low calories, low fat ones tend to be loaded with sodium. Planning simple meals for the week and spending just 3 hours preparing them over the weekend can go a long way in taking charge of your family’s health. One of our favorites is lentil soup served with basmati rice, which is a very economical meal. Check out other simple recipes, and if you subscribe to my newsletter, you can get a free eBook of toddler friendly recipes.

More tips on eating out with kids

In her July 2009 Newsletter, Dr Kathleen Cuneo of Dinner Together offers some more tips for eating out with kids. Recently, I pointed to one of her articles on this topic which explained the importance of having realistic expectations. In her newsletter article, she talks about first developing a consistent mealtime routine at home of sitting down together and establishing table manners before you can expect your kids to behave the same way at a restaurant. It is tough, but we are making progress – at least now, we have been able to set the rule that no food will be allowed away from the dining table. Still, it is very hard to keep the twins at the table for more than 10 minutes! Another great advice from Dr Cuneo which I liked a lot is to be prepared to get your food to-go and leave the restaurant on some occasions when your kids might be tired or otherwise just not in the mood to sit down in a strange place. Check out her website and sign up for her newsletter for more great tips and recipes.

Give a little to help feed needy families this summer

Let’s face it -hunger in America is an embarrassing irony. It is simply incredible to realize that more than 12 million children were at risk of hunger at some point last year (Source: Share our Strength). A new program from the US Food Service called Operation STEM-ulus offers an easy way to provide fresh fruits and vegetables to needy families this summer. Now through October 15, 2009, you can get a book of recipes contributed by their associates called Recipes from the Heart for $14.99 plus shipping to help raise funds for this program. All proceeds will be donated to Feeding America, a network of over 200 food banks operating in all 50 states. We just ordered our copy – can’t wait to check out their recipes and try a few ourselves!

Enjoy your weekend! And let me know what you think.

Photo source -mikecpeck on Flickr
©2009 Littlestomaks.com

Happy Friday! Here are 5 interesting nutrition stories of the week that caught my eye. Enjoy and drop a comment to let me know what’s on your mind.

Doubts emerging about restaurant calorie labeling

It has been a year since the chain restaurants in New York City started labeling their menu items with calorie content. A new report raises questions about its effectiveness in changing consumer behavior in the short term and solving the problem of obesity in the long run. New York City estimates that menu labeling will reduce the number of obese New Yorkers by 150,000 in 5 years and prevent 30,000 cases of diabetes. In a city of over 8 million people, these are small numbers; still many are questioning these estimates. Plus many restaurants seem to be “cheating” by posting lower calorie numbers than actually present in certain food items when tested. Does it mean that menu labeling does not work? I think it all depends on your viewpoint. It is not a silver bullet for the obesity problem; simply a step in the right direction. As long as it makes people think twice about buying the high-calorie food, it has a chance to change attitudes. Posting calories is just a start – in fact, complete nutritional information including salt, fat and sugar content should be made available if a consumer wants it. It takes a long time to change consumer behavior and we should keep taking small steps like calorie labeling. This is not a time to shoot it down!

Celiac disease 4 times more common today than 50 years ago

New research from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., according to a New York Times article, suggests that today there are 4 times more diagnosed cases of celiac disease compared to the 1950′s. Celiac disease is a serious immune system reaction to gluten (protein in grains such as wheat, rye, barley) which attacks the intenstines and disrupts the absorption of nutrients. A lot of early cases or gluten intolerance remain undiagnosed. Even though the headlines seems alarming, it is still a small number. I do not mean to diminish its impact, but there is no reason to panic and stop eating wheat or other grains simply because you experience digestive discomfort a few times. Surely, you should discuss it with your doctor who can do a complete checkup. I say this because there is a lot of hype about gluten-free diet these days. Lower your intake of processed foods, and eat more whole grains. Go gluten-free only if needed, and only after consulting with your doctor.

50% of food lost from farm to fork

Amazing, isn’t it? No wonder, the food prices are so high. Improving the efficiency of our food supply chain will not only be good for the environment, it will also result in lower food prices. It strikes me as ironical that when it comes to food prices, the farmer gets the major portion of the blame. Also, the focus is on fertilizer-hungry, high-yield crops which results into a massive over-production. If only we could focus on the supply-chain efficiency, then maybe we could have a more sustainable food chain. This, and other interesting quirks of our current food supply chain are included in this entertaining video from IBM social media – check it out!

Most physicians and nurses use dietary supplements – should you?

A survey of 900 physicians and 277 nurses sponsored by the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) showed that about half of the physicians and nurses used dietary supplements regularly. Overall health and wellness was the most common reason given for using these supplements. They were also quite likely to recommend dietary supplements to their patients for a variety of reasons. I think the CRN, which is a trade association representing manufacturers of these supplements, can hardly be considered an unbiased agency for this type of a study. After reading the whole report, I can also say that their sample of physicians and nurses cannot be treated as random. Therefore, the high positive response in favor of supplements cannot be considered as representative of all health care professionals out there.

Having said that, I personally take a multivitamin on a daily basis because I know that even a fruit and vegetable rich diet today is not sufficient to provide all the necessary vitamins and minerals. Our industrialized farming methods have depleted the nutritional quality of the soil, and fruits and vegetables today are not as rich in vitamins in minerals as they were several decades ago. If you are not taking a supplement, discuss with your doctor if you should. Be careful while selecting the dietary supplement – they are not regulated by the FDA and there are many quality and safety problems. Don’t fall for the out-of-the-world claims for all sorts of miraculous treatments and cures; if they sound too good to be true, probably they are. Exercise the same caution when selecting a nutritional supplement for your toddler. For more tips, read Dr. Husbands answer about toddler nutritional supplements on my Ask the Expert column.

Tips for dining out with preschoolers

Dr. Kathleen Cuneo of Dinner Together, who wrote a guest post here, alerted me to this excellent article for tips on dining out with preschoolers. We have personally experienced this challenge because we have to manage two – not one – energetic toddlers while trying to enjoy our own meal. I think her advice of having realistic expectations from your toddlers is right on the money. We have to simply accept that most preschoolers cannot sit still the whole time. This article offers 7 very practical tips you can use with your little ones. One of our tricks is that we order something for our twins right away and request that they bring it within 5-10 minutes. That’s probably the most we can keep them interested in sitting at the table without anything to eat. Once their food arrives, we order ours and feed them while it is being prepared. Of course, if the service is good, we remember to leave a generous tip.

Enjoy your  weekend! And let me know what you think.

Photo source -The Wandering Angel on Flickr
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