Honey Bread with Dark Chocolate topping is a tradition in some countries in Latin America. Considered a comfort food, locals can find it in almost all bakeries, and serve it throughout the year. Very delicious, healthy and decadent! Here is the recipe:
What a great idea for a shower favor, or goodie bags! These plantable ducks bloom flowers including baby's breath, powder puff asters, and black eyes susan flowers. Each duck comes in a vellum package with the message: "Thank you for sharing this special day. Please plant this duck to create4 a garden of lasting memories."
These products are perfect for multilingual kids! Gender neutral wall cards made from 100% recycled cardstock, with numbers or alphabet in foreign languages. Perfect for the nursery or playroom. Each set of cards come wrapped in a biodegradable cello package.
Cute, cute, cute. This organic baby Monkey Pants set is really something. Very soft, and 100% organic cotton.
Can I give water to my baby? That is a common question among parents that should always be checked with each individual pediatrician. We found an answer in a publication from Dr. Greene, a renowned pediatrician. Here is the summary:"Too much water can cause water intoxication in babies. Each time a baby pees, he or she loses not only water but sodium and other electrolytes. But unlike with adults, who tend to get too much sodium in our diets, babies usually get just the electrolytes they need from breast milk or formula. Too much water and they lose too much sodium. The sodium levels in their blood can plummet and cause irritability, brain swelling, unresponsiveness and seizures. (Note: Water intoxication also involves other factors, but that’s more detail than I can go into here.)
The risk of water intoxication is especially high if the baby is losing both water and electrolytes from diarrhea. Fluid losses should be replaced with breast milk, formula or perhaps a rehydration solution. Don’t give plain water for rehydration.
The risk is also high if formula is diluted with too much water in a misguided effort to save a little money."
What about dehydration?"If you are concerned that your baby is getting dehydrated, contact your health care provider. We expect babies to pee at least once in the first 24 hours of life, at least twice in the second 24 hours, and at least three times every day thereafter."
Should you boil water given to young babies?
"Boiling is the most certain way of killing all of these organisms. Even though the risk of any infection is probably far below 1 percent, I agree with the American Academy of Pediatrics in recommending that sterile water be used for young babies, even when used to prepare infant formula. In practice, this usually means boiling the water for one minute, at least for the first couple of months."
For more details, please logon to drgreene.com, or nytimes.com
Choking kills more than 100 U.S. children 14 years or younger each year. Food, including candy and gum, is among the leading culprits, along with items like coins and balloons. Of the 141 choking deaths in kids in 2006, 61 were food-related.Doctors say high-risk foods, including hot dogs, raw carrots, grapes and apples — should be cut into pea-sized pieces for small children to reduce chances of choking. Some say other risky foods, including hard candies, popcorn, peanuts and marshmallows, shouldn't be given to young children at all.
Source: msnbc.com
Parents know that Play Dough ranks very high in kids world. Unfortunately the dyes used by some manufacturers for coloring can be very toxic, not to mention messy! We learned a very easy recipe for a non-toxic homemade play dough, and kids love it. Play Dough Recipe
- 1 cup organic flour*
- 1 cup warm water
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon oil
- 1/4 cup salt
- food coloring** (If you’re not into making your own dye, check out these natural, gluten-free, plant-based food colorings from Seelect
Mix everything up except for the food coloring. Add the coloring drop by drop, and get creative!
In a large soup pot, stir the mixture over medium heat until it thickens, trying to squash out any lumps. Remove it from pan and carefully knead it until blended smooth. For the kneading, you’ll want to make sure it’s cool to the touch all the way through before you let the kids play. The surface can feel perfectly fine but have a burny center, so be careful!
Store the play dough in an airtight container when it’s fully cooled. It will last ages if you don’t let it dry out!
*Flour options: If you or your child is gluten-sensitive, try substituting a gluten free flour, like Tom Sawyer All Purpose Gluten Free Flour. You may have to tinker with the recipe a bit, since gluten has some binding properties. Adding corn starch might help.
**Dyes: You may also want to use a natural fixative, like the one described in this post over at Pioneer Thinking to make sure your play dough doesn’t turn your kiddos’ hands (and clothes, and your table) bright colors!
Source: Crafting a Green World
Ok, wanna go wild with the kids? Just let them play with the finger paint (posted below) in the bathtub. After they are done finger and toe painting, just use the handheld shower nozzle to give everything a good rinse before their own bath. A top fun time to remember!
Kids love painting, but many store bought paint can be a bit toxic! We found this recipe of homemade finger paint...easy to make and clean, and cheap.
How cute is that? Organic socks that look like clogs... and with anti-slid soles. It is a shame they only make them 0-12 month sizes! Adults may want them too...
We are not fans of DVDs for children under 2-3 years of age. However, for the older ones, here is a great version from Sesame Street about "Being Green".
Fried foods have always been a big concern for healthy eaters. We hear about the liabilities of saturated fatty acids almost every day! Well, depending on how you prepare, it can actually be a healthy meal, although still higher in calories. Good fats like those found in olive oil, may help prevent heart disease, and research shows that certain polyunsaturated fats may be beneficial as well. Also, it may be a good way to vary the flavor of your veggies intake. Here is a great recipe by Martha Shulman and John Ash.
Multibox is a 3 in 1 combination of storage box, a child's seat, and a learning tool, made entirely of corrugated cardboard. The box-seat can carry as much as 50Kg, and is completely recyclable, and protected by a green non-toxic fire retardant.
Have you seen the Weebit shoes for babies and toddlers yet? Incredibly cute.....They are made of hemp uppers with certified organic cotton knit lining, recycled PET and latex elastic. It is one of the finest sustainable shoes, perfect for little ones.
Find out how to get organic (and non-organic) local produce delivered to your home. Enter your zip code on the home page, and a list of local farmer's market will come up so you can choose the best fit for your family.
The Obama administration will begin a drive this week to expel Pepsi, French fries and Snickers bars from the nation’s schools in hopes of reducing the number of children who get fat during their school years.
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