Monday, March 28, 2011

Food for Thought

On the New York Times' facebook feed, there has been a lot of discussion about this article:
Philadelphia School Battles Students’ Bad Eating Habits, on Campus and Off .   So many people contended that good nutrition starts at home and it should be the parent's job to make sure that their children are eating healthier foods.  I have no problem with educating kids and parents on healthier foods.  I get fliers home all of the time about what my child has learned in school about healthy eating and exercise.  Our doctor, also, gives us lots of information about healthy eating and asks what my child has been eating and how much he exercises.  The Times' article talked about groups of parents going to neighborhood bodegas and asking that they not sell chips and sodas to kids for breakfast.  Can you imagine teaching a group of children who had Doritos and Pepsi for breakfast?  What if you got them the next period, after they had come down from their sugar high?

The schools, however, can also help a great deal.  Let's not forget that many children receive school lunches and breakfasts.  That's 2 out of 3 meals not eaten in the home.  Sometimes what is served in schools is there because of corporate lobbying by particular manufacturers of food, or by what is convenient for staff to make.  With a few simple changes, children could be getting meals in school that could help their brains grow and learn.  Jamie Oliver has helped to reform the British school system's school lunch program, and partners with parents to help them feed their kids healthy foods.

I know I've been out of touch on this blog for quite a while.  I'm trying to improve it and add to it.  If you have some ideas about schools and healthy eating, please let me know!

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Entrenched

Lands' End, now $79.99
Norma Kamali Trench and boots  Walmart.com $47
Gap trench coat $88.98-$98, petite and tall avail.


                                                                                                                            
Boden Rainyday Duffle, $148  

Trench coats really are everywhere right now.  From Burberry to Walmart, there is a wide range of this classic style.  I have a London Fog, but have decided that it's too dated and dowdy to wear another season (I get a sinking feeling when I put it on).  The Boden coat shown is a duffle, so not actually a trench, but I love it's classic style anyway and it's wallpaperish pattern.  I'm not a big celebrity watcher, but Kate Middleton looked great in a trench coat when I saw her on tv when I was at the Y in the gym.  So, trench or duffel?  Most trench coats come in classic colors: black, khaki, maybe olive drab.  A few places, like Lands' End and Walmart, have branched out to making fuchsia, bright green, and red.  Lined coats offer more warmth for cooler days.   Which one is your favorite?

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Pancakes

This is not a brag. I don't mean it to be, anyway.

My kids got up today and it's a snow day. I offered to make muffins for them, to make the day more special. They said they wanted pancakes. I was reading to my son, so I asked my daughter to pull the Joy of Cooking off the shelf and look up the recipe in the index. They got the idea of making the pancakes themselves. My daughter got out the flour: whole wheat and white. "Where is the baking powder?" I heard from the kitchen. Now, they are both out there. "Careful cracking the eggs!"

I put the butter in the pan and got the temperature up to medium-high. Batter in, we watch for bubbles. Flip. A little too light, didn't flip quite right. Wait. Flip again. Ready!

They eat, knowing that they made them themselves. They taste better that way.