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Labor Day Picnic Ideas

Review Average: 3 stars

Labor Day is a perfect time for a picnic in the park. If you're heading outdoors, follow these tips to plan a healthy picnic


Say No to Cookie Dough

Review Average: 3.5 stars

It seems harmless. While making cookies, you decide to taste the dough. But regardless of how good it tastes, you are taking a risk.


A Lickety Split Breakfast!

Review Average: 5 stars

Eating breakfast can help your kids perform better at school. It also helps promote a healthy weight and good behavior.


Summer Squash: Stuff It, Bake It, Grill It

Review Average: 3 stars

When it comes to summer squash, such as zucchini, patty pans and yellow crooknecks, you've got options.


Celebrate the Watermelon!

Review Average: 4.5 stars

In addition to being a tasty treat, watermelon is a good source of vitamins A and C and contains lycopene, fiber and potassium ... plus it can help you stay hydrated on hot days.


Try Heirloom Fruits and Vegetables

Review Average: 4.5 stars

Like family keepsakes, heirloom fruits and vegetables celebrate heritage. They are grown from seeds that have been passed down generation to generation in order to preserve special varieties, such as the Alexander apple or the Amarillo carrot.


Sanitize Your Sponges

Review Average: 4.5 stars

Do you know what's lurking inside of your kitchen sponge? A smelly, wet sponge is a sure sign of one thing: bacteria!


Lunchbox Safety

Review Average: 4.5 stars

With a new school year here, send your child to class with safe and healthy lunches with these easy tips


Have a Healthy Sandwich

Review Average: 4 stars

A trip to the sandwich shop is a quick and easy option for family mealtime. When you are looking to make healthy choices, remember it's okay to make requests.


Grilling Fruits and Vegetables

Add variety and healthy options to any cookout by grilling fruits and vegetables. Here are ideas to get you started.


Peanut Butter … Again?

Review Average: 3.5 stars

Does your 2-year-old want a peanut butter sandwich for lunch every day? It sounds like your child is on a "food jag."


What to Throw Out

Review Average: 4.5 stars

During power outages, food spoilage can be a serious problem. Keep your family safe by following these tips.


What are Some Tips for Camping Safely?

Plan ahead. Decide what you will be eating, and how you are going to cook it. Then plan what equipment you will need.


Let-tuce Keep You Healthy

Next to potatoes, lettuce is the most popular veggie in the United States. Which leafy greens go into your salads?


Pack a Healthful Picnic

Review Average: 1 stars

What's for lunch or dinner? Why not pack a picnic cooler ahead of time for that 4th of July family outing?


Sell By, Use By. What Do They Mean?

Review Average: 5 stars

Many food products include open dating on the label or packaging. The most common are sell-by, use-by and expiration date. Here's what they mean.


That's the Rub

Review Average: 1 stars

You don't need a recipe — experiment with your own favorite blend of herbs and spices for all sorts of great rubs.


Give Us the Berries

Review Average: 4 stars

Bright red color, sweet, succulent flavor—do field-fresh strawberries conjure up wonderful sense-ations of spring?


Easy Breakfasts for Kids to Make

Review Average: 2.5 stars

What's for breakfast? Even if kids are on their own in the morning, most can make these easy breakfasts.


What Can You Do to Relieve the Discomfort of Teething?

Review Average: 4.5 stars

Swollen, tender gums can signal teething. Follow these tips to ease your baby's discomfort.


Time with Relatives

Review Average: 2.5 stars

Help your child learn how to deal with food-pushing relatives.


Getting Enough Fiber?

Review Average: 4 stars

Fiber-rich foods like beans, whole grain breads and breakfast cereals, and all types of fruits and vegetables keep the bowels healthy and lower the risk of heart disease, obesity and diabetes.


Culinary Lingo

Review Average: 4.5 stars

Braise, broil, poach, simmer … What does it all mean? Here are the basics of some common cooking techniques to help you learn the lingo.


You're Kidding!

Review Average: 4.5 stars

Do you know that kids influence up to 80 percent of family food spending? Still, as a family shopper, you control what foods go into the family kitchen.


What is a Plantain?

Review Average: 3 stars

Plantains are part of the banana family and are often used in Caribbean, West African and Latin American dishes.


24-Carrot Health

Review Average: 4 stars

Did you know that feathery fresh carrot tops were worn to adorn hair in Shakespeare's day? Today it's carrots' vibrant orange pigment, known as carotene, that's getting attention.


Wash Your Grocery Tote!

Reusable grocery totes are great for the environment, but they might be making you sick. Unwashed totes increase your risk for food poisoning and cross-contaminated food.


Olive Oil Calories

Review Average: 2.5 stars

Have you ever wondered if virgin olive oil has fewer calories than pure olive oil?


What Does Enriched or Fortified Mean?

Review Average: 2 stars

Learn what you're eating! Enriched foods, such as white flour, have the nutrients that were lost during food processing added back. Fortified foods, such as vitamin D fortified milk, have vitamins or minerals added to a food that weren't originally in the food.


Jazz Up Cooked Cereal

Review Average: 2.5 stars

Is your oatmeal boring? Liven it up with these simple ideas.


Store Food Out of Sight

Review Average: 5 stars

Keep food out of sight until mealtime or snack time. The sight of food makes many children (and adults) want to eat.


What Do You Know?

Review Average: 3.5 stars

Do you buy into food myths? Here are three true-or-false questions to test your thinking.


Vegetable Oil in the Refrigerator?

Does oil go in the refrigerator or the pantry? While some oils have a shelf life of a year or more, others, such as flaxseed, sesame and walnut oils, should be stored in the refrigerator.


Eggs-cellent!

Review Average: 4.5 stars

Plan a meal around eggs! One large egg has just 70 calories and is a good source of protein and vitamins. Beyond that, eggs supply lutein and zeaxanthin, which may promote healthy vision.


What Are Chia Seeds?

Review Average: 4 stars

One of the trendiest new health foods is chia seeds, the same as found in Chia Pets. These little seeds contain omega-3 fatty acid, antioxidants, fiber, protein and minerals; and may help lower cholesterol, triglycerides and blood pressure.


Dads and Breastfeeding

Review Average: 3.5 stars

A father can play a very important role in the success of breastfeeding. Here's how.


What Does Natural Mean on a Food Label?

Review Average: 4 stars

No formal definition for the use of "natural" on food labels has been issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). However, "natural" claims have become common on new foods and beverages.


Organic or Not?

Review Average: 2 stars

What does organic labeling, regulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, mean?


What is the Shelf Life of Canned Vegetables?

Review Average: 5 stars

The amount of time canned foods can be stored on the shelf varies based on the acidity of the contents.


A to Avocados

Review Average: 4.5 stars

Though they aren't sweet, avocados are actually fruit, and they have unheralded health benefits.


Go for the Fiber

Review Average: 3 stars

Fiber intakes are low among both children and adults, according to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010. This neglected nutrient might help prevent obesity, some cancers, type 2 diabetes and heart disease.


Microwave Oven Safety for Kids

Because burns are a common hazard related to microwave oven use, make sure children know how to use a microwave oven safely.


Give Nuts an Eyeful

Review Average: 5 stars

Keep pistachios in sight for the sake of your kid's eyes. The green nut is bursting with lutein and zeaxanthin, two sight-saving relatives of beta-carotene.


No Crossovers

Review Average: 5 stars

Before you blame a flu bug for an upset stomach, consider that foodborne illness often starts at home.


Keep the Skin on Potatoes!

Review Average: 2.5 stars

When compared ounce for ounce, potato skin has more nutrients that the rest of the potato. Potato skin contains B vitamins, vitamin C, iron, calcium, potassium and other nutrients.


Heart Health Starts In Infancy

Review Average: 3.5 stars

Develop heart-healthy eating habits from the start with these tips.


Valentine Treats

This year, put a healthy twist on Valentine's treats with delicious pink and red treats that are nutritious and delicious.


Know When Your Baby's Had Enough

Review Average: 3 stars

There's no exact science to bottle-feeding, but these are some signs that suggest that your baby's had enough.


Best Picks in a Vending Machine?

Review Average: 2 stars

Sometimes a vending machine might be the only option for a quick snack. Teach your child to look for foods that provide some nutrition, not just calories.


Holiday Meals Made Healthy

Review Average: 4 stars

With small menu changes, you can modify traditional holiday menus to lower the calories and fat content. Your friends and family won't even notice the difference.


Start New Year with Kitchen Makeover

Review Average: 3 stars

If you really want to change your family's eating habits, you need to build a healthy kitchen. Here are five ways to give your kitchen a makeover.


Treats for Santa

Review Average: 5 stars

As Santa Claus makes his yearly trek around the world, children everywhere will leave treats for the big guy to fuel him on his ride. But don't forget Santa needs nutrition too.


Breakfast for Dinner?

Review Average: 5 stars

Surprise your kids by offering breakfast for lunch or dinner. It's a fun way to get a delicious, nutritious meal on the table quickly.


Don't Use Foods to Punish or Reward

Review Average: 4 stars

When you need to discipline your child, do not do it with food. If you cut out food to punish a child, this can make your child feel anxious.


Snack Time Is Family Time

Review Average: 5 stars

Turn snack time into family fun time with the alphabet game. Here are a few ideas to get started.


Finger Foods for Toddlers

Review Average: 4 stars

Children love feeding themselves. It gives them a sense of independence and helps them learn when they are full. Try these healthful toddler-friendly finger foods.


Feed Your Toddler Right

Review Average: 4 stars

You can lead a young child to the table, but you can't make her eat — nor should you. Let your child's appetite guide how much food is enough.


Fall Sports Require Fuel

Review Average: 5 stars

The fall school sports training schedule is under way and athletes need to focus on consuming adequate amounts of calories, carbohydrates, protein and water.


Empower Your Grade Schooler's Snacking

Here's the key to healthful food choices: very visible, convenient, effortless — great taste. Follow these seven how-tos for smart snacking.


Likes Fruit, No Veggies?

Review Average: 3 stars

Each fruit and vegetable offers a unique combination of nutrition. Follow these tips to help your child eat veggies.


Eat Together as a Family

Review Average: 5 stars

While finding time to enjoy meals together gets trickier for families every day, research continues to demonstrate family meals are a great way to promote healthy family eating habits.


Don't Feed Baby from the Jar

Review Average: 5 stars

Feeding your baby directly from the food jar can introduce bacteria from your baby's mouth to the spoon and into the food.


Cook Once Eat Twice or Thrice

If you're taking the time to cook, use your time wisely. Prepare a double portion of one main dish that you can use in two or three additional meals.


Does Chocolate Cause Acne?

Although all kids of foods get blamed, teenage acne is linked to hormonal changes, rarely to food choices.


Choosing the Right Formula

Review Average: 2 stars

Infant formula is available in different types and forms. The most common are made from specially treated cow's milk and fortified with iron.


Child Care and Food Handling

Observe what goes on in the child-care setting. You should be able to answer "yes" to these questions.


Make It Your Own

Review Average: 3 stars

Kids love control and creativity. Including them in the meal planning or preparing will increase the likelihood of a successful dinner.


Put Down the Chips!

Review Average: 2.5 stars

Add more fruits and vegetables to your lifestyle by snacking on produce instead of potato chips.


What's a Basted Turkey?

Turkeys that are injected or marinated with a solution containing fats, broth, stock or water plus spices and other approved ingredients are "basted."


Is Your Child 'Stuck' on a Food?

Review Average: 4 stars

If your child keeps asking for the same food meal after meal, the child is on a "food jag," common especially in the toddler years.


Breastfeeding Benefits for Baby and Mom Alike

Review Average: 5 stars

For optimal nutrition for your infant, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months.


Baby Bottle Safety

Review Average: 5 stars

While bottle feeding, follow these tips to keep your baby from getting sick, reduce the risk of injuries and promote good dental health.


Reinventing Thanksgiving

Nothing tastes bettter than Turkey with all the trimmings! But what to do with leftovers? Try reinventing your Thanksgiving feast a day or two later with these tips.


Your Role in Your Child's Healthy Weight

Review Average: 4 stars

While media images influence children's behavior, kids' most significant role models are their parents. Be a positive influence on your child's mind and body alike.


Will Snacking Spoil My Teen's Appetite?

Eaten two or three hours before meals, a small snack won't ruin your appetite.


Vitamin D Deficiency in Kids

Vitamin D deficiency can lead to rickets or defective bone growth. Make sure your child is getting enough vitamin D each day by including milk with most meals.


Teen Tips for Healthy Eating

Review Average: 2.5 stars

Teens, did you know unhealthy dieting can stop you from growing to your full height? Your body needs calories and other nutrients to grow and develop fully.


Start Early on a Positive Relationship with Food

Review Average: 5 stars

Parents and care givers supply the What, When and Where of children's meals and snacks. Make sure your child eats well and develops a positive relationship with food that will last a lifetime.


Should I Worry if My Teen Skips Breakfast?

Don't worry if meal skipping is just occasional. But if your teen skips meals regularly, nutrients needed for growth, development and health may come up short.


Serve It and They Will Eat It

If you want your children to eat more fruits and vegetables, serve them more fruits and vegetables.


Send a Message in a Bottle, but Not Cereal

Review Average: 5 stars

Ever wondered if it is okay to skip the spoon and put solid foods, such as infant cereal, in your baby's bottle? Here's why it's not a good idea.


Prevent Early Childhood Cavities

The best way to prevent early childhood cavities is by educating yourselves and your children on the importance of healthy nutrition and healthy teeth.


Pay Attention to Your Child's Food Cues

You don't have to be a super sleuth to know when your family is full. Just watch for clues your youngsters are giving you at mealtime about their hunger and fullness.


Overcoming Excuses for Skipping Breakfast

Review Average: 4 stars

For you and your children, every excuse or barrier to eating a nutritious breakfast has a solution. Don't let these excuses stand in your way of starting your day with a good breakfast.


No Honey for Infants

Until your child is at least one year old, honey or corn syrup in any form should be avoided.


My Teen Wears Braces. Should She Avoid Raw Veggies?

It's true that hard, crunchy or sticky foods can damage braces. But kids don't need to give up vegetables and fruits.


Kids' Diets Shouldn't Be Fat-Free

Review Average: 5 stars

You want your children to eat healthfully, but what's good for you may not be good for your kids. In particular, adults and very young children need different amounts of fat in their diets.


Is Your Baby Sensitive to Food?

Some babies are sensitive to certain foods. Reactions, such as a rash, wheezing, diarrhea or vomiting, are tell-tale that a food doesn't agree with him.


Is My Child Anemic?

Review Average: 1 stars

For young children, iron deficiency anemia is the most common nutrition problem.


Crazy for Kale

In addition to being a leafy green much like spinach, kale has so many benefits it should star in family meals on a regular basis.


Is Flavored Milk Okay for Kids to Drink?

Review Average: 3 stars

Chocolate or strawberry flavored milks are a way to include calcium in the diet for children who do not like plain milk.


Is Eating Fruit but Not Vegetables Okay?

Review Average: 4.5 stars

Each fruit and vegetable offers a unique combination of nutrition. Try these tips to get your children to eat vegetables.


Is a Vegetarian Diet Okay for Kids?

Review Average: 4 stars

Well-planned vegetarian diets — even a vegan diet — can supply all the nutrients that children require for their growth and energy needs.


Hand-Washing Basics

Kids can't see them — but germs that cause illness are everywhere! For children, who have less immunity, proper hand washing and food safety are especially important.


Give Kids A Healthy Education

For many parents, school breakfast and lunch are an inexpensive, convenient way to ensure your child is eating balanced meals.


For Infants, Hold the Milk

Although cow's milk is a great source of nutrients for toddlers, children and adults, it is not appropriate for infants younger than 12 months.


Are Herbal Supplements Good for Children?

Review Average: 5 stars

Herbal supplements can be powerful, potentially harmful to your child, and perhaps ineffective for the advertised benefit. Use them only under the guidance of a qualified health care provider.


After School Snack Attack

Review Average: 3 stars

Does your preteen come home with a ravenous appetite even though he or she had a good breakfast at home and lunch at school? A good after school snack for your child and any friends that may tag along is mini pizzas.


Yes to Halloween Candy?

You don't have to say no to Halloween candy. Teach your kids how to eat it in moderate amounts.


Pick the Tastiest Pistachio

Review Average: 1 stars

Do you know how to pick the tastiest pistachios? Look for the ones with the shells cracked open.


A Healthier Treat

Review Average: 5 stars

Give trick-or-treaters a fun and healthy surprise this year. Research shows that when given a choice between treats and toys, kids prefer toys.


Eat More Fruits and Veggies

Review Average: 4 stars

Kids may be excited to eat their dessert, but it seems they'll do just about anything to skip their fruits and vegetables.


Make it a Breakfast Bar

Let your kids build their own breakfast with a breakfast bar. Similar to a salad bar, a breakfast bar includes a variety of foods to mix and match.


Peanut Allergy Alternatives?

If your child has a peanut allergy there are alternatives! Making your own nut butter is as simple as grinding nuts in a food processor until they form a paste. But beward: Homemade nut butters have a short self-life.


Eating in the Fast-Food Lane

Review Average: 4.5 stars

Fast foods often have a lot of calories and fat, yet come up short on vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Next time you head for the fast-food lane, try these easy tips to eat smarter.


Super Bowl Nutrition Tips

Review Average: 4.5 stars

Super Bowl Sunday is filled with food, festivities and fun — not to mention football. Serve your family foods that are tasty, filling and nutritious.


Sneak 'Em In

Review Average: 4.5 stars

Have a challenge getting your family to eat vegetables? Then maybe you need to get sneaky so they can reap the benefits.


No Sugar Added?

Review Average: 5 stars

Have you ever wondered why a food with "no sugar added" shows grams of sugar on the Nutrition Facts?


Make a Nutritious Dessert

Review Average: 5 stars

Satisfy your kids' sweet tooth with a good-for-you treat made with wholesome breakfast foods.


Does Your Family Need an RD?

Review Average: 2.5 stars

Does your family need diet and nutrition help? To find an RD in your area, ask your child's pediatrician for a recommendation or use our Find a Registered Dietitian service.


The Kid-Friendly Kitchen

Review Average: 3 stars

Cooking and time spent in the kitchen should be fun for kids. Be sure to provide them with age appropriate tools and adequate work space.


Menu Ideas for Vegetarian Teens

Review Average: 4 stars

Are you raising a vegetarian teen but aren't sure what foods to include in meals to ensure that nutritional needs are being met? If your vegetarian teen eats dairy and eggs, this menu will help.


Pear-fect!

Review Average: 5 stars

Want an easy taste adventure for your kids? Substitute ripe fresh or canned pears in any recipe that calls for apples.


Why Is My Egg Yolk Green?

A green ring on a hard-cooked yolk is a result of overcooking.


Why Does Yogurt Have So Much Sugar?

Review Average: 2.5 stars

Yogurt can still be a healthy choice. The "sugars" on the Nutrition Facts panel include both naturally-occurring and added sugars.


Topics

Themes

Themes

  • Shop smart

    To encourage a healthy lifestyle, get your children involved in selecting the food that will appear at the breakfast, lunch or dinner table.

  • Cook healthy

    Involve your child in the cutting, mixing and preparation of all meals. Even a snack can be healthy.

  • Eat right

    Sit down together as a family to enjoy a wonderful meal and the opportunity to share the day's experiences with one another.

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