Healthy Snack Ideas

I've had a few people ask me for ideas (especially for snacks) of things we eat that do not contain High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS). My kids (especially Keegan) are huge snackers. He would snack all day long if I would let him. I will try to think of as many as I can.

We eat a ton of fresh fruits and veggies. I also buy mainly frozen vegetables instead of canned.
Keegan loves "straw yogurts"
Truitt also loves yogurt (YoBaby)
We buy organic peanut butter crackers (Trader Joe's) Basically, anything organic will not contain HFCS, since it is not a natural ingredient.
Most grocery stores carry organic stuff (condiments, snacks....)
Keegan loves popcorn
Pirate Booty is another favorite around here
Flat Earth crisps are good too (we like the peach mango, wild berry patch and the apple cinnamon). We didn't like the cheddar
Yummy Earth organic fruit lollipops. We found these are Babies R Us
Nabisco Garden Harvest Toasted Chips (we have only tried the Apple Cinnamon)
Earth's Best Snack Bars (like Nutri Grain Bars)
Raisins
applesauce
cheese
Breyers Pure Fruit Bars
I also buy bread that doesn't contain HFCS like Oroweat or Franz. If you look at the ingredient lists on the Oroweat site it show that their products contain HFCS, but I have a loaf on my counter and it does not have it listed. I did find this on their site...it looks like they have changed and no longer have HFCS in their products.
Honest Kids Juice pouches is good too. I buy these at Sam's Club.

These are just a few ideas. Hopefully this will get some of you started down the path of HFCS free life. Feel free to comment with any other ideas you may have.

Dryer Sheets

What's in that dryer sheet that we are so quick to throw in every load of laundry we put in our dryers? Most of us reach for a Bounce dryer sheet (or your brand of choice) without even giving a second thought to what we are putting in with our clothing. Most of us do it because that is what we grew up doing. Why is it that we don't give a second thought about the cleaners we use around our house? Most of these things are chemicals and contain carcinogens. We usually give more thought to the things we put into our body, like food, medications and supplements. So why don't we think about the other things we are using in our homes and around our bodies?

I too was guilty of this for many years, that is until I had kids. All of a sudden I realized I was using so many things that are toxic to my kids. I didn't want to use chemicals to clean the floors they would be crawling on or the toys they put in their mouths. That is when I decided to do a little research. Here is what I found... (I will focus on dryer sheets today)

Dryer sheets are made of fiberglass and contain petroleum. Wow! I was shocked. I would never want to put fiberglass into our clothing. I found this quote on wisegeek.com

There is some concern among certain groups over the use of dryer sheets, as the
chemicals they contain are known carcinogens. The
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved their use in dryer sheets based on
the assumption that chemicals passed from clothes to the skin would not and do
not penetrate the skin. Many believe this to be an outmoded notion, pointing to
treatment "patches" such as the nicotine patch, which
relies on chemicals passing through the skin to be effective.

I couldn't believe it. The FDA assumes these chemicals will not pass
through the skin. So, in other words, they don't know for a fact that these
chemicals are safe for use on our clothes. I don't want to be a human guinea pig.

Another problem is that these toxins stay on our clothes long after they come out of the dryer. That means these chemicals are being released into the air we breathe and onto our skin as we wear our clothes.

I decided right then and there that was all the info I needed. I found an organic/natural dryer sheet that is biodegradable, fragrance free and vegetable based. I would rather be safe than sorry. It was such a simple change to make. I love the way these dryer sheets work! I can use them in multiple loads of laundry and when I am done with them I just throw them into my recycle bin. The box seems to last me forever. Remember, I have small children and do a ton of laundry.

Are you wondering what type of dryer sheet I am using or where you can get them? They are made by shaklee. Now, don't get overwhelmed by the price. At first I thought they were a little expensive too, but then I paid close attention to how long they were lasting me. One box lasts me about 5 months. Now that price doesn't seem so bad does it? I feel as though I can't really put a price on the health and safety of my family!!!

Health Nut?

I know some of my friends and family think I am a crazy health nut. Yes, I have become more aware of the health of my family, especially what we are putting into our bodies. I am trying to be very careful to make the most educated decisions about our food choices, medications and supplements, household cleaners and anything else we might come into contact with. I believe that the most important thing I can do is make my home and the food within my home as healthy as possible.

The biggest change I have made is to try and eliminate High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) from our diets. This has proven to be a challenge. HFCS is in everything including soda, yogurt, ketchup, bread, crackers, fruit juices and many other things. There are so many studies out there that link HFCS to the rise in obesity and the rising numbers of people with diabetes. Just this week a new study came out that shows that HFCS contains mercury. Whether all these studies are true or not, I have decided to eliminate it from our diet. I try to purchase as many whole foods and unprocessed foods as possible. I have noticed that since I made this change I have lost about 7 lbs. Don't get me wrong. I am not a food Nazi. We still enjoy many unhealthy things on occasion.

I have also switched to all natural, organic cleaning products. We spend so much time in our home and I don't want my family to be exposed to toxins in our house. I have been using Shaklee for a couple years now and LOVE the products. I can't say enough great things about them. That is why I decided to sell them.

I will try and share a few of the simple healthy recipes that we have found and love. Please feel free to share any you may have.

Giveaway!

I have been meaning to post this for quite some time, but life just seems to be too busy.

I recently tried a new cleaning product after a family member recommended I try it. I have been trying to use only organic cleaning products (especially in places where the boys would come in contact with them). I was having a hard time getting my flat top stove clean. Then I tried Shaklee's Scour Off Heavy Duty Paste. I instantly fell in love! It was so easy to clean all that dry, cooked on food. It took minimal effort, but the best part was the absence of those harsh chemical smells that assaults the nose. This had a pleasant smell. It seemed slightly familiar, but I couldn't figure out what the smell was. Later I was told that it is made with ground cherries. A light bulb came on! The smell reminded me of twizzlers. It almost made me hungry. I also use this same product to clean my sinks, showers and tubs.

One regular reader will be awarded the Scour Off Heavy Duty Paste. Please leave a comment and your email address telling me why you would like to try this product. Entries must be made by midnight (pacific time) on Thur. the 11th. I will randomly pick a winner and post on Friday the 12th.

Have I mentioned how much I love the Shaklee cleaning products? In fact, I love them so much that a couple of years ago I decided to start selling them. If you have any questions or would like to purchase any Shaklee products just let me know.

Changes

I am trying to make some changes in our diet. I want to be more aware of what we are eating and try to make some healthier choices. I have decided to cut out High Fructose Corn Syrup (as much as possible) among many other things. While doing so, I have found some great (yummy) alternatives. I will try to share some of them as I find them.

We were at Babies R Us last night and I found these great natural lollipops made by Yummy Earth. I didn't feel so bad giving Keegan a treat and we were really surprised at how good they tasted.

New Year's Resolutions

I'm not one to make New Year's Resolutions. Mainly because I don't usually keep them. I also think it is important to take inventory of our lives on a daily basis and change things that may need to be changed. All that said, there are a few things that I have been thinking about implementing into my life. They New Year seems like a great time to start with a few of these things.

I want my house to be the healthiest, safest place for my family. Since having kids, I have become aware of how many toxins we introduce into our own homes everyday. I really want to be protecting my kids, not adding to the ever growing list of hazards they come into contact with. I feel very very guilty for using so many different things in my home. That is why, about a year ago, I decided to make some changes. I have changed most of my cleaning supplies to organic, non toxic, products. I chose to use Shaklee products. I have fallen in love with them. In fact, I believe in these products so much that I decided to start selling them. We also use many of their nutrition products as well.

I wish I could afford to switch everything we use/consume to organic products, but that just isn't in our budget. I do purchase as many things that are organic as I can. I figure anything is better than nothing.

I have been really inspired by reading my friend Kristen's blog. She always seems to have great ideas on how to live a healthier lifestyle. A few of the things that she has blogged about have been on my mind for a while now. I would love to get rid of some of the extra waste in my life. By this, I mean, all those extra shopping bag, produce bags, etc. I would like to purchase a few of these Organic Cotton Produce Bags to use on my shopping trips. I feel that the Thanks for recommending them Kristen! I would also like to purchase reusable grocery bags.

I'm sure there are more things that I could do to make a difference, but I figured start small so that I am not overwhelmed by all the changes.