Listen to Your Mother: Hydrate

My mom is the one who taught me to buy a case of water to keep in the back of the car so I would drink enough water.  It usually stayed cool enough in the summer and then when the snow began to fall, I had to stop buying water because it would just freeze.  I used to drink water all the time as a dancer out of habit and necessity, but as a mom I’m constantly pouring myself glasses of water then putting them down because something came up:  diaper change, spilled orange juice, Isabelle did her own eye make-up,  Henry’s on the porch in his socks in December,  and the list goes on.

I am the one who taught my mom that it’s just not good to buy bottled water anymore.  So we have moved on to the Sigg bottles and the  BPA-free Nalgene bottles and the I Am Not a Paper Cup.  Now we fill our re-useable bottles regularly and bring them wherever we go.

Now that I’m on twitter, I have @skinnyjeans to remind me to hydrate.  It really works for me.

Most recently, my mom sent me off a quick email telling me about freezing meat.  What does this have to do with hydration?  Well she has  a great little tip of how to freeze meat so it doesn’t get all dried out (de-hydrated).  I do not like to cook from the freezer.  I go to the freezer for my coffee (yes I know there’s a debate about that), my ice cream (when I give in and buy it), the kids’ Kashi waffles (for breakfast) and my smoothie ingredients.  That is about it.  Every once in a while though I will have some meat that I need to freeze.  My mom’s tip is to marinate the meat in olive oil, season withsea salt and freshly ground black pepper, wrap it in plastic wrap, and seal in a freezer bag.  Then, toss it in the freezer, the olive oil protects the meat from dehydration.

So now you can go hydrate yourself without hurting the planet and freeze your meat in such a way that you won’t mind cooking and eating it at a later date.

Bon appetit et à vôtre santé. ttyl your BFF (Boston Family Foodie)

For more info: 10 BPA-free Nalgene Alternatives (The Green Blog), Skinny Jeans Blogs

Peanut Butter Recall: Revamp the Lunchbox Pantry

Okay, again not my usual thing, but I think it is important to keep this information up to date.  Thepeanut butter recall has been expanded by a lot in the last couple days.  Whole Foods has a list of all of the products that they sell that are included in the recall.  You can check out their list and many of those products are also sold elsewhere.  For more specifics I also recommend checking out the FDA website.

This is a great opportunity, though a sad one, to respect knowing where your food comes from.  Keep it local and minimally processed and you are less likely to have concerns.  You can also use this opportunity to wean your children, if they have one, off of their peanut butter habit.  It can be an exercise in exploring new tastes, fresh snacks, and other nuts and nut butters.

Eat well and choose wisely.  ttyl your BFF (Boston Family Foodie)

For more info: google “Peanut butter recall” or “salmonella outbreak” for articles of your choice.

Peanut Butter Recall: Taste with Caution

I am not usually going to write about food recalls, but this one is so wide-spread and in such a popular kids’ food item that I thought it should be shared.

Earlier this week I received a message that the Austin and Keebler branded Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers had been recalled.  The latest reports by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is a bit more widespread.  The problem is Salmonella and the reason it is so widespread is that peanut butter and peanut paste are processed in a particular plant and then purchased by various companies.

It seems that jarred peanut butter should be safe, but there is no guarantee.  In particular, Peanut Corp. has recalled peanut butter produced at their Georgia plan since August 8th and peanut paste produced since September 26th.  I’m not exactly sure though, how you track these dates in other products.

I recommend, you read a little more on your own and make the call for yourself and your family.  If you’re looking for a silver lining, this could be a great time to get your child to diversify their menu.

Definitely check out the list of recalled foods and cross check your pantry.

For more info: People urged to avoid peanut butter products (AP), FDA update, Kellogg’s Recall