What are the Best Organic Snacks for Kids?

Kids love to have snacks and that is a part of life, but as a parent we want to offer them choices that are really good for them. Replacing some common foods in your home with organic ones that will be good for them means that you will feel better when they ask to have such items. Many parents worry that their children won’t like the taste of these organic snacks. Yet you can put your mind at ease with many of them as they offer a great taste that is very satisfying.

Potato chips are high in fat as well as calories. Replacing them with an organic snack called Chaos is a great alternative. This product contains a mixture of tortilla chips, pretzels, and carmel corn. Kids eat it up due to the mix of sweet with salty and they don’t see to care that they aren’t getting regular potato chips anymore. Newman’s Own also offers a similar type of mix that is new and that seems to be getting wonderful reviews.

Energy bars are very popular for adults, but many worry that they contain items that children shouldn’t have. Zbars by Clif though are made specifically for kids. They taste very good and they have a variety of vitamins and nutrients in them. Many children are active in sports these days and so such a snack can help them to have the additional boost of energy they need for practice or for a game.

Do you struggle to get your children to consume fresh fruit on a regular basis? Then they may be more open to fruit snacks. Now, you have seen lots of them offered but with plenty of sugar and other additives. X-Treme Fruit Bites offer you the chance to provide them with a great tasting fruit snack that is actually good for them. This way you won’t have to continue fighting with them to consume what you want them to.

Chocolate is a common snack that many kids want and that they even can crave. Healthy Valley brand offers some great options so that you don’t have to tell them no or give in to unhealthy eating. They have what is very similar to the very popular Pop Tart but in an organic form and with chocolate on the inside. This will definitely satisfy the desire that your child has for chocolate.

You should be able to find many of these organic snack foods at your local grocery store. If not, you can buy them online and have them delivered to your home. You need to be a very careful label reader too because many of the so called organic snacks out there really aren’t. Sure, they do contain some organic ingredients but they aren’t completely organic in nature. Understanding that difference is very important.

There are some other types of organic food snacks too that you can order from online companies including small pizzas. If your children are very picky about their snacks or just ready to try something new then this could be a great way for you to offer them. You don’t even have to tell your kids that what you offer them is very good for them. They will just be happy to be getting a snack and to find it to be a very delicious treat for them at the same time.

With the availability of delicious tasting organic snacks for kids, parents don’t have to be torn between offering their child something or not. They can feel good about the choices that are being made. It is also going to cut down on conflicts when your children do want snacks between meals or later in the evening after dinner.

Organic food is accepted by more and more people. The Organic Grocer is an online organic food Sydney based retailer. They provide organic delivery in a wide area of Sydney. Eg: delivery organic food central coast, delivery organic food penrith and organic food blue mountains.



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Cacao An Organic Food

There are two things I need in this world. Oxygen and chocolate. Okay, maybe not quite, but it is up there and I wouldn’t want to do without. I know something is up when the news informs me that research now says that chocolate is good for me. It’s always been my guilty pleasure, but now it’s a way for me to take care of my health? I’m delighted beyond words, as I picture myself indulging in the name of heart health. A stroll even through Wal-Mart is an eye opener, as the candy aisle has recently begun to sport about twenty different kinds of chocolate. So what is it about the derivation of cacao that has caused the news media and science to aide me in my quest for the consumption of the food of the gods?
Is cacao the same as cocoa? Well sort of. Generally cacao refers to the raw material from which we derive chocolate. When we, traditionally, speak of cocoa or chocolate, we refer to the end product of cacao. “’Cacao’ is the closest word we have to the original Nahuatl, Aztec word, which probably has a history going back a thousand years or more,” according to Martin Christy, British chocolate lecturer. (Was I the only one who didn’t know there were things like chocolate lecturers?) The words, however, are more or less interchangeably used. Those in the field habitually use cacao to reference the botanical species, tree, the plant parts (pods, beans, etc) and cocoa the processed material from the cacao. There are, of course, some purists who refuse to use the word chocolate at all, blaming chocolate and cocoa on bad British pronunciations.
So why has this little bean made so much commotion in the news lately? Cacao is rich in antioxidants and high in flavonoids. The darker the chocolate, the more research has shown it to benefit the heart.  In research done on heart patients, the sticky stuff (platelets) that sticks to the insides of your arteries, which is exacerbated by stress, was shown to be severely reduced within two hours after consuming dark chocolate (Flamer, Herman, et al, 2007). This same research indicated that even in healthier individuals who have other risk factors, smokers, for example, a reduction in factors we associate with coronary disease was seen.  Only real cacao works. The control group in the study, haven been given cacao free chocolate showed no decreases in artery diameter and no reduction of platelets.
So, what are flavonoids and antioxidants and why do we need them? Flavonoids are a type of antioxidants, a “superfood” (http://www.healthyfoodrawdiet.com/cacao), if you will. However, according to Dr. Donald R. Buhler and Dr. Cristobal Miranda of the Department of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology at Oregon State University, “dietary intake [of flavonoids] is quite high compared to other dietary antioxidants like vitamins C and E.” Overall, we begin to rust from the day we are born; we oxidize and there is little we can do about it. Antioxidants keep that rust at bay, as it were. They are, in many respects, the eternal fountain of youth, giving our bodies the materials it needs to counteract the side effects of living and breathing and aging. And, given that I can’t think of a yummier antioxidant than cacao, I will be quite happy to continue a good, medicinal dosage!

Flavonoids are a type of antioxidants, a “superfood” (http://www.healthyfoodrawdiet.com/cacao)



Technorati Tags: cacao, Food, Organic

Organic Dark Chocolate – What It Actually Means

Chocolate is made from the cocoa bean. This cocoa bean comes from a plant and is certainly organic in nature when it is first gotten. However, through various processes and by adding certain ingredients, it may not be any longer considered this. But, there are some companies that stick to this regime and create some very delicious organic dark chocolate in the process. Lets explore some of these companies that offer this and discuss the organic aspect with each. However, before we do, lets first discuss what organic actually is or means.

Organic primarily means that the plant or ingredients are free from human compounds such as pesticides and fertilizers. There are no additives or preservatives and it is completely one hundred percent natural. In order to be considered to be organic, the company must be subjected to very rigorous certifications and the products are constantly being tested to conform to the organic standards. There are many companies that create organic dark chocolate and due to space limitations, only a few can be discussed here.

VitaChoice is probably the largest organic based company that is out there and their credentials are impeccable. They have various versions of dark chocolate that are considered to be extra dark brands and some incorporate both nuts as well as berries. All are two ounce in size and are eighty percent dark chocolate. They use specific hazelnuts in one version and wild blueberries in another and even offer both the nuts and the berries in one single bar. They are all certified Kosher-Dairy and are as organic as organic gets.

Intemperantia primarily aims and directs their products to the wedding genre. These are shipped directly from Switzerland and are a culmination of a few different regions throughout Europe which includes France, Germany, Italy, and of course, Switzerland. They use no artificial ingredients which includes colors as well as flavorings and this provides some of the finest chocolates that the world has to offer.

Then there is Dagoba. Recipient of the EPA Green Power Leadership Award for the “Best Dark Chocolate.” They provide both single bars ready for eating as well as baking bars for your very own confections. There are an extreme amount of variations in the specific chocolate quantity and many are infused with various all natural flavors. This is probably the best place to find organic dark chocolate considering that these are created directly at the source. Coincidentally, they have also won other awards too. And they always pertain to the organic genre.

Therefore, if organic dark chocolate is what you are seeking, these three companies will certainly fill the bill and are probably considered to be the top three organic dark chocolate makers in the world. Find out more tips about organic dark chocolate at http://darkchocolate.bestreferenceguide.com



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Chooks – The Organic Gardener’s All-Rounder

Chooks (chickens) have been domesticated for many centuries. They originate from the Malaysian rainforests so they love to free-range. Chooks are such easy animals to care for, can make great pets for children and are a valuable resource for the organic gardener.

You’ll need to check with your local council to find out their regulations. Some councils won’t allow you to keep any poultry, whereas others will—some even allow roosters.


Some of the benefits of keeping chooks:

- they supply you with beautiful, fresh eggs – daily

- your left overs will never go in the bin again (reduces waste)

- provide you with an excellent fertilizer base

- they dig over the soil (so you don’t have to)

- they reduce insect numbers; great for around your orchard

- provide you with live entertainment


Basic requirements

* Dry, fox proof shelter

* A safe place to lay eggs and hatch chicks (if you have a rooster)

* A roosting perch off the ground (allow about 20cm per bird)

* Layer pellets (or crumble for chicks) should make up the majority of their diet.

* Kitchen scraps are great for variety

* Wheat, corn or other grains should be offered occasionally, but not form the majority of their diet

* Birds have no teeth; they swallow small pebbles or grit to grind down their food in their gizzard. They must have access to a supply of grit for this purpose.

* Never feed chocolate, coffee, avocado or rhubarb, as they are toxic to chooks

* They must always have access to clean, fresh water.


If you don’t plan on letting your chooks free range in a garden area during the day, they will be much happier if you provide them with an outside run where they will be able to scratch at the ground and enjoy the sunlight.

I lock my chooks up from sunset to about midday. This way they’ve almost always laid their eggs by then, so that I don’t have to go on a daily egg hunt! Old grass-catchers from lawn movers make great laying boxes – just the right size and they offer ventilation.


Liquid Fertilizer

Chook manure is a great base for a liquid fertilizer or to add to your compost heap. You never use it fresh though, as bird manure also contains their urine and will burn your crops.

To make a liquid manure, place it in a porous bag in a bucket and fill the bucket with water. After about three weeks or so you can use the water on and around your plants, diluted to look like weak tea.


Chook Manure for Compost

If you provide a litter of straw, hay or sawdust in your chook’s living quarters they will turn it into great compost material for you. They will scratch it, add manure and turn it over. You can add layers of this organic matter to your compost heap or leave it to turn into a fine, dark substance.

Hi, I am an avid organic gardener and am known by my friends as the recycling queen. I live on a small country property in South Australia. It is my mission to encourage as many people as possible to start organic gardening. This will improve both our individual lives and the wellbeing of our personal and global environments. Look here for more great organic gardening tips & information.

Happy gardening, healthy living…

Julie Williams

www.1stoporganicgardening.com



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Organic Acai Berry

You’ve heard about the acai berry right? It has been featured prominently on the television, radio, and print media as a new form of antioxidant and metabolism boosting wonder drug. Acai, which is native to Central and South America, has been touted as a super food because it has so many nutritional properties that it can fill a variety of nutritional needs. It has a high protein and amino acid content, as well as vitamin C, vitamin A, iron, calcium, antioxidants, and fiber. This fruit, which is about the size of a small grape or blueberry, is quickly becoming a hit.

Organic acai berries are said to be the most pure and healthy form of the fruit because they are chemical and additive free. If you are going to eat an all natural super food, you might as well get the purest version possible. Acai is said to taste like a mixture of fruit juice and chocolate, which means it is easy on the palette too. Studies have shown that acai has 10-30 times the amount of red antioxidants as red wine, which means it is a very powerful source of antioxidants. It also packs nearly 8 grams of protein and a host of amino acids. The omega 3 fatty acids are a benefit to your metabolism and can provide you more energy and help you lose weight. Last but not least, the high fiber content helps to curb your appetite and clean your system of toxins in order to help your body operate at its best.

Organic acai is often sold in pill form, but can also be delivered to your home in a variety of other food style options. You can buy the pulp in powdered form, which is great to mix in smoothies, juices, and granola mixtures. The extract, which is a potent pure form of the acai berry, can also be purchased to allow you to get a power packed acai berry boost on the go.

The best place to find organic acai berry products is on the internet, where you will find a much larger and cheaper priced selection than you would find at a local health food store. You may not even be able to find it locally, which often makes shopping online your best choice. It also allows you to find the best price and the most variety of acai foods, which is important for finding the best way for you to enjoy it.

Organic acai is a very beneficial ingredient to add into your diet and can help you stay healthy and fight off disease in more way than one. Don’t risk buying chemically treated acai berries that will kill off some of the benefits that the fruit can provide. Stick to buying the organic version to get the most results and most cost effective way to boost your immune system and give your body the nutrition it deserves.

For more information on the acai berry, visit AcaiBerryPlanet.com



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Are Healthy Organic School Dinners on the Increase?

Jamie Olivers campaign to improve school dinners has galvanized politicians and parents alike. Even the Prime Minister has got involved saying that If changes are made it will only be a matter of months before British health, education and farming could be affected for the better. It could be one of the biggest food revolutions that England has ever seen. What is now needed is real commitment to this change and the funds from central government to back it up.

In a response to the plea from Jamie Oliver for a school dinner revolution, the Prime Minister has also said that school kitchens will be rebuilt and equipped so that food dishes can be cooked from scratch, while dinner ladies are given culinary skills to help them create appetizing menus.

From autumn 2006, school dinners in England will now exclude crisps, chocolate, fizzy drinks and low-quality meat. School children will be served at least two portions of fruit and vegetables with every meal and deep-fried food will be restricted to two portions per week. Meals that are high in salt and fat from the school canteen are also banned.

From a parents perspective, many want better school meals for their children and to swap junk food for both organic and local fresh meals but there has been pictures in the national newspapers of some parents taking dinner orders at the school gates and going and buying burgers, chips and other unhealthy meals and then delivering it to their children and others. This is clearly undermining what Jamie Oliver and the Prime Minister is trying to do, at school they have to wear a uniform and conform to certain rules, why cant this include eating green and healthy food? When they get home they can then wear and eat what they want. Its not going to kill them to eat 5 healthy meals per week is it? Wake up!!! This also reminds me of Ian Wrights (famous ex Arsenal football player in the UK) recent TV programme about unhealthy kids, he tried his hardest to engage them in exercise to reduce their obesity levels and when he was struggling he asked their parents to lead by example…..many of them refused!

Back to healthy meals again…the Soil Association is encouraging the use of organic and local produce in school meals by running a Food for Life workshop at interested schools. It is a one day workshop for key stage two pupils. It is run by the Soil Associations education department. The workshop provides children with an opportunity to consider healthy eating, local and organic food through the theme of choices.

Schools also need information on good practice when sourcing healthy food for school meals. Schools can further improve childrens diets and increase their understanding of food by means of farm visits, and classroom activities. Wouldnt it be wonderful if all schools could have gardens so that kids can see that food doesnt come just from packets or appear miraculously in shops?

To encourage kids at home to eat healthily why not make soups with organic vegetables, while the children can make their own smoothies in the blender with organic yogurt or milk and fresh or frozen fruit. I bet the kids can taste the difference. All the kids in my family love organic yoghurts, and for snacks they have organic dried fruit.

Davinos Greeno works for the organic directory This green directory lists 100s of Organic Food and Drink Companies and Eco Jobs and Ethical Companies



Technorati Tags: Dinners, healthy, Increase, Organic, school

Making Organic Bar Food Snacks More Palatable to Young Stomachs

It’s healthy, it’s disgusting, and it might possibly be the hardest task on earth to get your kids to chow down on a snack bar made from organic foods. How easy is it to wean your children away from their potato chips, candy bars and chocolate coated everything’s? It’s a Herculean task and one that doesn’t become any easier when they see the sometimes disgusting organic bar food snack.

The last thing that you want your child to do is to ingest toxins and pesticides from non-organic bars, but unless you find a way to make the organic bar food snacks more palatable to their young stomachs, you will find that you have a rebellion on your hands, especially if you went and threw off all of their most favored junk foods!

This is almost definitely the wrong tack to with junk- and fast-food addicted children. The first step that you need to take is to introduce these foods slowly to their palates. You might be worried about the non-organic foods they’re consuming now, but remember that habits of a lifetime cannot be changed in the blink of an eye.

In essence you will need to retrain your children to eat healthy and this includes eating healthy snacks such as organic bar food snacks among other things. Take it in baby steps and proceed slowly and with caution. The first thing you need to do when going organic is to taste the snacks that you’re going to foist on your children.

If it looks green and disgusting even to your eyes, then it will almost definitely gain a negative response from your kids. If it looks marginally pleasing to the eye, and the ingredients in it sounds interesting, you will first of all want to have a sample go at it.

Remember that your adult palate might be different from your child’s palate so tread cautiously here. What you might like in the way of organic bar food and snacks, might not appeal to your kids but then again you might have hit the taste bud jackpot of all time and found the best junk food substitute for your kids.

And if you’re into health bar foods you might find an organic bar food that might suit your palate at the same time. Of course this is not everyone’s cup of tea, but by experimenting a little you might be able to find the perfect snack not only for your kids but also for yourself as well!

Muna wa Wanjiru is a Web Administrator and Has Been Researching and Reporting on Organic Foods for Years. For More Information on Organic Bar Food, Visit His Site at Organic Bar Food



Technorati Tags: Food, Making, More, Organic, Palatable, Snacks, Stomachs, young

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