Good For You shopping list for Busy Students On Their Own. Here are a few quick pick ups from the grocery that could serve students for a quick meal !

Fresh fruits such as grapes, oranges,

peaches, bananas, apples – buy just a few

Bulk green vegetables such as sugar snap

peas, snow peas, green snap beans, greens,

broccoli, zucchini, artichoke, asparagus,

Brussels sprouts, mixed salad greens –

buy one serving and eat it tonight for

freshness

Sushi – where available, buy and eat the

same day

Dry pasta - whole wheat or higher protein

Dry soup or beans/rice in a cup – buy 1 or

2 for lunch in a hurry

Nuts, seeds and dried fruit – buy them in

bulk and package in sealed baggies for

freshness

Popcorn – buy the snack size bags for a

moderate, fresh-every-time snack

Breakfast cereal – buy one box at a time,

then reseal after each use

Bagels – buy one or two at a time from

the bulk bin

Light cream cheese or veggie dip – buy one

for bagels and keep refrigerated

Whole grain crackers – buy one box at a

time, then reseal well after each use

Frozen Seafood – buy one box of breaded fresh

fish that can be microwaved; buy one small bag of

frozen shrimp that can be defrosted and eaten

with cocktail sauce; salmon burgers

Canned seafood – buy one or two small cans/

pouches of tuna or salmon to keep on-hand for a

high protein meal or snack

Frozen foods – buy a frozen vegetable in a bag,

use any amount, and then return the bag to the

freezer; buy frozen stuffed pasta in a bag, use

any amount, and then return the bag to the

freezer; frozen bean burrito; vegetarian choices

Dairy foods – buy a small carton of 1% milk, a few

small containers of low fat yogurt, and a small

piece of natural cheese

Eggs – buy eggs and keep them refrigerated

Beverages – buy individual, recyclable cans or

bottles of fruit juice, vegetable juice, water, tea,

calcium orange juice

Tip:

 1. Cook brown rice and mix it with canned tuna or salmon, frozen cooked spinach, and a drizzle of olive oil, salt, and pepper

2. Cook chili or vegetable soup and fresh bread with your roommates or suitemates for a nourishing meal and  a light work load

3. Make a large batch of pasta and then eat it three ways:

Warm with Italian sauce

Warm with sharp Italian cheese, red

pepper flakes, and a little butter

Cold as a salad with olives,

cucumbers, sweet red peppers, and a

little bottled dressing.

Courtesy : www.lowesfoods.com

The Booby Boy
by Melanie VanDerveer

I have a funny story about my 3 year old son. 

I was nursing my 10 month old son in my bed, trying to get him to nap, and my 3 yr old was laying next to us on my bed watching TV. 

Jesse, (the 10 month old) just wasn't in the mood to take a nap so he was very fidgety and kept sitting up and laughing. 

So my 3 year old wanted to help me out with him. 

JD, (3 year old) thought that he should help me out by taking his turn nursing. 

Not JD nursing, but him nursing Jesse. 

JD pulled his shirt up to his neck, grabbed Jesse and pushed his face into his chest and said to me "mommy, it is my turn to feed the baby so you can rest now". 

Wow...I don't think I have laughed that hard in a long time. 

Everyone involved laughed so loud that my other 2 children came running in to see what all the fun was about!!! 

Now, JD calls Jesse the "booby boy" and sometimes gives him the naked Barbie doll to nurse from. 

He thinks he is helping...LOL!!!! 

Good For You Shopping list for A Birthday Party, this is a great list for your kid’s birthday party. Smart choices plus cake! Everyone wins when your guest don’t go home with a sugar high!

Bakery cupcakes, lightly frosted

Vanilla ice cream, single serving cups

Fresh carrots

Fresh cucumber

Fresh strawberries

Fresh grapes, apples, oranges

Microwave popcorn, 94% fat free

Hummus to dip

Vanilla yogurt, low fat, to dip

Baked cheese crackers

Baked chips (potato, tortilla)

Pretzels

Popcorn

Graham crackers

Natural cheddar cheese

Mozzarella string cheese

Deli sliced roast beef

Tuna in a can or pouch

Whole wheat bread

Fresh baked bread

Fruit juice, 100%

Yogurt smoothie

Tips

1.Ask the Bakery clerk to use a very thin layer of icing on cake or cup cakes for less sugar.

2. Make fun finger sandwiches, such as roast beef and cheese on soft buns or tuna salad on whole wheat, 
part of your child’s birthday party food.

3. Mix together 100% fruit juice and seltzer water for a sparkling and delicious drink.

Courtesy : www.lowesfoods.com

A California meat company on Sunday issued the largest beef recall in history, 143 million pounds, some of which was used in school lunch programs, Department of Agriculture officials announced.

Skip to next paragraph The recall by the Westland/Hallmark Meat Company, based in Chino, Calif., comes after a widening animal-abuse scandal that started after the Humane Society of the United States distributed an undercover video on Jan. 30 that showed workers kicking sick cows and using forklifts to force them to walk.

The video raised questions about the safety of the meat, because cows that cannot walk, called downer cows, pose an added risk of diseases including mad cow disease. The federal government has banned downer cows from the food supply.

Agriculture officials said there was little health risk from the recalled meat because the animals had already passed pre-slaughter inspection and much of the meat had already been eaten. In addition, the officials noted that while mad cow disease was extremely rare, the brains and spinal cords from the animals — the area most likely to harbor the disease — would not have entered the human food chain.

“The great majority has probably been consumed,” said Dr. Richard Raymond, the Agriculture Department’s under secretary for food safety.

The video was embarrassing for the Department of Agriculture, as inspectors are supposed to be monitoring slaughterhouses for abuse. It surfaced after a year of increasing concerns about the safety of the meat supply amid a sharp increase in the number of recalls tied to a particularly deadly form of the E. coli pathogen.

There were 21 recalls of beef related to the potentially deadly strain of E. coli last year, compared with eight in 2006 and five in 2005. No one is quite sure what caused the increase, though theories include the cyclical nature of pathogens and changes in cattle-feeding practices caused by the ethanol boom.

The recall on Sunday was more than four times bigger than the previous record, the 1999 recall of 35 million pounds of ground beef by Thorn Apple Valley, federal officials said.

It was prompted by a Department of Agriculture investigation that found that Westland/Hallmark did not always alert federal veterinarians when its cows became unable to walk after passing inspection, as required.

“Because the cattle did not receive complete and proper inspection, F.S.I.S. has determined them to be unfit for human food and the company is conducting a recall,” Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer said in a statement. F.S.I.S. is the Agriculture Department’s Food Safety and Inspection Service.

Technically, the Department of Agriculture does not have the authority to recall meat. However, it can withdraw its inspectors from a plant, putting pressure on a company to issue a recall.

The company is recalling all its raw and frozen beef products since Feb. 1, 2006. Of the 143 million pounds that were recalled, 37 million went to make hamburgers, chili and tacos for school lunches and other federal nutrition programs, officials said.

Cows that cannot walk are banned for use in the food supply because they pose an added risk of mad cow disease, or bovine spongiform encephalopathy, a fatal disease that eats away at the brain. There have been three confirmed cases of infected cattle in this country since 2003.

The announcement on Sunday was classified as a Class II recall, indicating that the chances of health hazards were remote. Other large recalls involving E. coli have been Class I recalls, indicating that eating the product may cause serious health problems or even death.

Officials at Westland/Hallmark meat could not be located on Sunday for comment.

Some critics pointed out that the recall exposed gaps in the nation’s system for food safety.

“The recall is obviously the big news,” said Wayne Pacelle, president and chief executive of the Humane Society. “The longer-term problem is the inadequacies of the inspection system. How can so many downers have been mistreated day after day within a U.S.D.A. oversight system that was present at the plant?

“We need more boots on the ground at the plants,” he said.

The undercover video, shown on television and on YouTube and other Web sites, has caused an uproar since its release.

The Department of Agriculture started an inquiry and suspended the company as a supplier to federal nutrition programs. Steve Mendell, president of Westland/Hallmark, said afterward that he was “shocked and horrified” by the videos and voluntarily suspended operations pending the outcome of the federal inquiry.

On Friday, the San Bernardino district attorney, Michael A. Ramos, filed animal cruelty charges against two employees fired by the meat company. Daniel Agarte Navarro was charged with five felonies and three misdemeanors, and Luis Sanchez with three misdemeanors.

While acknowledging that most of the meat had been eaten, agriculture officials said the recall was necessary to find all the meat that had not been consumed and because the plant was not following the rules.

“The reason for doing this is because the plant was not in compliance with F.S.I.S. regulations, and therefore it is an unfit product,” said Dr. Kenneth Petersen, assistant administrator for the F.S.I.S.

Department of Agriculture inspectors conduct pre-slaughter inspections on all cattle on the day of slaughter. If an animal becomes unable to walk, before or at the time it is presented for slaughter, employees of the slaughterhouse are required to summon a Department of Agriculture veterinarian.

The veterinarian then has the discretion to determine whether the animal is fit for slaughter. The Department of Agriculture contends that employees at Westland/Hallmark sometimes failed to notify the veterinarian when animals could not walk after being inspected.

Agriculture officials said in a statement that they thought the case was “an isolated incident of egregious violations to humane handling requirements and the prohibition of non-ambulatory disabled cattle from entering the food supply.”

The Department of Agriculture, which is responsible for the safety of meat, poultry and eggs, has 7,800 inspectors who check more than 6,200 plants. In 2007, the agency suspended 66 plants; 12 of which were related to humane handling violations.

Preventing Kids from Getting Lost And what to do if it happens!

 “I can’t find my child” are possibly the most dreaded words for any parent or caregiver.  The panic that a parent feels is indescribable.  The parent immediately worries that the child has been harmed or abducted.  Luckily, most of the time, the child is found physically unharmed and quickly reunited.  However, even a momentary accidental wandering can leave indelible trauma for both child and parent.

While most people do not voluntarily confess, 90% of families are affected^.  American children get lost over 2000 times each day in all kinds of public places such as beaches, amusement parks, fairs, and airports.

Unfortunately, children do get lost.  It is not a result of bad parenting or bad children, and as “good” parents, we can be proactive and avoid or at least minimize the profound trauma and possible physical harm that occurs when a child is lost.  With these simple tips, you can help keep your child safe wherever you go.

Put Safe, Easily Accessible Contact Information on Your Child

Dress Children in Bright, Special “Away from Home” Clothing

To help spot children easily, dress them in very brightly colored external clothing such as a t-shirt, hat, or jacket.  Very bright yellow or green works best.  Some parents routinely dress themselves and their children in the same color when they are going out to crowded places.  Bright apparel can also serve as a key identifier for others helping you to find your missing child.

Carry a Recent Photo and Description of Each Child

Carrying a recent photo of your child is one of the most important things you can do for their safety.  On the back of the photo, note the child’s eye color, hair color, height, weight, and any birthmarks or other distinguishing marks.  If your child is one of multiples, note that as well.  Be sure to put your cell number on the back, too.  Do this for each of your children.  If you need assistance from other people to find your child, having that photo and information available can make a real difference in a quick and successful reunion.

Teach Your Child to Ask Another Mommy for Help

A scared child may not be able to find a trusted authority quickly.  It is difficult to even describe a typical guard or officer.   Teach your children to enlist help from another mother.  Children intuitively know that a mommy is a woman with other kids. This is one type of ‘stranger’ that you do want your child to talk to if he / she needs help.  Also, right before you arrive at a public place, remind your child what to do if they get lost.

Reinforce Good Behavior

When you go out to a public place, even the supermarket, and you return without your child getting lost, tell them that they  were good for staying with you the entire time while you were out.  Positive reinforcement is the best way to elicit the behavior you want from your child.

What to Do Immediately When Your Child Is Lost

Many public places such as retail stores, amusement parks, and beaches now have specific lost child procedures such as lock downs.  If your child does get lost, try to remain calm and quickly find an onsite employee to trigger the venue’s lost child process.  Don’t wander too far away from the spot where you last saw your child.  Often the child is still nearby.  If you sense that your child is more than just temporarily lost, call the police.  It is better to call back to report that you have found your child than to lose any precious time that can make a critical difference in safely finding your child.

Celebrate, Don’t Berate When You Are Reunited