Mayor Bloomberg: Locking Up Formula is Not the Answer

Oh no he didn’t.

As a lovely follow-up to the AAP’s resolution , Mayor Bloomberg has decided to throw d in his $0.2.

Yes, we know. Breast milk is the perfect first food for human babies. It is a fact which nobody, least of all me, is disputing.

Enter Bloomberg’s Latch on NYC initiative which, in addition to a whole bunch of pro-boob advertising which I am not arguing with, includes a strong suggestion to NYC maternity hospitals to “support a mother’s decision to breastfeed” by restricting access to formula by hospital staff and discontinuing the distribution of free formula samples to new mothers. Women will be able to request formula in the hospital, but before they get it then will have to endure a lecture on why breastfeeding is a better choice.

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A peek Into My Kitchen: No Cook Coconut Chia Pudding

Ch-ch-ch-chia…almost no child of the 80’s can’t sing that theme song (in fact, I bet you’re thinking about googling it right now 😉

It turns out that those little chia seeds, also known as salvia hispanica, are also an incredibly healthy and ridiculously fun food. They are high in protein, omega-3s, antioxidants and a whole host of other nutrients and super high in fiber.  Better yet, they absorb whatever liquid you mix into them and form a gel or pudding, which make a great filling snack.  (If you’re a mom, and you never forget to eat, then I want to know your trick!)

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A peek Into My Kitchen: Vacation Snacks to Pack for Small Children

I’m typing this post into my phone with one thumb in a hotel room in Israel with intermittent WiFi…
Traveling with kids can be tough, routines get thrown off, familiar stuff is left at home (the favorite stuffed animal or blanket of the moment almost always turns out to be the one you left behind) and, often, changes in time zone wreak havoc on sleeping patterns.
I’m a big believer in traveling with a whole bunch of medication, toys, gear and especially snacks to make the change more palatable. I promise to share my other lists at some other point, but here are some easy to throw in a suitcase foods that can be ready to appease little mouths for your actual traveling time as well as for when you get to your destination and thoughout your stay:
For plane/car/bus/train:
*Refillable water bottle per child (if you’re flying internationally, empty it before you go through security so the TSA doesn’t bug you and have stewardesses refill on the plane)
*Empty milk cup/bottle per child (good to keep your cups for milk and other beverages separate, especially when you may not be able to wash them so well)
*Applesauce or other puréed fruit pouches–some good ones are Happy Baby, Plum Organics, Earth’s Best, Revolution Foods and GoGo Squeeze. These are great for older kids as well! Freeze a couple and pop them in your bag for slushy treats en route! They also make great ice packs for…
*cut up apples, pears, grapes, carrots, clementines, cheese sticks/cubes
*frozen single serving shelled edamame
*raisins, dried apricots or other dried fruit
*fruit leather
*cereal (either in small bags or snack cups)
*crackers, pretzels, rice cakes, cookies, cereal bars, yogurt drops
*For a plane–lollipops, sucking candies gum are essential for kidlets too big to suck on a bottle or to nurse during takeoff and landing. Toddlers under 3 should probably stick to the lollipops to prevent choking scares.
*small sandwiches, mini yogurts or yogurt squeeze sticks if it’ll be meal time
Note: if you are traveling between countries, you may need to leave any leftover produce on the plane so as not to have problems with agricultural authorities (particularly when entering the US)
For the trip itself:
*more of all of the non-perishable items from above
*if your children are avid milk drinkers, you may want to pack a few boxes of shelf stable milk–particularly if you prefer organic, which isn’t always easy to find. Milk tastes different in different places, and, you may not want to jeopardize this source of protein and calcium for a picky child.

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A peek Into My Kitchen: Quinoa, Corn & Broccoli Casserole

Quinoa is incredibly healthy, filling, vegetarian and pretty easy to cook.  It has a strong taste that is somewhat lessened by rinsing it 3 or 4 times before cooking.  Cooking it in carrot juice, beet juice or vegetable broth not only sweetens the taste but also changes the color.  White quinoa made with carrot juice turns an amazingly beautiful bright orange–so cool.

To shorten the cooking time even further, you could skip the casserole dish and baking step completely and just eat it right out of the pan.

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A peek Into My Kitchen: Asparagus, Scorpios and Reproductive Organs (easy recipe)

I found myself in the most bizarre twitter conversation earlier today…

Here goes:

Wendi Aarons : As a Scorpio myself, I’m not sure I want to eat a plate full of asparagus just to keep my nether regions happy.

Wendy Bradford : Oddly enough that is what I ate last night #Scorpio @feelWeirdAboutItNow

Clearly, I couldn’t let such a conversation rest without sticking in my two cents. Not only am I a Scorpio, but, lo and behold, I had just purchased a massive bag of asparagus from Costco on Friday in addition to having already bought two bunches from Fresh Direct because they were on special…

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