kids Archives - Page 2 of 2

Crave-Worthy Recipes December 7, 2018

Winter white hot chocolate with cinnamon

Living in Pittsburgh, it seems hot chocolate is everywhere — and that, in my opinion, isn’t always a good thing. Those watered-down styrofoam cups at freezing cold football games or the overly sweet stuff handed out after cold weather 5Ks, are really consumed out of a need to stay warm, more so than for the enjoyment. It had been a long time since I had a cup ‘o chocolate that I actually enjoyed. But I was feeling a bit Christmassy decorating the house, so I thought I’d whip up something warm and delicious to sip on as we watch holiday movies on repeat. This Winter White Hot Chocolate has a dash of cinnamon to give the cup some complexity. You can add more or less, if you like. Even some nutmeg would taste pretty good. The best part of making drinks like this is always the extras, so if you’re going…

Keep Reading

Crave-Worthy Recipes November 22, 2018

Holiday Ornament Rice Krispie Treats

Rice Krispie Treats might already be your go-to when you need a quick treat for a kid’s birthday party or snack for the class, but this holiday season, dress them up a bit for a brand new take on the old classic. They’ll look just as good in your kid’s lunchbox as they will on the buffet table at your holiday party. I made red and green Rice Krispie ornaments, but you could easily adapt to make them match the color scheme of your holiday decor — blues or purples. Leave some without food coloring for an all natural golden ornament look. I sprinkled in some golden sugar sprinkle for extra shine, but the photo doesn’t pick up on it well. Add sprinkles in the colors of your choice for extra customization. I could even see them decorated with piped white chocolate for more fun and flavor. The Rolos were…

Keep Reading

Seasonal October 4, 2018

This is what a teal pumpkin means

If your kid has food allergies, trick-or-treating can be a seriously scary evening out. Many kids are unable to eat items like milk, peanuts, eggs, and soy — ingredients found in many popular Halloween candies. But the Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) group is raising awareness and making Halloween fun again for kids who may have had to previously sit this holiday out. The Teal Pumpkin Project launched in 2014, is designed to encourage inclusiveness on Halloween by making it easy for kids and their families to spot the houses offering allergy-friendly treats. Because of the vast array of allergies, participating houses may even opt to have “non-food treats” such as small toys, books, stickers or crayons. Participating houses are instructed to paint a pumpkin the color teal and put it on their porch or stoop in an obvious location. This way, parents will know that house is safe…

Keep Reading

News Bites September 11, 2018

Study shows picky eaters care how food is presented on a plate

If you have a picky eater at home, there might be one more thing you can try. A recent study conducted by researchers at the University of Copenhagen’s Department of Food Science found that kids do actually notice — and care — how their food is presented to them, and this can influence how much of the food they eat. It turns out, that young children are more inclined to eat when food items are kept separate from one another. Researchers asked 100 children ages 7 to 8 and 12 to 14 to prioritize six different photos of dishes of food plated three different ways: one with food items separated; one with the food separate but ingredients mixed (like chicken with gravy touching the rice, but vegetables on the side); and another with food all mixed together. Among the youngest age group, girls preferred foods to be separated, while the…

Keep Reading

News Bites September 5, 2018

School Concession Stands can benefit from adding more healthy food options, study shows

Once upon an unhealthy time, high school students would buy a Coke and candy bar from a vending machine and call it a day. But kids and teens today are much more health-minded. A new study shows that school concession stands — best known for their greasy hamburgers and cheese soaked nachos — can actually benefit from adding some healthy fare to their menus. The study was recently published in the Journal of School Health. “We found that an average of 77% of students purchased healthier food items when they were available and that revenue also increased when a variety of healthy items were available,” said Brian Wansink, PhD, Professor and Directory of the Cornell Food and Brand Lab and study co-author. Beginning 2014, researchers at Cornell University and the University of Iowa teamed up with booster club presidents to publish their findings on healthy snack sales at their respective school concession…

Keep Reading

News Bites April 15, 2018

Pixar’s upcoming new short film is about a dumpling

Pixar via Twitter

It’s been 14 years since The Incredibles first hit theaters, and the long-awaited sequel is finally about to premier this summer. As exciting as the release of a new Pixar film is, there’s another part of the Pixar moving-going experience that we look forward to just as much: the short film. The Incredibles 2 will run after new short film Bao, a seven-and-a-half-minute short film about an empty-nested Chinese-Canadian woman who gets a chance to be a mother again when one of her handmade dumplings comes to life. The heart-warming tale is also the first Pixar short film to be directed by a woman. Domee Shi, the only child to Chinese immigrants, shared her inspiration for the story with Entertainment Weekly. https://www.instagram.com/p/Bg9DpX-l6D8/?utm_source=ig_embed “Often times it felt like mom would treat me like a precious little dumpling, wanting to make sure I was safe, that I didn’t go out late, all that stuff,” Shi…

Keep Reading

Seasonal October 6, 2017

20 Spooky Halloween Recipes

Adobe stock

Food creativity around Halloween goes way up! I’m always amazed at the things people come up with for this holiday in particular. My theory is that it’s driven by moms up late at night who forgot about their kid’s classroom party — “We only have pretzels and chocolate in the pantry?! Yup, totally looks like Frankenstein!” Either way, these ideas are enviable. But luckily, these crafty folks proudly pasted their ideas to Pinterest for the rest of us to marvel at — and of course copy. Mini Halloween Pizzas It’s genius. Why shouldn’t cheese look like ghosts around Halloween? https://www.pinterest.com/pin/155655730851255379/ Jack Skellington Oreo Pops Everyone’s favorite Halloween movie. Or is it Christmas? … Or is it Halloween? The debate continues. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/201254677082069614/ Skeleton Ribs and Guts Clever. Gross, but clever. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/283726845257060705/ Monster Toes So easy. And a really cool idea, too! https://www.pinterest.com/pin/143481938112679123/ Strawberry Ghosts Again, super simple, but incredibly tasty. Everyone loves chocolate covered…

Keep Reading

Seasonal March 29, 2017

VIDEO: Galaxy Swirl Egg Dying With Shaving Cream

Image credit: Meghan Rodgers

Whether you’re looking to make deviled eggs for Easter brunch or to dye them fun colors, spring is the season for hard-boiled eggs. But, before you get to the fun part, make sure you’re boiling your eggs the right way. If you’ve ever cut open a hard-boiled egg and found a green ring around the yolk, you’re familiar with that unappetizing sulfur smell and chalky flavor. That ring is a sure sign that the eggs have been overcooked. Follow the recipe below to make sure your eggs are cooked perfectly and easy to peel. Keep in mind, fresh eggs are great for scrambling and frying, but eggs a few days old will peel much more easily. Perfect hard-boiled eggs Serves 6 Ingredients: 6 large eggs 1 pot of water Directions: Place the eggs in a large pot and fill with cool tap water until water is 1 inch above eggs. On…

Keep Reading

News Bites March 7, 2017

Creative parents are killing it on Instagram

Check out these Instagram feeds from people who are winning the parenting game. …What parents won’t do to please their picky eaters. A post shared by Samantha Lee (@leesamantha) on Feb 2, 2017 at 6:23am PST Samantha Lee, @leesamanta, was inspired by her children to create her awesome works of art. The Malaysian mother of two started in 2008 to help her eldest daughter eat independently, and now has more than 700k followers in Instagram. A post shared by Adam Perry (@2slicesoftoast) on Oct 1, 2016 at 4:53am PDT British musician and father of two, Adam Perry, wasn’t about to let his daughter’s severe food allergy get in the way of childhood breakfast. Armed with two pieces of toast and occasionally soy butter or syrup as “glue”, Perry has created more than 300 toast sculptures including Obama, a squirrel and ballerina dancers. A post shared by The Foodnited States (@foodnitedstates) on Nov…

Keep Reading