Strollerderby : snacks

Angelina and Britney - When Cheetos and Comments Attack

SunnyChanel — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 18:45:00 GMT

Cheetos, yes Cheetos have been the topic of countless comments on websites featuring photos of Britney Spears and, more recently, Angelina Jolie, allowing their children to indulge in this unhealthy “chemical ridden” snack. Personally, I don’t let anything of that ilk pass thru my child’s lips. But if I did, I’m so glad I’m not a celebrity and that my child’s snack choice would be the fodder of so many judgemental, angst filled, and just plain mean, comments from total strangers. The gist seems to be that Saint Angelina can do no wrong and Britney, well, is Britney. It’s like Angelina’s brood just visits Cheetoville where as Brintney’s boys live there.

Here are some comments from various sites on the children’s Cheetos consumption.

On Britney:
From the Superficial:
"OK...I seriously wonder how these kids will survive to adulthood, and if they do, will the world want them? They're probably already brain-damaged from an all Red Bull-and-Cheetos diet."

From Mollygood.com
"Hey, my daughter eats Cheetos and I'm a great mom! Cut her some slack; at least she is trying."

“no it probably isn't necessary to give 2 year olds cheetos and orange soda but come on. This is the USA, i'd rather have my kids eating cheetos than whatever the sh*t is that they are putting in a "happy meal" these days. She probably is putting on a show for the cameras. It's not like the boys are eating only cheetos, there is a sandwich on their plates.”

On Angelina:
From D-Listed:
“Those little deities aren't eating Cheetos. That's what the bag says, but I'm sure when Shiloh puts one to her mouth, all the preservatives melt away and it becomes a piece of Sacramental bread.”

From Skinny Website comments: “I think that’s cool. When Mom’s are in great shape and don’t touch bad food, but then let their children indulge. It’s healthy. Nothing’s worse when you’re a kid then going to your friedns house who’s mom is a health crazed nut and having fruit for snack!

“I don’t think there’s nothing wrong with ocasional junk food consumption. Specially if you’re under the age of 10 when you tend to move a lot…obviosly kids shoulnd’t be kept alive on junk food - thats what leads to obese children. so I think it’s very cool that Angelina allows her kids to eat Cheetos once in a while. They’re kids!!!!!!!!”

Us weekly Comment:
“Cheetos? Seriously? Angelina buying her adorable kids cheetos is a top news story? Who cares? If that was they only thing she ever fed them, then it would be news but it's just a snack for crying out loud!”

and last but not least:
From E! Online: “So what if she lets her kids eat Cheetos. No parent has the right to judge another...”

Cookies that time forgot - Hydrox

Brett Singer — Sat, 31 May 2008 20:54:00 GMT

Kellogg's has decided to bring back the cookie that everyone always thought of as an Oreo also-ran. The reason? An online petition that was signed by a whopping 1,000 people. They also received 1,300 phone calls.

Now, maybe I'm crazy, but that doesn't sound like enough of a fan base to bring back a product. Unless these people realllly like their Hydrox, it seems unlikely that they will buy enough cookies to justify the re-release. This year is the 100th anniversary of Hydrox's introduction in 1908, so maybe that's another reason. The cookies will only be sold for "a limited time" beginning in August, although if sales are good one imagines the cookie will stick around for a while.

As it turns out, Hydrox was introduced 4 years before Oreos, which makes one wonder why Sunshine Biscuits Co. (since absorbed by Kellogg) didn't go the Mattel route and attempt to sue Nabisco into oblivion. (Maybe lawsuits weren't so popular in the early part of the 20th century. Or maybe they did sue, and they lost.)

Back in the day, one of Hydrox's main attractions was that the filling was made without lard, rendering it Kosher (literally), and also Vegan-friendly. According to this site, Oreo no longer uses pig fat. That's too bad, since that could've made for a great marketing campaign. Hook up with PETA, tap into the no-animal-products snack food base, get Pam Anderson to do the ads, wearing nothing except a thin coating of cookies... Now they'll have to rely on that gigantic 1,000 strong fan base.

image: What on Earth?!

Panic at the Soccer Field

Adrienne Martini — Mon, 19 May 2008 18:00:00 GMT

How can you help your kid over a full-blow case of panic, the sort of state where he loses his mind over something that he has the power to fix? If you are one of the lucky few who has offspring who don't come completely unglued every now and again, please skip ahead to the next post. And know that I think you're lying.

Slate's Emily Bazelon, who is on the short list of moms I'd like to drink a beer with, has a five-year old who is currently losing his grip right before soccer practice. Her solution is elegant and involves little more than a Sharpie and a letter on her son's hand. The column is bittersweet, written with both compassion and rue. Hopefully, Ms. B will give us an update on her son's progress.

Now if someone could remind me why I wrote this big "W" on my hand, I'd appreciate it.

News from the Duh Department

Adrienne Martini — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 15:30:00 GMT

Don't get me wrong. I love a bag of Cheetos as much as the next blogger. I come not to bury junk food but to set limits on it. Now I have more actual science to back me up.

A recent study conducted in Philadelphia schools found that eliminating soda, rethinking snacks and educating kids almost halves the number of kids who are obese by the sixth grade.

Color me stunned. Turns out that when you give kids information and stop easy access to corn syrup and salt, you can actually make a difference. Butter my butt and call me a biscuit. It's a miracle.

The study's authors are quick to point out that more research needs to be done. Also, they mention that it might be better to start all of this before sixth grade.

Still, it's a good step toward offering proof for something that is intuitively clear.

Photo credit: Stephen Alvarez at art.com

Daily Duh: Less junk food leads to weight loss

Brett Singer — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 19:00:00 GMT

This is a new occasional feature where I'll highlight studies that seem to confirm the obvious.

In Philadelphia, land of the cheese steak, five elementary schools participated in a program where candy and soda were eliminated from the vending machines, and kids were rewarded with raffle tickets for "making healthy food choices." And guess what? If kids eat less sugary snacks, they gain less weight. Astonishing stuff, this.

One interesting finding was that kids spend $2 per day on snacks that add up to about 600 calories, presumably of the junk food kind. Those things come from the corner store, where there may not be a lot of options besides Drake's cakes. The group that conducted the study, The Food Trust, says that they are "working with" local shops to get them to stock more fruit, vegetables and water. Because storeowners love it when people who aren't their customers tell them what to sell.

The language used in the story is very interesting when you consider the climate of weight loss. The writer refers to "kids who got fat" and then switches to "obese" and "overweight". This doesn't give you much information. If a kid is 2 or 3 pounds overweight, is that fat? When does overweight become obese? (I personally prefer the term "fatty-boombalatty", but that's just me.)

Getting kids to eat healthy is important, and it certainly would help if the food offered in school were better for you. My school lunch choices were pizza, hamburger, or cheeseburger, all of which came with French fries, or the disturbing looking hot lunch of the day. The fries were -- and this is not a joke -- "vitamin C enriched," which probably was meant to meet some sort of mandate. A study like this at least calls attention to the issue, which is great, but the conclusions aren't exactly earth shaking.

image: Yahoo.com

Happy Birthday kids. Have some carrots.

Brett Singer — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 17:00:00 GMT

Despite what Adrienne pointed out about chubby kids having fewer cavities, a school principal in New Zealand isn't taking any chances.

Megan Bowden of the Oteha Valley primary school has issued a decree: no more cake. With a large number of kids having birthdays in September and October, every day was a birthday cake day, and that's just too damn much cake! The New Zealand Ministry of Education (ooo, sounds ominous, doesn't it?) has been trying to reduce the amount of sugary snacks being served at school, but they also issued a statement that, "schools did not need to monitor food brought in from outside." So they're probably cool with the cake.

As much as the principal's policy seems draconian, I have to admit that a part of me agrees with her. I'm far from a health nut, and Kelly is right when she tears into the London lunatic who criticized a heavyset beauty queen. But it does sometimes feel like kids are given a tremendous amount of junky food during the school day. I know of two elementary schools that have "sundaes on Friday" once a month at lunch, and I've seen lunch menus that offer waffles and bacon, with chocolate éclairs for dessert. According to the article, parents began to think that bringing a cake for the child's birthday was a school rule. Then there's the issue of allergies, which means checking the cake for nuts or another offending substance, and whoever brings in the cake might be expected to provide an alternative for any child who can't partake of the treat. Maybe it's not completely unreasonable to say hey, have your cake at home.

Kitchenista: In Praise of Pappadum

Karen Murphy — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 19:35:00 GMT

Want a crunchy/salty snack in under a minute? That only requires a quick trip to the microwave to prepare, yet comes out warm, crisp, and flavorful? Oh, and that my four-year-old adores (and me, too)?

Then meet pappadums.

Or, papad, depending on who you talk to. Whatever you call them, they're a staple of the Indian snack family, made from lentil flour or other grains and flavored with various spices (I like cumin). And they're delicious. And did I mention quick? So here's more:

I buy mine for cheap at my latest local goldmine find, a large Indian grocery (in the wasteland north of Philly? Who knew?), about $1 for an almost unending pack of about 20. I'm pretty sure you can find them in Whole Foods as well, though I've never looked. You can find them online of course, like here. They come uncooked, and while traditionally they are roasted over a flame (I haven't tried that yet because hello, the microwave??!) I just pop mine into the micro.

Easy. Quick. Yum.

You want history? Here you go. More ways to cook them? Got that too.

Oh. They're nice as a grownup snack with a cup of chai. I make mine with cheap Indian black tea and a concoction called "tea masala", which is black pepper and spices, with a good shot of rice milk, but here's another recipe, this one for iced Darjeeling chai, from The Well Seasoned Cook:

Iced Darjeeling Chai Tea

Ingredients

2 Darjeeling teabags or equivalent loose tea
4 cups water brought just to boil
(You can adjust level of tea strength by adding more tea, using less water, or steeping longer)
4 green cardamom ponds
4 whole cloves
1/2 stick cinnamon, broken

Method

Pour boiling water into teapot or other vessel over the tea and spices. Steep at least 5 minutes, longer for stronger tea. Strain into a room temperature glass and chill ten minutes in refrigerator. Fill another glass with ice and transfer luke warm tea into it. Add sugar and/or milk to your taste. Makes approximately 3 servings.

Photo: spiceinthebox.com

Kitchenista: Good Enough For a Potluck in Mumbai

Madeline Holler — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 19:32:00 GMT

For the tastiest curries, I'm all for grinding and mixing your own spices, and pounding crisp aromatics into thick pastes using a mortar, pestle and all the seething anger that built up over the weekend. But sometimes, you just need to make dinner. For that, we go to whatever's in one of the jars that we have on hand.

But that doesn't mean soup or spaghetti and sauce again. You can still have curry -- which, incidentally, I think are the most forgiving and easiest vegetable hiders, take that Ms. Seinfeld! -- and it's very easy. Like, 15 minutes from thought bubble to table.

Just stock up on these (especially the stuff in the jars): Patak's Taste of India.

No need to venture into your cities Little India (though, by all means, go!), because these are available in the most meat 'n' potatoes suburban supermarkets -- look in the international aisle. There a lots of variations and please, try them all.

My favorite, though, is Patak's Original Mild Curry Paste, cilantro and cumin. You can do anything with it, but here's the best. (Don't worry, "mild" still has a little heat, which I think is good to get even little kids used to. Just blob on some plain yogurt if the kid starts wailing.)

Dice and saute an onion, if you have one, no big deal if you don't. Throw in some chicken, diced or hard vegetables like carrots or parsnips or potatoes or whatever. Any, all, none of it, doesn't matter. Just wait with the delicate leafy stuff for the final step. Throw in a can of garbanzos, any size can, but the more you make the more leftovers you have and you'll want leftovers of this for sure.

When the garbanzos seem heated and the optional onions are soft and, even better, kind of browned, scoop out some of the curry paste, one heaping spoonful at a time. Stir after each spoonful. You're trying to make sure you have enough to coat all the garbanzos and/or optional chicken. Keep dumping. You can't overdo it and you can always add more later, so don't sweat this step.

Now, dump in a can of diced tomatoes -- any size. Stir. Add some water or chicken broth to make the amount of curry that you want. Taste. Add more paste if you want. Here you can throw in bell peppers or spinach or fresh tomatoes -- any other kind of vegetable that wilts quickly or should be done, at most, al dente. Let the whole thing simmer until the rice is done.

Serve in big bowls over rice. Dollop some yogurt on top for extra richness/coolness. You'll love it so much, you'll want to bring it to your next potluck in Mumbai. But don't.

Kitchenista: If You Love Hostess Sno-Balls, You Live in Louisville

Karen Murphy — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 18:18:00 GMT

I've been wondering for YEARS who ate these damn things. They are truly the ugly stepchild of the Hostess snack family as far as I'm concerned (and my apologies to any stepchildren or stepparents out there, because these things are just VILE and truly should not be compared to humans whatsoever, not even for humor).You do know what they are, don't you? Those cellophane packages glinting evilly, daring unsuspecting children to be tempted by their round luscious pinkness, their potential chocolatey marshmallowy tastiness, only to be TRICKED into eating something that contains....coconut.

Gah. I have hives just thinking about them. Sno-balls [shudder]. Who would actually consume such a poisonous confection? Where would they live?

Louisville. Louisville, Kentucky. Whose residents consume more Sno-Balls per capita than any other U.S. city (and by extension, anywhere in the universe, because you can't tell me there are aliens who would touch these things. Though come to think of it, they'd probably be appealing to anything that regularly consumed, say, pond scum. Or WAS pond scum).

And all this totally makes sense when I remember the delight with which I saw The Ex consuming a Sno-Ball once, much to my horror. I should have seen the signs right then and there. And now I've put two and two together...his family is from Louisville. Ah, it all makes sense now...

But I've been thinking, what about the other ~~weird~~ wonderful regional snack foods around the country (not to mention the world)? Where I live, in the summer there's funnel cakes, basically a greasy fried doughy tray that holds an amazing amount of powdered sugar. What about you? Share, I'm hungry!

Oh, and if you're looking for something to do with those 14 extra two-packs of Sno-Balls you picked up at Costco for really really cheap when you were sooo hungry because the free ~~snacks~~ samples weren't out yet and you couldn't justify pushing an empty cart the size of Idaho around for another 20 minutes, try this.

P.S. No real food is this pink. But damn, looks good in the picture, doesn't it? See? It's TAUNTING me!

Kitchenista: Best Macrobiotic Snack EVER!

Karen Murphy — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 18:26:00 GMT

What, that sounds like an oxymoron? "Macrobiotic snack"? There are actually some quite delicious snacks that qualify as macrobiotic, and they aren't even the fresh seaweed I ate and loved a couple months ago in Vancouver.

Nope, this snack is one that kids like. My kids ask for it. It's called mochi, which technically is a slab of pounded gelatinous rice. Mmm, sounds delicious already, doesn't it? Actually it is when cut into squares, sprinkled with a bit of salt or spice, and baked in a hot oven until puffed, golden, and crunchy-chewy.

Mochi (I buy mine at Whole Foods) comes from the refrigerated section wrapped in plastic in a slab about the size of the first third of any Harry Potter book. Using a sharp knife, which I haven't got any of much to my dad's dismay at my knife-care habits, cut the slab into squares about the size of a decent piece of fudge. Or about an inch square. Or less. Maybe that's not so decent a piece of fudge.

Place the mochi squares on a baking sheet with some distance between them. Sprinkle on some salt or spices. They'll need somewhere between 10-15 minutes in a hot (450) oven. First they melt and become quite gooey, which is why your squares should have distance between them if you don't want one huge connected snack (though that has its fun aspects too)(and this is the state that is used by vegans to top casseroles because at this stage the mochi approximates a thick layer of melted cheese). Continue baking until your squares are golden brown and crisp. Don't worry, mine don't quite look like the photo either.

That's it. You're done. A whole package makes a pretty decent snack for three kids and a mom.

Oh. A word about the macrobioticness of this recipe idea: anybody who's a strict macro fan would likely cringe at the dry crispiness and caution that it should be prepared this way as a snack only. Yeah. Here's a recipe for a veggie pie-thing with a gooey mochi top crust. I would eat it that way too.

Kitchenista: A Parent's Gotta Snack, Too

Patti — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 12:26:00 GMT

On a warm summer day, the only thing crankier than my kids when they've just awakened from their naps is me, when my kids have just awakened from their naps. Frozen fruit pops are the kids' go-to snack for a quick kick to the blood sugar, but sometimes, as a parent, I need a little extra help.

Next time you're at your friendly neighborhood Trader Joe's, grab yourself a box of Java Floes. Like TJ's popular Fruit Floes (juice pops with big chunks of real fruit), these are a high quality frozen treat. Unlike Fruit Floes, these are strictly for big boys and girls: in Mocha and Latte flavors, these are made with real coffee, and they give you just enough of a caffeine kick that you can power through to dinnertime.

(I repeat: they've got actual caffeinated coffee. And they look just like a fudgesicle, so stash them on the top shelf of the freezer unless your idea of fun is having the Tasmanian Devil over for a playdate.)

Apologies, nay, condolences, to those of you who don't live in the TJ's Zone. I don't know how you do it.

Kitchenista: Granola Bars, Cuz We All Like Snacks

Karen Murphy — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 17:58:00 GMT

I swear, some days I think my kids skip meals entirely and subsist only on snacks. Are yours like that? Either it's an accident of timing, and they're hungry every other time except at breakfast, lunch, or dinner, or maybe they like to graze. Since I'm a grazer I can relate, and that's why summer is an awesome time for snacking: just keep tons of widely-available fresh fruit around, plus some healthy alternatives to cookies and other yummies, and you've got it made.

Uh, healthy alternatives? That sounds haaaaard! Who wants to cook all day, especially for snacks?!! Not me. So one thing I do is whip up these easy and awesome granola bars, which keep well and freeze well and won't make you feel bad about handing one out, since you control the ingredients. Plus! Most commercial granola bars are full of fat but not these babies! Another plus! I loathe most granola bars but these actually taste good. Oh! And your kids can do a lot of the preparation.

Ready? Oh, and these don't require a lot of weird or extra-healthy ingredients, yay!

Granola Bars That Actually Taste Good

1 cup maple syrup, the real stuff
2/3 cup chunky natural peanut butter*
2 2/3 cups rolled oats
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup wheat germ
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg

PLUS: 2 cups mix-ins (this is where it gets fun) in ay combination of the following: coconut, raisins, carob chips (or what the hell, chocolate), unsalted nuts, any finely chopped dried fruit such as dates, apricots, apples, etc. We like dates and ~~carob~~ chocolate and coconut.

DIRECTIONS: Mix syrup and peanut butter until well-blended. Dump in everything else and stir. If mixture seems to dry, add water 1 tsp. at a time. If it seems too sticky (it should be fairly sticky but workable), add oats 1 tb. at a time. You should be able to spread it in a pan with greased fingers.

Press into a 9x13 (23x33 cm) pan, lightly greased. Bake at 350F/180C until barely browned (seems to take at least 20 minutes; your kitchen will smell like granola bars when they're ready). Do not overbake! Cut while warm into desired sized bars. When I make these I get about 30 or so.

When completely cool, remove from pan and wrap separately in plastic wrap. Store in a zip bag; they freeze quite well. Excellent for school lunches!

Makes about 2 dozen bars (like I said I get more, but I make them smaller)

*You can substitute Sunbutter, soy butter, or if you have money to burn, almond butter (which would be AWESOME in this application!) for the peanut butter.

Also, you can substitute regular old white flour for the whole wheat, and I promise I won't tell. ALSO, if you've forgotten to buy wheat germ, you can just add that much more flour. Not that I've ever done that.

Families Drive Top 10 Food Trends of 2007

Stefania Pomponi Butler (CityMama) — Tue, 22 May 2007 16:02:00 GMT

The very fake-sounding Institute of Food Technologies has just released its list of Top 10 Food Trends of 2007. Busy families seem to have played a large role in influencing the top trends.

The number one trend of 2007 is dining at home. Thanks in large part to Rachael Ray and her unstoppable culinary juggernaut, I'm sure, 75% of people polled eat dinner at home at least five nights a week. Why? Because she and her team of Food Network celebrity chefs finally taught the whole country how to cook. *eye-roll*

Convenience products (#3) make dining at home easier, especially for busy families. Products like pre-packaged salads, pre-cut veggies and fruits, and tuna pouches make quick work of preparing meals.

Eating locally (#7), which seems counter-intuitive to the #3 trend, is becoming trendy as the Slow Food movement gains popularity and people start watching their "food miles." My family is trying to eat and shop locally so our food doesn't have to travel as far to get to our table. Thankfully, we live in Northern California.

Kids' health needs and the growing problem of childhood obesity (#5) are also on the list. Parents are seeking out and preparing more healthful snacks. Speaking of snacks, snacks and mini-meals (#10) are also trendy so, um, yeah. Good luck with that childhood obesity, parents!

Click here to view the entire list, and see if you and your family are slaves to the latest food trends.