Do you have a child who loves to eat…and eat and eat? Do you wonder if it’s an issue?  My daughter will say “mmm” with such enthusiasm when she slurps down her soup that it gives me great happiness to serve her another bowl…and even another sometimes.  My husband is concerned. I’m not. So, when Donna Fish wrote this article about an overeating child, I knew it would not only resonate with us, but with some of you.

Flipping the “Off”- Switch: Teaching Your Overeater How to Stop by Donna Fish

Nothing like having kids to reinforce the nature part of the nurture debate when it comes to personality traits.  Forget things like hair and eye color; any parent with more than one kid knows how different and unique their personalities and temperaments are, from Day One.

I broaden this to what I call your kid’s “Food Personality”.   It is rare for there to be kids in one family who all have similar eating styles.  More often than not, I hear parents including myself, talk about having one kid who’s a fairly picky eater, stops easily, while there are many children who have trouble stopping.

I call these kids, my Trouble Transitioners.  Since I coined this term for the 6 Styles of Eaters I write about in my book, I have come to see that some kids don’t necessarily say: “More, More!” because they have trouble with transitions, but simply because they have a  well developed palate, and love the stimulation of the tastes, smells and the sensations of the food!  I think back to when my middle daughter who delights in whatever she is doing at the moment, would be eating bowls and bowls of cereal, with the biggest smile on her face; humming the whole time.  I had to teach her how to flip the ‘off’ switch by waiting and checking back in with her body 20 minutes later.

This is the opposite of the Picky Eater; kids whose palates and senses don’t develop until they are older.  (If at all, there are some adults who are still picky eaters, and not that ‘into’ food.)   Trouble Transitioners are so stimulated by the tastes and sensations (early ‘foodies’; and I say that in the best sense of the word), that they are on their third helping before they feel the signal that they are ‘Done, or Full”.  By the time they hear the signal and stop, they are usually STUFFED.  This way of eating can, over time, become habitual as the cue to feeling ‘DONE’ and STOP EATING, is triggered after larger quantities.  The obvious result can be weight issues, which create other problems.

Parents can worry about how to handle this without at best, creating bad feelings and power struggles, or at worst, an eating disorder.  (Although parents, you can let yourself off the hook, it takes more than that to create a true eating disorder; some disordered eating, perhaps, not a full blown eating disorder.)

So in the interest of giving your ‘foodies’ some tools to prevent problems from developing, here are some tips:

1)    Enjoy and show your kid that you love how much they love food and the tastes.  Celebrate this.

2)    Teach them that they are their own “BODY EXPERT”, and it is their responsibility to become the best “BODY DETECTIVE” possible.  This means listening carefully to their stomachs for the signal that they are DONE, OR FULL.  Educate them that some bodies take longer to send the signal; it can just be a whisper after one bowl of cereal, but they need to WAIT 20 minutes to hear it well.

3)    While they are waiting, let them do an activity with you like clearing the table, doing the dishes.  If they want more, leave their food on the table so they know they have access to it and can have it if their body tells them they are genuinely still hungry.  (Avoids power struggles)

4)    Teach them how to listen to their bodies; Think of gradations of Hunger/Fullness; 1-7 from Starving, to Stuffed.  Help them to Listen Carefully and EAT WHEN HUNGRY STOP WHEN DONE, OR FULL.

5)    There are some foods that lend themselves to stimulating your tongue and mouth to the point where it makes it hard to flip the “Off Switch”; some salty foods, or sweet, depending on your palate.  Teach your kid to just step away after some, and remind them they can have more later.  (Try it yourself!)

Teaching kids HOW to WAIT and STOP, is a part of preventing eating problems from developing, and empowers them to eat well for life.

Happy Mealtime!

Donna’s Other Articles:

• How Do You Teach Eating?
• Starting Solids
• How To Get Those Greens In
• Dining Out With Children
• Flatware That Is Fun
• Who Wants To Eat Vegetables?
• Finger Foods Strike
• Yogurt For Kids With Sugar?
• Finger Foods For A Baby

Donna Fish

*********
Donna Fish is a licensed clinical social worker with a private practice in Manhattan, where she lives with her husband and three daughters, writes her own blog and blogs for The Huffington Post. With the publication of her book: Take the Fight Out of Food: How to Prevent and Solve Your Child’s Eating Problems, she has appeared on and in NPR, Parenting Magazine, Weekend Today Show, Fox News, USA Today and MSNBC and has lectured at Early Childhood Centers of Sarah Lawrence College, Wellesley College, Georgetown University and trained the Head Start Staff of NYC. She lectures to private schools in NYC: Bank street, Village Community School, Dalton, Chapin and more. Donna blogs for us every month- lucky us!

A Child Grows, 2012. | Permalink | 2 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: child eating too much, how do you know if a child is overeating, how do you know when a child is eating too much, how to help a child stop overeating, kid eating too much food, overeating, preschooler eating too much food, toddler eating too much food, what to do when your child overeats

Parents know that cooking balanced and healthy meals can be the last item on your “to do” list when bills and laundry beckon. There are local classes that help parents to learn simple recipes for the whole family, most notably by Debbie Koenig, and a new and unique cooking series begins this week.  Setting the Table is a four part workshop to learn how to cook fresh, seasonal, and delicious meals for you and your family.  You will learn how to:

** Learn simple and accessible cooking techniques, geared toward young families
** Connect with other young Jewish families living in Brownstone Brooklyn
** Nurture your family through food and Jewish tradition
** Prepare food to freeze and eat on a hectic evening

The class is geared towards the needs of expectant parents and young families living in Brownstone Brooklyn. While meeting others you can also discuss how you can find meaning creating a Jewish atmosphere around your family table. They are listed in our new Marketplace too if you want to know more.

Molly Weingrod is a cook, holistic health advocate, and food educator who will be teaching.

Details:
Setting the Table: A Cooking Class for expectant and new parents
Thursday Evenings 6:30-9:30 pm
December 8, 15, 22, 29
Classes will take place at Congregation Beth Elohim, on Garfield Place in Park Slope.
$120 per couple, $60 per single parent
Limited scholarship funds are available, please contact daniel.infeld@hazon.org for more information.
Register here.

Setting the Table is open to expectant parents and parents of 0-2 year olds, who live in Brownstone Brooklyn.

Setting the Table is a project of Hazon, and is generously supported by UJA-Federation of New York.

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Post tags: brownstone brooklyn, cooking class, cooking class for parents, cooking class in brooklyn, debbie koenig, jewish cooking class, jewish families, parents cooking class, parents need to eat too, setting the table

One of my favorite gifts for new parents used to be the delivery of homemade meals from Brooklyn-based Susie’s Supper Club. They stopped delivery to Brooklyn and NYC to make their delish dishes accessible to the rest of the country with frozen versions of their kid-friendly best sellers.  One of my absolute favorite recipes of theirs, Spinach Squares, and one of their best sellers, will be available frozen and in their new cookbook.

I asked if we could publish Susie’s Spinach Squares recipe here so that we could all make it. Susie agreed, and here it is. I promise you, this is the best way to get spinach into your kids, not hiding it in brownies.

Spinach Squares
Serves 6–8

An SSC favorite, these delicious squares are nutrient packed: spinach is a good source of protein, calcium, fiber, iron, niacin, zinc, and vitamins A, C, K, and B6. Nevertheless, kids love these treats! Two cheeses complement the spinach perfectly, so the issue of  “eating your vegetables” may never come up.

2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
3 large eggs
1 cup (8 fl oz/250 ml) whole milk
1 cup (5 oz/155 g) all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp kosher salt
1 lb (500 g) Cheddar cheese, shredded
1 lb (500 g) chopped frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1⁄4 cup (1 oz/30 g) grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 9-by-13-inch (23-by-33-cm) rimmed baking sheet or baking dish with parchment paper. Pour the melted butter into the prepared pan and spread to coat evenly.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs until well blended. Whisk in the milk, flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the Cheddar and spinach and stir until combined. Pour the spinach mixture into the prepared pan and spread in an even layer. Sprinkle the Parmesan evenly over the top.

Bake until the top is lightly browned and the juices are bubbling, 30–40 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool until just warm to the touch. Cut into 2-inch (5-cm) squares and serve.

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Post tags: cookbook for family meals, good spinach square recipe, kid friendly spinach, kid friendly spinach dish, kid-friendly meals, spinach recipe for kids, spinach square recipe, susie cover, susies supper club, the supper club cookbook

Last year I wrote about my triumph in finding the perfect multivitamin for my children. Yes, some go on a quest to find themselves, but my 3 year quest was to find the ideal kid’s vitamin! SmartyPants gummy is an all-in-one vitamin that has BOTH the Omega-3s and 100% of recommended daily vitamins. Forget that sticky fish oil with that pungent after-taste. Ditch that Disneyfied vitamin dripping in high fructose corn syrup. SmartyPants gummies are delicious gumdrops that are good tasting and good for your kids (and I promise you, they will ask for more!)

After I wrote about SmartyPants, so many of you tried the vitamins (and kept buying!), that SmartyPants knows you are some of their most loyal customers. So, great news for us: they contacted me yesterday to give us all a 50% off discount on the Children’s Multivitamins. Woo hoo! Order your 3 month supply now- or, if you are new to the brand, this is a perfect opportunity to try them out.

The code is ACGB50 for 50% off. There is a limit in the amount for the discount (as with all good things): limit 3 single bottles or 1 three pack per customer.

For more info on SmartyPants Vitamins or to buy some, you can go here.

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Post tags: a child grows in brooklyn, best fish oil for kids, best vitamin for kids, children's fish oil, childrens multivitamin, discount, discount for smartypants, fish oil for children, gummy vitamins, multivitamin, multivitamin for kids, review of childrens fish oil, review of childrens multivitamin, smartypants vitamin, smartypants vitamins, vitamins without corn syrup

Meatloaf Mummy!

Brooklyn goes a little bit crazy on Halloween: how do we know? How about the 66 Halloween events we have listed for Brooklyn parents and their little witches?! Carroll Gardens mom and blogger, Maggie da Silva, has found a way to get your little urchins to eat something of Halloween fun before trick or treating. She has cooked up some inventive, spooky dishes that contain actual protein, carbs and veggies (and no corn syrup!). She got so involved in baking up Halloween goodies that she wrote a whole downloadable book that features fabulous recipes like Meatloaf Mummies, Witches Fingers and Spider Cupcakes- not to mention Halloween activities and crafts!

Witches Fingers- ooh- they are super long and spindly looking!

Each recipe is secretly nutritious- like her Spider Cupcakes- which are eerily disguised as pumpkin muffins with cream cheese frosting. This recipe for Meatloaf Mummies is a fun figure wrapped up in real nutrition. You can mix whatever you want into the hamburger – hide some veggies, for example, or substitute TVP – and the kids will like it anyway because of the fun shape and the yummy, refrigerated biscuit dough.

Spider Cupcakes that are actually good for your trick or treaters!

Maggie agreed to share her Meatloaf Mummies recipe with us. For the rest of her creative and delicious recipes, visit her site and you can download her ebook for $3.99 for either your Kindle or your Nook.

A "wonderful treat of a book!"- the National Examiner

Meatloaf Mummies

Serves: 4-8, depending on how big you make your mummies.

Ingredients

1 lb. lean ground beef

1 egg

¼ c. breadcrumbs

1 T. soy sauce

1 T. + extra catsup

1 tube of biscuit or pizza dough

Raw mummy- ready to be awakened from the dead and thrown into the fire (um...oven!)

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.

2. Prepare the meatloaf: mix together the ground beef, egg, breadcrumbs, soy sauce and 1 T. of catsup.

3. Make meatloaf mummies by shaping little men out of the meat mixture.

4. Open the pizza dough (pop!) and flatten pieces out with your fingers.

5. Wrap the meat people with ½” strips of flattened-out pizza dough to look like bandages. Leave space for eyes.

6. Cook uncovered in the oven for 10-15 minutes, until golden brown.

7. Once out of the oven, you can make them creepy by using ketchup to create eyes.

8. Serve with extra catsup for dipping.

9. Q. What did the skeleton say when he sat down to eat? A. Bone appétit!

About Maggie da Silva
Maggie da Silva lives with her husband and three kids in Carroll Gardens, where the Halloween decorations are pretty awesome. She blogs about it on her family lifestyle blog, http://realfamilytime.blogspot.com/ .

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Post tags: brooklyn chef, brooklyn recipes, dishes for a halloween meal, halloween food, halloween homemade treats, halloween meal, halloween recipes, halloween theme dishes, halloween theme food, homemade halloween food, homemade halloween fun, maggie da silva, nutritious halloween food

I thought Zumba at Mark Morris was extreme thanks to my little-t0-none workout program for 5.5 years but the new Extreme Fitness Program that kicks into high gear this week, will kick my Zumba butt.

Extreme Kids & Crew, a group for children with disabilities, their siblings, parents, and friends, has debuted their Extreme Fitness with success and so they are advertising it as a place for all stressed-out parents to congregate. After an intense, one-hour, cardio-fitness session of Boxing, Kickboxing, Interval Training, Plyometrics, Jumprope, Core-Work and Drills- the only thing stressed will be your muscles. And that’s a good change!

It will now be offered the first Thursday of every month at their new location at 40 Brevoort Pl. (1 blk away from the C/S Franklin Street Station).

P.S.- Extreme Kids & Crew’s Space No. 1 will soon be opening!! They are on schedule to launch Brooklyn’s first parent-run, drop in sensory gym and play area in the next few weeks.  Space No. 1 “is an airy and light 900 sq. foot room in the Coop School’s new building on Brevoort Place in Bed-Stuy near Clinton Hill. It is conveniently located a block away from the C/S Franklin Station (one of the few Brooklyn subway stations with an elevator). ”

Details:
Extreme Kids & Crew
info@extremekidsandcrew.org or call 347-528-4246.
The first Thursday of every month @ 7:30pm at their new location at 40 Brevoort Place,
1 block away from the C/S Franklin Street Station.
Bring a towel and water.
If you have wraps bring those too, everything else will be provided.
All levels welcome.
Suggested Donation: 5-20 bucks.
Feel free to bring a beer and hang out afterwards. (I LOVE this- but isn’t this a bit defeating?!)

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Post tags: brooklyn, classes for children with special needs, disabilities in brooklyn, extreme kids and crew, place for special needs, special needs groups in brooklyn

My husband decided TODAY to throw away our teflon pan and roasting rack, both of which had flecks of teflon missing. Duh, why hadn’t we done this before?  It’s amazing to me that I can be neurotic about buying organic apples and then let a deteriorating Teflon pan go by… month after month. Courtney from Baby Bodyguards has found an alternative to Teflon, and loves it!

The Green-Pan, A Solution to Safer Cooking and a Healthy Planet  by Baby Bodyguards

I received a full set of Teflon pots and pans when I got married a few years ago. We cook everyday and I started noticing pieces of the Teflon coating coming off. I immediately threw my pots and pans to the wind, because it doesn’t take a scientist to infer that eating Teflon is probably a bad idea.

Lauren Sucher, of the Environmental Working Group, a Washington, D. C., organization that compiles data on toxicology, recommends that people phase out the use of Teflon cookware in their home. Chemicals used in Teflon have been shown to be lethal to birds, and cause flu-like symptoms in humans. In 2005, the EPA said a chemical (PFOA) used to make Teflon is “likely a carcinogen” and in January 2006, DuPont, the only company that manufactures the chemical in the US, agreed to eliminate releases of the chemical from its manufacturing plants by 2015.

So, what are the alternatives?

Stainless steel is a great alternative, but I don’t have the time or elbow grease needed to be scrubbing those bad boys. Cast Iron is also a winner, but it requires some maintenance, (aka seasoning to last), and it is not dishwasher safe.  After a lot of research, I came across the Green-Pan and I had to try it.

Green-Pan is the first Teflon free non-stick pan. Using something called Thermolon technology, they’ve made a non-stick mineral coating that is food-safe, and won’t be damaged or emit nasty fumes, even at super high temperatures. It can resist heat up to 850 degrees, and you never need to use butter or oil to coat the pan, which is great for the waistline. I have used it several times and nothing sticks to it! It also doesn’t hurt that their cookware is attractive and affordable.

(This is Karen here: we have stainless steel and cast iron. First, to clean stainless steel, I use my pot scraper. I LOVE this thing- it makes cleaning everything a cinch. There is a new “green” bamboo pot scraper out there that you can buy. As far as cast iron, I swear food tastes better in it. Some people don’t like them as they are soooo heavy and you aren’t supposed to use soap to clean them and that grosses people out. I admit to using soap once in a while, but don’t tell Papa Tree. He depends on the seasoning of the cast iron to make his lamb taste good).

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• My Favorite Safest Cosmetics
• How Toxic Is Your Paint?
• Update On Lead Paint From A Parent
• Lead Paint- How Do You Know If You Have It?
• Organic Mattresses- More Research

Most of you have heard about Baby Bodyguards by now. First, they came and did an excellent “spec” on babyproofing our place, then they wrote a popular post on our blog about window guards for NYC, now they have been raved about on Park Slope Parents. They are getting lots of mainstream press as well. They have done a few “unofficial” posts for us already, but now they have their own Expert Advice page. (As do all of our Experts). Baby Bodyguards was born out of our love and concern for children everywhere. The Baby Bodyguard family consists of hand picked Pediatricians, Nurses, Emergency Medical Technicians, Firemen, Contractors and Craftsmen, all of whom share the same passion for child safety

A Child Grows, 2011. | Permalink | 11 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Food and Drink, Going Green

Photo Courtesy of Local Roots NYC

Though we live in the city, we actually have easy access to local farm goods- from eggs, bread and beef to honey.  One way to receive food directly from a farm is to join a Community Supported Agriculture or a CSA. In Brooklyn, Local Roots is a particularly wide-reaching one with pick-up locations in Boerum Hill, Cobble Hill, Williamsburg and Tribeca where they offer share options of vegetables, fruit, beef, duck, grains/beans, eggs, and bread from local farms within 250 miles from NYC.

Bread Share - Photo courtesy of Local Roots NYC

All farms through Local Roots NYC are certified organic or use healthy growing practices and they are also unique in that they offer its members a flexible payment plan where the seasons are split up into 12 week intervals as opposed to having to pay for 6 months of food at one time like a lot of other CSAs. The season runs from August- November.  Through the Local Roots CSA members can pick and choose which shares they would like and you don’t have to do a vegetable share to get a fruit share or bread share. Members can purchase just a fruit share or just a bread share.  Additionally, this CSA is great if you don’t have the time to volunteer since Local Roots NYC does the work for you and connects members with the highest quality local food.

Photo courtesy of Local Roots NYC

For the fall, you can purchase an organic vegetable share from the Rogowski Farm, a fruit share from Fantasy Fruit Farm / Red Jacket Orchards, a duck share from Hudson Valley Duck Farm, a beef share from Grazin Angus Acres, an egg share from Feather Ridge Farm, a grains/beans/flour share from Cayuga Pure Organics and a bread share from Orwasher Bakery.

Membership applications are due on August 19th for the 12 week fall share (August 29 – the week of November 14). To apply, please visit: http://localrootsnyc.org/csa/sign-up2011 Fall Member Form

Local Roots NYC
101 Warren Street, #A3E
Brooklyn, NY, 11201
(347) 766-8702
localrootsnyc@gmail.com

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Post tags: brooklyn csa, communiyu supported agriculture, CSA, farm fresh food, Local Roots NYC, organic food

Snack Happy with these Healthy FInger Foods

It’s amazing how kids gobble up their bite-sized food and snacks- is it because of the size? We think so. Finger foods seem to be appealing to children since they can make them feel more independent by feeding themselves. Since a little one’s taste is constantly evolving it is important to focus on finger foods that they like rather than get frustrated by the things that they don’t eat. For the most part I try to make sure that finger foods are healthy and include a wide variety of flavors and textures. This includes having nutritious and quick options around like fresh fruit, cut up pieces of cheese, trail mix, rice cakes, and mini sandwiches. I complied a list of some of my favorite snack and finger food options that include quick and healthy mini meals for your little ones. Also, please add your favorite finger food ideas in the comments sections – especially your tips and suggestions for picky toddler and babies!

• Cut up pieces of cheese. String cheese is a big hit around my house as well as cut up pieces of cheddar and Muenster.
• Apples and peanut or almond butter. This is a great mid-day snack that will provide your child with protein and fiber that also fill them up. You can also try rice cakes, carrots or celery instead of apples.
• Trail mix. One of my personal favorites, trail mix is great snack when you and your little one are on-the-go. Ideally for kids 2 and up, trail mix can be your own combination of nuts (walnuts, slivered almonds or cashews), raisins, cereal and dried fruit. 
• Granola bars. I try to avoid granola bars that are packed with sugar and try (if I can) to make homemade bars that contain oats, nuts and dried fruit. I really love the Barefoot Contessa‘s recipe, which can be made in huge batches and frozen and used when needed.
• Sandwiches. I love the simplicity of a sandwich that can also be a great mini-snack for your toddler. I generally make a classic staple like peanut or almond butter with a low-sugar jelly on whole wheat bread and then cut it up into four squares. You can also make cheese sandwiches, tuna fish, and turkey sandwiches – depending on what your toddler likes.
• Dried fruit. I love how quick dried fruit is. Although they can be calorie dense dried fruit is a great source of fiber and an ideal quick snack that involves no prep work. My toddler loves dried apples, figs, papaya, mango, etc. I also give her fruit leather by Stretch Island Fruit Co. such as their autumn apple, orchard cherry and harvest grape. This is the ultimate quick snack that is also made of from fruit purees.
• Dried peas. Veggies can be a hit or miss in my house. Although not a veggie in its purest form my daughter really loves Snapea Crisps, which are essentially baked peas. I find this to be a great snack and an excellent alternative to chips or puffs.
• Pita and hummus. Hummus is a fun way for your little one to try new flavors and get some protein. My daughter sometimes just eats the pita bread – so this can be a hit or miss snack.
• Avocado. A great source of healthy fats, I like to serve cut up avocado on the side with dinner.
• Frozen peas. A staple in our house when my daughter was teething that is now also one of her favorite side dishes.
• Veggies. Rather than harp on what veggies my daughter won’t eat (broccoli and spinach), I try to focus on what she likes. For her that is peppers (any kind), string beans and sometimes cut up pieces of salad. I also sometimes add a veggie-based green powder to her water or juice.
• Fresh fruit. There is nothing like fresh fruit. Some staples I try to have at home include: apples, pears, berries (raspberries, blueberries and blackberries), banana, watermelon, cantaloupe and mangos.
• Tofu. This is great to sauté with some sesame oil, soy sauce and tamari. I suggest using extra firm tofu so the pieces stay chunky and don’t fall apart.
• Sweet potato. A great source of vitamin C, we love placing cut up pieces of sweet potato on a cookie sheet with olive oil and a teensy bit of salt to make homemade and healthy sweet potato fries.
• Yogurt. Another great no-prep option, yogurt is ideal for outings. Try to avoid brands that are high in sugar. (See our post here about yogurts with lower sugar).
• Breakfast ideas. Small bits of whole-wheat pancakes, waffles or French toast (minus the maple syrup- too messy!) are fun options for breakfast. You can also add some fruit for an extra dose of fiber. Other options for breakfast include cold cereals, oatmeal with flax seeds and cinnamon, small bites of a bagel with cream cheese or peanut butter, or scrambled eggs with cheese.
• Veggie burgers. I love Dr. Praeger’s line of veggie burgers and vegetable patties. They cook very quickly and since they are very soft your little one can easy chew and handle these healthy snacks.
• Soup. Soup is an excellent way to pack in tons of nutrients as well as have a light lunch option that will last for a few days. Minestrone soup is great and contains a rich source of protein from the beans and the pasta as well as a combination of cut-up veggies. Other options a baby or toddler might like are lentil soup and purees like butternut squash and pumpkin soup.
• Cheerios or Happy Baby puffs. These o-shaped puffs do seem to be standard favorites.
• Pasta. I particularly like the fusilli or bowtie pasta: they are easy to grasp and have fun shapes.
• Grains: Try quinoa, millet, barley. All great for your child and have such different textures than most of the above suggestions.

A Child Grows, 2011. | Permalink | 2 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: easy finger foods, fast finger foods, finger food for babies, finger foods, finger foods for children, finger foods for kids, healthy food for babies, healthy food for toddlers, quick finger foods, snack ideas

Last winter I was sent these new multi-vitamins with fish oil by SmartyPants. Investigation is what I love to do and so on a freezing February day, I hunkered down with the SmartyPants multis, my own vitamin bottles, the internet and some tea (fortification). For four years I have been feeding my children both a Nordic Berries Multi and a spoonful of Nordic fish oil every morning. I felt good about that brand and its quality control. However, my youngest was rejecting the fish oil taste even when I hid it in yogurt.  In addition, it was pricey to buy both supplements (and I’m not even going to mention the sticky fish oil bottle).  Suffice to say, that I was interested in trying something new. And that meant checking into this gummy vitamin that had both the multi and fish oil combined in one yummy looking gumdrop.

The upshot of my research:

• SmartyPants has HALF the amount of sugar, calories, carbohydrates and sodium and  MORE Fish Oil and Om-3 Fatty Acids than the combination of both the Nordics.
• They are HALF the price of buying both Nordics and even better: for every bottle you buy, the company makes a 1 for 1 matching nutrient grant to a child in need (and mothers to be) through their partnership with Vitamin Angels.
• Just like Nordic, their fish source is 3rd party tested to ensure no heavy metals are in their vitamins.
• And for the taste? They are super good. So good that no one forgets to ask for them at breakfast.

All in all, I converted us over to SmartyPants and I’m happy to report that 4 months later, no one has tired of the taste.  I eat the adult dosage of 6 a day and believe me, each of those 6 are savored. (I should also admit I am on Weight Watchers, so they are truly my turkish delight).

Deal for our readers:
Buy SP before June 1 and not only we will they make their matching grant for children in need, but you will get 15% 20% off when you buy direct with ACHILD20.

For more info on SmartyPants Vitamins or to buy some, you can go here.

More from others:

A Child Grows, 2011. | Permalink | 3 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: all in one vitamin, best fish oil, best fish oil for kids, best tasting kids vitamin, gummy vitamins, inexpensive, mineral supplement, multi-vitamin, multivitamin for kids, multivitamin with fish oil, review of vitamins, reviewed multivitamin, smarty pants, smartypant, smartypants, supplement, vitamin for child, vitamins