Even though I enjoy cooking meals for my family, it’s always nice to have someone else, like my husband, doing the cooking once in a while. When my husband cooks I request that he makes quiche and butternut squash soup, since those are his specialties. My 3-year-old son also likes to ‘cook’ but his plastic play food or imaginary food just is not very filling!

Mother’s Day, which is on May 12, is a good time to cook for mom. There’s always the option of going out to eat but we have a lot of tasty recipes that are easy to make and easy on the pocketbook on our Spend Smart. Eat Smart website to try. Here are a few ideas:

And for a sweet treat for mom, make Fruit Pizza!

Tip: If you’re a mom, make a copy of this blog and strategically place it for your family to see to give them a hint!

A fruit salad, like our Frozen Fruit Cups, is great this time of year because berries are in season. I usually double or triple the Frozen Fruit Cup recipe, serve it for a meal, and freeze what is left in muffin cups. It tastes very fresh plus it’s low in calories.

The only thing tricky about this recipe is remembering when to get it out of the freezer. You want it to be slightly frozen when you serve it.

Frozen Fruit Cups

Serving Size:  ½ cup | Servings:  6

Ingredients

2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced

1 medium to large banana, sliced (about 6 ounces)

2 kiwi, sliced

2 teaspoons sugar

Directions

1. Mix strawberries with sugar in a bowl. Let sit 20-30 minutes while strawberries make juice.

2. Peel and slice banana and kiwi, add to strawberries.

3. Scoop ½ cup of the mixture into each of six muffin cups lined with paper.

4. Freeze. Remove from freezer about 20-30 minutes before serving.

Tips:

• 2 cups sliced frozen strawberries can be used and may be less expensive in the winter.
• Freeze ahead. Store fruit cups in a plastic freezer container.  They will keep several weeks in the freezer.
• Use other fruits your family enjoys such as mango or melon.
• Fruit cups can be made in small cups, custard cups, or small bowls.

In addition to the ‘car’ carts, one of the stores also has little carts that the kids can push. I’m not so sure about this idea as a parent. Let’s just say I’ve held my breath a few times hoping that all of the cans he ran into would not fall. Only a few cans have fallen so far! I’ve also had a few bruises on the back of my legs where he ran into me. I’m usually frantically trying to make sure he doesn’t hit anyone else. Thankfully he hasn’t run into anyone else yet! And lastly, when he is pushing his own cart, and not confined to the child seat in the larger cart, he can grab lots of stuff off the shelves! Funny thing was the other day Parker informed me, “Dad doesn’t let me drive the little cart when I go shopping with him.” Imagine that!

Sometimes I do make it to the store without taking Parker, but that isn’t always possible. And he needs to learn how to act while in a store. In addition, grocery stores can be great places to teach kids. They are a place to learn about good nutrition but kids can also learn about numbers, colors, and shapes.  The University of Maine Cooperative Extension has a great publication on shopping with children. Here are some of the tips they share.

1. Plan to go to the store with your child when you have plenty of time and the store is not crowded.
2. Plan shopping trips when your child is not tired or hungry. Or bring a nutritious snack for him to eat during the shopping trip.
3. Discuss your rules before you enter a store. Remind your child to stay close to you. Also, set ground rules about what is acceptable to put in the cart. Discussing acceptable behavior before going into the store can save a lot of headache later on.
4. Give your child a job. For example, ask her to help pick out five oranges or three tomatoes. Or let her choose if you get apples or pears. Kids who help pick out fruits and vegetables are more likely to eat them. Older children may like to hold onto the grocery list and cross off the items as you put them in the cart.
5. Set positive limits. When your child does something you do not want him to do, instead of reacting with a negative limit, such as “don’t throw the oranges on the floor,” tell your child what is expected in a positive way, such as “Keep the oranges in the bin.”
6. Make the shopping trip a learning experience. Keep kids entertained by asking them questions and having them searching for items. Teach toddlers about touch by asking how different items feel, like the skin of an apple or if the milk is warm or cold.  Teach preschoolers about colors by asking them to point out items of different colors like the green peas or the cereal in the yellow box. Have school-age children look at the labels and compare items based on nutrition.

What tips do you have for making grocery shopping trips enjoyable for both kids and parents?

But does healthier mean more money? Not necessarily! It’s all about being a smart and creative shopper. Here are some examples for classroom snacks:

Classroom Snacks – 24 children

Your Child’s Birthday Classroom Party – 24 children

Other ideas to get the most nutritional “bang for your buck:”

What do you bring when it’s your turn? Please pass along your ideas…

Additional Resources

• Kid-Friendly Fruits and Vegetables
• Make Celebrations Fun, Healthy and Active

Guest Blogger, Carrie Scheidel

We recently signed up our 4-year-old daughter for dance class. At the end of her first class she had the biggest smile on her face and I could tell she had fun. Then the teacher said, “Wait –everyone gets a piece of candy for doing such a great job!” A piece of candy for dancing? She got two tootsie rolls and since my younger daughter was with, I told her that she had to give one to her. This resulted in her crying all the way home over candy, when we could have been talking about much fun she had at dance. The teacher may have thought that candy added excitement to her class, but it really took away from the fact that the girls just had a great time dancing!

I realize some may say it’s just a piece of candy. However, it’s not just a piece of candy. Children are being exposed to treats all the time: snacks provided at preschool by parents, lollipops at the local bank, sports drinks after soccer, candy at daycare for behavioral rewards, classroom parties, ice cream parties for reaching a class goal, free samples at the grocery store, and the list goes on and on. And this is on top of the treats that parents provide at home.

It has gotten to the point that snacks are considered treats. And it’s hard not to think this way. Treats tend to be provided with much more excitement and star appeal. Have you looked at the “snack food” aisle at a grocery store lately? There are not very many healthy options. Have you seen the different kinds of fruit snacks (a.k.a. glorified gummy bears)? They take up a good portion of the aisle and almost every cartoon character has its own box! And the number of Pop Tart flavors available is breathtaking.

Children need snacks throughout the day; this goes for adults too! However, it’s all about the kinds of snacks that we consume and provide for our children. When thinking of what snacks to have available, think of what you would serve during a meal, as snacks should be just as nutritious, just in smaller portions. It really comes down to the food groups: fruits, vegetables, lean protein, low-fat dairy, and whole grains. Take the guesswork out of what snacks to have around and you will be surprised at the choices your children make when you make choosing healthy foods the easy choice.

Some tips:

• Make snacks available to them at their level. Is your fruit bowl on the top of your counter?  Younger children cannot see the bowl, let alone reach it to make it a selection.
• Have a plastic bin in your fridge towards the bottom full of snacks that are ready to eat, such as cheese sticks, yogurt tubes, reusable drinking containers filled with milk or water, sliced apples, oranges (cut in “smiles”), fruit cups, small bags of baby carrots, cooked noodles, small sandwiches, etc.
• Choose whole-grain items. There are more and more of these available each week, it seems.
• Move less healthy snack options to a higher shelf so they are less tempting and eventually just remove them from your home and save them for road trips or special occasions.
• Avoid pre-portioned snacks, as you are often paying for the packaging (not additional food). You can portion out servings at home in resealable snack bags that your children can decorate with stickers to get them involved in the process.
• Take your children with you to the grocery store. By allowing them to a part of the selection process within certain parameters it provides them ownership for the snacks that are available at home.

Additional Resources

• Snack Tips for Parents
• Cut Back on Your Kid’s Sweet Treats Tip Sheet

How do you handle snacks at your house? Do you have ideas to share?

Guest Blogger, Carrie Scheidel

Many of the ways we recycle, reuse, and reduce to save energy can also save us money.  While I don’t think of myself as an extreme recycler, I found that I already do many of the suggestions in the two articles below.  Check them out—you might get an idea that will save you some pennies and reduce your energy use:

Save Green and Go Green in the Kitchen is a list from the Canned Food Alliance and 8 Ways to Go Green in Your Kitchen is from WedMD.

I see people using reusable grocery bags frequently when I shop. Just last week I went to a grocery store in Maryland with a friend. At the stores she shops at you have to pay for plastic or paper sacks, but if you bring your own, you get a discount of 5 to 10 cents. Most people brought sacks with them.

My concern about reusable bags is food safety. Researchers at University of Arizona and Loma Linda University asked shoppers going into grocery stores if they washed those reusable bags.  97% reported they do not regularly, if ever, wash the bags.  In addition 75% said they don’t use separate bags for meats and for vegetables, and about a third said they used the bags for carrying and storing all sorts of things like books, clothes, shoes, etc.

The researchers tested 84 of the bags for bacteria and found bacteria in all the bags except for one. The good news is that machine or hand washing reduced bacteria levels to almost nothing.

It’s a good idea to designate a bag for meat and poultry.  When meat or poultry juices touch food that will not be cooked such as fruits and vegetables, you have the potential for cross contamination and foodborne illness. Any type of reusable grocery bag should be hand or machine washed in warm to hot, soapy water at least once a week, and always after a spill. This will keep them clean and reduce the risk of cross contamination.

The reusable bags I have are made from fabric which doesn’t hold up well to washing.  I found this tutorial for making grocery bags from pillowcases, which looks easy.  Ali Conners, the tutorial author, says you can “admire your handiwork, frugality, and earth consciousness while being the most stylish lady at the grocery store.”  The bags use a double thickness of the pillowcase fabric and the handles are made from the pillowcase hem.  I made one from an old pillowcase (see the light green striped bag below.)  Ali says it takes her about 10 minutes.  My first one took about 45 minutes but it will be much faster next time.  I found the turquoise pillow cases on clearance.  They cost $2.35 for both cases and the little pouch.  I think the darker color will be better and the design is more fun than the pastel green stripes.

Happy Recyling,

When I make this meatloaf I use 85% lean ground beef to save money. First, cover a cooling rack with foil. Then poke holes in the foil to allow the fat from the ground beef to drain. Then place cooling rack on top or inside of a cake or jelly roll pan. After the meatloaf is formed, place it on the foil covered cooling rack. If you are using a 90% or 95% lean ground beef there isn’t much fat to drain so you can use any baking dish you like.  You could also make the meatloaf with ground pork or ground turkey. Be sure to use a thermometer to make sure it is done.  The minimum internal cooking temperature for ground pork and beef is 160 degrees and  ground turkey should be cooked to 165 degrees.

I think one of the reasons I like this meatloaf is because of the sweet topping. We were careful to use a small amount of sugar. Since I am heating the oven when I make this meatloaf, I try to include baked potatoes or sweet potato fries in my menu.

Mouth Watering Meatloaf

Servings: 6 | Serving Size: 1/6 of loaf | Per Serving: $.88

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground beef
• ½ onion, chopped (about ½ cup)
• 1 cup grated carrots (about 2 carrots)
• ½ cup dry quick oats
• ¼ cup nonfat milk
• 1 egg
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup ketchup, divided (¼ cup in meatloaf and ¼ cup in sauce)

Sauce:
2 tablespoons brown sugar or white sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Mix together the ground beef, onion, carrots, oats, milk, egg, black pepper, salt, and ¼ cup ketchup.
3. Form the mixture into a loaf and place on broiler pan.*
4. Bake for 50 minutes.
5. Stir the remaining ¼ cup ketchup and sugar in a small bowl.
6. Remove meatloaf from oven and spread the sauce over the top and sides of meatloaf.
7. Bake for an additional 10 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 160°F.

* You can make a broiler pan by laying a wire cooling rack on top of a jellyroll pan or cake pan. Cover with aluminum foil. Poke holes in the aluminum foil so the meat juice can drain.

If your refrigerator needs to be cleaned and organized, check out the step by step guide How to Clean and Organize Your Refrigerator.

If you are not ready to tackle this job, here are a few quick tips to properly store food in your refrigerator.

• Make sure your refrigerator temperature is  40°F or slightly below and your freezer is 0°F or below. Higher temperatures mean faster food spoilage.
• Air circulates constantly in a refrigerator and foods dry out quickly. Everything needs to be wrapped in foil, plastic, or put in airtight containers. Moisture- and vapor-proof materials are best.
• Perishables like dairy, eggs, and meat should be kept in the coldest part of the refrigerator (not the door). Fresh meat should be in a drawer or in a container on a bottom shelf so juices do not drip on other foods.
• Identify a spot for leftovers and label them. Make a plan to use them. If you know you will not use them within four days, freeze them or throw them away.
• Wipe up spills in the refrigerator when they happen to prevent bacteria (germs) and odors from developing. Use hot soapy water to clean up any spill and rinse with clean water.

Deciding what needs to go and what is still okay to eat can be confusing when it comes to certain foods like spices and canned foods. And the different dates printed on food containers don’t help much. Some say “sell –by” others say “best if used by”. So if I buy or use the food after these dates, is it a food safety concern or will the food just not be as fresh? The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) does a good job explaining the dating on food containers. Something I learned while reading thru this information is that, except for infant formula, product dating is not generally required by federal regulations. Some states have requirements, while others have none. However, even though it isn’t required everywhere, many food manufacturers do put dates on their products. Below is what some of the dates mean:

• A “Sell-By” date tells the store how long to display the product for sale. You should buy the product before the date expires.
• A “Best if Used By (or Before)” date is recommended for best flavor or quality. It is not a purchase or safety date.
• A “Use-By” date is the last date recommended for the use of the product while at peak quality. The date has been determined by the manufacturer of the product.
• “Closed or coded dates” are packing numbers for use by the manufacturer.

These codes are used more for food quality, not food safety.  As far as safety is concerned, perishable foods like meat, poultry, dairy, and eggs are the most vulnerable. We recommend you eat food by the “use-by date”. Before I taught my husband, he thought you could use the ‘smell test’ to tell if something was safe to eat. However, you can’t see, smell, or taste bacteria that cause foodborne illnesses.  If you aren’t going to be able to use a food before the “use-by” date, freeze it.

For eggs, always purchase them before the “sell-by” date on the carton. When you get home, refrigerate the eggs in the coldest part of the refrigerator (on a shelf towards the back), in the original container. Use the eggs within 3 to 5 weeks of when you purchased them.

So what about canned goods and other non-perishable items? High-acid foods such as tomatoes will have the best quality if used within 12 to 18 months. Low-acid foods such as meat, fish, or vegetables will retain the best quality if used within 2-5 years. This is if the can remains in good condition and is stored in a cool, clean, dry place. Use the FIFO method to be sure to use up the oldest cans first. FIFO stands for first in, first out. So when putting away groceries, place the recently purchased items behind the existing food. Home-canned foods should be used within one year for best quality.

As far as ground spices and herbs, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics says they keep for about one year. One way to tell if they are fresh and will have good flavor is if when you open them you can smell their aroma. If you can’t, it’s time to replace (so it was time to get rid of my ground ginger!). Keep dried spices and herbs in a cool, dark, dry place.

As far as other staples like flour and sugar, check out the University of Nebraska Extension publication Peggy shared last week. It has great information on storing foods in the cupboard. The 4 Day Throw Away website and iPhone App can also help you decide what food you need to toss when cleaning out your pantry or refrigerator.

1. Clear off and clean your countertops.
2. Take everything out of the pantry including food storage containers and other junk that may have accumulated.
3. Working from the top shelf down, wash and dry the panty shelves including the corners or cracks, to remove crumbs and food particles.
4. Evaluate the places you store food.  Food stores best in cool dark spaces. Try to rearrange so that your food is kept in the cool dark spaces in your kitchen. Keep your pots, pans, utensils, and tableware in the cabinets near the oven, stove, hot pipes, or refrigerator exhaust.
5. Sort your food on the countertop by categories. The ones I used were canned soups and broths, canned fruits, canned vegetables, canned legumes, condiments (catsup, pickles, salad dressing, canned sauces, etc.), canned meat/fish, dried beans, and rice and pasta.
6. Find a place in the pantry for each category. Check the “used best by dates” on the food before putting them back on the shelves. Next week we will have tips on how to decide which foods should be discarded.  If you are ready to get started, check the University of Nebraska online publication, “Cleaning the Kitchen Cupboard: Toss or Save”.
7. Use the same principles as we talked about in The Basics of Kitchen Organization last week. Create centers, get rid of what you are not using, and use your prime space for the most used items.
8. Use bins and baskets for items like dry pudding mixes, sauce mixes, and bags of dry beans.
9. Before you quit for the day decide what you what to do with the items you removed from your shelves.

What did I gain from this exercise?

• Oil, vinegars, and syrups were moved from above the stove where it is warm to another cupboard.
• 4 bottles of balsamic vinegar were found?!? I think part of the problem was I could not see to the back of that cupboard.
• Expired can of cream soup that said “best used by” 4 years ago was found. The soup is probably safe but I decided not to chance it and threw it away.
• Canned goods were organized by putting multiples on the shelves and one of a kind on the shelves on the back of the door.
• Through this process I found some pizza crusts and rice noodles I forgot I had. Menus were made to use them next week.
• I do not need to buy canned tomatoes, black beans, or canned green beans for a while.

The picture to the right shows some of the things that I am removing from my kitchen:

• I am throwing away the old food.
• My niece who has a new apartment is going to check out if she needs any of my utensils or dishes.
• I am taking the rest to the Free Store which takes household items. They give them to families who are moving out of Children & Families of Iowa’s Domestic Violence Services. Most communities have a center to give away items you don’t need.

Doesn’t it feel good to help someone else AND have a kitchen which is easier to work in?