With no tertiary education or previous business experience, Annette has turned the triumph over her own weight loss and health struggles into a multi-million dollar business and to date has sold nearly 3 million cookbooks all self-published. Having successfully remained in her healthy weight range for over 18 years now using her low-fat recipes and healthy lifestyle, she truly ‘walks the walk and talks the talk’ to show others that they can stop fad dieting, beat the battle of the bulge and lose weight the healthy “Symply Too Good To Be True” way.

All of Annette’s six best-selling, healthy low-fat cookbooks have met the strict guidelines to be endorsed by Diabetes Australia. Her cookbooks are often recommended by dietitians and health professionals throughout Australia to help manage diabetes, cholesterol, heart health, and weight issues.  

Annette is a mentor to those wanting to lose weight, adopt a healthier lifestyle or succeed in a competitive business world. As one of Australia’s most prominent small business entrepreneurs and weight loss and health gurus, Annette inspires others through the story of her own journey. With a genuine desire to see people’s lives transformed, Annette takes people step-by-step into ‘her world’ and offers practical tips, delicious recipes, nutritional advice, weight loss motivation and the secrets to her success. 

We are so blessed to have her with us! 

Each week we will be featuring a recipe and fun facts about healthy eating habits.  We will also have fun information and recipes for the kids.  For more information about Annette’s cookbooks, visit her at- www.SymplyTooGood.com.

Stay tuned for more upcoming announcements and new contributors!

If you love to cook for your family like I do then it’s worth checking out some of these SmartGadgets from Copco.  I just got the Scraping Wisk (works better than any other wisk I’ve had and we made playdough yesterday with it – recipe at bottom) and Bag Caps which will keep my mini marshmallows nice and mellow instead of hardening into mini weapons.

Lastly, as a new parent, I have hung my tool belt on a hook a little higher these days, and being a perfectionist I have to say I’m always a little hesitant to hire out for projects I used to do myself.  I have started using the Superpages search engine because its local, but mainly because its the only one that offers the Supergarantee program which basically guarantees that if the job isn’t done right, Superpages will make it right.  I’m thinking that to qualify for their program most contractors have to pass some fairly stringent standards since I’ve always been pleased the first go round, but since it’s a 100% free program, it just makes me feel a little better….

Mom’s PlayDough Recipe:

1 Cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup salt

1 Tblsp. oil

1 cup water

1 small package kool-aid (for great color and smell)

Mix all ingredients in a saucepan.  Cook over med Heat, stirring constantly until you can no longer stir (this is where I swithed from the scraper wisk to a spoon)  It will look like a clumpy mess!  Turn out on counter top and let cool enough to handle.  Knead into a smooth ball and store in an airtight container.

Enjoy!

~Evan Farmer

Ps – Sorry I wasn’t able to load pics or hyperlinks – On the road with my ipad….

This summer, I settled on a healthy snack for my daughter that pairs fruit, yogurt and even a little whipped cream sweetness for her after lunch treat.  Every couple of weeks I make a trip to Trader Joe’s where we have fallen in love with their fantastic tubs of organic yogurt.  They have a variety of flavors like strawberry, banilla (banana- vanilla), vanilla and plain.  Her favorite flavor is strawberry, so to make it a little more exciting and add in an extra serving of fruit, I cut up some fresh organic strawberries (our local Target has been selling them for $2.49 a container, which is better than the price of regular strawberries) and add them to her yogurt.  Now that is definitely a perfect afternoon (or after school) treat and complete in and of itself.

To give it a little extra pizazz, I add some whipped cream to make it a healthy, fun dessert.  Not just any whipped cream will do (like I said, I am still a stickler for healthy alternatives).  Our favorite whipped cream is Vermont’s own Cabot premium whipped cream.  Free of all chemicals, artificial anything, and preservatives, Cabot is the best natural whipped cream there is. 

What better way to get your kids to eat a fun, healthy, and fruit filled snack that is also natural and organic too! 

Have thoughts?

 We would love to hear from you!  Send us your healthy snack ideas, and we may feature you in our upcoming healthy kids section, featuring Australian cookbook author and speaker- Annette Sym.

**Part of our goal with this site is to educate parents about things we have learned, experienced or been educated about with regards to our children, our families and our health.  I reference high fructose corn syrup and how I don’t allow it in our home.  Aside from the affect it has on the development of our children’s brain function,  I recently read this article, and want to share it with you.

~In health,

Tara

Alas, not all products are equal in this department.  I’ll start with the one I do recommend, which happens to be the second one I tried.  This “Lid-Lok” by Mommy’s Helper is very simple to install, and works very well. It requires no tools so that with a couple of adjustments and clicks, you can both: install it, and you can just as easily remove it completely to take it with you when you travel, a feature I love.  It does require educating your adult friends a bit so you don’t leave them stranded at 3 am, blurry eyed, considering the sink or tub as an alternate option, but once you see how it works, it could not be simpler or easier to use.  Lift up on the latch (on both sides – this is key) and down with the lock, done.   You do need to remember to re-fasten it once you’re done though! Click here: Lid Lock, to purchase from Amazon.com (I do not receive kickbacks – just where I get my baby swag)

Now for the product I 100% do not recommend.  It happens to be made by the company Safety First who does offer some other great products, just not this one.  I bought this product since it promised to be versatile with traveling, and so dummy proof – even I could operate it at 3 am.  It also looks cool – like a flying buttress off a Cathedral in Rome…Hey – any thing that makes a toilet sexy or spiritual seems like a good idea right?  Wrong!  First of all – It’s design has two major flaws:  1) The suction cups don’t work for very long when they work at all.  It requires regular cleaning with rubbing alcohol to just to get them to stick, and even then, you’re battling toilet bowl condensation.  What happens ultimately, is that it falls off at random, rendering it not only useless, but dangerous since the parent assumes the seat is locked but is not.   There’s only one thing more dangerous than not baby proofing something, and that’s using a product you THINK is working when it’s not!

2) The second major problem lies in the very thing that attracted me to it initially: it looks cool.  With in minutes of seeing it for the first time – my son also decided it was very cool and he began trying to rip it off, probably with the intent of storing it alongside the remote control which we still can’t find.  In the name of science, and the hope that this may lead to the remote control, I let him go at it, while I carefully supervised.  The first few tugs he didn’t succeed in removing it but he did slip in the tugging process and nearly cracked his head on the sink plumbing (hence the supervision).  After only a few tries more, he had it dislodged completely and had tossed it into the tub.  Even he disapproved and didn’t find it worth hiding….darn!  This, in my humble opinion, is not safe AT ALL, and to some degree is fairly dangerous if it manages to give you a false sense of security, which it managed to do for me for a few days… Now it’s been recycled to plastic heaven.

Analysis – stick with the Mommy’s Helper Lid-Lok and rest a little easier…. After all, no loving parent truly rests!

~Evan

• Limit food waste- use perishable items before they spoil and save leftovers for another meal.  If we reduced the amount of food waste by 25 grams per day (the equivalent weight of a slice of bread) we would save 20 lbs. of food annually which is equal to 16 meals!
• Microwave and limit your oven’s preheat setting- Microwaves are 3.5 to 4.8% more energy efficient to use than an electric oven and the cost to cook an item in a microwave is 4.8% less than a standard oven.  If cooking an item in the oven for over an hour, there is no need to preheat the oven.  If you reduce the time your oven is on by one hour per year, you’ll save an average of 2 kilowatt- hours of energy.  If 30% of the households in America did this, we would save 60 million kilowatt hours of energy a year!
• Stove- use the right size pot on your stove burners it can save you $36 annually for an electric stove and $18 for a gas range…who would have thought?

These are just some of the ways you can make minor changes in your kitchen which will both reduce the amount of energy you consume and cut down on your out of pocket expenses.  For more helpful tips like these, check out- ReadtheGreenBook.com.

*If every household in America used the tip about reducing food waste, the savings would provide three meals per day for an entire year to the 1.35 million children who are homeless in the U.S.!

I have come up with some practical solutions for making my monthly budget work on a fixed amount of $950.  This may seem like a lot of money to spend on food, but with a toddler and two boys (one teenager), I get a lot of bang for my buck (and I know my kids are eating healthy foods)!  I also force myself to stay within a certain dollar amount which is helpful if I decide to indulge on something or if I come across great deals at the store.

Here are some of the ways I plan my food budget each month:

A few days prior to the beginning of the month I spend some time looking through my cookbooks for recipes I will want to fix sometime during the month; this way if it calls for a specific ingredient, I have planned for the item in my budget.  In the past I have attempted to create a weekly menu, but what I have found is that it often doesn’t work out the way I plan it, either because the kids have something going on or I don’t want a specific meal the night I thought I would make it (nothing like planning chicken on a night you really want pizza). 

The first trip I make is to a wholesale store like Costco, Sam’s or BJ’s.  I know I will use bulk items like Capri Sun or chips for the kid’s lunches, so I start by stocking up on the items I know I am going to need for the entire month. 

*Cost saving tip- most wholesale clubs offer their own coupons each month.  Spend some time going through the booklet for items you use frequently and budget to allow for the items with the added benefit of a coupon.  Make sure you check the expiration date, because sometimes they offer better coupons, but for a shorter period of time.

Once I’ve stocked up for the month on the everyday items I know I am going to need, I look through each store’s weekly ad.  Several times a month, certain stores will offer “stock up” deals where certain items may be priced- 10 for $10.  If it’s something I use regularly, I will purchase more of a quantity at the reduced price.  I will also watch the ads for the ingredients I use most like cheese or sour cream and buy the items at 2 for $4 instead of one at full price.

*Cost saving tip- often retailers will run sales at the same time manufacturers offer coupons in the weekend circular.  I can often get 2 for $4 deals with an additional $1 off coupon.

Most people think you can’t find coupons for organic or natural products, but that is no longer the case.  Many companies offer coupons through their web sites, or you can even find some on facebook or twitter.  It may require you to register for email notifications or by becoming a fan of their company, but it saves you money so what does it hurt?  Companies like Stoneyfield Farms for example, offer coupons via their site for download.  You can print them and after so many weeks, they are available for download again.  Watch the expiration dates because these often require you to purchase the item in a shorter amount of time.

*Tip- some stores do not allow coupons printed off the internet so make sure you check with the store to find out whether they will accept the coupon.

Finally, the trick to being able to afford organic products over commercial ones is to know when to buy certain items in bulk when you find them on sale.  For example, I used to find organic strawberries on sale at Target; they would run them 2 for $5.  You can bet when I found them at that price I stocked up (the average price for a package of organic strawberries is $3.99 or more).  I use as many of the strawberries as I can while they are fresh and then I freeze the rest.  I also know that my son loves Cascadian Farms granola bars which usually have a coupon on the package for a $1 off of 2.  Since he eats them in his lunch every day, buying two packages and using the coupon makes sense.  This is another great reason to set aside a fixed amount of money so when you come across these deals you can take full advantage of them!

I know a lot of people believe they can’t afford to eat natural and organic foods, but if you do some research, buy things when they’re on sale, and set aside a fixed amount of money each month to budget for groceries, you will find you waste less, eat healthier and spend less money on the items you purchase.

Happy shopping!

~Tara

REVIEW CHOKING RESCUE & CPR ANYTIME ANYWHERE!

For those who have kept up with this blog, you already know how passionate I am about every parent and child care-giver taking a certified cpr/first aid class.  Well, the first thought that went through my mind after going through the training was, “OK, I’m sure I’ll forget half of this in a few months….what then???”  Yes, the obvious answer would be to review my notes, grab a buddy and practice pulse taking, etc….  Let’s be real, most of us go back to our normal lives praying: 1) that we’ll never have to use what we’ve learned and 2) that we remember the steps if and when we need it most…

Well, now there’s an alternative to praying.  It’s a little stuffed bear that comes pre-programmed with audible reviews of CPR & Choking rescue techniques that are triggered by squeezing either paw (Left Paw for infants and Right Paw for toddlers) and by pressing the bear’s heart for CPR review.  Before I continue I do have to say that my first reaction to the bear was:

“Oh no – I really hope people don’t buy this thing instead of taking the class and plan on using it during a real emergency!”

To this end, the manufacturer does offer this warning:

Trainikins, Inc.^TM recommends that all parents, babysitters, and other child care providers take a complete CPR and First Aid course for Adult, Child, and Infant rescue taught by a certified instructor. CPR Teddy^TM manikins are intended to assist in practicing skills already acquired, and are not meant to be used in an actual rescue.

And this is about the only negative to this bear that I could find, since there’s no way to actually stop someone from ignoring this warning…  The reason the actual class is so critical lies in the actual hands on muscle memory you can only acquire in a setting with dummies and with a trained professional critiquing you.  For instance, in my class, I had a tendency to not push hard enough on chest compressions and the teacher came over, stopped me, looked me right in the eye, and said – “This baby just died,” and explained that to be effective you need stern pressure….but not too much!  That shook me up, and I spent the next 1/2 hour getting it just right.  No bear can do that.  The only thing worse than not being prepared at all is the false confidence that you are!

With that said, this product serves a much-needed purpose as I mentioned earlier: to review procedures from a certification class anytime and anywhere – hopefully bridging the gap between annual retraining certifications.  It also comes with a Training DVD “Infant Child CPR & Choking Rescue” which I found to be very thorough, though the same warning above applies. 

The video also gives great tips on childproofing your car and home (I had never thought about my car until I watched the video!)

But here’s what I didn’t expect – My son loves to play with it.  Unintentionally, I’ve heard the Choking and CPR reviews at least 20 times today while he pressed each paw just to make the bear talk.  If your currently a parent who’s child has a toy that plays a song or talks, you, like me I’m sure, have at some point caught yourself singing or repeating the annoying toy sounds throughout the day.  That’s repetition for ya.  The bear now has me counting out ~in perfect time~ chest compressions, and I know exactly when it will say, “Now call 911.” It’s officially ingrained into my head via the old parent standby: “The Obnoxious-Audible-Toy-Repetition” method….  Except this one is a life saver so I really don’t mind…

With a Velcro loop attachment that allows you to attach the bear to a stroller, diaper bag, car seat…anything really, I’ve also found that it’s a great conversation starter.  It turns out a lot of people wish they knew how to do CPR and are curious enough to listen to a bear tell them (at which point I launch into my “This is not substitute for Physical Practice” speech).  But the awareness alone is a benefit worth considering for the price of about $40.00!

I HIGHLY recommend the CPR Teddy, Jr to everyone who spends any time around children and who has already taken, or is about to take the CPR/First Aid Certification course (click here to find locations near you!).  It would make an ideal baby shower, or child’s first birthday gift for example – especially if paired with a gift certificate to a certification course like those held by the Red Cross in every city.

If you have any further questions Lauren will be happy to answer them by emailing her at: info@rovisandthebean.com

To Order The CPR Teddy Jr click here: CPRTeddy

…and for a limited time, Lauren is offering $5.00 off your order: Just type bestparents in the space where it asks for a voucher or coupon code!

Happy Parenting!

~Evan

This just in from Lauren:

“One more thing…just so you are aware, the big bear (which is the pic you put on the blog) is the bear that tells you if you are doing the compressions correctly.  There is a light in the bow tie, so when you see the green light, you are doing it correctly and when you see the red light, it is incorrect.”  (they are $80.00 each)

Filed under: Baby, Children, Consumer Value, Evan Farmer, Health, Uncategorized Tagged: child, Children, choking, CPR, CPR Teddy Jr., Evan Farmer, parenting, parents, Red Cross ]]> http://bestproductsforparents.wordpress.com/2010/02/28/this-little-bear-went-and-saved-your-childs-life/feed/ 2 bestproductsforparents CPR Teddy dvd http://bestproductsforparents.wordpress.com/2010/02/18/national-spokesmom-and-parenting-author-tara-paterson-promotes-healthy-living-for-kids-and-families/ http://bestproductsforparents.wordpress.com/2010/02/18/national-spokesmom-and-parenting-author-tara-paterson-promotes-healthy-living-for-kids-and-families/#comments Thu, 18 Feb 2010 18:03:29 +0000 bestproductsforparents http://bestproductsforparents.com/?p=186 ]]> How You and Your Family Can Live a Holistic Lifestyle

February 2010 – Award winning co-author of the book Raising Intuitive Children and founder of the internationally recognized Mom’s Choice Awards®, Tara Paterson, has settled into her long time passion of being an advocate for healthier living for children and families. 

Paterson, a mom of four, believes that living a natural and organic lifestyle is vitally important for the health of our children today as well as adults. “Children are far more susceptible to environmental toxins than adults for a variety of reasons, including differential intake capacities, behavioral patterns, and different absorption, metabolism, and excretion levels than adults. Additives in food have been proven to affect brain and behavior which can lead to hyperactivity and attention issues.” (from Raising Intuitive Children, New Page Books, 2009)

Passionate about her mission to educate people about the use of holistic products and living healthier lifestyles, Paterson is taking her media experience to the road.  As a TV spokesperson with over 40 interviews under her belt nationwide (including News Channel 8 in DC, an ABC affiliate), she is available for interview as a parent expert on the topic of “Healthy Living for Families.”

“It’s been such a privilege to work with Tara!  She’s been to our studio multiple times. When Tara comes she brings lots of energy with her and loads of knowledge in the world of parenting.  Our viewers love having her on the show and can relate to every topic she shares.  She’s a great educator and truly believes in her mission, Touch Each Moms Life, One Mom At a Time!”- Andrea Shaner, FOX 17 Morning Segment Producer in Grand Rapids, MI

Contact: parentcoach@justformom.com for more information.

Each month, Evan and I will be appearing on different morning shows throughout the country where we will reference the products we have selected for the month.  If you are interested in submitting your company’s product or you want to recommend your favorite product for consideration, feel free to contact us here!

To see today’s segment, click here!

~Tara

What I have noticed the most about making the switch from chemical to chemical- free cleaning supplies is the difference in how they make me feel.  I no longer experience scratchiness in my throat, a burning sensation in my eyes or nose, and like the commercial says- I don’t have to hold my breath while I am cleaning.  The scariest part however, is that these are the effects we are physically aware of, nevermind the chemicals left behind that we continue to breathe in and aren’t aware of.  

Some of the other products I use and highly recommend is their dish soap, which doesn’t leave my hands as dry as most of the others, and their laundry soap.  I have very sensitive skin, as do my children, and I have found that their laundry soap, which is free of petroleum based products, has made a huge difference in the amount of skin rashes or irritations we’ve had in our house.

*Fact- Did you know if every household in the U.S. replaced just one bottle of 100 oz. 2x ultra petroleum- based liquid laundry detergent with a Seventh Generation 100 oz. 2x ultra plant-derived product, we could save 466,000 barrels of oil enough to heat and cool 26,800 U.S. homes for a year!  Whoaaaa…(this fact is brought to you by Seventh Generation)

When my oldest daughter was a baby, I started buying their chlorine free diapers and wipes, and have continued to do so with our one year old.  There is a HUGE difference in that we rarely (if ever) have any issues with diaper rash.  In fact, when I have run out of diapers and had to grab whatever was close by, we’ve seen diaper irritation almost immediately (come on Target, you used to carry them… what happened?)

Obviously, I can’t say enough about how much I like and believe in these products.  Here’s some more information about Seventh Generation and how they are on a mission to impact our planet and future generations:

Seventh Generation is committed to becoming the world’s most trusted brand of authentic, safe, and environmentally-responsible products for a healthy home. For 20 years, the closely held Burlington, Vermont-based company has been at the forefront of a cultural change in consumer behavior and business ethics.

The company derives its name from the Great Law of the Iroquois that states, “In our every deliberation, we must consider the impact of our decisions on the next seven generations.” Every time you use a Seventh Generation product you are making a difference by saving natural resources, reducing pollution, keeping toxic chemicals out of the environment and making the world a safer place for this and the next seven generations.

And lastly, you can join Seventh Generation in their million baby crawl, an effort to demand policy change in Washington D.C. to say “no” to toxic chemicals found in our homes.

Finally a company we can trust to look out for our well being.  Get behind the movement and support Seventh Generation; our children and their future depends on it!

~ proud to be socially conscious,

Tara