NEW YORK, January 3, 2013 -

Summary: Super Sprowtz – a children’s education and entertainment media program using vegetable puppet characters, books, animation, music videos, humor, video games, and apps to teach kids about healthy eating, fitness, and sustainability – is partnering with celebrity dads, actor Ethan Suplee and chef Todd English, to empower other fathers to make better choices for their children during meal times. This partnership is strengthened by a recent study produced by Duke University, which suggests that dad is just as influential, if not more, than mom in shaping their child’s diet.

For many of us as young children, we have long associated our dads with being the original superhero. He can do anything, fix anything, make anything, and be anything. Dad helps your with your homework, makes the best storytelling voices, sometimes lets you stay up past your bedtime, and almost always says yes after mom has said no. And for all the things dad is, there is one thing he is not, generally speaking anyways, and that that is good for your health.

After analyzing the eating-out habits of more than 300 families with children ages 9 to 11 or 13 to 15. Duke University researchers found that how often fathers ate in fast-food and in full-service restaurants dircectly correlates to how often their children eat in the same places. The study also indentified several factors relating to eating habits, including stress at work, father’s parenting style, and the amount of time spent in the car.

While the study does not delve into why these factors are causal, one can only assume it has roots in dads wanting to spend more time with their children. This study is a major wake up call for families across the nation. Whether you are running a single parent household or if both parents are at home, the proof is in the punch. Karen Ansel, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association, stated, “For years, we’ve heard that moms have the biggest impact on their kids’ food choices, but with mothers becoming more involved in the workplace and fathers’ roles becoming more involved in care-giving at home, it’s natural that kids will start to follow their father’s lead, too.”

Ethan and Todd can be seen in New York City taxi cabs for the next ten months in a series of Super Sprowtz PSAs addressing healthy eating, fatherhood, and making good food a family priority that is also fun.

For more information about Super Sprowtz as well as videos, event listings, recipes, games, activities, and more, visit www.SuperSprowtz.com. Contact Super Sprowtz, LLC., 33 Nassau Ave., Office 85, c/o The Yard, Brooklyn, NY, 11211; toll-free 1-800-818-4094; e-mail info (at) supersprowtz.com.

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Happy Holidays! Tis the season for hope, cheer, togetherness, and, for most of us, tighter pants! In an effort to keep you and yours off the naughty list this year, we’ve assembled eight yummy yuletide treats that will keep your snacking prospects bright. Click through the images below to get the recipes and then wow your guests with foods that are healthy, guilt-free, and FUN!

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Affiliate post by WhatToExpect.com

Your toddler is making strides at playing nice, helping out, and speaking coherently (you love the sound of “Mommy”!), and it’s important to encourage that development with the right fuel — i.e. plenty of healthy, kid-friendly foods. Toddlers are hardly hearty eaters and are rarely keen on trying new foods, so learn how to sneak in wholesome foods, tempt a picky palate, and teach healthy eating habits with these month-by-month tips on toddler eating and nutrition. Then visit the feeding your toddler section for even more advice.

One-Year-Old Toddler

12-Month-Old Toddler: Milk for Toddlers: Which Kind is Right 
Here’s how to figure out which kind of milk — whole or reduced-fat — to pour into your toddler’s sippy cup.

13-Month-Old Toddler: The Benefits of Fiber for Kids
Not only will fiber keep toddlers regular, it can help keep them slim and healthy too.

14-Month-Old Toddler: Toddler Eating Habits: A Few Golden Rules
Looking for ways to instill healthy lifelong eating habits in your toddler? Look no further. These golden rules will help you lay the groundwork.

15-Month-Old Toddler: Tips for Feeding Vegetarian Kids
Meat’s not on the menu for your little one? Not to worry. Toddlers can absolutely thrive on a vegetarian diet.

16-Month-Old Toddler: The Scoop on Soy Milk for Children 
Is soy milk good for your toddler? Here’s how it measures up, cup for cup, against cow’s milk.

17-Month-Old Toddler: Breakfast Ideas for Kids: Best Ways to Start the Day
These scrumptious (and healthy) breakfast ideas for kids can give your toddler a boost in the morning.

18-Month-Old Toddler: Calcium for Toddlers: Seven Surprising Sources
How to get your child to consume more calcium (hint: milk isn’t the only option!)

19-Month-Old Toddler: Iron and Toddlers: How to Make Sure Your Child Is Getting Enough
Could your child’s diet need more iron? How can you even tell? Here’s how to make sure your toddler is getting enough iron-rich foods.

20-Month-Old Toddler: Kids and Sugar: The Skinny on Sweets
Learn how to limit sugar and tame your toddler’s sweet tooth.

21-Month-Old Toddler: Cholesterol in Kids: When to Check It and What to Do
Why some toddlers have high cholesterol and what you can do to bring it back down.

22-Month-Old Toddler: Healthy Snacks for Kids: 23 Toddler-friendly Ideas
Is your tot too busy — or full — to eat much at mealtime? Healthy snacks help toddlers get the nutrients they need to grow big and strong.

23-Month-Old Toddler: Eight Double-Duty Healthy Foods for Toddlers 
When every bite counts, you want to serve your toddler healthy foods that cover a bunch of nutrition bases.

Two-Year-Old Toddler

24-Month-Old Toddler: Getting Kids to Eat Vegetables: Four Tried-and-True Tips
Does your toddler hate greens? Try these strategies for turning a veggie loather into a veggie lover.

25-Month-Old Toddler: Brain-Boosting Food for Kids
When it comes to nurturing your toddler’s noggin, mealtime is just as important as playtime. That’s why you’d be wise to stock your kitchen with these brain foods for kids.

26-Month-Old Toddler: Probiotics for Children: A Natural Way to Heal Tender Tummies
When it comes to diarrhea, you can use good bugs (probiotics for children) to help fight the bad ones.

27-Month-Old Toddler: Healthy Kid-Meal Makeovers
Is your child addicted to pancakes, ice cream, and pizza? Here are healthy twists on toddler favorites.

28-Month-Old Toddler: Fending Off Food Allergies in Children
Peanuts! And eggs! And wheat! Oh my! What you should know if your toddler is allergic.

29-Month-Old Toddler: The Best and Worst Drinks for Toddlers 
With so many types of beverages out there (sports drinks, energy drinks, juice drinks, flavored milk, and more), it can be hard to figure out which ones are healthy drinks and which ones your toddler can do without. This mini guide helps you sort it out.

30-Month-Old Toddler: Picky Toddler Food Jags: Easy Ways to Get Your Child Eating Again 
Your toddler may be finicky with his food, but at least you can count on a few fallback foods you know he’ll eat. What do you do, then, when your picky toddler won’t eat his usual favorite foods? Read on.

31-Month-Old Toddler: Is My Toddler Eating Enough?
It’s hard enough to get your toddler to sit still for meals, let alone keep track of how much he eats! But there are easy guidelines to help you figure out if your toddler is getting the nourishment he needs.

32-Month-Old Toddler: Kids Lunch Ideas: New Twists on Old Favorites
If lunchtime has become humdrum, it’s time to put the pizzazz into some old favorites.

33-Month-Old Toddler: Picky Eater Problems: Nine Tactics That’ll Tempt Your Toddler
If getting your toddler to try new foods seems about as likely as seeing Tom and Jerry make peace, don’t stress. There are some wily ways to entice your picky eater to try something new.

34-Month-Old Toddler: The Sippy Cup: Simple Ways to Switch to a Big-Kid Cup
Helping your tot give up the sippy cup and teaching him to drink from an open cup is an important — yet sometimes tricky — milestone. Here’s how to make it a little easier. Bottom’s up!

35-Month-Old Toddler: Fish for Toddlers: What a Catch!
Healthy fish is a deliciously lean source of protein that’ll have your toddler hooked!

For more great resources on pregnancy and parenting, visit WhatToExpect.com!

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The results are generally encouraging, showing a shift in diner preferences towards locally sourced foods, sustainability, and healthier children’s options.

“… Children’s nutrition remains a top priority for chefs and that they continue to put their creativity in healthful kids meals to work on restaurant menus,” said Joy Dubost, Ph.D, R.D., director of Nutrition & Healthy Living for the NRA.

This trend is particularly evident in the NRA’s Kids LiveWell program, which was launched in the summer of 2011 and quickly grew to include 110 restaurant brands. Additionally, numerous brands — including McDonald’s, Burger King, Subway, Arby’s, Jack in the Box — have revised their kid’s meal options to now offer sides such as apple slices and yogurt, reductions in portion sizes, grilled chicken nuggets, and low-fat milk or juice in the place of sugary sodas.

“Local sourcing is another macro-trend that will maintain its momentum in the restaurant community in 2013. Whether purchased from local farms or grown in onsite gardens, many chefs make use of seasonal ingredients to showcase on their menus,” Dubost added.

Trends 11-20 include: Farm/estate branded items; non-wheat noodles/pasta (quinoa, rice); non-traditional fish (Arctic char, barramundi); fruit/vegetable children’s side items; health/nutrition; half-portions/smaller portions for a smaller price; house-made/artisan ice cream; and food trucks.

The top 5 menu trends for 2013 include:

1. Locally sourced meats and seafood
2. Locally grown produce
3. Healthful kids’ meals
4. Environmental sustainability as a culinary theme
5. Children’s nutrition as a culinary theme

Click here for the NRA’s full report.

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Affiliate post by WhatToExpect.com

Whether your toddler has boycotted all green food, or she’ll eat only PB&J sandwiches, you know that getting kids to eat a well-rounded diet isn’t easy. And even if your tot is relatively willing to eat fruits and vegetables and other healthy foods, you may still wonder if she’s getting all the nutrients she needs — or if you should supplement with a daily multivitamin.

It turns out that experts haven’t come to a consensus on whether or not toddlers should take multivitamins, and the American Academy of Pediatrics doesn’t have an official position on the subject. That means it’s up to you (along with your doctor) to decide what’s best for your growing tot.

Reasons to give your toddler a multi. No matter how hard you try, it’s likely that your toddler isn’t always eating healthy foods. (How can you reason with someone who is convinced that the only foods worth eating are white?) In which case, a daily multivitamin can help fill any nutrition gaps your toddler’s diet may have. You can think of that multi as a little insurance for your toddler and a little peace of mind for you.

Another reason to give your tot a multivitamin: If your toddler has a specific, restricted diet, he may really benefit from getting an extra boost of nutrients. For instance, kids who don’t drink milk because they are lactose intolerant may require extra calcium and vitamin D. And kids who eat a vegan diet (that means no meat, eggs, or dairy products) may need extra vitamins B12 and D, as well as riboflavin, calcium, and iron. In these cases, a multivitamin may be helpful or even needed — and you’d be wise to check in and get your doctor’s opinion, too.

Reasons not to give your toddler a multi. While the extra peace of mind that comes with giving your child a multi should be a good thing, it could cause you to relax a little too much on the nutrition front. Some parents let the multivitamin do what they should be doing, which is feeding their kids a healthy diet. Vitamin supplements should never be viewed as a replacement for nutritious foods because the body absorbs nutrients from foods much more effectively than it absorbs nutrients from supplements. So if you constantly find yourself relying on a multivitamin to counteract the chips your child eats or to make up for the fact that your toddler refuses to eat produce, you need to rethink your strategy.

If you do decide to give your child a multi, consider these tips:

1. Buy a multi that’s made for kids. This will give your toddler the right amount of nutrients for her little body.

2. Only give your toddler the recommended dose (overdoing it on supplements can be dangerous).

3. Don’t call multivitamins candy — this will have your toddler begging for more. (The multi’s cartoon-character shapes are tempting enough without being told they’re a treat.)

4. Keep the bottle out of your child’s reach to make sure she can’t take extra doses.

5. Continue coaxing your finicky eater toward a healthy well-rounded diet, rich in fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy products, lean proteins, and whole grains.

For more great resources on pregnancy and parenting, visit WhatToExpect.com!

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You love to pinch your toddler’s chubby cheeks, to kiss his dimply knees, and squeeze those plump little arms. But is there possibly too much to squeeze? When it comes to assessing your child’s weight, it isn’t always easy to tell. Still, it’s crucial for your toddler’s health that you figure out if he’s packing more pounds than he should. Being an overweight toddler can set your child up to become an overweight adult, and that can put him at risk for all kinds of medical problems, including heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. With childhood obesity at an all-time high in this country (an estimated 14 percent of kids ages two to five are obese), you’d be smart to determine if your child is tipping the scales toward obesity, so you can do something about it now.

Where do you start? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommend that you calculate your child’s body mass index (BMI) — an indicator of body fat based on weight and height that can help you assess whether your child is overweight or obese.

To figure out your child’s BMI, you need to get accurate measurements of your tot’s height and weight. Then, enter this information into the CDC’s BMI calculator. The results will tell you your child’s BMI percentile for his age and gender. If he falls between the 5th and 85th percentiles, then he’s considered to be at a healthy weight. If he falls above the 85th percentile, he may be at risk of being overweight or obese.

But before you assume the worst, keep in mind that your toddler’s BMI isn’t the only factor to consider. It’s merely a starting point — one way to gauge whether your child is overweight. And it’s important to note that some kids who are muscular tend to have high BMIs without being overweight. So, once you learn your child’s BMI, take that information with you to your pediatrician so you can get a full assessment of your child’s weight.

In the meantime, focus on feeding your little one healthy foods and getting him to exercise. Here’s how:

1. Consistently serve up nutritious foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy foods.
2. Go easy on processed, high-fat, and fast foods.
3. Limit the juice in your toddler’s sippy cup to between four and six ounces per day (or dilute his juice with water to make it last longer and cut the sugar in each swig).
4. Have consistent snack times and mealtimes (broken down into six mini meals) instead of letting your toddler graze throughout the day, which can lead to overeating.
5. Let your child feed himself (as opposed to you spooning out each bite) and let him stop when he’s ready. He has a better sense of how hungry he is than you do. This will help him learn to listen to his own hunger and fullness cues.
6. Don’t reward your tot with treats. That can lead to an unhealthy, emotional relationship with food.
7. Try to limit screen time to one to two hours a day. This will allow more time for physical activity.
8. Look for ways to be active together. Take your child to the park, go on walks together, and consider family activities like hiking and biking.
9. Walk the walk — or run the run. Eat well and exercise yourself. When you model a healthy lifestyle, your child will be more apt to follow your lead.

For more great resources on pregnancy and parenting, visit WhatToExpect.com!

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In fact, there is only one written account of the first Thanksgiving, and turkey isn’t even mentioned!

And because our great ancestors did not have the ability to store much sugar, their meal probably did not include cakes, sweets, and pies either. Cue the sad trombone.

Four centuries ago, they more likely feasted on seals, swans, ducks, and other woodland critters, and maybe they even used traditional Native American spices and cooking methods to add a little razzel dazzle.

Eventually, the Turkey waddled its way into America’s hearts, ovens, and holiday dinners, becoming the staple of a modern Thanksgiving – along with sides like sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, string beans, and desserts like pumpkin pie. And for all that, we are very thankful!

However, Thanksgiving, a holiday that revolves around eating, is a major problem for the waist lines of America. Many Americans feel like it’s their patriotic duty to take seconds, thirds, or fourths at Thanksgiving dinner and most of us will gain one whole pound during this holiday for it. Honestly, one pound sounds like vanity weight, but when put it into perspective, we are literally stuffing ourselves to death.

Generally speaking, a woman aged 19 to 30 years needs between 2,000 and 2,400 calories daily. A woman aged 31 to 50 years needs 1,800 to 2,200 calories daily. Women over age 51 need 1,600 to 2,200 calories daily. Of course, these numbers can change depending on an individual’s activity level and such. Now, if one pound equals 3,500 calories, a 19-30 year old woman will have exceeded her daily intake by 1,500-1,100 calories. She has just consumed one and half days worth of calories in one sitting. Those kinds of numbers equal trouble.

So what can people do to monitor their snacking on Turkey Day? Here are some of our favorite suggestions…

1. Eat a cup of soup, a handful of nuts, raw vegetables or a piece of fruit before you go to a holiday event, dinner or party, rather than arriving hungry. Then enjoy a sampling of foods while focusing on connecting with people rather than focusing on the food.

2. Grab yourself a salad plate rather than a dinner sized plate and serve yourself “taste size portions.” Then go back for more of only the foods you really found worthy of having more of.

3. Do it with awareness. Check in with yourself after each bite and stop eating when that food item no longer hits the spot, since the first few bites are generally the best tasting and most satisfying.

4. One part water, one part drink. Wine, beer, toddy, cider, spiced rum, nog…whatever your drink of choice, go ahead, celebrate! Just alternate the drinks with a full glass of water. The tipsier you get, the more you’re likely to overeat. Stay hydrated and minimize your chances of making bad decisions.

5. Don’t deprive yourself of cravings. Even if you have the most self-discipline on the planet, this will only make you go into full scavenger mode once all the tempting goodies are laid out in front of you. Allow yourself some goodies in moderation.

Have some tips of your own that you would like to share? We would love to hear ‘em! Send your suggestions over to info@supersprowtz.com. You never know, you might just make our next holiday list!

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New York, New York. It’s a heck of a town. Listed by Forbes Magazine as the #2 most stressful city, coming in just below Los Angeles, there certainly is plenty of cause for insomnia in the city that never sleeps: The least affordable housing in the U.S., the most extreme population density, and the highest cost of living. Now there is one more thing to grind our teeth over.

In a study released by the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia this week, parents who experience extra stress in their lives, or perceive themselves as being under more stress than the average individual, are more likely to have obese children than their chillaxed peers.

The study analyzed self-reported data from 2,119 parents and caregivers who participated in telephone surveys in the 2006 Southeastern Pennsylvania Household Health Survey/Community Health Database, conducted in Philadelphia and neighboring suburbs, researchers found that participants with a high number of stressors in their lives are more likely to give their child junky fast food.

“The severity and number of stressors are important,” said Elizabeth Prout Parks, MD, a physician nutrition specialist at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and leader of the study. “Stress in parents may be an important risk factor for child obesity and related behaviors.”

Prout Parks goes on to explain that the study identifies key stressors such as poor mental and physical health, financial strain, other health issues, and leading a single parent household. Although studies have shown the link between parent stress and childhood obesity in the past, Prout Park’s new study included a more diverse population, both ethnically and socioeconomically.

Of the 2,119 households involved in the study, all had children between the ages of 3 and 17. In these households, 25 percent of the children were obese. Among the variables included were parental stressors, age, race, health quality, parent perception of stress, and gender of children, adult levels of education, BMI, adult gender, and sleep quality. The study outcomes were similarly divided, revealing scores for child obesity, fast-food consumption, fruit and vegetable consumption, and physical activity.

Predictably, single-parent households had the strongest correlation to childhood obesity, and financial stress had the strongest relationship with low physical activity. Surprisingly, the study found that, although parental stress can lend to childhood obesity, neither parental stress nor parent-perceived stress lowered children’s fruit and vegetable consumption.

However, parents and caregivers who perceive themselves as highly stressed were associated with increased fast-food consumption in children. High levels of sugar and fat and low levels of nutritional value; fast-food is a major risk factor in childhood obesity.

The findings of this important study suggest that both actual and perceived stress could lead to less supervision, ultimately equating to allowing children to make unhealthy food and activity choices. “Although multiple stressors can elicit a ‘stressor pile-up,’ causing adverse physical health in children, a parent’s perception of their general stress level may be more important than the actual stressors,” the authors write.

Dr. Prout-Parks suggests that, “Teaching alternative coping strategies to parents might also help them to reduce their perceived stress.” So, the big question remains, short of adding more hours to the day, what can we realistically do to blow off some steam and make ourselves more present at meal time?

1. Exercise: Exercise is a fantastic stress reliever that can work in minutes. This could be as simple as taking a walk during lunch, parking a little farther away from work or the store, or getting off a train stop early. Taking a walk allows you to enjoy a change in scenery, which can get you into a different frame of mind, and brings the benefits of exercise as well.
2. Journaling: Journaling can be used in several different ways, all of which can relieve stress. Because journaling is proven by research to bring several health benefits in addition to stress relief, this stress reliever is highly recommended.
3. Time Management: Honing your time management skills can allow you to minimize the stressors that you experience, and better manage the ones you can’t avoid. When you are able to complete everything on your “to do” list without the stress of rushing or forgetting, your whole life feels easier. Time management also allows you to build structure in your life outside of work. Set aside an hour after your child finishes their homework to make the next day’s lunch together. Then you have the added bonus of saving up what would have been lunch money for a fun family activity!
4. Reduce Caffeine Intake: Consuming caffeine too late in the day can affect sleep quality, which impacts stress levels. Consuming too much caffeine in general can make you more emotionally reactive to stress.
5. Eat a Balanced Diet: A poor diet can bring greater reactivity toward stress. A healthy diet can bring greater physical and emotional wellness. Find some simple go-to meals and snacks, and feel less stressed in your daily life.
6. Turn Off, Tune In: Turning off the television at meal time and sitting together for dinner allows the family to come together, reflect on the day, and focus on the meal. Even if this activity is only possible two or three times a week, quality time is still being spent with loved ones, building stronger familial relationships.
7. Yoga: Yoga incorporates breathing exercises, meditation, and light exercise. One session brings initial stress relief, and continued practice brings greater resilience to stress. It’s one of the more potent stress relievers.
8. Listen to Music, a Podcast, or Audiobook: Creating playlists for various moods (a cathartic mix for when you want to process feelings, an upbeat mix for when you need more energy, etc.) can help you to relieve stress passively, enjoyably, and conveniently. Alternatively, a podcast on a topic of interest or an audiobook of the latest New York Times best seller can help take you out of your head space and release some of that tension.
9. Laughter: The physical act of laughing releases tension and brings positive physiological changes. Finding ways to work more laughter into your day can be an effective route to stress relief.
10. Take a Tea Break: Sitting with a cup of tea and planning for the day ahead, or reflecting on the day behind (remember–decaf at night!) can provide you with a nice break and a taste of peace. You’ll experience the health benefits of tea as well.

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