New Healthy School Lunch Changes Equals More Nutritious Meals for Kids

We have never been fans of the USDA school lunch program in our home. In fact, when Eben was in public school he never ate school lunch, we have always packed a healthy and delicious lunch for him. The very idea of pizza being the vegetable on a school lunch menu makes me cringe. And remember when a Chicago public school banned homemade lunches to encourage their idea of healthy eating? For the most part, school lunches contain too much fat, sodium, artificial flavors and colors that it rivals fast food. However, it looks as though things are about to change, the USDA is making the first changes to the school lunch menus in 15 years.

The new standards are meant to be consistent with the healthy food choices that many families are already trying to implement in their own homes including:

• Students are offered both fruits and vegetables every day of the week.
• Substantially increasing the offerings of whole grain foods.
• Students are offered only fat-free or low-fat milk.
• Ensuring proper portion size by limiting calories based on the age of the children being served.
• Increasing the focus on saturated fat, trans fats and sodium reduction.  
• Foods and beverages sold in vending machines on school campuses will also contribute to a healthy diet. 

These new school lunch rules were built around recommendations from a panel of experts convened by the Institute of Medicine - a gold standard for evidence-based health analysis. You can see a sample lunch program menu with the before and after comparsion here.

Sounds pretty great, right? However, their are challenges that the new rules face including:

•  A $3.2 billion expense to school meal costs over the next 5 years - when school budgets are at an all-time low. 
• Taking a three-year period to implement the key changes in the nutrition standards to schools.
• The ease of Congress allowing these key changes being implemented. 

What your thoughts? If you pack a healthy school lunch for your child everyday - will you allow them to eat school lunch once the program is implemented in your school?

If your child eats school lunch, are you happy with the changes that are being made?

Intro photo via Ben + Sam, 2nd photo via USDAgov

6 Non Toxic Wooden Toys for Babies and Kids from Etsy

When it comes to finding toys that are non-toxic, sustainably made, creative and fun - I always turn to Etsy. You can find the best toys made by artisans that have a focus on the environment and the health of your children. When it comes to choosing the right toys - my favorites tend to be heirloom quality toys made using sustainably harvested or reclaimed woods. The key is to make sure that the wood has not been sealed using toxic chemicals and instead with a non-toxic, food safe oil to protect the woods natural beauty. And when it comes to wooden toys, there are so many different options available. You can find teethers and rattles that are perfect for babies - carS with wheels and pull along toys that will entertain toddlers and games and manipulatives that are great for older children.

While browsing through Etsy today, I found a few wooden toys for babies, toddlers and older children - all of which are made using sustainably harvested woods that are finished using non-toxic oils. Regardless of your child's age, there is something here for all children.

P.S. Stay tuned next week for a Bannor Toys Wooden Blocks giveaway!

For Babies

Smiling Tree Toys Rattle Teether
These adorable rattle teethers from Smiling Tree Toys are lovingly handcrafted from local and sustainably sourced hardwoods, and organically finished with Smiling Tree Toy's blend of homegrown organic Carmelina oil (a relative of flaxseed) and beeswax. You get your choice color from different sustainably sourced woods.

+ Dinosaur Rattle Teether $14

Seven Acre Toys Wooden Claw Rattle

Seven Acre Toy's rattles are made with FSC certified North American hardwoods, and have been finished with a food grade beeswax and mineral oil blend made locally for them by a dear friend. All rattles are sanded smooth and are completely free of splinters and rough spots. Not to mention, they come in a great selection of wood. 

+ Wooden Claw Rattle $28

For Toddlers

Little Alouette Wooden Guitar

Little Alouette has the sweetest handcrafted wooden toys for toddlers. The toys are crafted from locally sourced Ohio Maple. Isn't the guitar fantastic? 

+ Wooden Guitar $20

Little Sapling Toys Skittles Bowling Pins
These wooden Toy Skittles Bowling Pins from Little Sapling Toys is one of my favorites! Each set comes with ten maple pins and two hardwood balls. They are sanded smooth and finished with a light local beeswax and organic jojoba oil.

+ Wooden Skittles Bowling Pins $35

For Older Children

Bannor Toys Wooden Blocks

Bannor Toys makes the best eco-friendly blocks handcrafted from responsibly harvested trees around the world. Each set of natural color wooden blocks is completely unique and contains 20 blocks in a mix of 6-7 woods. The blocks are finished with a beeswax and coconut oil finish and each set comes with it's own storage bag. Eben has a set of these blocks, they are fun to play with and beautiful enough to leave out on our coffee table.

+ Wooden Building Blocks $34

Timber Green Woods Geometric Puzzle 
Most older children enjoy puzzles, these wooden Circle Geometric Puzzles from Timber Green Woods will fit the bill. Each piece of sustainably harvested wood is laser cut into a geometric puzzle. This very challenging circles jigsaw puzzle includes a laser engraved "cheat sheet" on the bottom, which makes it difficult even for cheaters! It is finished with non-toxic and food safe oils and comes packaged in a bio-degradable plastic sleeve.

+ Wooden Geometric Puzzle $22.95


Do you have a favorite wooden toy company? I would love to hear about them.

Natural Organic Clothing for Women | Krimson Klover Giveaway

Today, I have a huge giveaway for you. Yay! Krimson Klover is offering a beautiful Van Winkle button cardigan made from natural merino wool worth $158! Wouldn't this cardigan be perfect for those chilly winter days coming up?

Krimson Klover creates the most beautiful natural fiber clothing, locally in Vail, Colorado. [One of my favorite towns!] Each playfully feminine piece in the collection is made with premium ultra-fine merino wool making the clothing super soft. And with impeccable attention to detail and a fantastic selection of colorful patterns and designs, you can't go wrong!

I received the Van Winkle cardigan to review and it has quickly become a staple in my wardrobe - especially since we had a cool December here in Florida. The quality really is fantastic and the colors are bright and vibrant. My favorite part - unlike traditional wool, I didn't find the merino wool to irritate my skin. Instead, it was cozy, comfy and is machine washable. 

The winner of the Krimson Klover Van Winkle cardigan has their choice of size and color combination! Good Luck.

Full Disclosure: I received a Van Winkle Cardigan from Krimson Klover to review in exchange for my honest opinion. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

5 Ways to Save Money for Your Child's Education

It costs a lot of money to raise children and one of the largest expenses that your family will encounter will be for higher education. Starting to save for college when your children are young is essential since it's such a large expense. There are many great ways to save for your child's education - ways that are easy, affordable and will make sending your child off to college an easier process. And when your child does go off to college, the steps that you took today will allow your child to focus on their education, not how they are going to pay for it. The key to saving for your child's education is to start when they are born. Read about the five ways that we are saving money for Eben's college education, and get started on your own savings today.

How are you saving for your child's education? 

Snorkeling + Paddleboarding | Bahia Honda, Florida Keys

We are back from our long weekend at Bahia Honda in the Florida Keys. We had a fantastic time - we were sad to have to leave! I thought it would be fun to share some of the photographs I took with you - you can also see more Instagr.am photos here. Don't miss the Octopus below!

We spent the majority of our time at Bahia Honda paddleboarding and snorkeling. Our best day was Saturday - we woke up early and hit the water before breakfast. It turned out to be a fantastic day, the water was crystal clear and the weather was perfection. We paddled for a while admiring the soft corals, sponges and puffer fish - it was so quiet and lovely. Then, after about an hour of paddling we started to see juvenile Bonnethead Sharks. It was fantastic! If you aren't familiar with Bonnetheads, they look like small hammerhead sharks. I wasn't able to take any photographs of them since I am too nervous to take my iPhone or expensive camera onto the ocean. [I really need to pick up a waterproof camera!]

After a few hours, we headed back to camp for brunch. Then, we hit the Bahia Honda Channel to do some snorkeling. Eben had a blast finding bright orange starfish, seashells and baby lobsters. We came across a nurse shark hanging out on the bottom near the bridge's pilings. Then, Mr. Sweet Greens spotted a beautiful octopus that was also super friendly. He wrapped himself around Mr. Sweet Greens hands and arms - it was spectacular! We have seen Octopuses before, but this one was larger and had the most beautiful eyes.

It was THE perfect weekend, I can't wait to go back.

How was your weekend? How did you spend it?

Have a Lovely Green Weekend + A Few Green Things

Hello, Friends. How are you? I am really looking forward to this weekend. We are getting ready to leave for Bahia Honda in the Florida Keys. I am looking forward to a weekend of nothing but sunshine, water, and my boys! The R.V. is packed, the paddle boards are loaded and the only thing I need to do is grab my swimsuit and flip flops - then we are off! If you are staying home for the weekend, stay cozy and here are a few green links to enjoy:

- If I ever encounter one of these while scuba diving, I think I would cry. 
- It's a chair! No, it's a table! No, It's both, a chair and a table!
- Belkin's Mini Surge Protector is 1/2 price!
- Ancient popcorn found in Peru! 
- Tree turn-table plays wood rings like records. Cool.
- I look forward to a long weekend of paddle boarding. 

Have a lovely weekend - bundle up and stay warm!

xo,
Sweet Greens

7 Green Living Apps for Healthy Eco-Conscious Families

Did you get an iPhone or iPad as a holiday gift? Mr. Sweet Greens surprised me with an iPad - and I spent an insane amount of time looking for healthy and green living apps. Here are the seven that I found to be the best bang for your buck.

1. How to Cook Everything Vegetarian 
With over 2,000 recipes and tons of how-to illustrations, How to Cook Everything Vegetarian is packed full of delicious vegetarian and vegan recipes. My favorite features are the easy-to-use search, the ability to add recipes to your calendar and organizing your shopping lists.

+ How to Cook Everything Vegetarian $4.99

2. Harvest
Harvest features the pesticide residue levels for each produce item. If you are selectively purchasing organics to save money, you can eliminate the items with the highest levels of pesticides first. Other features include how to select and store over 126 fruits and vegetables, how to know which items will continue to ripen at home and which are as ripe as they are going to get.

+ Harvest $1.99 

3. Seafood Watch
Living in South Florida, Seafood Watch has become our go-to app when buying seafood at our favorite restaurants and stores. You can search for ocean friendly seafood - this app gives you three choices; best choice, good alternative and avoid. Enter your location and Seafood Watch will pull up a list of local restaurants and the ocean friendly seafood that they carry. You can also add the ocean friendly seafood options that you find at local restaurants and stores.


+ Seafood Watch $1.99 

4. Locavore
Locavore makes searching for in-season, local food simple, by using the GPS to direct you to the closest farms and farmer's markets. It also has great recipe suggestions and teaches you about your food and who is producing it. 

+ Locavore $FREE

5. MapMyHike
If you love to hike like I do, then you need MapMyHike. MapMyHike tracks and logs your hikes and allows you to build an online hike journal. It uses the built-in GPS to track your hikes and helps you focus on your health and fitness goals. Other versions that I have tried are MapMyRun and MapMyFitness. 

+ MapMyHike $FREE

6. Pocket Yoga
I love Yoga and Pocket Yoga has been the perfect companion to my workout routine. Pocket Yoga allows you to build custom Yoga routines and then practice the poses by following along with the guided instruction. 

+ Pocket Yoga $4.99

7. Fooducate
Fooducate makes finding and choosing healthy groceries super easy. You can scan product bar codes to see the products highlights (both good and bad) and then compare it to other products and select healthier alternatives. If you are a label reader (like me) this app just makes picking the best foods easier. 

+ Fooducate $FREE

What are your favorite healthy and green living apps? 


lead photo via flickr

5 Educational and Artsy Apps for Creative Kids

Most likely your family has at least one smart phone or tablet in your household. This means that your child most likely has used many different apps for entertainment. Many apps that are marketed towards children do not infuse education into the fun. However, there are many great apps for children that are educational, artsy and creative. Check out Eben's 5 favorites - all of which have a focus on the arts.

Which creative apps do your children enjoy? 

Camping at Bahia Honda State Park, Florida Keys

Friday morning we are heading to the Florida Keys for a long weekend. We will be camping, paddle boarding and snorkeling at Bahia Honda State Park. I can not wait - it seems like forever since we went camping and Bahia Honda is one of my favorite camping destinations. The last time that we stayed at Bahia Honda was during hurricane season so the visibility in the water was very low. We have high hopes for great weather this trip!

Bahia Honda State Park encompasses over 500 acres including an offshore island. It is the perfect destination for beachcombing, paddle boarding, snorkeling, and is usually very quiet. The best part, 12 miles offshore is Looe Key, a beautiful coral reef were we will be spending a lot of snorkeling. Fantastic.

What are your weekend plans?

7 Thrifty Ways for Families to Save Money and the Planet

You will most likely find both saving money and saving the environment at the top of your 2012 New Year's intentions list. In fact, these are at the top of my families own list. When it comes to saving the environment, it comes almost naturally when your family is focused on saving money. And since there are many ways that you save a little green while saving the planet at the same time, it's a win-win for your family and the environment. Read my seven favorite ways to save money while helping the planet at the same time.