1. Simple Food for Busy Families: The Whole Life Nutrition Approach

This book is a great resource to teach families the difference between the Standard American Diet (SAD) and natural eating.  It is written for today’s busy families, and although it includes recipes, it is not a cookbook per se.

I appreciated the information included about the imbalances caused by SAD, including antidotes. These imbalances include:

1. SAD Blood Sugar Cycle
2. Overfed and Undernourished State
3. Flawed Fats Imbalance

Every American should read this information.

Simple Food for Busy Families: The Whole Life Nutrition Approach goes beyond food to give solid advice to parents.  From creating a regular, relaxing, bedtime routine to gradually reducing total television and movie time, whole nutrition is really party of whole life.

Would I buy this book? Yes. I think $13.49 is a reasonable price. Publisher’s Weekly gave this book a negative review calling it  repetitive and monotonous. I disagree with these criticisms. I view this book as a resource you pick up and read sections of (not cover to cover), and if themes are repeated, it is because they are important for your children’s health.

2.  Julie Anne’s Maple Blueberry Granola

Granola with yogurt is one of my favorite breakfasts. On rare occasion, I make my own granola. It’s not hard to do.

Julie Anne’s Maple Blueberry Granola is handmade in Las Vegas.

Maple Blueberry was inspired by the summers that I used to spend in New Hampshire as a child. Blueberries grew in abundance, so we always had a fresh supply to mix into pancakes topped with locally produced maple syrup. Maple Blueberry Granola features toasted pecans, plump dried blueberries, and of course pure amber maple syrup. Sprinkle it over vanilla frozen yogurt or stir it into your pancake batter for a unique and scrumptious breakfast treat!

This granola is tasty. When my daughter tried it, she said, “Not bad…In fact, it is quite good!”. I agree.

Would I buy this product? No. Even though it is delicious, it is not organic. It is also not available locally, and I do not order food special online. I just don’t have time or extra money to go beyond my usual grocery trip.

3. Music: Healthy Food for Thought

Healthy Food for Thought is a musical cd by various artists in which all of the proceeds (100%) supports the New York Coalition for Healthy School Food.

This is a melting pot of Grammy winning and children’s award-winning artists who have contributed their time and talent for this funny, charming, whimsical and touching double CD compilation. The menu of styles and expressions cook up a variety of unique recipes. The spoken words are sprinkled with songs that present the importance of healthy eating in a tasty, playful and enjoyable way.

I am often wary of children’s music.  I don’t know what it is about it, but often quality goes down hill when music is designed for young audiences. This is not true with this collection, well there are a few annoying song, but overall it is enjoying.  Songs and spoken word are fun without losing aesthetics.  My favorite song is “Junk Food Man”.

Would I buy this music? Yes.  I believe strongly in the cause, and the message of the songs is all about positive nutrition. These are songs you will want your children to sing along to, which they will hopefully remember when making food choices.  Another added bonus is [amazon_link id=”0810932709″ target=”_blank” ]Peter Max[/amazon_link] did the artwork for the cd cover!

4. Baby Baby Baby! Board Book

This cute, simple board book by Marilyn Jonovitz invites participation with its repetitive text.

Nuzzle baby’s ears

Give your nose a wiggle

Grandpa’s little baby likes to

GIGGLE

GIGGLE

GIGGLE!

Predictable, repeating text helps young children gain early literacy skills.

Would I buy this book? No.  There is nothing green about this book, and I am committed to only buying children’s books that use recycled paper content, no matter how sweet the text.

5. Yoga Planet Deck (Yoga Cards) 50 Fun Activities for a Greener World

Although my children see me practice yoga almost every day, it is rare they actually take out their mat and join in.  One way to encourage their practice is with fun ideas, like those found in Yoga Planet.

Whether you are seven or fifty-seven, whether you already practice yoga or want to learn, these informative and attractive cards are the ideal answer. They give detailed steps on how to perform the poses, but also increase environmental awareness with tips on how to reduce our impact on the fragile planet.

I personally like the partnership cards, like circle of friends and appreciation circle.  Children find it fun to work with their friends on asanas, and it is part of my yoga knowledge that is lacking.

As an educator, I find these yoga cards to be a fun way to include in the classroom. Children could take turns choosing cards for the class to practice, or a yoga-style obstacle course could be designed by placing the cards around the room and having children move through the stations.

Would I buy this product? Yes.  At $10.19, this would make a lovely gift for your children’s teachers!  I cannot find any information as to whether or not these cards are made from recycled paper content, but they are published by Barefoot Books, a company that supports “organizations that share our goals of global understanding, empowering children through art and story, and protecting and preserving the earth for future generations”.

Disclosure: The products described above were sent to us as free samples, unless noted differently in the review. Prior assurances as to the nature of the reviews, whether positive or negative, were not given. No financial payments were accepted in exchange for the reviews. The reviews reflect our honest, authentic opinions.