Dear Moms, Dads, Relatives, Educators and Business Owners

2010 is already racing along at a fast pace. Now that you and your family's engines are finely tuned with your new exercise regime, (or they will be just as soon as you get started) it's time to make sure they are getting the right fuel to keep them running smoothly.

When my kids ask for junk food in their school lunch boxes I always tell them the same thing, "If I put mud in the fuel tank of my car would the engine carry on running or would it break down?"

What to put in the kids' snack boxes and what to make for dinner used to be, for me, the most difficult task to accomplish in my day. If I left it up to the kids, it would be like Baby Bop's restaurant, Macaroni and Cheese 3 times a day. If I left it up to my husband, chilli pilchards and noodles or a bunny chow. Scary stuff! With very little cooking skills and enthusiasm for being in the kitchen, I hated coming home at the end of a busy, demanding day and trying to figure out what to cook with what was left in the fridge.

So I did what any small business owner would do. I outsourced it. I sent my domestic worker on a cooking course. Now, once every two weeks, I spend a morning at the weekend browsing recipe books and web sites for ideas on healthy family meals. I draw up a two week menu and give it to my domestic worker. She then writes up a shopping list which I give to my husband who does the grocery shopping, yet another task I loathe, and I stick to what I like best, research and project management!

I have included in this newsletter recipe websites, planning tools for parents (including a 5-a-day chart) and nutritional information I find useful for planning family meals. Below you can read two articles on healthy eating and nutrition for children written by registered dieticians, and you can watch two videos on SupaVideos. The Sneaky Chef shows you how to hide vegetables in your child's food and for the times when you are tired of nagging your kids to eat their food, be the fun parent and show them how to play with their food with some very creative Pasta Crafts!

For parents in the Joburg and Pretoria areas, you can outsource shopping and menu ideas to Chef Direct where you can buy ready made meals or cooking kits. On our web site you can find businesses who offer cooking courses for domestic workers , kids cooking classes and other nutrition related listings.

For technology lovers have a look at a new concept launched on the internet this week called Vook. A digital book enriched with high-quality video. To understand what these are, take a look at the Woman'sDay Cookvook.

Share your favourite website or recipe book for family meals with other parents on our FaceBook page and you can stand a chance to win a Sustained Energy for Kids Recipe Book.

Don't forget to look at this issue's new listings, specials, competitions and news. In fact, you might as well just write off today to research and development!

www.kidzworld.co.za

Interesting Articles:
Disguising 'Superfoods' in your Child's Diet
Nation Needs to Move on Diet and Exercise
Food Labelling
Safe Drink Bottles and Food Containers