Parent Talk Photo Album: College Throwback

Fun abounded for those who attended Saturday's College Throwback night, this year's spring fundraiser for Parent Talk.  With a program that included food and drinks, DJ, NCAA basketball, a wish tree (wish list of items for PT's Playspace and community partners), raffle, and silent auction, what was not to like?  The dress code at the Biltmore Bar & Grille in Newton was college casual.  PT members rummaged through the back of drawers and closets to proudly don the names of their almae matres for one more night.  See pictures below!

Hey, that's pretty funny!

Line-up of items for sale in the silent auction.

 Just chilling at the bar.

We're starting our own College Conference.

Give me a P. . . P! Give me a T. . . T! Go, Parent Talk!

The PT crowd.

A great team starts here:  PT's President Megan Bourque (left), VP Ellie Beasley (center), and Executive Director Susan Kagan (right).

PT's wish list and a popular college past-time come together to dress up the Donation Tree.

This is better than guys' night out!

Members of PT's 2015-2016 Board and Event Co-Chairs.

Couples hang out.

Taking advantage of a chance to catch up.

Taking a break from watching the Syracuse v. North Carolina game.

Playgroup friends are the best!

A memorable experience to share with a friend.

Over 50 local businesses donated to Parent Talk through College Throwback 2016!  Parent Talk would like to thank these businesses and all of the silent auction donors and bidders, along with all of the Red Cup Raffle donors and winners.  The response to our wish list was gratifying.  Many items were donated to the Parent Talk Playspace and to other local charities.  Parent Talk thanks Ginger and Julia from the Biltmore Bar & Grille which was the perfect location for College Throwback.  The chicken and waffles were a hit!  And for their unwavering support of Parent Talk, including attending College Throwback, we would like to thank Needham Bank's Eric Morse and Michelle DiSimone. 

Parent Talk members can likewise support local businesses in our community.  Plan to shop at Needham Cash Mob on April 30th!  Spend at least $10 with local retailers.   The event starts at 10:00 a.m.   Shop anytime throughout the day!

Twisted Corned Beef and Cabbage with Eggs, Naturally

I love crock pot recipes for the ease and convenience they offer in creating a healthy, hearty meal for the family with little time investment.  But my personal experience with crock pot meals is that they typically result in food that is okay to pretty good, rather than delicious to mouthwatering.  There was, however, one exception.  On St. Patrick's Day 2010, my crock pot turned out the most incredible corned beef and cabbage that the world has ever seen!  I brought it to an office party where it was promptly devoured and exclaimed over.

"Faces from the St. Patrick's Day Parade" by Jeffrey

Unfortunately, those were the days before I had any interest in cooking, so that recipe has pretty much disappeared.  But with St. Patrick's Day 2016 coming up, I did an online search for that corned beef and cabbage recipe.  I only remembered that it called for the somewhat surprising additions of orange juice and brown sugar.  A lot of recipes came up, but not the one I wanted. 

I took a stab at melding the recipes that I found with memory.  The result was a sweet and sour take on traditional corned beef.  For those with traditional tastes and like a strictly salty corned beef, this is a recipe to skip.  If you like sweet and sour and don't mind mixing it with salty, it could be worth your walk on the wilder side.  This was not a repeat of St. Paddy's Day 2010, but added to white rice, I thought this version of corned beef tasted pretty good.  And since pretty good is the hallmark of a decent crock pot recipe, why not share?

TWISTED CORNED BEEF AND CABBAGE

Ingredients

3 lb corned beef (with seasoning packet or already seasoned -- I used one from Trader Joe's)

1/2 head of cabbage, coarsely chopped

 12 large red potatoes, quartered

1 onion, chopped

1 lb carrots, peeled and chopped (I used ready-to-eat carrots)

1 can frozen orange juice concentrate

1/2 cup brown sugar

4 cups water

Place potatoes, onion, carrots and cabbage in crock pot.  Place seasoned corned beef on top of vegetables.  (Tip: if veggies are a bit too bulky for the crock pot, place half of the cabbage in the pot and let it cook down first before adding the rest of the cabbage.  Or, just wait until last hour of cooking to add cabbage, since otherwise it tends to disintegrate and disappear).  Mix orange juice concentrate and brown sugar with water and pour over the beef.  Cook in slow cooker on high for 3 hours, then switch to low for 5 hours or until done.  Serve over fresh white rice.

NATURAL FOOD COLORING FOR EASTER EGGS

After St. Paddy's Day, I'm looking forward to trying out some naturally dyed Easter eggs.  Last year, I dyed some eggs with natural food coloring with this result:

The naturally dyed eggs are resting on a used Paas dyed eggs carton for drying.  They are darker in color when I used brown eggs.  Yellow on a white egg became orange to brown on a brown egg. I also attempted some two-tone striping that turned out a bit uneven.

Last year's experiment was a lesson.  This year, I will try to remember a few things.  First, I will buy white eggs instead of the brown that I normally get to achieve brighter colors.  Second, I will add extra-plenty of the natural dye ingredients (spinach for green, turmeric for orange/yellow, beets for pink, and blueberries for blue) with vinegar to get a more vibrant color.  Third, I'll leave time to do a second or even third dip for stronger colors and clearer striping, since the natural dyes tend to be lighter than synthetic dyes.

What to do in the down time between cooking a St. Paddy's Day meal and dying Easter eggs?  I'm tempted to find a good recipe for making a glazed ham, because then I can change the color of egg yolks by injecting some food color . . . and voila, Green Eggs and Ham!  Instant fun for my child's breakfast, when accompanied by the well-loved Dr. Seuss story!


About the Author
Darlene W. Cancell is an attorney turned stay-at-home mom, and most recently, blog coordinator for Parent Talk.

MLK Day and Nurturing Service in Your Kids

"Everybody can be great, because anybody can serve."
                                                  --Martin Luther King, Jr.

Martin Luther King Day, with its powerful message of friendship and peace, makes this January an ideal time for your family to learn about serving others.  But putting principles into action and teaching kids to focus on others can be challenging!

"2011 MLK Day of Service in Hartford, CT" by Dannel Malloy

FIVE WAYS TO INTRODUCE SERVICE TO YOUR KIDS

1.  Explain that, after holiday presents have been played with and new clothes have been worn, we can remove the older things that are no longer exciting.  When donating the old, we make space for the new.  It's a great way to make a fresh start in our closets and playrooms!

2.   Discuss how cold it is and how some people don't have warm clothing or winter coats.  Tread lightly here.  Kids can become anxious after hearing stories about other kids who don't have basic necessities.  You might say, "The only clothes in their closet are from a few years ago, so let's give them new things to keep them cozy!"

3.  Show your kids the statistic that around 30% of all annual giving happens in December, at least for one online giving platform (so it might be true in other cases of giving, too).  In January, there is an enormous drop in those online donations.  Your family can help fill the need in any one of the less charitable months of the year.

4.  Come up with a few New Year's resolutions.  Explain that both positive changes in life and accomplishing personal goals can come about while helping others.

"Resolving to Write More - a Worthy Thought" by Carol VanHook

5.  Talk about Martin Luther King, Jr. and his legacy of nonviolent action, generosity of spirit, and community service.  Ask your kids how Dr. King might have wanted his birthday celebrated.

FIVE WAYS TO SERVE YOUR COMMUNITY AS A FAMILY

1.  Volunteer at Cradles to Crayons.  We took our two older boys (ages 5 and 7) to help at its Giving Warehouse in Brighton.  We had a great time and my sons were determined to make sorting clothes into a competitive sport!  It was a gentle, hands-on way of introducing my kids to the concept that we, unlike others, have more that we need.

2.  Deliver meals to elderly residents.   By taking meals to homebound seniors and without having to leave the comfort of the family car, younger children can feel pride in knowing that they are doing something to serve their community.  Needham's Traveling Meals program is a good place to start.

3.   Visit a senior rehabilitation or long-term care facility.  My dad and I used to deliver mail to elderly residents at the Brookline Health Care Center, and I can still remember the expressions of delight (and candy snuck to me!) when I walked into a room.  Many centers welcome family participation, as the presence of kids can be uplifting.  Newton's Stone Rehabilitation and Senior Center is one place to call.

"Alameda County Community Food Bank" by Ecole Bilingue

4.  Collect food for a food pantry, or help at one.  Older kids might enjoy setting up or taking inventory of donations.  My high school students helped once a month at a church pantry.  It helped them to diminish the feeling of "otherness" of a food pantry shopper.  Younger kids can collect food from your pantry or the grocery store, or help bake a loaf of bread to donate.  Try exploring The Needham Community Council.

5.  Donate a used or newly bought item (maybe that gift you have no use for) to a local charity -- You can donate gently used stuffed animals at Savers in West Roxbury or collect toiletries or baby items to create packages for Circle of Hope.  Or throw a collection party at the next sleep-under/sleep-over, where every guest brings one or two items that your child can give to a charity of her choice.

Afghan children examine donated school supplies in "A bagful of goodies" by ResoluteSupportMedia (crediting U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Nestor Cruz). 

FIVE RESOURCES TO KEEP THE SPIRIT OF SERVICE 

ALIVE AT HOME, ALL YEAR LONG

1.  A Dream of Freedom by Diane McWhorter (appropriate for ages 8 to 12 or to read with your kids) -- This is a wonderful book written by a close family friend.  McWhorter won the Pulitzer Prize for her epic book about the Civil Rights movement, Carry Me Home.  This children's book explores the various players of the movement in detail at an accessible level.

2.  Martin's Big Words by Doreen Rappaport -- Younger kids will find this introduction to Dr. King's life both engaging and inspiring.

"Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King award winning book" by Deb Nystrom, depicting cover of Martin's Big Words by Doreen Rappaport.

3.  A blank journal -- Start a gratitude journal with your kids in the form of a correspondence, writing down things that you are grateful for, and ask your kids to do the same.  You can offer simple prompts on index cards that your kids can pick out every so often.   "What clothes/food/family/
friends/activities are you thankful for today?"

4.  How Full is Your Bucket? For Kids by Tom Rath and Mary Reckmeyer -- My kids looove this book! The authors succeed at making a complicated concept -- brightening others' lives actually brightens your own! -- into a very literal, visual story.

5.  Kid President's The Story of Martin Luther King, Jr. video -- There's something powerful about a kid explaining history to other kids.


About the Author
Joanna Noon is a Brookline native who loves living in Needham with her husband and five children.  She worked in education before becoming a stay-at-home mom.  Joanna is a longtime member of Parent Talk and is excited to serve on the Parent Talk Board as Membership Co-Chair.

Making New Year's Resolutions for the Entire Family

Some people think that New Year's resolutions are doomed to failure.  But statistics show that making resolutions can be effective in moving you closer to your goals.  Why not make setting New Year's resolutions a time for reflection and a family tradition? 

"Resolving to Write More - a Worthy Thought" by Carol VanHook

Every family member can put forth a few ideas for both personal and family improvement.  To keep it positive, reflect on things achieved along with what needs improvement.  Keep resolutions few and simple for younger kids, and make sure resolutions are realistically achievable.   Anticipate hurdles and strategize in advance about how to deal with them.  Write out goals (for the littlest ones, use pictures) where the whole family can see them, and create a chart measuring progress toward practicing a new habit. 

There are unlimited resolutions that one can undertake, but below are five that families can do together, and the ways to go about them.

1.  GET FIT TOGETHER

Take a simple stroll to school or around the neighborhood together.  Incorporate a family stroll into your dog walking routine. Plan a family hike.

"Walking/Strolling in the Cold" by Jim Larrison

Look for opportunities to be active together.  Make a list of national parks to visit, or in Massachusetts, Trustees of the Reservation lands.  Don't forget that Parent Talk offers retail discounts to gyms, dance classes, and other activities.  The Charles River YMCA provides kids with a supervised space to tumble and play while parents use the gym equipment in a room viewable through a window.  And if you attended PT's Preschool and Kindergarten Fair, you might have picked up a coupon to Energy Fitness which lets parents have a cardio workout for free while they watch their child's gym class through a glass wall.

Other creative, fun ideas I have come across include: (a) joining in a family game of hop scotch; (b) family play at the playground (as long as it is safe, climb up that climbing structure and slide down that slide!); (c) ice skating; (d) family swims; and (e) going on a treasure (scavenger) hunt.

2.  SCHEDULE MORE FAMILY TIME

"Give Thanks to Family" by OakleyOriginals

Eat together.  Nowadays, it is not uncommon for family members to eat at separate times because everyone has an individual schedule.  However, research shows that children of families that regularly eat together are less likely to get involved in substance use and physical violence when they become teenagers.  Make a commitment to dine in (or out!) together one or more days a week.

Be entertained together.  Put on some music, bring out a few board games, and have a weekly/monthly family game night. Pop the popcorn, and cozy up on the couch for a regularly scheduled family movie night.  Take a field trip together to a museum, park, or historic site.  Start a family hobby that is suitable for all ages.

"Chicken Cobb Salad" by Nan Palermo

3. START HEALTHIER EATING HABITS

Cook together.  Little ones love to mix and measure ingredients.  With lower fat and sodium content than restaurant food, home cooked meals can be healthier.   If, like me, you have not been in the practice of cooking, do a search for quick, easy five-star recipes and try them out one or more times a week.  Your cooking will get more efficient over time and you will soon have a few quick go-to recipes to choose from!

Include a vegetable and/or fruit with every meal. Frozen and canned options that are low in fat and sodium can help create a balanced meal given a time crunch.

Prepare healthier snacks (like cut fruits and vegetables) in advance and keep the refrigerator stocked with them.

4.  BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR

Once a week, have your family select a person to give special attention.  Bake cookies, send a handwritten card, help with shoveling snow or other chore, and take some time to provide a listening ear.

"who stole the cookie. . ." by Kiran Foster

Volunteer together.  Visit a senior with a meal and bring some cheer to shut-ins.  The whole family can help at Spread the Bread or a homeless shelter or soup kitchen (but check for minimum age requirements).  If going onsite to the location is not an option, find a church or other community organization that sponsors such efforts to which you can contribute.  There may be a coat or clothing drive for the homeless at which your family can drop off donations.

Discuss with your kids the idea of donations, and find something to donate. It is not for everyone, but  kidscangivetoo.com is an interesting option that asks kids to have guests donate money instead of giving a traditional birthday gift.  The donations are then split between the birthday boy or birthday girl and the charity of his or her choice.

5.  UNPLUG

Have everyone take a break from screen time and cell phones a couple of hours a day or week, or one or more days a month (whichever you can handle!).  Reducing kids' screen time can help avoid associated risks of sleeplessness, problems of attention, anxiety and depression, and obesity.

I hope you counted many successes and celebrations in 2015.  Here's to finding many more of them (with a little resolve) in 2016!


About the Author
Darlene W. Cancell is an attorney turned stay-at-home mom, and most recently, blog coordinator for Parent Talk.





Sources

1. http://www.aboutkidshealth.ca/En/News/NewsAndFeatures/Pages/Family-New-Years-resolutions-Top-five.aspx

2. http://www.parents.com/holiday/new-years/resolution/8-ways-to-help-kids-make-new-years-resolutions/

3. https://uk.style.yahoo.com/new-year-resolutions-for-the-family.html

Flying on Airplanes with Young Children

As an A-lister on Southwest (back when that meant taking more than 50 flights per year), I never was overly bothered by a crying child on an airplane. However, some people have a lower threshold of what they can tolerate. That threshold can be easily breached by the nearby child who is unable to perform all those things that naturally fall within a mature adult's capacity -- to sit quietly for a prolonged period in a particular seat in cramped quarters in an enclosed environment with very few things to do or see. Instead, a child may feel the need to talk loudly, engage neighboring passengers (whether or not the passengers like it), wriggle, refuse to respect the fasten-seat-belt sign, cry, yell, or otherwise be a very young person on a very boring airplane flight.

"Buckled In" by Scott Sherrill-Mix

The recent murmuring about what some people perceive as a need for child-free flights is not entirely new. There have been previous arguments for child-free zones on airplanes. Both arguments raise the issue faced by many parents of how to best travel with their children.  It's not a pleasant experience to get dirty looks from other passengers. Or despite the great love we feel for our own, parents can need a break from their childrens' airplane antics as well.

While I no longer qualify as an A-lister, having family and a house in other states resulted in my logging a fair share of flights with child in hand. From the first few flights of his infancy to the more frequent trips in his preschooler days, we have taken anywhere between 4 to 20 flights per year as a family. In that time, I have learned a few tips and tactics, both from experience and other frequent fliers.

"Toddler's first airplane" by Scott Sherill-Mix

1. Different Travel Distances for Infants, Toddlers, and Preschoolers - Although it seems counter intuitive, travelling longer distances on an airplane can be easier with a small infant than a toddler.  Infants can nurse or bottle feed on take-off and landings, and swallowing can help relieve the air pressure building in their ears which leads to crying.  They can fly free on our laps, and may also sleep easily and often throughout the trip with a minimum of wriggling.  

Toddlers, on the other hand, may want to get up and move around more often, so shorter flights can be preferable. It can be much more of a challenge keeping a toddler happy and entertained in his seat when the "fasten-seat-belt" light comes on.  Due to his increased need for space and physical activity, buying a seat for a toddler can make a long flight more bearable, even if he still technically qualifies for free travel as a lap child.

"Seatback" by Sean Munson

Preschoolers will need their own seat if simply due to age restrictions for free travel (up to age 2). They may be able to handle longer flights in their seats than toddlers, having greater ability to entertain themselves in one place.  Overall, I find cross-country flying easiest with my preschooler. He is now happy in his seat the whole flight and is a good enough walker (and I have strong enough arms) that we don't need to lug around a stroller. I found the same trip most challenging with a toddler who had difficulty sitting in place.  Designing vacation travel around different distances for your children as they age is something to consider.

2. Mystery Bag of Goodies -- A selection of new, age-appropriate toys and books can help keep kids interested and happy in the air.  As a toddler, my son enjoyed walking around the plane and peeking around his seat more than playing with the toys we brought, but he did play a short time with his stuffed animals and sketch pad.  He was also interested in viewing (and ripping up!) the pages of the on-flight magazine and playing with the safety card instructions.  The shiny packages of in-flight snacks became toys to him. As a preschooler, he enjoys coloring at his seat with water-pens, sewing or other travel-friendly crafts, listening to music (especially The Wiggles), and reading books.

"what was in my bag" by Ariel Grimm

3.  Wholesome Meals/Snacks - Adequate food became one of my top travel worries once my little guy was eating solid meals.  Knowing that he was hungry while I was stuck in my seat without  the right foods for him (at the time, I only carried snacks and purees) was an awful feeling.  Also, airplane snacks just don't make the cut for a healthy and filling meal. Some airlines like Virgin America have decent meal-type snacks for purchase, but there is no guarantee that what you want will be available, especially for kids with allergies. 

I now have learned to pack our own food in an insulated lunch bag.  Cut-up hot dogs, cheese, cold meats, fruit and vegetables do a good job as a meal. Child-sized servings of yogurt are also a life-saver for filling a hungry belly when it is lunch-time but we are still a long time away from landing. Goldfish crackers and fortified cereal packed in small, hard, plastic containers are also good to have on hand. Boiled eggs are healthy and portable, along with sandwiches.  Instant oatmeal can also be made by travelling with an oatmeal packet (or use starter baby cereals in a plastic bag) and asking the flight attendant for a cup of hot water.  Food can be prepared either at home or purchased from a supermarket's hot/cold food bar (such as at Whole Foods) when on the go.  Be sure to bring utensils!

"064" by Kelly Polizzi

4. Layover or Direct?  This choice can be highly individual, depending on the child's energy level and cost of direct flights.  On one hand, a layover can provide opportunity for everyone (especially toddlers and preschoolers) with an opportunity to walk and stretch. On the other hand, it can be disruptive for a child who wants to sleep.  If the layover comes at nap time, noisy terminals can make it impossible to sleep, leaving the parent with a cranky, crying child.  

Compared to flying direct, each separate leg of travel increases the risk of delays which can make your child cranky and irritable. A long trip that suddenly becomes even longer can seem unbearable to a little one and result in nonstop crying when finally on the plane. We once had a 7 to 8 hour trip become a 14 hour trip due to delays from our layover. While I sympathized with the people around me who had to hear my child miserably crying, I felt even worse for him.  Anytime we can fly direct, we now try to do so.  It  can be expensive, but budget-friendly airlines like Southwest, Jet Blue, and Virgin America make it a little less painful.

"On our way to America" by Lars Plougmann

5. Time of Day for Flying - One of the greatest travel tips I received was from my executive-platinum-frequent-flying brother-in-law. Fly the first flight of the day for your route. Not only does this avoid delays caused by traffic patterns due to flights ahead of your flight, but it also means clear travelling en route to the airport. In car-heavy cities like Los Angeles, this can mean getting to the airport within 20 minutes without traffic instead of an hour-long drive in traffic.  While taking the first flight of the day can mean rising in the dark before the birds chirp, we have found that the quiet, early morning travel to the airport and plane ride to be vastly more enjoyable for our child than loud, busy mid-day travel when both traffic and chatter is high.  It makes for a calmer child, and is more conducive to helping him nap, compared to travelling at a busier time.

For many more travel tips that go far beyond these, I recommend Travels with Baby by Sherry Rivoli. This book is an incredibly thorough and helpful resource for travelling with kids. I only wish I had discovered it sooner. It is available in both hardcopy and e-reader format.

About the Author

Darlene W. Cancell is an attorney turned stay-at-home mom, and most recently the blog coordinator for Parent Talk.

Do you have special tips for travelling with children? Please share them in the Comments section below.  

Flicks on the Field -- Free Screening of The Incredibles

Parent Talk is hosting its annual Flicks on the Field this weekend. Thanks to the YMCA for sponsoring this event!

Source

Bring lawn chairs, blanket, picnic, and of course, the little ones to watch The Incredibles for free at Memorial Field in front of Needham High School on Saturday, August 22, from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 pm.  Come dressed as your favorite super hero! There will be activities and concessions beginning at 6:30 p.m. and the movie begins at sundown, around 7:45 p.m.  There is also an opportunity to volunteer at this event.  Rain date is Sunday, August 23, 2015. 

Limiting Pesticides in Summer Fruits and Vegetables

Now is the time to enjoy the fresh offerings of summer --  shining dark cherries, juicy peaches, buttered corn, sugary sweet melons, crisp bell peppers and lots and lots of berries, to name a few.  As parents, we want to make sure that our kids eat as healthily and nutritiously as possible.

source

For many years now, from my past life as a vegetarian to my current days as an omnivore, the vast majority of produce that I have brought into my home has been organic.  Although this preference has resulted in significantly higher costs than buying conventional produce, I believed that doing so would make me healthier, by limiting my pesticide and chemical intake.

Recently, I was surprised to learn that the USDA organic label does not, in fact, completely disallow the use of pesticides.  Instead, what typically sets organic produce apart from conventional produce is not whether pesticides are used, but how the pesticides are made. The USDA organic label allows the use of naturally derived pesticides. Conventionally grown produce is treated with synthetic pesticides.

source

Along with the small shock of this discovery, however, I was glad to find that my years of higher grocery bills were not completely for naught. Organic food has been found to be associated with:

• Lower levels of pesticides than conventional produce.
• Higher levels of antioxidants than conventionally grown produce.
• Production methods that are thought to be more ecologically friendly than conventional food production.

I tend to think, though, that what may be most important in the end is that our families eat a balanced diet. This can be provided either by conventional or organic foods. 

source

The pesticides used in conventional produce generally should not exceed government safety thresholds. That said, I also think there is nothing wrong with parents wanting to give their families a diet at the lowest end of the spectrum for what the government considers acceptable pesticide ingestion.

So, what can be done by parents seeking to further limit their families’ exposure to pesticides? 

• Consider growing your own fruits and vegetables.  
• Wash fruits and vegetables under running water and discard outer leaves and skins. Learn more here.
• Be familiar with the "Dirty Dozen."
• Eat food from different sources to limit exposure to any one pesticide.
• Buy locally at Farmers' Markets.

At local farm stands, consumers can personally ask growers what production methods they use.  Asking, “How frequently is your produce sprayed with pesticides?”  and “What type of pesticide do you use?” can inform a purchase.  Local growers may also be more responsive in taking their consumers’ concerns directly into account when considering which production methods to use.

Aside from the issue of pesticides, families may simply be interested in helping to support local growers. Below are links to local farm stands and farmers’ markets.

Dedham Farmers Market (open Wednesdays)

Needham Farmers Market (open Sundays)

Newton Farmers Market (two locations – one open Tuesdays, one open Saturdays)

Powisset Farm Stand (open Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays)

Volante Farms (open daily)

Wellesley Farmers Market (open Saturdays)

Westwood Farmers Market (open Tuesdays)

Lastly, for those who want to help bring the fresh fruits of summer to everyone’s table, there are volunteer opportunities.

One organization, Boston Area Gleaners, collects after-harvest leftovers from local farms to distribute to over 500 hunger-relief organizations in eastern Massachusetts. Gleaning is the ancient practice, dating at least as far back as Biblical times, of collecting the surplus left in farmers’ fields. This group invites volunteers aged 13 and up to help glean the fields of numerous eastern Massachusetts farms.

About the Author

Darlene W. Cancell is an attorney turned stay-at-home mom, and most recently blog coordinator for Parent Talk.

If you have comments or an experience to share related to this blog, please speak up!

Saving Time at Dinner with Healthy Habits

Written by Emily Roach

As the school year comes to a close, it should be a time of slowing down. The reality is there are tons of special events, banquets, graduations and more that keep us pretty busy in the month of May and June. Preparing a healthy dinner is still important, but wouldn't it be nice to have someone else make most of it? Healthy Habits in Wellesley offers a great solution for busy families. {and check out the end of the post for a discount for Parent Talk members!}

Easy to cook salmon burgers--kids loved them!

The selection of meals at Healthy Habits is pretty diverse, both for the picky eaters in your family and if you have special dietary needs. Wendy Todd and I got to test out a few dinners and share our experience with you. Overall we both found it was a huge time saver and the meals tasted good. We also got our meals delivered right to our door in an insulated cooler, which was super convenient. The other option is to swing by their storefront and pick up your dinners. A few other Parent Talk members often drive by Healthy Habits on Washington St in Wellesley and pick up their meals on the way home from work.

"Overall, I liked both meal kits, the convenience of having a whole meal (not just the main but the sides too!) already planned was great.  The food tasted really good and was kid friendly. I loved that the large was big enough to feed our family of 5 and have leftovers for a day or two of lunch at the office.
I specifically chose meals that took 20 minutes or less to cook since I usually get home from picking the kids up from daycare at 6pm and like to have dinner on the table by 6:30.  In both cases the cook-time was a bit longer than the directions said, but not so much so that we were eating later than planned." ~Wendy

The directions for each dinner are easy to follow and are clearly labelled on all items included for the meal. Our tip for making freezer meals a success is giving them two days to defrost. Some small items, like the salmon burgers defrost quickly but a lasagna tray took two full days.

"I would definitely purchase these again just to have something stashed in the freezer for a particularly busy week or when one parent is traveling.  They would also make really great gifts for new parents!" ~Wendy

Thank you to Healthy Habits Kitchen for providing us with meals to help facilitate writing this story. All opinions shared here are our own.

Healthy Habits Kitchen provides nutritious meal kits made from scratch, delivered straight to your door and ready to be cooked, so you can make a convenient, quick dinner at home for your family. Learn more at www.healthyhabitskitchen.com or Facebook. Parent Talk Matters members can take advantage of an exclusive offer to receive 15% off their first order, using discount code PARENTTALK through May 31st. Place your order today.

About the Author

Emily Roach is the writer/owner of Random Recycling, a blog focused on healthy living for modern families. She lives in Needham with her husband, three children, and is the incoming Vice President of Parent Talk. 

Gluten-Free Dining In the MetroWest

Written by Katie Alwart

In June 2011, following the birth of my second child, I was diagnosed with celiac disease.  This falls into that rather long list of "things they didn't mention could happen to you following childbirth."  In short, celiac is an autoimmune disorder caused by an allergic reaction to gluten, which is found in wheat, barley, rye and oats.   The only effective treatment is a lifelong gluten-free diet. 

Fast forward two years and I'm now surprised how easy it was to go gluten-free.  While many people are diagnosed with the allergy, many others have a gluten intolerance or have chosen to give up gluten as a lifestyle choice; which I think accounts for the blossoming market for gluten-free products.  Despite the occasional mad craving for a perfect grilled cheese sandwich, my total avoidance of gluten has been able to become a part of our life in a pretty straightforward way. 

Below are some recommendations on local restaurants and grocery stores with gluten-free options.  I hope that it is helpful if any of you are considering going gluten-free or have family visiting who can't eat wheat.  This is definitely an incomplete list and is based only on my own experience - so please let me know (katie.alwart@gmail.com) other great places that I've missed - especially those that can serve me that elusive grilled cheese sandwich.

Twist Bakery Cupcake

*  I'll start with my all-time favorite - Twist Bakery & Café.  Yes, yes, it is true they are in Millis, but if you are gluten-free it is well worth the drive.  Very cute little restaurant and 100% gluten free.

*  New Leaf in Needham Center (http://www.anewleafvitamins.com) has a ton of gluten-free options, including a lot of sweets.  I remember feeling really frustrated about the cookie/cake issue (meaning not having them!) and they have ones that are delicious.

*  Locally, Blue on Highland, Not Your Average Joes, PF Chang's, Stone Hearth Pizza (side note - they have gluten-free pasta, but for some reason it takes forever to make, so order it early upon arrival), Rice Barn, The Cottage, Met Bar and Bertucci's all have GF menus.  With the mainstream awareness of how many people are currently off gluten (estimates have it at 1% of the population with celiac and up to 30% of people trying to avoid it), most places are very familiar with how to handle gluten-free orders.  A friend who has a daughter who is GF has had good success asking restaurants to bring something for her daughter when they bring out bread (or to not bring bread out at all), which helps mitigate the fact that everyone else is eating something you can't.

*  In addition to many reasons why you might want to avoid McDonald's, they are pretty bad with gluten-free options.  There is nothing (except for a salad with no meat) that doesn't have wheat.  French fries - which are often a safe bet if fried with no other breaded products - are so often comingled with wheat products that they are also a no-go.

*  If you are looking for a fast(er) food option, Chipotle is pretty impressive in their ability to handle gluten allergies.  Every single one that I have been to has taken the allergy seriously, changed gloves and stopped and wiped down the production line without making it seem like a pain for them to do it.  Another family restaurant option is Pizzeria Uno - they have GF pizza that is pretty good (ask for them to make it well done - weird, I know, but tastes much better).  Other fast food options I would recommend are Five Guys Burgers and Fries and Boloco.

*  Trader Joe's not only has a list of gluten-free products they carry, but also have a special symbol on their packaging to make it easy to identify.  Star Market (particularly the one on Route 9, less so the one in Dedham) has a good selection, as does Whole Foods.  The only place that I've found has fresh, unfrozen bread all the time is Trader Joe's and Volante Farms.

*   Treat (http://www.treatcupcakebar.com/) is great - they typically have many options for gluten-free cupcakes. 

*  Abbott's in Needham Center (http://www.abbottscustard.com) is willing to work with GF customers on cakes and pies.  They made a friend a GF pumpkin custard pie for Thanksgiving. 

*  Wicked (http://www.wickedrestaurant.com/) is a great option in Dedham.  Most places only offer gluten-free options on their cheese and pepperoni pizza - you can get any pizza at Wicked gluten-free.

*  Lastly, I've had good experiences at pretty much all restaurants we have gone to in Boston, including recent trips to Bondir, Toro, Hungry Mother, No 9 Park, 5 Napkin Burger, Legal Seafoods.  I just did afternoon tea at the Boston Harbor Hotel and they replicated all of their sweet and savory treats gluten-free for me. 

Happy (wheat-free) eating!

Katie Alwart grew up in California and moved to Needham with her husband in 2009. She serves as Parent Talk's fundraising co-chair and happily houses the POD for PT's Used Clothing, Toy & Equipment Sale. She works in the fundraising department at MIT as the director of the MIT Charter Society.  If she had her way, her kitchen would be the least used room of the house.