Get ready to cook with your kiddos! In celebration of Disney’s new action-adventure fantasy flick Raya and the Last Dragon, Raddish Kids has a free downloadable cooking kit that features fun-filled family-friendly recipes.

Raya and the Last Dragon hits theaters and the small screen (via Disney+ with Premiere Access) Mar. 5. Even though your kids can’t watch the movie just yet, they can whip up a magical meal based on this soon-to-be blockbuster.

Raddish founder Samantha Barnes, said in a press release, “We’re thrilled to create these recipes in celebration of Raya and the Last Dragon, introducing families to the flavors of the Southeast Asian cuisine that inspired the setting for the film.” Barnes added, “Families are in for a treat, making and enjoying a meal together before joining Raya on her spectacular adventure.”

The free kit includes illustrated recipes for Shrimp Noodles, Pork Lettuce Cups and Mango Sticky Rice along with Table Talk conversation cards. Your kiddos can also cook alongside a Raddish instructor with the brand’s pre-recorded virtual video. The video also features a special appearance from a Disney chef!

To learn more about this culinary experience and download your free Disney/Raddish Maya and the Last Dragon kids’ cooking kit, visit Raddish’s website here.

—Erica Loop

 

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How can we encourage our children to be more adventurous with vegetables while celebrating the Earth? How about growing our own salads and veggies?

But do kids like greens and salads? Yes, they do! Find out how much they like by exploring all the kid-approved lunchbox ideas on teuko.com that include greens and salads.

If you are ready to introduce more home-grown produce into your child’s meal plan, here are 7 kid-friendly vegetables and herbs to grow!

1. Lettuce
Because it is far superior, in taste and also in vitamins, to the store-bought alternative, we love planting lettuce. It is one of our favorite garden greens! You can plant lettuce in the spring, starting two weeks before frost. If you plant lettuce in the fall, you should start sowing again eight weeks before the fall frost. Then, you can harvest lettuce when full size, but just before maturity. The leaves, indeed, taste better when they’re still young and tender – and the kids will love it!

2. Spinach
Spinach can replace lettuce in salads. We love it because it brings more iron, calcium, and vitamins than most cultivated greens, and one of the best sources of vitamins A, B, and C. Though it cannot grow in midsummer, spinach can be planted in very early spring, as well as in fall and even winter in some areas!

3. Cucumbers
With their refreshing crunchiness, cucumbers are easy-care vegetables as they grow quickly as long as they receive consistent watering and warmth! Did you know that you can get cucumbers year-round? Yes, indeed, by making successive plantings (every two weeks for continued harvests, as long as you have warm soil), cucumbers will grow quickly and ripen in about six weeks!

Oh! And don’t let cucumbers get too large before you pick them, or they will taste bitter and that would not be a big win for the kiddos’ lunch!

4. Cherry Tomatoes
Now let’s ditch the greens and have touches of red in the garden and in the lunchbox! Cherry tomatoes can be planted outdoors in late spring and in early summer. The exact days to harvest has an average of 60 days, and as long as they’re not stolen by wildlife (raccoons stole all the cherry tomatoes planted by the Teuko Kids last summer!), you will enjoy the savor immensely!

5. Radishes  
Other plants very easy to grow are radishes. These root vegetables are crunchy and fresh and bring a lovely pink color to the salad! Radishes can be planted several times in spring and in fall, and they can be harvested as soon as three weeks after planting!

6. Cilantro
What about adding additional flavor to the salad? Aromatic herbs like cilantro will definitely help. Though the leaves and seeds are used most often, did you know that cilantro is entirely edible? Cilantro is a fast-growing plant that grows best in the cooler weather of spring and fall. Try it in salads and in soups.

7. Basil
The other aromatic herb we want to highlight and that is easy to grow is basil. Like cilantro, basil brings an extra delightful touch in salads and in soups. Pair basil with tomatoes, olive oil, and sea salt (fleur de sel is the ultimate gourmet touch), and voilà! a delicious salad the whole family will enjoy. Basil needs a warm-weather environment, with sunlight, but it can perform well in partial sun too!

Wait! What if I don’t have any outdoor space?

Don’t worry! Solutions exist to grow veggies easily at home! Here are our top 3 picks:

1. The least expensive solution is a portable mini greenhouse.

2. An hydroponic system‘s indoor garden germination kit is designed with a water circulation system, increasing the oxygen in the water. Plants are growing in the nutrient water faster than soil.

3. Named the best invention by TIME Magazine, Gardyn is like a farmers market for your home! You can enjoy up to 30 fresh vegetables, fruits, flowers, and herbs all growing at once!

Where can I get seeds to start growing my own veggies and herbs?

Our friends at Bank On Seeds, a small employee-owned and operated company that wants to help people grow their own food regardless of experience or available space, offer a Salad Pack Mini—a seed selection packed with popular salad bases and toppings. It is curated for indoor and small space growers. These plants are just as happy in a window box as they are filling out an outdoor garden bed.

 

This post originally appeared on Teuko Blog.

Teuko is the first platform that empowers families to simplify lunch packing. Using Teuko, they can find and share kid-approved lunchbox ideas, recipes, and tips, all in one place. Teuko is transforming the lunch packing experience by boosting inspiration and motivation week after week. 

Your kids will be so excited when you come back from your next ALDI run with fun new toys to keep them entertained and active. Outfit your playroom now or save them as gifts for the holidays. These assorted options from Bee Happy will be available at your local ALDI beginning the week of Sept. 16. 

Bee Happy Pop Up Playhouses

Choose from five different styles:

Confetti

Bee Happy Pop Up Playhouse

Camo

Bee Happy Pop Up Playhouse

Starry Night

Bee Happy Pop Up Playhouse

Spaceship

Bee Happy Pop Up Playhouse

Princess

Bee Happy Pop Up Playhouse

Each playhouse assembles in minutes without tools; folds back down into its carry bag for storage and portability. The door can be flapped closed by Velcro and opened by tying the strings on top.Each playhouse also comes with ground stakes for outdoor use.

The Bee Happy Pop Up Playhouses each retail for $14.99.

Bee Happy Wooden Food Sets

Sandwich Set

Bee Happy Sandwich Set

This set includes a knife, bread slices, a burger bun, side of fries and a large variety of sliced sandwich foods.

 

Salad Set

Bee Happy Salad Set

This set includes lettuce and spinach leaves, avocado, a variety of vegetables, salad dressing, bowl and more.

 

Ice Cream Set

Bee Happy Ice Cream

This set includes ice cream in 4 different flavors, a scoop and accessories to cool off and enjoy the ice cream role play.

 

BBQ Set

Bee Happy BBQ

This set includes typical BBQ foods such as chicken, sausages, vegetables and more.

Each of these wooden food sets retail for $9.99. 

 

Bee Happy Mag Tiles

Bee Happy Mag Tiles

The set includes 12 Squares, 8 equilateral triangles, 4 right triangles, 2 squares with arch, 4 squares with square cut out, 4 squares with 4 square cutouts, 4 isosceles triangles and 2 square with rectangle cut outs in assorted colors.

Bee Happy Mag Tiles retail for $17.99.

Bee Happy Hoppers

Unicorn

Bee Happy Hoppers

Planet

Bee Happy Hoppers

Horse

Bee Happy Hoppers

Dog

Bee Happy Hoppers

Dinosaur

Bee Happy Hoppers

Giraffe

Bee Happy Hoppers

The kid-powered, bounce along action encourages physical activity by combining fitness and fun to develops balance, coordination, and core strength. These Hoppers are perfect for both indoor and outdoor use and an air pump is included.

Each hopper retails for $7.99.

—Jennifer Swartvagher

All photos courtesy of ALDI

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Running out of steam with lunch ideas for kids? We’ve been there; sometimes a PB&J just doesn’t cut it. We’ve rounded up a bunch of kid-approved wraps to keep lunchtime feeling fresh. They’re healthy and easy to put together, so they’re a win for everyone. Keep reading to add these ideas to your school lunch arsenal.

Meatless Mondays

The Wimpy Vegetarian

Introduce your kids to the magic of Meatless Monday with this wrap from The Wimpy Vegetarian. With protein-rich quinoa, black beans and hummus, it'll keep them full for hours. To get the recipe, click here.

Taste the Rainbow

Super Healthy Kids

Watch your kiddo’s eyes sparkle in anticipation as you prepare this radiant wrap-up. With red, orange, green, purple and a nice dollop of cheese for a creamy feel, it’s really like eating the rainbow. Super Healthy Kids suggests adding chives (full of nutrients!) for a burst of flavor. Click here to get more recipes.

Ingredients
1 teaspoon of chopped chives
1 wedge of laughing cow cheese
Red tomatoes and red bell peppers sliced thinly.
Orange Carrots and orange bell peppers, sliced thinly
Green avocados and green lettuce, sliced thinly.
Purple cabbage, sliced thinly.

Method
1. Combine chives and cheese and spread this over a whole wheat tortilla.
2. Fill the tortilla with crunchy and colorful veggies!

Hunger Squash-ing

Pinch of Yum

This scrumptious panini is a pocket of sweet butternut squash, warm black beans and ooey gooey cheese. It’s guaranteed to fill those small bellies to the brim. Recipe master Pinch of Yum recommends grilling the wrap for a firmer hold. For more kid-tastic recipes, visit A Pinch of Yum.

Ingredients
3 cups chopped butternut squash, steamed or roasted
1 cup cooked quinoa
1 cup rinsed black beans
chopped scallions
whole wheat wraps
white crumbly cheese (feta, gorgonzola, cotija, etc.)

Method
1. Mix the first four ingredients together; season with whatever suits your fancy.
2. Place 1 cup of filling on a wrap, sprinkle with cheese, and fold it up.
3. Grill on a griddle or panini press.

Double Take on Tofu

Lunchbox Bunch

Put these eggless salad wraps on the menu today! Lunchbox Bunch notes that steaming the tofu first brings a firmer, eggy bite. We love how this can be eaten cold (aka made the night before) as a real time saver. For more yummy vegan easts, visit Lunchbox Bunch.

Ingredients
18 ounces firm tofu, cubed and steamed - salted to taste
1/2 cup vegan mayo, aka Vegenaise
1/3 cup Dijon mustard (classic Grey Poupon is the best)
1/4 tsp cayenne powder
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp black pepper - fine
2 tsp seasoned rice vinegar
1/2 cup chopped sweet onion - Vidalia onions work best
also needed: 1 XL wrap tortilla, and greens (red leaf lettuce was used in the wrap seen below)

Method
1. Toss Well.
2. Chill.
3. Fill wrap and serve!

Hearty, Healthy and Homey

Hungry Hannah

We often consider honey mustard to be the king of condiments. With Hungry Hannah's perfect balance of sweet, tangy and salty, drizzle it over your wrap of chicken and veggies and roll the wrap up tight to avoid sauce drippings on clothes. Satisfy that tummy rumble with more recipes at Hungry Hannah.

Ingredients
2 tsp plain Greek yogurt
1 tsp yellow mustard
3/4 tsp honey
1 whole wheat wrap
1 small breast grilled or baked chicken
2 slices of tomato
a small handful of fresh spinach (or lettuce)
1-2 tbsp shredded cheese

Method
1. To prepare the honey mustard sauce, whisk together the Greek yogurt, yellow mustard, and honey in a small bowl until smooth. Set aside.
2. Lay out your wrap on a flat surface and layer with chicken, tomato, spinach, and cheese.
3. Pour honey mustard sauce on top and roll up your wrap tightly.

A Blanket of Summer in a Wrap

Love Bakes Good Cakes

With creamy avocados, crunchy lettuce, cheese and chicken all rolled up in the center, this California Chicken Wrap makes us miss summer already. Love Bakes Good Cakes' recipe is a fam fave for lunch or dinner, and there's always more meals to come—so shimmy over to her site for more food how-tos!

Ingredients
2 large flour tortillas, warmed
2 slices Monterey Jack cheese
8-12 thin deli-style chicken slices
A small handful of fresh spinach
1 small avocado, pitted and cut into slices
1 small Roma tomato, sliced
¼ cup Ranch dressing

Method
1. Layer the ingredients in the order given, dividing the ingredients evenly between the two tortillas.
2. Roll the tortilla up "burrito-style" around the ingredients.
3. To serve - Cut in half on a bias, if desired.

Beef Up and Roll

Gather for Bread

For that midday pick-me-up, Gather for Bread has the tastiest roast beef wrap recipe. Filled with cheese, spinach, tomatoes and roast beef, this wrap is best when heated in a panini press or grill pan so that the cheese melds everything together. Visit Gather for Bread for more mouthwatering delights.

Ingredients
1 tortilla
3-4 oz of deli-sliced roast beef
1 oz Havarti cheese, sliced
1 oil-packed sun dried tomato, chopped
1 handful of spinach
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1½ teaspoons mayonnaise
dash of oregano
dash of salt and pepper

Instructions
1. Heat panini press or grill pan over medium heat.
2. Meanwhile, mix together Dijon mustard and mayonnaise. Spread down the center of the tortilla. Top with roast beef and cheese. Layer with sun dried tomatoes and spinach. Sprinkle with oregano, salt and pepper. Slice in half and serve immediately.

Salty and Sweet Delight

Oliver Hallmann via Flickr

With a medley of sweet and salty flavors wrapped in a healthy tortilla, this lunch is made to dance in your little one's mouth. Bonus points to the sweet kernels that add a juicy pop in this roll-up.

Ingredients:
1 whole wheat tortilla
1 slice of ham
1/4 cup of corn, drained
Sliced red pepper
2 lettuce leaves, sliced
2 tablespoons of low-fat mayo

Method:
1. Spread mayo on the tortilla.
2. Arrange lettuce, red pepper, ham and corn (in the center) of the tortilla.
3. Roll up tightly and pack!

Jerk in the Right Direction

eMeals

Here’s a paleo chicken lettuce wrap recipe that’s so packed with flavor that your kids will be begging for more. It’s super light, so kids won’t be falling into a food coma during school. We recommend using a big piece of lettuce and pinning it tight with a toothpick for less of a mess. Hop on over to eMeals for more healthy recipes.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons coconut oil
½ large onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
4½ cups chopped cooked chicken
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon Jerk seasoning
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
2 heads Bibb lettuce

Method
1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Add onion and garlic; cook 6 minutes or until onion is browned.
3. Stir in chicken, lime juice and Jerk seasoning; cook 3 minutes. Stir in thyme.
4. Separate lettuce leaves, and fill leaves evenly with chicken mixture.
5. Roll up, if desired.

— Christal Yuen

 

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Featured image: Pixabay via Pexels

When my son was younger, he used to say, “Mmm, mommy, this is delicious! Can I have more broccoli?” In his extraordinary growing aptitude of learning what fresh vegetables and fruit meant to a healthy mind and body, my young son was interested in almost every kind of veggies and fruit. Now, several years later, something changed to his palate and now only enjoys certain kinds of veggies. While he still loves a plethora of fruit such as pineapple, mango, apples, and berries, his taste for vegetables has dramatically changed.

It’s true that our palates and tastes change as we go through different stages in life. I once used to enjoy mushy textured fruits, but after pregnancy, I couldn’t bear the texture. I’d assume the same goes for most children in that their parents fed them various types of vegetables just to get some nutrition into their bodies and perhaps teach them about eating healthy. That was mostly what I did for my son—got him to try all kinds of vegetables and force-fed him a few of the not so popular ones. And then I realized that was probably the downfall. I found what my son liked and I kept giving them to him. In turn, he grew tired of the taste and flavor and now won’t even touch them. 

So, I learned a few tricks along the way and I’d like to share them here with you. These are all fairly easy ways to incorporate more veggies into your children’s life.

1. Let them know at a young age that fresh veggies are best. Give them vegetables that are easy to recognize and available such as carrots, broccoli, and lettuce. If they see these common vegetables in their meals, they’ll think it’s just a normal part of eating.

2. Expand your kid’s palates by adding more vegetables such as corn, spinach, and sweet potatoes into their meals. Try fresh corn from the cob or frozen, and try sweet potatoes Tempura-st‌yle.

3. Take your kids grocery shopping with you. Let them touch and smell the various vegetables in the market. Then have them choose 1 or 2 vegetables they’ve never tried before. If kids have the power to choose, they will most likely be interested in eating them.

4. Don’t limit your child’s taste for veggies. Don’t be afraid to let them try a rare or unusual vegetable such as rhubarb or kohlrabi. Sometimes the most unusual vegetable has the most nutritional benefit.

5. Let your child help you with cooking. Depending on the age, have them help you chop vegetables or peel them. The hands-on technique helps strengthen the relationship between making your own food and enjoying eating them.

6. Let your kids plant a mini garden of vegetables. Easy to grow vegetables are radish, carrots, and bell peppers. Depending on the climate and area, these typically grow within a couple of months.

7. Let your kids see that they can add vegetables to their smoothies. Add mild-tasting vegetables such as spinach and daikon. And more vibrant ones such as beets and carrots.

8. And what’s the best way to show them that? Eat them yourselves, of course! If they see their parents or siblings eat vegetables on a daily basis, then they’ll think it’s the most natural thing in the world to do.

I am a mom first and foremost. I might not be a supermom, but I am constantly learning and growing.Topics I stand with are parenting, the environment, and living a healthy and happy lifest‌yle. I work at an elementary school and I have 30 years experience in the health industry.

Kids might agree that hot dogs are their favorite food group, but all dogs are not created equal. Next time you’re serving up this classic kiddie fare, up your game big time by tricking out your hot dogs to look like iconic Disney Princesses.

Thanks to this inspiration from Anna Hezel and Gabriella Paiella at Lucky Peach, recreating your favorite Disney Princess requires just a few ingredients and provides loads of fun. Playing with your food never looked so good. Check out what Anna and Gabriella put together below!

Belle

American Cheese, Mustard, BBQ Sauce

 

Rapunzel

Red Onion, Corn Silk, Ketchup

Pocahontas:

 American Cheese, BBQ Sauce, Ketchup, Mustard, Onion Shaving 

Ariel

Siracha, Red Onion, Lettuce 

— Francesca Katafias

All photos: courtesy of Lucky Peach

 

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The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently issued a food safety alert for Fresh Express Sunflower Crisp Chopped Salad Kits related to a multi-state E. coli O157:H7 outbreak. The CDC is investigating the outbreak and isn’t sure if it’s connected to the current Salinas, California romaine lettuce recall.

The affected salad kits have a lot code beginning with Z, “best before” dates up to and including Dec. 7, 2019 and the UPC code 0 71279 30906 4. You can find this information printed on the upper right corner of the bag.

What should you do if you have the salad? To start with, don’t eat it. Throw the salad away and sanitize anything that touched it. This means you need to thoroughly clean your fridge, countertop or anything else that may have come in contact with the salad.

As of now, there are eight diagnosed E. coli infections related to this outbreak across three states. Three of the eight people infected have been hospitalized, one with hemolytic uremic syndrome—a type of kidney failure related to this type of infection.

—Erica Loop

Featured photo: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

 

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The CDC & FDA Issue Recall Alert for Romaine Lettuce from Salinas, California

Recall Alert: Cheese Nips Recalled Due to Contamination Concern

If romaine is on your Thanksgiving menu, you may need to pick a substitute, pronto. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently issued a food safety alert for romaine lettuce after 40 reported cases of E. coli O157:H7 infections across 16 states.

The lettuce, harvested from the Salinas, California growing region, has caused 28 hospitalizations so far.

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s website, “At this time, romaine lettuce that was harvested outside of the Salinas region has not been implicated in this outbreak investigation. Hydroponically- and greenhouse-grown romaine, which is voluntarily labeled as “indoor grown,” from any region does not appear to be related to the current outbreak.”

How can you tell if your romaine is unsafe to eat? The CDC recommends that consumers look at the label for the harvest location. All types of romaine, including hearts of romaine, whole heads, packages of pre-cut lettuce and salad mixes, could contain the affected lettuce. The recalled romaine products have “use by” dates between Oct. 20 and Nov. 1, 2019 and the establishment number EST. 18502B inside the USDA mark of inspection.

Do not consume lettuce labeled Salinas or those with no marked growing region. Throw the lettuce away and thoroughly wash and sanitize all surfaces the lettuce came in contact with.

—Erica Loop

Featured photo: Liz Muir via Flickr

 

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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration just announced that Missa Bay, LLC is recalling approximately 75,233  pounds of salad products that contain meat or poultry because the lettuce ingredient may be contaminated with E. coli. 

If you have this product at home, read on for important information.

photo: USDA

Recalled Product Description: Salad Products

The current recall includes products marked with the establishment number “EST. 18502B” inside the USDA mark of inspection. The items were shipped to distribution locations in Alabama, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia and Wisconsin. The recall includes salads labeled Ready Pac Bistro Chicken Caesar, Target Bowl Chicken Caesar and Aldi Bistro Santa Fe. You can find the full list of items here.

Why the Salad Products Were Recalled

During an investigation for a foodborne illness outbreak, the Maryland Department of Health tested an unopened package of Ready Pac Bistro Chicken Raised Without Antibiotics Caesar Salad with FSIS EST number 18502B on the label. The lettuce tested positive for E. coli so the company has issued a recall on all products from the same lot of lettuce.

How To Tell If Your Salad Product Was Recalled

If you purchased lettuce in any of the affected states check your packaging for the establishment number “EST. 18502B” inside the USDA mark of inspection and a “best buy” date ranging from Oct. 30-Nov. 1.

What Consumers Can Do

While the items recalled have long since expired, check your refrigerator and throw away any items that may be part of the recall.

—Shahrzad Warkentin

 

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