Posts Tagged by Sugar
A Year of Healthy Class Parties: A Planning Guide for Parents & Teachers
| September 25, 2014 | Posted by Stacy under 100th Day of School, Classroom parties, Healthy classroom treats, Healthy parties, Healthy school snacks, Healthy treats, Junk food in school, School parties, Sugar, Valentine's Day |
For the past several years, I’ve been chief party planner in my kids’ elementary classrooms. I chose the role in hopes of having healthy class parties, and it really has worked out great. While a couple parents struggled with the absence of cupcakes, the vast majority have embraced the healthy change. And the children? They haven’t batted an […] more
Should We Just “Let Kids Be Kids” When It Comes to Junk Food?!?
| May 22, 2014 | Posted by Stacy under Classroom parties, Classroom treats, Cupcakes, Healthy parties, Junk food in school, Obesity, School parties, Sugar |
A class party without cookies, donuts or cupcakes topped with two inches of frosting? Shocking, I know. But this year, thanks to their nutrition-conscious teacher, my twins and their Kindergarten classmates have feasted on fresh fruit and wholesome treats like whole grain carrot muffins at most school celebrations, including birthdays. And guess what? They are […] more
Take the Candy-Free School Valentine Pledge!
| January 31, 2014 | Posted by Stacy under Junk food in school, School parties, Sugar, Valentine's Day |
Valentine’s Day is practically synonymous with pink hearts, red roses and—if you have school-age kids—backpacks stuffed with candy. I’ve never attached sugary treats to the Valentines that my kids hand out at school. (And thankfully, they’ve never asked me to!). But where we live, I’m in the minority. The sugar stash that came home with my […] more
24 Hours of Junk Food: A Day in the Life of an Average School Kid
| March 14, 2013 | Posted by Stacy under Junk food in school |
“It’s just one fill in the blank [cupcake, cookie, lollipop, M&M, etc.]!” That’s the argument often used to justify feeding our kids junk food. But here’s the thing: It isn’t “just one.” Not. Even. Close. These days, children are being handed highly processed fatty/sugary/salty food right and left, often without their parents’ knowledge or permission. It is, […] more
Taking a Stand Against Junk Food in School: Why It’s Hard–But We Need to Anyway!
| February 28, 2013 | Posted by Stacy under 100th Day of School, Classroom treats, Cupcakes, Food Nazis, Improving school food, Junk food in school, School parties, School policy, Sugar |
It’s February 28, and barring any unforeseen treats at school today, here’s a final tally of my first grader’s classroom junk food scores for the month: two frosted cupcakes; chocolate fudge; salt-water taffy; a bag of 100 Days of School trail mix consisting of candy corn, marshmallows, Cheez-Its, and yogurt-covered pretzels; and a big box filled with Valentine’s candy (mini […] more
Rant of the Day: Please Stop Feeding My Kids Junk Food at School!
| February 7, 2013 | Posted by Stacy under Junk food in school |
Last night at dinner, my first grader described the big cupcake that he ate yesterday at school in honor of a classmate’s birthday. Between bites of pasta mixed with spinach-walnut pesto, he offered a detailed account of chocolate cake, colored sprinkles and a copious pile of frosting. I, of course, couldn’t help but wince. Because, […] more
Holiday Party Survival Guide: Teaching Kids to Cope With All the Treats
| December 6, 2012 | Posted by Stacy under Food education, Junk food, Parties |
I felt a pit in my own stomach as I stared at my then 6-year-old doubled over in pain. “I think I’m going to throw up,” he said, tears streaming down his face. He wasn’t suffering from the flu, an intestinal blockage or appendicitis. Instead, it was a case of seriously overindulging on junk food […] more
Healthy School Parties: 18 Fun Cupcake Alternatives (and Ways to Celebrate Without Food!)
| September 12, 2012 | Posted by Stacy under Cupcakes, Healthy classroom treats, Healthy parties, Recipes, School parties |
Last year, in a moment of sugar-induced maternal frustration, I tried to estimate how many treats kids at an elementary school like my son’s (with no restrictions on classroom celebrations) get in a year. I started by taking the average class size in the United States (20 children, according to the National Center for Education Statistics). Assuming […] more
Rethinking the School Bake Sale: Is This Fundraising Sweetheart Really the Best Way to Bring in Dollars?
| August 28, 2012 | Posted by Stacy under Fundraisers |
School doesn’t kick off for another week for my kiddos, but I know it already has for many of yours. And even from here, I can almost detect the irresistible scent of frosted cupcakes and fudgy brownies emanating from the bake sale table. Ahhhh yes, the school bake sale: It’s an age-old tradition […] more
Guest Blogger Kathy Kaehler Asks: What Are YOU Doing to Improve School Food and Instill Healthy Habits at Home?
| June 14, 2012 | Posted by Stacy under Healthy eating at home, Improving school food, Making change |
Kathy Kaehler has long been one of the most sought after fitness gurus in Hollywood. She’s worked one-on-one with A-listers like Jennifer Aniston, Julia Roberts, Claudia Schiffer, Drew Barrymore, Michelle Pfeiffer and Kim Kardashian. She was the fitness correspondent for NBC’s TODAY show with Katie Couric for an epic 13 years. She has written five […] more
I created this blog to raise awareness and start a dialogue about the various issues involved in school food. By writing about it, I hope to provide parents and educators with ideas and inspiration for making healthy changes in their own schools. Since healthy eating habits start at home, I also address common feeding challenges faced by parents.
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