Filed under: food, green, organic, parenting, sustainable | Tags: california, children, dad, dinner, eat, education, family, food, kids, los angeles, lunch, mom, parents, school, shop
Back to school for my family revolves around food. After a summer’s worth of ten o’clock breakfasts and 4 p.m. “linners,” we’ve got to stock up on the essentials for three square meals a day. And because all three of my children have, shall we say, distinctive taste buds, that involves a lot of stocking up.
First there’s the new water bottle, because invariably the caps for the ones we have were lost over the summer, leaving us with a cupboard full of indestructible stainless steel containers that are completely worthless. And though my kids might still complain about toting the bottle around rather than tossing a plastic version, I simply remind them that the (filtered) tap water that I pour is tested weekly, while bottled water isn’t required to be tested at all. And that independent tests have found all kinds of icky stuff like giardia and chemicals in bottled water—in fact, last year several kids in our district were hospitalized after buying it from a school vending machine.
That’s enough to get them running to the water fountain.
The water bottle is followed by a new set of BPA-free plastic containers, since the tops to those have invariably gone the way of the water tops, and our existing sandwich boxes became bongos for the Barnacle (read: baby) in June. To fill them, I fill a cart with three types of food: bland for my 10-year-old (peanut butter sandwiches, no jelly), salty for my eight-year-old (seaweed chips and olive snacks) and hearty for the Barnacle, who eats pretty much anything—just a lot of it.
Yes, I buy organic food, and no, I don’t find it’s more expensive. Studies found that because kids eat four-to-five times more fruits, veggies and milk than we do, they’re way more vulnerable to the pesticides in the conventional food. If I can justify buying a coffee for $3 at Starbucks, I can certainly justify paying $1 for milk if it prevents my daughter from early onset menstruation and my son from smaller testicular size linked to infertility (yes, it’s true).
At the market, I add a bunch of goodies for our annual end-of-summer block party. We roll the barbecues into the front lawns, block off the street with trashcans so the kids can play full-court basketball, and break out the beer. Because summer can’t last forever, but fall’s fun too. Cheers!
P.S. Pic above is from a few years back when my daughter started kindergarten, and my niece was evacuating Katrina. Ah, the good old days.
P.P.S. Looking for great eco-friendly lunchboxes and water bottles? I got mine from OneSmallStep.com, where they’re giving readers 10% off now through September 15th with “EcoStiletto10″ at checkout. And for insulated lunch bags made from 100% recycled water bottles, check out KidsKonserve.com, where they’re giving readers 15% off with “ecostil” at check out through September 20th. Note the EcoStiletto.com connection, where it’s all about the ecoswag, baby. Subscribers get discounts like this, plus a chance to win free sustainable shoes, every week!
Filed under: EcoStiletto Kids Archives
Think your wee one is growing up fast? She’s got nothing on bamboo. The grass-family plant is one of the fastest growing flora in the entire world—up to 24 inches a day for some species. It’s also one of the fastest-growing fiber sources in the world of eco-friendly fabric. Soft, strong and naturally antimicrobial (i.e. no pesky pesticides), bamboo is especially well suited for kids’ stuff. Check out two brands we’ve grown to love!
BamBoo Hugs Bath Blankets have got to be among the softest, plushest, hippest towels we’ve ever had the pleasure of wrapping our wee ones up in. These 70% organic bamboo/30% organic cotton cuties are double-layered for thickness and so absorbent that our kids practically dry on contact. Our bath babes adore the Bath Blankets’ cozy hoods, especially the darling Kitty Hug, designed by BamBoo Hugs’ co-owner Claudia Night’s seven-year-old daughter.
One mom we know—a weary veteran of the nightly “battle of the bath”—reported a total turnaround in her tot’s attitude toward the tub when he knew a post-bath wrap in the perky Panda Hug Bath Blanket awaited! The blankets’ ample size—30 by 28 to 43 by 29 inches, depending on design—and ability to wick away moisture and regulate heat makes them not just terrific towels, but great cover-ups for stroller rides and car trips. And the Hooded Baby Hug Blanket set comes with a coordinating BooRag that can be used as a towel, diaper pad, mini-blanket—you name it. As if that’s not enough, BamBoo Hugs’ products are naturally antibacterial, antifungal and hypoallergenic, as well as pesticide-free and fair-trade-made. Did we mention that BamBoo Hugs achieves its blankets’ lovely purple, pink, chocolate and black hues with low-VOC dyes? Now we did. Snuggle up!
If you like the idea of bamboo bath blankets, you’re going to love the idea of a whole line of super-stylish, sensationally soft bamboo baby, toddler and parent products. We do! Itzy Ritzy takes clean, green, sustainable bamboo and turns it into everything from Ritzy Sitzy shopping-cart and high-chair covers to designer Bitzy Blankets. Breastfeeding a budding eco-activist? Check out the Ritzy Nurser, which offers bamboo’s natural UV protection for safe and discreet outdoor breastfeeding. Looking for a fabulous shower gift? Go for a two-pack of Bitzy Burpers, made from remnants of fashionable Itzy Ritzy reversible fabric that would otherwise go to waste. As for style, celebrity-fave Itzy Ritzy has got it to spare. We especially adore the elegant floral Central Park West and vibrant Island Hopping patterns, as well as the delightfully textured Minky Dot. And, of course, we love how gentle Itzy Ritzy fabric is against our little ones’ sensitive skin, especially when we launder our fully machine-washable Itzy Ritzy bits in eco-friendly, toxin-free, cold-water detergent.
–Natasha Garber is the former editor of Los Angeles Family magazine. Currently, she is a freelance contributing editor for Special Events Magazine and a contributor to numerous lifestyle publications across the country, where she covers green events and event planning, sustainable catering and cuisine, fashion and design trends. A mother of two and passionate proponent of eco-conscious family living, Natasha lives, writes, parents, plays and makes fresh, organic, totally delicious baby food (just ask her 6-month-old) in Los Angeles.
Filed under: eco-friendly, food, green, organic, parenting, sustainable, travel, vacation
The last trip my husband and I took was a few months ago, when we traveled a whole 20 miles from our home to hole up in a hotel and—insert naughty thoughts here—sleep. (We have three kids, what can I say?) By virtue of our low mileage, and our destination’s tentative steps towards sustainability, that staycation was relatively eco-friendly.
The next is this month, when we’re taking advantage of an Air Tahiti promotion—kids fly, eat and sleep free—and traveling to Bora Bora for 12 days of bliss. (Hence the head’s up: EcoStiletto Kids archived content will run on Mommy Greenest for the next two weeks.)
Obviously, in sustainability terms, it’s deplorable to travel thousands of miles to sleep on a beach when you live not 10 miles from a perfectly snoozable stretch of sand.
But to all you sustainabullies out there, I say consider this evidence:
- We haven’t taken a vacation in the 14 years that we’ve been married. (Despite their tourism-friendly locations, annual visits to family and New Orleans or Santa Fe don’t count.)
- The trip is to celebrate my husband’s 40th birthday. (If making it this far doesn’t deserve a celebration, I don’t know what does.)
- With a 10, eight and two-and-a-half year-old in tow, we’re in the halcyon days between terrible twos and tweendom. (This may be the only family trip we get without massive stretches of screaming and/or sulking.)
Can you let us off the hook?
But between the staycation at the hotel and the real vacation in Tahiti, my husband and I managed to squeeze in a perfect day. Somewhere between a vacation and a date, this is what I’m now calling a “daycation.”
It was even—relatively—eco-friendly. First, we spent the day scuba diving from a boat just off the island of Catalina, staring at bright orange Garibaldi and having a face-off with a corpulent bat ray, who watched us for one fascinating minute, then swooped away.
Sitting on the ocean in the middle of a kelp bed? Priceless.
Because it was the final day of our SCUBA certification process, the boat trip was a group affair—public transport, natch. We were certified by the fantastically eco-conscious (no spear fishing, regular reef rebuilding trips, on-board recycling and monthly beach clean-ups) Eco Dive Center in Culver City, CA. It is, hands down, filled with the coolest, most diverse, amazing and dedicated group of people we have ever encountered. If you’re going to spend four hours shivering, this is the group to do it with.
Spaced out and hungry after our dive, we headed a few blocks down Sepulveda to the yummy new Vietnamese restaurant Pho Show for bowls of tofu soup and rice-paper wrapped spring rolls, but were diverted by the Five Senses Spa, which had just debuted next door. Super clean, with traditional screened rooms and trained masseuses, it’s open seven days a week, from 9:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. They squeezed us in just under the wire, and we spent $50 for an hour’s worth of bending, pulling and kneading that unknotted muscles we didn’t even know we had.
Yes, the staycation was sleep-friendly and Tahiti will be spectacular. But one day I hope my husband and I can squeeze in another daycation, which took us underwater, to Thailand and Vietnam in eight hours and 40 miles.
Bliss.
Filed under: EcoStiletto Kids Archives
Have you ever tried tearing your son’s attention away when he’s deep into Diego? Ever attempted to converse with your daughter when she’s transfixed by Tinker Bell? Nickelodeon and Disney know they’ve got a captive audience in today’s tots and tweens. And while we might wish our wee ones spent a little more time out in the green and a little less time sucked into the screen, we are pleased to report that kids’ TV’s two top dogs are doing their part to spread the message of environmental stewardship and resource conservation. And if our rugrats’ recent reminders to shut off lights when we’re not in the room are any indication, they are listening up!
What’s big and green and airs over and over? Why that would be Nickelodeon’s The Big Green Help—the kids’ cable network’s eco campaign, which runs between-show spots and maintains a major Web presence full of games, quizzes and other interactive fun. Nick launched The Big Green Help—a green offshoot of its much-lauded The Big Help public-service campaign—in April 2008, after partnering on a research study with the Pew Center on Global Climate Change. Results of that study revealed that 50% of kids ages 8-14 are not sure how to directly impact environmental issues, but approximately 80% believe they can stop global warming. The study also found 62% of families responding that they regularly drank bottled water, though 45% admitted they did not recycle plastic bottles. Yikes! To rectify issues like these, the Big Green Help tackles topics including energy conservation, recycling and curbing CO2 emissions. Our preschoolers are partial to The Big Green Help animation spots that offer instruction on turning off computers, stereos and lights when leaving a room, and feature an international assemblage of kids encircling a smiling globe with the message, “Let’s care for the Earth, the friend we adore.” Amen to that.
Plus, we appreciate The Big Green Guide’s online parenting resources, with handy suggestions for teaching our tots about nature, recycling and energy conservation. Our CPU-savvy slightly older ones dig The Big Green Help’s Web site, where Nick celebs like SpongeBob and the Naked Brothers Band star in interactive games like Dirty Bubble Busters and the all-too-addictive Polar Bear Bounce. Kids can also pledge to reduce their carbon footprint by turning off lights and powering down the computer when not in use (208 pounds of CO2/year), reminding parents to turn off the car when waiting to pick ’em up from school (657 pounds/year), and recycling the family paper, plastic, aluminum and glass each week (a whopping 1,803 pounds/year). Yowza! Whatever we think about disaster-prone sea sponges, paranoid ferrets, superhero house pets or pint-size explorers, we’re down with Nick’s use of its hold on our young impressionables to promote the greater green good.
Who knew a teeny, tiny pixie could wield so much eco-influence on mini minds? The Department of Energy, that’s who. That’s why the DOE, along with the Advertising Council, hooked up with Disney on the What’s Your Excuse? campaign. Campaign PSAs featuring Tinker Bell (the new and so-called improved version, not the exceedingly vain, non-speaking, jealous wee spitfire of old) and her pixie pals originally aired on TV last year and can now be found at www.energy.gov . Our young Tink fans squeal with delight at the sight of the playful pixies setting Pixie Hollow aglow with energy-saving lights, and plugging into an assembly-line-style power strip. And once we’re on the site, we can surf a whole spectrum of energy-related tips, facts and games together. We like the simple drawings and kid-friendly explanations of big-four renewal energy resources: solar, wind, geothermal and biomass. And we love to link from the site to the California Energy Commission’s award-winning Energy Quest site for games, stories, movies and cool contests. So, yeah, we old-schoolers may still prefer the voluptuous, volatile 1953 Tinker Bell—once rumored to have been based on Marilyn Monroe, dontcha know?—but we love that Tink ’08 is a great green inspiration for the little pixie in all of us.
–Natasha Garber is the former editor of Los Angeles Family magazine. Currently, she is a contributor to numerous bridal, event and lifestyle publications across the country, where she covers green events and event planning, sustainable catering and cuisine, fashion and design trends. A mother of two and passionate proponent of eco-conscious family living, Natasha lives, writes, parents, plays and makes fresh, organic, totally delicious baby food in Los Angeles.
Filed under: EcoStiletto Kids Archives
Used to baby grabbing food off your plate? Well get ready to return the favor. Sprout Organic baby food from celeb chef Tyler Florence is so scrumptious, you’ll find it tough to resist sharing with your wee one. The Food Network star and father of three wouldn’t have it any other way. He created Sprout to be not just wholesome, but totally delicious, and our babies are eating it up! Sprout’s Stage 1 line includes Roasted Pears and Roasted Bananas—not steamed, but oven-roasted to bring out the fruits’ intense sweetness and complexity. The Stage 2 group has a chunkier texture our little ones love and fab combos like Sweet Potatoes with White Beans and Pasta with Lentil Bolognese.
All Sprout ingredients are 100% organic, and Florence’s company is committed to limiting children’s exposure to toxins, preventing water contamination from chemical runoff and promoting healthy soil. Amen to that. And while we really wish Sprout’s foil-lined packages were recyclable—the company does, too, and says it’s working to find a manufacturer that can make a recyclable food-safe pouch—we applaud them for being BPA-free and lightweight (reducing the amount of energy required for product transportation). You can pick your favorite Sprout at SproutBaby, the eco-friendly online store that’s not just Florence’s exclusive online distributor, but a terrific place to get other great green baby stuff like Green to Grow bottles, Clean Well wipes and more.
Small-batch, slow-simmered—so far, so good. All-organic, perfectly pure—yeah, baby! Applying the same techniques he honed as chef at two- and three-Michelin-star restaurants in his native France, 22-year culinary veteran and restaurateur Laurent Brazier is the toque behind the tasty offerings served up by Pomme Bebe. Pomme’s seasonal menus are divided into Basics, Blends and Tots, and feature such delish dishes as Pear-Kiwi-Apricot Puree, Spinach-Sweet Potato Puree, Chicken Saltimbocca and Homemade Minestrone. Drool much? Sure, fresh is best—and Pomme Bebe fresh organic baby food is best consumed within three days of purchase. But when we and our weebies don’t have time to pop into Pomme Bebe’s super-hip Newport Beach, CA “bebe-bar” (yes, you heard right), we love that we can get our Pomme yums flash frozen and shipped right to our door in eco-friendly insulated containers.
The dynamic duo behind Petite Palate aren’t just eco-minded mompreneurs, they’re also trained chefs: partner Lisa Beels is a Cordon Bleu graduate and Christine Naylor a California Culinary Academy alum. Together the two fans of French cooking whip up some of the tastiest organic baby food we’ve found. Our little ones especially love Petite Palate’s bouquet-garni-infused Lentil Stew and Banana-Peach Blend with a hint of tummy-settling ginger. And we love that Petite Palate uses only grower-direct organic produce in its flash-frozen baby meals. Want some great tips on getting your little one to not just eat but love his organic veggies? Check out Petite Palate’s Web site, which is chock full of feeding facts and philosophies—all tres French, all tres green, naturally.
–This article was originally written for EcoStiletto Kids by Natasha Garber, the former editor of Los Angeles Family magazine. Currently, she is a freelance contributing editor for Special Events Magazine and a contributor to numerous lifestyle publications across the country, where she covers green events and event planning, sustainable catering and cuisine, fashion and design trends. A mother of two and passionate proponent of eco-conscious family living, Natasha lives, writes, parents, plays and makes fresh, organic, totally delicious baby food (just ask her 6-month-old) in Los Angeles.
Filed under: EcoStiletto Kids Archives
Expecting? Let our eco-maternity style and pampering picks help get you feeling fabulous, whatever trimester you’re in. You deserve it, mom-to-be!
Does the term maternity wear instantly make you envision frumpy smocks and tent-like T’s? What you need is a little Jessica Scott in your closet. The designer is devoted to keeping both mothers and the planet toxin free in order to ensure the happiness and health of future generations. To do so, she uses organic cotton and lyocell—a cellulose textile made from farmed-tree pulp—in all her designs. And the clothes? Divine. Our hands-down favorite is the sexy, sophisticated, deceptively simple, wonderfully versatile Strapless in Seattle—a combination strapless dress, long skirt and capelet that is as comfortable to wear as it is stylish. The fetching Strapless comes in a range of mouthwatering colors, including watermelon, lime and chocolate, and features a silky skirt and lovely rosette detail. We also adore the As Gaucho As It Gets wide-leg pants, with their under-belly wrap waist and sweet sequin detail, especially when we pair them with the flower-graphic A Camisole Built For Two—perfect for prenatal yoga, or dolled up with a sharp blazer or slinky wrap for fancier affairs. Purchase any of Jessica Scott’s maternity pieces and you’ll be protecting the health of children everywhere: The designer donates 2.5% of net profits to the Children’s Health Environmental Coalition, which works to improve the quality and quantity of environmental health information reaching the public.
Babies are notorious for tugging on jewelry—which is exactly what inspired Momma’s Jewels to create its lovely line of sterling silver teething necklaces and bracelets. Accessorize your eco-stylish maternity ensemble with our favorite, the Three Ring Sterling Silver Necklace. You’ll be the only one who knows that gorgeous bit of bling grazing your oh-so-voluptuous pregnancy cleavage is actually a nontoxic, naturally antimicrobial, heirloom-quality (meaning recyclable for decades and decades) teether. Once baby’s here, she won’t be able to keep her hands off your necklace, and you won’t mind one bit, knowing that those rings she’s happily gnawing are free of phthalates, BPA, lead and other nasties that can be associated with plastic teething toys. We love Momma’s Jewels as a baby-shower or new-mom gift—one that will keep on giving for generations.
Nothing looks better in summer’s sweetest eco-maternity styles and fabulous accessories that healthy, dewy, dazzling skin. Luckily, paraben- and petrolatum-free Honeydew Skin Care has you covered. Our preggo pals swear by Honeydew’s delish-smelling Balmy Mommy, a lightweight, super-concentrated balm that’s full of good stuff like cocoa butter and calendula to nourish swelling tummies, breasts and thighs, and help prevent the itch that comes with the pregnancy stretch. For more intensive moisturizing, there’s super-rich Bun in the Over belly butter, packed with shea butter for cell repair, and jojoba, which has natural anti-inflammatory properties. Besides bulging bellies, it’s great for dry elbows, knees and feet. Both Honeydew products are available at Nordstrom.com.
So go on, get your glow on, mama!
–Natasha Garber is the former editor of Los Angeles Family magazine. Currently, she is a contributor to numerous bridal, event and lifestyle publications across the country, where she covers green events and event planning, sustainable catering and cuisine, fashion and design trends. A mother of two and passionate proponent of eco-conscious family living, Natasha lives, writes, parents, plays and makes fresh, organic, totally delicious baby food in Los Angeles.
