UltimateMama has a tip for parents that is both healthy and fun for kids.  Skip the sugar laden ice-cream and go for frozen yogurt “popsicles”.

Buy Yoplait GoGurt yogurt tubesand freeze!  Your child will love their cool yogurt popsicle on a hot summer day.

UltimateMama also loves to buy Dannon’s Dan-o-nino yogurt cups, put wooden sticks in them, and freeze them for an after-lunch treat!

You can even make sure own frozen yogurt popsicles by mixing yogurt and fruit and freezing the mix into a popsicle mold (or a little paper cup with a wooden stick)!

UltimateMama loves giving her kids lots of fruits and vegetables!  Breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack are important times to promote a healthy lifestyle by showing your children how to eat healthy! 

Avoiding pesticides is also important for clean living.  The Environmental Working Group (EWG) recently released its 2011 “Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce” so check it out now!

UltimateMama knows how hard it can be to “cook” with youngsters so she suggests creating a colorful, fun, and easy berry fruit salad together!  One can teach their children the various colors, shapes, and tastes of fruit while encouraging them to be creative in the kitchen. 

Even those who fear the kitchen can help their children make this easy fruit salad.  So, don an apron and try some of these ingredients (remember to cut fruit for your little children to avoid choking hazards):

– strawberries

– raspberries (red and golden yellow)

– blueberries

– blackberries

Rinse the fruit, separate the fruit into various bowls, and have your children pour the fruit into one big bowl!  This is a perfect Mother’s Day breakfast treat too!

UltimateMama has a big meal tip for you — always have a meal in the freezer that can be easily heated up for a meal the day you return home from vacation travel.  This way, if your flight is delayed or you return home late you have a nutritious meal ready for your family! UltimateMama’s favorite heat and serve meal is meatballs and sauce.  Soups work well too.  Just boil pasta and add cheese on top and your family has a complete lunch or dinner.  No mess, no fuss.

UltimateMama is a strong advocate of involving your kids in meal creation. 

For toddlers or young children, you can help them pour and stir as your sous-chef.  Or, just give them a wooden spoon and a bowl and let them pretend to be an executive chef.  Buy or make a little apron for them to really get into the spirit!

Older children could help with measuring.  A valuable math lesson could be taught while cooking.  Also, if you involve them with the cooking process it is an immediate science lesson as well!   

Let your kids participate in the kitchen  – supervised of course!

Easy Trail Mix

1 (16 oz). package dried apple 
1 (16 oz.) package pretzels
1 (16 oz.) package banana chips
1 (16 oz.) package dried pineapple or mango
1 (10 oz.) package raisins or dried cranberries

Mix all the ingredients together and store in a container with a lid or zipped bag. 

Chef UltimateMama has a few sneaky ways to get your baby, toddler, or young child to eat nutritious food:

– Shred or cube cheese and offer it as a side dish during the meal

– Put color into plain yogurt with berries (blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries)

– Peel and slice fruit for your child (kiwi, mango, apples, oranges, tangerines, clementines, etc.) DO NOT be a lazy parental chef!

– When making a sandwich use whole grain bread (avoid WHITE bread)

– Try dipping sauces (using yogurt, peanut butter, cream cheese, salsa, marinara sauce, etc.) with veggies

Teach your child good eating habits while they are young. NEVER let on that you do not care for a particular food – your child will pick up on it!  So, smile while you feed them brussel sprouts!

UltimateMama, your sneaky chef, has a nice, quick trick for you regarding yogurt…let’s call it UltimateMama’s sneaky yogurt tip.

If your little one only likes flavored yogurt (vanilla, berries, pear, apple, peach, etc.) and you are concerned about the high sugar content there is a way to satisfy both of you.  Just take a small spoonful of the flavored yogurt and mix it with plain yogurt and your little one may not even notice the difference. For added pizazz sprinkle a little cinnamon on top!

UltimateMama declared victory today!  It took her youngest one fourteen months but she finally likes macaroni and cheese.  UltimateMama is thrilled because mac n cheese is an easy and nutritious entree for the whole family.

UltimateMama's tips for children or kids trying new foods:

1. Never give up.  If your child does not like the food the first, second, third, or forth time keep offering it to them.  Space out the offerings. For instance, if you tried salmon last Friday maybe wait a few weeks before offering it again.

2.  Teach them to politely decline the food.  Your child, depending on age, may spit out food they do not like or verbally tell you they "hate it".  Encourage your child to say "thank you but I do not care for it" if they do not like a particular food. This may save you some embarrassment at friends houses down the road.

3.  Do not be afraid of condiments.  If your child does not like plain hamburger then dress it up with ketchup. Or if your child is not into chicken try it with mustard or ranch dressing. Celery may taste better to your child with peanut butter or cream cheese on it.  Try to keep it healthy but also a little fun.

4. Practice what you preach.  If you want your child to eat lemon sole and asparagus then you should eat it in front of them!

5. Show them others they love eat certain foods.  Have a favorite friend or role model eat the particular food in front of your child. If your child's teacher Miss Julie eats cucumbers in front of your child they may want to do just the same!

6. Go to the source. Visit farms, Greenmarkets, fruit stands and show your kids where the food comes from. Let them talk to the farmers and learn about different local varieties of fruits, vegetables, and produce. 

UltimateMama does not believe in taking young children to overpriced prix-fixe dinners for Valentine's Day.  Not only does it ruin the atmosphere for other patrons but it is also expensive to bring your children to such venues. 

UltimateMama is a fan of taking children out to eat for Valentine's Day at nice restaurants that offer brunch or lunch options at realistic prices. 

For example, UltimateMama's family will be treated to a Bobby Flay Valentine's Day at Mesa Grill (perhaps without Bobby actually present).  Although Mesa Grillhas a special Valentine's Day dinner menu, the restaurant is serving the regular brunch menu on Valentine's Day at regular prices (read:  not set or prix-fixe). UltimateMama's family will dine in style without worrying about the wallet!