Tiny Oranges – Fresh, fun blog for OC moms

LOVE this guest post by Susanne on a new way she has discovered to get the kiddos to eat more balanced meals. Here is what she wrote…

Recently my  three year old daughter, Lyla, has been ALL about patterns.

She’s in her first year of preschool and they have been learning about them as a pre-math skill.  She’s been wanting to do a pattern in almost everything we do- brushing her teeth (toothpaste, brush, spit, repeat), washing her hands (water, soap, dry, repeat) and of course when she’s coloring using her different color crayons in an order.

I just thought it was super cute that she’s been wanting to apply what she’s learning at school at home until…

One morning in one of my usual struggle to get her to eat more than just her favorite item off her plate at breakfast (bacon) she said “Mom, let’s eat a pattern” and proceeded to finish her entire breakfast, with a bite of egg, toast, bacon, repeat.  It’s been working like a charm ever since!

Although this may just be a phase (as everything seems to be in child rearing) I thought it might be a helpful tool to share as getting her to eat a balanced meal has always been SO difficult to do.

Do any of you have tricks of the trade to share on how you get your kids to eat balanced meals?

As I am sure you can tell from my blog, I have a special love for Orange County and all things OC.  So when I found this new website, www.myHealthyOC.com, which marries my local love with my passion for health and fitness, it was one juicy match made in heaven!

Mamas, I cannot R-A-V-E enough about this site.

And please note that you do not have to be a fitness fanatic or an over-the-top health nut to enjoy it.  Anyone with even a little bit of interest in wellness, fitness and healthy living will get something out of this site. There is truly a little somethin’ for everyone.

By bringing together OC folks who have a health-minded focus and sharing interesting content and local companies in the health arena, www.myHealthy OC.com is about bringing a bigger awareness to health and and the abundance of resources available right here in our own backyard to help you live your healthiest life.

Feeling inspired? You will.

Let me talk about their content first. I am busy busy busy. I know you are too. Usually when I go on a website, I don’t have a ton of time to browse around.

But the first time I clicked onto www.myHealthyOC.com, I was sucked into reading their articles one after the other because the topics were just downright HELPFUL.

Posts like, What’s a serving size anyway?… I thought I knew, do you?

Get Inspired: Eat to live, not live to eat…great advice by Dr. Lyndsay Elliott a local Newport Beach body image specialist whom I happen to adore.  She wrote this article for me last year on how to promote positive body image in our children. One of my 2011 favorites.

Green recycling…what do you do with your old cell phones and electronics? Where do I take them? What is even considered recyclable? This article gives the facts.

Top five health apps…who knew?! The Snack App?! LOVE IT!

I immediately signed up for their e-mail list (right column top home page) so I don’t miss a post.

Now a little about supporting fellow OC companies.

www.myHealthy OC.com features great local companies in the areas of nutrition, fitness and wellness.

Make sure to visit the www.myHealthyOC.com shop where you can find SPECIAL deals offered to www.myHealthyOC.com readers! Yes, you can find www.myHealthyOC.com discounts and promos to help save you some $$$!

Plus, it just makes for an easier buying experience.  A virtual local marketplace, if you will!

Supporting local businesses is not only good for Orange County and the environment, it is also good for the soul. I know I get a little warm fuzzy every time I shop local.

So, check it out, bookmark it, sign up for the email list, like www.myHealthy OC.com on Facebook, tweet with the nice peeps at @myHealthyOC on Twitter and get inspired for a healthy and happy 2012!

[Disclosure: wwww.myHealthy OC.com is  a Tiny Oranges Sponsor.]

I think I have been watching too much Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen because I have been saying “I am obsessed with…” so much lately that my husband now asks me Andy-style, “what three things are you obsessed with this week?” Any other Real Housewives and Andy fans out there with me??

So my latest obsession is Chobani Non-fat Greek Yogurt. Let me explain why.

Having gestational diabetes with my second pregnancy was the best thing that could have happened to me. At the time it wasn’t, but in retrospect it absolutely was. Even today, three years later, I still eat a modified diabetes diet, which entails eating 5 times a day: three small meals and two small snacks. I also never let myself go more than 3 hours without eating something to keep my blood sugar stable. Eating this way has been great for my metabolism and gives me energy (which is important when you are a mom!)

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When we are out and about, I have to admit the snacks I pack for my kids are not always the freshest or healthiest.  For time and convenience, most of the time the snacks I take along come out of a box. So when I heard about The Sili Squeeze reusable snack squeeze I was interested to give it a try. You can try it too if you win today’s giveaway (enter below!) I also want to share a special Sili Squeeze coupon code “SILITINYORANGES” for 10% off your purchase through 10/31/11.

The Sili Squeeze is a reusable squeeze that lets growing babies snack on purees, yogurt, applesauce, smoothies, etc. while on-the-go! Little ones as young as six months can use The Sili Squeeze and it is “mommy hands free” so your little ones can squeeze themselves silly whether in the stroller, car or shopping cart.

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One of my friends, Dr. Lyndsay Elliott, is a clinical psychologist specializing in eating disorders and body image. When she recently emailed me to ask if I would ever like her to write something for my blog about how parents can help promote a healthy self-image in their children, I almost screamed through the computer, “YES!!”

As a mom raising two girls, it is something I think about a lot.

More than anything I want them to grow up with a healthy relationship with food and a good appreciation for their bodies. In today’s world, especially living in Orange County, I know it will be challenging.

That’s why I am so happy to give you Dr. Lyndsay’s suggestions on things we can do as parents to help…

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