British Crackdown on Junk Food Ads Praised

Last week the Center for Science in the Public Interest weighed in on the final statement from Ofcom (Office of Communications, the UK's television and radio broadcasting watchdog) regarding the ban on junk food ads during programming aimed at children 16 and under. CSPI praises the ban and suggests that we here in the US need similar restrictions on ads during children's programming.

I can't say that I would object to fewer, or even NO advertising which promotes unhealthy eating habits here on our own soil. It's hard enough to always have the healthiest choices available on hand even without the additional pressure of junk food ads everywhere we turn. As busy as mom's are, just the idea of getting anything on the table to eat can at times seem overwhelming, forget it it if involves anything much more complicated than a drive through order.

I think we can all agree that clearly, something needs to be done about the health of children in our country. I say kudos to the UK for taking those first hard steps. Maybe, we as moms need to speak up, write letters to the food manufacturers, the FCC , the FTC and anyone else that might have a part in helping or hurting the health of America's children. I'm not suggesting that speaking up and demanding firmer restrictions here absolves us of teaching our children at home what choices are good and bad. FAR from it. I realize that the media cannot be blamed for all of our woes. We have to do our best at home too.

Speaking of doing our best regarding health at home, PunditMom addresses this issue today over on PunditMom Reviews with her review of Good Kids, Bad Habits: The RealAge Guide to Raising Healthy Children Check it out! I think you'll enjoy it.

If you're anything like me, the whole "fridge food storage" issue has been one that has remained a work in progress. What to use? Wrap things in foil or plastic wrap? Go for the whole Tupperware extravaganza fridge and food storage solution decor? Chuck it all and use the new disposable GladWare and Ziploc solution? Drag out my not yet used but "must have now!" vacuum food storage saver? All of this in the name of delaying that when-last-nights-beef stew-inevitably- becomes-the-much-feared-science-experiment, or- your-own-home-grown-penicillin gag fest that must occur eventually.

Someone needs to study the psychology behind it all, honestly.

Before Thanksgiving last year I decided to take the plunge and be suckered into purchasing the
Sharper Image Fresher Longer Miracle Food Storage
set. Actually, in fact, I "accidentally" ordered two sets, one of which I had planned to return...who needs all that storage, right?

My $69.99 x2 has ended up being a worthy investment. Whatever they put in this stuff does inhibit bacteria growth (in my own unofficial lab tests) even in light of all the recent controversy regarding silver nanoparticles. You can Google up a dozen test runs to read on Fresher Longer vs. Rubbermaid, glass jars and various other container types and find a wide range of results. BUT...what most of the comparison info out there does not take into account is...well...being a Mom.

Yes, glass jars may be superior in the time to fuzz factor, but we can't really be putting lots of them in the fridge when we have a two-year-old who has just learned about the amazing and utterly fascinating world of the cold recesses of the fridge interior, now can we? And Rubbermaid may be "just as good" (although not in my own personal experience) but what these testers didn't seem to consider was the slight to severe OCD that becoming a mom induces. What Fresher Longer has going for it is that super cool and highly satisfying snap on lid feature that feels like no other, AND the way they look so incredibly organized, stacked so perfectly (and they can't be stacked imperfectly) in your refrigerator. They actually made me WANT to cook, just so I can store and stack these amazing little boxes.

When you're having a day where the kids are pulling things out as fast as you are putting them away, you can escape to your own mini-nirvana by simply opening your refrigerator and looking inside for a moment of calm, peaceful, zenlike organization and say to yourself, "oh yes, I AM the rockin'est Mom on the planet".

Mom fuel!

It's tough for moms to get quality, nutritional fuel on the run. But this cereal does the trick. Nature's Path Flax Plus Rasin Bran. Not only does it taste great (especially with a few raspberries tossed on top) but it provides 11 grams of fiber in one serving! 11 grams!! That's nearly half of the recommended daily amount for us moms. Where else can you get such power nutrition packed into one serving? Tough to beat. Fiber is more and more on the forefront of cancer and disease prevention it seems. Flax is a miracle food too. Packed with Omega 3s it's great for a skin glowing and hair softening powerboost (yes, I am a Dr. Perricone devotee).

Try it...you'll LIKE it...

Two new ways to be an uber, cool, and totally organized Mom.


For those out there who are Bibliophiles:
Library Thing

That's right! Catalog all your books online. Share, review, talk, read the Library Thing blog, and access your library from any mobile device!
Someplace to log all those Dr. Suess books and...others.
A free account lets you keep 200 books on file, a lifetime unlimited membership is $25. For me, this is very close to heaven!



For those out there who are Vinophiles:
Cork'd

Create and keep your own Cellar, keep a wine journal, make and print shopping lists, add buddies and swap recommendations! Oh and of course, check out the Cork'd blog or Wine Library TV hosted by Gary Vaynerchuk. It's fun, it's free and the next time you have dinner with friends you may actually have something other than Blues Clues or Dora the Explorer to dish about.

Mommy timesaver!!!

The Schick Intuition Razor.

I actually picked this up by accident one day at the store while simultaneously attempting to shop and keep Octopus Arms (aka Jude) from putting every item in the store into our basket (and oh yes, I was tempted to use bungee cords). I would have never tried it otherwise.

This thing rocks...