Friday, July 22, 2011

Organic Vs. Non-Organic Foods

Okay, so there is the big debate on what foods you should and should not buy organic and as you all know, the organic foods cost quite a bit more than non-organics.  Personally, I cannot afford to buy everything organic so I spent some time looking at lots of articles regarding organic and non-organic foods.  After doing so, I compiled a list of where to spend the extra money and where not to.  I would say, if you can, buy everything organic but if not, just go organic on the foods that contain the most pesticides and hormones.  On the items like fruits and veggies that you either cannot find organic or simply cannot afford, invest in a good natural veggie wash, which can be found at virtually any health food store.

Top 12 Foods to Buy Organic- Spend the Money!

1. Baby Food! --Your baby is worth it!
2. All Meat
3. Eggs
4. Dairy Products
5. Leafy greens
6. Peaches
7. Rice
8. Strawberries
9. Tomatoes
10. Peppers
11. Apples
12. Grapes

12 Foods Not Necessary for Organic (But Do If You Can!)

1. Avocados
2. Bananas
3. Onions
4. Pineapple
5. Mango
6. Asparagus
7. Peas
8. Cabbage
9. Eggplant
10. Spices
11. Broccoli
12. Potatoes

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Making Your Own Baby Food

This infomercial is what got me interested in making my own baby food.  It is so much fun and there are so many combinations you can make for your little one.  I paid $3.99 for a bag of frozen organic green beans which will make about 10 jars of food! That's only $.40 a jar versus around $1.00-$2.00 for each organic jar of baby food sold in the store.  Plus you're saving on energy by reusing the same containers over and over.

http://www.babybullet.com/

Friday, July 8, 2011

Wood Vs. Plastic

As the manufacturing of plastic toys continues to grow, it is important to remember why those timeless wooden toys are so.... timeless.

While some of the new plastic toys are pretty neat, wood toys are the better way to go for several reasons:
  1. Wood toys are more durable.  Although there are very heavy duty plastics being made today, wood is likely to show less wear and tear than a plastic toy and last years longer.
  2. Wood toys are natural.  Call me a hippie, but I'd rather have my child chewing on a toy made of a natural material versus a material created with chemicals. 
  3. Wood toys are more eco-friendly.  They are biodegradable, less toxic on the Earth, and generally use less energy to create.
  4. You don't have to worry about a wood toy being BPA-Free or containing Phthalates (which are substances created from phthalic acid and are added to plastics in order to make them more flexible, durable, and last longer)
  5. Wood toys have a classic look that never goes out of style.  While Fisher-Price always has a new musical toy or life-like doll coming out, the classic wood toys are ones that won't need to be replaced with an updated version.  
Wood toys seem to be the better way to go, however take note that not all toys made of wood are necessarily safe.  Make sure they have passed the formaldehyde tests and are painted with non-toxic, non-lead containing paint.  (When all else fails, a sniff test could do the trick) Take a whiff-- does the item smell like chemicals? (If it smells like chemicals, it probably contains them!)

If you do decide to purchase plastic toys or baby items, make sure they are BPA-Free, Phthalate-Free, and are recyclable.