Tips to Avoid Gaining Weight on Halloween

Monica Ho Ehlers from the SF Family Fitness Examiner,: http://bit.ly/6qstc offers ten great tips to keep you from "gobblin'" up too much candy. One of those tips includes buying candy you don’t like so you won’t have to torture yourself by trying not to eat it. She also offers money saving tips by suggesting that you wait until the last minute to buy candy – such as the day of Halloween – when a lot of stores offer discounted candy.

Check out all of the tips here: http://bit.ly/1VJ07C

Tips for Saving Time in the Kitchen

Brenda J. Ponichtera, RD (www.QuickandHealthy.net), author of Quick & Healthy Recipes and Ideas, and Quick & Healthy Volume II, offers these tips for saving time in the kitchen:

• Organize your work area so you work more efficiently. Use a large cutting board for your work surface. Gather your tools all at one time and place within easy reach (i.e. to your right if you are right handed). Line up the ingredients above the cutting board. Lastly, have a scrap bowl for waste. This will make clean up easy.

• Buy partially prepared foods such as cleaned lettuce, stir-fry vegetables, dried onion, and chopped garlic.

• Prepare fresh produce (clean/chop) all at one time, for the week. This is a real time saver.

• Use a salad spinner when cleaning whole heads of lettuce.

• Double a recipe so you cook once and serve twice.

• Use local vegetables and fruits in season – they often taste better than those shipped in and preparation is easy. Just serve raw or microwave.

• Freeze chopped herbs in sealed containers. Remove just what you need for a recipe.

• Use the grocery lists and planned menus in Quick & Healthy Recipes and Ideas AND Quick & Healthy Volume II

Source: Quick & Healthy Recipes and Ideas, 3rd Edition AND Quick & Healthy Volume II, 2nd Edition, © Brenda J. Ponichtera, R.D., www.QuickandHealthy.net, published by Small Steps Press, publishing health conscious books for the general population, a division of the American Diabetes Association; retail $18.95. Individual orders: call 1-800-232-6733 or visit www.SmallStepsPress.org. Also available at local and online bookstores.

Tips on Finding a Nanny or Babysitter

In today’s society, finding a good, reliable nanny or babysitter is a bit challenging to say the least. It’s important to know what or who you are looking for when you begin your quest. Start by giving yourself ample time to conduct your search. Settling for someone you’re not sure about can leave you feeling uneasy about your child’s care in your absence.

Candi Wingate, President of Nannies4Hire.com has provided the following tips for parents who are thinking about hiring a new nanny or babysitter:

1. Will you need a live-in or live-out? A live-in nanny is someone who lives inside your home. In this type of situation you will need to provide him/her with a private bedroom and either a shared or private bath. A live-in nanny does have specific hours they work and will have down time. A live-out nanny is someone who comes to your home on the specified hours you have agreed upon, but does not live in the home.

2. What hours will you need someone? A nanny/babysitter can work full-time, part-time, temporary, summer, 24-hour duty, etc. A full-time nanny can work anywhere from 30+ hours per week. A part-time nanny can work anywhere from 5-30 hours per week. Some families who hire part-time nannies will need someone 2-3 full days per week, while the next family may need someone for before/after school care every day of the week. Summer nannies generally work 2-3 months during the summer and temporary nannies are hired for on-call situations from one day to a few weeks at a time. Many nannies will make a year commitment if that’s what the family wishes. Remember to specify the specific hours/days of the week you will need up front.

3. What will be their responsibilities/duties? Responsibilities for a nanny or babysitter can include, but are not limited to: childcare, light housekeeping, grocery shopping, meal preparation, errands, carpooling, laundry, and anything else that has to do with your children.

Nannies4hire.com has ongoing relationships with Dr. Phil, Supernanny, The Discovery Channels, and TLC Jon & Kate + 8.

Recyclable Halloween Costumes

This year, my son’s teacher asked the kids to design their Halloween costumes using recycled materials as part of a school project. Not only does their grade depend upon their creativity, but also on a presentation that will include what materials were used, where the materials came from, and if the materials were not recycled how they could negatively impact the environment. I think it’s a great idea to make the kids more environmentally aware in a fun way.

The Daily Green offers 19 great ideas on recyclable outfits for adults and children including a simple bat costume, a mutant cyborg, and a more complicated plastic bottle armor suit.

If you have some ideas or know of some good Halloween sites, please let us know!

10 Ways To Avoid A Speeding Ticket

Okay, these are probably not the kind of tips I should be posting – especially since none of us are supposed to be speeding. But I sure could have used them when I was driving up to NC a couple of months ago!

This new article posted at AOL Autos offers some handy guidelines to avoid getting pulled over including not bringing attention to yourself by driving aggressively, staying out of the far left lane, and looking for a “rabbit.”

Click it to avoid a ticket!