We have always been big milk drinkers in my family. My parents served milk with dinner, and now I serve milk with dinner. Even when Chris and I were broke college students, we bought milk (to make macaroni and cheese of course) and had at least a glass a day. When Nathan was a toddler, he wouldn’t drink milk. Until I saw a commercial for Ovaltine and bought some. THEN he would drink all the milk I would let him have!

The website Why Milk? has a ton of great information, and I was asked to check it out for a campaign with Mom Central. Here’s information from the site that I personally think is critical. In Michigan, we have months where the sun is so weak or hidden behind clouds, that our doctors advise us to take vitamin D supplements. And drink milk if we can. Here’s why:

Many Americans are missing out on vitamin D. In fact, vitamin D deficiency in this country is being called a silent epidemic.

Why is this so alarming? Well known for its role in keeping bones strong, vitamin D is now being hailed for so much more. There’s an abundance of new research suggesting vitamin D is a super nutrient, offering an array of health benefits.

New and emerging research reveals that vitamin D, nicknamed the “sunshine vitamin,” may help support a healthy heart, normal blood pressure, healthy aging and help regulate the immune system.

Even though vitamin D is basking in the limelight, Americans of all ages are still coming up short. Our bodies can make vitamin D from the sun, but you can’t always count on it to supply what you need — especially in the winter or if you wear sunscreen.

Milk is one of the few food sources of vitamin D – in fact, it’s the leading source of vitamin D in the diet. It’s practically Liquid Sunshine® !

A serving of milk is the same for everyone, eight ounces. To help kids (and adults) get the recommended three servings a day, try this yummy-sounding recipe from WhyMilk.com:

Banana Delight

Makes 4 servings, 4 ounces of milk per serving.

Ingredients:

2 cups fat free milk
1 cup fat free yogurt
4 diced bananas
6 tbsp. chocolate syrup

Directions: Blend ingredients well and portion into 4 servings.

Nutrition: 260 calories; 1 g fat; 0 g saturated fat; 10 g protein; 57 g carbohydrates; 4 g fiber; 5 mg cholesterol; 120 mg sodium.

Nutritional and Economical Value – A Single Serving costs less than 75 cents per glass.

Check WhyMilk? for more recipes including one I want to make ASAP, “Mom’s Mocha Indulgence Smoothie”. Yum!

this post is part of a campaign for WhyMilk? and Mom Central. All opinions are mine. I am receiving a blender as thanks for my participation.

The new Birthday Party Bash game from Wii puts a fun new twist on the traditional birthday party by combining everything from the invitations to the party games right on your Nintendo Wii!  Right from the Wii screen, you can choose a party invitation and email it to friends, or print out invitations to address and send by snail mail. Then choose from 10 party themes (Pirates or Princesses, maybe?) and check the Birthday Party Bash website for great recipes to serve to hungry guests that coordinate with the party games.  (Warning, that site has auto-play music).

Yes, you get party games! But with a modern twist-up to 12 players can take turns playing 20 games, including car racing, pinata bashing, cake layer stacking (brought to you by Duncan Hines), and more. Players can even name and customize their avatar.

The best part is, this isn’t just a game to be played only at birthday parties. The party games can be played in free play mode any time, or the player can create a new “birthday” game to play with friends any time. I think it’s a really fun twist on birthday party games and a fun option for younger Wii players.

disclosure:

I wrote this review while participating in a campaign for Mom Central on behalf of Nintendo Wii Birthday Party Bash. Mom Central sent me a copy of the Wii game to thank me for taking the time to participate.

With summer comes new routines and exciting activities, as our kids head to camp, play and splash at pool parties, stay up later, and spend long, sunny days outside. Of course, not everything changes during the summer, especially a Mom’s routine. We still get up early, do laundry, pack lunches, and get dinner on the table, no matter the season or day of the week.

To bring some variety to meal-planning this summer, Unilever teamed up with the author of the “Kitchen Coach” cookbook series, Jennifer Bushman, to create the ultimate Family Fun Book, filled with delicious recipes and affordable meal ideas perfect for the whole family to enjoy – together. The Family Fun Book can be downloaded for free by clicking here <http://www.makinglifebetter.com/assets/documents/1203_family-fun-book-4-8-09.pdf> .

Bushman recommends making meal time “family time” by bringing the kids into the kitchen to help prepare the meal. By keeping a well-stocked refrigerator, freezer, and pantry with versatile and easy-to-prepare ingredients, it’s simple to get the whole family involved in the cooking process. In addition to kid-friendly recipes, Bushman suggests, add in a little fun with creative themes and recipes like these:

Have an at-home dinner picnic. Spread a blanket out in the living room and prepare simple sandwiches or wraps, like a delicious Chicken & Basil Sandwich . Opt for Hellmann’s Light Mayonnaise, which has the great taste but half the calories and fat of Hellmann’s. Get the kids involved by letting them pick the sandwich fixins and spread the mayo!
Save on cooking and clean-up time by choosing easy, delicious, one-pot dips and recipes. Use sweet potatoes or yams to prepare Spicy Oven Fries and pair with your favorite dipping sauce. To sneak in some nutrition and receive 20 percent of your daily value of Vitamin D, top with melted Shedd’s Spread Country Crock Calcium Plus Vitamin D. With just three steps, this recipe is perfect for setting loose your child’s inner chef.
To make nights in even more enjoyable, pair meals with fun at-home entertainment. Spend less time in the kitchen by using Knorr Rice Sides to make an easy one-dish meal like Grilled Chicken & Veggies Over Rice, then create a show by letting your kids sing their favorite songs in your very own “kitchen cabaret.”

Host a camping-inspired sleepover for the kids and create a kitchen retreat with campfire meals. Use whole grain tortillas as a healthy and easy dipper for your favorite one-pot recipes like Super Easy Slow-Cooked Chili with Ragu Pasta Sauce, which packs a full serving of vegetables in every half-cup of sauce. Not to mention that a slow cooked meal leaves more time for “camping” activities!

Use versatile ingredients from your well-stocked pantry. Wish-Bone Dressings can do double-duty as delicious salad dressings and simple, great tasting marinades for chicken, pork, beef and fish. Pair with soy sauce for a delicious Asian Grilled Steak.  You may want to keep your children away from the grill, but they can help by preparing the steak ahead of time.

Summer and iced tea go hand-in-hand to stay hydrated. Did you know those tea bags can also spice up your cooking? Use Lipton Teabags to create Tasty Tea Baked Apples – a delicious desert with an extra helping of antioxidants for just $1 per serving.

disclosure:

I wrote this review while participating in a blog campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Unilever/Making Life Better. Mom Central sent me a gift card and a copy of the Family Fun Book to thank me for taking the time to participate.