Experiment with us this 4th of July!

We'll be hosting a party on the 4th for the Peas family and friends and have decided to grill up Peas products! That's right, grilled Peas pizzas, grilled veggie fries, grilled Puffets!

Have you grilled pizzas before? Frozen ones? French fries?
We found a couple online resources, as this will be our first time:

• Grilling frozen pizza
• controllingmychaos.com/2009/07/pizza-on-grill-fresh-or-frozen.html
• use a low setting on a gas grill or coals that are on their way out.
• cook with the BBQ lid ON.
• use a higher rack, or loft a second rack to encourage even cooking.
• Grilling frozen french fries
• Cooks. com
• we plan to omit their flavorings and use our recipea instead.
• puncture the foil pouch so steam can escape and fries will get crispy!

What will you be grilling up this 4th of July? If you decide to grill our pizza, fries, or Puffets; DO share photos and tips with us!

Changes in School Food, Part 1

The fight against childhood obesity and the struggle to makeover the school lunch program have finally reached a critical tipping point. Our government is proposing and passing laws that are enacting real change to a system that has been in place for decades! Hooray!

We would like to share our stance on some of these powerful changes and what sparked them:

1) Have you seen Jamie Oliver's T.V. show called Food Revolution? Wow, has it really stirred up controversy by exposing the politics behind school lunch. We believe his revealing show accelerated the rate of change happening around this topic. "Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution campaign seeks to educate families about food and cooking, and address the quality of the food served in school lunch programs." (jamieoliver.com)

• Peas position: We love to cook, break bread with loved ones, and enjoy swapping useful tips for cooking and feeding kids healthfully, but we recognize that there's not always time to make healthy meals from scratch. We are proud to offer wholesome and convenient food that parents can feel good about feeding their kids (and themselves) on those chaotic days when meals from scratch are not feasible.

2) Lisa Mancino of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which oversees school-meal programs, calls the new approach "stealth health," getting kids to eat healthy without even realizing it. As it turns out, the problem may not be the presence of junk food after all; it's that the good food just isn't appealing enough. ("Stealth Health for Kids" - Newsweek, 2009.)

• Peas position: We're often associated with the concept of "stealth health"...where adults 'sneak' veggies into kids' foods. We take a more transparent approach. We aren't hiding the broccoli in our Broccoli Veggie Wedgies; we are just reinventing the classic French fry by making them healthier. For us, it's not about tricking kids. We hope they like what they are eating and also know that its made from veggies. Maybe after knowingly enjoying Broccoli fries, a broccoli floret in a stir fry won't look so daunting/disgusting.

3) Under a federal law passed last December, the USDA guidelines will limit the number of calories served at every school meal and require programs to offer a broad variety of fruits and vegetables - not just corn and potatoes. The USDA has proposed a ban on potatoes in school lunch programs as an attempt to fight childhood obesity. 

• Peas position: Years ago we tried to work with a few local schools but were told our foods didn't have enough calories required for school lunch. We couldn't believe that schools were wanting more calories instead of more nutrients! As regular french fries are served less frequently in schools (or eliminated from school menus altogether), Veggie Wedgies are bursting onto the scene, replacing the fat- and salt-laden offenders. We couldn't be more proud!

4) The expansion of breakfast served at schools has yielded great results with students and teachers. Many kids who weren't getting breakfast at home are now better able to focus in class from the mid-morning until lunchtime. Even the kids who were used to having breakfast at home are fond of choosing their breakfast (hot or cold) at school. Get the full inside scoop from an observant school teacher on the Fed Up with School Lunch blog.

• Peas position: We think this is a great idea and others in the food industry do too. Major retailers like Walmart are getting involved by funding projects like Breakfast in the Classroom which "aim to increase breakfast consumption among school children and spark the academic and nutritional gains associated with the morning meal." (walmart.com)

Stayed tuned for more thoughts on school lunch in a couple weeks!

New Group of Peas Fans - We Love 'em!

We've been connecting with an unexpected group of Peas fans. They're not (necessarily) parents looking for ways to get their kids to eat more veggies. They are adults who've gotten serious about eating healthy but want to eat their fries too!

Some of our newly discovered fans have amazingly inspirational stories. One example is Will. When he mentioned us on Twitter, looking for Veggie Wedgies at his local SuperTarget, we learning about his incredible weight loss journey. Photos of Will's transformation (along the right side of his blog) will knock you over! We were so excited to learn that our veggie fries have a place on Will's list of go-to foods!!!

Out of admiration and curiosity, we asked Will what the hardest part of his weight loss journey has been and here's what he wrote:

"I love food — always have and always will. But once I started trying to lose weight, I had to give up so many of the things I liked. No more McDonalds. No more cheeseburgers. No more fries. And watching everyone else enjoy what I couldn’t was hard. But then I started trying new things. Instead of a double cheeseburger from McDonalds, I got a veggie burger. And then I tried the veggie wedges after a tip from another blogger. Miraculously, I learned I could have my french fries again. Just like I learned I could change what I eat and still get the same joy I always did.

It was about finding the best way to a new me, keeping the happiness but losing the unhealthy lifestyle."

Awh, awesome, Will! Veggie Wedgies are definitely a great alternative to regular fries. See the below comparison from a previous Peas post:

We've also had dozens of emails, calls, Facebook posts and Twitter messages from Weight Watchers participants with appreciation, questions, praise, and more about Veggie Wedgies! Our Puffets (handheld meals) are already listed in the online points tracker on WeightWatchers.com and our Veggie Wedgies should be posted on the points tracker within the next few weeks.

Keep up the great work, all you Watchers out there. We love being a part of your journey :)

Spice Up Your Next Bag of Veggie Wedgies!

Although we created Veggie Wedgies to make vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower more appealing to kids, we know that adults enjoy eating Veggie Wedgies too! Here at Peas HQ, we created our own low calorie, signature spice topping which we toss our Veggie Wedgies in. If you want to eat them like the pro's do, try this reci-pea for our "ranch" inspired spice blend (the kids will love it too)!

Veggie Wedgie Signature Spice Blend

• 1 tsp dried parsley, crushed
  (substitute with 2 tsp minced fresh parsley)
• 1/4 tsp dried dill
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp salt (to taste)
• 1 pinch black pepper (optional)
• 1 bag of Peas of Mind Veggie Wedgies
  Carrot, Cauliflower, or Broccoli fries
• cooking spray, olive oil preferred
• 1 Tbl grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven or toaster oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Place the desired amount of frozen Veggie Wedgies in a large bowl. Spray with cooking spray and toss to coat lightly. Transfer to a baking sheet and bake as directed, 10-12 minutes, turning the fries once about halfway through the bake.

In a small bowl, combine the parsley, dill, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Mix.

When your Veggie Wedgies have browned nicely, transfer them back to the oily bowl. Toss the fries with a proportional amount of spice blend. For example, if you baked half a bag of fries, use half of the spice blend, reserving the rest for when you back the remainder of the fries. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and gobble them down!

Those Picky Eaters… Ages 9-12

We get emails from parents all the time, and we love hearing from them! Our favorite customer emails are the success stories, like when a toddler who typically turns his nose up at steamed broccoli florets gobbles down Broccoli Veggie Wedgies, making dinnertime more enjoyable for the whole family. That said, we also really appreciate learning about current eating issues parents are grappling with regarding their kids.


One challenge we've been hearing about from parents lately is how to handle an older picky-eating kid who wants to make their own eating decisions and hasn't yet outgrown their finicky phase. 


Here at Peas, we've found that our Veggie Wedgies and Pizza help parents with kids of all ages (and even adults themselves!) eat more veggies, but we were curious to learn more about these older picky-eaters and how to encourage them to eat more healthfully and adventurously.


We hooked up with Melanie R. Silverman, a Registered Dietitian who specializes in pediatric nutritional care, for her thoughts on the topic. Here's what she had to say:


"I think the best nutrition recommendation I give to my families is to eat a wide variety of foods.  I cannot point to a single supplement, powder or pill that proves to provide all necessary nutrients our bodies need.  So what do you do when your ten year old child will eat six foods and none of them involve a vegetable?


Ah...the good ol’ times.  Remember when that ten year old was ten months old and ate everything you offered?  Your steamed vegetables went down as fast as fruits or desserts did.  So what happened? If your situation is like many families, the change came around eighteen months when kids strive for independence.  Kids this age cannot choose what they wear, when they sleep or where they go, but they can choose how much they eat and if they eat at all.  Panic sets in with parents when children this age begin skipping meals and snacks.  Frustrated and worried, parents start to give their kids what they know their kids will eat.  These actions support picky eating and can persist for years.


So what do you do if its ten years later and you have a picky eater on your hands?  First, stop talking about it.  Chances are, out of love and concern, you make comments to your son or daughter about his or her pickiness hoping they will spontaneously ask you to roast Brussels sprouts and grill salmon for dinner.  Keep quiet; they do not want to hear about it anymore.  Second, you can surely give them a multivitamin for nutritional insurance, but I want them to learn to eat a variety of food, not take supplements.  Prepare to make changes in how and what you feed your children.  Here are three ways to get started:

• Eat as many meals as a family as possible.  In my experience, people underestimate the value of family meals as a tool to expand their child’s repertoire of foods.   Family meals can expose children to a great array of foods and since you are not discussing their picky habits anymore, they may be more inclined to try new foods on their own.

• Plan strategic meals.  I am not asking you to serve tofu, chickpeas and kale for dinner.  What I am asking you to do is extrapolate in your meal planning.  Think about what your child will eat and build your menus from there.  For example, if your child is a white bread-lover, by all means, offer bread.  Offer rosemary olive, asiago cheese or pumpernickel bread with olive oil for dipping and see what happens.  

• Eat out.  Try different restaurants like Indian, Sushi or Thai.  If you child likes Italian prepared pasta dishes, Pad Thai is an option.

If parents begin with the changes I describe above, over time something will likely kick in with these kids and they will try new foods. If you start to notice your child trying and enjoying new foods, do not make a big deal about it in front of him or her.  Go with the flow and take comfort in the fact that you did some great parenting to get your son or daughter to this point."

Melanie R. Silverman MS, RD, IBCLC is pediatric registered dietitian and lactation consultant in Laguna Beach, California.  You can learn more about her private practice at www.feedingphilosophies.com and what her feeding philosophies are at blog.feedingphilosophies.com




Thanks for sharing your expertise with our readers, Melanie!

Let Kids Play with Their Food

Well, with fruits and vegetables at least!


Nurture your kids' curiosity and creative side by encouraging them to arrange fresh foods in fun ways. 


Just like the ambiance of a nice restaurant might have you eating foods that you ordinarily avoid, making a game out of eating fruits and vegetables (and by playing and eating right along) can get kids to try and enjoy foods they used to 'dislike strongly' (rather than 'hate').


Here at Peas, we know that the eating experience is very important to kids. We love the looks of shear delight as kids hold, dip and dunk our Veggie Wedgies into organic ketchup.  Those moments are the highlights of tradeshows and other events, watching a child smile while eating a broccoli fry and watching their parent's eyes bulge out of their head in disbelief! 


How else can you and your kids have fun together with healthy foods?

"Name this fruit?" photo from "Kids: 3 Reasons to Play With Your Food" on http://whatscookingwithkids.com

• bring your kids with you to the store. Let them pick out a fruit or vegetable of their choice. Let them select, weigh and bag it. Let them (with help, as needed) take it from the cart to the check-out belt, let them do it all. Prepare this new item together. I used to play this game with myself in college. Every time I went grocery shopping, I'd look for a new-to-me vegetable and just buy it. I'd bring it home and consult Deborah Madison's - Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone, prepare and enjoy it. It was always a highly satisfying experience, even when my dish wasn't perfect, and for some kids, the "I made it myself!" factor cannot be underestimated! And you'll be learning too.

• have a taste test. As a family, try 2 or 3 different varieties of apples, for example. Talk about how they are different, ask each person which is their favorite, discuss textures and flavors, embrace your own descriptive language and encourage you child to join the conversation. Ask them what they think?

• give it a year or two and then try again. Humans are born with innate dilikes to certain tastes, particularly bitterness and astringency. From an evolutionary standpoint, this is useful because many poisonous plants taste bitter and/or astringent, so this innate reaction of disliking bitter foods makes sense. However, over a lifetime, a person's ability to detect these unpleasant tastes degenerates. In fact, by age 65, a person can only taste 25% of what they could taste when they were born. As sad as it may be to think about in that context, use this fact to your advantage. Kids really do 'grow out of' dislikes. If your child had a repulsion to a particular food when they were 1 or 2, at age 5 they may not be able to taste the exact compound that they reacted to at 1 or 2. They may just shrug at eat it. If at first you don't succeed, try, try again.

Have you had a new-food-breakthrough playing with your child? 


Sources:
 * http://whatscookingwithkids.com
 * http://fatherhood.about.com

Make Your Own Fry Carton!

When we first introduced Veggie Wedgies at an industry tradeshow, we served samples in mini fry cartons. The cute little cartons made the whole experience so much fun for everyone at the show and will do the same for you and your kids at home.

Here's how to make your own fry carton:

1. Print the fry carton: Click on the image and it will take you to a new tab/window. If on a Mac, hold the "control" key and click on the image. If using a PC, right click on the image. Select "copy image." In Microsoft Word, go to "edit" "paste special" and select "image." 
2. Cut out the fry carton.
3. Score the dashed lines with the back of an exacto knife.
4. Fold along the solid gray lines.
5. Put glue on the dotted sections. Bring the inside of the back flap to meet the folded gluey sections and press to secure. 
6. Holding the carton upright (open side pointing up), press the bottom of the carton upward and the carton will pop open, ready to hold some warm, crispy, baked veggie fries!

Veggie Wedgies vs The Competition

We're dedicating this blog to Veggie Wedgies!

See how they stack up against the competition (store bought frozen french fries and fast food french fries):