The following is by contributor Christen Babb.

Pumpkins inspire me. They are truly one of nature’s blank canvasses.

Pumpkins are best known for their ability to be carved into a myriad of artistic masterpieces, decorating the doorsteps of homes across America. However, this ever-versatile gourd can also play the starring role in both savory and sweet foods – from soups and raviolis to pies and even ice-cream!

Since I grew up not celebrating Halloween, I tend to associate pumpkins with the latter: food.  Not only are they extremely versatile in recipes, their nutritional value is often underestimated. Known as a “superfood“, pumpkins pack a punch of  B-vitamins alongside their  mellow,  inviting,  and quintessentially American  flavor.

Using pumpkin as my inspiration , I’m bringing you a nutritious and delicious pumpkin-packed meal:  Healthy Chicken Bites (with Pumpkin!) + Cheesy Pumpkin Polenta Fries + Pumpkin Oatmeal Bars

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The following was written by contributor Christen Babb of NurtureBaby and originally appeared on Simple Kids in June of 2011.

It’s official:  Summer is finally upon us! Just as those long, lazy, sun-drenched days bring out the best in many of us, Summertime also gleans some of natures’ most delectable delights. Nothing says Summer like a generous sliver of ice-cold watermelon,  a peach so luscious its juices run down your chin, or a heaping handful of plump, juicy blueberries.

These delicious provisions, and many others currently in season, can be enjoyed beyond the typical grocery store experience.  In fact, Summer lends the perfect time to take your kids on a field trip to a local farm.

I happen to live in Georgia, world renowned for its exquisite peaches. However, each region specializes in a particular variety of fruits and vegetables. A great resource to find farms in your area is Pick Your Own.org. You can search local farms for a particular fruits and vegetables, or even specify locations exercising strict organic farming. Even those living smack-dab-in-the-middle-of-suburbia will find farms no more than a day trip away.

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We’re all feeling a little under the weather at the Fleck house, so I thought I would give myself a blogging break and open up the comments for discussion today. – Kara

Last week, I mentioned my family’s goals for the new year, including our goal of breaking out of our food rut and trying new ingredients and recipes.

Lunchtime Blues

In the comments to that post, a few readers admitted that they seem to have fallen into a food rut as well, singling out lunchtime specifically as a meal that can be difficult to bring new inspirations and fresh tastes to the table.

Peanut butter and jelly, anyone?

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I’m guest posting over at Simple Organic today.

As the end of October approaches, so does the annual dilemma for families who choose to celebrate Halloween: how to find that happy medium that allows your kids to have fun and enjoy the day without an overindulgence in candy and sweets.

Here are a few ideas that I hope can help keep parents, kids, and dentists happy this Halloween.

[Read the rest at Simple Organic ...]

With back-to-school time just around the corner, I thought it might be helpful to Simple Kids readers to re-run this post by contributor Mariah Bruehl, founder of Playful Learning, about eco-friendly lunch containers.  Enjoy! ~ Kara

Every winter tends to lead to the infamous lunch-packing rut. To break the cycle this year we made a resolution to reduce our lunchtime waste. We decided to shed our plastic baggies and set out to investigate eco-friendly lunch containers. As a family, we learned a lot along the way and feel great about the choices we made for both the planet and our bodies.

Here are some tips that might be helpful as you start to navigate your green minded lunch-packing options.

The Food

When deciding which food-storage products are right for your family, the first thing to consider is the types of food you will be putting into your new reusable containers. When making choices about what to include in your child’s lunch, it is helpful to have a formula in the back of your mind. [Read more...]