Want to transform your meals and snacks into light, tasty, and nutritious fare? You can make nutrient-packed choices without having to give up the tastes and textures you and your family enjoys, stresses Keri Glassman, RD, author of the The Snack Factor Diet (Three Rivers Press, 2008), a pediatric nutritionist, and the weight-loss expert for Women’s Health magazine. 

Here are five of Glassman’s effortless pointers:  

>>Instead of mayo, use Greek yogurt. It also has a thick, creamy consistency, and for every 2 tablespoons, it’s only 8 calories. Plus, it provides calcium and protein. So go ahead and slather it on your chicken sandwich. Surprise benefit: Marinate your meat in yogurt—it’ll tenderize it. 

>>Purée fruits and vegetables, and use them as spreads or dips. Sweet treat: Freeze peeled bananas, then blend, and put into ½ cup servings. Or first blend the peeled bananas, and freeze the mixture in ice pop molds or in ice cube trays. If you use ice cube trays, don’t forget to add Popsicle sticks (most likely you have them on hand from helping your kids make craft projects for school). Smart idea: Add puréed beans to meatballs to up your fiber and protein in meals. Storage Tip: Take a tip from moms who purée their baby food—make it ahead of time and freeze it in ice cube trays, so you can defrost as much as you need in a pinch.

>>Take a cue from cappuccinos, and steam or blend your milk. Doing this will increase the milk’s volume without adding calories, plus it’ll have a richer taste. (Just think: When your kid is clamoring for chocolate milk, you can satisfy her with less of it. Or if you have a hard time getting your child to drink milk, blending or steaming it might make it more appealing. This twist on a glass of the white stuff is certainly worth a try.) 

>>Use low-sodium chicken stock to replace butter, cream, and oil as much as you can when cooking. For example, you can use it to make mashed potatoes or you can steam veggies in the broth.  

>>Add herbs and spices with abandon to your dishes. They’ll turn up the flavor to make your meals or snacks more flavorful without relying on adding fat. Plus, they’re a source of health-promoting antioxidants. For instance, you can change up cottage cheese by turning it into a dip with added white horseradish. Or turn cottage cheese into an alternative to ice cream by making it sweet with cinnamon—and who doesn’t LOVE cinnamon!

If you try these tips, let me know how they work for you. And if you have some of your own healthful meal-prep strategies or snack ideas to offer, please share them.

If you were walking down the street and someone holding flyers outside of a mobile home asked you if you wanted to go inside and get undressed to have your skin checked out, you’d probably want to turn tail and run—not to mention dial 911. But this summer, the Skin Cancer Foundation is traveling cross country in a 38-foot RV providing free skin-cancer screenings. So if you see the trailer, pictured above, you know it’s legit. Check out the 2008 tour schedule to see when you can get a free screening in the nearest location to your hometown. If the RV won’t be in a destination near you, make sure to contact your dermatologist to schedule a skin exam. If you don’t have one, you can find one through the Skin Cancer Foundation’s member directory. The American Academy of Dermatology also offers free screenings.

This is no time to be modest. If your dermatologist doesn’t check your entire body, including your ears, scalp, genital area, calves, and feet, she’s not performing a thorough screening. (Everyone should also perform self-exams.) In fact, I disrobed last week for my free screening in the Skin Cancer’s Foundation’s trailer in its skin tour kick-off location in NYC. And I’m glad I did. While I received a clean bill of health, I learned some important facts about skin cancer I hadn’t known, including how women are predisposed to developing melanoma—a deadly form of skin cancer—on the backs of their legs. Plus, even the most careful sunscreen appliers may forget to put sunscreen on their head.

Francesca Fusco, MD, assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, in NYC, offers this great tip: Because it can be difficult to apply a sunscreen lotion on your child’s scalp (or your own head) when she has a full head of hair, use a spray-on sunscreen. Just don’t apply it when the wind is blowing, or you’ll miss areas.

Also, don’t forget to wear sunglasses and to put them on your kids as well. (For tips on how to pick a child-protective and childproof pair of glasses, check out the Skin Cancer Foundation’s tips.) And just as you should head to the dermatologist for a skin exam if you’ve never had one, you should also visit an ophthalmologist to check your eyes for any sun-related damage. Should you take your child to a dermatologist for a skin exam? Starting at age 18 if your child has a whole lot of moles, says Dr. Fusco, but that’s if your pediatrician is examining your kid’s skin at checkups.

Skin cancer is uncommon in children, but it is possible, and it’s even more crucial for doctors to teach parents about skin cancer prevention. Why? If your child gets blistering sunburns, it’ll increase her chances of developing skin cancer as an adult. Should your pediatrician spot a concerning mole, she’ll refer you to a pediatric dermatologist. Likewise, pediatricians perform routine eye exams on children and refer parents to pediatric ophthalmologists when necessary.

RESOURCES FOR SUN-SAFE SOLUTIONS

Here are baby-specific tips and advice from the American Academy of Pediatrics on how your family can be smart when having fun outdoors.

And the Skin Cancer Foundation provides pointers on selecting sun-protective clothing and choosing sunglasses for kids.

SPREAD THE WORD

How common is skin cancer? According to the American Academy of Dermatology, more than a million new cases of skin cases will be diagnosed in the U.S. in 2008! And in adolescents and young adults, ages 15 to 29 years, melanoma is the second most common kind of cancer, reveals the National Cancer Institute.

If friends or family members haven't seen a dermatologist for a full-body skin exam, especially if they have moles, remind them to do so with these e-cards from SELF magazine. You can select one of four different cards, but don't forget to include your own personal missive before hitting send. Neutrogena will even make a donation to skin cancer research for every five cards you send out.

There are a lot of advantages and disadvantages to living in New York City—and they often come hand in hand. Take the plethora of restaurants serving a variety of cuisines to tempt the tummy that practically all deliver. When food choices like that are just 10 digits away—and you’re stressed for time, or just plain stressed, it’s easy to fall back on calling for takeout. And I’m not shy—but not proud—to say, I’ve fallen victim to that lately too. I haven’t felt good about my food choices, and my body isn’t agreeing with them either. Too many sweets and refined carbs like white bread have left me lethargic and craving more of these foods, sucking me into a bad cycle.

Now I’m a firm believer that we can create change for ourselves. And I’ve been playing the victim lately, saying that I don’t feel fit, and that I’ve been making bad food choices because I don’t have the time.  Well I’m tired of hearing myself! That voice doesn’t match the determined person that I am. And I know what my major weakness is—not having healthful and nutritious choices within arm’s reach. So this week, even though I was tired, I went to supermarket at 9:30 at night. There was a voice in my head that said: Just head home as fast as you can and relax. But I resisted the devil on my shoulder, and made the right move. Being in the supermarket was refreshing and relaxed me more than warming my sofa cushions would have.

It’s all how you look at food. Do you enjoy the experience of holding, say, a tomato in your hand and smelling the sweetness and tanginess of it? Do you look at the other fruits and vegetables around it to see how you can combine them to blend and experience new flavors? I temporarily forgot how much I love the experience of buying groceries. Here are some foods that were on my grocery list:  

Whole-wheat mini pita pockets

Hummus

Pink Lady Apples

Fat-free Greek yogurt

Frozen peaches

Kefir

Herb garden salad  

The following day at work, I began the morning by putting the defrosted peach slices in the Greek yogurt to eat for breakfast. Later in the afternoon, I snacked on the pita pockets with hummus. I was so satisfied that day that I didn’t crave any sweets, and the ultimate test of my will power came in the evening when I was walking home and discovered a mobile sweet shop called the Dessert Truck—the adult version of the ice cream truck. (I told you that the advantages and disadvantages of living in NYC go hand in hand!) From the sidewalk, with a good few feet between my nose and the smells that could beckon me closer to this parallel-parked sweet-lover’s dream, I eyed its tempting offerings, including chocolate bread pudding and molten chocolate cake (did I mention chocolate is also a weakness of mine?!). But I realized that I didn’t need the calorie-filled comfort—I was already full. I felt good about myself, so I just kept on walking—without looking back.

This has been one crazy cold and flu season—and experts are saying flu activity could extend into April or even May. Speaking for myself, I can say that within one month I came down with a cold and something that could have been the flu, although the bug didn’t leave me bedridden for a few days. Family and friends of mine were hit with bronchitis. And the germs that were circulating this winter definitely found a cozy breeding ground in our Kaboose offices in NYC—I don’t think even one employee here dodged a virus this year.

A fellow editor even came down with fifth disease, an infection that typically affects kids. A telltale sign of it is a rash on the cheeks, as well as on the torso, arms, and legs. The cold-like symptoms are generally mild and short-lived, and the rash will fade away. Symptoms in healthy adults can also include joint pain and swelling, but typically don’t lead to long-term complications. (The majority of adults, in fact, are immune to it because they had unknowingly contracted it earlier in life. Grownups may not even develop symptoms.)

The one exception is if you’re pregnant: While a mom-to-be who contracts fifth disease will probably not experience any complications, there is a small chance that it could cause fetal anemia, which could lead to a miscarriage. That’s why if you think you’ve been exposed to fifth disease and you’re pregnant, you shouldn’t panic. But to be on the cautious side, you could contact your physician, who may want to run a blood test.

For more information on fifth disease, check out Fifthdisease.org or this informational fact sheets from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):

Fifth Disease

Fifth Disease & Pregnancy

Coincidentally, because the flu seems run of the mill and fifth disease sounds unusual, the mention of fifth disease can draw attention while concerns about the flu may fall on deaf ears. But couple the fact that we’ve had such a rough cold and flu season (and many missed school days) with the real risks of serious complications that influenza can cause in otherwise healthy, young children, and we now have the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommending that all children from 6 months through 18 years be vaccinated against influenza with some typical exceptions, such as those with severe egg allergies (flu vaccine is grown in eggs).

If possible, given the high demand, the ACIP would like this recommendation to take effect in the upcoming fall, with the start of the 2008 to 2009 flu season. It’s awaiting approval from the CDC’s director and the Secretary of Health and Human Services. (Currently, the CDC recommends that kids ages 6 months to 8 years get vacinated against the flu.) In addition, the 2008 to 2009 flu vaccine will offer protection against three new strains of the virus.

For helpful advice on dealing with and trying to prevent the cold and flu, check out these Kaboose resources:

Feel-Good Foods: 10 Cold & Flu Fighters

Our Cold & Flu Guide

This health myths quiz even contains cold and flu advice from Carol Baker, MD, a member of the ACIP.

When I was a kid, I didn’t like to eat pasta because of the seeds in tomato sauce. Now I come from an Italian family, so you guessed it, pasta was served A LOT. Because I would gag whenever one of those itty-bitty seeds would get stuck in the grooves of my teeth, my poor mom or grandmother would sift the tomato sauce for me. (They must have been relieved when I finally outgrew that aversion!)

While you don’t have to go to these lengths to get your kids to eat what’s on the table, you certainly might need to strategize. Not only will mealtime be less of a struggle, but you’ll actually break free of the grilled cheese–sandwich rut. As a nutrition editor, I’ve interviewed a range of experts on their secrets to getting kids to eat more than mac n’ cheese. Here is some of my favorite advice.

Teach don’t preach. Seek out kids’ books that explain good nutrition. One to try: Eat Healthy, Feel Great (Little, Brown & Co., 2002). You can use it when reading to your preschooler. Now you might think that by that by grade school kids are set in their ways. Parents, there’s still hope! I gave this book to my then 6-year-old cousin, and at home, he starting telling his mom which foods were “grow” (good) foods and which ones weren't.

Get cookin’. Even young children can roll up their own wraps or smear peanut butter on bread—and don’t worry about the mess. They’re all too happy to serve as sous chefs and help you out when you’re cooking. So ask your 3-year-old to pass the sweet potatoes or ask him to mix something up in a bowl. (Just make sure the mixture doesn’t contain raw egg, which could make them sick if it ends up on their hands and, in turn, in their mouth.)

Give them some control. How many times have your found yourself negotiating with your kids to put back that box of cookies when shopping at the grocery store? To avoid a supermarket scene, think up fun games to keep your sanity intact and to get your young child interested in better food. For example, when you’re in the produce section, ask your kid to help you pick out the prettiest apple. Ask her, “Which one is the reddest?” Or, simply pick a color, like green, and have your kid pick out all the veggies he sees in that color.

Fact or fiction: Will carrots keep your eyesight sharp? A carrot’s orange color is a sign that it contains beta carotene, a plant substance that your body turns into vitamin A—a nutrient that’s needed for good vision, particularly at night. In developing countries, blindness occurs among malnourished children who don’t consume enough of the animal sources (e.g., milk and eggs) of Vitamin A and the plant sources of beta carotene, which include yellow and orange fruits and veggies (e.g., carrots, cantaloupe, papaya, apricots, and mango) and dark green—especially the leafy kind—vegetables (e.g., spinach, kale, peas, and zucchini). But here in the U.S., where all these foods are just a checkout line away, vitamin A deficiency is uncommon.

Still, vitamin A isn’t the only vision booster that nature provides, and you certainly don’t want to overdue your family’s vitamin A intake by using supplements—too much of this good thing could have adverse health effects. And while too much beta carotene from foods won’t hurt you, there isn’t a magic amount you can get that would offset the need for glasses. Plus, your body stops making vitamin A once it has enough of it. Besides, we can and should only eat so much in one day. If most of your meals are mainly made up of one food, then you’ll be too full to eat anything else and will miss out on other necessary nutrients.

So what’s the truth in this grub: Stick to serving up sensational meals for your family that emphasize variety. After all, if your kid sees carrots on his plate day after day, he’s going to grow to hate them. And if he’s already picky about eating them, you won’t wear down his stamina to refuse his food if you don’t make the fare interesting to his taste buds. So mix it up and find different ways to incorporate these beta carotene-rich foods into his breakfast, lunch, and dinner whenever possible.

For inspiration, whip up these quick recipes:

Zucchini, Yellow Squash, and Carrot Sauté

Grilled Chicken and Mango Kabobs

Apple Mango Salad

Basmati Rice and Peas

When you can, also add parsley or dill, which also supply beta carotene, to your favorite dishes. Check out:

Spinach with Chickpeas and Fresh Dill

Here are yummy desserts you can feel good about: Cut up mango, papaya, and cantaloupe, and mix the cubes with low-fat yogurt and your favorite berries for a parfait; or blend all the fruit together for a refreshing smoothie.

For more advice: This article explains how you can help your child can get more vitamin A through his diet.

How do you like to prepare leafy greens and orange and yellow fruits and vegetables?