Monthly Archives: April 2012

Are we feeding kids the right food?

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On Tuesday,April 10th 2012,au pairs representing more than 10 countries came together to learn about healthy food and snack choices at their local WholeFoods store in Clarendon.

Everyone knows the importance food has on our body and for those young women who come from different parts of the world, our grocery stores can be a bit overwhelming,to say the least. So we wanted to give them an opportunity to look beyond the Mac”n’Cheese or Peanut butter and jelly sandwich many of our kids have for lunch or snack and introduce them to new ideas.

Thanks to our 2 hosts at WholeFoods in Clarendon,Brenna and Jaquie, and their community outreach program,au pairs from Au Pair in America tasted various snacks and learned some tips on how to shop smart while buying fresh and healthy products and still staying on a budget.They also left with wonderful recipes to share with their host families and the kids they are in charge of.

Brenna and Jaquie made the au pairs aware of the many possibilities they have to help kids eat better food.They pointed out the danger of too much fat and sugar in some pre-made snacks and gave them some ideas on how to replace them with “made from scratch” products. We don’t know of any parent who would object to having their child eat or at least try healthier food.

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To learn more about WholeFoods and their mission,visit your local store or  go on the web at www.wholefoods.com

EASTER AND PASSOVER CELEBRATIONS

Wishing all of you who celebrate Easter and/or Passover a very happy holiday!  Some lucky people get to enjoy double the festivities!

Celebrating Easter

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Easter is one of the most awaited Christian festivals. It is celebrated throughout the world by the followers of Christian community. It is considered to be very auspicious as it is believed that this was the day when Christ resurrected after crucifixion. This day is of immense religious as well as social significance amongst the Christian community.

Church services and festive celebrations blend together during the Easter weekend. On Easter Sunday in New York and other cities, large Easter parades are held.  Easter in USA is also very much commercialized. Easter symbols like bunnies, Easter tree, Easter Eggs and Easter lamb are found in different forms during the Easter festivities throughout the market. The popular trend of Easter symbols such as the Easter bunny and egg tree were introduced to the American folklore by the German settlers who arrived in the Pennsylvania Dutch country during the 1700s. Gradually American people took to crafts such as egg and Easter tree decoration. Easter in US is also a time to enjoy special Easter foods such as baked ham, potatoes and vegetables. Several special recipes are made at each home. Easter parties are also organized where traditional Easter delicacies are served and people enjoy wonderful get together along with Easter games and music.

For children’s Easter games and activities go to:  http://www.thekidzpage.com/easter_games/index.html

Observing Passover

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Passover is an eight day celebration observed each year by the Jewish religion. It commemorates the freedom of Jewish slaves from Egypt during the reign of Pharaoh Ramses II.   Families celebrate Passover by having a seder. With special foods, songs, and customs, the Seder is the focal point of the Passover celebration. Seder means order, and the Passover story is read in order from a book called a haggadah.

Fearing that Jews were becoming too strong, a Pharaoh decreed that all male Jewish babies were to be killed. Jocheved and Amran, a Jewish couple, wanted to save their infant son – so they put him in a basket that floated him down the river. The infant was rescued by the Pharaoh’s daughter and she raised him as her own son. She named the baby Moses, which means “take from the water.”

When Moses grew up, he empathized with the Jewish slaves and tried to get the Pharaoh to free them. The Pharaoh refused – so there were 10 plagues sent down to Egypt: Blood, Frogs, Lice, Beasts, Cattle Disease, Boils, Hail, Locusts, Darkness, and Slaying of the Firstborn. The name Passover comes from the Plague of Slaying the Firstborn. The Angel of Death passed over the homes of the Jews who had put lambs blood on their doors.

After the 10th plague, Pharaoh agreed to let the Jewish slaves go. They gathered up their belongings quickly, and didn’t have time for their bread to rise, so they had to bake it and take it the way it was. This is why the Jewish people eat matzah during Passover.   As the Jews were fleeing, Pharaoh changed his mind, and sent his army after the people to bring them back. Moses parted the Red Sea for the Jews to cross, and as soon as they were safely to the other side, the waters closed on the soldiers, drowning them all. The Jewish people were free.

For children’s activities go to:  http://www.apples4theteacher.com/holidays/passover/