Shopper's Guide to Pesticides

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) came out with a shopper's guide to pesticides. See the list below:

The Dirty Dozen (worst to worse):

1. Celery
2. Peaches
3. Strawberries
4. Apples
5. Blueberries (domestic)
6. Nectarines
7. Sweet Bell Peppers
8. Spinach
9. Kale/Collard Greens
10. Cherries
11. Potatoes
12. Grapes (Imported)

The Clean Fifteen:

1. Onions
2. Avocado
3. Sweet corn (Frozen)
4. Pineapples
5. Mango (Subtropical and Tropical)
6. Sweet Peas (Frozen)
7. Asparagus
8. Kiwi Fruit (Subtropical and Tropical)
9. Cabbage
10. Eggplant
11. Cantaloupe (Dometic)
12. Watermelon
13. Grapefruit
14. Sweet Potatoes
15. Honeydew Melon

Realistically, most people cannot afford to buy 100% organic all the time. But by avoiding the 12 most contaminated fruits and vegetables and buying the least contaminated produce, you can lower your pesticide consumption by 80%. When you eat the 12 most contaminated product, you'll be exposed to an average of 10 pesticide a day. When you buy fresh produce from the least 15 contaminated fruits and vegetables, you'll consumer fewer than 2 pesticides per day.

Children are at greatest risk because of their rapid development. Children's exposure to pesticides can pose a risk to vital organ systems that grow and mature from conception throughout infancy and childhood. However, with all that said, the EWG writes that the health benefits of a diet rich in fruits and vegetables outweighs the risks of pesticide exposure. Eating conventionally grown produce is better than not eating fruits and vegetables at all.

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We are partnering with TotBargains for a $50 e-giftcard giveaway!

To enter our $50 enfanta e-gift card giveaway, complete these three steps by Monday, May 10th at 8pm EST:

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3. Comment to our Facebook announcement of the contest with what you’d like to buy with your $50 at enfanta if you win!

For one extra entry each, you can re-tweet our contest announcement on Twitter and/or “Share” our post with your Facebook friends. In both cases, make sure you leave a comment in the same Facebook thread as your original entry that you did!

The contest ends on Monday, May 10th at 8pm EST. TotBargains will choose the winning Facebook comment using random.org’s random number generator.

Good luck and happy shopping!

Children's & Infants' OTC recall

If you haven't already heard, McNeil has just voluntarily recalled some of their over-the-counter children's and infants' liquid products including:

Children's & Infants' Tylenol
Children's & Infants' Motrin
Children's Zyrtec
Children's Benadryl

According to the FDA press release, the products were recalled "due to manufacturing deficiencies which may affect quality, purity or potency." If you should have a need for any of the above products, the FDA advises to use generic versions of the above products which have not been affected by the recall. See the full release here.

I just used two of these products on my 11-month old a couple weeks ago and while we suffered no ill effects, I'll be chucking them in the wastebasket as soon as I finish writing this post.

Earth Day

i have never been the most eco-friendly person but as a parent, i've found myself making the change. in the last four years, we've taken steps as a family to be more "green" - eating organic, recycling, solar panels, reusable bags, making my own cleaner, etc... i ran across this great article - "40 Ways You Can Go Green on Earth Day" by Discovery's Planet Green. reading through the list, i realized that as a family, we are already doing at least 19 of the 40 recommended things. how green are you? what kind of changes do you plan to make?

1. Start carrying a reusable bag.


2. Bring a travel mug to your favorite coffee shop.


3. Eat an all-local meal.


4. Take public transit.


5. Walk or bike instead of driving.


6. Install a water filter on your tap so you don't feel the need to drink bottled water.


7. Install an aerator on your kitchen tap to reduce water use.


8. Replace old toilets with dual flush models.


9. Invest in rechargeable batteries.


10. Start buying and using compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) or LED light bulbs.


11. Take hazardous waste to your local drop-off center.


12. Switch to all-natural cleaners (homemade or store-bought).


13. Stop using paper plates.


14. Buy a bunch of tea towels and ban paper towels from your home.


15. Build a backyard compost bin.


16. Plant a garden to help promote biodiversity.


17. Switch to eating organics, especially fruits and vegetables.


18. Flush your pet's poop instead of throwing it in the garbage.


19. Install a water-saving shower head.


20. Invest in cloth napkins and stop buying paper ones!


21. Plant a tree in your yard.


22. Share your green know-how with others.


23. Try a locally-brewed and/or organic beer.


24. Plug your electronics into a smart power strip, which automatically senses when electronics aren't being used and cuts power to avoid phantom power use.


25. Take a short shower (5 to 10 minutes).


26. Head to the library to indulge your reading habit instead of the bookstore.


27. Turn your thermostat down at night or when you're at work.


28. Throw a clothing swap.


29. Find new ways to use old things.


30. Recycle your old sneakers with Nike's Reuse a Shoe program.


31. Get a solar charger for your iPod and other electronics with built-in batteries.


32. Take the train instead of a plane if you're traveling.


33. Switch to a renewable energy provider.


34. If you're not doing it already, start recycling!


35. Carpool with coworkers or friends who work close to your office.


36. Ask your boss if you can telecommute even one day per week.


37. Plan a green vacation.


38. Repair a pair of favorite shoes instead of buying a new pair.


39. Recycle your old electronics at Best Buy.


40. Donate your old cell phone to a charity.


41. Turn off your computer, head outside, and do something that requires only your own energy!

April Showers...

...bring May flowers! I remember learning that saying in grade school. And although the showers here in the Pacific NW aren't officially gone until July (yes, it's true), all that extra rain means gardens really thrive here.

Many moms I know plant small gardens and get their children to be involved. Sure, it's a great way to show kids where our foods come from and perhaps give them a watered-down science lesson as well. But my daughter just loves the digging, watering and playin' in the dirt. Since it's outside, I don't mind the mess, and it's been a great way for us to bond.

I found some safety tips from Parents.com that are well-worth keeping in mind while creating a garden haven with your little ones:

• Pay attention to which products you use. Keep chemical fertilizers, weed killers, and insecticides away from kids. Better yet, the association advises, don't use them. Stick with natural methods instead.
• Offer kid-sized tools. Shovels and rakes that are the right size for an adult can be dangerous for your kids. Invest in pint-sized versions.
• Test your soil for lead. Homes built before 1970 often have lead paint. Even newer homes may have lead in their gardens, since soil is often trucked in from another location.
• Be careful with water. Remember that a bucket of water can be dangerous for a toddler, so be sure to supervise carefully when water is around.
• Monitor for allergies. Kids may have reactions to certain plants or flowers. Be on the alert for sneezing or skin irritations.

See the full article here.

Facts about Sun Exposure

it's not even summer yet, but since we're in california, i need to start thinking about sunscreen for the little ones. the other day, they went to the playground for several hours, it was still in the 60s, so we didn't even think about applying sunscreen. the next morning, they both woke up looking a little red. so now, i'm on a mission to find the perfect non-toxic sunscreen (i'll cover that topic in another post). in the meantime, i thought, i would share an article that covers the facts about sun exposure and sun safety.

we've really been lucky with my older daughter when it comes to dental hygiene. one of her favorite parts of the bedtime routine has always been brushing her teeth. it doesn't hurt that she's got a fancy personalized step stool, yummy tasting toothpaste, and several character-laden toothbrushes on rotation in her bathroom. hey, whatever works right?

unfortunately, she's in what i like to call her DIM phase or "do-it-myself" phase of her toddler-hood. which sometimes means that she likes to brush her own teeth without any of mom's or dad's help. we usually let her give it a try and wince when she gives her teeth a cursory brushing, and then sucks off all the fruit-punch flavored paste from the brush. then we go back in and do a proper cleaning.

of course, there will be a day when she'll brush her teeth without our help. but how to teach her the importance of doing a proper job? i found this idea (via ohdeedoh!):


how cute is that? i know my daughter will love pretending to brush these marshmallow teeth.