Put foods on stick to keep kids happy
What:
How:
Getting kids to eat healthy food during summer can be a challenge. The days are longer, and oftentimes kids will grab unhealthy snacks.
Making and serving food on a stick is one way to get them to find meals or snack time more fun while providing healthy options or a sweet treat that comes in a smaller portion than an ice-cream cone or a bag of chips. The first reader shares ideas:
Kebabs: Using skewers for food is fun during the summer. Chunks of beef, chicken, shrimp and veggies are popular, but you can make kebabs with bratwurst, hot dogs or sausage and veggies; all fresh fruit; salad fixings (think: hardboiled egg, tomato, lettuce, cheese, radishes, etc.); strawberry shortcake (strawberries, angel food cake or waffle pieces, marshmallow, chocolate); brownies or mini muffins and fruit; antipasto salads (use tortellini or ravioli, olives, cheese, salami, etc.); or even sandwich kebabs with deli meats and bread.
Kids love eating food off a stick, and a lot of different foods don’t even have to be grilled — they can be just cut and layered on skewers and served.
Make stock: When I buy
More reader tips
cooked chicken at Costco (or make it fresh at home), I strip the meat off and pressure-cook the leftover bones and fatty parts. After about an hour, I open it up and let it cool. Then I strain the liquid and freeze it for soup stock (no added salt). What’s left over is so soft that I grind it down to a pulp and feed it to my two dogs over the next couple of days.
A quick fix for a cut or burn: Use honey. It has a natural antibacterial property and will prevent infection. I carry a small jar in my backpack because it never spoils.
Volunteer and learn: I helped a friend of mine put new windows into a little cottage she was going to turn into a rental. I enjoyed myself while learning some homebuilding and construction skills.
Dry feet: I get very dry,
Especially when you send them to Nike’s Reuse-A-Shoe program.
Since the early 1990s, when the program started, more than 28 million athletic shoes have been recycled into Nike Grind, a material that is used to create playground and athletic surfaces.
The program is considered to be recycling, not donating, so shoes are not tax-deductible.
What: All brands of wornout athletic shoes. Shoes containing metal (such as cleats) are not accepted.
How: Bring up to 10 pairs of shoes to collection locations, which include Nike retail stores at Outlets at Anthem in Phoenix and Arizona Mills in Tempe. Locations are listed online.
Details: nikereuseashoe .com. » Corks. Some people use wine corks to make bulletin boards for hanging family photos. Others collect them in large glass jars. Most of us toss them into the trash. Instead, recycle them. The Cork Forest Conservation Alliance, headquartered in Salem, Ore., has partnered with companies such as WidgetCo that use the recycled cork to create household products, said Patrick Spencer, the group’s director.
Other uses for recycled wine corks, such as playground surfaces and insula- tion, are being explored.
Contrary to popular opinion, there is no cork shortage, Spencer said. Cork products are made from the bark of the cork tree. The bark, which is harvested by hand, grows back, he said. But recycling keeps the used corks out of landfills. What: Wine corks. How: Drop them into bins at Whole Foods markets. Other » Greeting cards. Most of us have a collection (if not a box or two) of birthday and holiday cards given to us from friends and family. Put them to further use by giving them to St. Jude’s Ranch for Children in Boulder City, Nev., to recycle them into new greeting cards.
Children at the ranch create the cards while learning basic job skills and getting paid for their work. The ranch sells the cards at 10 for $10. All money collected supports programs and services for abused, homeless, abandoned and neglected children, young adults and families.
What: Birthday, thank-you, holiday and other greeting cards. Hallmark, Disney and American Greeting cards are not accepted. Only the front side of the card will be used. Make sure the back side of the front is free of writing.
How: Send cards to St. Jude’s Ranch for Children Recycled Card Program, 100 St. Jude’s St., Boulder City, NV 89005. Details: stjudesranch.org. » Computers. Old cellphones piling up? Don’t know what to do with your old computer monitor?
Best Buy and Staples are among stores and websites with electronics-recycling programs. Locally, Best Buy accepts up to three items per household per day. Staples accepts up to six items per customer per day.
What: Best Buy accepts cellphones, MP3 players, select TVs and desktop and laptop computers, among other items. Exceptions include console TVs and appliances containing refrigerants.
At Staples, recycle desktop printers, monitors, shredders, laptops, mobile phones, digital cameras and other items. Staples will not accept alkaline batteries, appliances and televisions.
How: Stop by customerservice desks at Best Buy and Staples.
Details: bestbuy.com/ recycling, staples.com (type in “recycling” in the search bar).