... hope my two cents worth...
Saturday, May 14, 2011
'lil wonder guru
Friday, April 1, 2011
When We Spent Way Tooo Much Time GARDENING
Sunday, February 27, 2011
moo vs mii
Which Milk for Toddlers? Toddler Formula vs Cows Milk
Recently I have done a fair bit of research into which milk is best for toddlers as many mums seem to be concerned about whether their little ones should be drinking cows milk, low fat milk or toddler formula beyond their first birthday.
The World Health Organisation recommends exclusive breastfeeding for a baby’s first 6 months and for breastfeeding to continue until at least 2 years of age. So I guess if you’re breastfeeding your toddler then the formula verses cow’s milk issue isn’t relevant to you, that’s one less thing to worry about, YAY!
The Australian manufacturers and importers of infant formula have entered into a voluntary agreement that adheres to the principles of the World Health Organisation’s International Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes. Basically the code and the agreement prevent formula for babies 12 months and under to be advertised in Australia. The reason for this agreement and its advertising restrictions is to protect breastfeeding.
However, these restrictions do not apply to toddler and follow on formulas. So by labelling toddler formulas as "gold" or "formula", marketing companies are able to advertise baby formula simply by association. This may be one of the reasons for such heavy advertising of toddler formulas.
Bellinda Kontominas a Medical Reporter for the Sydney Morning Herald (06/09/07) quotes a Sydney paediatrician Dr Patricia McVeagh as she said "Unfortunately the advertising preys on parents’ vulnerability… Nutritionally there is no need for toddler milk in healthy kids, and it’s much better to have 600 millilitres of cow’s milk or a cow’s milk product like cheese or yoghurt."
And while many nutritionists will tell you that formula is the equivalent of junk food, I guess to be fair it does have its place. It can supplement the diet of fussy eaters and children that could be missing out on iron and calcium due to their restricted diets. And while there are other ways to combat fussiness there are times when real life takes over and the demands of work, other children, partners etc can make toddler formulas convenient.
The president of the Australian Lactation Consultants Association, Gwen Moody, said food should replace milk as the main source of energy during a child’s second year. "Mothers buy the formula and they also give their child cow’s milk… so either the child doesn’t eat because they’re not hungry, or they do eat, which can lead to weight gain." This is another point to keep in mind if you find that your child is not eating.
During my research I was surprised to find that it has been recommended in the National Dietary Guidelines for Children and Adolescents that all children in Australia over the age of 2 years consume reduced-fat milk. This is because the saturated fats in full fat milk accumulate in the arteries over time increasing the risk of heart disease, and that the reduced-fat milk varieties generally contain more calcium than the full fat milks.
Toddlers between the ages of 12 - 24 months however do need the full fat milks and while soy milk shouldn’t be offered to babies under 12 months, toddlers over 2 years with a lactose intolerance can be offered soy milk that contains added calcium.
So the end of the day keeping things simple is usually the best way to go. Cows milk is great for toddlers, it contains everything they need to grow healthy and strong. It’s cheaper than formula, easily available if you’re out, it’s great on cereal and it’s something you wont have to wean your toddler off as they get older. So why complicate things by using toddler formula if you don’t have to?
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Benjol
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Monday, February 14, 2011
Valentine?
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Shoe ON!
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Ernie in The Shoe

Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Sincia Fever
Monday, January 31, 2011
Bahasa Indonesia vs English
The Beauty of Toddlerhood
Senasib Seperjuangan
Sunday, January 30, 2011
PlayDough
Ingredients
2 cups of plain flour
4 tablespoons of ‘cream of tartar’
2 tablespoons of cooking oil (or baby oil for a nicer smell)
1 cup of salt
2 cups of boiling water
Couple of drops of food colouring
Method
Pop everything in a bowl and mix, it’s that easy!
Storage: This playdough will keep in the fridge wrapped in cling wrap for weeks or until it gets all hairy and grubby!
Friday, January 21, 2011
Banana Bread
Moist and delicious banana bread is easy to make with this mum-tested recipe from Kidspot. It can easily be toasted to serve with butter or transformed into a gluten-free recipe by substituting the flour and baking powder for a gluten-free variety.
Serving Size:
Makes 10-12 slices
Special Info:
Lactose free, Nut free
Ingredients:
- 2 cups plain flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup caster sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/3 cup (80mL) oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 ripe bananas, mashed
- Butter and honey, to serve
Method:
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease and line the base of a loaf pan (mine is 11cm x 21cm).
Sift the flour, baking powder and cinnamon into a large bowl. Stir in the sugars. In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, oil and vanilla. Add to the dry ingredients with mashed banana and fold until just combined - do not overmix.
Place in the loaf pan and bake for 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the loaf comes out clean. Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack and slice thickly. Serve spread with butter and drizzled with honey.
Notes
- A great summer holiday treat. Banana bread is great for morning and afternoon teas, but my favourite is toasted slices with a coffee—cake for breakfast! Our sandwich press toasted its last sandwich a good few months ago and since receiving a sparkly new one for Christmas (thanks Dad and Lyn) we are finding excuses to toast everything.
- I make this gluten free using gluten free plain flour (eg Orgran or White wings) and gluten-free baking powder.
- Recipe created by Melissa Hughes for Kidspot.Chocolate Banana Bread
Serving Size:
10
Ingredients:
- 125g unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup caster sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 small ripe bananas, mashed
- 100g (3/4 cup) good-quality dark chocolate, chopped
- 2 cups plain flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
Method:
Preheat oven to 180°C. Butter a 19 x 11cm loaf tin and line with baking paper.
Cream butter, then beat in sugars until pale and creamy.
Add eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition.
Add vanilla, then bananas, chocolate and sifted flour and baking powder.
Mix until just combined.
Pour into prepared pan and bake for 45-50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
Cool in tin for 5 minutes, then turn onto a wire rack to cool. Serve in thick slices with butter. Yum.
Notes:
Now that you don’t need to refinance your home to buy bananas, you probably have school-battered bananas coming home in lunch-boxes or moulding quietly in the fruit bowl, this is a fantastic use for them.
My child that flatly refuses banana smoothies is more than happy to eat a slice or two of this “cake with choc chips”.
- I make this bread with my gluten-free flour and baking powder, nobody notices the difference and I get to enjoy it too!
- Recipe created by Melissa Hughes for Kidspot.

