Either way, introduce them to “Kids Who Love to Cook”– a webseries filled with cooking videos for kids. The website and cooking series takes you into the kitchen with seven real-life kids to show their love of food and to teach other kids the joys of cooking. The website features cooking videos, recipes, food adventures and contests for both the beginner cook and future chefs alike.

“Kids Who Love to Cook” embraces personal preferences and encourages kids aged 8 to 16 to prepare food from their family history, as well as new ideas and trends like gluten-free and vegetarian dishes. It  also teaches them important life lessons: planning, budgeting, measuring, cooking, and being creative and able to adapt when presented with challenges.

All dishes seen on “Kids Who Love to Cook” are easily prepared and enjoyed at home. The show does not use swap-outs – the dishes that are shown in the end are the actual dishes made by the kids.

Get your kids into the kitchen to make the Baked Chicken recipe that 13 year-old Abby made and your kids might become “Kids Who Love to Cook”. Check out www.KidsWhoLoveToCook.com.

More SingleMindedWomen.com Ideas for Kids

Teaching Your Child Organizational Skills

Preparing Your Child for Summer Camp

Free Summertime Staycation Ideas for Single Moms

We all know that the food you choose is an important part of maintaining your pet’s optimal health. Science Diet has come out with Ideal Balance, a new food for cats formulated with the precise amount of natural ingredients in the exact proportions cats need. We’re impressed with their “meat-first, corn free” policy.  It’s even guaranteed to make a visible, healthy difference in just 30 days.

And here is your chance to try Hill’s^® Science Diet^® Ideal Balance™ for felines for free!

FREE GIVEAWAY!

Tell us why you love your cat in the comments section below.  Three SingleMindedWomen.com readers will win a free bag of cat food!

SingleMindedWomen.com Resources:

• Cat Nutrition Center
• Hill’s^® Science Diet^® Ideal Balance^™ cat food

Ideal Balance™ cat food

• Meat-first formula – chicken is the first ingredient
• Contains fruits and vegetables, including cranberries
• No corn or artificial colors
• Noticeable improvement in skin and coat in 30 days
• Not too much, not too little – just the right balance of nutrients for the best nutrition for your cat
• Formulated for easy digestion
• Available in kitten, adult, mature adult and grain-free varieties

The World Almanac^® for Kids 2012 includes:

• Faces and Places: Huge full-color photographs.
• Animals: Explore animals on a scientific level, from endangered species to creatures of the deep.
• Environment: A brand-new section on “Living Green.”
• Games: Check out the top-selling video games of all times.
• Military: Information on historical wars and military innovations civilians use every day.
• Movies and TV: Fun facts about this year’s most popular movies and TV shows.
• Music and Dance: Get the inside scoop on the year’s hottest acts.
• Nations: Interesting facts and trivia about every country in the world.
• Population: Results from the 2010 census.
• Sports: Coverage of kids’ favorite teams, athletes, and sports.
• Technology and Computers: New advice on the best ways to avoid cyberbullying and stay safe online.
• United States: Information about the 50 states.

FREE BOOK GIVEAWAY!

Tell us the areas of most interest to your kiddo in the comments section below and you could win a free copy of The World Almanac^® for Kids 2012.

About The World Almanac:
The World Almanac^® is part of Infobase Learning, an educational media company that owns such well-known brands as Facts On File, Films for the Humanities & Sciences, Cambridge Educational, Chelsea House, Bloom’s, Ferguson’s, Meridian Education, and Shopware.

Buy The World Almanac^® for Kids 2012 today!

Want to be a SMW Book Reviewer? Click here.

We love Wild Planet Foods because they are dedicated to producing sustainably-fished, safe, nutritious, and great-tasting seafood. Exclusive use of pole and troll fishing techniques eliminates the bycatch of sea turtles, seabirds, sharks and other fish commonly killed by the methods used by conventional canned seafood companies. Wild Planet Foods is 100% US owned and operates its own docks where selection and delivery of fish are taken directly from the fishermen, many of whom are also shareholders with the company.

Try two delicious recipes you can make with Wild Planet tuna or shrimp right here on SingleMindedWomen.com.

FREE GIVEAWAY!

The winning name is posted in the comments section below — they won a free sample pack from Wild Planet Foods!

Check out Wild Planet Foods’ website www.wildplanetfoods.com, Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/wildplanetfoods and Twitter http://twitter.com/#!/wildplanetfoods.

Starting December 7^th and ending December 22^nd, one new appliance will be announced via the KRUPS Facebook and Twitter page each weekday.  To win the item, entrants can simply tell us why they want the appliance for the holidays; or, more creative entrants can comment with an updated “verse” from the beloved “12 Days of Christmas” carol, highlighting the day’s item.   All entries must be posted on the KRUPS Facebook wall for that day: http://www.facebook.com/KrupsUSA.

Check back daily to view each day’s item! Giveaways will include fan favorites like the Beertender, the new Cup-on-Request Coffee Machine, a Waffle Maker, Espresso Machine, and more!

HomeFree cookies are about safety, taste, health, and inclusiveness. Most of their cookies are now gluten free.  Their Vanilla Minis, which are free of the top 8 allergens and gluten, recently won a Best Snack Award from Shape Magazine for being such a delicious and healthy choice.

SingleMindedWomen.com talked to Jill Robbins, PhD, a clinical psychologist, self-taught baker, author of Allergen Free Baking: Baked Treats for All Occasions and president and founder of HomeFree, the manufacturer of organic, ready-to-eat, whole grain cookies and coffee cakes.

SMW: Tell us a little bit about your new line of treats; how did you come up with the concept for this particular line?

Jill: Almost anywhere you go, including most social occasions, baked treats are served, and the social experience is partly about enjoying the treats together. I started this company as the mom of a child with food allergies, and as a psychologist, so children like mine can be included when treats are served.    First I was baking for my son, then for other children in town. This evolved into my baking cookbook, “Allergen Free Baking: Baked Treats for All Occasions.” But not everyone has time to bake, and families with and without allergies want to be able to find inclusive snacks at the grocery store, so I started to produce organic cookies and coffee cakes. We have a dedicated bakery where we manufacture baked treats free of peanuts, tree nuts, eggs and dairy, and most people with wheat and soy allergies can enjoy them as well.

Our treats are also certified organic, kosher pareve and whole grain, and contain no cholesterol or trans fat.  With our products, people with and without special dietary needs can enjoy the same delicious treats together.

SMW: How will feeding their kids these snacks give single moms a little peace of mind- what makes them so different from all the other frozen foods in the market right now?

Jill: Single moms handle so many tasks that time can be especially tight, especially if shopping with children. Our packages have a large, easy to read “peanut free, tree nut free, egg free, and dairy free” right along the top of the box, and say “made in a dedicated bakery” on the box front as well.

With our boxes, single moms shopping to feed children with food allergies won’t have to stop to read the ingredients and allergen warnings in little writing on the back of the boxes, and won’t have to call the facility to check on manufacturing practices before feeding their children.

Whether shopping for their own children, or for a classroom party, they can pick up the box and know these are “treats you can trust.”   Single moms can feel great knowing that with each serving, they are feeding their children at least ½ serving of whole grain out of the 3 recommended daily servings.

And the kids won’t even notice.  And HomeFree treats never contain trans fat or cholesterol, and they are certified organic.

SMW: What are your tips for single moms, in terms of helping them make sure they’re feeding their kids, snacks? What are some quick simple tips they can start doing today?

Jill: For quick easy shopping selections, single moms can watch for certifications now on some packages. For example, the Whole Grain Council has a gold and black logo (on the sides of our boxes) certifying that a product is a good or excellent source of whole grain. The American Heart Association has a heart healthy symbol.

And some markets have their own systems for directing shoppers to healthful food choices.  Of course, there’s nothing for nutrition like a piece of fruit – let your kids select the fruit at the store and they’ll be more likely to eat it! But kids want to eat sweet treats too like everyone else. For these, Moms can seek out tasty choices that are wholesome too.

For more information, or to purchase HomeFree products, please visit homefreetreats.com.

Now, there’s a smart new way for parents to find out – without spying!

SafetyWeb.com is a brand new service that helps protect kids from common online dangers. It scours the internet for questionable activity, making parents aware of videos and photos their kids share publicly, cyber-bullying, potential internet addiction, when privacy settings are changed on social networking sites, and more. The service also goes a step further, helping parents keep tabs on their child’s mobile calls and text messages! SafetyWeb.com also helps parents guard their child’s reputation by flagging postings that could potentially harm their child’s future.

SafetyWeb makes protecting kids’ and teens’ online activity easy for any parent with no software to download or programs to install. Parents simply sign up and submit their child’s email address — SafetyWeb takes care of the rest, scanning 45+ social networks. SafetyWeb also offers a mobile integration allowing parents to use the service from their iPhone.  www.safetyweb.com

WIN A FREE MONTH’S SUBSCRIPTION TO SAFETYWEB.COM!

Tell us some of your concerns about social media and your child in the comments section below and you could win a free month’s subscription to SafetyWeb.com.

More SingleMindedWomen.com Articles on Bullying

7 Signs Your Child May Be a Bully

Help! My Kid is a Bully

How to Stop Your Child From Being Bullied

CastCoverz is the brand new cover for casts, splints, boots and slings – that adds style! Available in a large variety of designs and fabrics, CastCoverz also prevents snagging and scratching – and is easily removed for washing!

Plus, you can even have a custom made cover to match any special outfit. Waterproof covers also available.

Let us know what you think. Post a review below.

For more product details, visit CastCoverZ.

Have a great product you’d like to share, send an email to: info@singlemindedwomen.com.

ScarAway Scar Diminishing Serum is the newest in a line of user-friendly, over-the-counter treatments that effectively shrink, flatten and fade scars which may result from surgical procedures, injuries, burns, stretch marks or acne.

ScarAway comes in a pen-like tube no bigger than a mascara wand.   A click of the “pen” allows the serum to be dispensed precisely and directly to the scar area, where you then massage it into the skin with the three roller balls at the tip.  Massage has long been recommended by doctors as a way to break up collagen and thus  improving the appearance of a dreaded scar.  But it’s even more effective when combined with clinically-proven silicone technology.

The serum is odor-free, non-greasy, and can be worn under make-up. The silicone gel has been proven in numerous studies not only to reduce the appearance of existing scars both old and new, but also to reduce the formation of scars when applied to newly healed wounds.

ScarAway products are sold at Walgreens, Duane Reade, HEB, Fred Meyer, Albertsons, Kerr Drug, Navarro and online at Amazon.com and Drugstore.com, Walgreens.com, Scar-Treatment.com, MyScarAway.com, and other fine e-tailers.

Leading a generation of new web sites are several companies that are offering new and compelling alternatives to traditional study aids such as flash cards, multiple choice quizzes, and rote memorization. These companies manage web sites that use video, multimedia and creative interactive features to engage busy high school students whenever they want, on their own time, and offer practical study aids at little-to-no cost.

A New Interactive “Curriculum” for Students

• Math and Science – Plenty of families can’t afford a private tutor for help with algebra and other subjects. Virtual Nerd is a Web-based, self-guided video tutorial for math and science students in grades 7 to 12. The site combines video with a patent-pending e-Learning platform that anticipates questions and guides students step by step through any problem. Virtual Nerd is less expensive than private tutors but more interactive and customized than passive video tutorials. Additionally, some parents find the subscription-based service a convenient way to refresh lessons learned long ago so they can help their children with homework during the school year.

• Vocabulary – Flash cards encourage rote memorization, which is a limited and less than ideal form of learning. The best way for a student to build vocabulary is to work through real-world, contextual examples. VocabSushi is a free service that scours the daily news from around the U.S. to find examples of vocabulary in real-world usage. Each sentence is tied to its source, date, and original headline, so students can read the article and stay up to date on current events. Students learn words by reading sentences, and answering sentence completion questions. VocabSushi also offers a 50-level adaptive learning model that tracks student progress over time, and continually challenges students with new vocabulary words.

• Test Prep – Most online SAT and ACT prep courses offer only text-based answer explanations, which are easy for students to tune out. ePrep is the first video-based test prep site. It simulates real-world test-taking conditions, providing access to printable practice tests, so students can simulate the paper-pencil environment of test day. Once the ePrep student has completed a test section offline, he or she can launch into a full video review of questions skipped, answered incorrectly, or answered correctly with a guess or after a long struggle. Like VirtualNerd and VocabSushi, ePrep is available to students 24/7, letting them set their own study schedule.

• Foreign Language – Language instruction has traditionally been based on teaching the complex concepts of sentence construction, singular and plural forms, gender agreements, verb conjugation, and tenses. However, recent linguistic research indicates that building an extensive vocabulary first is more effective in creating a strong foundation for a language. LangLearner offers over 3,500 words and phrases in multimedia flashcard form, allowing users to see an appropriate image, hear the word in both native and target languages, and see the word in both languages thus catering to all learning styles. They also offer games, dictation practice, chat, and reading tools. LangLearner offers a full web suite and also mobile apps for Android, iPhone and other platforms, currently supporting over 10 languages.

These websites represent a dramatic evolution in online learning by encouraging active participation in activities devised by experts. One of the biggest benefits: the minimal cost.