This summer, you are probably busy preparing for busy back-to-school season. With an estimated 1 in 10 children being lactose intolerant, back-to-school meals and snacks can put parents to the test. Recipes like Oven “Fried†Chicken Strips and Homemade Ranch Dipping Sauce, give kids and parents an education in tasty, nutritious options that won’t cause tummy aches.
“Many parents may not recognize the symptoms of lactose intolerance in their kids, often mistaking digestive complaints as illness or stress-related or food avoidance as their kids ‘being picky,’†says Ashley Koff, R.D., celebrity dietician and author of a new book Mom Energy. To help, Koff offers five signs that could mean a child is lactose intolerant:
Digestive complaints, especially gas, bloating and belly aches
Avoiding or refusing dairy when offered
Frequent loose stools
Bad breath despite proper dental care
Body odor that isn’t explained by normal activities (i.e., played sports or forgot to shower)
“If you suspect your child is lactose intolerant, you should talk to your pediatrician before making any dietary changes for a complete evaluation,†Koff adds. The good news, according to Koff, is that there are delicious, better quality dairy options that are lactose-free and gluten free, like lactose free yogurt, kefir and sour cream, to use as simple swaps and versatile recipe ingredients in kids’ mealtime favorites.
For easy meal tips with all of the great taste and health benefits of real dairy but with no lactose, check out this link. And visit GreenValleyLactoseFree.com for more lactose free recipes.
Also, be on the lookout for a fresh new look from Redwood Hill Farm, the new product line will have “Camellia,†the Bice family’s beloved Saanen goat that’s been featured on Redwood Hill Farm all natural products since 1978, is contrasted against a rainbow of vibrant new background colors complimented for the first time by original, hand-drawn illustrations of the sweet, luscious fruits and high quality ingredients used in its products.
The company is also introducing delicious goat yogurts, now made with organic fruit, at no additional cost. Redwood Hill Farm uses only the highest quality ingredients, starting with 100 percent fresh goat milk, for which they pay the highest price in the industry, and now the addition of premium priced organic fruits giving consumers something truly special.
Look for new Redwood Hill Farm packaging on shelves now in select stores and nationwide in September. The company also refreshed packaging for its Green Valley Organics line of yogurts, kefirs and new sour cream to emphasize its lactose free benefit and tout Flourish, the custom blend of live and active cultures also found in Green Valley Organics yogurts and kefirs that delivers millions of “good-for-you probiotics†in every spoonful.
