Marilu.com – The Home of Marilu Henner’s Total Health Makeover®

Aug 28

B.Y.O.B. revisited

It’s time to talk about Bringing Your Own Bag again.

Don’t leave the house without your reusable shopping bags. If you always put them on the doorknob of the door you leave from, you’ll always remember to take them along. We drive to the grocery store, so our bags hang on the door leading to the garage. And then they’re on the front seat of the car – because if we toss them in the back seat, we seem to forget them there.

If you have a bunch of extra plastic or paper shopping bags, fold them up – it only takes a few seconds – and donate them to your favorite vendor at the farmer’s market. There’s no reason for someone to be buying bags when we all have them to spare.

Keep your reusable bags clean. Seriously. Who wants groceries from a gunky, sticky, moldy bag? No one. In fact, the cashiers and baggers don’t want to touch dirty bags either. Member Summer reminded us once to clean our bags, and it made so much sense we want to repeat the message for you here.

If you have wet or leaky grocery items, put them in plastic (hey, that’s one way to get an extra use from the plastic bag you took last week…if you were smart enough to stash it with your other bags after unloading it).

If your canvas bags are stained, toss them in the wash with a load of kitchen towels.

If you use plastic-coated tote bags, wipe them with a damp dishcloth and let them air dry.

If you use a basket, scrub it out with an old toothbrush (dry) and then wipe it with a damp cloth.

Aug 14

Back to school * Lunch time!

Posted in Budget & Finance, Green living, Healthy Kids, Organizational tips for home and life | No Comments »

While you’re out shopping for school supplies, pick up a few things to make packing lunches easier. We’re big fans of reducing waste, so our recommendations are mostly reusable – that means your kids will have to bring them home, so you can wash them out for the next day. Bonus? You get to see what they didn’t eat, and make adjustments to ensure they’re getting enough good, healthy food for their day.

Lunch bag * We like reusable lunch bags, especially the insulated kind. You can get a “squishy” insulated lunch bag for a reasonable price. An old-fashioned lunchbox can be fun, too, with favorite characters on the side. Or go upscale, and look for a bento-style lunch box. We had a friend who re-used dog food bags for lunch bags (he washed them out, don’t worry) until they kind of fell apart, which took months. Perhaps you have an old purse that would make a great lunch bag?

Cold pack * Our favorite cold packs are the blue ice blocks, a bit larger than a deck of cards. One of those in an insulated (squishy) lunch bag will keep cold food cold for 4-5 hours. They’re made in other sizes and shapes, too, and they’re all pretty reasonably priced. Of course, a frozen water bottle (be sure to pour off the first inch before freezing!) also works well – and your child can drink the water, too.

Thermos * Because there are days that we like warm food, we like to have a small, wide-mouth thermos – something that holds about 1-1/2 cups (12 ounces) works pretty well.

Silverware * We reuse plasticware (the heavier stuff goes through the dishwasher just fine), but you may want to look for something more sturdy. Purchase an inexpensive set of silverware at a discount store, or if your kids like adventure, get camping silverware.

Containers * The inexpensive plastic containers can work really well for brown bag lunches – they can be reused for a long time, and they come in a variety of shapes and sizes. If they don’t come home some day, you’re not out a lot of money. There are some other containers with built in cooling packs that we like, too. We’re not big fans of the plastic bag; there’s so much waste with that method. Think creatively to avoid the waste.

Napkins * Our favorite napkins are colorful bandanas from the dollar store. We like that they wash well, and they’re easy to replace.

Jul 27

The high cost of animal protein * water

Posted in Articles - Food, Green living, Meat and Animal Protein | No Comments »

The water cost associated with the livestock industry is staggering.

According to a 2002 study by David and Marcia Pimentel of Cornell University, Western agricultural irrigation accounts for 85 percent of the fresh water we consume (the other 15 percent is for drinking, washing, food prep, etc). They also found that it takes 100 times more water to produce an ounce of animal protein than it takes to produce an ounce of plant protein.

Did you know that 64 percent of the world’s population is expected to live in a water-stressed environment by 2025? That’s 5 billion people who won’t have enough water if we don’t manage our resources better. (source: United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization report, “Livestock’s Long Shadow,” 2006) Eating more plant protein makes more fresh water available for drinking.

Eat plants! Go plant protein!

Jul 24

The high cost of animal protein * energy

Posted in Articles - Food, Green living, Meat and Animal Protein | No Comments »

According to a 2002 study by David and Marcia Pimentel, researchers at Cornell University, it takes 20 times more energy to produce the protein in beef than it takes to produce a similar amount of protein from plants. In other words, we consume 95 percent less energy every time we choose to get our protein from plants instead of beef.

Go green! Eat plant protein!

Jun 10

Make the most of the farmer’s market * part 3

Posted in Budget & Finance, Green living | No Comments »

When you’re at the farmer’s market, take the time to find the best.

Walk the whole market, noting which vendors are selling what you’re interested in.

Ask for a taste of anything you’re interested in – and offer to pay for it. Buying one tomato or one apple or one strawberry or one cucumber to taste may save you from a lot of tasteless ones. “Fresh and local” doesn’t always mean delicious.

Know when it was harvested. Foods like corn and peas are much better the day they’re picked because the sweetness from their natural sugars dissipates quickly.

Look at what you’re buying. Skip anything bruised, wilted, or yellowed. It doesn’t have to look perfect, but it should look fresh.

Size isn’t everything. Often the smaller ear of corn, zucchini, or green bean is sweeter. Try eating the smaller pickling cucumbers instead of the larger salad cucumbers.

Compare. Compare prices. Compare flavors. Compare growing practices. Compare the cleanliness of the stall, the friendliness of the vendor, or anything else that’s important to you.

Jun 09

Make the most of the farmer’s market * part 2

Posted in Budget & Finance, Green living, Uncategorized | No Comments »

Turn your weekly farmer’s market trip into a family event.

Walk or bike to your farmer’s market if you can. Make it a fitness destination.

Enjoy the ‘extras’ at your market – music, entertainment, community events, kids’ programs, etc.

Bring your own tote bags or baskets. If you walked or biked, be aware of how much you can carry, and how you’ll do that.

Bring any clean plastic grocery bags you’ve collected to the market and offer them to the vendors. You don’t have to be the only person reusing your bags – pass them on!

If you drive a fair distance to the market, consider putting a cooler and some ice packs in the car, to help keep produce fresh on the trip home.

When you get home, wash and prep the produce right away. Wash and spin the greens (salad and leafy), wrap in paper towels or cotton cloth, and store in plastic bags. Dark plastic helps keep the light out, making the greens last even longer. Keep tomatoes, garlic, onions, peaches, nectarines, and apricots at room temperature.

Try not to overbuy. Think about what you’ll reasonably eat in a week. If you completely fail at this (as we all do… every year!) and buy far more than you need, call your friends and invite them to a cook-it-yourself farmers’ market party. Have everyone bring an apron and a knife, and make it an evening of cooking together. Fire up the grill, get out the olive oil and herbs, and keep it simple – the flavors of just-harvested foods will give you an amazing meal. Serve some good bread, iced tea, and maybe wine for a great party.

Jun 08

Make the most of the farmer’s market * part 1

Posted in Budget & Finance, Green living | No Comments »

We love, love, love going to the Farmer’s Market! Fresh produce!! Supporting local farmers!! Organic options!! Community fun!!

Walk the whole market before you buy anything. Check out each stall to see what’s there. Stroll leisurely, enjoying the day, the sights and sounds and smells, and chat with your friends and neighbors.

Talk to the farmers. Find out who they are and what they grow. Build relationships. This is your opportunity to make connections with your food, and to understand how it gets to your plate.

Find the organic growers. Support them if possible. These are the people who can explain what ‘organic’ means to them and to you, and they’re passionate about the environment, as well as the food it produces. If you’re skeptical, compare organic and commercial produce.

Try something new each time you visit. Ask the farmer the best way to prepare and enjoy it. You’ll probably find more than one new favorite vegetable this summer.

Apr 23

Fitness Friday * Reuse & recycle fitness videos

Posted in Budget & Finance, Exercise and fitness, Green living | No Comments »

In the spirit of Earth Day (yesterday), let’s take reusing and recycling into fitness.

Have a fitness DVD exchange party!

Invite your friends to bring an exercise DVD (labeled with their name and phone number) they don’t need to see for a month. Put all the DVDs on a table and allow everyone to take a different DVD home. You can add a little excitement by having all the DVDs wrapped and numbered, and drawing for them. Unwrap them at the party, and allow trades.

If your friends are into video-game fitness, then trade those. If your friends still use VHS videos, trade those. You can even preview some at the party.

Be sure to serve healthy snacks, and don’t be afraid to introduce your friends to something new, like green smoothies, or cucumber-water, or homemade pita chips.

Get together every month or so – you’ll love the socializing and the chance to try different exercise routines!

Apr 22

Happy Earth Day!

Posted in Chemicals, Additives & Preservatives, Green living, Home | No Comments »

For us to have healthy lives, we need a healthy planet.

Organic foods require clean land, free of toxic pesticides and herbicides. The nutrients in the soil are the nutrients that end up in the plants we eat (remember that elementary school experiment with blue food coloring, a glass of water, and a stalk of celery? That’s how it works.). Farmers must do extra work to clean up their land so they can grow healthy food for us. Support those farmers by buying organic when you can – and if you know any of those farmers, then be sure to thank them personally!

Your yard is just as important as a farm.

Choose your lawn care products carefully. Those chemical lawn services dump toxins on your yard (those little flags are warnings to keep kids and pets off the grass), and when it rains, the excess runs into your storm sewer and pollutes the water supply.

Put in a little personal effort. You can dig up dandelions and other weeds with a simple tool or an old fork. Put a little table salt in the hole left by the root. Consider an “old-fashioned” push mower (no motor, just blades) if your lawn is not-too-big. The walk will do you good, there’s very little noise, no fuel, and the lawn looks just as good.

Plant native grasses, flowers, shrubs and trees. Native plants will tolerate your weather patterns better, and usually require less care. Check with your local greenhouse, nursery or university extension service, or find a Master Gardener in your area. They can all help you find native plants that will work in your yard.

Reuse water for your yard. There are simple systems you can install to collect rainwater runoff from your roof. The water collects in a 55-gallon barrel, and you just hook up a hose to water the lawn. Don’t use runoff water on your garden – the roofing material may contain particles that you don’t want in your food. But the water is fine for your lawn, flowers, shrubs and non-fruit trees.