Easy Oats for Two: A Cheap and Nutritious Breakfast for Mother and Child

Oats were one of Audrey’s first favorite foods.  I’ve written a few times about the porridge I made for her as a little baby when I needed to fatten her up.  Once she was about fifteen months old, I started making her normal oatmeal for breakfast.  She has astounded me with her capacity for oatmeal.  Today I gave her a full adult serving (1 cup cooked) and she ate the entire bowl!  Normally, though, I will cook ¾ cups of dry oats for us both.  That will yield about a cup of cooked oats for me and a half cup for her.

So what is thrifty and green about our breakfast?  I buy oats in the bulk section.  Organic oats cost about $1.00/lb.  I can sometimes find conventional oats for $.50/lb. on sale.  That means our ¾ cup (2.25 ounces, according to my scale) of organic oats cost just fourteen cents!  I add some dried apricots and a little brown sugar, which boost up the price, but oats still end up being much cheaper than most other breakfasts.  And, by resisting convenience foods such as instant oatmeal packs, freezer waffles, or toaster pastries, we’re avoiding wasteful packaging.

Oats for Two

¾ cup rolled oats (not quick oats)
1 ½ cup water

Four or five dried apricots, cut into pieces

Put the ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl and zap for two minutes*.  Stir.  Cook for 1.5 minutes longer and stir again.  Spoon a portion of the oats into a smaller bowl for the baby.  Top with brown sugar and eat!

*Note: our microwave is not very strong.  Cooking times will vary depending on your microwave.  You can also cook the oats on a stovetop, of course.

For more Works for Me Wednesday ideas, check out Rocks in My Dryer.  Bon appétit!

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Isabooties Product Review

They’re comfy, they’re washable, they’re lace-free and they come with flexible soles­­––what more can I say?  IsaBooties sent Rebecca and me some sample shoes to try out with our toddlers a few months ago and they’ve become some of our favorite footwear.  I appreciate the fact that they don’t require fastening of any kind and also can be worn sock-free in the summer months. 

Before I discovered IsaBooties, Roscoe wore Robeez.  We loved the comfort and simplicity of the leather moccasins but were hesitant to have him wear them in the winter––which is always wet around here.  IsaBooties are made with ultra-suede fabric, which means that after they get covered with water or mud, they can just get tossed into the washer and the dryer. To be fair, Rebecca thought this was a downside of the IsaBooties—they can’t be worn on wet surfaces without soaking through.  She had her daughter use them as slippers.

For our eco sensibilities, it was great to learn that IsaBooties are formaldehyde-free, made in the USA, and come in recycled packaging that uses soy ink.  Unlike Robeez, IsaBooties are vegan, so they are perfect if you are looking for an animal-free bootie.

The cost for a pair of these soft slippers is a bit high for thrifty souls at $29.00 a pair, especially since IsaBooties aren’t recommended for pavement use.  Roscoe happens to be a serious sidewalk runner so he can’t use them all the time.  I also wouldn’t have him wear them if he was playing anywhere near sharp rocks since the bottoms aren’t that thick.

Rebecca’s daughter Audrey also loved IsaBooties and wanted to put them on all the time.  She wore them for about two weeks straight, and then the decorative ribbon started to fray indicating that they might not be the sturdiest choice for an everyday shoe. Rebecca would recommend them for non-walkers or indoor use only.

Still, if baby’s arrival is approaching and people are asking for gift requests, it’s nice to have a pair of convenient and cute Isabooties for the first year of his or her life.  Check out their website for a full range of colors, styles and sizes.

 

 

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Flushable Diapers (gDiapers)–What Do You Think?

One of our readers wrote in to The Green Baby Guide asking us about flushable diapers.  Neither Joy nor I has ever used gDiapers, but we’re hoping our readers have.  Have you tried them out on your babies?  Why did you choose gDiapers over cloth diapers or regular disposables?  Did you love them?  Hate them?  Please post a comment and give us your honest opinions!

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Simple Steps to Fight Summer Heat and Limit Air Conditioning

If you live in a steamy region where the humidity matches the temperature in degrees Fahrenheit, please stop reading this post immediately and start making your baby an ice bath.  My humble advice only works for areas where the air is light enough to move. 

In Eugene, Oregon, where I live, the temperature occasionally gets above ninety degrees and the humidity is almost always manageable.  Still, I am a self-professed heat wimp so I do all I can to keep our home cool.  We don’t have air conditioning, but with a little extra effort we mostly stay very comfortable through the warm summer months. Even if we did have air, I think I’d keep up the steps below to lower our power bill and our emissions with just a few minutes of effort.

Nothing about what we do is earth shattering, and I’m sure everyone used this same routine years ago.

Step 1: Put a thermometer outside your home where it is visible from a window.

Step 2: In the evenings, wait until the thermometer outside is cooler than your thermostat inside.

Step 3: Open the windows, turn on the fans, and get the air moving.  You can opt to blow the cold air in or the hot air out—but the main objective is air flow. 

Step 4: Secure the windows before going to bed only if you need to. 

Step 5: As soon as baby squeals at 5 a.m., open windows up again and get those fans on.

Step 6: When the temperature outside is hotter than inside, close everything up.

Step 7: Repeat as needed.

I actually get ridiculously excited as the fans whir around the house in the evening and our thermostat radically drops.  We’re able to keep the interior of our house between 70-76 degrees on even the hottest days just by opening and closing windows.

If evening and morning ventilation doesn’t seem to keep the heat down during the day, consider having an energy audit to check out your insulation.  Insulation is the biggest energy saver in heating and cooling your home and it should be working just as hard in the summer as it does in the winter.

Another strategy is to plant fast growing deciduous trees near your home so that you can have some relief in the years to come.  Believe it or not, there’s actually a website entitled “fast growing trees” that can help you find some options for your region.

If any sunbelt dwellers happen to still be reading, there is hope for you in the future as a company called BROAD is working on solar powered air conditioning.  Isn’t that the most obviously brilliant idea ever?  If you live in a dry climate, you may want to look into a swamp cooler as an eco-friendlier alternative to an air conditioner.

In the meantime, we’ll stick to our fans, our popsicles (organic and veggie) and an occasional run through the sprinkler.  I’ll end up using the same technology to keep my child cool that my grandmother did six decades ago–––which happens to be great for the planet and my pocketbook. 

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Save Some Trees–Never Buy Children’s Books

Here’s a tip that works for me: Never buy books!  Why?  Because reading is overrated and television is the wave of the future!  Instead of wasting valuable time and money on books for my young, impressionable daughter, we just plop her in front of the television, which is FREE (we don’t have cable).

I found this adorable picture on Multnomah County Library’s website

All right, calm down.  I do believe in books and reading.  I was an English major, after all.  I wasn’t kidding, though, about never buying books.  I just wanted a snazzier intro to the oldest tightwad trick in the book: Use the library.  Yes, it’s been said before, but despite the existence of this wonderful public institution, many people still spend hundreds and thousands of dollars on books, CDs, and DVDs each year–even though all these things can be acquired for free.  Not only does patronizing the library save money, it saves trees and other resources.

Now, unlike some other unnecessary baby gear, books can be enjoyed for years and even passed down from generation to generation.  We even published an article about throwing a book baby shower for this very reason.  So no one is going to take away your treehugging license if you decide to buy some well-chosen books for your child’s collection.  Although I haven’t ever bought a book for my daughter, she does have a little compilation of favorites given to her by her friends and relatives.

I used to think getting all of Audrey’s books from the library would avoid book burnout, but this has not proven to be the case.  She insists on reading the same books over and over again, whether they are library books or part of her own set.  I am ashamed to admit that I had one book checked out for an entire year.  I finally had to return it when someone placed a hold on it.

Speaking of holds, I’m surprised by how many people do not know about the library’s hold system.  The only way to get good CDs and DVDs, including new releases of television series, albums, and movies, is to place them on hold.  If you rely on browsing the shelves for these items, you’ll have to wait years to listen to a new album or watch a new release (and by then they won’t be new anymore).  This system was crucial for us as new parents when we were stuck inside every night with a sleeping baby.  We watched many movies and television series thanks to our library, and unlike cable, Blockbuster Video, or Netflix, it was entirely free of charge.

The library can also be a great place to socialize with a baby or young kids.  Our library system hosts readings by published authors, art exhibits, writing contests, and book clubs.  Each branch also provides story times for different age groups and holds contests to motivate kids (even babies) to read. 

For hours of free, eco-approved entertainment, march on down to your local library today.  And for more Works for Me Wednesday ideas, stop by Rocks in My Dryer.

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A Thrifty Green Favorite: Cloth Swim Diapers

We started using cloth swim diapers last summer as we spent endless afternoons running through sprinklers or splashing in wading pools.  Now that Roscoe is extremely mobile, his cloth swim diaper is getting even more wear on a daily basis.

Even for families who feel overwhelmed by using cloth diapers full time, swim diapers are a great option. You just pull on the swim diaper, which is usually part of a little swimming suit, and plunk baby into the pool.  As long as they’re not soiled, you simply rinse them, wring them out, and hang them to dry when the swimming session ends.

Not only are cloth swim diapers easy to use, they are actually considered more sanitary than their disposable counterparts. Their sturdy elastic leg bands keep fecal matter more securely in the diaper than disposables.  My aquatic center requires that parents bring cloth swim diapers, buy them at the front desk, or go elsewhere. Rebecca has had similar experiences at swimming pools in different parts of the state.

If you aren’t motivated by the thought of diaper leakage, consider the mounds of soggy disposables that head to landfills on a regular basis.  Better yet, think of the economic advantages of a reusable swimsuit diaper.   A swim diaper suit at Target will run you less than ten dollars.  Instead of having to buy a swimsuit and then shell out over a dollar per disposable, you are all set for the entire season.  If you want to hunt for a used swim diaper, you’ll get an even better deal.

The one drawback that keeps some people out of cloth is the occasional poopy diaper.  With disposables you just chuck it in the trash and put a new one on.  What happens when an unexpected dirty diaper comes right in the middle of your wet afternoon and your baby is wearing cloth?  The simple solution for this is to have another cloth swim diaper as a backup.  I purchased both of our swim diapers for $3.99 on clearance at Target, making our total summer cost of swim diapers and two suits less than eight bucks total.  Not a bad deal! 

Of course, in our backyard, Roscoe wears his most favorite outfit of all––his birthday suit.  It doesn’t get much greener or thriftier than that!  

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What’s Your Walk Score?

Right after I wrote my post about walking everywhere with a baby, we moved to a different neighborhood in Portland.  One of my big concerns with my new neighborhood is that it would not be as pedestrian-friendly as my old one.  It would be hard to live the carefree green lifestyle of my dreams if I had to drive a car everywhere.  Although my job is miles away (necessitating a bus ride), I was able to run most household errands by foot in my old neighborhood.

According to www.walkscore.com, the walk score of my old and new neighborhoods is exactly the same: 88 out of 100, or “very walkable.”  Just plug your address into this website and you’ll get a walk score of your very own.  The site will show you the grocery stores, restaurants, coffee shops, bars, movie theaters, schools, parks, and other places that are within walking distance of your address.  The algorithm is not perfect–it does not take into account some things like your proximity to public transport or the “pedestrian-friendly design” of your neighborhood.

“Pedestrian-friendly design” is what my new neighborhood seems to be lacking.  From my old digs, I could stroll through a pleasant residential neighborhood or along a trendy street lined with coffee shops and bookstores to get to a major grocery store.  Today I ventured out to the Fred Meyer that’s just .68 miles from my new house.  Walking along a major street, I passed a car dealership, a bar, a “fantasy” shop, a men’s bathhouse, a “hot barber” shop, and a thrift store run by wayward teens.  Now, these are all very interesting establishments, I am sure, but not ones I am likely to frequent with a young child in tow (except for the thrift store, of course).  I then had walk on a highway overpass to get to the store.

On the plus side, that was just one grocery store.  I can walk to several others, taking less adventurous routes.  We can also take peaceful walks to the park, the doctor,  and Audrey’s future elementary school.  The best benefit of our new location is that we’re near at least five major bus lines and just seven minutes away from the Max (a light rail system that goes downtown, out into the suburbs, and directly to the airport).

What’s your walk score?  Visit www.walkscore.com and find out!

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Green Olympic Trials

My smallish city of Eugene, Oregon, has hit the big time by hosting the USA Olympic Track and Field Competition this week­­—and we’re striving to hold the greenest major sports event in history.  

It’s a thrill to see our little city on national news and spot a few ultra-athletes strolling our streets, but it’s even more exciting to see the creative ways event planners have minimized waste.  We’ve gone down to the race venue to admire all the green details.

  • Compostable disposables: All the utensils and plates at the food booths are made from compostable materials. 
  • Recycling containers everywhere:  Local organizers somehow found a way for all food (including meats and cheeses) to be thrown in the containers  with compostable utensils and dishes.  Another bin is for comingled plastic, aluminum and newspaper recycling, drastically reducing the amount of trash that will head to landfills.
  • Solar powered stage: Solar panels have generated plenty of power to support big screen TVs, stereos and lights.
  • Wind-power energy: All the remaining energy needed for the event was purchased from wind-generated power.
  • Human power: A set of power-generating stationary bikes are available for volunteers who want to personally contribute energy by signing up for 30 minutes of pedaling.
  • Valet bike parking: The meet has sometimes filled the fenced area that can hold more than 400 bicycles.
  • Electric shuttle: The city offers a free EmX bus shuttle for spectators that is hybrid-electric powered.

As if that wasn’t all wonderful enough, there was also a track meet for local youth that takes place on the actual track where the potential Olympians sprint across the finish line.  Roscoe participated in the under two category—and ended up running his own direction. In the photo he’s about to cross the finish line after taking the scenic route with Dad and a friend.     

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Disguise Vegetables in Fruity Popsicles

Joy’s popsicle post provided me with a burst of inspiration: Could I sneak vegetables into my daughter’s diet by disguising them in a tasty frozen treat?  The answer is yes.  Here’s my groundbreaking recipe:

Strawberry Spinach Popsicles

Pint of very ripe strawberries (overripe is okay)
2-3 cups of carefully washed spinach leaves
1 TBS honey (or more, to taste)

Place the strawberries in the blender and fill the remainder of the blender with spinach leaves.  Add honey and puree until smooth.  Pour into popsicle molds.  (Yields 2 cups liquid)

I invented this recipe and gave the strange-looking brown popsicle to my daughter.  She took one lick and said, “Yum, yum!”  Then she ate the whole thing, making quite a mess in the process.  Of course I sampled this brown concoction myself.  It really does not taste of spinach at all-it’s just pleasantly strawberry-flavored. 

Now, I know that disguising vegetables in other foods is controversial.  When Jessica Seinfeld’s book Deceptively Delicious came out, I read reviews from critics who claimed that lying to children about what they were eating would result in bitterness and mistrust in their parents as they grew older and wiser.  This seems a little far-fetched to me.  Besides, I did not lie to Audrey; I just handed her a popsicle and she ate it.  I hope she grows to love normally-prepared vegetables very soon, but in the meantime, I’m glad I found a way to sneak some greens into her summer confections.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This week’s Works for Me Wednesday is all about easy recipes that use five ingredients or less, so head on over to Rocks in My Dryer for more simple cooking ideas.

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Red, White and Blue-Green: An Eco-Friendly Fourth of July


This Independence Day, in spite of the fact that I teach American History, I’m looking forward rather than back.  Maybe it’s motherhood, or rising gas prices, or melting glaciers, but it seems as though boundless independence might not be working for our country at this point.

We’re free to use as much fuel, energy, food, and water as we’d like.  We’re free to toss recyclables into the trash and drive Hummer limousines. The pursuit of happiness has pushed us into a level of consumerism that would have baffled our nation’s founders.  (I can’t help but mention here that they were imperfect as well—some of them using slavery to support their own luxurious lifestyles.)

Meanwhile, our unsustainable lifestyle is having a daily impact on the planet.  You have to check out this website, Breathing Earth, to see just how much more carbon we’re emitting than the rest of the world.  It’s humbling and a bit shocking.

So what do we do now? If you’re reading this website, there’s a good chance that you’re making eco-conscious choices instead of shrugging your shoulders in apathetic dismay.  The next biggest change we can make is to share our down-to-earth ideas with our local communities.  People are very threatened by the idea of composting, or using cloth diapers, or planting their own garden until they know someone who has done it themselves.  Share your cloth diaper experiences with other moms, start a green group in your area, and include your family in your eco-victories, even if they don’t share your enthusiasm. 

Grassroots movements have changed the world countless times.  On this Fourth of July, it’s good to remember that a small group of dedicated people started a nation based on freedom. Looking forward, we can help one another take small steps toward sustainability to make our shared future just a bit brighter.    

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