Schedule your family’s dinners just as you would your kids’ after school activities.

(ARA) – Think it’s tough managing your grocery budget and making the most of family mealtime? Meet Kathryn Sansone, a St. Louis mother of 10 who, along with her husband, puts dinner on the table six nights a week. If anyone knows the value of stretching the dinner table dollar, it’s the woman who sets a table for 12 almost every night of the week.

“Cooking for my family is not just about feeding them — it’s another way my husband and I express love to our kids,” says Sansone. “We’ve always used our dinners as a special time for being together each day. The same is true even in today’s economy; we just have to get a little more creative.”

While most families don’t have a table full of 10 Sansone children, ages 3 to 20, they are still faced with the same challenge at dinnertime: finding something that everyone likes while not breaking the bank. Sansone says that her recipe for success isn’t really all that complicated.

“Everywhere you look, Americans are seeking value,” says Sansone. “As we dine out less and watch our pennies more, we’re becoming bargain shoppers who want our dollars to go as far as possible. But even in this new ‘food economy,’ it’s important that people understand they do not need to compromise on taste, quality or convenience when living on a budget.”

Sansone’s tips include:

* Plan Ahead — Between the soccer practices and piano lessons, dinner is often an afterthought. Instead, schedule your family’s dinners just as you would your kids’ after school activities. You’ll save money by making just one trip to the grocery or club store, and when you go, try buying in bulk and take advantage of the many coupons available. Even at the regular supermarket, buy in larger quantities, like when there is a 10 for $10 sale on Rice-A-Roni or Pasta-Roni.

* Turn Sides Upside Down — Typical side dishes, such as rice and pasta, are ideal for stretching your grocery budget because you can quickly turn them into main courses. Use holiday leftovers such as chicken or turkey and combine with a pre-packaged dish and add leftover veggies. You’ll end up with a nice, well-rounded meal for a family of five that costs about an additional 64 cents per serving.

Here’s one of the Sansone family’s favorites using leftover turkey to make a delicious Wild Rice Risotto:

Turkey and Wild Rice Risotto

Ingredients:

1 package (4.3 ounces) Rice-A-Roni Long Grain & Wild Rice
3/4 pound ground turkey
1 2/3 cup water
1 tablespoon margarine, butter or spread with no trans fat
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 1/2 cups fresh mushroom slices
1 cup thinly sliced celery
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper

Preparation Steps:

1. In large skillet, brown ground turkey until thoroughly cooked; drain. In same skillet, combine 1 2/3 cups water, 1 Tbsp. margarine, rice mix, seasonings and turkey. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low.

2. Cover; simmer 20 minutes. Stir in soup, mushrooms, celery and bell pepper; return to a simmer. Cover; simmer 5 to 10 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Let stand 3 minutes. Stir before serving.

Preparation Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 30 Minutes
Time to Table: 40 Minutes
Recipe Yield: 6 people

Rely on a good source — Finding fun and unique dishes to prepare doesn’t mean starting from scratch. Sansone notes that a favorite Chipotle Rice and Chicken Chili recipe actually came from the Rice-A-Roni Web site. She often visits sites such as www.ricearoni.com to see what other meats and veggies can be combined to create a variety of dishes as well as find exclusive coupons.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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School Days are Better when Kids Stay Involved in the Community

As busy as the school year is, it’s still no time to let kids forget the importance of making a difference. There are plenty of simple ways to involve kids in the community when they’re not in class.

“School months are all about learning, socializing, sports and after-school activities,” says Liz Scott of Wynnewood, Pa. “But kids really benefit from doing something more with their time, like getting involved in the community or raising funds for a cause they believe in. They can gain a real sense of their own strength and worth.”

Scott should know. Her daughter, Alexandra, gained national attention for her efforts to raise money for pediatric cancer research by holding lemonade stands. What started as a simple but passionate idea inspired a worldwide grassroots fundraising effort. Sadly, Alex passed away Aug. 1, 2004. Parents Liz and Jay continue promoting Alex’s cause and raising money for pediatric cancer research through their foundation, Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF), which has raised more than $19 million to date.

“Numerous studies show that volunteering holds many physical and mental health benefits for volunteers, regardless of their age,” says Pam Edwards of Volvo Cars of North America. To commemorate the life of Alex Scott, Volvo created the Alexandra Scott Butterfly Award to recognize exceptional child heroes.

Zach Bonner was named the 2008 Butterfly Award winner. To help victims of Hurricane Katrina Zach, 10, collected 27 truckloads of sundry items, raised $600 in donations for the Red Cross post-Katrina efforts and secured $7,000 worth of new toys and sporting equipment for homeless children living in Red Cross shelters. He also recently founded the Little Red Wagon Foundation, Inc., which collects and donates backpacks filled with food, school items and other supplies to disadvantaged children nationwide.

Getting kids involved can be as simple – or grand – as the children and parents wish. The efforts of past Butterfly Award winners can provide a roadmap for getting started:

* Look to the Internet.

“The Web is a great resource for finding a charity or volunteer opportunity that fits your child’s needs and personality,” Edwards says. For example, this year www.lemonadestandforlife.com, hosted by Volvo, gives visitors the chance to support ALSF. By visiting the site, you can make a direct donation by purchasing a cups of virtual lemonade for just $1. You can then share those cups via e-mail with others asking them to also visit and support the site’s mission.

* Look to current events.

News accounts of the need caused by Katrina inspired Zach Bonner to get involved. When Congress designated November National Homeless Youth Awareness Month, Zach launched a marathon walk from Tampa, Fla., to the state capital 250 miles away in Tallahassee. He and his team raised money and awareness for the nation’s estimated 1.3 million homeless children.

* Draw inspiration from your own life.

Alex Scott founded her lemonade stand as she was recovering from cancer treatment. Grace Farnan, 14, of South Hamilton, Mass., decided to become involved in hospice care after her grandmother peacefully passed away in hospice care. Her work with the Hospice of the North Shore has included collecting hundreds of new picture frames for patients to keep photos of loved ones close at hand, and the creation of more than 500 guest books in which visitors, family and staff can write encouragement for patients. Grace was recognized as the 2006 Butterfly Award winner.

* Don’t be afraid to reach far.

In addition to efforts to help Florida’s hurricane-affected residents, Samita Mohanasundaram, 16, of Nashua, N.H., also helps disadvantaged children in India. When she was just 7, she visited a small, impoverished village in southern India and was moved by the local school’s need for books, supplies and materials. Upon returning home, she launched a book drive that drew support from all over New England. In 2007, Samita became the third child to win the Butterfly Award.

To learn more about the Butterfly Awards and to help raise funds to fight pediatric cancer, visit www.lemonadestandforlife.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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Make Friends from Around the World: Host an Exchange Student

Enhancing the image of the United States abroad goes a long way toward improving and strengthening our relationships with other countries. People like Laurie and Martin Scott of Nevada are doing their part to create and promote a positive impression of America around the world.

The couple has joined forces with the nonprofit EF Foundation for Foreign Study to host exchange students, something Laurie says has the potential to make a world of difference for foreign affairs. “In the five years we’ve been doing it, each of our students has come to the U.S. with their own unique perspective on our society and culture, and they weren’t always positive views,” Scott says. “By the time they left us at the end of the school year, their views had totally changed. Now for the rest of their lives, they will be walking ambassadors for America.”

As Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice states, “We must increase our exchanges with the rest of the world. [W]e must encourage our citizens . . . to understand different cultures and to welcome others into their homes.” Karen Hughes, former Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, named international exchanges as one of the four strategic pillars needed to strengthen America’s ties with foreign nations.

While the Scotts have given so much to students from abroad, Laurie says that they have gotten a lot back as well. “EF Foundation is like a big family. We’ve made friends around the world and we have so many places to visit. Plus, we have built relationships with staff members that will last forever.”

Åsa Fanelli, president of EF Foundation for Foreign Study, stresses the true exchange that takes place when families host. “The best way to experience another culture is by opening your heart and home to a young person from another country,” Fanelli says. “Your family and community get the opportunity to learn about another culture while you have a chance to share your American values and traditions.”

Laurie Scott agrees, noting that hosting exchange students builds mutual understanding for everyone involved. “We really need programs like this to understand each other. It has been a fantastic experience for us,” she says.

EF Foundation students are between 15 and 18 years old, and arrive with health insurance and their own spending money. EF Foundation for Foreign Study is a nonprofit organization with thousands of volunteers across the country that brings high school students from all over the world to live and study for a year in the United States. Since 1979, the program has helped 100,000 students from nearly 40 countries take part in international exchange.

To learn more about the EF Foundation and the steps you’ll need to take to become a host family, log on to www.effoundation.org or call (800) 44-SHARE.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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Back-to-school Means Homework for Parents Too

As teens head back to the classroom this fall, they’ll be assigned a lot of homework in the three “Rs”: reading, writing, and arithmetic. Important to students’ success will be the homework parents do in teaching two other “Rs”: role modeling and responsibility.

“A parent’s words and actions provide powerful role modeling,” explains Lonnie Carton, PhD, director of teen and family resources for the Web-based “Warm2Kids” program and an advisory panel member of the “Family Talk About Drinking” program. “They teach teens what kind of behavior is expected of them and how to make good decisions. Responsible decisions include obeying the law and not getting involved in underage drinking.”

Although some parents think peer pressure is the major cause of underage drinking, the fact is parents, not peers, have the greatest influence on their teens’ choices related to this issue. According to the 2008 GfK Roper Youth Report(TM) , 71 percent of teenagers 13 to 17 say their parents are the No. 1 influence on their decisions about whether to drink.

“Parents who communicate with their sons and daughters regularly, openly and honestly on a variety of issues find it much easier to talk with and listen to them on sensitive subjects like alcohol,” Carton advises. “At the start of this new school year, I encourage mothers and fathers to take the time to sit down with their children. Discuss expectations, and emphasize the importance of making wise choices not only about underage drinking but about all other decisions.”

Carton offers these guidelines to parents for remaining a positive influence in the lives of teens:

Be Factual. Give teens the facts about underage drinking in a calm, clear manner. Simply say something like, “It’s against the law for anyone under 21 to use alcohol; our family obeys the law and we expect you to do the same.”

Know Your Child’s Friends and Their Parents. Being aware of other families’ values and rules will help you better understand what pressure your child’s friends may be putting on him or her.

Get Help if You Need It. Be aware of any changes in your teen’s behavior or attitude such as suddenly doing poorly in school, hanging out with a different group of friends whom you don’t know, or becoming disinterested in sports, music or other activities which once meant a lot, etc. If such changes occur, seek professional advice right away.

For more tips and information on responsible role-modeling, visit www.myspace.com/positiveparenting. For “Family Talk About Drinking” materials, visit www.familytalkonline.com or call (800) 359-TALK (1-800-359-8255). The materials are provided free-of-charge as a community service of Anheuser-Busch.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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Hannah Keeley

(ARA) – That last school bell has rung and the kids are back home, enjoying all the pleasures that summer vacation offers. But there’s got to be more to life than sleeping until noon and sipping lemonade by the pool. Here are some more ideas to make sure your kids stay happy and healthy this summer.

1. Block the sun. Sunlight is great; but too much exposure can be dangerous. Cover the kids with generous amounts of waterproof sunscreen — SPF of 30 or greater — 30 minutes prior to any sun exposure. Be sure to reapply it every 30 minutes for maximum protection.

2. Take a hometown vacation. With gas prices soaring, summer vacations may need to be spent a little closer to home. Check out your hometown’s restaurants, museums or parks together as a family and pretend you’re tourists for a few days.

3. Keep active. Keep the kids up and moving with some fun games such as badminton, swimming or soccer. And, of course, never underestimate the power of a good old-fashioned game of hide and seek or catching fireflies at dusk.

4. Pick some produce. Fresh fruits and vegetables are aplenty during the summer months. Gather the kids to visit a local farm or check out the local farmers market. With so many delicious choices this summer, your kids may actually eat their vegetables!

5. Stay hydrated. Enjoying the summer heat can sometimes lead to dehydration. Be sure to keep plenty of filtered water on tap and instead of letting the kids grab for sodas, enjoy some healthier treats such as juice spritzers or frozen fruit juice popsicles.

6. Start a reading club. Don’t let those brain cells get lazy during the summer. Reading is a great way to keep your kids’ minds active. Gather some of your children’s friends for meetings to discuss fun summer reads. If food is involved, turnout will be much higher — guaranteed.

7. Record some memories. Make this a summer to remember. Arm the kids with a video camera to make family movies. Or, take still pictures and create an online scrapbook that you can share with friends and family.

8. Breathe easy. Hot, summer weather forces us to keep our doors and windows shut tight, trapping allergens and airborne molecules in our homes and in our lungs. Keep your home’s indoor air healthy by installing a whole-home air filtration system, such as AccuClean from American Standard Heating & Air Conditioning.

9. Go around the world. Take a trip around the world without leaving your own home. Pick a different country or culture each week. Read books and create maps of the area. Wrap up your week of study by creating and enjoying a traditional meal from the region.

10. Have fun. Don’t over schedule your summer. Instead, use summer vacation to lighten your family’s load, kick back, and enjoy these long, golden days. Memories are created, not scheduled, so start creating some today.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Hannah Keeley is a lifestyle expert, author and founder of TotalMom.com. Her work has been published in numerous publications and she has been featured on national television programming as the go-to source for moms.

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(NC)—Spring and summer mean more than flowers, rain showers, vacation and relaxation.  The warm weather also brings a little known fact and an unwelcome reality:  more child-pedestrian injuries and deaths than any other time of year.  Walking is a child’s first means of independent transportation and often the most accessible, yet child-pedestrian incidents are a leading cause of injury-related death for Canadian children under the age of 14.  A staggering 2,412 child pedestrians are injured each year and approximately 30 are killed, usually crossing the street at an intersection within 5 kilometres of their home.

According to Safe Kids Canada, most parents report teaching their children pedestrian safety, but a study of more than 700 parents found that only 16 per cent of parents knew basic pedestrian safety facts.  In addition, if they have correct knowledge, parents and caregivers don’t always practice what they know.  It’s important to know the rules of the road, set a good example and reinforce safe behaviour with your child over and over again.

Bottom line: Walk with your children and teach them the pedestrian safety rules every single time.  Safety education should be repeated every time parents / caregivers and children are walking together and should start before the child reaches age nine and continue into their adolescence.

• Look left, look straight into the intersection, look right, and repeat before crossing the street.

• Cross at the intersection.

• Watch for drivers because parked cars can block them from a driver’s view.

• Practice making street-crossing decisions on their own, but with you there giving them much-needed practical experience.

• Weather conditions are different (i.e. snow, fog, sleet, rain).

• Taking a new route.

• In a variety of road situations.

• When it’s their first time walking alone.

These tips are part of the 2008 Safe Kids Week campaign – Safe Roads, Safe Kids – running from May 26 – June 1 and sponsored by Johnson & Johnson.  More information on child-pedestrian safety is available from

Safe Kids Canada at 1-888-SAFE-TIPS (723-3847) or online at www.safekidscanada.ca.

-News Canada

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Whether you’re preparing for a large reunion for family members around the world, or an intimate gathering for those nearby, follow these helpful tips to ensure your next gathering creates memories that last a lifetime:

* Put together an invite and address list. Determine if you want a small gathering or want to include distant relatives. Identify one person from each family branch and begin assembling contact information for each person on your invite list.

* Gauge interest and availability. Reach out to a few relatives and get feedback on dates, locations and possible reunion theme. Keep in mind travel distance for all family members and consider extending the reunion festivities to span a few days.

* Create a budget. Determine how much money is needed for food and travel, and if other family members will share the cost.

* Find a location. Is there a place with special significance to your family or is a family member willing to open up their home?

* Plan the menu. Gather favorite family recipes and ask family members to be responsible for bringing those dishes. And, don’t forget that cooking together during the reunion can conjure fun family memories and help make new ones as well!

* Organize activities. Plan activities that will allow distant family members to get reacquainted. Download the Smucker family tree and re-discover your family’s origins.

* Arrange for seating and rainy day accommodations. If you’re hosting the reunion at a family member’s home, consider chair and table rentals, as well as a tent for outdoor activities.

* Capture the day. Identify one to two family members to serve as the official reunion photographers/videographers.

As a family-run company that has passed down time-honored recipes for the past four generations, The J.M. Smucker Company is eager to hear from families across the country about their recipes and traditions. Families are invited to visit www.Smuckers.com to enter the “Spreading Smucker’s Traditions” contest and share their family-favorite recipes and memories. Between June 16 and August 11, 2008 consumers who enter their families’ recipes that have been handed down for at least two generations will have a chance to win a five day, four night family trip for eight to the Walt Disney World Resort that includes airfare, transportation to/from the airport hotel accommodations for four nights, five-day Magic Your Way Tickets with Park Hopper option and commemorative Disney T-shirts and photos.

Log on to www.Smuckers.com to enter and find reunion planning tips, a downloadable family tree and Smucker’s jams, jellies and preserves recipes that will help them create the perfect appetizers, entrées and desserts, every time.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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