by Laurie Childree, Staff Writer

Feeding a family on a budget can be difficult, and a tight budget increases that difficulty. There are foods that can help you stretch your meal to feed more than you normally would providing you portion everything out properly. Let's take a moment to examine some ways to make the food and the budget stretch.

Reusing any leftovers

It doesn’t really matter what you’re planning to have or what you had the rest of the week when it comes to leftovers. One day a week simply combine them all into a pot. Use leftover vegetables to make a soup, toss in a pack of crackers and you have a meal for a cold day. Leftover meat can be used for sandwiches, or tossed into the vegetables to make stir fry go farther.

Rice and Beans

You can put anything on a bed of rice or beans and serve it. Leftover vegetables can be mixed with rice or beans to make the portions stretch farther. Shredding leftover meat and adding it to leftover rice, vegetables and beans can make a single portion into two.

Meat Is Expensive

Meat is the most expensive portion of the grocery budget for those who eat it. In order to save money on meat it is important to watch the prices, and portion it out. Freezing only portions that you will use to make a meal is important. Smaller portion sizes can be served at meals with vegetables and sides. Shredding meat, or cutting it into small pieces will allow sandwiches to be made or the meat placed into vegetables for stir fry. When you are in a real bind you can purchase canned meats and use those in place of traditional packages. The portions will automatically be smaller.

Bread

Bread can help to fill you up, and adding it to meals can make them stretch. Slices of bread can be toasted, or you can toss an inexpensive pack of rolls into the oven. Bread can be bought on sale or clearance and frozen in portions to use later. Cornbread can be made in large batches and used for several meals.

Snacks

Peanut butter on saltines, celery, or apples can make a quick and easy snack. Sandwiches can be made and cut into smaller portions to make snacks for children. Crackers and fruits can be served plain for children with water.

These are just a few ways to save money and make meals stretch further when you are in a bind. Use your imagination and learn how to substitute things in the meals that you make. You will find that things go farther than you ever imagined.

by Lyn Lomasi; Co-Owner of Intent-sive Nature & the Brand Shamans network

Prevention is the best method to solve the problem of baby stains on clothing. However, sometimes accidents still will happen. Such is routine when there are children around. To prevent baby accidents or spills, try using flat fold cloth diapers as shoulder and lap covers when handling the baby. This will help prevent spit up and other baby stains. It also is a smart idea to not wear your best clothing when feeding the baby. When prevention fails, parents need to know how to remove stains from clothing, be it the baby's clothing or their own. Here are my best tips on how to remove baby stains from clothing.

How To Remove Baby Stains From Clothing

Act Quickly

Act quickly when it comes to baby stains. The quicker you remove baby stains from clothing, the better the results. Most baby food stains are going to be food-based, even the worst ones, so think in terms of getting out food stains.

First Steps for Removing Baby Stains From Clothing

To remove baby stains from clothing, first use a Huggies baby wipe to wipe it away while it's still wet. You can also use a wet cloth or oil-free homemade baby wipes. If there is any stain remaining, you can lightly dab on either some eco-friendly fragrance & dye-free dish soap or hydrogen peroxide and lightly rub the solution in with a Huggies baby wipe.

Hydrogen Peroxide and Tougher Baby Stains

Hydrogen peroxide works best for tougher stains and also is only good to use on white clothing. It has a very effective bleaching effect, so do not use it on colors. On colors, instead use the liquid laundry soap.

Removing Baby Stains Completely

Once you have applied the hydrogen peroxide or soap, to remove baby stains from clothing completely, fill a sink with warm water and swish the stained item around with the soap or hydrogen peroxide still there. If necessary, also lightly rub the stain. Apply more soap or hydrogen peroxide as necessary, rinsing until the stain is gone. Do not scrub the clothing too hard or it may get ruined. Gentle scrubbing is best. Rinse the baby clothing out. If this process did not remove the baby stains from the clothing, repeat the process.

Finishing Steps to Remove Baby Stains from Clothing

Once you have gone through the steps to remove baby stains from clothing, hang the clothing to dry. Sometimes a lighter version of the stain may still be there once dry. Do not put the clothing in the dryer again until the clothing has dried and you can see that the entire stain is removed. The dryer can set the stain in. If you have already done this, you may have to work extra hard with a combination of all three scrubbing ingredients to remove baby stains from clothing.

Why This Method Works for Removing Baby Stains From Clothing

The reason the hydrogen peroxide works to remove baby stains is because its bubbling action pulls out residue that might get under the surface. Laundry soap works is because, well, it's designed for dirty laundry. Liquid dish soap can remove baby stains from clothing because it is designed to remove food stains. Again, most baby stains are related to food, including those that come out the other end. It is, after all, food waste processed by the body.

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Source: Purely Personal Experience

by Lyn Lomasi; Co-owner of Brand Shamans & Write W.A.V.E. Media

Keeping yourself safe keeps your baby safe during your pregnancy. Part of that involves food. So, what can’t you eat while pregnant and why?

Why Can’t Pregnant Women Just Eat Their Usual Diet?

While eating a healthy amount of balanced nutrients is advised while pregnant, where you get them from is important too. Certain food items can contain dangerous bacteria and contaminants that could be harmful to you and your baby. You may be surprised which items in your regular diet can’t be eaten while pregnant.

Which Foods Are Unsafe During Pregnancy And Why?

The table below outlines foods that are unsafe during pregnancy and why.

What If A Pregnant Woman Has already Eaten Some Restricted Foods?

If you have already consumed some of these unsafe foods, try not to panic. Most of these foods aren’t going to automatically harm you or your baby. Simply stop eating them at least until after you have your baby and are finished with breastfeeding. Discuss food safety with your OB or midwife so that you both are aware of any potential risks.

When Should A Pregnant Woman Discuss Food Safety With Her Doctor?

Nutrition should be one of the very first discussions with your OB or midwife. If they don’t bring it up, take the initiative. If you have accidentally consumed any of the restricted foods and notice any warning signs after eating them or you have consumed foods with a large mercury concentration, let your doctor know. Only your doctor can tell you the actual risk for your specific situation.

by Lyn Lomasi; Co-owner of Brand Shamans & Write W.A.V.E. Media

You’re pregnant and getting heavy cravings or aversions. When do pregnancy cravings start and what’s normal? Should you be concerned?

When Do Pregnancy Cravings Start?

Many women report having pregnancy food cravings as early as just a couple weeks, before they even knew they were pregnant. Others do so a bit later. Most pregnancy food cravings seem to start and occur most often during the first trimester and into the second, many going away by the end of the third trimester. Food cravings might be for something you usually don't eat or you may just want your favorite foods very badly. It might also be a mixture.

What If You Don’t Get Cravings During Pregnancy?

This is actually normal as well. Some pregnant women crave particular foods and some do not. Some women may even have different experiences during different pregnancies. It is perfectly fine not to have food cravings during pregnancy.

Are Pregnancy Food Aversions Normal?

Yes. Some pregnant women detest certain foods they normally like, along with cravings. At times, the aversions are for foods you already don;lt like. They’re just stronger. Some pregnant women get the food aversions but not the cravings. Either is normal.

Is It Normal To Crave Weird Things?

Yes and no. If you are craving foods you don’t usually eat, this is very normal during pregnancy. But if you are concerned or if you start to crave non-food items like ice, detergent, soap, or chalk, talk to your OB or midwife as soon as possible. You might be experiencing PICA, which can indicate a deficiency.

by Lyn Lomasi, Write W.A.V.E. Media Staff

"No, James! I told you to ask first," repeats a frustrated mom for what seems like the hundredth time that day. If this sounds like your house, you may want to try some positive parenting techniques to keep your little one from sneaking food. Many parents have been down this road before with at least one child. As a veteran mom with kids of varying ages, I've had plenty of experience in this area. The first part of solving the issue lies in discovering the root of the sneakiness. Some kids may have an eating disorder, so it's also important to talk to the pediatrician first. These extra positive parenting tips that worked for us may help as well, if approved by the child's doctor.

Is your child getting enough food and nutrition? As children grow, they tend to eat more than they usually would, especially if they are going through a growth spurt. Some kids will even eat more than some adults. Look for signs that tell you to adjust your child's portion size at meals. If your child tries to go back for seconds and thirds or tries to have snacks immediately after dinner, you may not be providing enough to begin with. Also, pay attention to what food he sneaks and report this to the doctor, in case there is a nutritional deficiency. There may be certain vitamins and minerals lacking from the diet that your child is trying to compensate for.

Are there enough snacks in between meals? If your child is trying to hoard or steal food, that may simply be a signal that he needs snacks. Keep a schedule of the times your child most often tries to steal food. If it occurs at similar times, schedule a snack at that time. If it's random, your child's feeding schedule may be inconsistent. Try to feed your child his meals and snacks at the same time every day so that his body can better form a hunger pattern. The actual time does not matter as much as it matters that the schedule stays the same.

Watch for hunger cues. If you learn how your child behaves when hungry, you can intercept before he tries to sneak food. Being proactive like this is a more positive parenting method than being reactive. If you catch your child before he even thinks of doing the act, this can lessen instances without having to reprimand. If the sneaking has become a bad habit, this method may be tiring at first, but it will be worth it to see your child's sneaky food behaviors improve.

Should you lock the cupboards and refrigerator? While this can be an easier temporary solution for frustrated parents, it can only make some children want the food more. It also can make a hoarding problem worse because they will want to hide food for later if they know they cannot access it easily. As small children get older, they will be more curious about how to remove the locking mechanisms. A more positive parenting method is to teach them to ask for the food, rather than take it. This way, when they are old enough to figure out locks, they are mature enough to understand why they shouldn't just steal food all the time.

Never refuse food, unless it's absolutely necessary. Most children will know when they are full and will not be asking for food. Unless your child has obviously had enough, never say no when he asks for food. Also, if he sneaks food, ask something like "Why didn't you just ask for that?" If you do this consistently, your child will eventually learn that sneaking food is not necessary. This more positive way of teaching the lesson helps avoid making your child feel bad about food.

Never, ever make a child feel bad about food. Also, do not use food as a reward. There needs to be a fair balance for your child to have healthy food behaviors. Using positive parenting methods to revert your child's food focus can be extremely helpful. But just like any other method, consistency is key. Be proactive, not reactive. In time, you will likely see a big improvement in your child's behavior and thoughts toward food.

Note: The author's positive parenting method has evolved into what she calls Upstream Parenting.

*I originally published this via Yahoo Contributor Network