FOR RELEASE THE WEEK OF SEPT. 23, 2001:
I suspect my kitchen couldn't pass a health department inspection. Am I in the majority or the minority?
You're in the overwhelming majority, says Sandy McCurdy, University of Idaho Extension food safety specialist. A 2000 study by Audits International found that only 24 percent of American kitchens were free of critical health violations and scored fewer than five major food safety violations. A violation is critical if it can lead to foodborne illness, and the 100 household kitchens that were inspected as part of the study averaged 1.6 of them.
According to McCurdy, the most frequently observed problems included cross contaminating raw meats with fresh foods, failing to wash hands before starting to prepare foods, leaving potentially hazardous foods at room temperature too long when preparing meals, and improperly cooling leftover foods.
"Home cooks really do need to pay more attention to personal hygiene during food preparation, to proper food temperatures and to avoiding cross contamination," she says.
An estimated 76 million cases of foodborne illness occur in the U.S. annually--most of them due to improper food handling at home.
My husband and I have become chauffeurs to our children. We are ships--or minivans?--passing in the night and dedicate all of our non-working hours to our kids. How can we turn this around without hurting our children, who we feel simply must be our first priority?
Start by giving your kids more than the opportunity to participate in endless activities and build innumerable skills: give them the opportunity to see loving parents make their relationship a priority. "Children need to see Mom and Dad saying, 'This is our time--and our time together is so important that we can't take you ice-skating right now,'" says Barbara Petty, University of Idaho Extension educator.
If children don't see that, they may instead watch their parents drift steadily towards divorce. "If you don't spend enough time together, your relationship will diminish and you'll start communicating only on a surface level--scheduling activities but not communicating your feelings, frustrations and goals for the future," Petty says. As couples drift apart, work begins demanding more of at least one partner's time and other people tend to come into their lives either as friends or as rivals for affection.
Begin courting again, Petty advises. First go on a date once a month, then every two weeks, then weekly. One couple she knows has quiet, 20-minute talk-times every evening after dinner. "The children have learned that this is Mom's and Dad's time," she says.
I was recently diagnosed with high cholesterol levels. Despite my sweet tooth, I've been able to follow most of the dietary changes, but I don't like skim milk. Is there a way to make it taste better without adding fats or high-calorie flavorings?
Got frozen fruit? asks Martha Raidl, University of Idaho Extension nutrition education specialist. If you do, you can delight your sweet tooth without increasing your fat intake by making yourself a milk-and-fruit smoothie for dessert. Simply blend together until smooth 1 cup of skim milk, 1/2 to 3/4 cup of frozen fruit and some sugar substitute. Total calories for this healthful treat: a modest 150.
We're expecting a new baby in November. Our daughter, now 8, has never had any competition for our attention. She seems excited about the new baby, but should we anticipate mixed feelings on her part once the baby arrives?
Yes, your 8-year-old may very well experience some frustration and confused feelings after the baby's birth, says Harriet Shaklee, University of Idaho Extension family development specialist. "Children don't normally even know why they're upset, so look for behavioral clues." For example, your daughter may become moodier and less compliant with household expectations.
Be prepared to head off some of her confusing feelings by planning one-on-one time with her, Shaklee advises. "This can be Mom time or Dad time or Grandma time or Grandpa time, but it should be time when your older child is still the 'special' one."
It's also important to engage older children in the care of younger children. "Eight-year-olds can be a fair amount of help and they can be very proud to give it," she says. Your daughter can help pick out the baby's clothes every day, hold the bottle while the baby drinks, and read to, talk with and generally entertain the baby.
"Babies are almost always very interested in older siblings," says Shaklee. "Older kids are less sedentary than adults, and that activity makes them more attractive to babies." That's something you'll want to point out to an 8-year-old who suddenly feels less 'special' to adults: she is suddenly very special to a younger brother or sister.
"Don't expect to completely counteract the rivalries," Shaklee says. "Rivalries are part of life for siblings. But do what you can to smooth the transition."
[READERS: Do you have a question about your home, yard or garden? Send it to HomeWise, University of Idaho Ag Communications, Moscow, ID 83844-2332 or e-mail it to homewise@uidaho.edu. Mention of proprietary products or firms does not constitute endorsement by University of Idaho Extension or imply approval to the exclusion of other suitable products or firms.]