Hi Erika,
I live in Canada and can find them at any major grocery store. Sorry I can't help you out in Ithica. I've checked their website and it shows they distribute to New York but not where. Perhaps you can ask your local grocery manager to bring them in for you? They're worth it!

“I’m hungry. There’s nothing to eat. You never buy anything good!”

Sound familiar? If so, chances are you have kids at home and hungry ones at that. Between dodging requests for sweet treats, the fridge door being open for what seems like hours while they complain about the lack of food or at least “good stuff” to eat, and trying to get supper on the table, after school snack time can often become more of a nightmare than dinnertime.

There’s no doubt about it that kids are hungry when they get home from school. They have had a full day of activity both physical and mental so it’s important to recharge their batteries. The trick is trying to give hem something healthy and satisfying but not too filling before dinner. As we head back to school here are a few snack suggestions to help you head the whining off at the front door and help your kids start their school year off right with a balanced and healthy diet.

Get your kids involved! Have your kids help plan the weekly snacks, make a list of ingredients, find them in your kitchen, and/or shop for them. It gives them a sense of control and accomplishment by letting them make choices whenever possible.

Put a copy of Canada’s Good Food Guide on your fridge and have your kids circle weekly food items. A picture is often a great reminder of what you have in the house and stops those impulse and often unhealthy snack grabs.

Get creative. For the days that you have time, introduce new foods. Kids will often try unfamiliar foods when they have transformed them into “personal creations” like funny face mini pizzas or fruit kebobs.

Be organized. For those busy days, have plenty of prepared snacks ready to go. Bags of their favourite dried fruits, seeds and nuts, yogurt and fruit cups or toasted whole wheat pita breads with their favourite spreads are just some examples.

If you’re really pressed for time and need to use prepackaged snacks, get your fat facts and sugar smarts right by reading the labels before you buy. Choose food and beverages low in sugars, other caloric sweeteners and solid fats.

In my 20’s I sampled the newest chic cocktails at the hippest clubs in town and flirted outrageously with the cute bartenders. Flash forward a few decades and cosmos and clubs don’t really factor into my life now that I have two young children. But that doesn’t mean that I can’t be a party mama! I love to invite my sleep deprived friends over for a night of chi-chi cocktails, adult conversation and the chance to flirt outrageously… with our hubbies. If you need some help getting your groove back, try these simple steps to hosting a cocktail party. Welcome back party mama!

1: The Invite
Send an email invitation but be sure to include some basics points such as the start and end time and the adults’ only theme. Although your first time mom friend may think it’s a great educational experience for junior, cocktail parties are not family events!

2: The Bar
There is no need to stock a full bar. Offer your guests a selection of beer, wine and a non-alcoholic option. I often provide one specialty drink to help get them in the party mood. You could offer a concoction like vodka and Red Bull which helps to keep those sleep deprived parents awake for the party! As for the amount of beverages you need, count on 1 bottle of wine (750ml) for every 2 guests. (Maybe 2 bottles per guest if there are a lot of moms in the room!)

3: Set Up
Set your bar up as a self serve area or consider hiring a bartender. This accomplishes 3 things:
1. The bartender won’t over pour the guests,
2. They will keep the bar clean and organized allowing you to socialize more
3. If done properly, they could provide some eye candy

4: Nibbles
You’ll have to provide something for your guests to eat but don’t feel you have to make everything yourself. If budget allows, hire a caterer to prepare 2 or 3 hot hors d’oeuvres that you can heat up and then put together a selection of high impact but low effort nibbles such as premium cheeses, good olives, artisan breads, specialty pates and cured meats. Make your offerings small enough to be handled with one hand. Parents don’t often get the chance to indulge and when they have a drink in hand they won’t want to put it down!

5: Atmosphere
Dim the lights, light some candles and delete all traces of The Wiggles from the ipod. The parents with the bags under their eyes will thank you!

6: All Good Things Must Come to an End
With the promise of the 2 year old’s 6am wake up call, signal the night’s end with the offer of coffee, something sweet to nibble on and the local taxi number.

By the time you read this I will have moved back to the city from my summer long holidays at the cottage with the kids. I will have said good bye to long days in the sun where playing and swimming take precedence over rigid dinner routines. On these glorious carefree days, the kids and I will often have a late supper of bread, cheese and tomatoes down by the water as the sun sets low in the sky. Come September and we are back in the city and fully immersed in work, school, daycare, swim lessons, soccer practice and everything else that city life throws at you we have to be a bit more organized regarding meal times. So as you settle yourself into back to school and end of summer routines here is a quick and healthy dinner recipe that will at least ease the burden of what to make for supper.

Chili Rubbed Tilapia with Asparagus & Lemon
Serves 4
Preparation 5 minutes
Cooking 10 minutes
Notes: The vegetables can be prepared in the morning or even the day before. Feel free to substitute the asparagus with green beans, sautéed Asian greens or broccollini.

Ingredients:

• 750g asparagus, tough ends trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 tbsp chili powder*
• ½ tsp garlic powder*
• ½ tsp salt*, divided
• 450g Tilapia, Pacific sole or other firm white fish fillets
• 2 tbsp olive oil*
• 3 tbsp lemon juice*

1. Bring 1 inch of water to a boil in a large saucepan. Put asparagus in a steamer basket, place in the pan, cover and steam until tender-crisp, about 4 minutes.

2. Combine chili powder, garlic powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt on a plate. Dredge fillets in the spice mixture to coat. Heat oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the fish and cook until just opaque in the centre, gently turning halfway, 5 to 7 minutes total. Remove fish from pan and keep warm. Return the pan to the stove and add lemon juice, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and asparagus and cook, stirring constantly, until the asparagus is coated and heated through, about 2 minutes. Serve immediately with the fish.

By the time you read this I will have moved back to the city from my summer long holidays at the cottage with the kids. I will have said good bye to long days in the sun where playing and swimming take precedence over rigid dinner routines. On these glorious carefree days, the kids and I will often have a late supper of bread, cheese and tomatoes down by the water as the sun sets low in the sky. Come September and we are back in the city and fully immersed in work, school, daycare, swim lessons, soccer practice and everything else that city life throws at you we have to be a bit more organized regarding meal times. So as you settle yourself into back to school and end of summer routines here is a quick and healthy dinner recipe that will at least ease the burden of what to make for supper.

Chili Rubbed Tilapia with Asparagus & Lemon
Serves 4
Preparation 5 minutes
Cooking 10 minutes
Notes: The vegetables can be prepared in the morning or even the day before. Feel free to substitute the asparagus with green beans, sautéed Asian greens or broccollini.

Ingredients:

• 750g asparagus, tough ends trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 tbsp chili powder*
• ½ tsp garlic powder*
• ½ tsp salt*, divided
• 450g Tilapia, Pacific sole or other firm white fish fillets
• 2 tbsp olive oil*
• 3 tbsp lemon juice*
  
  1. Bring 1 inch of water to a boil in a large saucepan. Put asparagus in a steamer basket, place in the pan, cover and steam until tender-crisp, about 4 minutes.
  
  2. Combine chili powder, garlic powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt on a plate. Dredge fillets in the spice mixture to coat. Heat oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the fish and cook until just opaque in the centre, gently turning halfway, 5 to 7 minutes total. Remove fish from pan and keep warm. Return the pan to the stove and add lemon juice, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and asparagus and cook, stirring constantly, until the asparagus is coated and heated through, about 2 minutes. Serve immediately with the fish.
  
  *Denotes recommended pantry item.