Tuesday Megalinks: Lunch Lady Land Edition

Parents! You’re gonna dig the roundup today, as a ton of posts and articles focus on feeding your brood. In tribute, here are the two most adorable things the Husband-Elect and I heard at the Bronx Zoo yesterday:

1) SIX-YEAR-OLD BOY: (to his mom) I am deliciously hungry.

2) FIVE-YEAR-OLD GIRL: (to a statue of a lemur) Hello, friend.

And with that, the links!

Boston.com: Early On, Parents Form Habits of Healthy Eating
The Age of the Fishstick (it was right after the Bronze Age, see) has passed parenthood by. Apparently, y’all are making fresh food from scratch nowadays. Mama likes.

Casual Kitchen: Scarred for Life by a Food Industry Job
Once upon a time, a very talented and extremely pleasant food blogger (Dan) spent a summer slinging Quarter Pounders at Burger King. Since then, he's been unable to eat anything but the fries. But don’t be afraid, gentle reader – just head on over and share your favorite I Survived a Year Working for Wendys stories with him. All will be well.

Eat Me Daily: Flags Made Out of Food in Advertising for the Sydney International Food Festival
Ooo, this is neat. I’ve never wanted to eat Greece’s national emblem so badly. A flag made of olives and feta? Yes, please.

The Epi-Log: The Mediterranean Diet Scores Again
Speaking about olives and feta, the good news about Mediterranean menus just won’t quit. Not only does Greek food keep blood pressure down, but it could help increase bone density and reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s. Pass the kalamatas, yo.

Food Politics: What’s New in Obesity Prevention
I like this article for two reasons: A) much of it focuses on heading childhood obesity off at the pass, and B) the title sounds so casual, like it should be sitting on a magazine page next to “Don’t Fall Out of Style: Oprah’s Autumn Colors!”

Grub Street: The Grub Report - Critics and Commentators Survey the State of Our Food Union
GS interviewed Bourdain, Gael Greene, Ed Levine, and Regina Schrambling among others for this quick, fun How Do You Feel About Restaruants Right Now? piece. Take five, sip some seltzer, and learn a lot about David Chang.

The Kitchn: 10 One Dish Dinners
All this month, The Kitchn’s having a Quick Weeknight Meals contest. This lovely and useful post kicks everything off.

The Kitchn: 22 Fast, Fresh Pasta Dishes for Weeknight Suppers
Oh, and while you’re there, check this out, too. WANT.

LA Times: Making Healthful Eating Fun for Kids
LAT takes the Boston article one step further, with neato suggestions about getting the little ones involved in their own meals. An elementary-aged Iron Chef competition is my absolute favorite idea, ever. In life. I mean it.

LA Times: Sweet stuffed - We eat lots (and lots of kinds) of sweeteners. What's in them?
In which many things ending in “ose” are chronicled. Also, agave nectar.

Money Saving Mom: Q&A - Feeding Babies Nutritiously and Inexpensively
This should have another part to its title: “…and Without Ever Buying a Jar of Baby Food.” I’m kind of amazed, but everything Crystal suggests makes sense.

Mr. Free Stuff: 101 Restaurants Where Kids Eat Free
Whoa. Tremendous. And sad for us grown-ups. Remember when we got all that free food? I don't either. (Also: I walked uphill both ways in the snow to school.)

The Nation: The Food Issue
Man, this almost puts Mother Jones to shame. Along with the usual suspects (Pollan, Waters, etc.), there are dozens of columns, blurbs, and pieces about all aspects of our food system. I advise against taking a copy into the bathroom, because you may never leave.

Serious Eats: Serious Green – Freeze it Now, Eat it Later
This simple guide to freezing produce should be very useful tomorrow. See, Rachel just brought 30 yellow tomatoes by for us to keep. And one can only have so much Caprese Salad. Now … I research.

Serious Eats: Serious Green - Upgrading School Lunch
Every single cultural issue with school lunches, summed up in one glorious manifesto. If you want your kids to live a Cheez Whiz-free life (and you should - that stuff's gross), there’s no better place to start.

Time Magazine: The Social Side of Obesity - You Are Who You Eat With
Heavy kids eat more when they hang out with heavy kids. Adults are more likely to become heavy if they hang out with other heavy people. Why? Well, when you’re heavier, socializing revolves more than usual around food. Plus, you’re more relaxed eating in front of someone who’s already a bit heavy. Heavy stuff.

Wall Street Journal: Restaurants Look Beyond Chicken Fingers
Forget school cafeterias – for some real grub, take your kids out to eat. Restaurants are stepping up their children's menus, and Junior may dig arugula more than you think.

Washington Post: Too Many Cooks? No Such Thing. Online Clubs Share Rises and Falls In Photos and Posts.
A rising number of folks are learning to cook and bake online, with help from people from all over the country. If you’re too shy to get into a classroom, this could be the perfect way to partake in some secret culinary magic. Whee!

(Photos courtesy of Creative Loafing, Walking Spree, and The Bobcast.)

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