“Whatcha eating Kyle?” My son, Kyle, had just popped something in the microwave to warm. His typical modus operandi being that if it can be reheated, pulled from a box, or placed in front of him, then he will eat it. “Spaghetti” he answered me. This was his third meal made from his left overs. Kyle had made the spaghetti himself a few days before for his dad’s Father’s Day lunch. This foray into cooking was a first for him. Kyle graduated from UCF this past spring and will be moving to Boston this month to start his new job as a Software Engineer. Faced with the high prices of eating out he has a blossoming interest in how to feed himself in a healthy manner or as he put it: “How do I make easy meals and not get fat?”

“Mom has the biggest impact on the family’s eating habits and continues to play a significant role in our food choices, brands and how we cook, even influencing our ideas about health itself by their example,” says author Jen Haugen in our Healthy Kids column [page 34]. I hope this holds true. With gluten and dairy-free diets to manage in our house we have integrated nutrition discussions into most of our meal planning. Also included was the importance of buying organic produce for items on the dirty dozen list, as well as hormone-free meat. On Facebook I often find snappy 2-minute videos demonstrating a quick recipe. This may become a favorite of mine to keep my new Boston resident cooking easy and healthy meals.

In this issue we feature natural food for your family and pets. Find out what food labels really mean on page 22. Create frosty treats for your pets with our yummy recipes. Discover the growing trend of women in farming. Actress Liza Huber shares her tips for starting kids with homemade, organic baby food. Be sure check out our natural weight loss section for local tips and resources to help you feel your best. I hope this issue inspires you to try a new healthy recipe.

Kris Urquhart, Publisher