8 Simple Tips For Hosting a Healthier Superbowl Party

Superbowl… quite possibly THE party of the year in many homes across the country.  Not exactly a time most people pick to be healthier or greener for that matter, but why not?  Why not host a fabulous party that is a little of both? Use these simple tips to get  started!

As long as you serve up delicious options your guests will be delighted to have healthier choices in the mix.  We all know that everyone is going to splurge on Superbowl calories, but there are many options you can offer your guests that are both delish and healthy.

Serve Food On Real Plates

Years ago our family invested in 100 simple 10″ round plates, we pull them out for every party.  It does require a little extra washing, but it sure cuts down on how much waste your party will generate!  Find them reasonably priced at IKEA, Cost Plus, and Pottery Barn.  Our initial investment has been recouped many times over.

 

Use Post Consumer Recycled Papergoods

Switching to Post Consumer Waste (PCW) recycled paper napkins can make an impact.  If every family replaced just one package of 500 count napkins it would add up to 2.4 million trees. Imagine the impact if ALL the superbowl parties in America chose just one paper product that was PCW!

Consider Featuring Organic Drinks at the Bar

Organic Vodka will make the game day martini’s a win, try Rain Organic Vodka & Square One Organic Vodka, mix with your favorite recipe!  No Superbowl would be complete without beer, so check out your local breweries and see if you can’t find an organic brew or two to offer your guests.  Heading to a party… pick an organic spirit to offer your host this year!

Fill Your Spread with Dips

Skip the Cheesy Artichoke dip, instead offer a few varieties of hummus which are rich in iron & vitamin C, guacamole – which helps lower cholesterol, lower blood pressure and is chock full of lutein and vitamin E,  Black Bean Dip which is high in both fiber and antioxidants, Salsa even the mild salsa is high in Lycopenes, Vitamin A, B6 & C all while weighing in at a about 4 calories per Tablespoon (be sure they have no added perservatives or additives).  Oh… if you haven’t tried whole wheat pita chips, try them for a healthier chip alternative.

Offer Platters of Fruits & Veggies with Dip

Not only will all the color  brighten up your super bowl spread, but your guests will also much guilt free!  You can find platters ready made at costco, your grocery store… or for more delicious offerings select your own – avoid the plastic waste, allows you to pick organic options, and saves money too!

Don’t Serve Up  GMO’s

Buy Organic Tortilla chips.  Corn is one of the largest Genetically Modified crops in the US.  Simply selecting organic will ensure you aren’t serving GMO’s to your guest… The US regulations don’t allow for any GMO ingredients to be used in organic foods.  This is an area where the organic option doesn’t typically cost more

Better Protein

Serving hot dogs?  Look for nitrate free.  Hamburger’s?  Go with free range organic beef.  Yes… it will cost a little more, but it will taste much better.  While you are it… serve them up on Whole Wheat Buns!

For another protein option that is low calorie  serve a platter of cocktail shrimp.  To keep this play sustainable look for wild pink shrimp from Oregon, or check this list for other sustainable shrimp options.

Skip the Soda Cans & Bottled Water

What?!?  Yes.  Skip the soda cans & bottled water.  Or cut drastically back  the offerings.

For Water, get a few pitchers and fill them with Filtered Ice Water, and use glasses.  We mark them with a sticker so guests won’t need to use multiple glasses throughout the party.

IF you just can’t bear to give up soda, go with the larger size bottles, or if you want to add an extra element of fun… invest in a Soda Stream and guests can mix master their own sodas!  It will be the talk of the party!

Have a Great Party!

You may not be ready to tackle every one of these moves… yet.  But, consider choosing just one or two to get started…

Your guests will have a great time and neither their health nor the environment need to be sidelined.

A Party With Heart – #diva4d

 

 

 

You’ve seen the hashtag – and want to know – what is #diva4d?

CLICK HERE TO DONATE NOW!

#Diva4d is my birthday wish. As a milestone year it became important to do something worthy of the occasion.

Homeless Shelters have seen a 55% increase in the women and children coming to their doors. Seeing people living on the street saddens me to my core, so with the resources of our homeless shelters stretched to the limit it became the focus of my efforts.

The Goal: House & Feed 20 People, for 20 nights at a cost of $40 per night.

20 people for 20 nights cannot be done on my own. YOU know how much I love you? I promise to love you even more if you help make this grand scheme a reality.

Moreover – I’ve done the math – If you not only get involved yourself, but if you inspire 3 people to donate $20 – and those 3 donate $20…. We will make it happen!

Shared through 3 networks of people with each of us inspiring 3 people to take action. We ensure 20 people are warm and fed for 20 nights. Together we can make a difference.

Support the #diva4d Wish

• Click Here to donate to support the Missions.
• Social Media Savvy? Pledge to support the #diva4d Hashtag and help us raise both awareness.
• Online Auction – our event supporters have donated some GREAT products! We will be auctioning them off via ebay and donating 100% of the auction proceeds to the Missions.

 

NOTE -  A few people are having trouble finding the BOX on the crowdrise site for joining the #diva4d team.  Once you choose which of my “projects’ you want to be a part of… On that page – look at the top right and you’ll see an orange donate now button…. look straight down… and you will see the black join the team “button”.

Birthday Wish: Strawberry Themed Party Menu

Birthday Wish:  Healthier Party Food

Just because you’re serving up cake doesn’t mean you can’t treat your guests to healthier choices next time you throw a party.  For inspiration – check out this menu from Lil Diva’s recent Water Celebration 6th Birthday Party!

Birthday Wish: Summer Inspired Strawberry Theme

Strawberries are Lil Diva’s favorite fruit. They are also gorgeous and the perfect fruit to feature for the fete. We placed heaping bowls everywhere. They made a stunning edible focal point and the perfect healthy summertime snack option for our guests. We kept the strawberries chilled & fresh all day by placing a cup full of ice in each vase – the glass was then hidden by the berries.

Birthday Wish:  Healthier Menu

Healthier Snacks,

• Featuring Strawberries… everywhere.
• Watermelon and Grapes.
• Veggie Platter with Baby Carrots, Snap Peas, Mushrooms & Baby Tomatoes
• Whole Grain Pita Chips, Organic Tortilla Chips and Veggies Straws
• Dips; Hummus, Guacamole, and Salsa.

Dinner

• Hamburgers made with Grass Fed Beef, and micro Diced Veggies on Whole Wheat Buns – Recipe Posting Sept 22, 2011!
• Hot Dogs made with all natural uncured beef hot dogs on Whole Wheat Buns.
• Tossed Salad with Dressing
• Spinach Salad with Feta Cheese & Fresh Strawberry, served with a raspberry vinaigrette.
• Macaroni and Cheese made with 100% whole grain pasta, and real sharp cheddar.
• Onion Rings, Sweet Potato Fries and Sweet Potato Waffle Fries from Alexia Natural Foods.
• Vanilla Cake with Custard Filling and Butter Cream Frosting.

Beverages

We borrowed 2 – 3 Gallon Drink Dispensers from a neighbor and filled them with:

• Strawberry Lemonade
• Water

Chef Philip Baer Helps Feed Hungry Guests!

 

Strawberry Spinach Salad

 

Birthday Wish: Edible Centerpieces

Because we were raising funds for Charity Water.  The California Strawberry Commission sent gorgeous strawberries.  They truly inspired the theme and became a gorgeous focal point for the event!

 

This event was made more successful due to the participation of our brand partners.

• Episencial donated $125, and sent bubble bath for everyone – if you need a super pure baby skincare products be sure to check them out!
• Mabel’s Labels sent the cutest individually named loot bag label packs
• The California Strawberry Commission sent 42 pounds of strawberries
• Alexia Foods sent some sweet potato fries & onion rings
• Rudi’s Bakery sent bread products for the Barbecue!

 

 

 

What is your Birthday Wish?

Have an EEK-O-friendly Halloween

I found this on a recent internet prowl.  It’s from Focus Organic and has great ideas for Halloween. Now that the school year is in full gear… Halloween is just around the corner!

By Stephanie
I love Halloween, so it’s never too early to start getting ready to me! The following is an article by Lynn Colwell and Corey Colwell-Lipson, mother and daughter and co-authors of Celebrate Green! Creating Eco-Savvy Holidays, Celebrations and Traditions for the Whole Family, available at www.CelebrateGreen.net

Halloween should be fun, but every year it gets scarier–for parents and the planet. From the discovery of lead in fake teeth and candy, to chemicals in costumes, to the garbage left in the holiday’s wake, it’s a wonder more of us haven’t given up the festivities and spent October 31 watching It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.

The good news is, there are loads of child- and earth-friendly alternatives to the usual Halloween fare.

CLICK HERE TO READ ALL THE GREAT IDEAS.

Create a Spooktacularly “FAIR” Halloween Tradition

October is Fair Trade Month and Pure Natural Diva will be involved. It’s going to be fun. We’ve planned a few giveaways featuring Fair Trade products and hopefully we’ll learn more about an issue that impacts the lives of many.

I know, I know… it’s not October yet, so why am I pestering you! Well, there is something you can do right now to ensure that your own Fair Trade Month ends in Spooktacular fashion! IF I wait until October share, you’ll miss out.

The Global Exchange’s Fair Trade Cocoa Campaign is organizing it’s 3rd reverse-trick-treating extravaganza. Sign up today to be one of 250,000 families distributing fair trade chocolate door to door. Have your little ones reverse the Halloween tradition!

The Chocolate will be accompanied by a card informing recipients of poverty and child labor problems in the cocoa industry, affecting mainstream candy enjoyed at Halloween and around the year, and how Fair Trade certified chocolate provides a solution.

The Goal of the program is to:

• END poverty among cocoa farmers
• END forced/abusive child labor in the cocoa industry
• PROMOTE Fair Trade
• PROTECT the environment

It is easy to see how having our children participate in an activity like this could transform the meaning of Halloween just a little bit for many families and spread the word.

The chocolate and cards are FREE!
Thanks to generous donations of Fair Trade chocolate companies.
Recipients are charged shipping and packing supplies only, which is $5.50.

If you aren’t planning on trick or treating they do have handout that you can distribute to other parents this halloween.

Request your kit TODAY – they always run out long before the deadline – October 13! Available the US & Canada.

Reusable Drinking Straws – Glass Dharma Glass Straw Review

By Tania Reuben

I have to confess – I love straws. Children love drinking through straws. Smoothies, milk, juice, water. A straw seems to make everything taste better.

When using a straws involves traditional plastic this green mama was constantly saying no. Now I can say yes and not worry about the waste!

Think waste from one little straw is insignificant – think about this tidbit I found on the Dharma site ” As of March 2008, McDonald’s serves an average of 52 million meals PER DAY! (Per their website) How many of those served do you think were given a plastic straw?” And this is just from McDonalds!! All the little straws add up.

When our Glass Dharma Straws arrived and the response was priceless. See for yourself!

The Glass straws come in a variety of length’s and styles. If you have young children you’ll want the shorty – it’s just their size. My 2 year old did manage to break his shorty after it collided with his glass exuberantly. My suggestion for the very young is to use the glass straw with a reusable plastic cup. This would have prevented our breakage. If they happen to breakGlass Dharma will replace broken straws, with their replacement guarantee. They ask that you send them the broken straw.

Drinking from a glass straw – at first it feels a little bit different. The feel of the glass on your lips is not the same as a plastic straw. It took one or two drinks to become accustomed to the new feel, now that I’m used to it, I really like it and enjoy the texture of the glass on my lips.

Care and cleaning – the straws are dishwasher safe. You can use a pipe cleaner or order a special straw cleaner from Glass Dharma for a more thorough cleaning.

Glass Dharma straws are handmade in California!

Now that you know they exist – you want one right?

Good news – Glass Dharma is giving a $30 gift certificate to one lucky PND reader!

HOW TO ENTER:

There are a few ways you can enter, leave separate comments for each entry.

Mandatory:

Become a Confirmed Email Subscriber to PND.
- After subscribing you will receive an email – check your junk mail – you must confirm your subscription in this email to win!
- Already a confirmed Subscriber. Leave a comment letting me know you’re subscriber and would like to enter.

Additional Entries

1. Go to www.glassdharma.com – tell PND what you’d buy with your gift certificate.

2. Stumble your favorite Pure Natural Diva post. Leave a comment with your name and the article you stumbled.

3. Follow @purenaturaldiva and @glassdharma on twitter (use link on the sidebar). Leave your twittername in a separate comment.

4. Become a Fan of Pure Natural Diva on Facebook, already a fan – post this giveaway as an update, leave your FB Name or Name with a copy of your update in a separate comment.

5. Tweet this giveaway. Copy and paste – “@PureNaturalDiva – Little Diva Glass Straw Review & Giveaway $30 Gift Certificate – http://bit.ly/1kPFJp – This will make you smile”. Then come back and leave the direct link to your tweet (go to your twitter account, click on the words when your tweet was sent (ie. 5 seconds ago) and copy and paste that link in comments.

6. Write a post on your blog linking to PND and to The Glass Dharma website – Good for two entries. Leave this comment twice so you get both entries!

This giveaway will run through midnight on Sept 9, 2009 PDT, with winner being announced the morning of Sept 11, 2009. Winner will be chosen using Random.org from all valid entries and notified via email. Winner will have 48 hours to contact me before another winner is chosen.

Giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada.

McLinky Blog Hop

Skip the Paper Plates

By Tania Reuben

For your next big gathering skip buying the paper plates – instead take that money over to ikea, .99 store or look online for plain white plates (9″-10″) and buy a bunch.

One year we were throwing really a big superbowl party, for the price of the caterer’s paper quote I was able to buy 80 plates, 50 wine glasses and 48 small glasses. Now we have them every time we entertain, we use them for birthdays, bbq’s, I share them with my neighbors and a friend used them for her wedding.

I know what you’re thinking – you don’t want to wash them. Two full rows fit in my dishwasher. I really don’t feel like it’s much effort at all. Just rinse and stack them until the party is over and throw them in the machine.

They get used over and over and it’s so much nicer eating on a real plate.