Over the past several months, we at Stonyfield have met, worked with, and been following so many amazing blogger moms. Many of these women wanted to know more about the food they feed their families and we wanted a way to empower them with information and help continue the dialogue on healthy eating. We are all trying to communicate the same message: We’re invested in feeding our families in a healthy way, and in order to do so, we need to know what’s in the food we’re eating.
As a result, the Yo-Getters ambassador group was born! We wanted to get to know this passionate group of moms better so what better way than to highlight a new Yo-Getter each month!
Our first Yo-Getter under the spotlight is Micaela Preston, founder of the Mindful Momma blog and author of the book Practically Green: Your Guide to EcoFriendly Decision-Making. She has been writing about green and healthy living since 2006 and was voted one of Babble’s Top 50 Food Bloggers in 2010. She strives to be a good role model to her two boys by cooking and eating healthy food, while still allowing for the splurges of childhood.
Chandra Carson: Tell me a little about yourself and your family.
Micaela Preston: My husband and I have been eco-minded for a long time but it wasn’t until we had kids that we really clued in to the impact of our choices on our health and the preservation of the planet. We live in Minneapolis, MN with two very active boys, ages 11 and 7 years. We do our best to make the greenest and healthiest choices possible, while still dealing with the realities of time, money and everything else that’s going on in our busy lives.
Probably the most important thing we do as a family is to eat dinner together almost every night. We also try to keep active year round, whether it’s team sports, sledding or just playing at the park. Healthy food, healthy activity and healthy conversations are the backbone of our family!
CC: Describe your blog and what inspires your posts.
MP: I started my blog over 5 years ago as a way to make sense of all the confusing and sometimes conflicting information out there about green and healthy living. My goal was to share what I learned in easy to understand, bite-sized chunks and to inspire people to live green, rather than intimidate them! Eventually, my love of writing lead to a book deal. My book Practically Green: Your Guide to EcoFriendly Decision-Making came out in the fall of 2009.
Not only do I enjoy writing, but I love the community of like-minded people I have met along the way. It’s truly the community that inspires me to keep blogging!
CC: What do you like to do when you’re not blogging?
MP: When I’m not blogging you’ll find me either cooking up a healthy meal, trying to grow tomatoes or working on my latest eco-craft project.
CC: Can you share any tips or secrets from the kitchen?
MP: I’m not the best at meal planning but by keeping the kitchen stocked with healthy, whole foods, I can whip up a healthy meal at any time. One of my secrets is to make one-pot meals with meat, veggies and grains (or pasta) all mixed together. Not only is it easier from a clean-up standpoint, it’s the best way I know to get my kids to eat their veggies!
CC: If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?
MP: The thought of eating only one food makes me sad because I love to eat so many things! If I had to pick just one food, it would probably be almonds because they provide good fats, lots of vitamins and minerals and would keep me feeling full.
CC: Can you share any tips for getting your kids to eat healthy?
MP: We keep a bowl of fruit sitting on our kitchen counter at all times. Even when the kitchen is “closed”, the fruit bowl is always available. Another crucial tip is to keep serving vegetables to your kids…over and over again. We’ve converted our kids to many vegetables over the years just by continuing to put them on their plates. (we’re still working on the Brussels sprouts though!)
CC: Why is organic food important to you?
MP: Buying organic food is important for our own health and the health of the planet. Not only do organic foods come without nasty pesticide residues, they have also been shown to have higher nutritional profiles than conventional foods. Organic farming techniques are much better for the earth as well. That said, we cannot afford to buy organic all the time so we focus on the produce we eat the most of – apples, potatoes and lettuce and preferably milk and meat too!
CC: Name 5 items you never leave home without.
MP: My smart phone – so I can tweet about green and healthy living on-the-go!
My stainless steel Swell water bottle
My Bunny Butt apothecary lip balm
My sunglasses
My smile!
CC: What is your favorite Stonyfield product/flavor?
MP: Low-Fat Vanilla is a staple in our house, but Key Lime is my favorite flavor!
CC: Where can we follow you?
MP: You can find me on the Mindful Momma blog, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest!
I love this group and am so honored to be a part of it. I couldn’t have said it better, “We’re invested in feeding our families in a healthy way, and in order to do so, we need to know what’s in the food we’re eating.” Absolutely. Virtual high-five to you Chandra and Micaela!