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Let’s Party….. Additive Free!

March 8, 2013 · 39 Comments

 Let’s Party… Additive Free!

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I am welcoming the gorgeous Melanie Avery to the blog today. Melanie is a very special friend and it’s through her, that I learnt about the harmful effects of food additives. She is such a kind and generous natural, new age mum and is spreading her message far and wide with other mums. Let’s find out some more……

 Tell us about yourself

Hello everyone. My name is Melanie and I am the mum to three special kiddies Connor aged 7, Bella aged 9 and Mackenzie nearly 11. Our family has lived in Singleton, NSW for 7 years. 

Some of my favourite hobbies are scrapbooking family photos and Zumba classes. Reading, listening to music, yoga, meditation, inspirational quotes in various forms, collecting crystals, using essential oils daily and sharing my time with others who inspire me, are the special things I do to make me, me.

 Melanie-Avery_2

Tell us about your passion

I am the author to two self published books, Let’s Party! Additive Free and Let’s Celebrate Christmas! Additive Free as well as an e-Book Let’s Visit! Additive Free. Upon publishing my first title, I launched my website, Let’s Live Additive Free to offer continuing support and information to the many families that are travelling down the path of change.

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So, what exactly are food additives?

Food additives are preservatives, flavours, colours, flavour enhancers, anti-caking agents, antioxidants, stabilizers and the like that product manufacturers add to food to alter it’s shelf life, appearance, consistency or taste. These are mostly artificial with those that are derived from natural sources often from questionable sources such as wood pulp or human hair. 

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What problems do food additives cause?

Food additives can cause a large range of health effects such as:

Migraines, behavioural problems, hypersensitivity, skin irritations, behaviour and learning problems, worsened asthma, nettle rash or hives, DNA damage, depression, fatigue, headache, insomnia, allergic and supersensitive reactions, gastrointestinal ailments, eczema, dermatitis, inattention, irritability, neurological problems, restlessness, sleep disturbance, aggressive behaviour, hyperactivity or head banging. These reactions vary between additives. Some additives have links to cancer, are prohibited in foods for infants and may damage DNS cells.

Does everyone have to avoid additives?

People choose to avoid food additives for various reasons. All of my three kiddies have different sensitivities to food additives which was how our journey began. As my knowledge and experience has grown, it is my belief that we can all benefit from removing food additives from our diet. Our nation’s health and well-being is on the decline and I believe that food additives are playing a major role in this. I live by a simple rule: if I cannot pronounce the name of the additives or buy the additive in a shop to use in my cooking then it is not for me.

My three kiddies x

Is it hard to avoid food additives?

Initially, avoiding food additives can take some extra time, especially when you do the grocery shopping ,but it isn’t difficult. Once you are armed with the tools and knowledge, there is no stopping you! Begin small, changing a few products at a time until your knowledge grows and before you know it, your whole diet will have changed.

My website and books provide information to help you live an additive free life. I present all of my information, research, ideas and recipes is an easy to understand format so you don’t feel bogged down or overloaded. Both of my books come with information on additives as well as recipes and shopping lists of products available to purchase when shopping that are additive free.

I offer a complimentary newsletter each month with up to date information, product reviews, recipes and more to help keep you on track.

What is your best party tip?

It occurred to me that children just love a fun, colourful party, so we should forget the focus on food and put it on having fun! I like to have old-fashioned games like apple bobbing, blind man’s buff and egg and spoon races. Take a look at the games section on the website.

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What do you like to put into a healthy party bag?

Stickers, tattoos, balloons, small bubble containers, stamps, fairy wands or crowns and small cars are just some of the fun things you can include.

What’s one of your favourite additive free party recipes?

NUT FREE APRICOT AND COCONUT BALLS

INGREDIENTS:

500g organic (sulphur free) dried apricots, chopped and soaked

1 cup organic (sulphur free) coconut

1/3 cup chia seeds

2/3 cup rice flour

2/3 cup orange juice

1/3 cup organic tahini

Extra organic coconut for coating

METHOD:

1.    Add all the ingredients and process until combined.

2.    Roll spoonfuls of the mixture into balls and then roll in extra coconut.

3.    Refrigerate until firm.

 

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How can people get in touch with you?

Phone: 0439 874 481

Email: melanie@letsliveadditivefree.com

Facebook * Website * Blog

Giveaway

This giveaway has now closed. The winners were Jade and Rhianon.

Melanie is kindly giving away two copies of her fabulous book, Let’s Party, Additive Free!

To enter the draw:

* Be a Natural New Age Mum blog subscriber (add your email to the box on the top right).

* Be a Let’s Party Additive Free monthly newsletter subscriber (go here and click on the pink subscribe button).

* Comment on this post, telling Melanie what your favourite additive free party food is.

Terms and Conditions:

This giveaway is only open to Australian residents. It closes on the 16th of March at midnite. The winner will be chosen from those meeting the entry requirements using random.org. Best of luck!

 

Thanks for stopping by Melanie and sharing with us your additive-free passion!

 

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Filed In: HOME / Tagged: additives, kids, party

Comments

  1. Kathryn says

    March 8, 2013 at 1:04 pm

    For additive free party food, you really can’t go past a beautiful fruit platter!

    Reply
  2. Jodie F says

    March 8, 2013 at 1:15 pm

    I like home made dips.. especially hommus, carrot sticks and rice crackers. I also like to make my own chocolate crackles using coconut oil and raw cacao.

    Reply
  3. Trina B says

    March 8, 2013 at 1:43 pm

    We love skewers at our house! I think just being on a stick makes the food more appealing 🙂 my boys love fruit skewers, veggie skewers with cheese, and for a real treat strawberries and marshmallows with a drizzle of dark chocolate over the top … So yummy 🙂

    Reply
  4. Kerry says

    March 8, 2013 at 1:45 pm

    For my 6 year old’s birthday party last year we made chocolate covered bananas. We used the chocolate recommended by Tanya Winfield from Additive Free Pantry and natural 100’s and 1000’s. My daughter loved making them with me and the kids at the party loved eating them! Huge success!

    Reply
  5. Adela M says

    March 8, 2013 at 2:12 pm

    Pastry treats are always popular and can be made additive free by tweaking recipes and by using Pampas Butter Puff Pastry.

    Two favourites are sausage rolls (using organic beef mince) and mini quiches.

    Reply
  6. Tegan says

    March 8, 2013 at 4:03 pm

    I have never really looked into addictive free party foods before however the recipe above for NUT FREE APRICOT AND COCONUT BALLS are defintaly making me look ito this more for the daughter’s upcoming 3rd birthday! Thank you for making children’s foods so much better.

    Reply
  7. Terri says

    March 8, 2013 at 5:23 pm

    I’ve known about Melanie’s work for a while, through Cyndi O’Meara’s website. However, I don’t have any of her books, so would love a copy! I’ve recently cut dairy and grains from my own diet and my new fav foods are green smoothies and fruit and nut balls. Of course my DD13 and DS8 don’t want to miss out, so I’m thrilled!!!

    Reply
  8. Kira says

    March 8, 2013 at 6:48 pm

    You really can’t go past good old air popped “pop corn” – so easy but the kids (and adults) always love it!

    Reply
  9. Liz says

    March 8, 2013 at 7:25 pm

    I have discovered natural food colouring, from Hullabaloo Food, and use this to decorate cakes and cup cakes. Have a simple, no-fail cake recipe that can be made gluten free if necessary.
    The colours that are created with the natural colouring are fantastic and don’t ‘scare’ you with there brightness and un-naturalness!

    Also, a very simple variation on the apricot balls:
    2 cups organic rolled oats
    1 cup dried apricots (no preservative) – we use home dehydrated ones
    1/6 cup honey
    30g coconut oil
    1/4 cup chia seeds
    Process all ingredients until well combined.
    Roll into balls with wet hands
    Roll in coconut
    Store in fridge

    Reply
    • Natural New Age Mum says

      March 8, 2013 at 8:15 pm

      yum ! thanks for sharing

      Reply
  10. Georgia O'Shea says

    March 8, 2013 at 7:27 pm

    Popcorn! I make it up with Herbamare and fill paper cups. Then you don’t get one kid hogging the big bowl (there’s always one! lol!)

    Reply
  11. Carlyn says

    March 8, 2013 at 7:31 pm

    My nearly 6 year-old is requesting homemade banana-choc ice cream and avocado cacao mousse. I have to admit that I haven’t mentioned that it’s got avocado in it!

    Reply
  12. Rhianon Avis says

    March 8, 2013 at 8:02 pm

    From the Additive Free party ideas, I think would be sausage rolls. I have made a cake that’s gluten free and dairy free cake and the icing has avocado! I’ve had 4 kids go back for 2nds (and 3rds!) for it! It will be made again!

    Reply
    • Natural New Age Mum says

      March 8, 2013 at 8:14 pm

      avocado is amazing stuff!

      Reply
  13. Kaylene sturzaker says

    March 8, 2013 at 8:05 pm

    Fruit kebabs are always a hit, this seems to be our ‘to do’ thing especially for school parties & sadly seems to be the only fruit to make an appearance at the class parties

    Reply
    • Natural New Age Mum says

      March 8, 2013 at 8:14 pm

      I always take fruit to those sort of things… at least my kids will have something to eat!

      Reply
  14. Philippa says

    March 8, 2013 at 9:05 pm

    NNAM’s healthy chocolate crackles are a great party treat.

    Also frozen banana icecream (frozen bananas whizzed in the thermomix).

    Reply
  15. Carlei says

    March 8, 2013 at 10:54 pm

    For me it would be fruit… there are just so many varieties and ways to present it… rainbows, kebabs, using outer shells/skins as bowls, many fancy tasty juices and drinks… its so colourful and most of the time kids will eat whatever is there to eat 🙂 Sae goes for veggies really!

    Reply
  16. Nalia says

    March 9, 2013 at 7:53 am

    Our favourite additive free party food is sushi. A hit with adults and most kids especially ours 🙂

    Reply
  17. Tara says

    March 9, 2013 at 8:15 am

    My favourite creations are with fruit! You can be so creative and kids love it!I recently made a cake purely out of fruit that looked like a castle. It was fun! I also have kids with allergies so am always looking for ways to keep birthday parties additive free and safe!

    Reply
  18. Pam says

    March 9, 2013 at 11:19 am

    Those balls sound good!!
    My girls are still very little so we haven’t gone the whole hog with party food as yet. We will be there soon tho, so would love to win a copy of this book!
    My fave from my own childhood would have to be the hedgehog – half a grapefruit covered in silver foil with toothpick spines of pineapple and cheese cubes (and glace cherry eyes back then, dread to think what’s in those?!) And over here the pineapple would be fresh, none of that canned 70s British stuff 😉
    Subscribed to both 🙂

    Reply
    • Natural New Age Mum says

      March 9, 2013 at 3:16 pm

      and we would have called it an echidna!! 😉

      Reply
  19. Pip says

    March 9, 2013 at 12:52 pm

    ALWAYS after some healthy kids snacks – many thanks for sharing the recipe – that’s ace 🙂

    Reply
  20. Jade Catton says

    March 9, 2013 at 4:18 pm

    I’m a big popcorn fan. I think there are great ways to add to it the natural way plus endless way to present it in a fun way. I have a 1st Birthday party coming up so would love the book!

    Reply
  21. Cate says

    March 10, 2013 at 2:35 pm

    Our favourite yummy party food a friend just recommended was chickpea ‘chips’! Just drizzle chickpeas with a little oil of choice, and your chosen spice. Heat in the oven for about half an hour. You can choose to have them softer or very crunchy! (Just be careful with the age of the child).

    Reply
  22. Emily @ Have a laugh on me says

    March 10, 2013 at 3:14 pm

    I have a party in two weeks and plan to use most of this advice – great post, Thanks 🙂

    Reply
    • Natural New Age Mum says

      March 10, 2013 at 5:25 pm

      Yay!! Love it Emily – let me know how you go – would love to hear all about it. 🙂

      Reply
  23. Trish says

    March 10, 2013 at 5:27 pm

    Air popped popcorn – a hit with kids of all ages. You can print off own paper popcorn bags and roll into cones.

    Reply
  24. Fiona S says

    March 10, 2013 at 7:37 pm

    fruit platter, pop corn, hot wedges and dipping sauces. Fruit smoothies. Iceblocks made from Yoghurt I have made. But with 4 kids I run out of ideas fast so a book would help rectify that 😉

    Reply
  25. Natalie says

    March 10, 2013 at 8:16 pm

    Like many others have said – fruit! It’s one thing I always eat at a party when we go out – I know it hasn’t got anything suspicious in it 🙂 Mmmmm watermelon..

    Reply
  26. Jacinta says

    March 10, 2013 at 10:14 pm

    Subscribed x2!! And a fruit platter with plenty of watermelon is always a winner!!!

    Reply
  27. Candice B says

    March 11, 2013 at 12:39 pm

    Loving all these party ideas! The best idea I saw was at a friends birthday party for her son. She had made a shark head out of a huge watermelon and put chopped watermelon inside (its mouth). The kids loved it and were very enthusiastic to eat watermelon!

    Reply
  28. CrystalB says

    March 11, 2013 at 3:54 pm

    Fruit served in lots of fun ways is always a hit!

    Reply
  29. Melanie K says

    March 11, 2013 at 5:02 pm

    We are only beginning to going additive free, but we always have home popped pop corn and home made fruit salad cups with cute forks and cups they can take home! It’s a hit!

    Reply
  30. Cherie Kelly says

    March 11, 2013 at 9:35 pm

    there is nothing better than making and decorating the birthday cake knowing it is additive free and ‘good’ for the kids …. and nothing more rewarding when ppls ask for the recipe cause it tastes and looks good and telling them how and what it was made from … sharing the info, the goodness and knowing its all for the kids 🙂

    Reply
  31. Bianca says

    March 13, 2013 at 8:09 pm

    For girls parties we love our ‘make it pink’ smoothie. A green smoothie turned hot pink with the addition of beetroot. I might have to create a blue version for my son. We are yet to try freezing them but I think that would also be great.

    Reply
    • Natural New Age Mum says

      March 13, 2013 at 8:23 pm

      it would make an excellent popsicle!

      Reply
  32. Amy says

    March 13, 2013 at 9:15 pm

    Frozen bananas blended into “ice cream” 🙂

    Reply
  33. Darya says

    March 16, 2013 at 12:45 pm

    A bowl of carrot and celery sticks always goes well with the kids!

    Reply

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