Yummy Spoonfuls Organic Baby Food and CEO Agatha Achindu to be featured on CNN

For Immediate Release  6/17/09

Contact:Terri-Nichelle Bradley Cell: 770.335.5160 Phone: 678.395.3287   Atlanta, June 17, 2009:  Atlanta based baby food company Yummy Spoonfuls and its CEO Agatha Achindu is scheduled to appear on CNN Friday, June 19, 2009. Achindu’s piece will air during the program CNN Newsroom with Tony Harris in a segment called “Survival of the Fittest”. The weekly segment which airs between 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. ET highlights small businesses and their owners who are not only surviving but also thriving during this economic recession.  Achindu is a native of the African nation of Cameroon who now calls Atlanta home. After relocating to the United States in 1991 Agatha completed her college education and carved out an extremely successful career in corporate America. Soon after giving birth to her son Jared-Zane in 2004, Agatha began creating homemade nutritious foods for her new baby. It was not long before her friends took notice. They started putting in small request, and then regular orders, and finally their friends started putting in orders. It was then that Achindu knew she was on to something, Yummy Spoonfuls was born.     In January 2009 Yummy Spoonfuls received top honors in a Coookie Magazine national reader’s poll.  Six months later CNN has taken notice and has selected Achindu as an entrepreneur who is doing something right. “We are thrilled to have been asked to share our story with America.” said Achindu. “It is a very tough time to be a small business owner. However, I know that a huge part of our success is that we are fortunate to have such loyal and enthusiastic parents who not only never miss an opportunity to let us know how much they love Yummy Spoonfuls, they also never miss an opportunity to tell their local grocers to put the food on the shelves of the markets in their communities.”                                                                   Yummy Spoonfuls believes in being a responsible Eco-Citizen. Fresh fruits and vegetables are purchased from local farmers and suppliers to ensure high-quality taste and maximum nutrients. To date the company has over 24 diverse offerings in its Creamy Yummy, Mushy Yummy, and Chunky Yummy stages. In January 2009 Yummy Spoonfuls was rated #1 Baby Food: Best Taste, Best Overall, and received Five Stars in a Cookie magazine readers’ panel.  Yummy Spoonfuls CEO Agatha Achindu has been featured in numerous publications and is frequently interviewed and quoted on the importance of educating moms on developing proper eating habits for their children.

   

 

And the Winner is…

For Immediate Release 5/28/09

Contact: Terri-Nichelle Bradley Phone: 678.395.3287 Cell: (77.335.5160     terri@Playgroundpr.com www.yummyspoonfuls.com Nearly 1,000 Alive Expo Attendees Enter Yummy Spoonfuls Eco-friendly Luxury Gift Basket Giveaway. And the Winner is…   Atlanta, May 28, 2009: Attendance was high at the Alive Expo May 16 & 17 at the Georgia World Congress Center. The energy was electric. And all the buzz was humming around the Yummy Spoonfuls both co-located in the Destiny Organics exhibition space. Nearly 1,000 samples of 5 different varieties of Yummy Spoonfuls baby food was given away, and almost as many show attendees eagerly entered the Yummy Spoonfuls luxury eco-friendly gift basket giveaway which was loaded with all the hottest items in green baby products.   The winner was drawn, and Yummy Spoonfuls is pleased to announce Shona Johnson of Morrow, Georgia will be the receiver of the basket valued at over $500.00. “The response was greater than I expected,” said Agatha Achindu, CEO of Yummy Spoonfuls. “There weren’t that many babies at the expo, but there were a lot of parents who were so excited to learn about our products. Once they tasted the food, they became believers. It is funny how people expect baby food to taste bad.  A lot of people just couldn’t believe that our food was so good and was still completely natural and nutritious. Once they saw the companies that were participating in our luxury gift basket they were thrilled. All the companies involved have reputations for being the best in their product class, and the show attendees knew it.” Ms. Johnson will be receiving the gift basket with products from EcoDiscoveries, Hotsling, Zola Goods, Sally B Yummies, Sweetsation Therapy, Mother Nature Belly, jennyandjeff, Goat’s Milk, The Food Game, and of course Yummy Spoonfuls.  “I am so excited,” said Ms. Johnson upon being notified that she had been selected out of the almost 1,000 entries. “I have a niece and a God-child whose moms will really love all of these wonderful products. I am so glad that I entered.”  Yummy Spoonfuls believes in being a responsible Eco-Citizen. Fresh fruits and vegetables are purchased from local farmers and suppliers to ensure high-quality taste and maximum nutrients. To date the company has over 24 diverse offerings in its Creamy Yummy, Mushy Yummy, and Chunky Yummy stages. In January 2009 Yummy Spoonfuls was rated #1 Baby Food: Best Taste, Best Overall, Five Stars in a Cookie magazine readers’ panel.  Yummy Spoonfuls CEO Agatha Achindu has been featured in numerous publications and is frequently interviewed and quoted on the importance of educating moms on developing proper eating habits for their children.

 

Happy Earth Day

With so much fanfare going on about Earth Day I can’t help but reminisce about my child hood days. Growing up, Earth Day was every day; we were taught to give back to Mother Earth what she so graciously gives us on a daily basis. Everything came from the earth, so we knew we had to treat Mother Earth with some reverence. We had an innate ability in giving back to the earth without even thinking about it, it was an endless efficient circle of reusability. During my last visit home I watched a young boy take  rinds from the food that the mother was preparing in the kitchen to feed the animals that were in the courtyard, and it hit me; gosh these healthy chickens, goats etc running around strive on nothing but the leftovers from the kitchen, the natural grass. Even their waste is naturally going back to the very earth as organic manure.

As Parents, we face many issues, however diet and health remains a fundamental issue for us that needs to be elevated on our list of priorities. After all, feeding our kids is the first, most basic thing we do to nourish their bodies and their minds. Recent research from world renowned Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia confirmed what many parents instinctively know – an organic diet is better for children. The study showed how pesticides used on conventional products show up in children’s blood.  Although the long term effects of these pesticides are unknown, who want to take a chance with their child’s health?

Processed foods contain sugars, salt, additives, and preservatives in an effort to extend the shelf life of products. That’s great for the big food conglomerates but it is horrible of the consumers that purchase these products. Beyond the excess sodium, the massive amounts of high fructose corn syrup, and the dehydrating sodium that fills these foods, the chemical additives are unnecessary evils that serve our bodies no purpose. Why would you ever put anything into your body or your child’s body that doesn’t serve a positive purpose?

Earth Day also reminds us that when we embrace green living we are proactively doing our part to take care of the planet. There are so many people who are living testaments to this fact. Someone who immediately comes to mind is Laura Turner Seydel.

Last week Yummy Spoonfuls had the honor to participate in an Eco Trunk Show at the home of Seydel, Chairperson of the Captain Planet Foundation. Laura’s home – known as EcoManor.  EcoManor (www.ecomanor.com) is the first Gold Certified LEED Home (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) in the Southeast. Serving as an educational tool, EcoManor has reached builders, architects, designers, landscapers, vendors, educators and homeowners to promote green living, conservation, and improved residential building practices.  

Laura has been a long term advocate for the environment. She has founded, co-founded and holds various leadership roles in environmental organizations locally and nationally. She acts as Chairperson of the Captain Planet Foundation, an organization that focuses on educating children about the environment. “The Captain Planet Foundation has impacted over 625,000 youth around the world from a wide variety of socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds.” 

Being part of the Eco Trunk Show, touring EcoManor meeting Laura was an amazing way to kick off the upcoming Earth Day festivities! One thing we must always remember is that Earth Day is every day.  No matter how small we think our contribution is, every small act counts.

 

Yummy Spoonfuls wants to share some ideas on how to kick off your Earth Day and start making some simple changes you and your family can slowly implement and continue throughout the year.

 

1.       Learn more about the environment – Visit one of the many websites and read up on current issues. Planetgreen.com is a great place to begin. Decide which issues you are most concerned about; maybe you can join a local group to help protect the environment in your area.

2.       Recycle – Start a recycle area in your garage, and get the kids to help with the project.  It is simple; just get 3 large containers and label them accordingly. Your kids could create the artwork to label them.

3.       Reuse – Invest in a couple of cloth bags to take with you shopping instead of using plastic bags

4.       Make your plastic bottled water a reusable container

5.       Switch to high efficiency light bulbs

6.       Plant a tree to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions

7.       Support local farms and food producers, start visiting your local farmers’ market for fresh, ripe veggies this summer or start your own garden.  It is amazing what $10 in seeds can do for your family.

8.       Get creative in the kitchen and plan a special Earth Day feast using local organic products.

 

And remember Every day is Earth Day. Anything you do to help our environment is a great thing to do on Earth Day and every day.  Involve your kids in the process and don’t restrict yourself to just one day a year; put it into practice – every day!

 

 

‘The proof of the pudding is in the eating’… come and TASTE the difference!

Tuesday March 31^st 4-8pm

Customer Appreciation day

LA Fitness club

2550 SANDY PLAINS RD

MARIETTA, GA 30062

 

 

Saturday April 4^th 10am-4pm

Pinwheel Play Day Family Festival

Marietta Square

 

Saturday April 11^th 9-11am

LA Fitness club

2550 SANDY PLAINS RD

MARIETTA, GA 30062

 

Saturday April 11^th   4-8pm

782 Cleburne Parkway

Suite 100

Hiram, GA 30141

 

Saturday April 18^th   11am- 3pm

Return 2 Eden

Live cooking demo and lots more

2335 Cheshire Bridge Rd

Atlanta, GA 30324

 

Saturday April 25^th 11-4pm

1st Annual Atlanta Organic Brown Bellies

Hampton Inn & Suites

Street: 161 Spring Street, NW

City/Town: Atlanta, GA 30303

 

 

 

Yummy Spoonfuls Rated # 1 Baby Food 

Above all 12 Leading competitors:

BEST TASTE, BEST OVERALL,FIVE STARS!

–Cookie magazine readers’ panel, January 2009

http://www.yummyspoonfuls.com/media/cookie-mag-jan2008.htm

Healthy Babies Are Happy Babies™

Starting your kid on a lifetime of good eating habit in today’s society can be very challenging with both parents working to make ends meet or a single parent having to pick-up a second job along with endless after school activities. With such hectic lifestyles trying to balance work and parenthood, it is difficult for parents to watch their own diet let alone that of their children. It is thus not surprising that parents are easily lured by ‘fast foods’

 

 

With childhood obesity and diabetes on a persistent rise it is important now more than ever for parents to introduce a healthy eating habit

 

Some few recommendations to help you stay on track

 

Be a great role model: it is very important not only to make healthy foods readily available but also to set a good example. Don’t eat junk food and expect your kids to eat healthy wholesome meals – kids mirror their parents.

 

Meal planning:  get back to the basics, take your kids to your local farmers’ market, have fun planning and buying fresh produce for diner and have everyone help in the kitchen. Kids will likely eat what they help to make.

 

Idolize wholesome treats: Don’t make the wrong foods a special treat for your kids. Dessert, if needed should be fresh fruits like juicy organic mango, organic apricot, organic papaya, organic pineapple etc.

 

No “clean plate club”: As parents, there is the tendency that you know what is good for your kids but remember that babies have an innate feeling of when they are full and forcing them to eat makes them to lose that sense. Kids will eat when they are hungry.

 

Did you say juice?: Offer your kids fresh clean water, statistics shows kids who consume more than 16ozs of juice are at an increased risk of obesity and poor bone density

 

Family outdoor fun: keep your kids active and away from the TV

 

Healthy snacks: Your kid will eat what you bring home from the store so make it a point of buying only healthy wholesome snacks for your kids. Instead of regular jelly you can buy the 100% juice sweetened jelly, subtle changes like these go a long way and keep your kids away from harm’s way

Yummy Spoonfuls Rated # 1 Baby Food 

Above all 12 Leading competitors:

BEST TASTE, BEST OVERALL,FIVE STARS!

–Cookie magazine readers’ panel, January 2009

http://www.yummyspoonfuls.com/media/cookie-mag-jan2008.htm

 

 

Childhood Obesity: The Preventable Threat to America’s Youth

The majority of American youth are sedentary and do not eat well. The resulting poor nutrition and lack of physical activity has created an epidemic of childhood obesity that is preventable, yet shows no sign of decreasing. Here are some statistics cited by the Action for Healthy Kids organization.  For more information, visit their site at www.healthykids.org.

Prevalence and Trends 

Overweight and obesity impairs or threatens the health of millions of 
Americans.

Poor diet and inadequate physical activity are the second leading cause of death in the United States and together account for at least 300,000 deaths annually.

Nine million American children are overweight, triple the number in 1980.

Childhood obesity among ages 2-5 has increased 35% in the past 10 years.

There is no indication that the incidence of overweight among children is decreasing.

Contributing Factors

Poor eating habits and lack of physical activity are root causes of overweight and obesity.

Only 2% of school-aged children consume the recommended daily number of servings from all five major food groups.

More than 80% of children and adolescents eat too much fat (more than 30% of total calories from fat). More than 90% eat too much saturated fat.

Ninety-eight percent of 6-18 year olds report eating at least 3 snacks per day, and more than 50% report 5 or more snacks daily.

More than 38% of students watch television 3 or more hours per average school day.

Fewer than 25% of American children get at least 30 minutes of any type of physical activity every day. 
  

Health Consequences

Childhood obesity is a medical concern, not a cosmetic issue.

The vast majority (between 70 and 80%) of overweight children and adolescents continue to be overweight in adulthood or will become obese adults.

Childhood weight problems can lead to complications such as elevated blood pressure and cholesterol, joint problems, Type II diabetes, gallbladder disease, asthma, depression and anxiety.

Severely overweight and obese children often suffer from depression, anxiety disorders, isolation from their peers, low self-esteem, and eating disorders. 

Of overweight 5 to 10 year-olds, 61% have at least one risk factor for heart disease.

Academic Consequences

Because multiple variables must be controlled when examining the relationship between weight and achievement, it is difficult to draw definitive conclusions. Further, a correlation between the two doesn’t necessarily imply causation. However, several studies have examined this link.

Severely overweight children and adolescents (those above the 95th percentile for weight) were four times more likely to report “impaired school functioning”. 

Severely overweight children tended to have abnormal scores on the Child Behavior Checklist, and were twice as likely to be placed in special education or a remedial class setting.

Overweight kindergartners had significantly lower math and reading test scores at the beginning of the year than did their non-overweight peers, and these lower scores continued into first grade.

Economic consequences 

Severely overweight children miss four times as much school as normal-weight kids.

Obesity-associated annual hospital costs for children increased more than threefold from $35 million during 1979-1981 to $127 million during 1997-1999. 

National health expenditures related to adult obesity range from $98-$129 billion annually.

Source: Action for Healthy Kids helps schools make changes that will make their students healthier, which in turn will improve their achievement.

Fresh Healthy snacks From Scratch: Its Easier than it Sounds!

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

CONTACT: Sherri@yummyspoonfuls.com

 

 

Fresh Healthy snacks From Scratch: Its Easier than it Sounds!

 

 

Atlanta-based JZ’S Foods Inc creator of Yummy Spoonfuls™ —A leading 100% USDA Certified Fresh Organic baby food company in the Eastern United States- Rated # 1 above all 12 leading competitors in the Nation by Cookie magazine Jan 2009—hosts a special workshop at North Fulton Regional Hospital classrooms   3000 Hospital Boulevard  Roswell, GA 30076 on Thursday February 26^th from 12:00pm to 1: pm.

 

The workshop, titled “Pamper Your Little One the ORGANIC Way: will talk about the importance of feeding babies organic, how to feed your child with the intention of good health. Subtle changes in what you feed your kids that will make a huge change in their lives, talk about the direct implication of what you feed your kids and the result you get. Yummy Spoonfuls™   Exec Chef, Agatha Achindu will reveal how to make some quick healthy snacks at home without all the added junk. With the childhood obesity and diabetes on a continual raise it is imperative that we are more mindful of what we feed our kids.

 

 “It’s very important to train a child’s palate from the earliest stages, so that he or she will have a preference for healthy foods/snacks thus build a lifetime of good eating habits,” says Agatha.  In addition, pure organic baby food that is made fresh—like Yummy Spoonfuls™ —can help children who suffer from food sensitivities or allergies. Yummy Spoonfuls™ is free of dairy, gluten, nuts, additives and preservatives.   

 

Yummy Spoonfuls™ was founded in 2006 to make it easy for busy parents to feed their children high-quality food. Yummy Spoonfuls™ is 100% USDA certified organic, fresh-packed baby food with 25 wholesome different items to choose from.   It can be found in the freezer section at selected Markets in the region, and ordered at the Yummy Spoonfuls™ website www.yummyspoonfuls.com or www.amazon.com

 

Admission  FREE!!! But registration is required, for additional information & registration, please call 770-751-2660

Free Workshop, make healthy snacks at home

Have a newborn or toddler?  Planning on welcoming one into your household in the near future? 
Now is the perfect time to begin thinking about what you will feed your baby. 

Allow North Fulton Regional Hospital and Yummy Spoonfuls™ Organic Baby Food to provide you with information and tips for making your own simple, healthy, organic snacks.  It’s easier (and cheaper!) than you think

 

Featuring:  Free health & nutrition tips, free food samples, snack preparation demonstration, and much, much more!!!

 

 

Thursday February 26^th , 2009

North Fulton Regional Hospital

CLASSROOMS

3000 Hospital Boulevard

Roswell, GA  30076

12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.

 

Admission:FREE!!! But registration

is required Call 770.751.2660.

Study Finds High-Fructose Corn Syrup Contains Mercury

Study Finds High-Fructose Corn Syrup Contains Mercury

Wednesday, January 28, 2009; 12:00 AM MONDAY, Jan. 26

(HealthDay News) — Almost half of tested samples of commercial high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) contained mercury, which was also found in nearly a third of 55 popular brand-name food and beverage products where HFCS is the first- or second-highest labeled ingredient, according to two new U.S. studies. HFCS has replaced sugar as the sweetener in many beverages and foods such as breads, cereals, breakfast bars, lunch meats, yogurts, soups and condiments. On average, Americans consume about 12 teaspoons per day of HFCS, but teens and other high consumers can take in 80 percent more HFCS than average. “Mercury is toxic in all its forms. Given how much high-fructose corn syrup is consumed by children, it could be a significant additional source of mercury never before considered. We are calling for immediate changes by industry and the [U.S. Food and Drug Administration] to help stop this avoidable mercury contamination of the food supply,” the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy’s Dr. David Wallinga, a co-author of both studies, said in a prepared statement. In the first study, published in current issue of Environmental Health, researchers found detectable levels of mercury in nine of 20 samples of commercial HFCS. And in the second study, the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP), a non-profit watchdog group, found that nearly one in three of 55 brand-name foods contained mercury. The chemical was found most commonly in HFCS-containing dairy products, dressings and condiments. But an organization representing the refiners is disputing the results published in Environmental Health. “This study appears to be based on outdated information of dubious significance,” said Audrae Erickson, president of the Corn Refiners Association, in a statement. “Our industry has used mercury-free versions of the two re-agents mentioned in the study, hydrochloric acid and caustic soda, for several years. These mercury-free re-agents perform important functions, including adjusting pH balances.” However, the IATP told the Minneapolis Star Tribune that four plants in Georgia, Tennessee, Ohio and West Virginia still use “mercury-cell” technology that can lead to contamination. IATP’s Ben Lilliston also told HealthDay that the Environmental Health findings were based on information gathered by the FDA in 2005. And the group’s own study, while not peer-reviewed, was based on products “bought off the shelf in the autumn of 2008,” Lilliston added. The use of mercury-contaminated caustic soda in the production of HFCS is common. The contamination occurs when mercury cells are used to produce caustic soda. “The bad news is that nobody knows whether or not their soda or snack food contains HFCS made from ingredients like caustic soda contaminated with mercury. The good news is that mercury-free HFCS ingredients exist. Food companies just need a good push to only use those ingredients,” Wallinga said in his prepared statement. More information The U.S. Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry has more about mercury and health. SOURCE: Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, news release, Jan. 26, 2009 © 2009 Scout News LLC. All rights reserved.

Local Organic Baby Food Wins National Taste Test

Yummy baby food

 

Yummy Spoonfuls won first place among 12 organic baby foods this month in a taste test. The taste test, conducted by Cookie magazine and a panel of 12 mothers and babies, ranked the products on flavor, texture, ease of use, and general appeal Yummy Spoonfuls was declared the overall favorite.

Yummy Spoonfuls’ five star rating outranked Jack’s Harvest, Healthy Times, Tasty Baby, Happy Baby, Pomme Bebe, Plum Organics, Taste Bud, Petite Palate, Bobo Baby and Mom Made Food.

Below is a snippet from the “Cookie” article for your review.

The frozen, individually packaged foods contain no additives, fillers, hormones, pesticides, added sugar, or salt. The brand is delivered in packages of 12 and offers some of the most creative and texturally interesting flavors we’ve seen.

Where to find it: Ships nationally and available at some specialty stores.

Best for: All stages

What moms said: Yummy Spoonfuls™ earned the top spot among all of our testers and was the clear favorite out of all the brands. With 10 stage-one flavors, 11 stage-two flavors, and four creative stage-three flavors, testers felt they could find something to match their baby’s palate. “We couldn’t get enough of this!” said one mom. “He was done in a flash and begging for more, putting his fingers in the container to get more.” Our moms loved the smell of the Apricot and Brown Rice cereal, which one described as “like cookie dough.” Another raved about the Lentil and Carrot Porridge, saying, “It smelled homemade. It was on the table in five minutes, and I felt good about giving it to my baby.”

To read the entire article please click on the link http://www.cookiemag.com/food/2009/01/organic-baby-food)