One in three children develops obesity. Before puberty, youngsters from the age of toddlers and up commonly change appetite and preference patterns. Adolescents need the right nutrients to ensure proper overall development during hormonal changes. For all these reasons and more, Mucci Farms strives to offer parents and children healthy snack alternatives.

We too have families and busy lives. We understand how hectic schedules often get in the way of eating healthy. In an effort to help parents include nutritious options for school lunches, after school snacks or anytime, Mucci Farms developed convenient Veggies To Go packages. With our help, parents can give kids healthier choices while saving time because we handle the prep work. SundropsTM features sweet, juicy grape tomatoes. CutecumbersTM contains crunchy snack-sized cucumbers and Sweet to the PointTM is our specially grown mini-pointed peppers.

We grow our vegetables in specially designed greenhouses, on elevated platforms and without the use of harmful pesticides. This process ensures that our produce is natural, clean and nutritious. We chose to produce some of the most widely consumed vegetables on the market, which have exceptional nutritional value.

Bell Peppers

Along with the crunchy sweet goodness of peppers, each vegetable offers vitamins A, C, B6 and B9. Peppers also contain fiber, antioxidants, lycopene and lutein. Combined, these compounds fight cardiovascular disorders that include blood vessel plaque build-up. The nutrients also work together to prevent certain cancers and ensure visual health.

Cucumbers

Cucumbers have a naturally high fiber and water content, which aids in hydration and enhances bowel, bladder and kidney function. The popular vegetable also contains numerous vitamins that include vitamin A, C and K, along with the minerals calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium. Cucumbers have no fat or sodium. Many are surprised to learn that the skins provide additional health benefits and contain vitamin C, fiber, magnesium and potassium.

Tomatoes

In all of the variety options available, tomatoes may be one of Mother Nature’s perfect foods. They contain no fat, are naturally low in sodium and help reduce blood cholesterol levels. The long list of vitamins and minerals contained within a tomato are many and include antioxidants, vitamins A, C, B6 and B9. Besides fiber, they provide the minerals calcium, niacin, potassium and the amino acid phenylalanine. Together, these components help prevent a wide variety of cancers, prevent cardiovascular diseases, enhance function of the genitourinary system, ease symptoms of depression and increase energy levels.

Dedicated to Sustainability

Healthy kids need to grow up on a healthy planet. At Mucci Farms, we are also aware of the efforts needed to preserve our world and implement sustainable practices in all of our facility operations from the administrative offices to the growing, planting, processing and packaging of our products. Daily, we use recycled materials or recycle materials right on the premises.

Being a big foodie, I find it extremely hard to say no to good food, no matter, how high on calories it is. And this certainly sends my dieting plans up in a toss. And as much as I want to stay fit and eat healthy, I cannot help but succumb to these cravings, once in a while.

So here’s what I do

This is a recipe of a refreshing juice that I swear by. All you’ll need is 4 cucumbers, 3 carrots and a bowl of watermelon. Put the cucumbers, carrots and watermelon in a blender and blend them properly. Store this juice in your refrigerator and consume one glass of this in the mornings, before you start your day. This will not only leave you feeling refreshed for the rest of your day, but will flush out all the harmful toxins from your body.

Simple tips to lose weight

• Plan your meals well ahead of time, it will not only save you time, but will also save you from overeating.
• Try to carry home cooked food to your place or schools, instead of eating outside. Regularly eating out not only adds to your expenses, but is also extremely unhealthy.
• Try to snack on fiber filled biscuits and nuts, instead of cookies that are high on sugar.

I always think that I want to go on a diet. And, I land up not following the same. It is something pretty common as we chart out things but, fail to implement them. I have the tendency to put on those extra pounds. And mind you, I don’t actually stuff in a lot of food, till throat down. And still, I get those extra pounds. So not cool! When, I think of going on diet, I know for the fact that it’s not impossible to do it. You just need some determination and a lot of perseverance.

Diet and only diet!!

There was a time, when I used to take my work outs very seriously. But, I am not that person anymore now. Considering diet food was the only option left for me to manage my extra kilos. If, you go to see there are so many diet plans available. Depending on each one’s body type, there is a different diet plan recommended. And let me tell you, diet doesn’t mean No food. It only implies inculcating healthy eating habits that can help you shed some pounds, and keep you fit at the same time

My 10 day crash diet!!

I decided to try out the crash diet plan for me. It was very simple and I had to make sure my meals were on time. The plan says that one must eat at regular intervals of 2-3 hours in small proportions. This helps to keep the metabolism running all the time. Long breaks between meals, actually are the reason, why we tend to put on weight. The diet gave me a guideline and some good diet food recipes too.
It included soups salads and fruits. I always thought the diet food is bland, but I was wrong, till I tried this. My meals included boiled vegetables like carrots, flower, cabbage, and broccoli, which was boiled and eaten with some seasoning. Or with a tad brush of oil and let them cook, if you like crunchy. It actually tasted good.
Fruits were to be eaten twice a day, I could even eat fruit salad and that is something makes your diet plan interesting. For rice craving, brown rice was recommended boiled and with little bit of salt and pepper. You can slightly stir fry it. Desserts were a skip, because the natural sweetness from the fruits was good enough. I followed this for ten days straight and increased my water intake too. It was difficult to control my cravings, I must admit. I had almost 6 meals during the day, my last meal being at 8 pm.

Results!!!!

Well, this is what, I dread doing checking my weight. What if, all that effort didn’t go anywhere? I checked and I was surprised, I was down by 6kgs in ten days. And, I had an overall loss of 4 inches in the waist too. This process had worked and resulted in some really motivating developments. It’s true my perseverance and self control was the key for this fantastic regime.

My best friend is getting married in 10 weeks and she’s on top of the world. Since, I’m her wedding planner, I not only have to take care of her wedding shopping but I have also set up an appointment with a dietician to help her lose weight and get back in shape and look gorgeous on her wedding day. A wedding is not only a stressful time for the bride but also for the rest of the ladies who will be attending the ceremony as everyone is expected to look their prettiest self on the big day.

Why healthy diets is important

In our busy lives each day, we hardly find time for ourselves let alone time to enroll into a gym. That’s why I always suggest eating healthy as it’s the only sure way to keep your body and mind fit. Dieting is important not only to stay in shape but also to keep the body’s immunity system functioning well.

Below are a few diet food tips I swear by

 Start your day with a glass of tender coconut. This not only nourishes your skin and gives it a healthy glow, but also flushes out the toxins from your body.
 Have a bowl of sprouts for breakfast as they are rich in proteins and vitamins and give you the much needed energy to carry on with your day. Add cucumber, tomatoes and carrots to the sprouts if necessary.
 The secret is to have as many short meals as possible every 2-3 hours so you don’t feel too hungry yet not over eat.
 You could also try brown bread with a glass of milk in the mornings if the sprouts salad becomes too monotonous.
 Alternatively, you could also fix yourself up a bowl of cereals with milk. Add honey to you milk instead of sugar. It is very healthy and also has many medicinal properties.
 Put an end to binge eating and snack on some raw carrots when you feel hungry.
 Quit smoking and cut down on caffeine in your diet. This goes a long way in keeping your body healthy
 Have a glass of buttermilk in the afternoon after your lunch as this will help in your digestion process and also keep your body cool.
 Cut down on sugar in your cooking as much as possible and restrict the desserts to just once in a week, this will keep all the extra calories at bay.

Sprouting is a process in which the seeds get expanded (Germination process). The germination process increases the nutrition value of the seed and it also increases the digestibility. The germination process is also known to increase the content of vitamin and mineral in the seed. It decreases the carbohydrate and calorie level of the seed. I thus consider the Green gram in most of my recipes as it is a very good weight loss agent.
Any seed can be sprouted. After sprouting some seeds will have a change in flavor. I usually prepare sprouts salad using the green gram.

Ingredients to prepare Sprouts Salad

• Sprouts of green gram – 1 cup
• Half sliced Onion
• One sliced Tomato
• One green chilly which is cut into small pieces
• Half Lemon and Salt
• Chopped Cilantro
• 3 Mint leaves which are chopped

Preparation

• I soak the green gram into water so that it is germinated.
• I then, mix the sliced onion and tomato, green chili and slice mint and cilantro and sprouts in a large bowl.

• I now, squeeze the lemon on top of it and add the salt to it, as required.
• If, I need a sweet taste of sprouts salad, I add 1 spoon of honey, instead of green chilly.

Oats is a species of cereal grain for its seed. I feel oats are really healthy for my body. I make the oats soup, which is suitable for people of all ages and is extremely helpful to ailing patients. Oats does not contain Cholesterol and is very rich in Magnesium and iron, Thus, I consider consuming it, in some or the other form.

Oats soup

Oats soup is prepared by following ingredients.
 One full cup of Oats
 Half finely chopped Onion
 Chopped Green Chilly
 One Onion which is chopped into small pieces
 Salt
 Little Pepper powder
 One full cup of water and Milk
 Oil two spoons
 Cilantro

Preparations
• I pour oil in the bowl and put the onion, green chilly & garlic and fry it thoroughly.
• I then, add the oats to bowl and fry it for approximately 2 minutes
• Next, I add the salt & water and fry till it starts to boil
• When, it starts to boil, I add milk & pepper powder and continue to heat it, until it starts to boil
• While, serving the Oats soup, I decorate it with Cilantro and add the slice of bread.