Good grief. There are now more than 200 different “energy drinks” on the market in the U.S. Is that a good thing? Probably not, in out under-rested, over-caffeinated society.

And when it comes to kids and teens gulping down these concoctions, parents need to take note: A typical 12-ounce energy drink has about three times the amount of caffeine in a 12-ounce Coca-Cola and nearly the same amount of caffeine as in a cup of coffee.

To learn more about these drinks, check out my new article over at metrokids.com. Then let me know what you think. Do you allow your kids to drink energy drinks?

I love food. I love wine. I’m nuts about all things Disney-related. So, really, honey, it’s a no-brainer: Take me to Disney’s California Food & Wine Festival for Mother’s Day, OK?

Although if you’d like to go sooner, I’m good with that, too… The Festival runs from April 16 through May 31, with lots of cool events. Tickets for the Signature events are on sale here.

If you’re really into cooking, check out the Napa Rose Cooking School with Chef Andrew Sutton. And there’s much more:

Daily Events

• Complimentary demonstrations featuring culinary experts and celebrity chefs, including Guy Fieri (love him! I’m a big “Triple-D” fan), Cat Cora and Robert Irvine
• Seminars that feature wine, beer and spirits

Signature Events (additional fee required)

Taste Food-Wine-Life May 29, 7:00–10:00 p.m.

Presented in “grand-tasting” style, this event offers delectable creations from Disney chefs, outstanding wines and live entertainment. Theme park admission not required.

Festival Wine Walks and Beer Walks Daily

Enjoy tastings of your favorites, and discover the flavor of new wines and beers as you stroll through Stage 12, at the Festival Showplace.

Winemaker Dinners

Fridays: April 23, 30, May 14 and 21
6:30 – 9:00 p.m.
Award-winning wines paired with delectable culinary creations at Steakhouse 55, with Chef Jason Martin

Brewmaster Dinner

Friday May 7
6:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Join experts from Karl Strauss Brewing Company for delicious food paired with beers, at Steakhouse 55

Riedel Glass Tasting

Saturdays, April 24, May 28
6:45 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
In this fascinating class led by an expert from Riedel, learn why the glass matters when it comes to wine tasting. Guests at this event will go home with a tasting set of four Riedel Vinum series lead crystal wine glasses.

Sweet Sundays

April 18, May 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30

10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Enjoy Sunday morning buffets featuring elegant dessert items from acclaimed pastry chefs, at the Festival Showplace inside Disney’s California Adventure.

Taste Wine Like an Expert

Saturdays: May 1, 8, 15 and 22
2:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Entertaining education with Sommelier Joy Cushing of Napa Rose restaurant

Napa Rose Cooking School

Saturdays: April 17, May 1, 8, 15, and 22
10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Executive Chef Andrew Sutton of Napa Rose leads guests in preparing a four-course gourmet meal. Guests receive a commemorative chef’s coat, embroidered with the Festival logo.

Whether you love to cook, want to learn more about wine — or just love to eat(!), there’s something here for you. Happy (early) Mother’s Day!

I don’t know about you, but I get a little weary of hearing about all the things my family and I shouldn’t do, health-wise.

That’s why I’m all over the book, Longevity Made Simple (Williams Clark Publishing; $13.95) by Richard J. Flanigan, M.D., an assistant clinical professor of cardiology at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center and Kate Flanigan Sawyer, M.D., MPH, a medical officer for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Together, this father-daughter team presents simple strategies that focus on preventing the top 10 diseases that kill more than 75 percent of Americans. The good news: Exercising just 30 minutes a day can help prevent all 10 of them. Try finding a pill that does all that.

Eating healthfully doesn’t have to be all that complicated, either. The authors recommend these “superfoods” for your family:

Almonds and walnuts
Apples
Avocados
Bell peppers
Blueberries
Citrus fruits
Cruciferous vegetables, such as Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and bok choy
Fat-free or 1-percent milk
Garlic and onions
Legumes
Melons
Olive oil
Red wine (no more than one 5-ounce glass per day for women)
Salmon
Spinach
Squash
Sweet potatoes
Tea (green or black)
Tomatoes
Vegetable juice (try reduced-sodium juice or make your own with whole veggies in a blender)
Whole grains

OK, this I can do. Today I’ll grab my son and we’ll walk the dog for 15 minutes, I’ll do 15 minutes of an aerobics DVD and I’ll make a 15-minute family dinner of broiled salmon, spinach salad and microwaved sweet potatoes.

Check out the book for more simple ways to improve your family’s health. It’s easy, I promise. Here’s t a healthy 2010!

Merry Christmas to my brother, Lee!

We shared many adventures together as kids growing up in Ohio and Arizona, but apparently going down steep hills on a sled wasn’t one of them.

I wonder how long it took us to go 20 feet?

Want to help your kids' bones grow stronger? Faced with kids who don't want to try new foods? You'll want to check out Cooking Light's "10 Foods for Strong Bones."

Registered dietitian Katherine Brooking shows you good food sources for this critical nutrient, then shares great recipes for dishes made with salmon, cheddar cheese, almonds and more.

Check it out. You'll be inspired to amp up your family's grocery list with these bone-friendly foods.

My family was at a nice Mexican restaurant recently and a 4-year-old at
a nearby table was standing on her chair talking loudly and making a game of throwing
chips on the floor (for the staff to pick up).

All the while, her Mom and
Dad sat there with friends, relaxing, drinking their beer…

What's
wrong with these people? They made no attempt to clean up after their
child, to make sure she talked at a reasonable volume or to show any
concern for the restaurant employees or their fellow diners.

I've
been seeing this situation more and more frequently in the past year or
so. Do I just live in Rudeville, U.S.A., or are you seeing this, too?

The
sense of entitlement — the attitude of "it's all about me" — seems to
be increasingly common these days. What can we do to turn this trend
around?

I actually got out the crock pot AND the food processor this morning. Chopped up turkey sausage and an onion, sauteed both for a few minutes and added it to a jar of pasta sauce in the crock pot. House smells great! 

I forget how helpful these two items can be — especially during weeks like this, when we're running Matt to and from Wizard of Oz rehearsal constantly!

I love having a crock-pot meal ready to go, but I don't like to spend time on week days doing a lot of chopping and prep work. I'm going to save this idea for crazed weekday nights. Took about 15 minutes to put together. (And that's about as Martha Stewart as I get!)

Are you a multi-tasking new mom who doesn't want to sit and hold a breast pump while you're pumping at work — or even at home? Some very creative folks have come up with a solution.

At first, this contraption cracked me up, I have to say. (But then the whole breast-pump thing cracked me up when my son was born and I tried pumping for the first time.) But I got over that in about a minute and got practical. The whole goal is to get the milk collected, right?

The Simple Wishes Bustier offers a hands-free way to pump. Check out the website for details about all the features. The design of the bra allows you to position the breast shields in the most-comfortable spot for the best seal during pumping. The bra is designed to be worn comfortably all day.

It retails for $35 and can be purchased at the website. (For a short time, get 15% off your pre-order by entering LAUNCH coupon code at checkout.)

Giveaway! If you'd like to be entered in a drawing for a FREE Simple Wishes Bustier, leave a comment below. The winner will be announced here next Monday.

My son Matt (now 13) and I used to cook together quite a bit when he was in third and fourth grade. We had more time back in those days (even though we didn't think we did!), compared with our schedule now — baseball, swimming, piano, homework…

But I just received something in the mail that has inspired me to spend a Saturday afternoon in the kitchen with my kid. Mrs. Rowe's Little Book of Southern Pies, by Mollie Cox Bryan, made my mouth water.

Doesn't that cover photo just get to you, too? There goes the diet.

The book includes recipes for pies I've always wanted to try (and some that just sound like so much fun!): Shoofly Pie, Grasshopper Pie, Tar Heel Pie, and even Brown Sugar Pie From The Attic.

Matt and I will give one a try and we'll report back. Do you cook with your kids? I'd love to hear about how you spend time together in the kitchen.