Photo: Sushi Tie from Pem Shop

Food News, Things We Crave, Resources, Green Your Eats, and Tips, Tools & Techniques. Check out this week’s picks. And don’t forget today’s yummy recipe for an amazingly All-Purpose Blueberry Puree below. Perfect for Father’s Day brunch! Happy happy all you ChowPapas! We love ya’!

Food News

• ChowMama news! We were a part of the One Little Bite (Cookie Magazine’s food blog) virtual picnic. Check out our recipe and the other great recipes by FoodieTots, From Argentina With Love, The Naptime Chef, and others!
• Another reminder: Cookie and Gourmet Kids’ Restaurant Week starts tomorrow in NYC and Chicago; Washington DC, hope you enjoyed eating our with your kids this past week!
• The truth about orange juice… and more reasons to skip store-bought juice for your families! (via The Kitchn)
• Oooh—pretty! Retro inspired Oreo and Ritz packaging at Target this summer (via Serious Eats)
• When “no antibiotics” claims may be misleading (via The Ethicurean)
• Sort of food news… more like food funnies. I love comedian Jim Gaffigan. Listen to him rip on the hideous Domino’s bread bowl (via Eat Me Daily)
• The economy changing the way you eat? Gourmet reports on “recession flexitarians” 
• Proposal to Cut California Department of Food and Agriculture a Bad Idea for the Nation (via Civil Eats)
• New report (with good news!): kids shift from hot dogs and chicken nuggets (via NY Times) 

Things We Crave

• Food themed ties for Father’s Day!! (via Serious Eats)
• You know how we love the freezer—essential for easing the demands of family feeding and reducing food waste. Use these super handy dandy freezer bags to help keep it all straight (via The Kitchn)
• Mini meals, prep stations and pastry cases perfect for doll houses by Re-Ment (via OhDeeDoh)
• You know how we feel about eating with friends (especially outside)! Get supplies to do it right: the Apartment Therapy guide to the best picnic gear to get you through the summer. 
• Oh really? Ikea (finally) releases a play kitchen set… in Europe. Thankfully, it’s part of a line (”Duktig”) for which other items are available Stateside. Hopefully, we’ll see this here soon. (via OhDeeDoh)
• Reusable toddler plates (complete with separate areas!), bowls and utensils made from corn by Dandelion (via Lil Sugar)

Resources

• Pregnant? First time or just need a refresher? I’m definitely a little less stringent this time around, but an overview of foods to avoid while expecting is always helpful (via Lil Sugar)
• And, while you’re at, check out these mock-tail recipe books (via Lil Sugar)
• Three Essential Documentaries About Food (via Cheap Healthy Good)

Green Your Eats

• Now you can green your Canadian eats, too. New legislation says that products certified organic in the US can be sold as organic in Canada and vice versa (via The Ethicurean)
• Live in LA? We’ve got lots of food trucks, but we’re jealous of this one: Green Truck delivers green meals (via Tree Hugger)
• Take the challenge! Become a weekday vegetarian. Learn more at Tree Hugger.

Tips, Tools, and Techniques

• Five great reasons to keep a chocolate bar on hand (via The Kitchn)
• Fun idea for getting kids in the kitchen: make vegetable maki! (via The Kitchn)
• Get Rich Slowly gives tips for eating organic on a budget (via Cheap Healthy Good)
• We love Babycakes (had ‘em for Isaac’s bday!). Check out their tips for naturally coloring frosting (via A Child Grows in Brooklyn)