My exclusively breastfed 8-month-old has taken to solids in a big way recently. He’s a good eater (his favorite is pureed peas!), but I’ve started to wonder if he needs a multivitamin supplement. Another mom I know, who happens to be a naturopathic doctor, gives her 15-month-old the Rainbow Light NutriStart Multivitamin Powder. But, because my baby’s still breastfed and getting lots of nutrients through my milk, would a multivitamin be overkill? I found an answer on pediatric expert Dr. Alan Greene’s website. (Dr. Greene specializes in nutrition and holistic medicine for kids, and was a chief resource for our “Organic matters” story in the September 2008 issue.) Do you give your baby or older child multivitamins? Tell us about it. (You can respond to this blog directly, or join in on the Delicious Living community board.)

I got so excited this weekend because I found some gorgeous quince (pronounced “kwints”) in the natural grocery store; it’s one of those fruits that’s only in season for a short time, about Oct to Jan. You’ve probably never heard of it, but trust me, this is a fruit you really should try. Some legends say it’s the fruit from the garden of Eden, and based on its perfume-like smell (hints of pineapple), I can see why it would be irresistible–but the trick is, you can’t eat it raw. It has to be cooked, typically with some kind of sweetener, and then it’s great; you can substitute it for part of the apples in a pie, tart, homemade jelly, etc. Look for a description and more ideas on how to use it in our January issue’s “What’s In Season” installment, in your store soon.

Where does the stuff we buy come from? This is the type of question that keeps me up at night. Luckily, The Story of Stuff by Annie Leonard, recently did a great job of succintly putting this in perspective for me. The Story of Stuff is an easy-to-follow but impactful breakdown of the materials economy and the true cost of production and consumption. In other words, Annie Leonard follows the stuff we buy from its extraction (the resources we pull from the earth to make it) to production (what it takes to make it) to distribution (how does it get onto the shelves so we can buy it) to consumption (in the US we consume 2x more than we did 50 years ago) to the disposal of these products (where does stuff go when we’re done with it).

One take away that really resonated with me is that although we’re consuming more than ever before our level of happiness as a society peaked in the 1950s and has been on a downward cycle ever since. But just as The Story of Stuff started becoming fodder for many more sleepless nights, Annie Leonard also offers up Another Way or 10 Little or Big Things You Can Do to help solve the problem with stuff. To hear what else Annie Leonard has to say (it’s worth listening to) check out her eco-friendly blog.