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Over at Eating the Daisies, stay-at-home-mom Kate has established a meal policy to keep her two sons under control. It’s a cute idea, but surprisingly practical. Also, really fun. Check it out:

Meal Policy

• There will be one common dinner provided for all lodgers each night.
• You will eat it.
• We do not care if you do not like tomatoes.
• If you finish everything on your plate, you will get dessert.

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Sure, I know this Red Robin cheeseburger probably has a lot of calories, but I refuse to think about it! But it looks like I’ll have to from now on. A new law in California requires chain restaurants to give diners nutrition information, which means that eating out will no longer be the guilt-free, reward-to-yourself experience it once was. But do calorie counts actually dissuade people from eating unhealthy foods?
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As of yesterday, the new credit card regulations have taken effect, all of which benefit borrowers by preventing credit card companies from exploiting those in debt. (There’s always been something strange about the idea of demanding more money from people who don’t have it.) Here are my favorite changes: revised policies on overdraft fees.

NOW: The cardholder must specifically agree to permit transactions that exceed the credit limit. Only then can over-the-limit fees be charged. But the fees can’t be triggered by other fees or interest charges. Only one over-the-limit fee may be imposed during a billing cycle.

Meaning if you overdraft, you can’t get charged a $35 fee for every $3 coffee that goes through after the fact. There are also new rules involving service fees, interest rates, universal defaults, student credit cards, and so on. Check out the details at the LA Times.

Just a reminder that tomorrow is Auntie Anne’s Free Pretzel Day. Stop by any Auntie Anne’s on Saturday and get a free original or cinnamon sugar pretzel. The only thing better than a pretzel is a free pretzel, am I right?

Also, next Tuesday is National Pancake Day, which means IHOP is giving out free short stacks of buttermilk pancakes from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. The 23rd is also Mardi Gras, and though I don’t believe pancakes are a typical way to celebrate, the fact that it translates to “Fat Tuesday” seems quite apt.

Photo by cherrypatter.

Here’s a cute idea: the Momergency Kit. The kit packs everything from bandages to balloons, sanitizing wipes to safety pins.

What are the things we should never be without when we’ve got the kids in tow? And since our diaper bags and purses are already bursting at the seams, how can we make them all fit into this small bag? And then to top it off, if we get stuck in line at the BMV, how can we use these items to keep our kids occupied so we can maintain both our dignity and our place in line?

Child obesity is a hot topic right now. Currently, one of three children in the U.S. is considered overweight. We’ve discussed the health dangers coupled with obesity, but taking a step back, has anyone considered the financial cost of being overweight?

“For starters, obesity is expensive. People who are overweight tend to have more chronic illnesses than those who are not, and those illnesses can require intense medical attention,” writes Lesley Alderman. “Comprehensive weight-loss programs for children can be scarce and expensive, though, and many insurers provide scant coverage for obesity treatment. But parents can begin their own intervention programs, making changes that do not cost a lot of money and will pay off over the long term.”

The New York Times‘ Patient Money column has a number of steps families can take to help fight obesity.

Bakerella has a really clever idea for the Academy Awards: Oscar cookies. Having people over to watch The Hurt Locker and Avatar sweep the Oscars on March 7? These seem like the perfect treat for your guests. Check out Bakerella’s recipe.

Alton Brown, better known as the “Guy Who is On the Food Network 24/7,” has his picks for the best cookbooks. Bookmark this list. Cookbooks make great gifts!

• The Joy of Cooking by Irma S. Rombauer
• The Frugal Gourmet by Jeff Smith
• Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan
• Outlaw Cook by John Thorne
• Ratio by Michael Ruhlman

More details at the Wall Street Journal.

We all spend too much time on the internet, but we might as well be spending too much time as efficiently as possible. So from Gina Trapani (of Lifehacker fame) comes five basic but indispensable browser tips. This is my favorite:

Open a link in a background tab by clicking your mousewheel. When you’re browsing blogs, news, Twitter, or Facebook you come across links you want to check out, but you don’t want to stop reading your current page.
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According to the new White House budget proposal, the Food and Drug Administration will receive 30% more funding. And will they do with that extra $327 million?

FDA will set standards for safety, expand laboratory capacity, pilot track and trace technology, strengthen our import safety program, improve data collection and risk analysis and begin to establish an integrated national food safety system with strengthened inspection and response capacity.

More details at The Packer.