Sometimes parents call me looking for the “Silver Bullet” that will make their selective eater be not-so-picky. I wish I had a Silver Bullet! The reality is that no one strategy is going to get your kiddo to eat the dinner you place in front of her. Instead, small changes used consistently, bring the best […]
I come from a large family and my dad grew up during the Depression, so “wasting” food was a real sin in his eyes. We were all required to eat everything on our plates, whether we liked it or not. I have memories of sitting in the dark with a plate of cold peas in […]
We are entering the Holiday Season and for families with a Picky Eater, that can be a tricky time. Recently I was asked what to do when Thanksgiving rolls around and your selective eater doesn’t like any of the traditional foods? What should the parent say to Grandma when she’s offended that their kiddo won’t […]
Here’s a friendly reminder to Buddy Up your snacks! Why? Because pairing one food with another brings more nutrition and means your snack will be more satisfying. Buddying up a kid-friendly food (think goldfish, granola bar, crackers) with a serving of fruit or veggies helps to meet the goal of 5 fruits and veggies each […]
Probably 30 years ago one of my very closest friends showed me how to make my own salad dressing and I haven’t bought another bottled dressing since! Making your own dressing can be fun for kids and big kids can make it themselves—hello dinner help! Here’s a super simple recipe: In an empty jar, mix […]
Maybe…..if your kiddo is very selective (aka-picky) about food and has a very limited diet, a good quality multivitamin will help fill some nutrition gaps. But, if your kiddo eats a good variety then a multivitamin may be a waste of money. In my experience, it makes more sense to target specific vitamins & minerals. […]
One day, when my oldest son was very little, he and his best friend Julia presented themselves to me and asked for lunch. The fridge was pretty bare—I hadn’t gone to the grocery store yet. I had an apple, 2 slices of deli ham, 1 slice of cheese, a few crackers & possibly a pickle […]
My top Halloween tip- feed your kid a protein-rich meal & let ‘em rip!! I live in an amazing neighborhood for Trick or Treating and when my kids were little it was common to see hundreds of ghouls, witches, princesses, and Star Wars characters come up my front steps looking for candy. Sometimes I mixed […]
Lately I’ve been serving “Picky Dinner” (a lot, actually). Picky Dinner is as simple as opening the fridge and placing a variety of foods on the table—pick at this, pick at that. Add some hummus or other dip, maybe a few crackers or bit of bread. Some fruit or veggies that are wilting get put […]
We all carry forward lessons we’ve learned from our parents about foods and nutrition. Recently I was talking with my mom about the work that I do with families and she told me: “If your brother Peter complained because I made macaroni and cheese (not his favorite) for dinner, I’d remind him that there were […]