Recently, at a conference I learned that Iodine is one of the most under consumed nutrients by kids. Iodine is essential for growth and brain development. Why aren’t kids getting enough of this vital nutrient? Kids are consuming less seafood, less cow’s milk, consuming more dairy alternatives (which are not fortified with Iodine) and eating […]
Special treats One summer when our kids were very little, my husband and I took a family vacation to Nova Scotia. We stayed in a cute cottage on the water and explored everything, marveling at the charm of the town. One of our favorite finds was an ice cream shop that had the yummiest ice […]
Parents often tell me that the schedule goes “off the rails” in the summertime and kids ask for snack after snack after snack after snack! Remember, consistent structure is a powerful strategy for feeding your kiddos. Stick to a general schedule of 3 meals and 2 snacks each day, reminding kids when eating happens and […]
Babies and toddlers can be such messy eaters….and that’s good! Remember how I’m always talking about exposures to foods in a variety of ways for picky eaters? When little ones smear food in their hair, miss their mouth with the spoon and get it on their cheeks, mush it all around the tray, they’re exploring […]
Frustrated parents often tell me “kiddo loves to cook but won’t eat anything that they make!” I love to hear that parents and kids cook together—it is a great strategy for introducing new foods (and individual ingredients), gives kids confidence and builds a strong connection with your kiddo. I respond to parents by asking them […]
Do you have a sunny spot in your yard to plant a few seeds? A few fast-growing options are radishes and lettuce. How about herbs such as chives, parsley or rosemary? Herbs grow well in a pot on a sunny windowsill. And don’t forget one of those upside-down hanging tomato planters—they look funny but work […]
Your kids are watching you! Did you know that you have a big influence on your child’s food choices? So often parents are worried that their kiddos aren’t eating veggies, but when we drill down, we find that parents aren’t eating veggies regularly either!! Be a good role model by letting your kids see you […]
Do you take your kids on adventures? How about a trip to a maple syrup farm or farmer’s market or strawberry picking? What about fishing or sledding? As my kids got older they had less interest in taking an “educational field trip” with me, so I rebranded these trips as Forced Family Fun! FFF is […]
I often say to parents “I don’t work for the New England Dairy Council so I don’t care if your kiddo drinks cow’s milk or not.” This is true! However, I follow that with “But it’s important to me that your kiddo gets the nutrition from another source if they don’t like milk”. There are […]
Are there times when kiddos will be pickier than others? Yup! Between 18-24 months and again between 5-6 years old most children will be a little tougher to feed. Toddlers are programmed to say NO! and are learning that they are independent little beings. Saying “no” to foods that they ate just yesterday can be […]