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 […]
Out of love, parents often attempt to teach their kids about nutrition so that they can be their healthiest. Unfortunately, this approach often backfires. Kids really don’t care about the Vitamin C in an orange or the importance of fiber. What they really want is for food to be fun and taste good! I’m all […]
Recently a parent asked me: What should I do when we go to a party at a friend’s house and there is lots of “junk” food. How do I keep my kiddo from overeating these foods? My first suggestion is to be sure that those (fun) foods are being served regularly at your home, so […]
Pasta is so easy to cook and super versatile. While plain pasta with butter is often pleasing to the younger crowd, older kiddos (and adults) might enjoy pesto sauce. Grab some basil and make your own. Red sauce is traditional, and can be boosted with the addition of roasted veggies, cooked chicken or ground beef. […]
Put your teens/tweens in charge! Assign a day each week that your tween/teen is in charge of planning and executing dinner. This allows you a day off 🙂 AND gives them practice creating a balanced meal. They’ll need guidance at first, but the payoff is huge! Start with a simple meal (you can use MyPlate […]
Introducing a NEW service at Coastal Family Nutrition! I’ve added Parent Coaching/Consult slots to my schedule (check it out here) where you and I can spend a whole hour chatting in person or via Zoom. Guiding parents toward solutions that work for their unique situation is my favorite way to support busy moms and dads. […]