Real Mom Nutrition
A no-judgments zone about feeding a family.
Answers to your top questions about food and nutrition.
Here’s what you should know about “ultra-processed foods”–how they affect your health and what that means for your family. I wrote a shorter version of this post for my column on WebMD’s Food and Fitness Blog. Talk about “processed food” can make me twitchy. That’s because so much of it smacks of privilege, particularly the …
Are food dyes harmful to kids? Does artificial coloring make kids hyperactive? Here are the facts you need to know! Has your kid ever had a blue-stained tongue from a lollipop or pink frosting-smeared lips? And have you ever felt a twinge of worry, wondering whether those bright, colorful dyes are harmless or harmful–especially after …
Need some healthy lunch ideas for teenagers? Here’s some inspiration for you! Lunch for any kid can be challenging. But lunch for teenagers, with their growth spurt appetites and busy schedules, may have you considering Chipotle on repeat. I’ve got some inspiration for you, whether your teen is home for the summer or winter break–or …
It’s up to ALL of us to keep kids safe. Here are six important things all parents should know about food allergies. A few summers ago we were on a family vacation, sharing our first dinner in a rented beach house, when something went terribly wrong. A teenage family member had recently been diagnosed with …
Feeding teenagers can be tough! Here are some snack and meal ideas for teens, plus strategies to keep them well-nourished. My teenager was wandering the kitchen recently, opening the refrigerator, freezer, and cupboard doors, when he said something that drove home what teen hunger feels like: “What happens is that I’m hungry, so I eat …
Should kids drink Gatorade and other sports drinks? Find out the facts! I walked out of the grocery store the other day holding something unexpected on my shoulder: A case of brightly colored bottles of Gatorade. Why unexpected? For years, I lobbied to replace sports drinks with water on our local pee-wee soccer fields and …
Frustrated because your kid won’t eat dinner? Here’s a simple solution to help ease your stress–it worked for us! Got a child who just doesn’t want dinner? I did. When my younger son was a toddler, he went on a dinner strike that just about did me in. Though the situation eventually improved, dinner was …
Are your kids always hungry before dinner is ready? Here’s a strategy for snacks before dinner that won’t wreck their appetites. There’s nothing more maddening at mealtime than sitting down to a dinner you’ve spent 45 minutes preparing only to have your kids push aside their plates because they’re already full. On pretzels. Navigating the …
Farmers want you to have the facts! Here’s what three Ohio beef farm families want you to know. Thank you to the Ohio Beef Council for sponsoring this post. I’m partnering with them to bring you this information because I believe it’s important that we know where our food comes from and rely on fact, …
If you’d like to stop dieting and start enjoy all foods without guilt, Intuitive Eating is a non-diet approach that can help you. I wrote a shorter version of this post for WebMD. Find me over there on the Food & Fitness Blog, where I post regularly. Diets always sound doable on paper. But then …
Wondering whether cereal is good for kids? Here are the facts about cereal and sugar, pesticides, and more! If you routinely dug into bowls of cereal as a child but have been wondering lately if it’s a good choice for your OWN kids, this post is for you. Because while cereal remains the most-eaten breakfast …
Stumped about lunch? Here are 40 lunch ideas for kids at home, including lunches they can make themselves or you can make ahead. Lunch. Ugh, lunch. You already spend too much brain power drafting a dinner plan every week. It doesn’t seem fair that lunch is also a thing. Are your kids buying lunch at …
