Real Mom Nutrition
A no-judgments zone about feeding a family.
Sometimes as parents, we get so hung up on what’s on our kids’ plates that we lose sight of the most important long term goals. In this guest post, registered dietitian and childhood nutrition expert Jill Castle shares three big picture goals you should be focusing on now–instead of stressing about how many bites of …
Whenever I speak with a group of parents, I always have at least one parent approach me at the end of my talk with a look of desperation on her face. “My child will ONLY EAT TWO FOODS!” she’ll say. “That’s it! What should I do?” I feel for those parents. But when I ask them more questions …
Last week I wrote about how feeding tweens is easier in many ways than feeding younger kids (read How Feeding A Tween Is Easier). But in some ways, it’s also harder. Here’s why: He’s busier. Schedules heat up as kids get older. There are school clubs and extracurriculars and a lot more homework. For many …
Every stage of parenting has its challenges, even when it comes to food. I can still vividly recall the painful breastfeeding struggles and maddening dinner table tantrums of years gone by. But my boys are now 7 and 11, and I’m happy to say that in many ways, feeding them is getting easier as they’re getting older. I’ve especially noticed this …
I am regularly in awe of my friend and colleague Katie Morford, the mom behind Mom’s Kitchen Handbook. Because not only does she pull together the most beautiful and interesting recipes with ease, but her three kids also EAT those beautiful and interesting dishes without a fuss. In fact, sometimes her kids cook those recipes all by themselves! There is no “adult …
For many parents, salad is the final frontier–something they really, really wish their kids liked (but alas, their kids just don’t). My strategy has always been to serve “Starter Salads” to my kids. And not for nothing, but that approach also worked on my husband, who now eats big salads nightly and orders them in restaurants even …
Is the “One Bite Rule” a good idea for kids? Here’s some advice–and some alternatives. My husband has a story from his childhood about eating a bite of lima beans. Or rather, not being allowed to leave the table until he had taken a bite of lima beans, and stubbornly sitting there long after dinner was …
I use the term “picky eater” on my blog as shorthand for behavior most of us are pretty familiar with: refusing new foods, preferring familiar foods, and generally being a pain in the neck at the dinner table. But though my kids have certainly displayed all of those behaviors, I’ve never actually called them picky. It’s a label that’s …
I’m partnering with the National Milk Life Campaign’s Back-to-School program. I was compensated for writing this post, but all opinions are (as always!) my own. “Family dinner” has a lovely ring to it. But it’s not always lovely (read: The Truth About Family Dinner). Family dinner can be especially hard when children are very young. …
Tired of being a short-order cook? Here’s how you can stop (TONIGHT!) and how to make it work. I was an extremely picky eater as a child, largely existing on buttered noodles, canned tuna, and Laverne & Shirley reruns for much of my childhood (read: I Was a Picky Eater. Here’s What I Want You …
Picky eating is very common among kids–but sometimes it’s more than just garden-variety pickiness. In their new book, Helping Your Child With Extreme Picky Eating, authors Katja Rowell MD and Jenny McGlothlin SLP define “extreme” picky eating (EPE) as not eating enough quantity or variety to support healthy emotional, physical, or social development, or eating patterns …
When you and your partner don’t agree on how to handle the everyday decisions and dilemmas about feeding your kids, especially when it comes to picky eating, it can make things tense and frustrating for everyone. It’s an issue I hear about almost every time I talk with a group of parents about feeding kids! So I asked …
