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Episode 100: Why Are You So Tired? (Chronic Fatigue and Long Haulers with Dr. Evan Hirsch)
Way back when my husband and I were new-ish parents, he read a headline that talked about parents being “bone tired” at the end of the day. For years, we referred to that phrase: “We’re BONE TIRED. Parents are all BONE TIRED.” (Put a little lilt and emphasis on “bone” and you can hear us...
Episode 97: Teens Want to Be in Control. Here’s Why They’re NOT (& What They Can Do About it) Direct from a Teen Author of The Teen Health Revolution
There are very few podcast episodes where I insist, “Parents, go get your teens right now.” This is one of those episodes! My guest today is 17-year-old Abdullah Ansari, and listening to him talk about teen health, food, stress, tech, and purpose made my jaw drop more than once. Not because he sounded rehearsed or...
Episode 96: Coughs, Colds and Bees: How Honey and Other BEE Products Can Keep Our Kids Healthy! with Carly of Beekeeper’s Naturals
Coughs, Flu and School Germs, oh my! If cold-and-flu season causes tremors in your heart but you hate the idea of using over-the-counter drugs on your kids just to get through the night, I have great news: The bees got your back. Carly from Beekeeper’s Naturals joins us today to share about the power of...
Episode 84: What’s Really in Organic Food? Shocking Toxins, Label Loopholes, and Smarter Choices with Max Goldberg
Do you eat organic food? If you do – even a handful of fruits and vegetables – you might be in for a rude surprise when you listen to this interview. Max Goldberg is the founder of Organic Insider and one of the nation’s leading organic food experts. He sees significant room for improvement, really a NEED...
Episode 80: Concussion-Proof Your Kids: Building Strong, Healthy Brains & Helping Kids Recover and Thrive After a Knock on the Head with Dr. Spencer Zimmerman
My youngest got his first concussion at age 3. After this interview, I’m wondering if another child of mine has some post-concussion symptoms that we never realized had to do with a knock on the head! This interview is for parents of contact sport athletes FOR SURE but also anyone who wants to strengthen their...
Episode 79: Perimenopause May Be the Wisest and Best Years of Your Life – How to Make That Reality with Jenn Pike
I always thought menopause was something “older” women dealt with. You know, once the kids are gone and you’ve got gray hair and bifocals. But then… I hit 40. And weird stuff started happening. Was it perimenopause? Hormones? Stress? Just a fluke? Honestly, I didn’t know. I wasn’t even sure how to know—because no one really...
Episode 78: Healthy Sleep for the Whole Family with Dr. Whitney Roban
I’ll be honest: I’ve never had a consistent bedtime routine. I teach kids to cook real food, I help families get healthier… and yet when it comes to sleep? Total kryptonite. That’s why I knew I needed to bring in a real expert—someone who doesn’t just say, “You should get more sleep,” but actually shows...
Episode 75: The Real Root Cause of Eczema in Children: A Deep Dive with Deidre Bloomquist
My oldest struggled with eczema from time to time, but when our house presented us with a toxic mold issue, he really flared up. It was the worst we’d ever seen, and after 3 weeks of completely ditching gluten, dairy, and sugar (by his own choice and motivation), nothing had changed. It was heartbreaking! I...
Episode 70: Why Everything You Know About Vision is Wrong | Healthy Vision for Kids
If you’ve ever wondered whether your child’s struggle with reading, attention, or screen time is just a phase or something deeper… this episode is for you. I sat down with Dr. Bryce Appelbaum, a passionate and insightful functional eye doctor, and WOW! My eyes (pun totally intended) were opened. We tend to think of “eyesight”...
Episode 59: The Real Truth About Sugar AND Fake Sugar with Dr. Michael Goran of Sugarproof
When Dr. Michael Goran started researching children’s nutrition almost 40 years ago, he wasn’t looking at obesity, type 2 diabetes, or fatty liver disease. That wasn’t because his head was in the sand – those things didn’t exist in kids but now all 3 are becoming prevalent. What is going on??? Time and time again,...
Episode 55: Are You Breathing? You’re Probably Doing It Wrong | Proper Breathing Technique with Shirley Gutkowski
I’ve known about proper breathing technique and oral posture for over five years now and I’m STILL doing it wrong if I don’t focus on it! Seriously. Breathing. If you’ve ever thought about your breathing – and most of us don’t because it’s so automatic – you might notice that you feel differently when you...
Episode 53: Building Resilience & Reducing Stress in Kids: Interview with Jess Sherman
Depression and anxiety are plaguing our children, and stress is often a root cause…what can we do about it? Whether we actually live stressful lives or simply stress ourselves out (or social media plays a role in over-stimulating our amygdala and fight or flight response), there’s no doubt in my mind that Americans are experiencing...
Episode 51: Finding Nutrient Balance for Kids and Busy Families with Jess Donovan, Naturopath
Want to hear from a naturopath from down under? Jess Donovan, with her lovely Aussie accent, shares all sorts of goodness with us today on the Healthy Parenting Handbook, like: favorite immunity-boosting foods to recommend to busy families the best way to get probiotics integrated into your family common nutrient deficiencies in kids (and what...
Episode 47: Teens and Fertility | Hormone Health Is NOT Just About Having Babies
Ever felt like your kids or teens want to do the opposite of what you recommend? Dr. Mandy Patterson and I are both moms of teens, and we talk today about the perils of parenting and how we work around the resistance. She has some great tips for finding a way “in” to what your...
Episode 037: The Secret to Standing All Day (& Why Kids Should Do It at School!) with Juliet Starrett
What are your feet doing RIGHT NOW? Are you standing on them? If not…stand up and listen to this! I learned so much from Juliet Starrett, founder of one of first 50 CrossFit gyms in America who got passionate about kids’ mobility when she saw a HUGE problem at her daughter’s field day. She launched...
Episode 035: Combating Anxiety and Boosting Focus in Kids with Dr. Wiggy Saunders
We know that anxiety is affecting both kids and adults at alarming rates. We’ve discussed anxiety busters before on the Healthy Parenting Handbook, and today we’re completing the trifecta of experts with an MD who practices integrative medicine (we’ve already hosted a family therapist and a pediatric psychologist). Dr. Wiggy Saunders joins me to dive...
Episode 031: Seek Shade or Embrace the Sun? What to Look for in a Safe Sunscreen
Did you start to question the products you put on your kids’ skin once you were a mom? Meet Tatyana Cerullo, attorney, and formulator of Kokua Suncare, who came to that realization as she saw the legal system behind the marketing. We get so much conflicting information these days about whether the sun is something...
Episode 021: What is Your Kids’ Poo Telling You? with Dr. Elisa Song
For real, let’s talk about Kid POOP. Because it doesn’t get enough press! Dr. Song talks about kids’ poop with every patient at every visit. You’re going to love this interview! Dr. Elisa Song, MD, holistic pediatrician, joins me today with some very important instruction for parents and kids about WHY we need to be...
Episode 013: Stress Busting for Moms: One Simple Habit to Use Every Day!
Raise your thumb if you feel STRESS on a normal day! We busy moms (and dads) tend to experience stress and feel it right down to our breathing and heart rate, and it affects the way we parent, our productivity, and our own mental AND physical health. Today I’m so excited to use my stress...
Episode 012: Hope for Healing: Childhood Trauma and Resilience with Ryan Pink
Ryan Pink is a survivor. Like many of us, he’s faced some hard things, and has come out the other side swinging. In this episode, we dive pretty deeply into trauma – what it is and isn’t, and how we can protect our kids from trauma digging too deeply into them. Ryan walks through his...
Episode 007: Do Tics Start in the Gut? Answers for Families of Kids with Autism with Dr. Piper Gibson
I realized during this interview (and never before) that my own husband had a tic off and on for years in our early marriage and before. Seriously! He was always told it was either neurological/anxiety or that he should see an eye doctor (who didn’t know what to do). For years we tried to figure...
Episode 003: Why We Must Change (or Eradicate) the Idea of “Kid Food” with Bettina Elias Siegel
Chicken nuggets. Pizza. Burgers and fries. Mac and cheese. What do all those foods have in common? They’re identified as “kid food” by children and adults alike. What else? They’re often served in a highly processed, low-nutrient fashion, and I don’t see many veggies on the list. My guest today, Bettina Elias Siegel, has been...
Episode 002: A Pediatrician Speaks on What Kids Should Eat with Dr. Elisa Song
We all know that most pediatricians get about 2 hours of nutrition training, which means some of them give food advice and probably shouldn’t and most don’t bother with food at all. But FOOD is the ROOT CAUSE of so much of what ails our kids! Dr. Elisa Song goes above and beyond normal MD...
Episode 001: Welcome to the Healthy Parenting Handbook with Katie Kimball!
We’re so glad you’ve joined us, mindful parents, for this podcast on raising healthy, independent kids. In each episode of the Healthy Parenting Handbook Podcast, Katie Kimball, the national voice of healthy kids cooking, interviews experts in fields like nutrition, medicine, psychology, parenting, technology, entrepreneurship and more to help parents get tools to raise healthy,...
205: Anxiety and Food ARE Connected (What Parents Can Do to Calm Their Kids’ Brains) with Dr. Uma Naidoo, MD
Anxiety is increasing like CRAZY not only in adults, but our teens and even our precious little ones. Where is it all coming from? The pandemic played a role to be sure, but what happens TO us is only one piece of the puzzle. What’s happening IN our bodies and brains cannot be understated. Dr....
185: Your Child’s Eyes Need Care Too! (with Dr. Neda Gioia)
When it comes to functional medicine or whole body health, we often realize that everything is connected – BUT when is the last time your eye doctor asked you about nutrition? Dr. Neda Gioia joins me today to do just that, and truly opened my eyes (ha! Yes, pun intended!) to the interconnectivity of our...
169: Your Body Might Be Holding onto Something From Childhood – What That Looks Like and How You Can Release It with Dr. Meg Haworth
My husband and I have been talking a lot lately about the ACES study (Adverse Childhood Experiences Study) and how it seems like everyone in the world has trauma…except us. But then we wonder…maybe we just don’t know how to classify trauma. Dr. Meg Haworth is an expert on trauma both personally and professionally, and...
166: Could Toxic Mold Be a Root Cause of…ADHD? Picky Eating? Your Mystery Illness? with Mast Cell Activation Syndrome Expert Beth O’Hara
Beth’s story literally gave me goosebumps over and over. Can you imagine being in your late 20s and so sick that not a single health practitioner, natural or allopathic, can figure out what’s wrong with you?? Putting the pieces of the puzzle together took everything she had, and reversing her many chronic illnesses took even...
163: How to Predict your Child’s Future Health (in 20 minutes or less) with Dr. Brian Stenzler
What if you could have an idea of your child’s future health without drawing blood and testing genetics? Dr. Brian Stenzler can help you get that information in 20 minutes with his D.R.E.A.M. Wellness score, and we talk today about flipping quite a number of “health” paradigms on their heads. I left with a to-do...
157: Dr. Renee Wellenstein on Adrenal Dysfunction as a Root Cause of #mombrain
Raise your hand if you’re tired! A lot of mamas are feeling burnout more than ever before, and too many of us are wrongly diagnosed with depression or the classic mystery illness where your doc says, “I don’t know how to help you anymore – maybe you just need to sleep more.” Nope, doc, there...
148: Dr. Tom Moorcroft: Bacteria, Viruses, and Mystery “Chronic” Illnesses
Put your seatbelts and your thinking caps on, folks, this one is packed with info! Dr. Tom Moorcroft and I went deep about mystery illnesses (with “chronic” in quotation marks for a very good and inspiring reason) and we even circled around to the virus of the hour and how the long haul form is...
143: Empowering Health Agency with Homeopathy for Kids: An Overview and Inspiration with Joette Calabrese
I dabbled in homeopathy for years before taking a proper course and trying it out more seriously, and I wish I hadn’t waited! Simple, safe, and effective, practical homeopathy is a tool that truly every family needs in their toolbox to raise healthy, independent adults. If you’re a dabbler or curious, here’s my list of the...
142: How to Stay in Control of Your Immunity with Tsao-Lin Moy
We try to control a lot as a culture, even though we know that’s an illusion. And we certainly can’t “control” our health—BUT we can take steps to protect and build our immune system so we get sick less and recover faster! Acupuncturist Tsao-Lin Moy joins me today to talk about how we can identify...
130: Practical Solutions for Symptoms of ADHD with Dr. Hokehe Effiong
How about a board-certified pediatrician who Googled an answer for a struggling family, and opened up a whole new world of information and training for herself? Dr. Hokehe Effiong helps families struggling with symptoms of inattention and hyperactivity to avoid the ADHD label, see the potential in their children, dig down to the root cause(s),...
122: Why You Should Live a “Fertility Lifestyle” Your Whole Life (& How to Talk to Teens About Healthy Fertility) With Dr. Aumatma
I admit, I didn’t think much about my fertility when I was a teenager except to be annoyed once a month…but like many girls, I envisioned my life as a mom and fully expected it to happen with ease. In our world today, plenty of women don’t get to live that dream and suffer through...
118: Finding Balance Through Your Child’s Element
Understanding our kids and how they’re different from us (or the same in some ways!) can make a MASSIVE difference in the effectiveness of our parenting. You’ve heard of personality tests, introverts/extroverts, and all sorts of labels for how our kids behave—how about understanding your child’s “element?” I’m fascinated by this perspective brought through the...
102: Why “My Kid is Acting Crazy” Might be PANS/PANDAS with Dr. Roseann Capanna-Hodge
Some doctors say the whole idea of PANS/PANDAS is a hoax. But when you talk to practitioners who have brought children back to being themselves again after late-onset ADD, unexplained rages or mental confusion that no one can diagnose—it’s clear that this mental and physical diagnosis is not only real but a miracle for many...
101: Getting to the Root of Chronic Inflammation and Disease in Kids with Dr. Madiha Saeed
White sugar is ubiquitous in our society and wreaking havoc on our health. I’m thrilled to introduce you to my friend Madiha Saeed, M.D. In this interview we get into: How refined sugar causes inflammation Why inflammation is the root of so many diseases affecting modern humans The insulin resistance problem The difference between white,...
Q&A on Raising Healthy Kids with a Functional Medical Doctor
Today I’m here with Dr. Lauren Jefferis and we’re talking all about raising healthy kids by answering your questions! If you have a specific area of interest scroll below to see time stamps for each topic or watch the whole thing for some great advice to keep your kids healthy! Can’t see the video? View...
Simple Strategies to Relieve Anxiety as a Family
I love stress mastery for its impact on anxiety! Becoming a certified stress mastery educator was partly because I wanted to learn how to help others with this journey we’re on, but also because I needed these skills for myself! I’m so happy to have this foundation and knowledge to help us all through these...
87: Helping Your Child Manage Anxiety with Dr. Roseann Capanna-Hodge
Funny story – we filmed this interview before anyone knew what “quarantine” was or why the coronavirus was going to take over our lives…but boy, is it more relevant than ever!! We know that (even before all this) anxiety was becoming a big issue for kids of many ages. Dr. Roseann Capanna-Hodge is an expert...
80: Better Gut Health for Kids with “Buddies in my Belly” Creator Sarah Morgan
Have you ever tried to explain to a child how their gut microbiome works and impacts their health? Here at Kids Cook Real Food™, I’m a huge proponent of teaching our kids about their food: how it affects them, where it comes from, how to make it, what different nutrients do, all the things! Joining...
72: The Less-Sugar Solution for Kids
Are you fed up yet with all the sugar your kids are served outside your house (or even inside)? This is a great time of year to step back and consider the impact of sugar, learn where it’s hiding, and begin to implement some “less sugar” palate weaning tips for your kids….before Valentine’s Day hits....
64: How to Build a Healthy B.R.A.I.N. with Dr. Louise Swartswalter
Dr. Louise Swartswalter was at death’s door and on oxygen for 3 years when she was a special ed teacher juggling her two kids. If that’s not a serious health crisis, I don’t know what is! She wouldn’t accept being sick forever though, and her quest for health became a new passion and career. She...
62: Why Autism Spectrum Disorder Goes Beyond Behavior with Dr. Emily Gutierrez
Dr. Emily Gutierrez, DNP, CPNP, APRN, PMHS, IFM-CP, is an Institute of Functional Medicine trained Mental Health Specialist and owner of Neuronutrition Associates. Is autism a behavior disorder or a physiological disease? You might be surprised to hear Dr. Emily Gutierrez’s perspective that there is always a physical root cause that is affecting the brain...
54: What’s it Like for a Kid to Get Diagnosed with a Food Allergy?
If you’re a kid, finding out you have to cut dairy because of an intolerance is NO fun. Even though as a family we knew how to do an elimination diet with kids, making it work longer term was tricky. How much does it stink to not be able to eat your favorite foods??!!?? My...
53: Could You Live Without Dairy? Why (& How) You Probably Should Try it & How Not to Die Trying (Interview with Sheila Kilbane, MD)
Dr. Sheila Kilbane can spot a child with high inflammation walking down the street! But many parents can’t even see it in their own kids – dark circles under the eyes, mouth breathing/snoring, red ears or cheeks, eczema and more. Inflammation is a more prominent problem than most people think (even medical doctors), and it’s...
51: Food is Medicine: No More Waiting for a Diagnosis!
If we believe food is medicine, we have to stop waiting for a diagnosis before we do something about it! On today’s edition of The Healthy Parenting Connector, I’ll share a bit of what I challenged a few hundred natural health practitioners to do in their practices two weeks ago from a big stage—the best...
37: Interview with Nutritionist Sara Vance on Why We’ve Broken Our Collective Metabolism
Ever hear someone say, “He’s just skinny because he has a high metabolism?” Or used this one: “I have trouble losing weight because I have such a slow metabolism…” ? What about our kids? Are there things we can do, habits we can set, foods we can eat, to CHANGE their metabolism and set them...
30: Listening to Our Skin with Keira Barr, M.D. – Is Yours Screaming Something Important?
Can you imagine diagnosing yourself with skin cancer? Dermatologist Dr. Keira Barr had that terrifying experience and it changed the way she listened to her skin – which she says had been screaming at her since her childhood to listen up. In today’s interview about skin health – which ends up being about our whole...
27: Why Posture Will Change Your Life with a Physical Therapist and Bone Health Expert
Margie Bissinger, MS, PT, CHC, is an osteoporosis expert, physical therapist and integrative health coach who believes bone health starts with good posture. Tech neck? Text neck? Whatever we call it, we can’t deny that we spend WAY too much time looking down these days! Alarmingly, it’s changing the shape of our spine. 😮 I...
26: How to Get My Husband to Eat Healthier
Raise your hand if you WISH your spouse felt the same way about healthy eating, natural living and/or parenting strategies as you! That would have been me for almost ten years, but all of that has changed. It’s been a long road, and today, my 10-year anniversary of helping families stay healthy without going crazy...
21: Got Eczema? Tummy Trouble? Quenching Inflammation in our Kids – an Interview with Sheila Kilbane, MD
America is inflamed! Our kids are suffering in so many ways from inflammation – know any little ones with eczema, constipation, tummy troubles, recurring infections, chronic congestion, mouth breathers, bumps on the backs of their arms? You (and they) need this information about how diet will help bring inflammation down!! It even affects how responsive...
New Food Rules for Kids: How to Eat Healthy in Spite of Government Recommendations
Don’t tell me to eat 6-11 servings of grains every day. Don’t tell me the butter on my toast isn’t good for me. Don’t make me put crackers on a plate with pizza just to get in enough grains in one meal. I’m grateful I live in a democracy where the government just makes recommendations...
19: Why We Should Worry About Toxins & What to Do? Lara Adler Interview
What’s that smell? If you have scented candles or appliances in your home, flowery shampoo or fragrant laundry, and you don’t want to mess up your kids’ hormones, this is really important. When I asked environmental toxins expert Lara Adler what one simple step parents should take to begin cutting toxins out of their home,...
17: Healing from Concussion (& Kicking Motion Sickness) with Functional Neurology
Heal brain injuries with chiropractor Dr. Brian Hanks, DC. Got kids in soccer, hockey, football or cheerleading? Do they jump on a trampoline or ride a bike? You need this info about how to heal a concussions and brain health!!! When my 3yo got a concussion this summer, we took him to a functional neurologist...
16: Mastering Social & Emotional Learning in the Kitchen
Did you know 50% of employers are having trouble finding qualified people to take the good career jobs they have open? It’s not technical skills or education…applicants are lacking communication, adaptability, decision-making, and problem-solving skills needed to do the job well. Find out how to expand your child’s brain and balance their independence in the...
10: Helping Kids with Depression & Anxiety: Interview with Dr. Kelly Brogan
Kelly Brogan, MD is an expert in fighting depression and anxiety as a psychiatrist and author. Statistics are grim: 1/3 of our kids and teens experience anxiety or depression, and we’ve seen a massive increase in recent years. Why is there so much anxiety and depression in kids? It’s National Depression Awareness Month – but...
Episodes 102 & 103: 5 Steps to Meal Planning on a Budget for Teens and Young Adults
We just celebrated 10 years of teaching kids to cook online, which honestly feels surreal. It still feels like yesterday that we were filming the very first lessons, crossing our fingers, and wondering if anyone would even want this. Fast forward a decade and nearly 20,000 families served, and the answer is clear. This work...
Easy Sheet Pan Taco Recipe | Quick Dinner Kids Love!
This is a guest post from Mary Voogt of Just Take a Bite! Taco night. Taco Tuesday. The best night of the week. Whatever you prefer to call it, taco night is usually a family favorite. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who doesn’t like tacos (and I work with picky eaters!)....
Episode 58: Kids Cooking Dinner? Teach Your Kids To Cook an Entire Meal…By Themselves!
Imagine with me…your kids can take over a whole dinner meal and cook it themselves while you get something else done! It’s a dream that has become reality times three for me here at the Kids Cook Real Food™ household. I realized I’ve shared the process we used to gradually release cooking responsibility and teach...
Episode 030: Solving the Summer Snacks Dilemma
Grabbing a piece of whole fruit or a popsicle are both fast, easy, and refreshing in the summer. But will they give your kids fuel for summer play? We know we’ll be asked about snacks approximately 5,287 times…in June. 😉 Nobody wants that! Here are some ideas to keep snacking running smoothly and prevent hungry...
Top 10 Life Skills to Teach Your Kids Before They Turn 18
When I was a kid, I never once said, “I want to be a digital entrepreneur when I grow up.” I never had “be a TEDx speaker” on my bucket list (did bucket lists exist in the 80s??). I always and only wanted to be a teacher. Luckily, my parents passed on skills like a...
197: Kids Cook Real Food’s Favorite Kitchen Tools for Kids
It’s a fine balance when it comes to kids between using real tools and making sure things are the right size and developmental level. I’m a strong proponent of giving kids real tools, because I don’t want them to feel like they are being talked down to, nor do I want them to learn improper...
173: How Mindset Builds Motivation & Confidence in the Kitchen
“How do I get my kids to WANT to cook?” parents often ask. Here’s your answer! (And pro tip: it starts with US and our own wants…) Want to get your kids started in the kitchen? Check out my Healthy Snacks SkillLab, a set of videos to help you and your kids make a variety...
171: Teaching Kids to Grocery Budget and Cook for Themselves (Even in Times of Inflation) with Stephani Jenkins of Cheapskate Cook
“We live in a culture with a lot of entitlement,” Steph Jenkins said during this interview. That’s not a word in her family’s vocabulary, because they’re all about boundaries, budgets, and priorities. When food prices rise, she doesn’t complain about how much she’s spending, she makes a conscious decision whether she’ll increase her grocery budget...
Using Kids Cook Real Food with Your Homeschool Curriculum | Homeschool Cooking Class
Home economics classes have plummeted in the last decade, to the point where I’m thrilled if I hear of any school that offers cooking in their curriculum. Homeschooling, of course, is a perfect opportunity to teach what you want to your kids and make your own priorities. For many families life skills, like learning to...
Teaching Boys to Cook with Kids Cook Real Food
Teaching boys to cook is just as important as teaching girls! Let’s look at the benefits and some tips for teaching boys to cook. In our family, we have more boys than girls. Leah, number two in birth order, sobbed for 10 minutes when she found out baby number four wasn’t going to even the...
How to Teach Kids to Cook When You Don’t Like Messes
But my kids are so messy in the kitchen! If you can’t stand the mess your kids make in the kitchen and it’s stopping you from teaching them how to cook, you’re not alone! It’s one of the most common roadblocks to getting kids in the kitchen that I hear from parents. How can you...
The Best Cookbooks for Kids in 2025
I’ve always told parents that even having the best cookbooks for kids in the world won’t make enough difference if your kids don’t have any cooking skills. No one likes feeling frustrated! And when beautiful pictures in a kid’s cookbook get your child all motivated to cook, they pull out the ingredients and get started—and...
145: 5 Tips for Teaching Kids to Cook
Today I’m going through my top 5 tips to help you stress less while teaching your kids to cook! Don’t allow overwhelm to prevent you from connecting with your kids in the kitchen while you pass on valuable life skills! It’s the season for making memories with your kids in the kitchen! Use these tips...
Nervous About Kids in Your Kitchen? Here’s the Nudge You Need to Start Kids Cook Real Food!
Today, I have Jenna back to share some motivation with you! (Here she is talking about why she taught her kids to cook.) If you’re nervous about having kids in your kitchen slowing things down, you are not alone! Jenna will give you a little kick in the pants today to convince you to just...
How to Build Confidence in Kids (Authentically! No Empty Praise!)
One of the best feelings as a parent is watching your child come alive doing something they love. My kids have surprised me with what brings this to fruition. It hasn’t been standard things like soccer, or dance, or theater, or even academics. It’s been frogs, toads, and snakes. Planning parties for others. Climbing over...
Raddish Kids Review | Are Raddish Kids Recipes Healthy?
A while ago, I wrote a comparison between the Raddish Kids subscription box and Kids Cook Real Food™. Both services are definitely perfect for kids who love to cook, or kids who want to learn to cook. I don’t see us as competition but as complementary. Now that I’ve actually gotten my hands on a...
Teaching Your Kids to Cook For Their Future Health
Today, I’m sharing a member story from Jenna, mom of 4 who used Kids Cook Real Food™ to teach her kids to cook so that they wouldn’t be as clueless as she was as a young adult. If you want to set them up for a healthy adulthood, teaching your kids to cook is vital....
How to Get Started Teaching Kids to Cook | Just Jump In and Be Flexible!
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when you hear that I recommend that parents get started teaching kids to cook when they’re only about 2 years old! How do you get started teaching kids to cook that young? What if you don’t even feel confident in your own cooking, how will you teach someone else? If...
How Teaching Life Skills Kept This Family Afloat During a Crisis
One of our member families had an experience where teaching life skills (like cooking!) kept their family afloat during a rough season. Here’s Sara to explain how Kids Cook Real Food™ has impacted their family! My ultimate goal when we joined Kids Cook Real Food™ was to work on life skills. As a mom, you...
132: Top 3 Tips for Teaching Kids to Cook This Summer
Will this summer bring opportunities like no other? You can choose to be intentional with this time and infuse both fun, quality family time, and practical skills that will last a lifetime. I’m a big believer in goals for our families, even if we’ve felt we have missed goals in the past. Better to set...
Kids Cook Real Food Review: Gaining Connection, Confidence, and Creativity Together
If you’ve been on the fence with Kids Cook Real Food™, but aren’t convinced yet, you need to read Lori’s stories below about her two girls building connection, confidence, and creativity as they took our cooking course! Lori’s girls have awed us all with their sharp knife skills, perfect pouring, and share some humor as...
Cooking Classes for Tweens: Motivating Tweens to Cook Gains Time Back for Mom!
Our eCourse was the solution to this mom’s desire to pass on her love of cooking, teach her kids life skills and find skill-based cooking classes for tweens. Read on to hear their story! Getting kids in the kitchen definitely supercharges confidence and creativity for your kids, but it’s not always easy to get started....
124: Recipe for Picky Eaters: Kids Make Blended Green Soup Recipe
Parents who really want to raise their kids to be healthy, independent adults spend a lot of time searching for recipes for picky eaters… ..recipes to get kids to eat veggies… …recipes to sneak in veggies… That’s not the most effective way to get picky eaters to eat vegetables, and it’s certainly not the most...
At What Age Should a Child Start Cooking?
When I was a young mom with just one baby who grew into just one toddler, I was determined to do everything right. I was fortunate to attend a Montessori School for my own preschool and kindergarten, and those ideals never left me. I wanted my child involved in practical life skills from an early age,...
The BEST Way to Teach Kids to Cook: Skills Not Recipes!
Teaching kids to cook isn’t actually all about finding great recipes. To truly empower kids in the kitchen, build foundations much like you’d teach a child to read. See how Mary taught her kids to cook in just 2 weeks! I passed an elementary school the other day and saw quite a collection of massive...
The Worst Time To Let Kids Help In The Kitchen
How many times do you expect to prepare food for your family today? Three? Four? More than that? If you’ve got kids, I wouldn’t be surprised at all if you say four or more times, because I’m right there with you. Eating real food takes a lot of TIME, and it turns out that’s one...
Why Teaching Children to Cook Before Age 5 is Vital for Parenting
When I was young, I used to sell painted rocks. My poor neighbors! I also charged 25 cents for 2-dimensional paper bows, colored with the most amazing self-professed 5-year-old artistic talent. And I used to create menu prototypes for the restaurant I would open, highlighting my signature recipe: Crunchy Tuna Tacos I made this one...
Healthy Breakfast Recipe: Soaked Whole Grain Pancakes
Breakfast with the kids! We started last night to “soak” our very favorite whole grain pancake recipe and want to show you how flexible cooking can be. Don’t have whole wheat flour? White AP flour, gluten-free, spelt, etc have all worked in this recipe! Running out of milk or worried you might? Swap for water...
The Kids Cook Real Food Approved List of Healthy Snacks for Kids
Since the pandemic started, I’ve been connecting with a lot of parents and listening to their biggest concerns around food. Particularly when I was presenting on how to raise more adventurous eaters and reduce picky eating power struggles for families, busy moms kept asking for a list of healthy snacks for kids....
Cooking Video for Kids: Crowd Pleasing Hamburger Soup with Pickles!
This recipe is my kids’ ultimate favorite, but a big tip: It’s ALL about the pickles!!! Cheeseburger soup (or “hamburger soup” as we call it now since we add cheese at the table b/c one of us is dairy-free) truly tastes like a bowl full of cheeseburger, but you don’t need 3 pounds of meat...
Cooking Video For Kids: Whole Wheat Happy Rolls :)
Never made yeast dough before? It’s hard to mess this up, promise! I may have even added a bit too much and they were still very very good! Make whole wheat rolls with us! Whole Wheat Rolls You’ll learn the science behind yeast and how gluten works too because we love integrating all the subjects...
Cooking Video for Kids: Pizza Margherita Recipe (Sneak Peek from Chef Junior!)
Be still my heart…I don’t dare enter the kitchen anymore during kids’ cooking night because I kibitz too much, but I know the kids have fun and do a great job. You and I both get a peek into what Paul and Leah do on Wednesday nights! This week they made one of Paul’s recipes...
Cooking Video for Kids: Knife Safety for Kids (Ages 2-12)
I grabbed all four of my kids from playing outside on this beautiful sunny day to teach you the skill we feel is most important in any kitchen: knife skills. Grab a banana, a carrot, an apple, a potato, and a willing child… And let’s get to work! Can’t view the video? Watch it here...
Cooking Video for Kids: Kale Chips Kids Love! Seriously, My Kids LOVE These
Kale chips are an incredible side dish as far as nutrients go, they’re perrrrfect for little ones to help with independently, and my kids literally include, “Thank you God for kale chips at dinner,” during evening prayers, they like them so much. If you have some kale, time to use it! If you’re still shopping,...
Cooking Video for Kids: Instant Pot Mexican Lentils and Rice Recipe
We’ll show you how to make a super simple, inexpensive dish that’s full of flavor – whatever flavor you choose! This is truly a “choose your own adventure” meal. It can be made in the Instant Pot and we show you how to make it Mexican, but we also like Italian – what other flavors...
How to Teach a Preschooler to Carry a Plate
This is a game-changer, parents!! When your 2 through 5-year-olds can carry dishes carefully, they can properly participate in family life by setting the table, clearing smaller food after a meal, and taking in their own plate to the dishwasher. I believe that our little kids are capable of so much more than we give...
Easy Snacks for Kids: Homemade Blender Hummus Recipe
NO food processor (or adults) needed for this healthy snack! My kids will show you how easy homemade hummus is and how they even cut the veggies to go with it. Healthy Snack Kids Can Make Hummus and veggies are a great healthy snack! It contains protein, fat, and carbs for a balanced and long-lasting...
Kids Cooking Video: Homemade Ranch Dip for Veggies
Homemade snacks are so easy! Watch how your kids can make homemade ranch dressing and vegetables 100% on their own. The perfect snack! Most ranch dressings contain MSG (a neurotoxin), soybean oil (highly processed and no good), and added sugars (is that really necessary?)! Your kids can make this homemade ranch dip with healthy ingredients...
Healthy Dessert Recipe Kids Love: Dessert Hummus (3 Ways!)
Have you tried the “dessert hummus” you’ve seen in Aldi and other places? Did you know it’s EASY and INEXPENSIVE to make at home!?! Today’s video is a super fun snack or dessert made from pantry staples. It’s one of Leah’s favorite treats right now! We have three kinds of dairy-free dessert hummus and will...
Kids Cooking Video: Potato Pancake Recipe
This Latke recipe (also called potato pancakes) is written in my own hand from 1988, when I would have been in third grade. Food has always been a part of my history, and this traditional dish from my Polish heritage is a perennial favorite. When I first served them to my husband, he was incredibly...
Cooking Video for Kids: Healthy Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Recipe
This frugal BBQ chicken recipe is a great staple recipe! My kids and I make it several times a month. It can be made in the slow cooker or Instant Pot and it’s free of gluten, grains, eggs, dairy, nuts, soy, corn, sweeteners (optional), and more – so simple to feed everyone! I don’t know...
Cooking Video for Kids: Instant Pot Mac and Cheese Recipe
Mac and cheese is a cinch in the Instant Pot! It comes together so quickly and easily you might think you forgot a step the first time you try it! 😉 You don’t even need to be able to boil water or know when pasta is done for it to come out perfect! Since my...
Healthy Breakfast Kids Can Make: Homemade Grain-Free Quiche Recipe
Imagine waking up on a Saturday morning without a kid yell-whispering “I’m hungry!” in your face. Instead, you come out of your room to see your kids preparing breakfast! Sounds like a dream huh? Now, I’m not saying you should send your 3-year-old to the kitchen to make breakfast for the family, but you might...
Cooking Video for Kids: Healthy Homemade Salad Dressing Recipe
Homemade dressing time!! We use this recipe in our Kids Cook Real Food™ course for intermediate kids to practice measuring… But today we are going to go ironic on that. My goal is to show families how flexible cooking from scratch can be, and how much room there is for error. So we aren’t really...
Healthy Dessert Recipe: Healthy(ish) Brownie with a Secret Surprising Ingredient!
These brownies have a very surprising ingredient that you probably have in your pantry right now…sometimes we serve them as breakfast because they have so many redeeming qualities and just some honey as a sweetener. 🙂 Healthy Dessert Recipe The recipe is from my eBook “The Everything Beans Book.” I know, a brownie recipe in a...
Cooking Video for Kids: How to Make Instant Pot Rice and Beans
Rice and beans are a classic frugal meal made from shelf-stable pantry staples. Today we’ll show you how to make our favorite rice and bean meal in the Instant Pot and give you some options to mix up the flavors in this cheap family dinner. Recipes Kids Can Make If your kids are old enough...
Healthy Snacks for Kids: Homemade Energy Bite Recipe Kids Can Make
I can’t justify spending over $1 each on brand name fruit and nut bars when it’s so easy to make them at home. Here are 2 varieties of nutrient-dense, enzyme-rich bars that are easy to pack, easy to eat, and fairly painless to put together. These quick and easy homemade energy bites can be formed...
Cooking Video for Kids: Cabbage Salad Recipe Kids Can Make
Cabbage is a great green vegetable with lasting power, so if I want to only shop every two weeks, I get lettuce for week 1 salad and cabbage for week 2. Today we will show you a Saint Patrick’s Day inspired cabbage salad that we make all the time… Leah just asked, “Where is the...
91: Chef Junior Kid’s Cookbook Authors on Kids Setting BIG Goals
It’s still crazy to think that my 15-year-old son (and his friends) are published authors. I’m beyond honored to have interviewed them for a Healthy Parenting Connector episode, especially after getting to listen in to their 5 TV appearances and 3 other podcast interviews!! They’re so poised and articulate! We want to show you today...
Kids Cooking Video: Healthy, 2 Ingredient Gelatin (Homemade Jello Recipe)
One of the greatest joys of my kitchen is watching my kids devour and truly enjoy real, nourishing food, especially when it’s not particularly kid-friendly in most people’s eyes. I’m proud of them for being counter-cultural. The second best kitchen moments in the Kimball household? Successfully making fun food that looks like other kids’ food...
Easy Snacks for Kids: Famous Homemade Granola Bar Recipe
Today I’m sharing our famous homemade granola bar recipe! This easy snack for kids has been a favorite recipe on Kitchen Stewardship for a long time and we are excited to show you how simple it is! This recipe can be adapted to be gluten-free, dairy-free, or nut-free. Plus we have a magic re-toasting trick...
Teaching Responsibility to Kids: Get Them in the Kitchen!
We’re all familiar with the stereotypical 30-year-old adult living in the basement, right? Contributing little inside or outside of the home and still relying on parents to cook, clean, and do the laundry? I think most of us would agree that is not what we want for our kids. Our goal as parents is to...
81: How to Sharpen Knives for Kids (and Why?)
Yes, we let kids use sharp knives! In fact, sharp knives are much safer than dull knives, because you don’t need as much pressure, therefore there’s less of a chance the knife will slip and hit something it shouldn’t. In today’s tutorial video, my kids and I demonstrate 3 different kinds of knife sharpeners, all...
78: Kids Learn REAL Texas Barbeque
When you start cooking early in the afternoon and have a professional firefighter running the pit…Mmmmm, mmmm, BEST meat we’ve ever tasted! Watching this video that my 14-year-old son Paul edited for us brings tears to my eyes, a smile to my face, and joy to my heart. It’s so special to connect with friends...
Top 10 Christmas Gifts for Kids Who Love to Cook
I’m practical to a fault, and I’m probably boring sometimes to my friends in real life. But when it’s time to put away the Christmas gifts, there’s a certain joy in NOT having to ask, “Oh boy…where can this go? Do we need to buy a tub to contain all the little pieces? Do we...
61: What Are the Best Kitchen Knives for Kids? {Review}
One question I get asked a lot here at Kids Cook Real Food™ is: “What are the best knives for kids?” On today’s Healthy Parenting Connector, we’ve got all our kid knives out and we’ll be going over the pros and cons of each to help you decide which knives will suit your needs best!...
50: Kids Cook Homemade Vanilla Pudding
What motivates kids to get in the kitchen? Wanting something good to eat and realizing they can make it themselves!! My daughter cuts up all sorts of lovely fruit (melons, apples, peaches) because SHE wants to eat them, and the whole family benefits. She also decided she wanted to make something fun and chose homemade...
46: Lesson for Kids: How to Make Homemade Caesar Dressing
My family eats Caesar dressing at an alarming rate, both on salads and as a dip for raw veggies, but most commercial Caesar is made with soybean oil, highly inflammatory and NO good for us! Today I teach my 10-year-old daughter how to make homemade Caesar dressing since it’s a little bit tricky of a...
40: Kids Demo Homemade Grain-free Pizza
When we went grain-free for a while, pizza night disappearing was one of the saddest parts! Then I found a crazy-good almond flour crust, and back it came! But then…baby #4 had an egg allergy, so I had to get the eggs out of the crust…and then daughter discovered a dairy intolerance, ay yi yi,...
35: How to Teach Kids to Clean Up the Kitchen
Kids are messy in the kitchen!!! Parents tell me this all the time, which means it must be part of the hard job of parenting to teach them to clean up. We’re still working on it in the Kids Cook Real Food™ household, but we have some tried-and-true after-dinner routines that we’d like to share with...
29: Kids Make Homemade Guacamole as a Healthy Snack
When my son Paul was in fourth grade, he had to do a “how-to” speech for his class. He could have taught anything from raising a caterpillar to swinging a baseball bat, but I nudged him in the direction of food. “What about a healthy snack kids can make? You love making homemade guacamole…” He...
24: Homemade English Muffins and Freeze-able Breakfast Sandwiches
Need an easy, freezer-friendly breakfast that is homemade and will keep your kids full of energy for a busy school morning? Teach them to make homemade English muffins and then add bacon and eggs…mmmm! These homemade English muffins are so easy even kids can make them! They are a “special treat” in our house because...
Organizing for a Kid-Friendly Kitchen
We moms always have a lot on our plates. One that I struggle with is balancing the need to cook for my family with the need to slow down and teach my little ones how to cook, and then the need to do silly things with them and play and read books and help with...
10 Snacks Your Preschooler Can Make Today
The proud look on my little ones’ faces when they make something for the family (or themselves) to eat is none other than priceless. And it’s even cuter the younger they are! Although my big kids can do quite a lot in the kitchen and have quite a list of recipes they can make, what...
That Time I Realized My 1st Grader Never Used a Butter Knife
This post is by contributing writer, Bethany Wright. We all have those moments in parenting. I’m not referring to those glowing, warm fuzzy moments. (Like when your child spontaneously declares, “Mommy, you’re the BEST mommy in the WHOLE world.” This actually happened today. Hence, I’m recording this for all posterity…) No, I’m referring to those moments...
The Best EFFECTIVE Trick for No Tears Onion Cutting…so Easy, a Kid Can Do It
I’ve read a LOT of tips for not crying while cutting onions. When I used to stock my freezer regularly with diced onions, I cut a bunch at a time using a little chopper. Believe me, folks, the tears were flowing! Could I find a way to cut onions without crying? I tried doing the...
7 Things You Should Never Let Your Children Do in the Kitchen
You know you’re a parent when… You glance sideways while doing dishes and say to your 2-year-old, “Stop banging on the dishwasher with knives…” And THEN your brain clunks into gear and you realize: Gah! Knives! Of course your next move is to calmly remove the knives from the tiny child’s hands and figure out a safer way...
15: Our Favorite Dish to Pass: Potato Salad Made by the Kids
Potlucks and holiday parties are a cinch when we have to bring a dish to pass, because we always bring our family favorite! Homemade potato salad has a lot of steps, but the work is made easier when everyone has a task. We don’t use a recipe but rather a “framework” for success: Per serving:...
14: How to Make Homemade Pasta | Interview with Chef Jeremy Paquin
Do professional chefs always learn to cook at a young age? I interviewed Chef Jeremy Paquin, executive chef at Grove Restaurant in Grand Rapids, and you might be surprised by his answer! This chef LOVES vegetables and he has the most creative ways to think about them, cook them, and present them. He talks about...
13: Reading Nutrition Labels Part 2: Don’t Be Tricked!
Don’t be TRICKED by food packaging trying to tell you something is healthy using sneaky language! This video is meant for kids ages 8-18 and adults who love them. I explain the truth about low-fat foods, is “whole grain” healthy, the 2 ingredients banned in our household (and how to find them), and a quick...
12: Reading Nutrition Labels for Kids Part 1
Wish your kids understood what was in the food they eat? Here’s a tutorial on reading nutrition labels from the voice of healthy kids cooking, elementary teacher, and mom of 4. Grab your kids to watch this video which was made just for them! They’ll learn: How to read an ingredients list including those pesky...
08: Teach Kids to Cook: Mudballs, Easy Healthy Allergy-Friendly Snack
What kid wouldn’t want to eat mud for fun? 🙂 Want a little peek into my real kitchen? In our course we borrow someone else’s beautiful kitchen, have a professional film crew, and a week of planning. Sometimes it’s fun to just turn our camera on and record what we do on a normal day....
Homemade Ice Cream Without an Ice Cream Maker
Ever wished you could make homemade ice cream without having to buy yet another appliance? The kids are the stars of the show in this video. Watch as they show you a really fun, interactive way to enjoy ice cream at home. It’s so low tech, you can do this camping or in your backyard,...
06: Kid-Friendly, Efficient Kitchen Tour
Want a peek into my real kitchen? I’m often asked what my kitchen set-up is like, and today I’m inviting you all into my somewhat orange-ish, ugly kitchen to share some gems of organization and efficiency. My hope for you families and parents is that you get just one little tip today, or two or...
05: How Chef Clark Frain Got Started + Margherita Pizza Demo for Kids!
How does a professional chef get started in the kitchen? I interviewed Chef Clark Frain, executive chef at Terra GR restaurant, and his answer actually shocked me. In spite of his beginnings and his favorite food as a kid that made me cringe a little, I loved chatting with a real chef and watching his...
04: How to Pack a Healthy School Lunch
Do I love packing lunches? Does it invigorate my spirit? Heck no. Still boring. Still annoying. Still would rather be reading a good book! BUT we do find ways to make variety happen because we’re committed to eating healthy, nourishing food at every meal. Check out how we keep it simple AND involve the kids...
03: Kids Spiralizing LIVE Demo
The kids and I wanted to show you teamwork in action in the kitchen today – we’re spiralizing some zoodles (zucchini noodles) with 3 different spiralizers. Watch how we set up the space and have all hands on deck, and wait until you see the mini spiralizer that’s so easy you won’t believe it! See...
01: Easy Homemade Ice Cream Recipe
Ever wished you could make homemade ice cream without having to buy yet another appliance? The kids are the stars of the show in this video. Watch as they show you a really fun, interactive way to enjoy ice cream at home. It’s so low tech, you can do this camping or in your backyard,...
Episodes 102 & 103: 5 Steps to Meal Planning on a Budget for Teens and Young Adults
We just celebrated 10 years of teaching kids to cook online, which honestly feels surreal. It still feels like yesterday that we were filming the very first lessons, crossing our fingers, and wondering if anyone would even want this. Fast forward a decade and nearly 20,000 families served, and the answer is clear. This work...
Episode 101: Raising Work-Ready Teens Through Leadership and Life Skills with Arthur C. Woods
Somewhere between “I can do hard things” and “Can you order for me?” is a whole lot of teen growth waiting to happen. Arthur C. Woods has spent decades working with teens, and he brings a refreshingly practical take on leadership that starts way earlier than a title, a team captain badge, or a future...
Episode 97: Teens Want to Be in Control. Here’s Why They’re NOT (& What They Can Do About it) Direct from a Teen Author of The Teen Health Revolution
There are very few podcast episodes where I insist, “Parents, go get your teens right now.” This is one of those episodes! My guest today is 17-year-old Abdullah Ansari, and listening to him talk about teen health, food, stress, tech, and purpose made my jaw drop more than once. Not because he sounded rehearsed or...
Episode 77: Teaching Teens About Money: Budgeting, Stress, and Starting Smart Conversations
Let’s be honest, teaching kids about money can feel intimidating. It’s one of those “adulting” topics we know they need, but if we didn’t grow up with great financial habits ourselves, how can we pass on something we’re still figuring out? That’s why I sat down with my friend Crystal Paine for a conversation every...
Episode 47: Teens and Fertility | Hormone Health Is NOT Just About Having Babies
Ever felt like your kids or teens want to do the opposite of what you recommend? Dr. Mandy Patterson and I are both moms of teens, and we talk today about the perils of parenting and how we work around the resistance. She has some great tips for finding a way “in” to what your...
Episode 46: Sharing the Mental Load of Cooking Responsibility
I see a lot on social media about the “mental load” that women especially carry. Meal planning, grocery shopping, cleaning the house, getting kids where they belong on time, making sure they have proper snacks and meals if they won’t be home for dinner, homework, emails from everywhere… It’s a LOT. And a lot of...
23 Highest Paying Jobs for Teens They Can Start This Week
This post was written by Marjolein Dilven of Radical FIRE. Jobs for teens and high school students aren’t the easiest to find — the job can’t require a ton of experience, be part-time (because, school), offer enough pay to make a dent in your college fund, and most importantly, be solid enough that you can...
Episode 022: Nurturing Young Skeptics: Essential Guide to Teaching Critical Thinking to Kids and Teens with Kathy Gibbens
When is the last time your kids were learning something in school and you got totally pulled in? That happened to today’s podcast guest, Kathy Gibbens, when her daughter was learning logic and critical thinking in middle school, and Kathy became a mom on a mission. She realized critical thinking is, well, critical to our...
203: Don’t Have “the Talk” with Your Girls – How Fertility Empowers Pre-Teens and Beyond with Grace Emily Stark and Jackie Aguilar of Natural Womanhood
Ladies, how many of your friends have some sort of issue that has to do with hormones (rhetorical question)? Thyroid, infertility, estrogen dominance, acne, mood swings, migraines, painful periods, rough peri or actual menopause, etc. If our girls can understand the natural cycles of their bodies and the purpose of feminine hormones early on, they’ll...
182: From a TV in the Corner to the Internet in Our Pockets: What Parents Can Do to Help Tweens and Teens Build a Healthy Relationship with Technology
Andrea Davis of Better Screen Time is back! I can’t tell you how much our own family needed these strategies and tech-use resets, and I know you need it too! Today we’re focusing more specifically on our tweens and teens and how to decide when (or if!) a child gets a personal device. We cover:...
159: How to “Launch” on Purpose: Teaching Life Skills to Your Teens Today That Will Prepare Them for Tomorrow
One of the motivations for creating the Kids Cook Real Food™ eCourse was that I was just over halfway to “launch” with my oldest child. Nine years old is half of the intensive part of parenting, and Paul had just turned 10. He demonstrated how to make homemade guacamole to his 4th-grade class, and I...
13 Red Flags of Disordered Eating for Kids and Teens
Do any of these sound familiar? Picky eating Avoiding certain foods Emotions around mealtimes Tummy issues Is it sensory issues, clean eating, or disordered eating? Read on to see if these 13 red flags of disordered eating resonate. Disordered Eating 101 Disordered eating is on the rise. Between diet culture’s focus on “clean eating” and...
146: The Power of Building Resilience Through Self-Compassion for Parents and Teens with Dr. Mary Wilde
Wait until you hear how Dr. Mary Wilde and I connected! We’ll start with that fun story and then dig into topics that have never been more important than they are today: The impact of the culture on teen anxiety How food and mood are connected Why parents need to give themselves compassion most of...
122: Why You Should Live a “Fertility Lifestyle” Your Whole Life (& How to Talk to Teens About Healthy Fertility) With Dr. Aumatma
I admit, I didn’t think much about my fertility when I was a teenager except to be annoyed once a month…but like many girls, I envisioned my life as a mom and fully expected it to happen with ease. In our world today, plenty of women don’t get to live that dream and suffer through...
103: Why Tech Time Has Nothing to Do With a Timer: Screen Time for Teens and Older Kids
If parents worried about too much screen time for kids and teens before the pandemic, we all know that the questions have increased. If my child is doing distance learning all day, is that too much screen time? Should I limit their screen use outside of school? What is the appropriate amount of screen time...
My Gift to My Future Daughter-in-Law
The very first time I met my future mother-in-law, she gave me a gift. Her son and I had been dating for a few weeks at the time and were young, know-it-all know-nothing 18-year-olds. It happened to be near Valentine’s Day, a big gift-giving holiday for people you barely know of course, so I got...
Episode 99: Child Melts Down, Parent Blows Up — No More! Scripts for Calm Connection with Author and Therapist Bryana Kappadakunnel
Have you ever blown up at your kid because they’re melting down? Just wanted their bad behavior to STOP because you feel like a bad parent if it doesn’t? Committed that you would parent differently than your parents, but see some cycles repeating you don’t like? My guest today is a Licensed Marriage and Family...
Episode 95: How Can We Allow Other People to Partner with Us in Parenting? with Author of Don’t Mom Alone Heather MacFadyen
We’re lonely! It’s hurting us! And we’re not very good at connecting with other humans. Heather MacFadyen is here to help. Author and podcaster of Don’t Mom Alone, she’s all about building connection to help moms do their jobs better. “Loneliness can be when you’re with others but not feeling truly known,” she said in...
Episode 94: Homeschool Routines That Build Connection: Morning Time and More with Pam Barnhill
If you’ve ever felt that homeschooling can slip into a checklist of math pages and grammar drills, you’ll love this conversation. Pam Barnhill, a veteran homeschooling mom of over 15 years, reminds us what education can truly be: a chance to connect deeply with our kids and nurture a lifelong love of learning. Pam’s story...
Episode 92: Navigating Holiday Stress with JoAnn Crohn
The holidays can be the most wonderful time of the year … or the most overwhelming. Between the excitement, the sugar, the schedule changes, and the constant stimulation, even the calmest kids can start to unravel. And let’s be honest, parents can too! In this episode, I sat down with JoAnn Crohn, a former school...
Episode 91: The Daily Scoop: Secrets to Healthy Poops for the Whole Family with Genevieve Howland of Mama Natural
Our digestion happens every day and REALLY can impact how we feel, think, and treat others! So let’s talk all about poop. 🙂 My guest today is brimming over with practical tips about assessing your digestive output (aka poo) and solving issues in gut health based on what you see. For example: What does “healthy”...
Episode 90: Decode Your Child’s Behavior and Dial in Your Parenting Boundaries from the Author of Transforming Toddlerhood, Devon Kuntzman
Let’s talk toddlers. They scream at the banana that broke in half. They insist on doing everything themselves…until they melt down and demand help. And they can go from sunshine to thunderstorm in the time it takes you to sip your coffee. Cold. If you’ve ever thought, “What on earth is happening in that tiny...
Episode 88: Informed Consent Isn’t Optional: Reclaiming Your Role as a Healthcare Consumer with Alexandra of Just the Inserts
It shouldn’t be controversial to make your own healthcare decisions!! Informed consent has become a buzz word for no good reason. Information. We ought to be able to access information about the products we’re using, the consumer choices we’re making, where we spend our money, and what we choose to put in and on our...
Episode 86: The Evolution of Modern Food & Label Reading 401 with Becky Wells of Hippie Moms
You get to sit in on what turned into a college class in food history and nutrition label reading! This interview is high-energy, high impact, and will fill both your academic brain and your mama heart. Becky Wells of Hippie Moms is passionate about helping other mamas understand their food and build a healthy foundation...
Episode 85: Kids Are Showing Signs of Alzheimer’s, and No One Is Worrying with Dr. Kristina Bosnar
Alzheimer’s and dementia are some of the scariest realities for adults to consider. No one wants to feel like they’re going to lose their mind! But in this day and age, it feels like cognitive decline is inevitable for many of us, “just a normal part of aging.” Similarly, our culture has come to accept...
Episode 82: Building Strong Families, Connected Kids with Father Leo of Plating Grace
If having a strong family and raising kids who know how to serve others is important – or necessary – to you, my guest today will inspire, encourage, and challenge you to reach those goals! He prefers the word “invite” over “challenge,” so I’m curious to hear what you think! 🙂 I was beyond honored...
Episode 81: Diagnosing the Root Cause of Meltdowns & How to Calm Tantrums with Dr. Tina Payne Bryson
Meltdowns start in the brain! In many situations your child’s brain may perceive a large gap between demand and capacity, may be flooded with emotion and not able to access the logical processing left brain, or may be feeling unsafe or threatened, and any of those situations (and more) can be at the root cause...
Episode 77: Teaching Teens About Money: Budgeting, Stress, and Starting Smart Conversations
Let’s be honest, teaching kids about money can feel intimidating. It’s one of those “adulting” topics we know they need, but if we didn’t grow up with great financial habits ourselves, how can we pass on something we’re still figuring out? That’s why I sat down with my friend Crystal Paine for a conversation every...
The Internet Gone Mad: How a Few Experts Cited Something Wrong and Now Everyone Thinks Harvard Wants Kids to Do Chores
You’ve probably seen the meme. It goes something like this: “Harvard found that the biggest predictor of success in life is doing chores as a child.” Cue the halo lighting up your messy living room—your kids grumbling about folding laundry suddenly feels like elite education. Harvard said so! Except … Harvard didn’t. So what is...
Episode 74: The ADHD Brain is an Addicted Brain – Shattering Myths About ADHD and Executive Function and Pouring out Hope for Families with Michael McLeod
ADHD is not just an attention disorder; it’s an executive functioning disorder. The myths abound! If you’ve always thought of kids with ADHD as those who struggle in school, think again. If you expect ADHD kids to have trouble focusing, wrong again. If you think kids with ADHD are destined to struggle more throughout life,...
The “Unteachable” Life Skills Our Kids Need Most (and How We Can Help)
As a parent, I’m often asked: “How do you teach life skills like cooking, cleaning, or budgeting?” I love answering that question (because that’s literally my jam!). It’s hard enough for parents to get over their psychological roadblocks and slowwwww down enough to teach tangible skills. It’s even harder to figure out how to pass...
Episode 73: From Mom Guilt to Growth: Emotional Regulation for Moms Who Want to Raise Problem Solvers
Emily’s stories are going to get your head nodding in empathy and connection – we’ve all been there with the kid who just will NOT put their shoes on, brush their teeth, or do as we ask! If you’ve ever felt the guilt after exploding all over your kids, those little beings you LOVE so...
Episode 72: Is Kefir Healthy? How Fermented Foods Boost Gut Health and Immunity
If you’ve ever passed kefir in the grocery store and wondered, “Is that stuff actually good for you?”—you’re not alone. In this episode, I talk with Julie Smolyansky, CEO of Lifeway Kefir, who shares how this tangy, probiotic-rich drink became a lifeline for her immigrant family—and a powerful tool for mental and physical wellness. Julie...
Teaching Life Skills: The Best Hack I’ve Used (and What Other Smart Parents Swear By)
When I think about teaching life skills to my kids, I always come back to one core truth: it’s not just about checking a skill off a list. It’s about raising humans who can think, adapt, and stand on their own two feet. That’s why when I find a “hack” that actually works to make...
Episode 71: Embracing Neurodivergent Parenting: Wisdom for Mothers and Their Unique Children
“Some parents get to just drop their kids off and know they’ll have a pretty good day at school,” said my guest Ginny Kochis when I mused, “Maybe most kids are actually neurodivergent; is there any typical anymore?” We may all think and process information differently, but it’s true that some diagnoses make parenting feel...
Episode 69: Starting Your Kids Off on the Right Financial Foot | Teaching Kids About the Dangers of Debt
Raise your hand if you love money! But…raise your hand if you DON’T love figuring out what to DO with your money, spending too much money, or not having enough money? That’s Brad Nelson’s mission as Debt Free Dad – to help normal everyday people take control of their finances so they can live a...
Episode 67: Parenting Without Yelling, Demands, or Getting Triggered with Hunter Clarke-Fields
Raise your hand if you’ve ever yelled or lost your cool as a parent. Keep that hand up if you thought you would never yell as a parent. I know, right? It’s the story of many who go on to be mindful or positive or grounded parenting experts. “I never thought I would…” Me neither!...
Episode 66: Why Teaching Your Kids Chores and Life Skills Is NOT Taking Advantage of Them
In today’s Healthy Parenting Handbook episode, I’m going to take 5 different arguments against kids doing chores and learning life skills and counter them with facts, stories, research, and a big ol’ dose of common sense. These are real arguments I hear from both well-meaning parents AND keyboard warriors on social media, plus one from...
Episode 65: Eating Close to Nature and Balancing Blood Sugar on a Budget With Chandis RDN
Moms take care of everyone…but sometimes we forget ourselves. If you’ve had those moments when you blow up at a kid or spouse and then realize, “Oh, I haven’t eaten in 4 hours,” you know what it’s like to feel ‘hangry.’ My guest today draws upon personal and professional experience with nutrition and balancing blood...
Episode 64: How Connecting with Our Kids & Brain Science Makes Us Better Parents with Jennifer Kolari
When you yell at your kids, it always works to improve their behavior and your relationship, right? Ha. But what’s a parent at the end of their rope to do? My guest today, Jennifer Kolari, has worked with some of the toughest, most challenging kids out there, and she has the answer: love them. Connect...
Episode 63: Is Homeschooling Right for You? Tips, Myths, and Encouragement for Moms
I’m losing count of the time I’ve said this phrase: “Gosh, I really hope I don’t look back on my parenting years and regret not homeschooling.” I’m not a fan of regrets SO I will simply chose not to have regrets, but some days, I have some feelings. I love hearing about homeschoolers who have...
Episode 62: What Is Mental Load? | How Moms Can Find Balance with Dr. Morgan Cutlip
Humans are designed for relationships. Then why are they so difficult??? My guest today, Dr Morgan Cutlip, is a sought-after relationship expert, but she doesn’t talk down to moms – she’s right in it with us. If you’ve ever had a disagreement with your spouse about who’s doing more than the other in the home,...
Episode 61: How Kids Can Learn to Deal with Big Challenges and Big Emotions with Counselor and Coping Skills Expert Janine Halloran
We will ALL encounter tough situations and hard times in our lives. We will ALL cope with them in some way. But sometimes coping looks like throwing a chair or eat a whole box of cookies. Licensed Mental Health Counselor Janine Halloran joins us today to talk about the kind of coping that is safe...
Episode 60: Women Metabolize and Build Strength Differently Than Men (Especially Over 30) with Pearl & Serene, authors of Trim Healthy Wisdom
I call myself a science geek, but my reading and research don’t hold a candle to Pearl and Serene of Trim Healthy Mama, authors of the new book Trim Healthy Wisdom. What I love most about them is that they KEEP learning and aren’t afraid to add to and update their life’s work. When peri-menopause...
Episode 57: Higher Level Thinking for Kids and How That Improves Independence and Life Skills with Author Noel Foy
Did you know the pre-frontal cortex where executive functioning lives doesn’t fully develop until our early 30s??? I still struggle with some executive functioning skills like time management and following a plan, but if I learned anything from this interview, it’s that we ALL can continue to grow, change, and improve. You are not married...
Episode 56: Do You Think Parenting Ends at 18? Think Again
I’ve always said that parenting is “an 18-year-long game,” fully expecting that parenting would markedly diminish after my kids turned 18. Now that I’m parenting a 19-year-old…it turns out parenting DOES change and it ought to diminish, but it’s still a thing! Kim Muench coaches parents of “emerging adults,” a new term needed to describe...
Episode 54: Redefining Parenting: Look for the Good
How about some stats to make you sad? Kids are on screens an average of 7 hours a day…and we spend 85% of our parenting energy on what our kids are doing wrong. Aw, man! It stinks to start with the negative. In fact, that will train our brains to see more negative things, which...
Episode 52: The Risks of Consuming Synthetic Food Dyes with Whitney & Brandon Cawood | Are Food Dyes Bad for You?
Imagine if your child was kicked out of daycare for behavior issues, in spite of the fact that you’re making intentional choices as parents. Devastating! But what if the problem wasn’t caused by your child OR your parenting choices? Brandon and Whitney Cawood’s story will break your heart and then give you hope because they...
Episode 50: What If You Could Actually Tidy Up Your Life? with Tyler Moore
Have you seen the dad who cleans on Instagram? I don’t know if Tyler Moore, aka Tidy Dad, enjoys that people probably know him that way, but I think it’s accurate! I’ve followed Tyler since the summer of 2022 – but who in the world remembers WHEN they started following someone on Instagram? You’ll hear...
Episode 49: My Top Tips for Raising Nice Boys (From a Mom of Three Boys!)
Ever been asked a question in person, and you replay the conversation over and over, a dozen times, rephrasing your answer? I did that recently, not just rephrasing but adding and rethinking and adding some more. The question was, “How do you raise such nice boys??” I decided it would make a pretty decent podcast...
Episode 48: Is it Possible to Create a Peaceful Home in the Midst of a Chaotic World?
The world keeps getting more and more fast-paced, and our brains and bodies aren’t really keeping up. As moms, can we possibly create a home that is a peaceful space, a safe place from which our kids can explore? My guest today is Jennifer Pepito, author of Habits for a Sacred Home, and we talk...
Episode 46: Sharing the Mental Load of Cooking Responsibility
I see a lot on social media about the “mental load” that women especially carry. Meal planning, grocery shopping, cleaning the house, getting kids where they belong on time, making sure they have proper snacks and meals if they won’t be home for dinner, homework, emails from everywhere… It’s a LOT. And a lot of...
Episode 44: Breaking the Cycle of Busy, Broke, and Exhausted with Brie Sodano
Let’s talk money! If you’re feeling stuck living paycheck to paycheck, you’re in the majority here in America – but it doesn’t have to be that way! Brie Sodano is a nationally recognized Personal Finance Expert, and she does things differently – today we flip some paradigms on their heads and get a peek into...
Episode 043: Your Sleep Makes You a Better (or Worse) Parent — Sleep Like the Boss You Are with Christine Hansen
Will sleep become the new kale? Or the new cancer? Adults are shorting themselves on sleep in droves in our “always-on” culture, and I’m unfortunately leading the pack. That’s why I begged sleep science coach Christine Hansen to join me for a half hour to get some important tips!! I started implementing a new way...
Episode 042: 3 Ways Parents Can Help Prevent Depression in Their Kids
Warning – sad statistic. 🙁 The 2nd leading cause of death for kids ages 10-24 in America is…suicide. I’m not okay with this! Let’s talk this Depression Awareness Month about prevention – there are research-based strategies that parents can use to reduce their kids’ chances of being depressed. While depression isn’t the only risk factor...
Episode 41: Organizing Styles for Families and How Kids Organize Differently
Cas of Clutterbug describes her “young mom” self as a hot mess – house a disaster and feeling horrible that she couldn’t get organized. She finally realized a few important pieces of her own personality and is now a Recovering Super Slob turned Organizing Expert who teaches others how to tap into their own unique...
Episode 38: The Health of the Future & Preventing Nervous System Wounds for Your Children with Ann Odom
If your child has ever thrown a tantrum… If you’ve ever reacted, let’s say, “imperfectly” to that tantrum… If you’ve ever wondered why your toddler or teen is having a meltdown over something seemingly inconsequential… My friends, then this interview is a MUST LISTEN. Ann is an incredible teacher – let’s learn about: The impact...
23 Highest Paying Jobs for Teens They Can Start This Week
This post was written by Marjolein Dilven of Radical FIRE. Jobs for teens and high school students aren’t the easiest to find — the job can’t require a ton of experience, be part-time (because, school), offer enough pay to make a dent in your college fund, and most importantly, be solid enough that you can...
Episode 36: Unlocking Your Health Potential: The Role of Epigenetics in Personalized Wellness with Brenda Wollenberg
Bet you a million bucks you’ve heard people say (or said yourself): It’s too complicated to get healthy – everyone says something different! Such and such diet/strategy/exercise worked for so-and-so, why isn’t it working for me? I feel like I’ve tried everything and it’s so hard to figure out what works! Maybe, just maybe… everyone...
Episode 34: What Middle Schoolers Need to Thrive with Counselor Phyllis Fagell
I learned today that I still have a lot of internal tendencies from middle school. 😮 Middle school can be a foreign land and a tumultuous time, and figuring out how to parent middle schoolers is hard on parents. We want our kids to be happy, resilient, and thriving, not wilting, crying, and worrying. As...
Episode 33: How to Raise THRIVERS – Mentally Strong Kids with a “WE GOT THIS!” Attitude
Not kidding, I referenced this interview FOUR times the same week we recorded—it’s THAT pertinent to our jobs as parents! I’m already planning to ask Michele back because she’s such a wealth of knowledge, but today we’re focusing on the MOST important quality our kids need today – resilience. Her new book THRIVERS is about...
Episode 032: Olympic Gold Medalist Shannon Miller on “The Gold Medal Mindset”
Shannon Miller is a 7-time Olympic medalist and has over 100 national competition medals in gymnastics as well, more than half the gold kind. People in our generation certainly remember her name from the “Magnificent Seven” team gold winners in the 1996 Olympic games, where she captured the first balance beam gold an American had...
Episode 029: The Importance of Life Skills in a Digital Age
What life skills are kids and teens going to need in this fast-paced digital world??? We can’t really predict what specific skills our kids will need in 20 years, BUT we know they’ll need to know how to learn and other “soft skills.” Enjoy meeting a handful of our #LifeSkillsNow summer camp leaders as we...
Episode 028: Your Task List Is No Good! Says Megan Sumrell + Why Harmony Is Better Than Balance
I actually HUGGED my to-do lists, all of them, during this interview! My guest Megan Sumrell warned me that she was going to tell me task lists are no good. I added that to my list. 😉 If you’ve ever felt like you have too much to do, too many demands on your time, or...
Episode 027: Feeding Your Growing Family Well Without Going Broke with Erin Chase of $5 Dinners
Grocery budget hurting? Erin Chase of $5 Dinners has been making inexpensive meals to save her family’s grocery budget since the real estate crisis of 2008. She says the current inflation problem is similar in how it’s making people feel about money and savings, and it’s TIME to pay attention to your food budget, no...
Episode 026: Villain to Mentor – Becoming the Person Your Teen Turns to Instead of Fights Against with Joey Mascio
You’ve heard people say it…You may have said something similar yourself… It’s a negative judgment on teens, especially parenting teens. “Oh, just look out for when they’re teenagers!” “Teens are just moody…just confrontational…just tough to parent.” Etc. Etc. Etc. I’ve said it too, and I feel regret! Turns out, most of the time, I puffy-heart-love...
Episode 025: Tapping into Creativity and Why Woodworking Helps Kids Learn Real Life Skills with Anika Gandhi
I interview a LOT of different people in a myriad of professions, but I’ve never come close to having a woodworker on the show before! “What would we talk about – how to build things? That won’t go well on a podcast in someone’s ear…” I thought. Do not worry my friends, because Anika and...
Episode 024: Why Kids Need to Understand Their Bodies (And a Few Practical Ways to Teach Them) with Dr. Robin Dickinson
What happens when you’re already living your dream…but it’s a dream interrupted? Dr. Robin Dickinson was a family practitioner who loved her job and her patients, and she was GOOD at what she did. But when the pandemic sent her kids home from school, they needed her more. What happened next is nothing short of...
Episode 023: Expected Mess Vs. True Clutter – What’s the Difference and How to Solve Them
Confession: My house is VERY cluttered. I have never been good at letting go of things. “I might need that someday!” “What about the grandkids? They’ll want to read that book!” I’m always a little anxious and yet inspired when I talk to organizers and decluttering experts, and this conversation with Katy Wells will not...
12 High Income Skills That Will Unlock Opportunities and Propel Your Career
This post was written by Nadia Tahir of This Mom is On Fire. It was edited by Amanda Kay and fact-checked by Hailey Rose McLaughlin. In today’s dynamic job market, acquiring high income skills isn’t just an option; it’s necessary for those seeking financial success and career growth. Mastering high income skills can significantly boost...
Episode 022: Nurturing Young Skeptics: Essential Guide to Teaching Critical Thinking to Kids and Teens with Kathy Gibbens
When is the last time your kids were learning something in school and you got totally pulled in? That happened to today’s podcast guest, Kathy Gibbens, when her daughter was learning logic and critical thinking in middle school, and Kathy became a mom on a mission. She realized critical thinking is, well, critical to our...
Episode 019: How to Help Kids Thrive with (and in spite of) Tech and Screens with Andrea Davis of Better Screen Time
Oh, parents. Parents in the tech age…there REALLY is no handbook for this! We’ve never seen our parents struggle through having the Internet in our kids’ pockets, and honestly? I don’t like the feeling of making it up as I go along. That’s why I’ve been following Andrea and Tyler at Better Screen Time for...
Episode 018: The Secret to Raising Strong-Willed “Cactus” Kids with Wendy Snyder
Power. Control. Parenting. Which of these three doesn’t belong? My guest today is Wendy Snyder, a positive parenting educator who reminds us, “Control is not the goal of parenting.” Obviously, there is a balance of power in a parent-child relationship, but taking the power or fighting over who has power isn’t the right game to...
Episode 017: Discipline With No Punishment at All! (Especially for Parents of Aggressive Boys!) with Tosha Schore
I used Tosha’s tips the very DAY we recorded this interview, and I have to tell you—they work. So well. Once you hear about her strategy for reducing frustration and nipping “negative spirals” in the bud, you’ll know why when my husband spent a ton of time hanging with our 5-year-old, Gabe, over Christmas break,...
Side Jobs From Home To Help You Earn Extra Income
This post was written by Chhavi Agarwal of Mrs. Daaku Studio. A large number of Americans are now engaged in side jobs from home to ease off their financial pressure amidst the rising cost of living and a tight job market. A Bankrate survey found that 39% of Americans have a side hustle, and 44%...
Episode 016: How We’re Failing Our Kids by Not Letting THEM Fail with Bestselling Author Jessica Lahey
I’ve been telling everyone about this book! Ever since I read (okay, listened to) The Gift of Failure by Jessica Lahey, it has truly changed my parenting. My mindset about the mistakes my kids make and little accidents they have is totally more peaceful, and the whole time I was absorbing the information, I was...
The Best Credit Cards for Students To Build Their Financial Future
This post is by JayDee Vykoukal for Parent Portfolio. Credit cards can be a valuable tool for students looking to build credit and establish good financial habits – as long as they’re used responsibly. However, with so many options available, it can be overwhelming for students to navigate the best credit cards. The following list...
Episode 015: Can We Help Our Highly Sensitive Kids Manage Their Stress Sensitivity? with Dr. Heidi Hanna
I’m so happy to have my stress mastery mentor here today! Heidi Hanna, PhD, is one of the most intellectual, intuitive and compassionate people I know, and I’m honored to host her wisdom today. We recorded this interview in March 2020, when we were all in a tailspin and figuring out managing our stress was...
Episode 014: The BFF Strategy to Reduce Stress and Increase Your Mental Capacity!
We talked last week about STRESS and its impact on our health and our relationship with our families. I challenged you to be more aware of your breath and take the “Moment to Breathe” challenge, and a few of you chimed in after trying it that it’s really working!! Personally I found being aware of...
Episode 011: Balancing Motherhood and Self-Care by Simplifying with Chanelle Neilson
How does a mom get time for herself to dream? She uses a system! My guest today founded Mom University to give moms the training, tools, and support for the most important job they will ever do. In this episode, she’ll teach us about a proven method for figuring out what that “thing” is outside...
Episode 006: An ADHD Diagnosis Doesn’t Have to Mean Medication with Dana Kay
Six million kids in America are diagnosed with ADHD – at least, that was the number in Fall 2021, but by the time this episode goes live, and by the time you’re listening – it may have gone up. ADHD expert and health practitioner Dana Kay asks a very important question about that number: How...
Episode 005: The “Worst Mom in America” on Raising Confident, Free-Range Kids with Lenore Skenazy of Let Grow
Our interview guest today has been a journalist and writer for many years and earned herself the title of “Worst Mom in America.” I’m so proud to interview her because she earned that title when she let her 9-year-old ride the subway alone and wasn’t afraid to write about it in a major publication. 🙂...
Episode 004: Why Consequences (or Rewards) Aren’t the Goal of Discipline with Positive Parenting Solutions’ Amy McCready
I am a better person, a better parent, every single time I listen to Amy McCready’s coaching. There’s a good reason she is a TODAY Show parenting expert, my goodness – the way she explains why consequences aren’t the answer, how rewards set our kids up for massive problems (blew my mind!!) and gives us...
204: My Favorite Clips from Episodes 101-199 of the Healthy Parenting Connector
Remember when I tried to share a “fav clips show” for episode 200 of the Healthy Parenting Connector and failed? There were just too many incredible interviews, so I rounded up the first 100 and promised a “part 2” for the next 100 episodes. Here we go! I chose interview guests from whom I’ve learned...
203: Don’t Have “the Talk” with Your Girls – How Fertility Empowers Pre-Teens and Beyond with Grace Emily Stark and Jackie Aguilar of Natural Womanhood
Ladies, how many of your friends have some sort of issue that has to do with hormones (rhetorical question)? Thyroid, infertility, estrogen dominance, acne, mood swings, migraines, painful periods, rough peri or actual menopause, etc. If our girls can understand the natural cycles of their bodies and the purpose of feminine hormones early on, they’ll...
201: 12 Areas of Non-Food Nourishment That Affect Your Health for Exhausted Moms with Janna Kerr
It’s pretty awesome when the first answer to your health may very well be “awareness.” My guest today is health coach Janna Kerr, and you’ll absolutely love the stories she tells, especially the one where not changing ANYthing was a path to an actual health change! Wow! We discuss the concept of “primary foods,” which...
200: My Favorite Clips from the First 100 Episodes of the Healthy Parenting Connector
It’s the 200th episode of the Healthy Parenting Connector! I can’t believe I’ve been recording these interviews for over 5 years now, I would have guessed it’s been 3! Time flies when you’re having fun and for me, that’s what the Healthy Parenting Connector is. One of my favorite parts of my job is doing...
199: If You Hate Cooking … Is It Even Possible to Get Food on the Table Every Day?
I asked a question last week and got 125 answers! No, it wasn’t, “What are you eating for dinner?” It was: “Why do you say you hate cooking?” Struck a nerve for sure…and I realized I was totally wrong when I guessed what people might say. Will you be surprised too? Will you see a...
198: Improving Self-Esteem in Highly Sensitive and Anxious Kids with Rachel Bailey
We’ve talked before about “highly sensitive children” (and adults) here, and I knew I wanted more resources from more experts on the topic. I was thrilled to discover the work of Rachel Bailey, a clinical psychologist who mentors parents and helps them raise resilient, confident children while reducing the stress and guilt in the parents’...
196: Middle School Superpowers (And Vital Soft Skills for the Rest of Us) with Counselor Phyllis Fagell
You know when we have a repeat guest here on the Healthy Parenting Connector, they’re really good! As soon as I finished this interview, I bought Phyllis Fagell’s new book called Middle School Superpowers, and it’s in my stack! In our first interview, we talked about why middle school kids are built a bit differently...
192: Parenting for the Future: How to Help Your Pre-teen or Teen Turn a Strength into a Job with Jonathan and Renee Harris of Parent Their Passion
Jonathan and Renee are the parents to my husband’s “right-hand man” in his small software business…and their son has been working there since he was 16! I’m fascinated and inspired by their stories of not just one, but SIX of their kids who are following their passions AND making money from it, with zero college...
191: What’s Going on Inside Your Highly Sensitive Child? with Dr. Aimie Apigian
I couldn’t stop using the word “fascinating” in all of my reactions to what Dr. Aimie Apigian teaches us today! If you have a highly sensitive kid, the kind who struggles with loud noises, bright lights, scratchy tags, squishy food OR is just emotionally reactive – some might say “over dramatic” – this is a...
190: Break Kids Out of the Cyclone of Anxiety with Jess Sherman, M.Ed, RHN
Anxiety – the cyclone of stress! It’s not helpful to keep looking for a root cause of anxiety. It’s not the gut, it’s not the food, and it’s not the gluten… it’s more helpful to think of it as a cyclical thing. Kids are caught in a self-perpetuating cyclone of stress. Jess Sherman, M.Ed, RHN...
189: The Most Important Trait Our Kids Need in Order to Thrive: Empathy with Michele Borba, Ed.D.
With everything we juggle as parents, wouldn’t it be nice to know the MOST important skill to pass on to our kids? Is it academic success? (nope) Is it staying organized? (nope) Could it be speaking up for ourselves? Managing stress in healthy ways? (nope and nope) Yes, all those are important to varying degrees,...
187: What Your Fatigue Might Be Telling You About Your Adrenals with Dr. Izabella Wentz
It turns out that (surprise surprise!) our bodies are ALL connected. The thyroid and the adrenals have some interesting relationships, and in today’s show “The Thyroid Pharmacist” Dr. Izabella Wentz sits down with me to talk about fatigue, why parents shouldn’t expect to be tired all the time, and what we can do to optimize...
184: How to Raise Siblings Who Love Each Other
It’s a classic image: Family road trip. Brothers and sisters fighting in the back seat, often so severely that the parents have to “pull over this van right now!” To do what? To repair relationships that are broken? To fix something in one minute of yelling or cajoling that has taken years to develop? Whenever...
182: From a TV in the Corner to the Internet in Our Pockets: What Parents Can Do to Help Tweens and Teens Build a Healthy Relationship with Technology
Andrea Davis of Better Screen Time is back! I can’t tell you how much our own family needed these strategies and tech-use resets, and I know you need it too! Today we’re focusing more specifically on our tweens and teens and how to decide when (or if!) a child gets a personal device. We cover:...
181: The Science of Friendship (and Why That Matters to Our Health) with Psychologist Dr. Marisa G. Franco
Will you be my friend? It’s easy for the 4-year-old in the sandbox to approach another kid and make a friend, but as adults, making new friends AND finding time to keep up with our old friends is a challenge! It was my delight to spend quality time connecting with Dr. Marisa G. Franco, a...
178: 3 Ways to Simplify Your Schedule by Scheduling Your Food
A real food diet can be a time-consuming lifestyle – I might even venture to say that making unprocessed food from scratch and running around to specialty markets or farms for natural organic food to eat is a greater time-suck than (gasp) Facebook. As you balance your kids and your healthy eating goals, how about...
177: What Happened When the 8 Year Old Snuck Halloween Candy – Twice!
We’ve edited our “family dessert” policies many times over the years, and we’re always trying to balance moderation vs restriction, autonomy vs parental boundaries, and the risks of demonizing sugar and creating desire vs the reality that sugar is NOT good for humans. This fall, our 8yo is giving us a run for our money,...
176: How Brain Science Can Help Us Raise More Balanced Kids with Deborah McNelis of The Neuro-Nurturing Model
Understanding is power, and when we understand the way our brains (and our kids’ brains!) work, we have the power to improve behavior, help our kids feel safe, and see what’s really going on “under the hood” when we’re trying to help our kids grow into people we’re all proud of. My guest today is...
175: The Root Cause for Everything That’s Wrong with You with Barton Scott of Upgraded Formulas
This guest had me at, “All diets fail,” and the mineral pretty much every human being (at least in North America) is deficient in. I know what you’re thinking, smart readers—you think it’s magnesium. But it’s not! Put on your science geek caps for this interview, because biochemist and nutritionist Barton Scott will need your...
170: How to Be the Boss of Anxiety with Noel Foy
I feel it, you feel it, our kids feel it…anxiety is real and is ballooning more and more in our lives lately, so what is a loving parent to do? Author and educational consultant Noel Foy is here today to tell us some of the do’s (and don’ts!) to help our kids with anxiety: DON’T...
167: The Disintegrating Student: Why Our Smart Kids Are Struggling & What Parents Can Do Starting in Elementary School with Dr. Jeannine Jannot
Why are smart kids disintegrating? What can parents do to help their kids get through the high expectations without losing their self-esteem and sense of self? (Spoiler: This isn’t just parenting advice for those of us with older kids – the right habits start young!) Dr. Jannot is a psychologist, college professor, author, and mother—I’ll...
165: Healthy Snacks, Sweets, and Schedules (for toddlers, preschoolers, and other humans) with Dietician Edwena Kennedy, RD
Snacks…sweets…treat…more snacks… Sometimes it feels like it’s never-ending, both the requests from children and the other people feeding our kids! Dietician Edwena Kennedy joins me today for her second appearance on the show—which means she’s fantastic and brimming over with practical and surprising tips! We’re talking all things sweets and snacks, including: The 2 reasons...
Do You Have “Earn It” or “Flip Flop” Family Values?
A hard work ethic and moderate risk taking are two qualities I hope to instill in my kids. We end up practicing both through our hiking and national park touring—during July 2022, we’ll likely hit 150 miles as a family (with four kids ages 7, 10, 14, and 17). Out on the trail, if there’s ever a moment my...
The Importance of Teaching Life Skills Now | #LifeSkillsNow
As adults, we might be expected to spend “approximately” 40 hours of our 168 in a week at our jobs. IF we sleep the requisite 8 hours (who does??), that leaves us with 72 waking hours left in the week, nearly twice as many as we spend using those college degrees and high school diplomas,...
162: Teaching Kids the Value of Money and Joy in Spending — and Saving with Mike Michalowicz
If you want to be told you’re a great parent instead of a mean parent because you have high expectations of your kids and disciplined rules in place, THIS is your chance! My guest today is a million-dollar business builder…and loser…and “learn from the burn” kind of guy. Let’s all learn from his own failures...
161: 3 Reasons Giving Kids Responsibilities Is a Gift
We live in a world where some parents are hesitant to ask their kids to do chores or take on responsibility, maybe because we want to make their lives easier and let them enjoy childhood, or maybe because it’s just faster and easier to do it ourselves. Either way, if your kids don’t have responsibilities...
160: How to Raise Kids Who Think Like Entrepreneurs
She had 14 jobs by the time she was 22 and started her own business—wouldn’t you love to know HOW her parents raised her to be so hard-working and industrious? Jodie Cook is passionate about entrepreneurship and helping kids develop entrepreneurial skills early. Her stories are SO encouraging, and I know you’ll love listening to...
159: How to “Launch” on Purpose: Teaching Life Skills to Your Teens Today That Will Prepare Them for Tomorrow
One of the motivations for creating the Kids Cook Real Food™ eCourse was that I was just over halfway to “launch” with my oldest child. Nine years old is half of the intensive part of parenting, and Paul had just turned 10. He demonstrated how to make homemade guacamole to his 4th-grade class, and I...
158: What to Do About Healthy Eating on Vacation
Traveling for spring break? Love to get away from home for the summer? What’s a healthy eating family to do? We all know that eating out is rarely full of nutrients, often makes people feel sluggish, is difficult for allergy/food sensitivity fams AND is hellooooooo expensive! I’m excited to share how many times we ate...
156: When Food Prices Skyrocket, How to Calm the Panic with a Flexible Grocery Budget from Tiffany Crumbs
Those grocery prices, they are a’risin’!!! It’s a little scary out there, between the prices going up constantly and stock being low or even gone on the things we love. What’s a family on a budget to do? Tiffany of Don’t Waste the Crumbs is a MASTER at saving money on groceries while not compromising...
155: Cara Harvey on Healthy Routines that Create Purpose
Raise your hand if you feel overwhelmed every so often or like your to-do lists will never end? I’m always convicted when I hear people talk about being reactive in the day only to the urgent at the expense of being proactive to the important – and my guest today, Cara Harvey, hit me with...
13 Red Flags of Disordered Eating for Kids and Teens
Do any of these sound familiar? Picky eating Avoiding certain foods Emotions around mealtimes Tummy issues Is it sensory issues, clean eating, or disordered eating? Read on to see if these 13 red flags of disordered eating resonate. Disordered Eating 101 Disordered eating is on the rise. Between diet culture’s focus on “clean eating” and...
147: Holistic Parenting & Raising Resilient Kids Who Own Their Health
I know you think I do these interviews for YOU because I’m a good person who wants to help everyone become better parents and raise healthy kids…but sometimes I feel like it’s just for ME to learn new things and get reminders about practices I need to adjust!! 😉 Ok…it’s for both of us. My...
146: The Power of Building Resilience Through Self-Compassion for Parents and Teens with Dr. Mary Wilde
Wait until you hear how Dr. Mary Wilde and I connected! We’ll start with that fun story and then dig into topics that have never been more important than they are today: The impact of the culture on teen anxiety How food and mood are connected Why parents need to give themselves compassion most of...
141: How to Have a Healthy and Balanced Halloween
Do we have to ban all sugar on Halloween, the “sweetest” holiday of them all? Let’s talk today about balance, what our kids REALLY need, and how to enjoy the holiday and not freak out about the sugar. If you want ideas for a more balanced but still FUN Halloween party for your child’s school...
139: Heal Your Hunger: How to End Emotional Eating Now
Have you ever eaten chocolate or chips when you feel stressed? Rewarded yourself for a job well done with a little sticky celebration? Hid from sadness with a whole box of ice cream to yourself? The term “emotional eating” might be new to you, but I’m sure you can see how it works. This interview...
138: Writing Your Food History to Help Your Children Thrive with Sue DeCaro
Parenting is hard, and sometimes we need someone to remind us to give ourselves grace. Sue DeCaro is that person for me today, and her practical wisdom about intentional parenting came just at the right time. If you’re a little weary, if you feel like you have a “struggle” kid, if you need some encouragement,...
136: Teaching Social and Emotional Learning Skills During Meal Time
Back to school brings a lot of anxiety for kids, and the more they know how to navigate big emotions and master social communication, the better off they are. It turns out that daily life delivers a plethora of opportunities to help our kids learn how to be social and emotional beings, and my guest...
135: Taming the Beast of Sugar Addiction With Dr. Sam Shay
Let’s jump right into some controversy here at the beginning of the school year – is sugar addictive? Dr. Sam Shay is well trained: he has a doctorate in chiropractic and degrees and certifications in acupuncture, functional neurology, genetics analysis, and functional medicine. Plus, he’s a recovered sugar addict. He’s passionate about helping parents, moms...
133: Raising Leaders and Redefining the Top 1% with Dr. Trevor Blattner
When a leader for entrepreneurs and other leaders also includes PARENTS in his target audience, because he believes parents should be raising leaders by giving kids the same leadership skills as super successful adults, you know my curiosity is piqued! Dr. Blattner’s work will help parents who want to raise children who are capable, respectful,...
131: Parenting Like an Entrepreneur: Prioritizing Connections and Marketing Success to Your Kids with Rob Hughes
If you’ve ever wished someone would just give you permission to slow down, this interview is for you. AND if you wonder how to give your kids opportunities to grow in life skills at every age, this interview is for you! I can’t even believe how many wisdom bombs my guest today shared—you might want...
Kids Cooking Class Review: Mom Doesn’t LIKE Having Kids in the Kitchen – How Will She Teach Her Kids to Cook?
Is the kitchen your escape? If you love cooking and that’s often your alone time, you may be reluctant to invite your kids into the kitchen. But if you’ve followed me for long, you may have been convinced that teaching kids to cook is an important way to grow connection, confidence, and creativity in your...
128: Kids Who Aren’t Loved & How We Can ALL Help Foster Kids with Dr. John DeGarmo
I’m honored to host an expert today who didn’t just learn from books—the DeGarmo family has welcomed over 60 foster children into their home over the last 20 years. I think that means Dr. John DeGarmo definitely deserves to be hailed as a top expert on foster care! We’re all about raising healthy kids here...
123: Practical Baby Steps to Reducing Plastic Use With Sandra Harris
I thought I was pretty “green” and “crunchy” after almost a decade and a half using stainless steel water bottles, but I still learned so much from our guest today! Say Goodbye To Plastic is new book by Sandra Ann Harris, founder of ECOlunchbox, which we’ve been using for years packing lunches. She dropped some...
122: First Steps to Gardening with Kids with Nicky Schauder of Permaculture Gardens
Sure, we teach kids to cook…but the beginning of connection with your food is to GROW it. People often assume I garden with my kids as well as cook, but my brown thumb is a real weakness! 🙁 I called upon my friend Nicky Schauder, founder of Permaculture Gardens, to help us out with some...
120: I Want My Kids to Be “Marketing Proof” | Teaching Kids about Advertising
Digital advertising spending aimed at kids is expected to reach 1.7 billion dollars this year, increasing 42% from 3 years ago. In 2006 young people were estimated to see more than 40,000 ads per year…do your kids have the armor they need to protect them from the onslaught of untruths coming at them??? Today we’ll...
My Top Tips for Teaching Table Manners to Kids
When? When will my children just SIT at the table and EAT? It’s an outcry I hear from parents often. Will they stop throwing food? Stop getting out of their seat? Stop pouring milk on their brother’s head? (No personal experience there, I promise.) I hate to tell you … but as with most parenting...
119: Sleep Coaching for Attachment Parenting (Gentle, Timely & Healthy Sleep Habits for Kids from Infancy to Childhood)
I have a vague, fuzzy recollection of learning the Sleep Lady Shuffle when I was a young mom. I don’t think I did it quite right, hence the fuzzy brain from lack of sleep, but I love everything about it! If you’re in a phase of parenting where sleep is a challenge, whether you have...
116: Emotional Eating Habits Start in Childhood (how to avoid that with your kids!)
Raise a thumb if you’ve caught yourself stress eating in the past year… How about rewarding yourself for getting through the day with a little something to indulge in (sugary treats or alcohol)? And have you seen anyone in your household engage in emotional eating? Eating because you’re sad, stressed, anxious, worried, overwhelmed, etc? We...
113: 3 Questions to Ask Kids When the News Is Scary
The news has had plenty of scary events over the last year (and let’s face it, the news isn’t exactly known for flowers and puffy clouds even before that). At what age is it ok for kids to watch the news? How much should they know about the world? Where’s the balance between information and...
110: Real Food Sweets “Rules” – Are They Necessary?
People ask me all the time what we do in our family about desserts and sweets. I figured the last Healthy Parenting Connector before we take a break for the holidays is a great time to address the topic! Today I’ll dig into: Why sugar shouldn’t be a free-for-all Our current dessert strategy and its...
109: Investing in Healthy Moms Means the Most with Dr. Sam Shay
No guilt, mamas…but you might be sacrificing your family if you keep putting yourself last. My guest today, Sam Shay, was raised by a mom who didn’t take care of herself, and he suffered for it. He’s passionate about reaching mompreneurs and other busy moms (um, who isn’t??) with the message of how moms can...
108: The Body Image Book for Girls: Love Yourself and Grow Up Fearless
Remember when you were young – how did you think about your body? Did you want to lose weight? Did you try diets as a teenager? And did your mom talk about her own body or looks in negative ways? All of this can really impact growing minds, but now that WE are the parents,...
107: Creating a Family Culture Through Traditions
If you put a bike helmet or a seatbelt on your kids to protect their bodies from harm…what’s the equivalent for their minds and emotions? I submit that it’s a strong family identity and family culture, built through traditions. Today we’ll talk about: 1. How traditions create a family identity 2. How having a strong...
105: Cooking Up Routines to Make Healthy Meal Planning Doable with bestselling author Mareya Ibrahim
I love Mareya Ibrahim’s candid humor as we talk about why perhaps we shouldn’t be pursuing things that start with “die” like diets, why we don’t need to have a deprivation mindset to be healthy, and more. In this great interview with the bestselling author of “Eat Like You Don’t Give a Fork,” you’ll learn:...
104: Okay is the New Great – Parenting During a Pandemic
My brain literally lit up with realizations during this interview, and I realized WHY I procrastinate and better yet, the simple solution to stop doing it. Learn from parenting expert Jacqueline Green why silly may be the new serious, why “ok” MUST be the new great, and how simplified parenting is the new measure of...
103: Why Tech Time Has Nothing to Do With a Timer: Screen Time for Teens and Older Kids
If parents worried about too much screen time for kids and teens before the pandemic, we all know that the questions have increased. If my child is doing distance learning all day, is that too much screen time? Should I limit their screen use outside of school? What is the appropriate amount of screen time...
100: The Secret to Making “Talking” an Effective Parenting Strategy (And How Story Creates Resilience Safely)
We hear “kids are resilient, they’ll be ok,” a LOT, especially lately. This conversation with Marcy Pusey, a Certified Trauma & Resilience Practitioner, opened MY eyes to the fact that perhaps…they’re not. I thought we’d just be talking about the power of story, kind of a cute, sweet idea to share with you that some...
98: Routines vs. Flexibility in Chores and Batch Cooking
Some organizing and parenting bloggers say you can’t survive without a routine. They have fancy charts and timetables, and they totally stress me out! On the other hand, it’s TRUE that I can’t survive without a routine—of some sort. Mine just has to have a good dose of flexibility built in to fit my personality....
97: Hot Tips to Organize Your Space with Kids AND Protect Your Budget and the Earth! (with Susan Santoro)
Sigh, those lovely pictures of “other people’s” organized kitchen on social media! There, I am not. But I don’t feel great when I look at my own kitchen/piles/surfaces! I called in an expert organizer today to talk about one of my weaknesses, organizing, with a focus on one of my strengths: saving money and saving...
96: Meal Planning Doesn’t Have to Be Invisible Labor – How to Get Started and Get the Whole Family Involved
When I talk about stress mastery, I often share that the way we feel stress is all about our mental capacity, or load. Some days I can’t even walk into the kitchen and prepare dinner because it feels like “too much,” and then other days I can handle 2 kids being sick and a very...
94: Why Emotional Health is More Important Than Perfect Discipline with Suzanne Tucker
Some of these interviews challenge my brain so much!! If you’ve ever said, “Geez, stop whining,” to your kids, OR thought you were doing one better by pleasantly singing, “I hear a whiny voice!”—be ready to be challenged! Suzanne Tucker is a physical therapist and parent educator who is on a mission to raise an...
93: How the Heart-Brain Connection Will Increase Resilience and Reduce Anxiety for Families
We’re all about connection at Kids Cook Real Food™™, and today we get to learn about how to connect the heart and the brain to improve your physical, mental, and emotional health! The HeartMath Institute is all about the heart, not mushy-gushy stuff but real science-backed strategies to bring more heart to the world. In...
90: Don’t Let Anxious Kids Avoid Scary Things – What to do Instead with Family Therapist Andi Grandy
Family Therapist Andi Grandy spends much of her time helping parents get their anxious kids and teens to go to school. Straight up, they will let their cell phones be taken away and forfeit bribe payments because they really don’t want to go. Those aren’t the right strategies…but what is? I heard Andi speak in...
89: Breaking Down a Family Meeting Power Hour & Why You Need One
Routines are my kryptonite. 🙁 Anyone else? I feel like every time I set a schedule, I’ve just wasted time writing down that schedule because I don’t stick to it. BUT during this quarantine time, I knew we needed a little structure. Nothing too strict, but some routines without times attached to them. We haven’t...
88: Parenting Preschoolers with Intention
When parenting your preschooler doesn’t seem like the joyful experience you expected “BK” (Before Kids)…it might be too much of YOU and not enough of THEM. Montessori certified parenting expert and early childhood teacher Jeanne-Marie Paynel joins me today with incredible encouragement for parents of preschoolers. We talk about children’s basic needs and how parents...
86: Kicking Stress & Chaos to the Curb To Find the Best Parent Within You
Got stress? If parenting feels like one more thing that requires perfection (or at least better than everyone else’s expectations), Erin Taylor has much wisdom for you. In today’s interview with Erin, a certified parenting coach and mom of 4 who found her life’s work at age 11, you’ll learn: Why our expectations CAUSE our...
Anxiety Busters for Families in Times of Crisis
I love stress mastery for its impact on anxiety! Becoming a certified stress mastery educator was partly because I wanted to learn how to help others with this journey we’re on, but also because I needed these skills for myself! I’m so happy to have this foundation and knowledge to help us all through these...
85: Stressed Out, Distracted Moms Need Extra Focus on Forming Secure Attachments (Interview with Dr. Aimie Apigian)
I thought I’d be interviewing Dr. Aimie about “trauma kids,” like foster kids and adoptions and kids who have gone through horrific tragedies. Turns out 70-80% of adults need this info and likely more of our kids than that! 😮 😮 😮 This interview was recorded back in the fall, but what a timely message...
76: The Impact of “The ONE Thing” in Parenting
Could you choose “one thing” to do each day? “One” primary goal for your kids? Find out how “The One Thing” business and productivity philosophy relates to parenting successful children, and let’s start the conversation: What’s your “one thing” in parenting for your kids? I thought of applying this business strategy to parenting when I...
73: Ideas to Help You Master Healthy School Lunches with Georgia Harding
They say September is the new January when it comes to meal planning…and January always feels a lot like September when it comes to lunch packing! If you’re about ready for some new ideas, inspiration, and organization to help your kids keep up a nutritious diet all day long, you’ll love this interview. (And if...
71: Be a Victor, Not a Victim: Control Your Own Happiness
Margie Bissinger, MS, PT, CHC, is a physical therapist and integrative health coach. “If only this would change, then I’d be happier…” Ever found yourself thinking that and getting stuck in the “grass is greener” syndrome? Turns out only 10% of your happiness is based on what’s happening in your life. 😮 That’s good news though,...
67-70: De-stress in December with Stress Mastery Experts
This week we’re sharing a Healthy Parenting Connector interview related to stress mastery! Stress is something we all deal with that can be hugely detrimental to our health and relationships but also something that’s often brushed off as “normal” or “not a big deal.” Have you ever heard a friend laughing off her stress as...
66: Communication is your Words! How to Listen with C.A.R.E. (with a stress educator)
Tildet Varon learned the power of healing from within through numerous tragedies in her life, leading her to become a sought after speaker and inner mastery specialist. She helps people improve their personal and professional lives BY feeling less stress, not by working harder. She is a master at transforming stress into success and connecting...
60: Time to Stop Managing Your Kids (Why That Actually Works from a CALM Mom of 5 Successful Young Adults!)
Do you have a vision for your child’s life? Do you know what kind of person you want your kids to grow up to be? Through tragedy and personal growth, Michelle Anne, CSME learned to become a CALM parent, and she would tell you to STOP IT. But of course she wouldn’t yell. 😉 This...
59: Raising Successful Kids 101: How to Avoid the Anxiety and Hyper-Achievement Loop and Build Resiliency
Anxiety didn’t used to be so hip and popular when Sarah Janette was diagnosed, and she felt such a stigma and resulting shame that it caused a major health issue. As an eating psychology counselor, her mission is to provide young women with strategies to master stress, enhance productivity, and better navigate a healthy lifestyle...
57: Happy Parents Aren’t a Myth (How You Can Get Closer to the Green Grass that Isn’t on the Other Side)
Do you wish “happy” and “parenting” were used more often in the same sentence? Our guest today is a former NY Times reporter who realized she was hearing way too many parents say that they just weren’t happy, not finding joy in their kids like they thought they would…so she sought to do something about...
56: How to UPgrade Your Parenting and Perform Your Best with Dr Ryan Wohlfert
“Since I became a parent, I’ve gained a lot of weight…” “I don’t sleep enough – parenting, duh!” “What parent has time to take care of themselves?” Ever heard a busy parent say these things (or caught yourself saying them)? Dr. Ryan Wohlfert DC, NSCA, CCSP, EYL is on a mission to flip the script and convince...
47: Can Mindfulness Make You a Better Parent? (+ Bonus Guided Meditations for Kids!)
It seems like there’s always a new health and wellness craze around every corner, and recently we’re hearing a lot about the value of meditation. Athletes are doing it, pro speakers swear by it, actors and actresses can’t believe everyone isn’t doing it yet. But is it too good to be true? Or worse, is...
45: Challenges to Raising an Adult in Today’s Culture
This week’s Healthy Parenting Connector will be my thoughts on the challenges of raising an adult in today’s world… If you didn’t see last week’s interview with author Julie Lythcott-Haims, you are missing out! She’s amazing and had a lot of good things to say as well as some scary predictions about young adults raised...
44: Raising Successful Adult Humans (and Why We Are Currently Failing at Raising Successful Adults!)
Does it sound great to have your grown-up child back in your house so that you can do their laundry, cook meals for them, and pay their bills…because they don’t know how to be an adult? I didn’t think so. We’re in this parenting game to do the best we can for our kids, and...
42: The Role of Fathers in Teaching Kids a Healthy Lifestyle
My husband is back with us again today for Father’s Day week… Let’s talk about the role of fathers in kids’ healthy lifestyles and what you should do if you just hate cucumbers! We chat about: Whether there are still foods he doesn’t like and what he does about that. How he can see our...
36: Matt Gersper on Living a Life of Significance (How to Be Happy!)
“It takes a lifetime to build a great life,” reminds Matt Gersper, founder of Happy Living and author of The Belief Roadmap and Turning Inspiration Into Action. Can that life be filled with video games? You’ll be surprised what we end up teasing out! (I didn’t think I liked where it was going for a while,...
23: 3 Vital Strategies for Families to Raise Successful Children
We all want to raise successful children—not just in the kitchen, but in life! I’ve had over 40 “kid years” of parenting experience and I invite you to learn from our successes and failures along the way. These are simple ideas…but not always a cinch to implement! The three vital strategies I’ll go over in...
22: Why Meal Planning is a Key to Healthy Eating for Kids with Chef Allison Schaaf of Prep Dish
When it comes to step ONE in healthy eating, I always come back to meal planning. I invited Allison Schaaf, pro chef and founder of Prep Dish, to chat with us on how to make it happen and some unique strategies she uses that are perfectly suited to families teaching their kids to cook! Get...
Do This FIRST With Your Little Ones in the Kitchen
How early can you start teaching your kids to cook? It’s almost never too early to build good food habits and get kids involved in the kitchen. We happen to have a very little one here in the house, but… My sweet, joyful toddler who always smiled at everything had a transformation this month. He...
My Gift to My Future Daughter-in-Law
The very first time I met my future mother-in-law, she gave me a gift. Her son and I had been dating for a few weeks at the time and were young, know-it-all know-nothing 18-year-olds. It happened to be near Valentine’s Day, a big gift-giving holiday for people you barely know of course, so I got...
I’m Pushing My Kids to Grow up Too Fast (in one way only)
I think kids should watch different movies than adults. I know they should have different bedtimes. And they definitely should have different responsibilities (paying bills as an 8-year-old? No thank you!). However, I don’t think they should eat different meals. Baby Taste Buds Are Overrated...
Resiliency in Action: 7 Non-Negotiable Family Dinner Rituals for Mental & Physical Health
Can something as simple as eating a meal together help parents keep their kids safe from the scary depression and anxiety statistics? Eating foods that fight depression and help keep anxiety at bay is a great habit, but no matter what you’re eating, coming together as a family has powerful benefits. Research shows that the...
07: “Table Talk” The Importance of Family Dinners
We’ve talked before about how to supercharge family dinner rituals for physical and mental health, but what if the kids won’t even stay there for conversation? Today’s live video uses research to prove the importance of family dinners, then goes into practical tips for getting little kids to SIT at the table, and our family’s...
02: Back to School Meal Planning Tips from Jessica of 6 O’clock Scramble
Wondering how to keep kids eating nutritious food during the crazy back-to-school time? Jessica Braider of the 6 O’Clock Scramble joins me today to dish out magic tricks (and simple tips) for breakfast, snacktime, dinners and all things meal planning. You CAN keep your kids eating healthy (and being involved in the process) even when...
The “Unteachable” Life Skills Our Kids Need Most (and How We Can Help)
As a parent, I’m often asked: “How do you teach life skills like cooking, cleaning, or budgeting?” I love answering that question (because that’s literally my jam!). It’s hard enough for parents to get over their psychological roadblocks and slowwwww down enough to teach tangible skills. It’s even harder to figure out how to pass...
Teaching Life Skills: The Best Hack I’ve Used (and What Other Smart Parents Swear By)
When I think about teaching life skills to my kids, I always come back to one core truth: it’s not just about checking a skill off a list. It’s about raising humans who can think, adapt, and stand on their own two feet. That’s why when I find a “hack” that actually works to make...
Episode 66: Why Teaching Your Kids Chores and Life Skills Is NOT Taking Advantage of Them
In today’s Healthy Parenting Handbook episode, I’m going to take 5 different arguments against kids doing chores and learning life skills and counter them with facts, stories, research, and a big ol’ dose of common sense. These are real arguments I hear from both well-meaning parents AND keyboard warriors on social media, plus one from...
Episode 61: How Kids Can Learn to Deal with Big Challenges and Big Emotions with Counselor and Coping Skills Expert Janine Halloran
We will ALL encounter tough situations and hard times in our lives. We will ALL cope with them in some way. But sometimes coping looks like throwing a chair or eat a whole box of cookies. Licensed Mental Health Counselor Janine Halloran joins us today to talk about the kind of coping that is safe...
Episode 57: Higher Level Thinking for Kids and How That Improves Independence and Life Skills with Author Noel Foy
Did you know the pre-frontal cortex where executive functioning lives doesn’t fully develop until our early 30s??? I still struggle with some executive functioning skills like time management and following a plan, but if I learned anything from this interview, it’s that we ALL can continue to grow, change, and improve. You are not married...
Episode 029: The Importance of Life Skills in a Digital Age
What life skills are kids and teens going to need in this fast-paced digital world??? We can’t really predict what specific skills our kids will need in 20 years, BUT we know they’ll need to know how to learn and other “soft skills.” Enjoy meeting a handful of our #LifeSkillsNow summer camp leaders as we...
Top 10 Life Skills to Teach Your Kids Before They Turn 18
When I was a kid, I never once said, “I want to be a digital entrepreneur when I grow up.” I never had “be a TEDx speaker” on my bucket list (did bucket lists exist in the 80s??). I always and only wanted to be a teacher. Luckily, my parents passed on skills like a...
Episode 025: Tapping into Creativity and Why Woodworking Helps Kids Learn Real Life Skills with Anika Gandhi
I interview a LOT of different people in a myriad of professions, but I’ve never come close to having a woodworker on the show before! “What would we talk about – how to build things? That won’t go well on a podcast in someone’s ear…” I thought. Do not worry my friends, because Anika and...
196: Middle School Superpowers (And Vital Soft Skills for the Rest of Us) with Counselor Phyllis Fagell
You know when we have a repeat guest here on the Healthy Parenting Connector, they’re really good! As soon as I finished this interview, I bought Phyllis Fagell’s new book called Middle School Superpowers, and it’s in my stack! In our first interview, we talked about why middle school kids are built a bit differently...
The Importance of Teaching Life Skills Now | #LifeSkillsNow
As adults, we might be expected to spend “approximately” 40 hours of our 168 in a week at our jobs. IF we sleep the requisite 8 hours (who does??), that leaves us with 72 waking hours left in the week, nearly twice as many as we spend using those college degrees and high school diplomas,...
159: How to “Launch” on Purpose: Teaching Life Skills to Your Teens Today That Will Prepare Them for Tomorrow
One of the motivations for creating the Kids Cook Real Food™ eCourse was that I was just over halfway to “launch” with my oldest child. Nine years old is half of the intensive part of parenting, and Paul had just turned 10. He demonstrated how to make homemade guacamole to his 4th-grade class, and I...
How Teaching Life Skills Kept This Family Afloat During a Crisis
One of our member families had an experience where teaching life skills (like cooking!) kept their family afloat during a rough season. Here’s Sara to explain how Kids Cook Real Food™ has impacted their family! My ultimate goal when we joined Kids Cook Real Food™ was to work on life skills. As a mom, you...
42: The Role of Fathers in Teaching Kids a Healthy Lifestyle
My husband is back with us again today for Father’s Day week… Let’s talk about the role of fathers in kids’ healthy lifestyles and what you should do if you just hate cucumbers! We chat about: Whether there are still foods he doesn’t like and what he does about that. How he can see our...
Episode 93: Eating Disorders Expert & Dietitian on How to Foster a Healthy Relationship with Food for Your Kids
The very morning I did this interview, my husband was complaining about how badly he felt because of a certain number…and when I heard Heidi’s final “practical” challenge to parents, I knew we had to do it. This interview was a HUGE paradigm shift for me, and you will alternately want to turn it off...
Episode 83: Why Feeding Therapy Can Backfire—Insights from Picky-Eating MD Dr. Katja Rowell
You’ve heard the figure that most MDs get less than 10-20 hours of nutrition and food training in medical school, and Dr. Katja Rowell (MD!) thinks this is a tragedy. Worse, she says, is that pediatricians and family doctors aren’t trained at all in HOW kids learn to eat, and many of them help families...
Episode 76: “I Don’t Like Fish”: Why You Might Be Wrong (and How to Start Loving It)
“I don’t like fish.” How many of us have a child, spouse, or self who says that? My guest today says that’s off course – no one can accurately say they “don’t like” “fish” – and I love her reasons! Whether you love fish or haven’t learned to love it yet, this non-fishy interview all...
Episode 040: Speech & Picky Eating: Expert Tips to Help Parents Intro New Foods to Kids
Did you know that the way your child eats can affect their speech and vice versa? Melanie Potock is a Speech-Language Pathologist who became a pediatric feeding expert through her experience as a mom of a former picky eater. She uses her SLP expertise to help parents introduce new foods to kids, form healthy eating...
Episode 39: How School Lunch May Contribute to Picky Eating
No one has to say school lunches are good or bad, healthy or unhealthy. That’s not my point today – although I think school lunches could use some improvement. 🙂 Today let’s talk about picky eating specifically – could school lunches potentially contribute to or exacerbate picky tendencies for certain kids? I think so. Today...
Episode 010: Sensory Processing Disorder & How to Get Kids to Eat Healthy Anyway
Kids MORE than picky? They might have a sensory processing issue, and I cannot tell you how much I learned from Dr. Nicole Beurkens, PhD in this interview about helping kids eat healthy no matter their sensory limitations! These practical tips are amazing for kids who only eat 20 foods or less (but also apply...
Episode 009: The Real Cause of Picky Eating (It’s Likely NOT Parenting) with Dr. Kay Toomey
Dr. Kay Toomey, PhD is a Pediatric Psychologist who focuses on picky eaters and problem feeders. Plenty of parents complain about their kids being “so darn picky!” (including me, even though I know I shouldn’t use that word!). But what IS a picky eater, really? Did you know: Only about 1/3 of kids are actually...
Episode 008: Frequently Asked Questions about Picky Eating with an Expert (…Me!)
Picky eating has always been a tricky challenge for parents, but did you know it’s been getting worse in the last few decades and particularly since the stress of the pandemic? Parents are frustrated and not sure what to do, partly because the root cause of picky eating is often not even in the food...
202: Why Eating Isn’t About Food and What Parents of Picky Eaters (And Other People Who Eat) Can Do About It? with Deborah MacNamara
It’s so rare that I get to speak to a professional who marries FOOD and parenting, so I was tickled to sit down with Dr. Deborah MacNamara, who wrote a whole book about the relationship between food and…relationships! This conversation will keep you on the edge of your seat with lightbulb moment after lightbulb moment,...
194: Helping Kids Get Curious About New Foods with Food Explorer Arielle “Dani” Lebovitz MS, RDN, CSSD, CDCES
We’re going to get super practical today on the Healthy Parenting Connector so get a pen and notebook and take some notes! I’m talking with food explorer Dani Lebovitz about helping your picky eater by exploring foods (mostly away from the table and mealtime!) We’ll share specific activities and ideas for exploring cranberries, citrus fruits,...
193: Solving Picky Eating by Shifting the Palate First with Chef James Barry
Chef James Barry didn’t solve his own picky eating until he was in his 30s! In other words, there’s always hope. 🙂 Now he’s a dad and has watched his kids learn to eat PLUS done a lot of research, and he has an interesting theory on using the palate as the catalyst of change....
Make It Mini – How Small Food Can Help Picky Eaters + Mini Meatloaf Recipe
This is a guest post from Mary Voogt, NTP of Just Take a Bite. I was making homemade mac ‘n’ cheese and wanted some quality protein to go with it. I typically make some kind of sausage (like this simple homemade sausage). But I realized we only had one pound of ground pork left. How...
Add a Boost of Healthy Fiber, Fat and Protein for Picky Eaters | Chia & Flax Seeds
When we’re working on picky eating problems, many experts will say to hide nutrients in their food. I never advocate for straight-up “hiding” i.e. lying, BUT I definitely see the need to incorporate more protein, healthy fats, and fiber in our kids’ diets, whether they’re picky eaters or not! Chia and flax seeds are amazing...
153: 3 Habits Shifts to Help Your Picky Eater
Sometimes we just need a little mental shift, a small piece of knowledge, an encouragement to break a habit, or a new perspective. That’s my goal today! I want to break into the day-to-day habits that might not be serving your kids and help you make a SHIFT – either in your thinking, your dinner...
Why Sheet Pan Meals Are Great for Picky Eaters | Picky Eater Recipes
Sheet pan meals are a win-win with picky eaters! They provide options plus they’re easy to make and clean up! As a kids’ cooking teacher, I’ve gotten a ton of questions over the years about picky eating recipes. That led me to become certified in the SOS approach to feeding so that I’m even more...
152: Feeding Toddlers (& Other Picky Eaters) Confidently with Dietician Edwena Kennedy, RD
I’m in awe over how much has changed about feeding babies and toddlers in just the 15 years since I had to learn it the first time. Less stress, less structure, but even MORE importance to get it right if you ask me! I asked dietician Edwena Kennedy to join me today to help parents...
151: Could Your Picky Eater Need More…Sleep??!
You know how even though it feels like what happens to our body might not affect the mind and vice versa? That’s not the only place where seemingly unrelated systems are actually interdependent… We have one body to work with on this journey called life, and it’s alllll connected. Sarah Fenrich, an occupational therapist, and...
150: Quick Change Tastebuds, Slow Biology, & Why Gut Health May Impact Picky Eating with Elissa Arnheim
Did you know that picky eating can sometimes be caused by the messages the bacteria in your gut are sending to your brain? So the CHILD isn’t being a sugar monster…or making stubborn choices just to drive you crazy…their gut bugs are the sugar monsters and their brain has pruned too much! I learned so...
143: How to Help Kids Eat More Vegetables
“How do I help my kids eat more vegetables?” It’s a question I’m often asked! Today I have 5 quick tips and practical ideas to set up the right environment so that your kids have a CHANCE to fall in love (or at least make friends with) their veggies: Demonstration Variety Choice Fun Involvement Let’s...
Why Recipes for Picky Eaters Won’t Solve the Problem
You know how Google is super helpful and tries to finish your thought when you start typing a search. That gives us an interesting perspective because what Google chooses to fill the space with is typically some of the most popular searches. Thus we can learn what others are searching for, what their needs are....
Why Kids Menus Are Hurting the Next Generation
One of my more controversial and talked-about shares in the last year was a series of pictures of our elementary school’s lunch kids menu. I pointed out some of the trends, some of the downfalls (I’m looking at you sugar), and how the lunches served at our elementary school are the epitome of the kids’...
125: Picky Eating: 4 Possible Cultural Root Causes (& Prevention Strategies)
I was asked a question on a podcast interview the other day that I’ve never been asked before – “WHY are there so many picky eaters these days?” It really does feel like it’s an epidemic, far different than our childhood. What gives? I have 4 theories as to the underpinnings, and those lend a...
The Magic of the Tiny Salad: Understanding How Food Size and Texture Impacts Picky Eating
It’s easy to admit that one of the greatest benefits of social media is keeping in touch with friends from long ago. My dear friend and fellow trombone player from high school, Liz, is one of those I am so grateful for. We’ve often connected through Facebook or Instagram over the years and kept up...
One Simple Habit That Could Get Your Kids to Eat 4xs More Veggies
It’s no surprise that parents everywhere struggle to get their kids to eat vegetables. In fact, here at Kids Cook Real Food™, I hear often from our families that one of the biggest barriers to eating more healthily is that they have what they call “picky eaters.” Picky eaters never seem to have trouble eating...
What Is Intuitive Eating? 6 Tips for Teaching Kids to Eat Intuitively
There are 36 million hits if you search on Google for “Intuitive Eating,” and I’m not exaggerating! But how many people are reaching out about teaching kids to eat intuitively? Not that many. At Kids Cook Real Food™, we not only want to teach kids about cooking, but we also want to teach them how...
117: Why You Must Let Kids Play with Their Food with Danielle Binns
The mess, the mess! Feeding kids can be overwhelming sometimes, especially if you’re unlucky enough to have carpet under a highchair. 😮 Family nutritionist Danielle Binns joins me today to talk about the importance of playing with food and why it’s the most powerful anti-picky-eating strategy at our disposal! She’ll challenge your thinking for sure...
106: Every Kid is Different: Raising Kids with Sensory Processing Difficulties to Eat Well On Their Own
Picky eating. It’s a bane of many parents’ existence, but it doesn’t have to be this way. I love how every expert brings their own perspective to the table when it comes to various root causes of picky eating, and Renae Fieck brings her experience as an occupational therapist to us today. We’ll talk about:...
92: The Sabotage of Poor Digestion in Kids and How to Fix it
What if I told you you might have to throw away half of the healthy food you worked so hard to put on the dinner table? What if I told you that can basically happen AFTER your kids eat everything on their plate?!?! Healthy food is only the first part of being nourished—we need to...
83: Helping Highly Sensitive Children Avoid Meltdowns and Thrive in Uncertain Times
Now more than ever, it’s highly risky to be a “highly sensitive person”—HSPs, children included, are more sensitive to stress and threats, and boy do we have a lot of both of those flying around. HSPs really feeeeeel all the pain that others are going through and want to help, but that isn’t always good...
82: What is a Highly Sensitive Person? (& How to Help Them Thrive in Times of Crisis)
Ever heard of a Highly Sensitive Person? We’re 15-20% of the population, which means it’s just a trait difference, not a disorder—which means there’s a reason the world needs HSPs (and HSCs, Highly Sensitive Children). But that doesn’t make it easy to be one! Here’s your introduction to what a Highly Sensitive Person is, including:...
77: Why HOW You Feed Your Kids Is More Important Than WHAT You Feed Them: Eating Styles
Why is my child holding all that food in his mouth? Just chew! Why does she play with her food for so long? Just eat! Why am I unsatisfied after certain meals? They’re perfectly healthy and filling! Mary Voogt, feeding expert and food allergy aficionado, joins us today to explain how she discovered the 4...
75: Science Gives Parents the Solution for Picky Eaters (Part 2 with Dr. Kay Toomey)
“Eating is the hardest thing kids will ever do.” What?!?! Have you ever thought about what we do 5x/day like this? Dr. Kay Toomey was the MOST fascinating interview I’ve ever done, and it ran so long, we had to cut it into two pieces for you! Be sure to catch part 1 here all...
10 Ways to Prepare Vegetables That Surprise Kids Into Eating Them (No Cuteness or “Tricks” Needed)
Move over, boring “steamed broccoli.” You’re old news there, green smoothie. There are other ways to serve vegetables so that kids will eat and enjoy them! And there’s no need for cute bento boxes every time! (Although we do love our bento boxes at our house.) There’s really not a very big difference between a...
43: Powerful Eating: How Parents Can Celebrate Strengths and Help Kids Think Well About Their Bodies
Did you know 50% of girls dislike their bodies as they enter high school—and some of those habits start as newborns?!? Family nutrition expert and mom Maryann Jacobsen, RD and I sat down to dig DEEP into how we talk about food with our kids, and why simply “not talking badly about our weight” is...
34: Big Encouragement for Kids to Try New Things (#mykidtriedthis CHALLENGE!)
Last week in Dr. Biljana Uzelac’s interview, she said one of the most effective strategies to get kids to be open to try new foods is to enlist an outside challenge. I’ll be that challenger for you! In today’s video I’m going to discuss some strategies for parents to introduce new foods smoothly and go...
33: How to Make Healthy Food COUNT with Dr. Biljana Uzelac, Integrative Pediatric MD
Can kindergartners make good decisions about what to feed themselves? What if all they want to eat is chicken dipped in ketchup at a meal? Find out some fascinating research on that, plus rock solid tips for starting babies off right with food, the attitude parents need at the dinner table, and how to motivate...
32: Why We Should Stop Thinking About Nutrition and Build Our Kids’ Eating Habits Instead with Feeding Expert Dina Rose, PhD
Dina Rose, PhD, is our guest today on feeding our kids healthily, and she says she’s not actually against the lollipop at the doctor’s…(insert shock here?)…BUT she still would take it away from her crying daughter! Why? She has a real issue with dealing with emotion through food, and we talk about that today in...
Picky Eating Solutions Using All 8 Senses (from a feeding expert)
Many parents feel their kids are “picky eaters,” and we definitely find here at Kids Cook Real Food™™ that working in the kitchen, being involved with food through our online cooking classes for kids, really helps kids be more open to trying and appreciating new foods. But it’s not magic pixie dust, and it doesn’t...
Connect Kids with Real Food and Teach Them How to Eat Healthy
Teaching kids about healthy eating can start from day one and you may find your picky eater will eat veggies even beyond a healthy pumpkin muffin. Making healthy eating fun is the key – ironically, learning food rules does just that. “Can we get a real drink now?” the little girl said the moment The...
A New Idea, Some Tips (and Some Hard Words to Hear) for Picky Eaters
Your kid only eats pizza? Chicken nuggets? Plain pasta, no sauce? Is that picky eating or being stubborn? It seems to me that our nation’s “picky eaters” tend toward the same “standard American fare” foods. These foods are easy to prepare in our convenience food society, and it’s what parents tend to feed their kids...