It’s been quite a year of blogging.  And what better way to celebrate than to take a step back and review the top posts of 2011.  These are the posts that stood out with higher-than-average Facebook shares and tweets or active conversation in the comments.

I also want to take this time to thank you for reading Raise Healthy Eaters.  I learn as much from you as you do from me.  My goal is not only to provide you with the most credible feeding advice but to get you to think more broadly about feeding kids and yourself.  I realize that some of you don’t even have kids yet, as one reader wrote: “I realize that I have to raise myself as a healthy eater first.”

So here are the posts from 2011 that stood out the most and why…

1. 10 Strategies for Ending Kids’ Sugar Obsession: The goal of my managing sweet series was to get you thinking about how to offer sweets so they don’t get more attention than needed. This last post in the series was well received because it provided practical tips for parents.  As one reader pointed out: Personally, as a parent, I employ most all of these tips, even having dessert with dinner, and it does take the emphasis off the sweets.

2. Why Banning Foods in Schools Sends Kids the Wrong Message: Things got a bit controversial with this post about banning chocolate milk in schools.  It’s not that I want children to drink chocolate milk, I just think bans create desire for the banned food and there are better ways to balance out the menu in favor of healthier items.  More on this subject in 2012!

3. The Annoying Kids’ Eating Habit Parents Should Adopt: This post has received the most Facebook shares of all time (271) and it was also reposted on Fooducate with a good response.  The message is vital: we need to stop getting kids to eat more food, and teach them to honor hunger and satiety.  In the food-centric environment in which we live, this will be essential to their long-term success in eating. 

As one reader points out: I feel one of the greatest gifts my mother gave to me was teaching me the mantra, “Listen to your body.” If I wasn’t hungry, I was never made to eat. And I think her tutelage is one reason why I never much struggled with maintaining my weight in adulthood.

4. 7 Convenience Foods That are Easy and Healthier to Make Yourself: This post was shared a lot and it got people thinking about the store-bought items that are surprisingly easy to make themselves. Check the comments for more great ideas on easy-to-make-yourself food.  This post got shared on quite a few baby forums and it seemed to hit a nerve with new parents.  I’m glad the information helped clear up the confusion of when to start and stop using sippy cups.  I only wish I had this information sooner!

5. Five Things Parents Should Know About Starting and Stopping Sippy Cups: This post got shared on quite a few baby forums and it seemed to hit a nerve with new parents. I’m glad the information helped clear up the confusion of when to start and stop using sippy cups. I only wish I had this information sooner!

6. What Rewarding Kids with Food Looks Like 20 Years Later: I wasn’t sure what would happen when I posted this one but I was pleasantly surprised by the comments and popularity.  It really points out how our feeding practices have long-term consequences that most parents never think about.  Check the comments for eye-opening stories.

7. My Top 10 Trader Joe’s Products: A fun post that had many wanting to share their favorite Trader Joe’s Products.  I need to do Part 2 because I have a lot more to add! 

8. Macaroni and Cheese in the Rice Cooker: This recipe was popular because most people don’t think to make macaroni and cheese in the rice cooker.  Other all-time favorite recipes include slow cooker Veggie Lasagna and White Bean Chicken Chili

9. Do You Believe One of These 5 Myths About Kids’ Nutrition? This post kicked off my nutrition series and it got some parents feeling relieved, especially the one that says children don’t have to eat veggies to meet their needs.  The other post in this series, How to Meet Your Child’s Nutrition Needs Even When They Don’t Eat Perfectly, was a good one too.  Check out this post from Science of Mom for more on this discussion. 

10. The Fearless Feeding Movement: There would have been more posts but I was spending time selling mine and Jill’s idea for a feeding book: Fearless Feeding.  If you haven’t done so already, like us on Facebook so we can access you for ideas and stories to make this the most relevant feeding book around. 

Well that’s it.  I’m looking forward to many more posts in 2012.  Happy New Year!

Happy Holidays! I hope you are not stressing too much.

This week before Christmas I’m keeping meals super simple. On Tuesday, it’s easy spinach lasagna in the slow cooker. And the slow cooker chicken dish I have planned for Thursday is really good and easy! Fridays have become make-your-own pizza days here usually on whole wheat tortillas or flat bread.

I’ve also been making a different soup each week to have on hand for lunches and dinners. Last week I made minestrone and this week it’s lentil in the slow cooker. I like bean soups because they are hearty and filling. And when we are feeling sick I always make chicken noodle. I would be lying if I said my kids eat much soup, but they like the idea of soup and occasionally nibble.

As always, check out Org Junkie for more meal plan inspiration.

What’s Cooking This Week

Monday: Have it your way Tacos (we actually make our own burritos)

Tuesday: Slow Cooker Spinach lasagna with salad, bread and fruit

Wednesday: kids Choice

Thursday: Slock Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken, baked sweet potato fries, garlicky green beans and fruit.

Friday: Make your own pizzas on flat bread — toppings to choose from turkey pepperoni, red onions, red peppers and mushrooms with salad and smoothies.

How mistakes make us better feeders
“I’ve adopted your philosophy of eating although I slip sometimes,” is what one reader recently commented. I emailed her back letting her know that I slip too. And then that got me thinking about how feeding mistakes actually help parents become better feeders. It just depends on how you look at it.

Recently I had a tense moment with Big A. She has slowly gotten away from liking French toast even though she used to devour them. We have them every Tuesday and even though she protests she’ll usually eat some of it once we sit down…along with the fruit on the table. But on this particular morning she didn’t even want to take a bite of the French toast, declaring she “hates it.”

I felt like another person came out of me when I insisted she at least take a bite. She caused a stir, kept yelling that she didn’t have to, and I still insisted. She finally took a bite and immediately said: “Can I go now?”

Not only was I disappointed in myself, it showed me what life would be like if I tried to control my child’s eating. So this mistake not only reinforced my feeding style, it left me grateful for it. I sat Big A down after breakfast and apologized.

So here’s what I think: feeding mistakes show us what we don’t want — and help us stay on track. This same thing happens with meal planning. All I need is one bad week to show me why it’s so important to plan meals ahead of time.

I also know the golden rule of parenting is consistency, not perfection, and this definitely applies to feeding. I’m consistent with providing balanced meals and keeping mealtime positive even though my patience wears thin.

How do you deal with feeding mistakes?

Announcements
Last Friday I announced the Fearless Feeding Community. If you haven’t yet, enter the giveaway or just like us on Facebook. We want to grow this community fast so tell your friends too.

In the spirit of this new project, I’m going to be making some changes to my postings by writing somewhat “lighter” posts that open up the floor for conversation. I also plan to post more recipes, food ideas from around the web and my personal experiences with feeding. If you have any suggestions for the site, leave a comment or send me a message.

In other news, Ellyn Satter is hosting a free, two-part webinar on Obesity Preventionon January 12th (part 1) and 19th (part 2). I’ve interviewed Satter before and I can only tell you that nothing replaces listening to her speak live. She has so much wisdom and experience to share in 30+ years as a feeding expert. Don’t let the word obesity draw you away — this talk is all about feeding. Don’t miss it!

Brian Wansink is working with Birds’ Eye Vegetables and has his top 10 tips to encourage kids to eat their veggies. He’s always got some great ideas so check it out.

Well, that’s enough for now. Have a wonderful week and a happy holiday!

I’ve got news…big news! I’ve been writing this blog for over 2 years now and have learned a lot about the feeding struggles that parent face, including my own. While I love blogging, I wanted to do more. I wanted to reach more people.

I wanted to write a book.

In walks Jill Castle, pediatric nutrition specialist. I interviewed her for my Eating Disorder Prevention Series — and we hit it off. We both talked about the need for one, comprehensive book as an answer to modern-day feeding challenges but neither of us wanted to do it alone. But together….that just might be doable.

After a long road of coming up with a name, getting a proposal together, finding an awesome agent and finally landing a book deal, we have arrived at this moment. The book, Fearless Feeding, due out in early 2013, will help parents with kids of all ages — from high chair to high school.

Our goal is simple and ambitious: we want to take the fear out of feeding by giving parents the tools, resources and credible information they need to raise healthy and happy eaters. Whether you are trying to figure out what to feed your baby, unsure how to navigate picky eating or clueless about how to talk to school-aged kids about weight and body image, the book will have the answer. And most importantly, it will help prevent future problems, making feeding easier and less stressful each year children get older.

That said, we don’t want to stick our heads in the sand and write this book. We want to get parents (that’s you!) talking about their challenges. We want to hear all of your voices. We want to invite every parent to have a say so we can make the book relevant.

That’s why we are launching our Fearless Feeding Community on Facebook where we will ask questions/run polls, post news and food ideas, run giveaways, with a huge final prize, and ask for stories. Please “LIKE” us and tell your friends — we’ve got some great stuff to give away as an incentive and to celebrate this launch.

First, we have two Bento lunch boxes with coupons for any Sara Lee bread products. I really like the Sara Lee Soft and Smooth line of whole grain products. If your child has trouble accepting the rougher whole grain breads these are perfect. We regularly use the whole wheat mini bagels that contain 20g of whole grain per serving. Big A loves them. This package will also contain WomenHeart’s All Heart Family Cookbook.  We will have two winners for this each at $40.00 dollar value.

Real Simple is donating some organizing products from their Bed Bath and Beyond line including a mug rack, erasable calendar and a 3-piece trunk storage unit (pictured) great for organizing groceries and food items in the car. This is a $50 dollar value for one lucky winner.

Jill has more stuff to give away on her site so head over to the Just the Right Byte. She’s got a new greek yogurt product from Chobani for kids and unique whole grain products.

Here’s how you can enter:

1) Mandatory entry: “Like” Fearless Feeding on Facebook and leave a comment (on this blog) saying that you did it. If you don’t have a Facebook account leave a comment saying what you need most from a child nutrition/feeding book (you can do both of these things).

2) For another entry, tweet this post or share this post on Facebook. Leave another comment.

3) For a third entry, sign up for Raise Healthy Eaters’ email updates or RSS Feed. If you already subscribe, tell at least one friend about Raise Healthy Eaters for Fearless Feeding on Facebook. Leave another comment saying what you did.

The giveaway ends Friday, December 23rd. Three winners will be chosen using random.org and be announced on the Raise Healthy Eaters Facebook page.

Good luck!!

In addition to checking growth and health, administering immunizations and prescribing medications, pediatricians have something else on their to-do list: checking cholesterol levels in all children.

In November, a report from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), endorsed by the American Acedemy of Pediatrics (AAP), put out new recommendations for cholesterol screening and treatment in children.  These recommendations replace the 2008 recommendations from the AAP that recommend screening high-risk children, including those with a family history of early heart disease or high cholesterol and certain conditions such as obesity, high blood pressure or diabetes.

While much of the previous recommendations still stands, the revised recommendations include universal screening for all children between the ages of 9 to 11. The reason that this age range has been chosen is that cholesterol drops during puberty but then increases again as adolescents approach adulthood.

Why the change?
According to the NHLBI report, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD), in which the artery walls thicken as a result of the accumulation of fatty materials such as cholesterol, is the leading cause of death in North Americans. While the true form of “atherosclerosis” is rare in childhood and adolescence, the risk factors and risk behaviors in childhood can accelerate the development of it.

Here are key points from the NHLBI report on why universal testing is needed:

-Approximately 30-60% of children with high cholesterol are missed with the current testing protocol, as many do not have reliable or accurate family histories to guide them.

-Studies show that children with abnormal lipid levels such as high cholesterol are at increased risk for CVD as adults

-Better identification and control of abnormal lipids in childhood should reduce CVD risk beginning in early adulthood. Of particular importance are those with heterozygous hypercholesterolemia (FH), a genetic condition of high cholesterol levels typically requiring medication to keep cholesterol levels down.

-When the original guidelines were made, the focus was on identifying children with high LDL (bad cholesterol). But now a new combined pattern of abnormal lipids associated with obesity includes normal to mild elevation of LDL, high Triglycerides (type of fat in blood stream) and low HDL (good cholesterol). This new pattern has also been shown to increase CVD risk in adulthood.

Reactions
There have been some not-so-favorable reactions to these new recommendations. In this news article, Dr. Chad Teeters, a cardiologist at the University of Rochester Medical Center, points out that testing will be expensive and provide little benefit unless children get on cholesterol lowering medication — with no evidence that such drugs will help long term.

Yoni Freedhof, MD who blogs at Weighty Matters doesn’t agree with universal testing either:

In medical school I was taught that over 90% of diagnoses can be made on the basis of history alone. Rather than recommending a blood test, how about recommending physicians take lifestyle histories and that way, instead of just focusing on those kids who are unfortunate and predisposed enough to be developing “adult” style chronic diseases at a frighteningly young age, we can focus on all kids, including those whose youth might still be protecting them against an awful lifestyle. Don’t those kids need help too?

I agree with Freedhof that prevention for all is key — and that it’s not beneficial to only counsel children (and their parents) with high cholesterol. Additionally, research shows that half of children with high cholesterol will have it as adults. So that means the other half won’t. So does it help (or hurt) to alarm those children who will grow out of their high cholesterol?

On the other hand, a high cholesterol may be the wake-up call some parents need to get on a healthier path and a select few will be glad to discover their child has a genetic condition (like FH) so they can act early.

What do you think of all of this? Do you want your child being screened for high cholesterol as early as age 9?

For those who want more details, see the testing recommendations below or go to the full report.

Review of the recommendations

What the numbers mean for children
Total cholesterol: Acceptable <170mg/DL, borderline 170-199, high >200
LDL: Acceptable <110, borderline 110-129, high >130
HDL: Acceptable >45, borderline 40-45, low <40
Triglycerides 0-9 years: Acceptable 75, borderline 75-99, high >100
Triglycerides 9-16 years: Acceptable 90, borderline 90-129, high >130

Birth to 2 years: no screening
2-8 years: no routine screening unless the child has:
-a parent, grandparent, aunt/uncle, or sibling with heart attack, chest pain, stroke, any cardiac surgery <55 years in males and <65 years in females.
-a parent with Total cholesterol ≥240 mg/dL
-diabetes, hypertension, BMI ≥95th percentile or smokes cigarettes
9-11 years: universal screening
12-16 years: no routine screening unless the child has:
- a parent, grandparent, aunt/uncle or sibling with heart attack, chest pain, stroke, cardiac surgery, sudden death at < 55 years in males, < 65 years in females
-a parent with TC ≥240 mg/dL
-other high risk conditions
17-21 years: Universal Screening

This is my post from last year. I was geared up to write something new but realized my views haven’t changed much. This year, I’ll let Big A handle her stash. I hope you all have a safe and fun Halloween.

Halloween and all the festivities are right around the corner. Kids love it. Parents dread it. But as we’ve been talking about in our managing sweets series, teaching kids how to handle sweet foods is important. And what better time to test this out than during Halloween.

Last year was the first year my daughter went trick-or-treating. I admit I was a little nervous when she came home with a bag of candy. But it went pretty well because I had a (sort of) plan.

Knowing what you are going to do ahead of time can help you deal with a child who is either new to this Halloween gig or a veteran.

1. Consider their age: A reader wrote in asking the appropriate time to introduce kids to sweets. In general, age 2 is when parents can start offering kids sweets. Kids under 2 have small stomachs and are still in that rapid growth/critical nutrition period so the majority of their food should come from nutrient-dense choices. They also are not as mentally aware and so usually aren’t even asking for sweets.

It’s up to parents to decide when their children can start trick-or-treating. By age three, my daughter had a better understanding of Halloween and was excited to try it out.

2. Pick out candy that is a choking risk: Last year you better believe I sifted through my daughters stash to pick out the hard, round candies. Heck, I don’t even like to eat them.

But on a more serious note, any candy that is the shape of a hot dog should be removed or watched closely. That’s because it’s the same size as a young child’s airway, making it an easy plug that is also difficult to dislodge.

High risk children include those 4 years and younger, kids with chewing or swallowing disorders and any child eating while running, walking, laughing and talking.

3. Don’t over healthify: I remember getting raisins while trick-or-treating as a kid. I didn’t like it. And it didn’t make me want to eat raisins.

Halloween is a once-a-year event that is tied to eating candy — not other, healthy everyday foods. I believe that pushing healthier items during Halloween makes candy even more desirable and healthy not-so-desirable. Of course, this is my humble opinion and it doesn’t count for kids who are on restricted diets due to allergies or intolerances.

4. Let them eat as much as they want the first day (or two): Last year my daughter had candy during the Halloween festivities but still wanted more when we got home.

Her: Can I have more candy?

Me: okay.

Husband: (glared at me)

Her: (after she finished a small candy bar) Can I have more?

Me: okay

Husband: (glared at me — again!)

Her: (after one more bite) I’m done!

Husband: (smiles)

I follow the advice by feeding expert Ellyn Satter who says let children eat as much candy (from their stash) as they want for the first couple of days. Since my child is young I wanted her to have one night of telling me she had had enough.

5. Let kids handle their stash: Satter says that older kids with leftover candy can learn a lot from managing their stash. That means that after eating what they want for a day or two, they get to decide what candy they’ll have as part of a meal or for snack time each day.

I think next year when my daughter is 5, I’ll let her handle her stash but for now, I’m in charge. I’ll include her candy for some snack times and after dinner for dessert. She usually forgets about the candy after a few days so if there’s extra my husband and I will take it to work.

I do the same thing for myself — eat a bunch of candy on Halloween an then have some for snack time the days following. I’m usually over it by post Halloween day 3 or 4.

There are many different ways to handle candy and kids before, during and after Halloween. What do you typically do at your home?

One of the biggest challenges that parents face is dinnertime. Whether it be picky palates, kids that won’t sit, busy schedules or a lack of cooking skills (or all these things!), it can be a huge stressor. As one mom once told me, “My heart rate goes up right before dinner…I dread it.”

Dinner is the hardest meal for me too. Just yesterday after a long day at work, I got the dreaded call that my husband had to work late, had a no-napping two year old attached to my leg and a picky eater announcing that she wanted nothing in her burrito (tortilla only).

Two of my biggest challenges with young kids is staying organized and choosing meals that are simple enough to prepare during the witching hour. I know that when I keep things simple and prep ahead of time, dinners go more smoothly.

That’s why I said “yes” to the good folks at Real Simple when they asked me to participate in their Take Back Dinnertime Challenge. The goal is simple: Take the challenge to help make dinnertime the best part of your day and you could win $2,000!

Today is the first day you can sign up for Real Simple’s Take Back Dinnertime Challenge — and here’s what you get:

-Tips and ideas on how to cook healthier meals

-Advice on how to get organized in the kitchen — I desperately need this one!

-Ways to find cooking inspiration and connect with your family at the table

-The chance to win weekly prizes, including $2,000 in groceries.

Here’s how it works: Join the challenge and create a profile to enter the sweepstakes and keep track of your points. Starting August 22, you’ll get daily emails with cooking tips, recipes, and easy dinnertime ideas. The more ideas you try, the more points you earn.

Don’t forget to tell your friends about the challenge—for every friend who joins, you’ll get another point. And the more points you earn, the more sweepstakes entries you’ll get, meaning you’ll have more chances to win.

What will you get from me? I’ll be trying the tips too — and blogging about them. Let’s do it together.

Deal?

While we’re on the topic, what stresses you out most about dinnertime?

Welcome to summer! Meals in our home change a bit when the weather is hot and the days are longer. Easy meals that highlight what’s in season are key, which includes lots of fresh fruit.

We are also getting more into grilling. Or shall I say my husband is thanks to a new grill and lots of entertaining. With young kids around (2 and
4), it’s just easier to have people over at our place.

We want to grill more fish, so we’ll be trying this new salmon recipe. I’m also looking for healthy and tasty salads (pasta/bean combos) for BBQ sides. I tried this bean and corn salad over the weekend and it turned out great. The kids didn’t touch it but as you know, these things take time!

For more meal planning ideas see Org Junkie.

What’s Cooking this Week?

Monday: Have it your way tacos (with Laura’s beef — giveaway ends tonight) and all the toppings

Tuesday: Ravioli with spinach, garlic bread and salad

Wednesday:Kids’ Choice (had been quesadillas lately)

Thursday: Slow cooker chickenwith baked fries, garlicky/Parmesan green beans and fruit salad

Friday: Grilled salmon with grilled asparagus/corn, fruit, bread and salad

My two different eaters
Now that Little D is over two, his food personality is coming out. He really loves eating and is very cranky when a meal is even a few minutes late. One morning while I was getting breakfast together I found him sitting underneath his highchair waiting.

Just like a lot of kids his age (around 2), his appetite has decreased due to slowed growth but he still eats more than the average toddler. When Big A was this age she barely ate dinner which just goes to show how different kids can be when it comes to eating.

Big A is in pushing limits mode. I say black, she says white. I say yes, and she says no. She has times where she’ll try new stuff and other days she dead set against it. She takes any encouragement with new food as pressure where Little D all I have to say is “try?” and he often goes for the new item. But most of the time he eats what he likes first and then if he is still hungry he’ll start eating the less familiar stuff.

One thing I have noticed is that Big A’s appetite has really increased. Where she used to only eat a couple of bites of dinner she now has nights where she digs right in. Even though we never comment on how much she eats she’ll usually say, “Look, I ate everything!” And even though I’m shocked, I just remind her to follow her appetite and that it’s not particularly better if she eats more or less of any meal.

I try really hard not to gush over Little D’s eating or make Big A feel like less of an eater because she is more cautious around food. They both are good eaters in my eyes. But I’m not going to lie, it is more fun feeding an adventurous eater.

For those of you with more than one child, how do you handle your kids’ food differences?

News — Chubby Babies = Chubby Adults?
A friend of mine sent me an email about a news report she heard on NPR: “I heard this story that said chubby baby equals obese teen/adult. It concerns me it will encourage parents to impose unhealthy food restrictions on infants and toddlers.”

I checked the news for the day and discovered this new report from the Institute of Medicine on Childhood Obesity Prevention. One of the researchers talks about how some people still think chubby babies are healthier babies even though weight problems often persist as children get older.

I think all parents need to question the nutrition sound bites they hear on the news. Not only was this taken out of context, but it raises the point no one ever brings up: babies and kids come in different shapes and sizes and a bigger-than-average child is not always bad. I was just talking about my two very different kids. Not only was Big A chubby as a baby, she ate less than my thinner eat-everything son.

As Ellyn Satter always says, if we parents are doing our job of feeding we need to trust that our children will grow into the body size that is right for them. If we feed our children balanced meals at regular intervals and allow them to follow their appetite, they are likely to be just fine. But if we restrict their eating both in terms of what is offered and how much is eaten this almost always backfires. But letting kids eat whatever they want, whenever they want doesn’t work either.  (for more info on feeding styles and weight, check out this article)

What I’m trying to say that weight, in and of itself, is not always the issue. Yes, a super chubby baby could be the result of constant feeding or letting the child graze on energy-dense foods/drinks all day or it can be a normal part of a kid’s development. I just think it’s all too easy in this weight-obsessed world to create problems where there aren’t any.

What do you ya’ll think about these messages about kids’ weight? Do you tune them out or take notice?

I wrote this post as a participant in the Eat, Play, Love blog carnival hosted by Meals Matter and Dairy Council of California to share ideas on positive and fun ways to teach children healthy eating habits. A list of other registered dietitians and moms who are participating in the carnival will be listed at the bottom of this post or can be found on Meals Matter. Don’t miss the free Webinar on May 18th as we talk about the fundamentals for raising healthy eaters. I’ll be speaking along with Janet Helm, RD, Jill Castle, MS, RD and Andrea Garen, MA, RD. It will be a feeding bonanza!

If there’s one thing that I’ve learned since starting this blog two years ago and becoming a mom, it’s that I don’t have all the answers. I can’t give you the exact formula for turning kids into healthy eaters. But I can, as Oprah says, tell you what I know for sure.

There’s one very under-rated strategy for increasing the chances that your child will grow into an adult who eats well. And by well, I mean someone who eats a balanced diet, eats the right amount of food for their body type, eats sweets in moderation, prepares meals for themselves and is healthy because of it.

What’s the secret?

It has nothing to do with starting them young or hiding veggies or any of the stuff you always hear about. Instead, it’s keeping your eye on the prize and not wavering.

Short term vs. long term
When it comes to feeding, parents have two areas to focus on — short term needs and long term goals. The first, is making sure your kids are fed and meeting their nutritional needs. No doubt this is important. But if you use how our children are eating today as a testament to how you are doing as a feeder, you are likely to be miserable and guilt ridden a lot of the time.

In fact, this pressure to get kids to eat perfectly is what leads to many feeding mistakes. Parents are more likely to pressure kids to eat certain foods or give up entirely. I recently met a mom of a four-year-old who was on the brink of giving up on her child’s eating. (I gave her a really quick pep talk and thankfully she changed her mind).

But if you can keep your focus on the second area, the long-term goal, it changes the game. You will be less tempted to do things to get your children to eat healthy today, but have negative effects long-term. (For more on strategies that back-fire long term, see this post.) In other words, you need to check in with your daily feeding rituals to make sure they are in line with your long-term goal.

Case Study
Maureen K Bligh, MA, RD, is a registered dietitian and mom of two teenage boys, 17 and 18. She remembers all too well what it was like when they were younger and wouldn’t eat meat, rice or veggies (or any mixed dish), but they did eat fruit, milk and bread.

Maureen recalls viewing a video from Ellyn Satter, before having kids, that made a lasting impression. The video showed 5 scenarios of parents forcing kids to eat food and she couldn’t believe her eyes. Her takeaway: “If you force kids to eat they won’t choose to eat those foods in the long run.”

Even though Maureen was not picky when she was a kid — she had two boys that were. And she knew exactly what to do.

She followed the Division of Responsibility of feeding, letting her children decide what and whether to eat of what she decided to serve. Dinner was the toughest meal, as it is with many children, and she made sure to serve it family style, encouraged a pleasant environment, and as a result, heard many, “No thank you mommy, not tonight,” responses.

“I served milk, fruit and bread with each meal,” she adds. “I figured that way they were not going to die.”

When asked if it was difficult she said, “Not really.” It was clear she believed in what she was doing and trusted that one day her children would branch out in the food department.

Then that day came. Her eldest and most picky son, around the age of 8, said four words that made her do the happy dance on the inside: “I’ll have the broccoli.” Maureen says this was the start of his gradually trying more foods, which really took off during middle school.

“I know the experts say it takes 10-15 tries before kids learn to like a food,” she points out. “But I think it takes many more times for some kids, at least that’s how it worked for mine.”

But most importantly her kids will now try anything, are fit, regulate their intake well, eat a variety of foods (from all the food groups) and really seem to value family meals.

Expectations, beliefs and trust about kids’ eating matter
Most parents believe their kids will learn to read novels, drive cars and do other things adults do every day. But when it comes to eating, many lack the same confidence that their kids will eventually learn to eat well. That’s probably why there is so much pushing and giving up and outright frustration about children’s eating.

Maureen admits that if she had not been prepared, or had the right information, she may have been more pushy with her kids’ eating. Instead she kept her eye on the prize – and believed that, using the division of responsibility, eventually her kids would, of their own volition, choose to eat healthy foods – and it has paid off.

Yet Maureen makes it clear that life at home isn’t perfect. Her boys eat more fast food than she would like and deal with peer pressure when it comes to eating. “It’s still a leap of faith in many respects,” she admits.

Yet she is reminded that her children always return to the foundation of healthy eating she has spent years building in her home. When her youngest son was being hassled for having a dietitian mom he responded, “I like it, mom. I like that you feed us healthy food.”

No doubt you will weather many storms when it comes to your kids’ eating because they are in the process of learning — and have a lot of mistakes to make. I certainly don’t love it when my four-year-old responds to an unfamiliar dinner at a friend’s house with, “Do you have any ice cream?”

I know that for her, ice cream (vanilla) always tastes the same and satisfies. The day will come when she eats more of the food in front of her. The belief and trust that my daughter will grow into a good eater is so strong, that it keeps me going, even on the worst days.

How do you keep perspective when it comes to feeding your kids?

Don’t miss the free Webinar: Eat, Pray, Love: Raising Healthy Eaters on May 18th.

Don't stop here! Join the carnival and read other Eat, Play, Love blogs from dietitians and moms offering the best advice on raising healthy eaters. And if you don't get enough today, for more positive, realistic and actionable advice from registered dietitian moms, register for the free, live webinar Eat, Play, Love: Raising Healthy Eaters on Wednesday, May 18.

Feeding is Love, Jill Castle, MS, RD, LDN
5 Quick Ways to Prepare Veggies with Maximum Flavor, Dayle Hayes, MS, RD
The Art of Dinnertime, Elana Natker, MS, RD
Children Don’t Need a Short Order Cook, Christy Slaughter
Cut to the Point – My Foodie Rules, Glenda Gourley
Eat, Play, Love – A Challenge for Families, Alysa Bajenaru, RD
Eat, Play, Love ~ Raising Healthy Eaters, Kia Robertson
Get Kids Cooking, Jessica Fishman Levinson, MS, RD, CDN
Kid-Friendly Kitchen Gear Gets Them Cooking, Katie Sullivan Morford, MS, RD
Kids that Can Cook Make Better Food Choices, Glenda Gourley
Making Mealtime Fun, Nicole Guierin, RD
My No Junk Food Journey – Want to Come Along? , Kristine Lockwood
My Recipe for Raising Healthy Eaters: Eat Like the French, Bridget Swinney MS, RD, LD
Playing with Dough and the Edible Gift of Thyme, Robin Plotkin, RD, LD
Picky Eaters  Will Eat Vegetables, Theresa Grisanti, MA
Raising a Healthy Eater, Danielle Omar, MS, RD
Putting the Ease in Healthy Family Eating, Connie Evers, MS, RD, LD
Raising Healthy Eaters Blog Carnival & Chat Roundup, Ann Dunaway Teh, MS, RD, LD
Soccer Mom Soapbox, Sally Kuzemchak, MS, RD
Teenagers Can Be Trying But Don’t Give UpDiane Welland MS, RD
What My Kids Taught Me About Eating Mindfully, Michelle May, MD

March is National Nutrition Month — a time when Registered Dietitians (RD) educate the public about healthy eating.  To get the word out, Janet Helm over at Nutrition Unplugged invited RD bloggers to write about what they think it will take to change Americans’ eating habits.  So here’s my shot at it — but don’t miss other RDs’ advice at the end of this post (if links aren’t there yet check back later).

My first job as an RD was as a nutrition counselor in a hospital.  Unfortunately, I dumped tons of healthy eating information in my patients’ laps.  When I coupled this information with the words “forever” and “lifelong” the fear these poor people felt was palpable.

I’ve learned a lot since then and now understand that it’s not more nutrition information people need but help translating the advice into their busy lives.  And what better way to illustrate this then with the famous story The Wizard of Oz.

1. Look inside for solutions, not outside: Each of the characters in The Wizard of Oz believed they needed something they didn’t already have to reach their goals.  The scarecrow needed a brain, the tin man a heart, the lion courage and Dorothy needed transportation to get home.  

With a 40-billion diet industry we are constantly sold the idea that we need something special to achieve good health — a diet plan, supplements, specialty products, more time and even willpower.  As long as we believe that we need something outside of us — and our daily lives — we will keep searching (and waiting) instead of tapping into the amazing power we already have.

2. Learn to tap into your power source:  The “aha” moment in The Wizard of Oz was when the characters realized that they each already had the ability to create the life they wanted.

When it comes to leading the healthy lifestyle of our dreams, we have that power too.  When we start with where we are, the foods we love and the daily routine we treasure, we can find solutions that actually work for us.  It’s amazing how much easier things can be when we stop fighting our lives, and ourselves, and actually use what we have to our advantage.

3. Lose the big goal and take small steps: Each of The Wizard of Oz characters where guilty of focusing on the their big goal instead of the little steps they needed to achieve success.  This is what the journey to the wizard brought them — each step they took moved them closer to their goal.

Small steps to improve eating and exercise do two things.  First, they are attainable which helps build confidence.  Second, they are much more likely to match our lifestyle and personal preferences than big, sweeping changes.  In fact, the process becomes so enjoyable, that we often forget about the big goal and sometimes end up on a totally different (and more fun) adventure than planned. 

Below are examples of small changes to try.  The goal is to master each small goal and either add onto it or try a different one. 

-Sit down for meals and snacks, being mindful when eating. 

-Add a different fruit or veggie to meals or snacks each week. 

-Walk for 5 minutes a day (or 1 or 2 minutes).

-Try a new quick and nutritious recipe for dinner every month — keep those that taste great in a folder.

-Make a point to pay attention to hunger and fullness signals.  If you need some help, learn from your toddler.

-Include a sensible portion of one of your favorite fun foods each day.

-Click here for more small steps.

4. Change along with life changes: What we don’t see in The Wizard of Oz is what happens later — something dietitians call maintenance.  Many people tell me how they used to eat well and exercise but something got in the way — a new job, a baby, a move or any life stressor.

This may be the most overlooked contributor to lifelong healthy eating habits and exercise — the ability to adapt with the current of your life.  Maybe morning workouts used to work for your old job but with your new one, walking at lunch makes much more sense.

With toddler at home, cooking elaborate meals goes out the window so easy meals prepped earlier in the day is key.  Sometimes we have to sacrifice our first preference, in order to get through a challenging period. I for one can’t wait to get back into the gym.  But for now, DVD tapes and running work best while chasing after little ones.

5. Be the expert on yourself:  At the end of The Wizard of Oz each of the characters have found their way — their place in the world that feels right for them. 

Yes, registered dietitians are the food and nutrition experts but the real expert is you.  We can provide you with evidenced-based advice but only you know how to fit it into your life and personal preferences — and that of your family. 

And most importantly, with all this talk about change, the gift you give to your children is to teach them that they already have the power.  Hopefully, by the time they are adults healthy habits and their lifestyle will already be in perfect harmony (no change required).

So what do I think it will take to help Americans eat better?  For every person to realize that they already have what they need to be healthier, they just need to build on it in their own way.  After all, there’s no place like home.

Check out these RD bloggers!

Janet Helm, Nutrition Unplugged:  Helping American Eat Right!
Regan Jones,  The Professional Palate:  National Nutrition Month — Time for Show, Not Tell
Julie Upton, Katherine Brooking, Appetite for Health: Color Your Diet Healthy
Tracy Owens, Triangle Nutrition Therapy:  National Nutrition Month
Karman Meyer, Nutrition Adventures:  Color Your Plate
Rebecca Subbiah, Chow & Chatter:  Add Color to Your Plate!
Sarah-Jane Bedwell, Nashville’s Nutrition Expert: Color Yourself Healthier
Lyn Turton, Caledonia Nutrition: National Nutrition Month – Eat With Color
Janet Helm, Nutrition Unplugged:  It’s National Nutrition Month – Eat Right With Color
Emma Stirling, The Scoop on Nutrition:  Hop on the Hemp Wagon for National Nutrition Month
Chere Bork, Taste Life:  Five Ways to Eat the New USDA Science Guidelines
Bonnie Tandy LeBlang, Bite of the Best: National Nutrition Month – Registered Dietitian Day
Janel Ovrut, Eat Well With Janel:  National Nutrition Month – Top Foods You’re Not Eating 
Jessie Claire, Good and Good For You:  Nutrition is all About Food 
Rima Kleiner: Celebrating Food 
Rachel Begun, The Gluten Free RD:  National Nutrition Month – Eat Right With Color! 
Liz Weiss, Janice Bissex, Meal Makeover Moms’ Kitchen: Celebrate National Nutrition Month by Eating a Rainbow 
Victoria Shanta Retelny, Living Well Communications:  Celebrate March by Eating Right 
Elana Natker, A Sprinkle of Sage: What’s Your Nutrition Resolution? 
Carolyn O’Neil, Dish on Dieting: Baby You Can Drive My Car…To the Healthiest Menus 
Elizabeth Rahavi, IFIC’s Food Insight:  Eat Right With a Colorful Plate 
Jill Castle, Just the Right Byte: What Will It Take to Get America’s Kids to Eat Right? 
Sheila Viswanathan, The Lazy Dietitian: Happy Registered Dietitian Day 
Brittany Glasset, Nutrition in a Nutshell: National Nutrition Month – Make a Rainbow on Your Plate

This weekly meal plan is a tad late (posted Monday but you will probably see it Tuesday). We ended up eating leftovers at home tonight because the final touches were being done to our kitchen. We’re still limited as the oven won’t be in for a couple more days. I’m using the slow cooker twice this week and plan to use the oven by Friday. (Please, please, please let it be done!)

As always, for more meal plans see Org Junkie.

What’s Cooking this Week?

Monday: Leftovers from dinner out Sunday

Tuesday: Ravioli with spinach and sundried tomatoes, bread and salad

Wednesday: Slow cooker carnitas with tortillas, beans, cheese and all the toppings

Thursday: Black Bean soup with salad with leftovers from Wed

Friday: Marinated salmonwith macaroni and cheese and parmesan green beans

Salad of the week — Mixed baby greens, pears, walnuts and cranberries

Challenges: want to make feeding a priority but can’t

I feel like this kitchen re-do has turned our eating upside down. I had a couple days last week I didn’t get my lunch until 2pm, while feeding my kids fast in order to get them to their nap (naps are MUSTS in our house). And because the kitchen was inaccessible, I ended up picking at snacks, instead of eating a satisfying meal.

Throughout the years I have talked to people about managing their weight and they always tell me they don’t have time to plan meals. They are hurried at breakfast time, grab something super easy for lunch (late) and then eat out for dinner because they are too tired and hungry to cook. After dinner they still pick at food well into the night (when the body finally gets a decent meal — it will want to keep eating).

I always ask them if they believe that feeding themselves is a priority — and they say “yes,” but then hesitate.

This is really the problem. Whether people learned this from their parents, society or simply don’t believe they deserve to be fed well because they are overweight, the belief that proceeds this action is “feeding myself is not a priority.”

So it’s really the belief that’s the problem, not the time, lack of easy recipes or other things I hear from people. I tell them to challenge this belief every time they are tempted to run out of the house without eating breakfast or are unwilling to stop for lunch when immersed in work or other activities.

I fall into this trap too. Sometimes I’ll put planning meals off until the last minute and that’s when I do a shoddy job. I pay for it all week as I have to run back to the grocery store or scratch a meal because of a missing a key ingredient like pasta for spaghetti.

I guess this is my long and rambling way of saying that I am recommitted to make feeding myself and my family a priority.

News — The Claim: “Parents may not have that much influence over their kids eating”

When I saw this as a news headline I had to read it. So I searched for the review study the story was based on and found the title to be “Do children and their parents eat a similar diet? Resemblance in child and parental dietary intake: systematic review and meta-analysis”

I wasn’t able to read the study but by looking at the abstract I can see the studies (24, small samples by the way) examined what kids were eating compared to their parents. And surprise, surprise, it was different.

Now what I’m not sure about was whether or not they included the feeding styles of the parents. Did they cater to their kids with separate meals or not? Did they follow the division of responsibility or were they controlling or too casual in their feeding? How old were the children (I know, reading the study would help).

Not only do these things matter, but there’s a truth I’m going to speak that is not very PC. Kids that will grow up to be healthy and happy eaters don’t have to eat just like their parents when they are kids. I mean, we don’t expect them to read, problem solve and enjoy coffee like us.

I talk about the three different kinds of eaters there are in this post to let parents know that kids learn to like a variety of foods at different paces. And I think more parents need to know this.
Unfortunately, parents, already stressed with the tough job of feeding may use this story as a reason to give up on their kids’ eating habits.

I understand what the study and article are saying, there are many outside influences on kids’ eating. I get it. But I stand by this when I say that parents are the biggest influence on their kids eating. Period.

What do you think about all this?