We’ve been dealing with the stomach flu around here. Just when I started bragging about the only one not getting sick — I got sick. I finally had that day of doing nothing I’ve been dreaming about. I slept most of the day and my husband took care of the kids. And guess what? They are still alive!

It’s a good thing I did my meal planning early. I just have to find some time to go the store today. For more meal plan inspiration go to Org Junkie.

What’s Cooking This Week

Monday: Shrimp Tacos with all the toppings

Tuesday: Lasagna Cupcakes with salad/fruit and bread

Wednesday: Kids Choice

Thursday: Baked Salmon with herb/spice rub, baked fries and garlicky green beans

Friday: Black Bean Mexican Pizza with salad/smoothies

Have my kids traded places?

No child has loved sweets more than Big A. When she was three, she really hit her peak for requesting sweets. But it seems that she and Little D have switched places. Over the holidays I made some cookies and Big A was done after one cookie while Little D proceeded to have four. I have never seen her eat only one cookie before.

Don’t get me wrong, she still loves sweets and asks for them but there is a definite change. I think part of it has to do with her beginning to like food more. She actually has some dinners she eats and definitely eats more at mealtime than she ever has (including the lunch I send to school). I think her need to fill up on sweets is becoming less as she eats, and likes, more food. She’s even been sitting quietly at my mother-in-law’s and trying the food, even though she still doesn’t eat much of the meal.

Little D, who will be three in April, has become more selective. He’s in the bread phase and his love of meat is less, although he still loves eggs and meatballs (my husband was so proud that he would eat a whole hamburger at In ‘N Out — now he only takes a few bites and sips on the shake!). I know his growth has slowed and this is all typical, so I’m barely fazed by this compared to when Big A went through it.

This is just another example of how things change and the many food phases kids go through — both fun and not so fun. So if you’re having a tough time, hang in there. If you want to talk leave your challenges in the comments.

The Fat Trap

Before New Year’s, Tara Parker-Pope wrote an article about the difficulty of losing weight and keeping it off. I wrote a response to her article on WebMD Real Life Nutrition. I won’t rehash all I wrote, but a comment someone wrote really struck a chord with me:

Prevention seems to be the most effective form of addressing obesity on a national scale. I think a huge question would be, “how do we get Americans, as a whole, to WANT to raise their children in this fashion?” Because ultimately, if parents don’t believe that the way they treat food is a problem, they won’t fix it.

I kept thinking about the questions this reader raised: ”’Why don’t more Americans want to raise their kids in this way?” Then I watched Oprah interview Joel Osteen from Lakewood church. Joel Osteen is a religious TV personality who is often criticized by some as being too soft. He made the point that people had been beaten down for so many years with guilt and negativity from the way religion can be presented. He was simply focusing on the good of God and people respond to that (not trying to debate religion here, just using the example!).

I immediately thought, “Isn’t that what has happened with nutrition and health?” Haven’t people been so beaten down with all the shoulds and negativity that the enjoyment of eating has been lost? People bring this nutrition baggage with them when they start a family — being overwhelmed with parenthood — and often turn away from nutrition and health. The worst part is the guilt they suffer knowing they should do better.

I met a mom recently who said she feels guilty for feeding her children “badly.” When I asked her what she fed them, yes, there were quite a bit of chicken nuggets and fries but they also ate a lot of fruit and had balanced dinners most nights. After I pointed out the good things going on — and that she could start with some small changes — she had a whole different attitude.

I guess what I’m trying to say is we need to change the way we view healthy eating. It’s not a destination or about perfection but a journey that can actually be enjoyable (and taste good!).

What do you think? What do you see holding families back from eating better?

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!

The week is off to a strange (but fun) start with Halloween. I decided to put some pork in the slow cooker for some quick tacos before heading out to trick or treat. This is my husband’s favorite.

As keeper of the food and meals, I try to give everyone at least one of their favorites each week. Last week Little D got Mac and cheese and Big A got her Tortilla pizza. This week my husband gets some meat and I get bean and hummus lasagna!

My friends make this vegetarian lasagna all the time (not vegan but close)– it’s their recipe. Even if my family doesn’t go for it, I hope it’s something I can make and freeze for myself. I could always use quick and healthy lunches the days my kids are in school and I’m working from home.

For more meal planning ides see Org Junkie.

Monday: Carnitas with toppings

Tuesday: Hummus and black bean lasagna, with fruit and bread

Wednesday: Kids choice

Thursday: Slow Cooker Chili Chicken Verde over brown rice with roasted broccoli made earlier in the day

Friday: Homemade Pizza (not sure what kid yet — Fridays are becoming pizza days!)

Prep for the week: Make bean and cheese burritos

Snack: Pumpkin muffins!

Eat Your Healthy Foods First! What?
I started noticing when I put dark chocolate in Big A’s lunch, it comes home uneaten. Right when she walks in the door she says: “I want my chocolate, I want my chocolate.”

I didn’t quite understand why this was happening until she started saying this during meals: “Eat Your Healthy Food First.”

Me: Where did you hear that?

Her: At school.

Me: They tell you to eat healthy foods first?

Her: Yes.

Me: Do they make you eat any of the food in your lunch?

Her: No, they just say “eat your healthy foods first”

This seems pretty harmless right? Letting kids know they have to eat healthy foods before more indulgent foods.

But I don’t love it and I’ll tell you why. I think it unintentionally creates a preference for the item kids have to hold out to eat. It’s a subtle way of rewarding children with food because in their mind it translates to: You have to eat your healthy food in order to eat the really good tasting items. Young children don’t pick up on the subtleties of language.

I try to avoid sweet foods competing with other wholesome foods in my home but for lunch I don’t mind if my daughter eats a couple pieces of chocolate before eating her meal. And if I did, I would not include it in her lunch.

I know this might seem kind of petty to some of you but as I dietitian I’ve witnessed, again and again, how people’s attitude towards food hurts their chances of eating healthier.

“I know what to do, I just don’t do it.”

“I know I should eat healthy but….”

“I know I should order the healthy meal at the restaurant but…”

Bottom line: healthy eating can too easily become an obligation, making it less likely to happen. Have you ever done something you enjoy, only to have it turn into an obligation, and then suddenly it loses its pleasure?

I want my kids to grow up eating healthy because they want to, not because they “should.” I provide nutritous foods more often than other fun foods, and this seems to work best. We talk about that frequency, and listening to hunger and fullness, but when it’s time to eat they get to enjoy eating with no rules.

Big A was at my mom’s and she and her cousin found some M-n-M’s. Her cousin, who is older, told Big A not to tell me they ate M-n-Ms. Big A told me she didn’t understand why he said that. “Mommy, why wouldn’t I want to tell you I ate M-n-Ms?”

I love that she is honest with me about what she eats outside of the home — there’s no shame in it. This helps builds the foundation for an open dialogue about food and eating for the years to come.

News: WebMD gig
I’ve started blogging over at the new WebMD blog, Real Life Nutrition. I’m excited to be writing alongside some great dietitian writers including Elizabeth Ward, Janet Helm, David Grotto and Carolyn Brown.

So far, I’ve covered the difference between dieting and healthy behaviors (and why it matters), the not-talked-enough problem of size discrimination and 5 steps to happier eating, which includes my personal strategy for moderation.

I post my articles on my Facebook page so if you haven’t liked me yet, what are you waiting for?

Well, that’s it for now. Happy Halloween!

Now that October is here I’m excited to use the slow cooker more. This week I’m making slow cooker turkey chili and will be trying a different soup every other week — freezing what we don’t eat. I want to have tasty soups with meals and will be posting my favorite recipes.

I made the tortilla pizzas last week and they turned out great by putting them straight on the rack for a crispier crust. I served with smoothies and a big salad. The kids ate them up. So they get a repeat performance this Friday.

For more meal plan ideas see Org Junkie.

What’s Cooking This Week?

Monday: Shrimp tacos with black b
eans and toppings (winging it with some ideas from Real Simple Magazine)

Tuesday: Slow Cooker Veggie Lasagna with bread, salad and fruit

Wednesday: Kids choice

Thursday: Slow cooker turkey chili, toppings, bread and fruit salad

Friday: Tortilla pizzas with salad and smoothies

Small changes as my girl turns 5
Big A is turning 5 one week from today. I write about her a lot because she’s a picky eater. And believe it or not, I feel fortunate for that. Why? It helps me better relate to parents who are facing the same issue. Well, because picky eating is a normal part of development, that is probably most of you. Of course it all depends on your kid’s age and his or her Eating Personality.

I’d love to write about how Big A eats exotic foods and never wants the kids’ menu at restaurants. But I’m sure that would only annoy you — and it’s just not what most parents experience.

That said, I’ve noticed a change in my girl. While she used to only eat the crust on pizza, she now eats the whole thing. She used to just hold her smoothie and now she drinks it — and begs me for it! The biggest change of all is her appetite. She still has days where she doesn’t seem that hungry but overall her appetite has increased making her more interested in food.

Yes, these are all small things. She’s still not devouring broccoli or choosing salad but I think this is how kids move along food acceptance: in baby steps. I was recently interviewed for an article and the gal interviewing me said that’s how she ate growing up. She first put some meat in her taco shell. Then as she got a little older she added tomatoes. Then after that some lettuce and salsa. You get the idea.

And even if I could, I wouldn’t change my little eater because it’s a part of who she is. She cautious about everything and I’m realizing as she gets older that’s not such a bad thing.

What changes have you noticed in your kids?

The News — Arsenic in apple juice? Fish oil doesn’t make kids smarter?
I’m sure you heard about the Dr. Oz arsenic and apple juice scandal. His team tested the arsenic levels (on the show) in apple juice and found that they were higher than what is deemed safe.

Certain health professionals, the FDA and the companies that had their products tested, said Oz didn’t use proper testing and measured total arsenic which includes both inorganic and organic arsenic — when inorganic is the main concern. According to the FDA’s testing, apple juice has very low levels of inorganic arsenic, almost at 0.

I think the last thing parents need is something more to worry about (unless it’s really something to worry about). Yes we need to be aware of where our food comes from, but when exposing the potential risks we need to do it responsibly and follow the appropriate testing, letting the public know all the facts.

Also in the news was a report saying that fish oil, both in pregnancy and breastfeeding doesn’t make kids smarter. And I have to say: I don’t care.

I didn’t take fish oils during pregnancy to make my children smarter, I did it to help meet their needs for the essential fatty acids DHA and EPA. In the last trimester DHA accumulates in brain tissue at high rates and this continues until age 2.

When it comes to this topic of essential fatty acids and children, I think it would be more beneficial for researchers to figure out how much is needed.

The U.S. is behind other countries in establishing recommended amounts of DHA and EPA throughout the life-cycle. I fear headlines like this give parents the wrong impression that these fatty acids don’t matter when they do.

Well, that’s enough babbling for now. Got something on your mind? Let me know in the comments.

Have a wonderful week!

Happy Monday! I hope you all are well.

This week I’m trying a quiche for the first time. I’ve been wanting to make more egg dishes – even though Big A is still on an egg hiatus. I’ve also been trying some time savers in the kitchen like making roasted veggies earlier in the day so that all I have to do is heat them up before dinnertime.

I haven’t made chicken enchiladas in a while so the next night, Tuesday, we’re having one of my kids’ favorite meals — spaghetti with meatballs. This is the easiest meal on earth especially when I cook the pasta ahead of time. I hate when I’m in a hurry and the water just won’t boil.

For more meal planning inspiration see Org Junkie.  And don’t miss the last giveaway in our Take Back Dinnertime Challenge at the end of this post.

What’s Cooking This Week

Monday: Chicken enchiladas with black beans and guacamole

Tuesday: Spaghetti and meatballs with salad, Parmesan green beans, bread and fruit

Wednesday: Kids’ choice

Thursday: Make Your Own Quiche with fruit salad

Friday: Sweet orange salmon, baked fries and roasted veggies (made ahead of time) and fruit

Weekend: Mexican pizza

Salad of the week: Apple walnut salad

The forgotten reason for family dinners — Connection
A new study presented at the Developmental Psychology Section Annual Conference showed that family dinners are associated with kids who are less picky about food. According to the article in Science Daily:
The results showed that friendly interaction between mother and child instead of coercive strategies, like pressure and physical prompting, may encourage young children to try different foods.

The results of this study mirror other research that shows that an authoritative feeding style is linked to better eating habits in children.

What is an authoritative feeding style?

According to a 2005 study in Appetite an authoritative feeding represents a balance between authoritarian (controlling) and permissive (let kids make all the choices) such that the child is encouraged to eat healthy foods, but is also given some choices about eating options. For example, with authoritative feeding, adults may determine which foods are offered, and children may determine which foods are eaten.

But I think the benefits of a positive feeding style go beyond eating habits.

The key reason a lot of us parents go to the trouble of family dinners is to connect with our kids. We want to have a time where we all gather and catch up on what’s going on. For those of us with younger kids, we are building the ritual — as kids don’t always do well at dinner until they are a bit older.

But if the family table is a negative place — full of pressure and hostile negotiations over food — we are missing the chance to really connect. And it just makes sense to me that kids that feel supported and free from pressure will eventually do better with eating.

I say eventually because a pleasant family table doesn’t mean a picky-eating kid will automatically start eating every food under the sun (it is a stage of development after all). I know this from experience. I think of it more like an investment — taking the time and effort until one day you can actually see the pay off.

Take Back Dinnertime Challenge Week 4
This fits right in with the last week of the Take Back Dinnertime Challenge. Don’t miss this week’s video with ideas on engaging your kids at the table. There are also some great tips on getting kids involved in the kitchen.

And to end the challenge, Real Simple is offering a copy of Laurie David’s The Family Dinner: Great Ways to Connect with Your Kids One Meal at a Time for one lucky winner. To enter leave a comment about how you try to connect with your family at dinner.

This is the last giveaway for a while — I promise!  I hope this challenge has given you some ideas and inspiration for making it dinner the best part of your day.

To keep in line with Real Simple’s Take Back Dinnertime Challenge (Week 2 — Get Organized), I wanted to dig deeper into the organization-side of meals. Why?

Because it haunts me. Every. Single. Day.

While I always plan weekly dinners for my family, I’m often plagued by a crowded kitchen, stressful preparation and many calls to my husband to pick up a missing ingredient on his way home from work.

I also believe what’s really behind the no-time-to-cook complaint is a lack of organization. Unfortunately, there isn’t a “one size fits all” solution. Everyone needs to find a system that works for them.

So I reached out to the universe and got some inspiring ideas for stress-free dinners and an organized kitchen (hint: these two things go together). If you get through all 8 tips, you get the chance to win an incredibly helpful book.

1. Commit Yourself: “Without a commitment to regular family dinners nothing is going to work,” says Susan Nicholson, RD, and author of the 7-Day Menu Planner for Dummies. “It’s the most important first step for taking control of dinnertime.”

Nicholson, a veteran meal-planner herself, explains that like anything new or challenging there will be times you want to quit. But with a strong commitment you will get through it and slowly build the foundation needed. She assures me that meal planning and preparation gets much easier with time.

2. Clear the Decks: “Eliminating visual clutter can help tremendously,” says Dawn Perry, food editor at Real Simple. “It helps make the kitchen a place you want to be.”

She advises people to remove unnecessary items off their counter-tops. For example, if you only use your blender once a week it might be better stored in a cabinet.

Trust me, once you clear the counter space, you’ll instantly feel better.

3. When it doubt, throw it out:
While you’re organizing the kitchen, you might as well tackle the cabinets and refrigerator.

“If you haven’t used it in 6 months, throw it out,” says Perry. “Make sure to keep the items you use most often close at hand.”

I went through my cabinets last weekend and it has been much easier finding things for meal preparation. If you can, spend one day a week re-organizing your cabinets and refrigerator.

4. Make a weekly meal plan:
Both Perry and Nicholson recommend planning meals one week in advance (if meal planning is not for you, see number 5). Nicholson says to pull out the calendar so you can choose meals with your family’s activities in mind.

In the 7 Day Menu Planner for Dummies. Nicholson shows you how to strategically pick the right meals. Making a roast chicken on Sunday, for example, and using the leftover chicken for some of the week’s simple meals can be a life saver. And a slow cooker meal is a perfect solution to complement weeknight activities like sport practices.

She also advises the head meal planner (usually mom) to include everyone in the meal planning. This makes kids feel more excited for– and involved in– this important ritual.

5. Think outside the meal planning box:
When one mom left a comment saying she knew the meal planning advice by heart but still didn’t do it, I knew it wasn’t for her. The truth? Some people don’t do well with weekly meal planning.

To give you some ideas, one reader wrote in saying she has a list of 16 meals on her fridge of which she always has the ingredients. She goes through this list when it’s done she starts over. She likes it because if they have to miss dinner one day it doesn’t throw the whole week off.

Every 2-3 weeks, Michelle Segar at Smart Women Don’t Diet, slow cooks 10 garlic cloves cut up for 30-40 minutes in about ½ bottle of virgin olive oil, about 15-20 ounces, on very low heat. Then she pours it into a small glass pitcher with a “pour” feature.

She uses this garlic-infused oil for most of her cooking. She buys the veggies and adds other items depending on what she’s got. She cooks all of the ingredients in the oil, adding garbanzo beans, cooked rice and chicken…whatever inspires her that day.

Bottom line: if traditional meal planning isn’t working for you, try something that more closely matches your cooking personality.

6. Do the work ahead of time:
I get many comments from working moms struggling to get dinner on the table. Doing the preparation on the weekend, or when you have more time, is a good solution.

For example, one of my coworkers takes a few hours every Sunday to make the week’s meals and then freezes them. All she has to do during the week is reheat, make a salad or cut up fruit. Others like to do their cooking once a month (check out Once a Month Mom for meal plans).

Jodi, a busy mom, likes to double the recipe on items like lasagna, casseroles and meat (with the marinade), and freezes the other half.

“It’s great to have homemade freezer meals prepared for those nights with sports practice, school meetings, scouts, church studies, etc,” she says. ” Just defrost and pop in the oven, there’s hardly any extra dishes!”

7. Cut your veggies ASAP: My friend Beth Hirsch, also known as The Cooking Coach, advises her clients to do the chopping right when they get home from their shopping trip. She also suggests placing the chopped veggies in baggies or small containers and putting them in a basket or open container on a shelf in the fridge so they are easier to find.

I did this last Sunday — cut up some raw veggies for the week and onions/celery for salads. I even made the tuna salad!

8. Have back up meals: In her book, Nicholson includes 10 meals to make when you have “one of those days.” You know what I’m talking about. Those ultra-stressful days you don’t want to set foot in a kitchen, much less make dinner.

Having the makings for super quick meals is key whether the meal is spaghetti with meatballs or easy Mexican like quesadillas. It can also be a freezer meal you made ahead of time (see number 6). Nicholson recommends making a generic pasta sauce and having it on hand to use on top of ravioli/pasta or for a quick pizza.

Organization can make or break your meal-planning efforts
We live in a different time than our parents and grandparents did. If we want our kids to get all the benefits of family dinners, we need to be creative. And organizing and planning — in a way that works for individual lifestyles — makes this important ritual happen.

Nicholson was nice enough to send me two copies of her book, 7-Day Menu Planner for Dummies. I’m very impressed with the depth of this book and plan to use the advice and nutritious recipes. I want one of you to get a copy too.

For a chance to win a copy of the book, leave a comment about how organizing is going for you (can be good, bad or neutral). And for an extra entry, share this article on Facebook, twitter or via email. Just leave a second comment so that entry will count.

I can’t believe summer is almost over. I’m sorry the weekly meals plans have been less frequent. I’ve still been doing them, just taking some time off from writing.

But now I’m back. And it’s perfect timing because fall is my favorite cooking season. I can’t wait to start making soups and chili’s again.

I’m still experimenting with different bean and cheese burrito recipes to find “the one” for freezing. This week I’m trying a more time-intensive one from Rockin Robin. That’s where I got my excellent chicken fajita recipe from. If it works out, I can cook these on the weekend and have them ready for quick lunches or dinners during the week.

Also, Big A has started soccer and we have practices on Wednesdays late. I’m going to make sure there are leftovers from Tuesday so we can eat in a hurry.

As always, for more meal plan ideas see Org Junkie.

What’s Cooking This Week?

Monday: Bean and cheese burritos with toppings

Tuesday: Meat Lasagna with fruit, salad and green beans (Doubling recipe to take one to a friend who just had a baby)

Wednesday: leftovers/kids choice

Thursday: Teriyaki Chicken Bowl with fruit salad (trying out a new teriyaki sauce I got from Trader Joes — no recipe, just winging it)

Friday: Make Your Own Mini pizzas with salad/fruit

Salad of the week: Cranberry Spinach Salad

Get organized week
It’s week 2 of The Take Back Dinner Time Challenge and the focus is on getting organized. This is definitely my weak spot!

In this week’s video Real Simple editor Kristin van Ogtrop has a tough time planning her family dinners and Food Director Allie Lewis Clapp’s provides solutions and recipe ideas including a printable meal planner.

Join the live Q&A session Thursday, September 1 from 3-4 p.m. with Food Editor Dawn Perry to ask questions and get expert answers about grocery shopping, planning meals and organizing your kitchen.

I’m planning a really extensive post later in the week to help you all (and me) get some organizing tips for getting meals on table. I have already interviewed a couple of experts and wanted to get some ideas from you. What is something you do to streamline in the kitchen that really works? If you have a useful tip, send me a message through my contact form.

The Summer News
Researchers at Penn State found that by pureeing veggies into preschoolers food, kids got twice as many vegetables and consumed 11% less fewer calories than those who ate the standard fare.

I know there’s a lot of controversy about sneaking vegetables into kids diets. And here’s what I think: As long as there is no deception about what you are doing, and you have the time, I have no problem with it. Trust in feeding is of the utmost importance. If a child finds out you are sneaking a vegetable they don’t like into their food, it can break that trust. And they’ll think “Vegetables are so bad tasting my mom has to sneak them in.”

Also in the news is a controversial new a children’s book coming out in October: Maggie Goes on A diet. The cover has a 14 year old girl looking in the mirror at a thinner version of herself. The description of the book is:
“…a 14 year old girl who goes on a diet and is transformed from being extremely overweight and insecure to a normal sized girl who becomes the school soccer star. Through time, exercise and hard work, Maggie becomes more and more confident and develops a positive self image.”

Many health professionals, including the Eating Disorders Coalition, have come out against this book. Why? Dieting should not be encouraged in children as it is the most common behavior that leads to an eating disorder. And because children are still growing, cutting calories and fat without health professional guidance can be hazardous.

Dieting is already very common with children with almost half of 9-11 year olds are “sometimes” or “very often” on diets while over 80% of their family members are “sometimes” or “very often” on diets (see my eating disorder prevention series for more details).

I want to avoid judging this book before reading it but it’s obvious the author did not do his research. While I know everyone wants to help children be healthier, I believe it’s important to consult experts before charging ahead with such a big endeavor.

I think this book, and the controversy surrounding it, brings up a not-talked-about-enough point. There is a huge, blurry line between healthy eating behaviors and dieting. People will tell me they are eating healthy but when I look further I see that they are really dieting — restricting their favorite foods, cutting calories drastically and obsessively consulting the scale.

It sounds to me like the author’s intention is to focus on healthy eating behaviors but the title and cover is the typical weight loss/diet focus. The book’s description eludes to the myth that weight loss is the path to self esteem. After working with weight loss surgery clients for 3 years, I can tell you that people are very, very surprised when weight loss does not bring them happiness.

So this book is a great conversation starter. Children need to learn that eating well and physical activity (not dieting) are important for quality of life and health purposes but happiness comes from a different place. Maybe a better book would show children the difference between healthy eating behaviors and dieting?

Any thoughts?

My husband and I finally got away last weekend with a quickie trip to Temecula, 45 minutes outside of San Diego. We went wine tasting all afternoon, had a wonderful dinner and stayed in a quaint B&B. Of course, when I finally have the chance to sleep in, I wake up at 6:30am sharp. So I went downstairs, got some coffee and took in the beautiful view.

The couple working at the B&B were awesome hosts. The husband is a chef and he made a two-course breakfast. The first course was Swiss Muesli, muffins and fruit. The main course was an exotic French toasty kind of dish (forgot the fancy name). It was absolutely wonderful to be waited on for a change — someone actually caring if I like the food!

I didn’t bring any reading with me and ended up with a copy of Bon Appétit. I saw a few recipes that I wanted to try and remember someone telling me to just take pictures with my phone instead of rudely ripping it out. I’m trying the fish dish this week!

For more meal plan ideas see Org Junkie.

What’s Cooking This Week

Monday: Baked Burritos with toppings

Tuesday: Classic Sole Meuniere (Bon Appetit), baked fries, garlicky green beans and salad

Wednesday: Kids’ Choice

Thursday: Chicken Peanut Butter Stir Fry, brown rice and fruit

Friday: Slow Cooker Veggie Lasagna (family favorite) with salad and bread

Trying a new Greek Salad this week too!

More obesity news
Where do I start? I feel like the news around weight is coming so fast it’s hard to keep up. But one study really caught my eye — and not in a good way.

This article in the New York Times sums up the new research with the take home message that there really are good and bad foods. The study published in The New England Journal of Medicine followed 120,877 men and women (not obese) from 1986 to 2006, 1991 to 2003, and 1986 to 2006.

Weight increases over each of the 4-year periods were strongly linked to consumption of fries, potato chips, potatoes, sugar sweetened beverages, unprocessed red meats and processed meats. Weight was inversely associated with consumption of vegetables, whole grains, fruits, nuts and yogurt.

The study also showed that other lifestyle factors like too little physical activity, excessive alcohol intake, too little (<6 hours) or too much (> 8 hours) sleep and more TV time was linked with weight gain over time.

I have no problems with the results of this study — they make sense to me. But I don’t think the take home message should be there are good and bad foods. The truth? There are good and bad diets with single foods given way too much power.

I’m sure the people who ate healthy diets also consumed chips and fries every once and while. They just weren’t a frequent, daily occurrence in their diet.

I want to know more about the people who were eating nutrient-poor foods so often. What were their barriers? Did they not know how to cook? Were they chronic dieters? Were they raised to eat in that way?

I think we have a tendency to be superficial about eating guidance — eat “this” and not “that” –instead of digging for the why behind eating. Don’t most people already know which foods are healthy? The million-dollar question, to me anyways, is why aren’t more people doing it?

I think the answer is different for everybody but I believe part of it has to do with this black and white thinking about food that is already ingrained in our culture of nutrition. From my experience working with clients, most people already see foods as good or bad. In fact, an ADA survey conducted in 2000 showed that 57% of people think there are certain foods they should NEVER eat. When you make people feel like they have to choose, they often obsess about the items they have to give up, or put off healthy eating indefinitely.

For example, when I educate patients who just had heart surgery or are newly diagnosed with diabetes I am the last person they want to see. They ask, “what am I going to have to give up?” I say, “nothing.” Their ears perk up as the food-police image they had of me slowly starts to fade.

I tell them they are just going to change the frequency and amounts of some of the things they are eating — and they will be adding a lot of new and tasty foods to their diet. But they also have to change how they eat, and their relationship with food, as many people don’t make eating a priority. This approach is so much more successful than when I used to tell patients all the foods they could no longer have.

Ironically, just as this study came out so did news that Michelle Obama ordered a 1700 calorie meal at a hamburger joint. There’s an assumption that someone involved with childhood obesity should eat perfectly, even though the article goes on to say that occasional meals like this are okay.

What do you think? Do these messages bother you or is it just me?

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?

This is a little late but I have a good reason. My daughter woke up early Monday unable to walk on her knee, which she fell on the night before. We rushed to urgent care, which really should be called “be-ready-to -wait-a-long-time-and-bring-toys-to-keep-your-child-from-driving-you-crazy” care.

Luckily she’s fine, but it just goes to show you that with kids, you never know how your day, or week, will go.

I needed some meal inspiration this week I took out my favorite cookbooks. This easy tortilla pizza and black bean and mango salad sounded good. For stir fry night I might try beef for a change (I’m not totally committed yet).

Monday we had leftovers from the Sunday dinner I hosted, which includes this recipe for Spanish rice that turned out great! Could it be the one? I’m not sure yet…

For more meal plan ideas, visit Org Junkie.

Monday: Taco leftovers

Tuesday: Tuesday: Tortilla pepperoni pizza with smoothies, green salad (from Six O’ Clock Scramble Book)

Wednesday: free night

Thursday: Beef Broccoli and Cashew Stir Fry with fruit salad

Friday: Salmon with brown sugar and mustard glaze, Black bean and mango salad (same book as above — will be sure to post if this turns out), and green salad

Ditching the Sippy Cup
I’ve been dealing with an interesting challenge lately. I noticed when Big A turned four that she only drinks milk out of her sippy cup with a straw even though I always offer milk in other cups at mealtimes. While she will take one sip here and there, she saves her main milk drinking for her one special cup.

I started thinking….when should I stop the sippy cup anyway? I checked with my friend Jill Castle, pediatric dietitian, and she reviewed the guidelines for me. Apparently kids are ready, developmentally, to give up sippy cups between 24 months and 3 years of age. It’s important that they drink out of open cups, which Anna already does.

She hinted at something I already knew — this was a habit that my daughter had and breaking it was going to be similar to getting her off a pacifier. Jill suggested creating a reward system: every time she used a different cup she would receive a star and once she received so many “stars” she’d get a toy or some other treat (not food).

This brought back memories of unsuccessful potty training. The star system didn’t work with Big A. While she wanted the toy that came with 5 stars, it never was enough to get her going on the potty.

We had a short-lived star chart system going as I realized it was making meals less fun. I took Anna to get new “big girl” cups, as Jill suggested, and she’s getting her straw sippy once a day in addition to her new cups. This is the gradual phase out plan. The truth is I don’t mind if she drinks out of the straw sippy cup once and a while, as long as I know she’ll accept milk other ways. I mean, she’ll drink water anyway she can get it.

Is anyone else dealing with this?

Some conflicting news lately
People often tell me they wish health experts would make up their minds. I understand this point of view but it’s important to realize that research, while far from being perfect, at least gives us something to go on.

With this in mind, let’s revisit some of the conflicting nutrition news as of late.

The Calcium Debate: In April, a study was released agreeing with previous research showing that calcium supplements may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. The study, published in the British Medical Journal, reevaluated data from the Women’s Health Initiative examining women taking calcium with vitamin D but also included the use of personal supplements. There was a modest increase in heart disease, especially heart attacks.

Hopefully with more research, we will get some answers. While the latest study included D and calcium, we still don’t know if the women were getting enough D to absorb the calcium. What about type of calcium — are some worse than others? This can be disheartening for many older Americans taking calcium — and experts, by the way, don’t recommend people stop taking supplements without talking to their doctor.

There’s nothing to be panicked about because the increase is modest, and more research is needed. Bottom line: Doctors and individuals need to explore meeting their calcium needs through diet before taking a supplement.

Low Sodium Diets Questioned: A study published in the May issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, showed that relatively young people, when followed over the course of about 8 years, were more likely to die from heart disease the lower their sodium consumption was (yes I said lower).

Sometimes there are outlier studies, like this one, contradicting a large pool of evidence. The Lancet, a prestigious medical journal, even weighed in on this study with the following response:

“At a time when cardiovascular disease is the world’s leading cause of death and excess dietary sodium has convincingly been shown to be a serious public health hazard, the results of this work should neither change thinking nor practice.”

I know it can be confusing but we need research. What nutrition issues confuse you most?