Mama Knows Nutrition: The Podcast

Latest Episodes:

41: When To Stop Feeding Your Baby Formula Apr 18, 2022

Show notes

Once your little one hits the 12-month mark, they become a full-on toddler. And when they become toddlers, we want to start weaning them off formula. (Side note: Isn’t that wild? We get one baby year. Like who gave them permission to stop being the baby I brought home?!)

Anyway…stopping formula sounds nice and simple, right? But it brings up SO many questions. Can you move them off formula early? Do you jump straight into milk? Cow’s milk? Soy milk? Bottles? Sippy cups? Straw cups?! It’s a lot to figure out.

If you’re here, don’t worry, mama. Because, in this episode, we go through it ALL!

In This Episode, We Discuss…

When Should Your Baby Stop Drinking Formula (01:22)
Making the Switch From Formula to Milk (02:05)
Why You Shouldn’t Take Them Off Formula Early (05:00)
How To Wean A Baby Off Of Formula (08:30)
Baby Formula: The Cliffs Notes (10:09)

40: Are Goldfish Crackers Actually Healthy? Ask a Dietitian! Apr 11, 2022

Show notes

Mama, but I’ve had so many moms asking me about popular ‘kid snacks’ wondering if they are actually healthy. Sometimes it’s nice to give your kids a quick and easy snack you know they’ll love and will actually eat (Oof!) But then we can start to spiral “Should I be letting them eat that? Is this bad for them? Am I a bad mama?” to make things even harder (as if being a mom isn’t hard enough) the internet is full of people claiming things like vegetable oil is the WORST thing you can put in your body. Or other moms saying, “I would never let my kid eat that!” Cue the unavoidable parent guilt. The worst part is that trying to figure out if something is healthy isn’t always easy.

Today, we are talking about the popular snack, Goldfish. We’ll look to answer the question–are Goldfish healthy–by diving into what they’re actually made of. We’ll also discuss how I would recommend serving them and why some of the other similar options aren’t all that different. So grab a bowl of goldfish or your favorite snack, and let’s dive in!

In This Episode, We Discuss…

Are Goldfish A Healthy Snack? (01:15)
What’s Actually In Goldfish? (03:51)
What Ingredients Should We Avoid In Our Diets? (06:00)
Are Whole Grain Goldfish Any Better For Us? (10:07)
Are Annie’s Cheddar Bunnies Healthier Than Goldfish? (11:27)
Processing The Idea Of Allowing Processed Foods (11:45)

39: Keeping Toddlers Busy at Home [feat. Myriam Sandler from Mothercould] Apr 04, 2022

Show notes

Today, I invited Myriam Sandler to this podcast to dive into easy sensory play ideas you can do today that are TOTALLY mess-free. She’ll talk about how sensory play got her toddler eating solid foods (For real!). And finally, we’ll get into why creating a setup routine and boundaries with your little one is so important for keeping the mess off the floors and in the bins. So if you’re a momma who’s done with finding slim or paint all over your house, grab a coffee and let’s dive in!

Meet Myriam Sandler, Creator Of Mothercould!

Myriam Sandler is a Miami-based mother who shares unique short video tutorials of sensory play-at-home activities, food recipes, and parenting hacks on her Instagram page, Mothercould (@mothercould). Mothercould's visual content is quick and easy to follow, offering a global community of parents and educators, accessible play solutions. Before creating Mothercould, Myriam worked for The Salvation Army homeless shelter of Miami in the women and children's division where she assisted families navigating out of homelessness.

In This Episode, We Discuss…

How Sensory Play Can Help Your Little One (03:08)
Sensory Play And Picky Eaters (04:25)
How To Keep A One-Year-Old Busy (11:35)
Mess-Free Ideas To Keep Toddlers Busy Indoors (16:15)
How To Keep Sensory Play Affordable–Hello Dollar Tree (19:09)
More Activities To Keep Toddlers Busy (Card-Board, More Like Card-Fun!) (20:41)
Put A Little Prep In Your Step (25:10)
Creating A Toddler Play Area At Home And Setting Boundaries (29:20)

38: How Much Protein Does A Toddler Need? Mar 28, 2022

Show notes

Is your toddler obsessed with carbs?! Like, to the point where their idea of a balanced meal is crackers with white bread, a few cheddar puffs for color, and a side of fruit that may or may not get eaten? And, is that making you panic or second-guess yourself just a little? If so, this episode is for you!

This week on Feeding Toddlers Made Easy, I’m spilling the soybeans on protein for toddlers and answering super-common parent FAQs like, “How much protein does a toddler need?” My goal(s): Reduce your mom-guilt intake, let you know when you should worry (so you can stop worrying when you shouldn’t), and give you some gentle ideas for ways to work more protein into their diets—because even though we’re not gonna panic over protein, nutrition and protein intake for toddlers is important.

In This Episode, We Discuss…

How important protein really is for toddlers (02:23)
Why iron might actually matter more than protein (03:30)
Daily toddler protein and iron requirements (04:50)
Ideas for how to meet those requirements 06:25)
Whether or not breastmilk has enough protein and iron (09:15)
If a vegan diet has enough protein for toddlers (10:10)

37: Tips for Cooking with Toddlers [feat. Heather Staller from Happy Kids Kitchen] Mar 21, 2022

Show notes

Heather Staller is a mom, cooking instructor, and recipe developer dedicated to getting kids into the kitchen. After culinary school, she worked for many years at a recreational cooking school teaching kids camps and workshops for ages 3 to 16. Currently, Heather runs her own business and online platform where she shares recipes, lunch box ideas, and cooking knowledge on her website HappyKidsKitchen.com and her Instagram page @heather.happykidskitchen. In 2019, she published a cookbook, Little Helpers Toddler Kitchen, with over 40 healthy recipes written with specific instructions for toddlers to help make, but for everyone to enjoy. Currently Heather lives north of Boston by the beach with her two elementary school-aged boys and her husband.

In This Episode, We Discuss…

How to cook with toddlers without adding to your to-do list (02:00)
How using language keeps kids interested in food. (Ooh la la!) (05:45)
Fun ways to easily get kids involved in the kitchen (07:00)
Cooking activities for toddlers (13:30)
When to start teaching your kids about food (15:45)

36: Weaning Off Breastfeeding [feat. Lactation Consultant Erica Campbell] Mar 14, 2022

Show notes

This week’s podcast episode, I called up Erica Campbell: mom, wife, nurse, and breastfeeding consultant. We talk through the most common problems that come up around weaning. Things like what to do when you want to wean when they don’t (ugh), what to do when they want to wean but you don’t (gaaaah), the hormones, pain, and side effects of weaning (yayyy more mom fun!), and allllllll the feels that come with weaning. If weaning is a topic that's been on your mind, then mama, you are in the right place today!

Erica Campbell is a mother, wife, a registered nurse, an international board certified lactation consultant (IBCLC), and the face behind The Milk Manual. She was born, raised, and currently lives in the Houston area. Erica became a lactation consultant after going through her own personal feeding experience, and she strives to inspire families along their feeding journeys.

In This Episode, We Discuss…

How To Wean Off Breastfeeding At (Or Before) 12 Months (06:00)
Breastfeeding & Weaning: The Symptoms and allll the Feelings (12:00)
Side Effects of Weaning from Breastfeeding: Hormones & Physical Pain (16:00)
How Long It Takes To Wean Off Breastfeeding (18:00)
How To Wean A Toddler From Breastfeeding (19:15)
Signs Your Baby Is Ready For Weaning (22:49)
Is It A Nursing Strike? How To Know If Baby Is Really Ready (24:55)

35: How to Teach Your Toddler To Talk At Mealtimes With Wee Talkers Mar 07, 2022

Show notes

Katie and Carly are licensed pediatric speech-language pathologists specializing in early intervention and the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of speech and language disorders in children ages birth to five. Together, they run Wee Talkers, where they teach parents of babies and toddlers how to support their child’s language and communication development.

Through online education, courses, and memberships, they offer connection-driven language resources that help families and children of all abilities learn to communicate to their fullest potential. Katie and Carly are also parents of 6 kids between them, so they get what life with littles is like! The tips they share are simple, doable, and fit easily into busy family life.

In This Episode, We Discuss…

Why you should stop asking so many questions (And what to do instead) (02:12)
Why mealtimes are great for encouraging communication (06:02)
How being face-to-face helps toddlers talk more (07:46)
How using your 5 senses can keep the conversation rollin’ (08:47)
Why you don’t need to talk alllll day long (10:35)
Using visuals, toys & books during mealtimes (12:32)
How Wee Talkers can help you help your little one talk and communicate more (16:55)

34: Getting a Picky Toddler to Eat Without Short Order Cooking Feb 28, 2022

Show notes

Short-Order Cooks: Parents who: ask their child what they want for each meal, then make it; give LOTS of meal alternatives; get their child something else when they deny a meal; sometimes feel like failures for giving in when they WANT their child to eat what they made.

Short-Order Kitchens: Frustrating places where alternative meals are always on-deck, pantry favorites are forever available in place of meals, and exhausted parents automatically make kid-approved meals alongside their own.

Feeling seen? Triggered? Attacked? 😅 I promise it’s OKAY if you’re in this position right now. I was once, too. Now cut yourself some slack for surviving life as a parent (it’s allowed), and let’s get you out of it, yeah?!

In This Episode, We’ll Walk You Through…

How to stop short-order cooking (03:25)
Tips on better ways to cook for your picky eater (05:45)
How to get your child to actually eat what you cook (08:45)
Easy ways to make healthier meals for picky eaters (12:15)

33: Healthy, High-Calorie Foods for Kids Feb 21, 2022

Show notes

I recently had a mom tell me she wanted to help her child gain weight, and when she spoke with her pediatrician, they told her to “just feed ice cream and cookies and not worry about it.” And while technically this advice might work, she didn’t feel great about it. It puts her in the position of choosing between her child’s nutrition OR their weight, which made her second guess. And I’m glad she did!

In this week’s podcast episode, I want to set the record straight, because you do not have to choose between healthy foods and helping your child gain weight! There’s a third option, which is to add healthy, high-calorie foods into your child’s days. (While still serving treats, sweets, and desserts when it’s appropriate!)

If you’d love to help your child put on weight by eating more calorie-dense foods—or if it’s not about weight, but you’re worried they’re not getting enough calories in the day—this episode will give you ideas, recipes, and tips for adding calories and nutrition to their days.

In This Episode, We Discuss…

Why certain foods are better than others for weight gain (03:50)
Healthy, high-calorie foods that can help kids gain weight (08:15)
Reasons other than weight gain to prioritize high-calorie foods (19:50)
When the doctor’s recommendation of “let them eat ice cream and cookies” makes sense (21:00)

32: How To Say No To Kids’ Food & Snack Requests Feb 14, 2022

Show notes

If your toddler wants snacks all the time, you might be at a total loss—or feeling like you’re about to lose it. 😅 Especially if your no’s have historically resulted in tantrums of major proportions. You’re probably thinking, “This can’t be the best way to handle incessant food and snacks, can it?!” And honestly, the answer is no, it isn’t!

You’re right to be a little frustrated at the fact that you can’t say no to your child without some kind of push back. For so many reasons, as parents, we need to be able to gently say no sometimes. After all, we have the experience and insight to know that it’s not always best for them to eat whenever—or whatever—they want. We understand that there are schedules, routines, plans, circumstances, and even emotions that are best handled without a snack or meal time interruption. And, it’s okay for us to help our kids to see this, too!

It might seem like kids want to be in control all the time, or sound like I don’t want our kids to become independent and autonomous around food, but it’s not that at all. Kids actually thrive when they know that you’re in control. It’s that feeling of knowing there’s an adult in the room who’s got their back—it reassures them and lets them relax. So yes, you can use schedules and boundaries around food and teach them to listen to their bodies. This episode teaches you how to balance their independence with your ability to confidently say “no” when it’s necessary.

In This Episode, We Talk About…

Why it’s okay to say no to your child. (02:19)
5 reasons why you really SHOULD say no to your child sometimes. (03:55)
The role of school, daycare, and preschool snack times. (07:44)
HOW to actually say no to your toddler’s snack requests. (08:49)
How to practice saying no with sample scripts to build your confidence! (11:32)

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