Veggies & Virtue

Latest Episodes:

52. What bento boxes do dietitians buy their kids? The pros and cons of owning 6 different bento boxes over the past 6 years. Aug 17, 2022

Show notes

We are about to kick off our sixth school year with nothing less than... our sixth bento box!

And while you shouldn't need to get a new bento box each year, I am in the business of testing these out. Both as a dietitian and a mom, I like to test out each and every product I share with my clients and community. So this episode will do just that!

Sharing with you what I like (and what I don't), I dive into the pros and cons of each of the bento boxes we have owned over the years. I also highlight how this has evolved as our number of children has grown, taste preferences have changed, and health goals increased.

So listen in for the clif notes on each of the following brands of bento boxes: Easy Lunchboxes, Yumbox, Bentgo, LunchBots, OmieBox, and PlanetBox.

51. My 9 Favorite Novelty Items for Packing School Lunches: add a little something extra for added variety and enjoyment and yet save money while doing so Aug 15, 2022

Show notes

Anyone else remember when their child first learned about “needs” vs “wants?” I vividly remember it as one of the things my oldest took the most interest in during a parent-led instruction on the topic her kindergarten year.

And even though our needs versus wants as adults are a bit more significant than the yearning for more art supplies or a new backpack in little kids, we too have to discern our needs versus wants - especially when it comes to back to school shopping. That’s why in episode 50, I shared the top 5 things I would invest in when it comes to lunch packing supplies for school.

These are the items I find essential to packing lunches for our family, or rather, the items we NEED the most.

In this episode, we are going to highlight Our 9 Favorite Novelty Items for lunchboxes - including all those fun, cute, and added items for the days you are feeling a little “extra.” You don’t need these items, but these are those that I am most often asked about when families want something to spice up a bento or bring a little added joy to their child’s lunchbox.

As always, you can access these items and more Kids School Lunch Packing Favorites in my amazon shop: bit.ly/veggiesandvirtue.

50. The 5 best lunch packing supplies to invest in this year (so you won’t have to again next year!): tried and true favorites from a dietitian mom and her family of five Aug 10, 2022

Show notes

With everyone stocking up on back-to-school supplies, I wanted to share our five favorites for the upcoming school year. These are the ones you will see me share on social media throughout the coming year and ones that I have already found to be tried and true favorites after over five years of packing lunches for my family of five. Plus, I talk about the longevity of such items so you hear my perspective on cost per use and how investing up front in a solid lunch packing system can save you money and prevent food waste year after year.

In this episode, I share the numbers of what I spent so you can get a sense of what kind of investment to expect, what I like about each of the recommended options, plus the links and coupon codes you want to grab these items yourself (should they be a good fit for you and your family budget). As always, you can see all of my favorites on Amazon here.

49. Should you hide junk food from your kids? How to avoid these 4 mistakes parents commonly make Aug 08, 2022

Show notes

On this episode, we are going to talk about a voice message that I got from another mom. She asked if and how she and her husband can eat snacks in the presence of their kids (that they don't want or didn't plan to also offer to their kids). So, whether it is a sweet, a treat, or any food that parents keep in their "secret stash," this episode highlights four mistakes that parents often make when keeping certain snacks a secret, and how to handle them so that we are maintaining a neutrality around food in our home, promoting a routine with our kids and ourselves, allowing a reasonable amount of sugar so that both our kids and our sweet tooth feels the freedom to be satisfied, and to role model an intuitive eating approach that fosters healthy relationships with food for each member of our family.

I always enjoy hearing from you and appreciate when you ask me questions via voice memos. You can go here anytime you have a question you want to ask!

48.The Lunch Packing Plan You Need As Your Kids Transition Back to School: 3 steps to take BEFORE school starts (that don’t include pinning a single idea on Pinterest) Aug 03, 2022

Show notes

This time of year, it is easy to get sucked into saving all of these aspirational lunch box ideas (even if we know half of them our child wouldn't ever eat). We start the year strong and with good intent, but too often, our kids end up burnt out on the same PB&J every day before we even make it to Christmas break.

That's why, in this episode, I want to give you my three-step plan to take BEFORE that burnout hits so that the variety you want and the foods your kids crave can coexist well into the school year. These tasks don't take a lot of time now, if you work through what I outline in this episode as you listen! Instead, take these five minutes being proactive before the lunch-packing season is in full swing to save your sanity and your child's stomach before back to school.

47. Worried your little one won’t eat well at school? Five ways to set them up for success BEFORE they go back to school. Aug 01, 2022

Show notes

It is hard to believe that we are gearing up for back to school already! And besides the fact that I would like each of you to be able to take advantage of the sales while items are still in stock, this episode is your friendly PSA to get anything you need for packing lunches ordered and in your hands ASAP!

More specifically, I want you to get these items in your child's hands. Because bento boxes, snack packages, water bottles, etc. can offer both opportunity AND excuses for why our kids do or don't eat well when they go back to school. They are great tools for fueling our kids during the school day, but that begins with them being able to open them and use them to their potential.

So whether this is your child's first time to preschool, they're starting kindergarten and have all the normal nerves, or are returning to class with a fresh lunch set up, tune in to this episode for five things you can do to help them get tactically and practically ready for school.

You can find all my favorite lunch packing products, as mentioned in this episode, here.

46. ”My in laws talked about fat stomachs in front of my 3 year old. Now, she’s saying it too. What do I do?” 2 Things to combat Negative body image in a kids. Jul 27, 2022

Show notes

While there is a lot of fun that is being had in the summer, I know that bathing suit season can also expose our kids to some things we wish we could just put extra sunscreen on to protect our kids from, like fat-shaming and diet-culture.

That's why in this episode, we talk about how to handle things like negative body image and/or inappropriate comments that are made in front of our toddlers and children. While kids are still forming their views on body image and their own relationships with food, we know how they can be impacted by some of the things that people around them say or do.

So let's highlight two things every parent can do to respond when situations like these that play out - with extended family, in laws, or as we get back into the school year and kids hear things from others. We can't always avoid our children hearing these things being said, but we can control how we respond to such situations.

45. Dairy-free snacks for playdates: Healthy snack ideas to pack for a child who realizes her foods are different but still wants a snack that feels as fun as everyone elses Jul 25, 2022

Show notes

Recently, a mom asked me to share some “competitive” dairy free snack options that Owen likes. She shared how her daughter was newly dairy-free, and how the family was struggling to find snacks the little girl loves that also stand up to her friend's snacks at play dates etc.

While I will do another episode on how to handle this in a school setting, in this episode I teased out some of my family's favorite dairy-free snack ideas. These are options that are fun for anyone, including the child with food allergies or intolerances as well as siblings, friends, or the mama who often plans to share their snack (like me!). And while my goal is always to provide you with nutritious options, I also touch on how finding options such as these are important to more than just the child's physical health but also that of her social and emotional well-being in adjusting to life after being diagnosed with a food intolerance.

So beyond the basics of goldfish crackers or a string cheese, this episode highlights some easy dairy-free snack ideas for playdates. Each of these items are shown on my Combination Cards too (if you would like visual reference for the items mentioned). You can get the snack deck for 20% off right now, or the breakfast, lunch, and snack deck bundle for 30% off now through the end of August.

44. Are there any ”healthy” hot dogs? How to handle this summertime staple in terms of your family’s health AND happiness. Jul 20, 2022

Show notes

Recently, I posted on Instagram asking what questions you all had and would like answered on an upcoming episode. There was a staggering number of you asking how "bad" hot dogs, kielbasa, and summer sausages are for their families, what brands of hot dogs are best to buy, and if and how often you should be offering them if at all (amidst the endless grilling opportunities of summer).

Like episode 16 on soda, this is a bit of a hot button topic. As a mom, I can relate to hot dogs (and the like) being an easy, affordable, fan favorite - especially during the summer months. But as a registered dietitian, there are a few foods I exercise more caution around offering. That's because, some foods have more evidence-based reasoning to avoid rather than to include in our diets. Hot dogs and other processed meats are among such foods.

So join me for this episode where I dive into the research and official recommendations to help you translate if, how many, and what type of hot dogs to feed your family (plus a tip on what I do with mine).

43. Simple Post-Summer Vacation Meal Idea: spin THIS meal wheel for an easy take on coffee cake with kids Jul 18, 2022

Show notes

Summer travels are always fun, but often we can come home with little routine and a whole lotta laundry. That's why in this Mealtimes Made Easy episode, I share with you a real-life take on our return home from Tennessee - featuring a little something we brought back with us and are going to be enjoying at breakfast this week. My kids haven't eaten, slept, or operated like "normal" for over a week, so I want to find seamless ways to shift back into our realities while also reinforcing the healthy habits we live by. Tune in for an adaptable, yet actionable idea as to how!

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