Veggies & Virtue

Latest Episodes:

162. Should Moms Take a Supplement (Part I)? An Interview with Ayla Barmmer, MS, RDN, LDN Nov 06, 2023

Show notes

On a past episode where I was talking about a new hair care routine I wanted to try, a listener submitted a question asking:

Should moms be taking a supplement?

I knew as soon as the question came in, I wanted to have Ayla Barmmer, MS, RDN, LDN on the Veggies & Virtue show to talk about all things supplements.

For almost 20 years, Ayla Barmmer, MS, RDN, LDN, has advanced the health and empowerment of thousands of clients, patients, peers, and mentees by fusing her expertise in nutritional science, functional medicine, and evidence-based holistic solutions. While currently on sabbatical from private practice work, Ayla owns and serves as the practice director of Boston Functional Nutrition, an integrative, functional nutrition practice specializing in women's health and infertility. She is also a co-founder of the Women's Health Nutrition Academy, leading the way in providing continuing education to healthcare practitioners. Most notably, Ayla is the founder and CEO of FullWell, a fertility wellness brand widely endorsed by top practitioners for its high quality, evidence-based supplements and educational efforts. On a mission to make the most current science accessible to the public, you can always find Ayla sharing through the Knowledge Well, FullWell's informational hub, supporting families with expert information and the power of choice.

161. When to Offer Candy to Kids Nov 01, 2023

Show notes

We made it through Halloween! Now, begins one of the best times to begin neutralizing sweets and treats in our homes. While our kids already have candy top of mind, take the opportunity to role model an intuitive eating approach through regular opportunities to enjoy candy, including having it as dessert with dinner. By reinforcing food freedom over arbitrary food rules, we learn to better trust our children’s ability to self-regulate and in doing so, encourage them to do the same. In today's episode, we chat about:

Why, as parents, we assume dessert should be served after dinner
Why research shows offering dessert with dinner can be a more effective approach for raising kids who have healthy relationships with all foods
How to begin offering dessert with dinner (and how to counter your own rigid food rules as you practice normalizing this new routine)

160. Stop Listening to This Lie: Dietitian Advice the Day Before Halloween Oct 30, 2023

Show notes

Whether it is the week before Halloween or a typical weekend of kid's activities, I have no doubt this is a lie that you have both heard and probably bought into yourself.

That's why, on today's episode, I want to arm you with an accurate understanding of the relationship between sugar and behavior and how we can set our kids up for less of a sugar rush and more of a sweet time as we approach Halloween.

Let's be parents who are proactive about creating healthy relationships with food above and before fearmongering about a false-issue!

159. FAQs about how much candy kids should have before, during, and after Halloween Oct 25, 2023

Show notes

I know you don't need the dietitian to tell you this, but… The sugar ramp up is here! Halloween is less than a week away, and I know like many moms, you are probably wondering how to handle all the candy on the horizon. Whether it be amidst the runway between now and trick or treating, the seeming rampage on the night of, or how to taper after their candy tote is overfilling and October ends, let's look at how to handle Halloween candy before, during, and after the day of. SHOWNOTES:

What to do when your kid keeps asking for candy (part I of II)
My take on the Switch Witch
Advice on sorting Halloween candy with kids (so they don't want to keep/eat EVERYTHING)
Ask me anything!
Need help navigating all of this? Sign up for a free 30-min call.

158. Feel like you’re dodging a real 💩 show this Halloween? Oct 23, 2023

Show notes

Don't come at me for borderline cussing with the title here.

Instead, tune in literally and figuratively to an analogy that perfectly illustrates what it can often feel like when navigating the landmines of unpredictable yet endless candy in October.

I know for many moms, this isn't something we feel confident nor natural doing.

How are we to raise kids with healthy relationships to food when we, as moms, haven't healed our own?

Yikes.

A heavy question and yet one that I am continuing to see at the core of family's feeding concerns, challenges, worries, and struggles.

So sit tight and tune in, because this episode is going to help you posture yourself in the driver seat.

SHOWNOTES:

How to Handle Halloween Candy with Kids
Allergen-friendly, candy-free ideas for Halloween
Learn how to support kids with food allergies through The Teal Pumpkin Project
Ask me anything!
Need help navigating all of this? Sign up for a free 30-min call.

157. Two Weeks til Halloween: Your Roadmap to Handling Candy with Kids Oct 18, 2023

Show notes

It is that time of year when moms everywhere begin wondering (or worrying!) about how to handle the upcoming season of endless candy and added sugar.

It can feel like a real nightmare, and yet, it doesn't have to be. Because as we discuss in this episode, you might feel like you have no vision or plan for how a "healthy" Halloween season should look.

Is it an oxymoron we can't get around?

An area of our life where we do a funny dance trying to dodge a sugar-filled land mind here or there?

Or is there a way we can approach the innocence of childhood with the opportunity of all this season holds for small yet developing bodies and habits?

I believe so! And as a registered dietitian and mom of three navigating the upcoming few weeks alongside you, I am going to be sharing with you evidenced-based advice that will work amidst real-life.

Stay tuned to each of the upcoming episodes in October for your complete roadmap for handling Halloween candy with kids.

SHOWLINKS:

Schedule a session to chat one-on-one with Ashley: www.veggiesandvirtue.com/schedule

Check out Mealtimes Made Easy: www.mealtimesmadeeasy.com

Leave Ashley a voicemail: www.veggiesandvirtue.com/ask

156. Is it okay to sneak veggies in what my kids eat? Oct 11, 2023

Show notes

Is it okay to sneak healthy things into our kid's food?

Whether it be in healthy muffins or a meatball, I know firsthand how tempting it is. We feel like our best option is often to sneak healthy foods in the foods our kids do willingly eat, all in the name of "getting" our kids to eat the foods that they otherwise won't.

But is this best practice? Or does this backfire?

Fellow moms may feel it is innocent enough and the benefits of sneaking healthy foods outweigh the cons of getting caught.

That's why in this episode, I shed some light on what I advise as a feeding expert. I don't share this from a soapbox but rather from the trenches of feeding fussy eaters myself -- three for three, I understand this predicament firsthand with my own!

However, if we are going to raise up the next generation to value health and fuel their bodies accordingly, it is important for us to really look at the short-term impact of "getting" our kids to eat healthy foods versus the long-term implications of fostering intrinsic motivation towards eating healthy foods.

Want more support on how to build trust in the feeding relationship? Whether it be your child sneaking “forbidden foods” from you, or you are feeling the need to save a secret stash of “forbidden foods” until after bedtime (so your kids don't see), these posts can shed some light on how to handle such secrecy:

155. How to add veggies this October: 5 ways you’ve overlooked with kids Oct 04, 2023

Show notes

Do you feel defeated trying to get your kids to eat more vegetables?

I hear from client after client, "I want my child to have a more colorful diet."And yet, beige wins the day for a lot of kids.

So while there are a lot of nourishing beige and brown foods to give us all the fall feels, today's episode is going to boost the vibes as we enter into autumn with 5 easy ways to get your kids to eat more vegetables.

Whether you want to use these tips and tricks at breakfast, lunch, or snack, you will quickly realize that veggies aren't only to be offered at dinner! Our kids need repeated opportunities to add color (and nutrition!) to their diets, and this episode will give you five, fall-ish ideas for how to easily do so.

Shownotes:

Want in on nourishing, veggie-packed muffin recipes? Join us for the final few weeks of Muffin Club.
Looking for one on one support with raising healthy eaters? Snag one of my last coaching spots so we can map out the final few months of 2023 for you.
Have a question? Leave me a voicemail here for me to answer live on an upcoming episode.

154. 8 Ways to Add Protein to Kids Lunchboxes Sep 27, 2023

Show notes

Are you worried about your child not getting enough protein?

If you, like many parents I speak with, feel like your child exists on carbs alone, this episode is going to give you some simple suggestions for ways to boost protein in the meals and snacks you are likely already offering.

I share 8 ideas to boost protein without relying on meat or sandwiches. Instead, I share eight kid-friendly ways to boost protein in meals and snacks, using the examples of protein-rich options in Muffin Club recipes.

SHOWNOTES:

How Much Protein Does My Preschooler Need?

Healthy, High Protein Snack Ideas for Kids

Snacks that Limit Grazing and Boost Nutritional Variety

Breakfast ideas with protein that aren’t eggs, yogurt, or a smoothie

153. 6 Kid-Friendly Tools for the Kitchen (worth investing in) Sep 20, 2023

Show notes

Do you ever wonder what some of the best staples are to have in a kid-friendly kitchen? With the ease of getting just about anything delivered on our doorstep in a matter of two days, it can be hard to really discern what we need from what we want. Outside of patience and maybe item #6, I don't think there is anything you must have in order to make your kitchen more kid-friendly. But, if helping your children get hands on with more foods to add variety and improve picky eating is something you are being intentional about, this episode will give you six of my favorite cooking tools that can grow with your kids. I try to touch on cost and the space considerations for each, as well, so that you can find something that fits your budget and living space.

As a pediatric dietitian and mom, these are ones I am thankful to have invested in early on and would quickly encourage anyone else to also!

SHOWNOTES:

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