Tag: Kitchen Stewardship

April 5, 2016

Why Real Food Bloggers Have Sick Kids

Have you ever wondered why so many real food bloggers have sick kids? Allergies, autism, asthma, eczema…what’s the deal?

When it comes to seeking health advice we all go online. We may not trust everything we read. We may ask a doctor’s advice too. But we all do it.

We do a search on our good friend Google. We come up with various medical sites and blogs. I do it all the time when my kids have a particular problem I need help with. It’s easy. It’s informative. It doesn’t cost money.

A view from the other side

But I also give the advice. And maybe that’s why you’re here reading this right now! I am a blogger myself. I share strategies for getting kids to eat well and for dealing with allergies.

But sometimes I wonder…why should anyone believe what I say? What makes me credible? Do I take stock in what other bloggers say?

I ask these questions for good reasons. There is a lot of incorrect information online. You can find twenty different opinions on just about anything.

But really I ask it because sometimes I feel like people don’t believe me. I advocate a real food lifestyle and promote healing strategies. But all three of my own children have health problems.

DO I REALLY KNOW WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT?

The thing is it’s not just me. So many real food bloggers have sick kids. By sick I mean any kind of health issue. Some well known bloggers have kids with autism, allergies, sensory conditions, leaky gut, ADD, skin conditions. The list goes on. So why should you trust them or listen to their advice? It’s a real concern.

But it might actually be a good thing. I’m sharing why real food bloggers have sick kids over at Kitchen Stewardship. Check it out!

March 15, 2016

How to Get an Undereater to Enjoy Food!

By my third child I thought I knew plenty about feeding challenges. I was wrong. The hardest was yet to come. I’m excited to share our story and how I got my one year old to eat again, plus a special recipe that literally saved her life.

Every parent wants their kids to be good eaters, right?

No complaining. No throwing food. No refusing to eat vegetables. It’s a reasonable desire.

Of course most kids do go through phases of eating more or less, phases of liking and refusing certain foods, phases of wanting to make their own food choices and willingly eating whatever you serve. Love it or hate it, that’s life.

I’m thankful that it seems to get easier to handle with each child…at least a little.

But what if your child just won’t eat?

At all? Every. Single. Day?

Emotions turn from annoyance to anxiety. I’ve been there. And I know I’m not alone.

How Allergies Impact Feeding Challenges

As allergies are on the rise so are eating struggles. Especially for young children.

Think about it for a minute. If you eat something that upsets your stomach, do you feel like eating? Are you a little hesitant to eat that food again?

Now imagine if you are so young you can’t even verbalize how you feel. And your mom tries to feed you the same food over and over (because we’re told to keep trying, eventually they’ll like it) that you know will give you a stomach ache or reflux or even swelling.

What is your solution? Refusal to eat. Period.

Feeding a young child that is developing allergies is an important and sometimes stressful task. As a parent your only feedback is watching for reactions, assuming you even know to look for them! Along the way your child may just stop eating out of fear or because she simply does not feel good.

Having a Child that Refuses to Eat

I lived this struggle for over two years as my daughter slowly developed more and more allergies.

When we first introduced solids she seemed to enjoy most things she tried. But gradually she started eating less and less until she stopped eating.

We managed to get by for a while because she was nursing full time. But as we approached her first birthday I knew something had to change. A one year old should be eating more than three bites of solid food a day.

This was my third child. I knew all the tricks. I tried different flavors and textures. I tried distracting her. I fed her in a chair or while we were playing. Really. I had tried it all.

But she still wouldn’t eat. We hit a low point.

She wasn’t gaining weight. She wasn’t getting enough nourishment.

At thirteen months old I knew I had to change our situation or take her to the doctor.

Hope for Reluctant Eaters!

There is hope even for kids that refuse to eat anything! Want to hear more about how we turned it around?

—->>>> Head over to Kitchen Stewardship!

I’m sharing how I got my one-year-old to finally eat again. Plus I’ve got a fun recipe for squash “milk” that is perfect for kids with allergies. Even I drink it!

Looking for more? Check out my book Why Won’t My Child Eat?! where I share all of the tips and tricks I’ve learned over the last twelve years with foiur kids, each with different feeding challenges. It is possible to turn any child into a good eater and to do it with real, nourishing food. The new, revised 2nd edition will walk you through the process of spotting food reactions, calming the body, and restoring the joy of nourishing food. You’ll go from reluctant eater to thriving little foodie!

This post is linked to Savoring Saturdays.

February 15, 2016

Why I Secretly Love Our Food Allergies

Just hearing the term food allergies stirs up negative thoughts. But did you know they are not all bad? In fact, I kind of like them.

I’m not gonna lie. Having (multiple) kids with (different and even severe) food allergies is not easy. In fact, many days it is down right hard.

I can’t cook one meal for the whole family. I can’t just order pizza when I’m sick and have no energy to cook. At the moment I can’t even eat at a restaurant. If you have a child with food allergies I’m sure you know the list of “can’t” could go on and on.

But…

I secretly love our food allergies.

Yes, you heard that right. I love them.

There really are some hidden blessings when it comes to food allergies. And although I do hope for full healing for my children some day. There is a part of me (maybe the part that wants to have control!) that hopes it doesn’t happen too soon.

Even in light of my son’s severe nut and dairy allergy diagnosis last week I still have some good things to say.

I’m letting you in on my seven little secrets about the blessings of food allergies. After reading them you may want to go get your child tested. An allergy diagnosis can have its perks. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Easily say no to junk food.

Allergies make food choices for you, often for the better. My son is allergic to corn (probably my favorite allergy!). That means NOTHING with high fructose corn syrup or cornstarch. Saying no to junk food is a no brainer there.

Does your child have a wheat allergy? It’s easy to pass on the Goldfish® the other kids are eating.

Of course there are alternatives these days. And there is plenty of junk food that is egg free, dairy free, gluten free, etc. But it is much easier to pass on the junk when you are avoiding allergens.

Want to hear my other six benefits of food allergies?

Head over to Kitchen Stewardship where I’m sharing the bright side of allergies.

January 13, 2016

Ten Mason Jar Lunches Kids Can Make

Start the year off with less stress by delegating some kitchen work. Today I’m at Kitchen Stewardship sharing ten mason jar lunches your kids can make by themselves.

No hiding from it now. The new year is here.

That means it’s time to get back on track with healthy eating! One very important part of that is teaching your children what real, nourishing food is and why it is important.

In my experience the best way to teach your kids about good food is by letting them help prepare it!

Start teaching them at a young age and by the time they are in school they can practically pack their own lunches. What parent doesn’t want a little help with lunches?!

Ready to start delegating that task? Here are ten lunch components kids can make by themselves. As an added bonus you won’t hear any complaining about boring or gross lunches. Kids can’t complain if they choose and pack their own lunch!

Take one more item off your to-do list with these fun, healthy and simple mason jar lunches that kids can make (using glass or plastic containers).

VEGGIES WITH DIP

Add sour cream and your choice of seasoning to a jar (we like sea salt, garlic powder and dill weed). Put the chopped vegetables on top. No need for separate containers. The veggies are already in the dip and ready to go.

Fun and easy finger food. Perfect for a school lunch.

Want more ideas?

Click here to head over to Kitchen Stewardship where I’ll show you just how much fun your kids can having making mason jar lunches.

Don’t think they’re ready to tackle this project yet? Check out the Kids Cook Real Food course to get them started!

In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog. It will not change the cost of any products or services for you.

This post is linked to Savoring Saturdays.

January 11, 2016

A Simple Cure For Picky Eaters

Sometimes picky eating is a much deeper problem than it seems. But sometimes it’s not. Here is a simple cure for picky eaters…that aren’t really that picky.

I wouldn’t call any of my kids picky eaters.

Wait a minute. Isn’t this whole site devoted to feeding children that struggle with eating? Yep! And I learned it all from my kids.

But none of them is picky.

To me a picky eater is a child that is truly just wanting to have some control and make his own decisions about his food.

A picky eater is not a child whose diet is limited to noodles and crackers. That is a much deeper problem related to the child’s health (be on the lookout for my book on how to deal with that soon!!)

My kids all have other root causes for their eating issues. When they are feeling good they are all wonderful eaters.

Today I’m talking about the kind of picky eating that is more a battle of wills than taste buds.

If your child is a picky eater there is a simple cure. Teach your child to cook!

I can’t tell you how many times my kids have practically inhaled a meal because they helped prepare it. They feel such a sense of accomplishment.

Great idea! But how exactly do I teach my kids to cook?

Katie at Kitchen Stewardship has put together an amazing course for both parents and children to teach kids of all ages to cook.

My kids and I have been previewing the course over the last couple months. Not only are my kids absolutely loving it and learning a lot, I’m learning too!

I’m learning basic skills I was never taught as a child. I’m learning how to teach my children and how to work with them in the kitchen.

So far my kids’ favorite part has been using knives (of course). You can preview the knife skills for free right now.

But there is SO much more to learn. My four year old is already starting to crack eggs. My seven year old is very anxious to try making a detailed recipe on her own. She actually made today’s breakfast (she even planned it) of strawberry parfaits.

Kids Cook Real Food is a way to get the whole family on board with healthier eating and put that picky eating to rest. Who knows, you may have a budding chef on your hands!

The course is open for enrollment this week.

Check out the free videos and get ready to end the picky eating by teaching your child to cook. It is a skill that will benefit both you and your kids for life.

Does your child have strong opinions about what she will or won’t eat?

There really is a simple cure for picky eaters. Get them in the kitchen! If that doesn’t work. Come back and see me when my book is ready and we’ll talk more!

December 14, 2015

Gluten Free Chocolate Peppermint Twist Cookies

Start a new Christmas tradition making these gluten free chocolate peppermint twist cookies with your kids. You’ll all have fun and make lasting memories.

Christmas is filled with traditions. Each family creates their own and passes them on to the next generation.

One of the traditions that my mom passed on to me is baking Christmas treats. I could sit and watch her bake for hours. I was fascinated by it (and now thirty years later write about my own baking!).

I loved to help out too. I shared her passion, and now enjoy doing the same with my own kids.

So I am always on the lookout for fun, new Christmas treats to try.

A new twist.

Yes, we do the traditional sugar cookies (though we’ve modified them a bit to fit our current lifestyle) and sometimes gingerbread cookies. They are both so much fun to decorate! But my kids and I like to get creative too.

This year we came up with gluten free chocolate peppermint twist cookies.

These cookies combine my husband’s childhood traditions with my kids’ favorite flavors.

Growing up my husband always had peppermint stick ice cream with hot fudge at Christmas time. We now have it every year at our house.

This year we even made our own version of peppermint stick ice cream, candy and all!

Whenever I ask my kids what kind of ice cream they want, nine times out of ten they say mint chocolate chip.

Peppermint and chocolate go so well together. Plus they are the perfect pair for Christmas. So turning this combination into a delicious treat was fun for the whole family.

Want to give these twist cookies a try? Head over to Kitchen Stewardship where I’m sharing the recipe.

November 16, 2015

Why I Stopped Eating Gluten Free

Are you eating gluten free? Or have you wondered if you should? Today I’m at Kitchen Stewardship sharing my story about why I was eating gluten free…and then stopped. And why I’m thankful for wheat!

Some people think eating gluten free is a fad. Some say you only need to avoid gluten if you have an allergy.

At the opposite end of the spectrum are the people that think all grains should be avoided by everyone for good health and for autoimmune conditions. The word “wheat” makes them cringe. I ate that way for a while on GAPS but found out the hard way it wasn’t for me.

Then there are those in the middle that are eating gluten free due to celiac disease, hypothyroidism, allergies, digestive impairment and a host of other health ailments. Or simply to try to feel better.

Me? I fall in the middle.

How it all started.

I started eating gluten free when I was struggling with infertility and hypothyroidism.

All of my kids have allergies. So I cut out gluten as part of our effort to heal their bodies. We have all been eating gluten free for quite a few years now.

This decision has had a big impact on my children’s behavior and ability to focus. Once or twice a year I give them a small amount of gluten to see how their bodies are doing. So far they still react very strongly. My son literally goes crazy. My daughter seems like she is in another world.

I truly love gluten free living and enjoy cooking and baking gluten free foods. I’ve got tons of gluten free recipes here.

What went wrong.

Then along came baby number three last year. And things got a little crazy.

Head over to Kitchen Stewardship where I’m sharing what happened that led me back to eating gluten and why I’m very thankful for wheat. It truly has been a life saver.

October 20, 2015

Candy Corn Finger Jello: KS Post

Candy corn finger jello is the perfect Halloween treat. It has bright colors and fruit flavor without anything artificial.

I’ve never been that crazy about Halloween.

Don’t get me wrong, getting dressed up is fun. Spending time with friends is great.

Of course as a kid the candy is the real star of the show.

An adult perspective.

But on the whole it’s more of a hassle than anything, especially as a parent. Scrambling to find a costume (I’m cheap and just get creative with what we have on hand…anybody with me?). Spending half the week’s grocery budget on junk food for the neighborhood. Not my cup of tea.

But there is one part of Halloween and fall in general that I have always loved.

Candy corn.

I liked the taste. But more than that it reminded me of my grandparents. They lived on a farm and always kept a chicken feeder on the kitchen table to feed their little chicks – their grandchildren!

For some reason I was more into this tradition than any of my siblings or cousins. If my grandparents knew I was coming they were sure to stock it with candy corn for me. I ran to it first thing when I entered the house to check and have a little chicken feed.

My days of visiting the farm are coming to an end as my grandmother passed away earlier this year and my grandfather is in hospice. But when I do get there the chicken feeder is still sitting there on the table as soon as I walk in the door.

A new tradition.

I am honored that it will soon be the centerpiece of my own table! I can carry on the tradition of feeding my kids and someday grandkids just like little chicks.

But in a different way.

My candy corn will not come out of a bag. It will not have artificial flavors and food coloring.

Instead it will be full of nourishing gelatin!

Want to see how I made this fun treat? Head over to Kitchen Stewardship! I’ll show you just how easy and healthy candy corn finger jello is.

If you’re looking for more holiday treats check out these great real food dessert books:

This post is linked to Savoring Saturdays.

September 21, 2015

Gluten Free Squash Cookies: KS Post

If you are in need of a healthy breakfast, lunch or dessert gluten free squash cookies are just the thing. Easy to make. Properly prepared grains. And vegetables!

All summer long you are in control of what your kids eat and when they eat.

There is an abundance of fresh fruit to serve IF they need a little snack (not when snack time is a mandatory part of their day). Breakfasts don’t have to be made AND consumed in ten minutes in order to catch the bus. Lunches can be cooked and served warm.

Then school starts.

Mornings are chaotic getting everyone dressed and fed and out the door.

Lunches have to be simplified and packed.

It is a challenge to maintain the nutrient dense status of your kids’ food. Not to mention they are bombarded with special treats for everything from birthdays to good behavior as soon as they step foot in the door.

So as the new school year gets under way why not combine the need for nourishment with the desire for something sweet? Did I mention it is also easy?

These super simple gluten free squash cookies are portable and work for breakfast or lunch. Vegetables in your breakfast and dessert? Yes, please!

Head over to Kitchen Stewardship to find out how I make these easy and delicious cookies.

August 13, 2015

Homemade Lunch Meat

Lunch time just got easier and healthier with homemade lunch meat! It is perfect for school lunches or even for babies. Add it to your to-do list!!

Warning.

You may want to cover your ears.

I’m going to use the dreaded L word – LUNCHES.

There. I said it.

As much as I don’t like to think about it, before we know it we’ll be packing school lunches again.

You want to send your kids to school with nutritious food. But you also don’t want to make their lunches too different or “weird” (liver pate or sardines anyone?). Not to mention you don’t want to spend an hour making lunch.

Just the other day my seven year old asked why I never put “normal” sandwiches in her lunch like her friends have. She mentioned peanut butter and jelly and ham and cheese.