Tag: health

A Spring Reset: Taking Inventory

Hannah Carlozzi

Times of transition often invite reflection. Spring cleaning and New Year’s resolutions are good examples of moments when we pause, take stock, and ask: What’s working? What’s not?

As we move into Spring, consider applying that same mindset to your health habits. If your routine doesn’t feel as effective as it once did, it may not be a lack of effort, but rather a mismatch between what you think should work and what is actually going to be effective for you today.

Start With Awareness

We all have blind spots when it comes to our own habits. Getting an outside perspective, whether from a trusted friend, family member, or a professional (like a registered dietitian) can offer valuable insight into patterns we may not notice ourselves.

Revisit the Foundations

Movement – are you starting from scratch or leveling up?

  • If you already walk regularly, could you add short jogging intervals to elevate your heart rate?
  • If you’re a avid runner, cross-training could build strength and support injury prevention.

Wherever you are, if you feel stuck or as if you have plateaued, think about where you can push yourself just a little more. Sometimes, feeling uncomfortable again is the path to progress.

Are you Prioritizing Sleep?

  • Has screen time crept into your evenings getting you to bed too late?
  • Would a “phone-free” boundary before bed be helpful?
  • Consider creating a wind-down routine to signal rest: tea, reading, journaling, or meditation are all great options.

Let’s Talk About Nutrition

The nutrition advice we come across on online, from coworkers, friends, fitness trainers, and sometimes medical professionals, is full of conflicting opinions and recommendations. It’s hard to know who to trust and what to follow.

My advice: simplify. The fundamentals are not flashy, but they are effective:

  • Eat regularly throughout the day – 3 meals and 1-3 snacks
  • Eat fruits and vegetables
  • Include whole grains
  • Prioritize lean proteins and seafood
  • Choose healthy fats like olive oil, nuts, seeds, and avocado
  • Flavor with herbs and spices
  • Limit processed foods and alcohol

It may not make headlines, but it works. If you feel like you are already doing all the right things and still feeling stuck, this is where taking an inventory can be helpful. While I’m not a big proponent of long-term tracking, it can be a useful short-term tool to bring awareness to things like protein and fiber intake, hydration, and unintentional overeating.

My Personal Experiment

I recently tracked my intake for a few days to see how closely I follow my own advice. A few interesting things came up:

  • Awareness changed behavior: knowing I was tracking made me pause before grabbing small, unplanned bites and nibbles.
  • Meals became less intuitive: I started building meals based on measurements instead of appetite (1/2 cup oats, 3 oz chicken…), which made eating a little less enjoyable.
  • Some habits were better than expected: I exceeded my goals for hydration and protein and came in where I expected for fiber.
  • Fat intake surprised me: between nuts, seeds, salmon, chicken thighs, cooking oils, and the occasional butter, my fat intake hovered around 40% of total calories which is higher than I’d like.

What I’m Taking With Me

What will I do with this data? It reminded me that the small nibbles when I’m not really hungry do add up. Although I prefer chicken thighs over chicken breasts, I will bring more focus to lean proteins, and I will limit nuts/seeds to a couple of servings per day. I will continue my good protein and water habits, and I am happy to go back to plating my meals based on appetite and what sounds good rather than measurements that are easy to log. 

Your Turn

What needs attention in your life? Whether it’s your eating habits, movement, or something else, a reset doesn’t require a complete overhaul. Often, small, thoughtful adjustments can move the needle. If you’d like support in taking that next step, I’m always here to help — feel free to reach out.

Notes with health promoting messages

Lower the Bar, Reach Your Goals

Hannah Carlozzi

Why flexibility leads to real progress

It’s that time of year when a lot of us crave change. The idea of a reset, a fresh start, can feel empowering and motivating. But when we set the bar too high, we often veer off course as soon as life gets in the way, as it inevitably does.

Instead of a sweeping overhaul, I want to suggest three key ideas to help you stay on track with your goals in the new year.

Woman making a healthy smoothie
  1. Lower the bar
    While it might seem counterintuitive, lowering the bar gives us the flexibility we need to be successful. Life will throw us curveballs – a kid will get sick, a work deadline will pop up, or we’ll have a night of poor sleep. We need a Plan B to keep us moving forward, and Plan B isn’t a failure, it’s part of the plan.

    Take an honest look at what you can do instead. Something is always better than nothing, and consistency is built on what we do on our hardest days, not our best ones. A trip to the gym that fell through can become a power walk after lunch, or a few simple bodyweight movements or stretches. If your goal is to order less takeout, keeping easy pantry or freezer staples on hand can make it possible to get a simple dinner on the table on a nights where you don’t feel like cooking.

  2. Habit Stacking
    Linking a new behavior to something you already do consistently can be very effective. An example from my own life: I have an established habit of drinking a glass of water after I wake up and before I have my coffee. After some bloodwork at my last physical, I set a new goal of taking a daily vitamin D supplement. The bottle sat on the counter, and although I saw it every day, taking it was inconsistent at best. I finally decided that, even though I’d prefer to take it with food, having it with my glass of water was the best way to make it happen consistently.

    Take a look at what you already do without thinking and see where you can add something small. Can you stretch while watching TV at night? Pack lunch or prep breakfast while cleaning up from dinner? Take a sip of water every time you send an email? Get creative!

  3. Embody the change
    This last one is important. Meaningful and long-term change doesn’t come from willpower, it comes from values-based and identity-based habits. Tell yourself “I am someone who (fill in the blank)” and then look for small, daily actions that reinforce that identity. Someone who values their health doesn’t have to be perfect – they show up imperfectly but consistently. When things don’t go as planned (and they won’t), practice self-compassion and “do the next right thing”, as Elsa says in Frozen II!
Notes with health promoting messages

Change doesn’t have to be dramatic to be meaningful. By lowering the bar, anchoring new habits to what you already do, and focusing on who you want to become rather than what you think you should do, you create change that can actually last. Small, flexible steps taken consistently will always take you further than the perfect plan you can’t maintain.

A Simple Way Forward When “Eating Right” Feels Overwhelming

Hannah Carlozzi

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about this contradiction: food and eating are both wonderfully simple and endlessly complicated. Eating is a basic human need, yet what and how to eat seems unclear at best. We’re constantly bombarded with protein targets, fiber goals, and alarming headlines about what might be hiding in our snacks and supplements. Should we be intermittent fasting? No wonder so many of us are overwhelmed. Is nourishing ourselves really supposed to feel this hard?

Here’s something that might surprise you: I don’t track how many grams of protein I eat each day, I don’t have a cabinet full of supplements, and I don’t add electrolytes to my water or butter or protein to my coffee. That doesn’t mean I’m careless about what I consume. It means is that I have an approach to nourishing myself that feels simple, flexible, and easy to maintain.

The noise around food can be exhausting. Every week brings a new rule or a new fear. But what happens when you do want to make a change? Where do you begin?

A good starting point is to step back from the noise entirely. Forget the tracking apps, calorie counts, and headlines for a moment, and consider a few key questions:

  1. Which foods genuinely satisfy me?
  2. What meals leave me feeling nourished and energized?
  3. Which ones don’t?

From there, these simple guidelines can help shape your day-to-day eating:

  • Aim for three meals and one to three snacks per day, adjusting based on hunger and activity level.
  • Include a source of carbohydrate, protein, and plants (fruit or vegetables) at each meal.
  • Consider small “upgrades” that make your meals more satisfying – maybe a flavorful sauce, a crunchy topping, a splash of acidity, or a drizzle of oil.
  • Try to eat when you’re hungry but not ravenous, and stop when you’re comfortably full rather than stuffed.
  • Give yourself full permission to enjoy the foods you love, while returning to the core question: what helps you feel nourished, energized, and genuinely well?

I keep coming back to a phrase often used in early parenthood: fed is best. When we’re caught up in trying to optimize every bite, uncertainty and guilt creep in, and before long, they undermine the very changes we’re trying to make. The truth is that fed is best in adulthood, too.

Nourishing ourselves, even when we are on a journey to improve our health, doesn’t require perfection – just intention and persistence. If this idea still feels confusing or overwhelming, a Registered Dietitian can support you in finding a way of eating that fits your lifestyle and your health goals.

Contact Hannah

The Case for Breakfast: Why It Matters and How to Make It Work for You

Hannah Carlozzi

You’ve probably heard that eating breakfast is important. Phrases like “breakfast is the most important meal of the day” or “eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper” are familiar to many of us. Breakfast quite literally breaks our overnight fast – but what if you wake up with no appetite, or even feel queasy at the thought of food?

For those of us who are striving to listen to our body’s hunger and fullness cues, this can be confusing and frustrating. Should we eat when we’re not hungry? As with so many things, my answer to that question is: it depends.

Let’s take a look at why breakfast matters, what often gets in the way, and some realistic ways to make it work if that’s a goal of yours.

Why Breakfast Matters

Energy & focus: After 12-ish hours without food, breakfast refuels your body and brain, helping you start your day with strength and clarity.
Appetite regulation: Eating something in the morning signals your body to wake up its hunger and fullness hormones. Because these hormones are naturally low when you first get up, it’s common not to feel hungry right away, but even a small breakfast can help set up steadier appetite patterns and reduce the urge to overeat later on.
Digestive health: Breakfast stimulates the digestive system and can support regular bowel movements.
Nutrient boost: Common breakfast foods like fruit, berries, oats, yogurt, nuts, and eggs, are naturally rich in nutrients that support long-term health.

Why Is Breakfast a Challenge?

Even with these known benefits, so many of us struggle with eating breakfast. Here are some common reason why:

Late Dinner/Late Night Snacking: eating late at night can impact hunger the next morning. Making a shift to eating more earlier in the day can really help.
Coffee: That first cup can mask hunger cues. If possible, wait a little longer before drinking coffee to see if your appetite will awaken.
Busy mornings: When you’re focused on kids, schedules, and rushing out the door, it’s easy to miss hunger signals, and finding time for mindful eating and connecting with your appetite can be a challenge.
Digestive discomfort: Constipation or bloating can leave little room for breakfast. Supporting gut health may help appetite return.

Simple Ways to Make Breakfast Happen

Start small: Even a light snack can train your body to get used to eating earlier. Over time, appetite-regulating hormones often adjust.
Keep it simple: Plan easy, grab-and-go options like yogurt with berries, cereal with milk and fruit, a hard-boiled egg with toast, or overnight oats.
Think portable: Smoothies, energy bites, or a piece of fruit with a handful of nuts are perfect for mornings on the move.
Rework your routine: If mornings feel too rushed, prep the night before or consider a later “breakfast” (like a mid-morning snack) as a stepping stone.

Breakfast doesn’t need to be big or complicated to be beneficial. What matters most is finding a rhythm that supports your energy, digestion, and overall well-being. If mornings are tough, experiment with small, simple changes. You may find that your appetite, energy, and focus all improve when you start your day with fuel.

If eating breakfast is just not doable for you, make an effort to play close attention to when your hunger begins to stir. You may need to look for other hunger cues than a grumbling stomach. This could be having a hard time focusing, feeling lightheaded or irritable, or having more frequent thoughts about food. Make sure to eat when you notice those cues, even if it doesn’t seems like the traditional breakfast or lunch time. Meeting with a dietitian to look at your meal patterns and to ensure that you are meeting your nutritional needs if you are skipping a meal can be helpful.

For more information on assessing your hunger, make sure to read this and check out some of my favorite easy breakfast ideas!

The Benefits of Fiber: Are You Getting Enough?

Hannah Carlozzi

Fiber is having its moment. In fact, it is hard to turn anywhere these days without being reminded that we need to eat more of it. And I’m all for it… with a few caveats!

Why Fiber?

Fiber has many health benefits. It can help lower cholesterol, and positively impact our blood sugar. It can help us feel full longer and can keep digestion “regular” by making our stool large, soft, and easy to pass. And some fibers (prebiotics) serve as fuel for our gut microbiome. 

How Much Do We Need?

Women are recommended to get about 25-30 grams per day and men about 35 grams per day. In reality, most Americans are consuming 12-15 grams. That is a huge gap! 

Where is Fiber Hiding?

Fiber is found in fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. While there are different types of fibers (soluble and insoluble), and some foods have a higher concentration of one vs. the other, many foods have both types. If you consider these sources and reflect on your own eating patterns, do you think you are meeting the recommendation? 

Why Do We Fall Short?

Many of us fall short because we are busy and rely on quick grab-and-go options. We may skip breakfast, grab a bar or a sandwich for lunch, and have a standard dinner where vegetables are not the star of the show. And with the recent focus on protein, high fiber foods like whole grains are often left out. Shopping for and preparing fruits, vegetables, and whole grains does take some effort, but there are lots of quick and easy ways to boost your fiber intake.

Small Changes Add Up

Ease into a more fiber-rich diet by focusing on one meal at a time. Once you’re in the habit of adding more fiber to that meal, move on to the next. For example:

  •  If you have toast and eggs in the morning, can you make a switch to whole wheat bread and add a piece of fruit on the side?
  • If you start your day with a bowl of Greek yogurt, can you add some berries or sliced fruit along with some slivered almonds?
  • At lunch, can you add some lettuce and sliced tomato to your sandwich or a side of raw veggies?
  • Can you include pumpkin seeds as a crunchy topping on your salad or some canned chickpeas drained and rinsed?
  • Can you commit to at least one serving of vegetables on your dinner plate?
  • Can you put beans on the dinner menu once a week?
  • Can you roast a big batch of root vegetables on the weekend to use throughout the week?
A sandwich with wholegrain bread, lettuce, and tomato.

What 25–30 Grams of Fiber Can Look Like

MealFoodFiber (g)Subtotal
Breakfast: Greek Yogurt Bowl¾ cup plain Greek yogurt (0 g) ½ cup raspberries (4 g) 2 Tbsp chia seeds (10 g) 2 Tbsp granola (2 g)~16 g16 g
Lunch Option A: Salad2 cups mixed greens (2 g) ½ cup chickpeas (6 g) ½ cup cherry tomatoes + cucumber (2 g) ¼ avocado (3 g)~13 g29 g (with breakfast)
Lunch Option B: Sandwich2 slices whole-grain bread (6 g) Lettuce + tomato (2 g) 1 apple (4 g)~12 g28 g (with breakfast)
Dinner (both options)½ cup brown rice (2 g) 1 cup broccoli (5 g) 4 oz salmon or chicken (0 g)~7 g35–36 g total

What About Fiber Supplements?

Fiber supplements can be helpful in certain situations, but I recommend a food-first approach. Here’s why:

  • Supplements generally provide just one type of fiber, while whole foods give a beneficial mix.
  • They are more likely to cause GI discomfort (gas, bloating) or even constipation if increased too quickly.
  • They lack the vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, and antioxidants that come with fiber-rich foods.
  • They can offer a false sense of security, and you may miss out on the chance to build lasting healthy eating patterns.

Begin With Small Steps

Adding fiber to your diet does not have to mean changing everything you have been doing until now. It is ok to start small by doing simple swaps and adding fiber-rich foods to the meals you are already enjoying.

One more thing to keep in mind: whether your fiber comes from food or supplements, it is important to drink enough water. Fiber works best when it absorbs water to help keep things moving through your digestive system. Without enough fluid, adding more fiber can actually backfire and cause discomfort.

Take it one meal at a time, and let those choices add up. Your gut (and the rest of your body) will thank you!


Understanding Hunger

Hannah Carlozzi

Have you ever had the experience of peering into your fridge unsure of what you are searching for? Or have you come across a food on the counter and promptly eaten it despite not being hungry? We eat for a multitude of reasons. In addition to true physical hunger, these reasons can include boredom, sadness, procrastination, or trying to satisfy a craving your last meal didn’t.

Many of us struggle with understanding our hunger, and some of us are afraid to trust it. We might delay eating until a set time thinking we know best, or eat a predetermined amount. This way of eating relies on external rules rather than the cues our bodies are communicating.

Let’s explore the different types of hunger and how understanding them can lead to a more compassionate, attuned approach to eating.

Types of Hunger

Physical (biological) hunger
This is your body’s way of saying: I need fuel. It builds gradually and can show up as a growling stomach, low energy, irritability, or trouble focusing.

Emotional hunger
Emotional hunger is driven by feelings like stress, sadness, or boredom. It often feels sudden and urgent. While it’s okay to eat for emotional reasons sometimes, identifying this type of hunger opens the door to other ways of caring for yourself, too.

Sensory hunger
Sensory hunger is driven by your senses (sight, smell, and taste) and is the pull you feel when something smells or looks delicious. While we don’t want to eat when we’re not physically hungry frequently, sensory hunger does play an important role in satisfaction, and including the foods that appeal to our senses can reduce feelings of deprivation and thereby help prevent overeating.

Practical hunger
Practical hunger is eating in anticipation of future hunger. For example, grabbing a snack before a long meeting or eating lunch early before a busy afternoon. This is an instance where we may eat without feeling physically hungry, but it is done with attunement and consideration.

Habitual hunger
Habitual hunger is inked to routines, like always having a snack on the couch at 8 p.m. while watching TV. It can be helpful to get curious about this type of hunger, and to assess if you are eating because your body needs more fuel, or if it is purely out of habit.

Social hunger
Social hunger is triggered by being around others who are eating. We often eat to connect and celebrate, which is a normal and meaningful part of human life. While you may feel like you are rejecting your friend or family member if you turn down the eating opportunity with them, it is always ok to honor your hunger and fullness. You may consider a response like “That (fill in the blank) looks amazing! Do you mind if I take one to go? I just had lunch and I’m not hungry right now, but I can’t wait to enjoy it later”.

Hunger Scale

With any type of hunger, it can be useful to assess your “level” by using a hunger and fullness scale. The scale ranges from 1 to 10, with 1 being painfully hungry or “starving”, 5 being neither hungry nor full, and 10 being painfully full or stuffed. Using the scale can help you tune in to your body’s signals and identify patterns of when you tend to eat. For most people, eating around a 3 or 4 and stopping around a 7 feels comfortable.

If you find yourself getting to either extremes of the scale, it may be worthwhile to do some investigating.

An Empowered Approach

Try approaching your hunger and fullness with curiosity. Ask yourself questions like:
-What are the sensations that tell me I am beginning to feel hungry?
-What kind of hunger am I experiencing?
-When did I last eat and was it enough?
-Am I stressed, tired, or seeking comfort?
-Do I feel satisfied after this meal?

These types of questions can help you understand your needs more clearly. Hunger isn’t a problem to fix. It is information your body is giving you. When you respond with care by eating enough, and including enjoyable foods, your body will begin to trust that it’s needs will be met consistently, and you can begin to trust in the cues it gives you in return.



Finding Food Freedom

Hannah Carlozzi

For many people who struggle with food, the difficulty goes beyond just nutrition. In fact, they often have an impressive knowledge of what constitutes a healthy diet. Instead, it is a fear of losing control. They might “eat clean” all week only to find themselves overeating on the weekend or make the declaration that they “can’t keep that food in the house or they will eat it all”. Making some foods off-limits (=restriction) can lead to certain foods holding an almost magical power, where just one bite is sure to lead to out of control eating. When food rules dominate, even a small deviation, like a bite of a “forbidden” food, can trigger an overwhelming sense of failure, often leading to loss of control and overeating. The very rules meant to maintain control become the reason control is lost.

But what if the solution isn’t more rules or stronger willpower? What if the key to breaking free lies in a concept called disenchantment?

The Power of Gradual Exposure

One approach to breaking the binge/restrict cycle is gradual exposure, a method often used in pain management and behavioral therapy. Just as someone with chronic pain might slowly reintroduce movements they fear, those struggling with food fears can systematically reintroduce their “trigger foods.”

The process begins with identifying which foods trigger a sense of loss of control. These can vary widely. Some fear carb-heavy foods like bread and pasta, while others struggle with sweets or snack foods. Once identified, the foods are ranked from least to most challenging, and gradual exposure begins with the least intimidating option.

For example, if chocolate is a trigger food, the first step may be eating a “fun sized” chocolate bar in a structured, mindful setting. Over time, the experience of eating that food normalizes, and the urgency to overconsume diminishes. When you know the food is always available, the need to “get it all in now” fades.

The Role of Disenchantment

Disenchantment is the process of stripping away the emotional and psychological power of food. Often, foods we binge on aren’t just about taste – they hold an allure, a sense of indulgence, or a promise of comfort. When we put foods on pedestals, they become irresistible. But what happens when we take a step back and view them objectively?

A key part of disenchantment is engaging all the senses and questioning long-held beliefs about a food’s value. What does the food actually taste like? How does it feel in your mouth? Does it bring as much satisfaction as you imagined? Does it continue to taste amazing after a few bites? Many find that once they slow down and experience a food with full awareness, it loses its “forbidden” appeal.

All Foods Fit, Even Trigger Foods

A common fear with reintroducing trigger foods is weight gain. However, incorporating these foods in a way that fits within overall intake can be a game-changer. For example, swapping your usual snack for a portion of a feared food or reducing the size of your meal to make room for it, can be a useful tool for a period of time. It can help build trust in your ability to include these foods without spiraling into overeating.

Over time, as disenchantment takes hold, the foods that once seemed irresistible lose their magic. The urgency to overeat fades, and is replaced by a more neutral relationship with food. When nothing is off-limits, the need to rebel against restriction disappears.

The Path to Food Freedom

Breaking free from the cycle of restriction and overeating isn’t about more control, it is about less. By gradually exposing yourself to feared foods and removing them from their pedestal through disenchantment, you can regain a sense of balance and trust in your eating. Food becomes just food, and the fear of losing control diminishes. It can, however, be helpful to work through this with a therapist or a Registered Dietitian.

The journey isn’t always linear, and setbacks are normal. But with patience and practice, the grip of food rules loosens, making way for a more peaceful and intuitive approach to eating. And when food loses its power, true freedom begins.

Summertime!

Hannah Carlozzi

5 Tips For Keeping Meals Easy and Stress-free This Summer

Summer is just around the corner. As the days grow longer and the temperatures rise, summer brings with it a unique set of challenges and opportunities, especially when it comes to feeding your family. From impromptu picnics to backyard barbecues, summer meals are all about embracing the season’s bounty and making the most of the warm weather. In this post, we’ll explore some tips and tricks for parents to set yourselves up for success with meals during the summer months.

  1. Embrace Flexibility
    Summer schedules can be unpredictable, with last-minute plans and spontaneous adventures. Embrace flexibility when it comes to meal planning and be prepared to adjust your menu accordingly. Keep a stock of pantry staples and versatile ingredients on hand for quick and easy meals that can be thrown together in a pinch. 
  1. Make Mealtime a Family Affair
    As kids find themselves with extra time on their hands, this is the perfect time to get them cooking by implementing a weekly dinner-night. If your children are too young to be responsible for a full meal, get them involved in meal preparation. Assign them age-appropriate tasks, such as washing and chopping vegetables, stirring a dressing, or setting the table. Not only will this help lighten your load in the kitchen, but it will teach your children life-long cooking skills. 
  1. Packable Picnic Meals
    Take advantage of the sunny weather by planning picnics and outdoor outings with the family. Packable picnic meals are perfect to enjoy on the go and can be customized to suit everyone’s tastes. Think sandwiches, pasta salads, and fruit packed in reusable containers. Leftover grilled chicken and vegetables can be repurposed for wraps or filling salads, and kids can get involved in the meal planning process by choosing their favorite snacks and treats to bring along.
  1. Fire Up the Grill
    Summer wouldn’t be complete without firing up the grill. Grilling lends a delicious smoky flavor to your food and saves on pots and pans and dishes. From burgers and hot dogs to grilled veggies and seafood, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Skewers of veggies like zucchini, eggplant, and tomatoes, and peppers are a great way to take advantage of seasonal produce.
  1. Stay Hydrated
    Staying hydrated is essential during the hot summer months, especially when spending time outdoors. Keep your family cool and refreshed with homemade drinks like fruit-infused water, iced tea, or fruit smoothies. Get creative with flavor combinations using fresh herbs, citrus fruits, and berries. Plain seltzer can be spruced up with a splash of fruit juice and a squeeze of lime and made festive served in a large glass with crushed ice. Offering fruits and vegetables with a high water content like cucumber, watermelon, strawberries, and pineapple, is another delicious and refreshing way to stay hydrated. 

With a little planning and creativity, summer meals can be both easy, versatile and delicious. Embrace the season’s bounty, experiment with new recipes, and make mealtime a fun and enjoyable experience for the whole family. Whether you’re firing up the grill for a backyard barbecue or packing a picnic for a day at the beach, summer meals are all about making memories that will last a lifetime. So go ahead, soak up the sun, and savor every bite of the delicious meals that summer has to offer!

Are You Stuck in a Food Rut?

Hannah Carlozzi

Why Variety is Key in Feeding Kids

Do you find yourself sending your kids off to school with the same lunch in their backpack every single day? Having had the same breakfast as usual, and with a rotation of only a handful of dinners to look forward to? If that’s the case, you might find yourself stuck in a food rut!

In the hustle and bustle of daily life, it’s easy for parents to fall into a routine of serving the same few meals to their kids. After all, once you’ve identified meals that they will actually eat, it is understandable that those become go-to. However, variety is essential. It allows us to explore new flavors and textures and ensures that we are getting a diverse array of nutrients. Here are 5 tips to promote variety when feeding kids:

  1. Rotate Within Each Food Group

Aim to include 4-5 food groups in each meal and 2-3 for snacks (the food groups are fruits, vegetables, grains, proteins, and dairy products). Each food group provides an array of essential nutrients that support growth, development, and overall health, and there are numerous options to choose from within each group. Offering a diverse assortment exposes children to a wide range of flavors, textures, and nutrients. It also prevents monotony and boredom with repeated meals and can help keep children interested and engaged.

For example, if your little one enjoys rice, try experimenting with couscous or quinoa. If yogurt is usually available, try cottage cheese or kefir. If your preschooler asks for sliced apples every day for snack, explore different varieties of apples. It is a great idea to take advantage of seasonal produce to add variety to your meals throughout the year. Using fresh fruits and vegetables that are in season can help create vibrant and flavorful dishes.

2. Change It Up

Get creative with how you prepare and present meals. For example, if you know your child enjoys mashed potatoes, serve them roasted next time. You can try out different cooking methods and experiment with grilling, roasting, steaming, sautéing, braising, or baking to bring out different flavors and textures in your ingredients.

3. Don’t Serve The Same Thing Twice

Do a quick scan as you plan meals, whether it is the day before or a few days out, and make an effort to plan meals with variation. Try basing dinner on a different main component every night of the week. For example, Monday: chicken, Tuesday: pork, Wednesday: vegetarian, Thursday: fish, Friday: beef, etc. You could also choose a different cuisine every evening. For example, Monday: Italian, Tuesday: Mexican (hello Taco Tuesday!), Wednesday: Thai, Thursday: Greek, etc. The same also works for breakfast; Monday: toast with eggs, Tuesday: yogurt parfait, Wednesday: cereal with fruit, Thursday: smoothie, Friday: pancakes, etc.

4. Try A New Recipe

Commit yourself to trying a new recipe on a regular basis. This may be once a week, twice a month or whatever your schedule and bandwidth allows for. Get inspiration from cookbooks, food magazines, and online food blogs. Experiment with recipes from different sources and adapt them to suit your taste preferences and cooking style. Recruit your children to help browse for recipes. When they are invested in the selection and cooking process, they are often more interested in trying it. Better yet, let the kids select and prepare the meal as much as their age and ability allows.

5. Keep Track of Favorites

Keep a running list of fan favorites from those new dishes. It is hard to please everyone, but once in a while you will come across a meal that everyone digs into happily, and you are going to want to remember that one! I keep a simple list in the notes section on my phone, and I will put that meal on the menu regularly though not often enough for everyone to get tired of it.

Adding variety to your meals takes some effort, but once you are in that mindset, even these steps become routine. To summarize, make sure you are regularly rotating through each food group instead of relying on the same few items, experiment with different ways of preparing or serving familiar foods, add variety by serving something different every day of the week, and make a commitment to regularly try new recipes. Happy cooking!

Five Tips for Creating Mealtime Peace

Hannah Carlozzi

We’ve all been there… At the end of a busy day, we are scrambling to put a nutritious meal on the table, and instead of thanking us, our kids are turning up their noses! Whining and complaining ensues, and you end up making them something else to keep the peace and prevent them from going to bed hungry.

Sound familiar? Busy families often find themselves facing numerous barriers when it comes to enjoying meals together. Between hectic schedules, picky eaters, and conflicting preferences, mealtime can easily become a source of stress rather than a moment of connection. Here are 5 tips for ending the chaos and creating mealtime peace:

  1. Establish A Routine

Kids thrive on predictability. Having routine meals and snacks helps regulate their hunger and fullness cues by ensuring that they work up an appetite between meals while never becoming famished. In addition, children find it reassuring to know exactly when the next eating opportunity will be. 

  1. Serve Family Style

Put everything out on the table (bowls, pots, pans, and dishes), pass them around and let everyone choose what they would like. 

  1. Considerate Without Catering

Plan meals that you enjoy, but keep your children’s preferences in mind. If you are making a mixed dish, perhaps leave part of it deconstructed so your child can choose which components they’d like. Have at least one food on the table that you know your child will enjoy. This may be plain rice, pasta, bread, fruit, etc.   

  1. No Pressure

Pressuring kids to try new foods will often backfire and lead to resistance rather than acceptance. Asking them to try ‘one bite’ or ‘eat their vegetables before they can have dessert’ may lead to power struggles and decreased autonomy for the child as well as put the dessert foods on a pedestal. Instead, model what balanced eating may look like and have a neutral approach to their choices from the foods you have provided.  

  1. Create A Positive Environment

The dinner table can be a warm and fun space where children feel nurtured and nourished, but only if the atmosphere is positive and supportive. Mealtime is not the time to nit pick and complain about your child’s eating. Instead, keep conversation on other topics and enjoy each other’s company.