One of the hardest things about an allergy diagnosis is taking food away from your child. "Sorry, no more yogurt for breakfast. Nope, no more butter on your muffin. Say bye-bye to that peanut butter sandwich." Then you break the news. You also have to rotate your food. The raisins you like to snack on every day? Now you can only eat them every four days. I hope you enjoyed that apple. You can't have another until later this week. This may sound like a joke, but it's not. Using a … [Read more...]
How I Got My One Year Old To Eat Again {Recipe: Squash Milk}
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. Thankfully it seems to get easier to handle with each child. But what if your child just won't eat? At … [Read more...]
Why I Secretly Love Our Food Allergies
I'm not gonna lie. Having (multiple) kids with (different) 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 … [Read more...]
10 Easy Lunches for Kids Using Mason Jars
The holiday break is over. 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 … [Read more...]
Gluten Free Chocolate Peppermint Twist Cookie Recipe
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 like this … [Read more...]
Why I Stopped Eating Gluten-Free
This post is from KS contributing writer Mary Voogt of Just Take A Bite. 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. Then there are those in the middle that are eating gluten free due to celiac disease, hypothyroidism, allergies, digestive … [Read more...]
Candy Corn Finger Jello Recipe
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 … [Read more...]
Simple Soaked Gluten Free Squash Cookies Recipe
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 … [Read more...]
Homemade Lunch Meat Recipe
This post is from KS contributing writer Mary Voogt of Just Take A Bite. 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 … [Read more...]
Three Ingredient No Cook Banana Custard Recipe
A huge welcome to our newest writer and my local colleague, Mary Voogt of Just Take A Bite! I'm thrilled to have Mary on the KS team. She brings her knowledge of food allergies (her kids have a plethora of them, with coconut being the newest - even on the skin!), getting creative in the kitchen, and picky eaters and SPD, along with the experience gained as a mom in the trenches, like so many of us. I hope you're as intrigued by this simple recipe as I am - totally trying it this week, if … [Read more...]
When a Picky Eater Might Have More Going On: How to Identify and Solve Oral Sensory Processing Disorder
Do you have a picky eater? Are meal times a battle? Before you get frustrated and assume your child is just strong-willed, take a closer look at what is really going on. Yes, some kids truly do like to feel in control and may assert this behavior at meal times. In that case it is just a phase. It is what most people refer to as a picky eater. But for many refusal to eat is not simply a choice. This is when kids lose picky eater status and instead have feeding challenges. There is a big … [Read more...]
