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Kids

Healthy Cookie Dough Dip with chickpeas (for kids!)

If your kid is so impatient like mine, you’re going to loveee this recipe for healthy cookie dough dip! Instead of listening to them whine, “ARE THE COOKIES READY YETTTTTTTT??” for the entire afternoon… you can whip up this dip in a few minutes and serve it immediately! Wins all Read more…

By Mama Knows Nutrition, 1 month1 month ago
Healthy Smoothies for Kids
Recipes

6 Healthy Smoothies for Kids

6 healthy smoothies for kids that will breathe new life into your smoothie game and make your littles happy in the process!

By Mama Knows Nutrition, 6 months7 months ago
Greek Yogurt Popsicles
Recipes

Healthy Greek Yogurt Popsicles for Kids

Keep these healthy greek yogurt popsicles in your freezer for easy, kid-approved summer snacks.

By Mama Knows Nutrition, 6 months7 months ago
Chocolate peanut butter balls | healthier buckeyes | mamaknowsnutrition.com
Recipes

Healthy Buckeye Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls | No Bake Recipe

I have been making this recipe for lightened up Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls for YEARS right around Christmas time. The first time I was introduced to buckeyes, I was still dating my husband (we were probably only 22 then??) and went to visit his family for Christmas. I had never Read more…

By Mama Knows Nutrition, 1 year1 year ago
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Hi, I’m Kacie!

I’m a mom of two and a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist. I offer e-guides and e-books (go to my Shop page), workshops, brand partnerships, and nutrition counseling. Check out my blog for nutrition and feeding tips for your little ones.

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I cooked less in 2020 than I have any other year o I cooked less in 2020 than I have any other year of my life.

I don’t feel good about it. I worry about the habits I am instilling with my kids when I just throw some food on a plate and call it a meal. 

I worry when I don’t sit down to eat with them. Usually because I just grabbed them some fruit and bread and am like well, I guess I’ll do dishes while they eat. I know family meals have a million benefits. But I’ve struggled to do it this past year. 

I’ve chosen to forgive myself. For these things, and allllllll the other balls I’ve dropped as Mom this past year. 

I love the idea of “having it all together” but I know that’s not real. One mom can’t do it all and be it all — ever — and definitely not during a pandemic. 

If you’re in the same boat as me, and the only bar you’re setting for yourself some days is, “get them fed,” I’m proud of you. Don’t put pressure on yourself to do more. Survival is okay these days. 💕 

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Oh and btw this bread is contributing to my survival mode these days 😅 we got a box from @wildgrainbox and the bread has been AMAZING. You can get $10 off the first box plus free sourdough rolls in every box you get with my affiliate code MAMAKNOWSNUTRITION. I’ll be sharing more about it in my stories soon if you’re curious.
I made butter and sugar filled frosting with a swe I made butter and sugar filled frosting with a sweet potato mixed in...and it was the first time my son tried something with sweet potato. 🙌 

Still, there’s a part of me that’s like, “why can’t he eat the regular sweet potatoes???”

But if there’s anything I’ve learned from working with picky eaters for a living (and having one in my own house)...it’s extremely rare for them to make big leaps of progress. We can’t expect that from them. If that is the goal, you need to revise the goal. They’re simply not gonna go from never eating a sweet potato to happily gobbling down a roasted sweet potato wedge. 

In February I’ll be hosting the One Meal Challenge- a 3 week program to freedom from picky eating. 

I’ll show you how to meet your little one exactly where they are in their picky eating journey, and what you need to do to get them moving forward. You can eventually get to that roasted sweet potato!

Picky eating can be a long road, but it doesn’t have to be a lonely road. Get the support you need to see real progress and join me. 

🙋🏻‍♀️If you haven’t already signed up for the FREE intro week before the One Meal Challenge starts, DM me your email address and I’ll add you on!
One of the mistakes we make when raising kids ➡️⠀((one of my top posts from 2021...happy New Year!!))
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Teaching them the message that we earn food through good behavior.⠀
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The idea that “I need to do ___ so I can earn my dessert.”⠀
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Or, “I was bad today so I don’t deserve to eat this.”⠀
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In theory, it may not seem that bad to say, “well, they need a consequence for their bad behavior.”⠀
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But it gets murky when we start placing values on food and relating behavior to food. It can easily become a belief that stays with your child well into adulthood. And they can learn to use food to avoid feelings or situations that are hard for them to handle.⠀
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Luckily, there are SO many other ways we can celebrate and reinforce good behavior. ⠀
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My favorite is the easiest one, and it’s free! Praise. Praise the behaviors that you want to see.⠀
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How good does it feel when someone says, “I saw you do ____. That was awesome!”⠀
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That alone is huge.⠀
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But there’s lots of other extra special things we can do when we want to do more than praise, and they don’t have to involve rewarding with food!⠀

Also wanted to mention, I don’t mean that they need to “earn” the things here either. Of course hugs and kisses should be free! But it can be helpful to have a motivator, like, “we’ll go to the park after we finish cleaning up!” Or when you’re feeling like you want to share in their excitement about completing a challenging task, a big hug can be enough! It doesn’t have to end with them getting a food reward or other purchased item. ⠀

What’s your favorite non-food way to reinforce good behavior??⠀
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Toddlers...are they the hardest to please or what? Toddlers...are they the hardest to please or what?? For my kiddos, it was love at first bite with @eatdinobars (ad) and I couldn't be more jazzed, because they fit allllll of my dietitian mom criteria for a good healthy snack.

No refined sugar ✔
Less than 5g added sugar ✔
At least 2g of protein and fiber, to help keep them full ✔
100+ calories (also to keep them full!) ✔
Safe, soft texture appropriate for ages 1+ ✔
Real, whole foods ingredients ✔

You can get 15% off with code mamaknows15 at dinobars.com through Dec 31st!!
Picky eater tip: for the kiddos who are particular Picky eater tip: for the kiddos who are particular about things being a certain way, it helps them when you  encourage them to break out of routine. 
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Think about how you can introduce *new* in other ways than just food!
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They often need help to decrease their rigidity and be more flexible, and that can happen in many places besides the kitchen.
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Maybe you always take the same route when you walk around the neighborhood. Maybe you always go to the same park. Think about the things you tend to ALWAYS do, and switch it up!
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Tell them your plans so they aren’t surprised in the moment. “Today I have a fun idea! Let’s do a nature walk and look for interesting plants and leaves on our walk.” Or, “today I thought we could take a different way! Should we go that way, or that way?”
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Can you think of one way to break away from the normal routine tomorrow??

P.S.- the One Meal Challenge: 3 weeks to freedom from picky eating will be open for registration at the beginning of February (!) dm me your email address so you can get 3 free days of picky eating tips before it starts AND the first chance to get a spot in the One Meal Challenge!
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