Veggies & Virtue: Feeding Help for Faith-Based Families

On today's episode, I am telling you the meal planning mistake I made last week!

I use my own free weekly meal plan for simple, healthy meal ideas for my family. But what I failed to do was actually work through step one from my Meal Planning Playbook.

The good news is, as I share on today's episode, we can always course correct midweek and learn from our mistakes next week. And I am thankful for the permission to grow in this area...

On today's episode, I am sharing with you three of the steps outlined in my Meal Planning Playbook.

You can use these three things to take my free weekly meal plan, or whatever meal plan you choose, and make it work better for your family.

The key is to remember that a meal plan is only a useful tool if it works for you (not the other way around). So, learn how to meal plan smarter (and not find yourself working harder) with the th...

Welcome to this episode where we dive deep into the common challenges parents face when their children want more food before finishing what's on their plate. Today, we're going to explore real-life scenarios shared by parents, starting with Erica's experience.

Erica opens up about her two-and-a-half-year-old, who insists on more bites even before completing a favorite love it food. On the episode (or in the transcript), we unravel ...

For this week's free, family friendly meal plan, we are talking about how to take any meal idea and make it healthy, a fan favorite, and full of the foods you already have on hand (or actually want to be buying)!

You can use my free meal planner and grocery list to get started here.

Or you can purchase my Meal Planning Playbook for a 20-page guide that is complete with the 5-step process we discuss on today's episode plus all the t...

Need quick, easy dinner ideas that are nutritious for your whole family?

Look no further!

On today's episode, Ashley is sharing her dietitian mom take for a week's worth of effortless dinner ideas. Use the healthy dinner themes to make your evenings stress-free and full of delicious, nutritious goodness.

Here is what is on the menu this week:

DAY 1: SLOW COOKER THEME VEGETABLE SOUP & GRILLED CHEESE

DAY 2: TACO THEME STREET TACO...

A few years ago, I saw the idea shared to leave simple love notes on each of my kid's bedroom door on the days leading up to Valentine's. Little did I know that this would become one of my kid's most favorite traditions - and something that "sticks" year-round (literally - they leave the little notes up as long as they can!). So, grab your scissors, a writing instrument of choice, and get cutting. You can easily invest the 20 minut...

For this week's "take 10," a mom submitted this question for our weekly group coaching call. She asked,

"Packing a school lunch for my kindergartener has become stressful. I worry about him getting a nutritious lunch that is fulfilling to get him through the rest of the day, but he always comes home with most of his lunch untouched and his love it foods gone. I’ve found myself only giving him things I know he’ll eat. Of course, the...

Do you know what the week ahead has for you?

Sometimes, we have a general idea about our family’s busy schedule, kid’s activities, and late work meetings.

But add to that variable like winter weather, kids getting sick, and a whole host of other unknowns, and it can feel overwhelming as a mom to know how to prepare for real life.

That’s why this week, I take a hot second to pray and meal plan with you. With family-friendly meal ide...

Hey, moms! Welcome to "Episode 169: Nurturing Nutrition & Kids' Tastes in the New Year." I'm Ashley Smith, MPH, RD, LD and your family's Christian Dietitian.

I am here to accompany you on the journey of creating meals that not only fuel your child's health but also cater to their unique taste preferences. This episode is a treasure trove of actionable strategies specifically designed for proactive moms like you, keen on...

On Mondays, us mamas are going to gather and pray + meal plan for the week!

That's right, whether you need a drink so that you can fill your cup or an easy meal idea to insert into your family menu, these Monday episodes are going to give you the encouragement you and your family need in the upcoming week.

I believe -

When we plan…we feel a sense of peace.

When we feel a sense of peace….meals become more positive.

When mealtimes be...

I know many of you may be getting ready to shop some of the holiday sales, so I wanted to share this list of 30 tried and true favorites for kids ages 2-10.

In this episode, we chat about:

• 10 of my favorite food-related stocking stuffer ideas
• 10 of my favorite food- or cooking-related gift ideas
• 10 of my kids' favorite general gifts from over the years (that I would recommend to any mom wanting a guaranteed good gift idea at va...

It seems like everyone has something to say about how other people eat...including at holiday gatherings.

Whether your child eats too much...or too little.

Sits barely at all...or never seems to finish.

Fills out their festive outfit well...or is still fitting into last year's.

Friends and family alike often make comments prematurely about how much our kids eat, the order in which they choose to eat different foods, their behavior ...

On Monday's episode, we discussed the risk factors, signs and symptoms, and how to check for iron deficiency in your child.

In part II of this interview, with Angela Dodge, we are going to discuss:

• How to improve iron intake from foods first, including with picky eaters
• The best options for iron supplementation, if needed
• How to monitor and e...

If you have a picky eater, you have likely wondered (or worried!) whether or not they are getting enough macro- and micronutrients in their diet.

Because if they are eating "enough (calories)" and their growth is tracking appropriately for their age, you may have been given the advice to just "wait it out."

But even when a person's caloric needs are being met (from things like protein, fat, and carbohydrates, their micronutrient ne...

On Monday's episode, we first addressed a listener's question:

Should moms be taking a supplement?

Today, we are going to be talking through part two of this conversation with Ayla Barmmer, MS, RDN, LDN.

For almost 20 years, Ayla Barmmer 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 soluti...