The Nourished Child

Stephanie and I talk about some of the biggest challenges parents and toddlers face when it comes to snacking. We discuss why toddlers often snack so much, how to put together a healthy snack, and why you shouldn't simply rely on a single brand of snacks and treats for your little ones.  Get full show notes and more information here: https://jillcastle.com/075

Happy New Year! I'm so happy to have you as part of the Nourished Child community, whether this is your first time listening or your seventy-fourth. Instead of giving you the typical New Year advice that centers on diets, exercise plans, and that type of thing, I'm sharing some tips on motivation, mindset, and how to master feeding your child. Get full show notes and more information here: https://jillcastle.com/074

Leslie, Amanda and I talk about common conditions they see in their patients, what they recommend right away in terms of small dietary and lifestyle changes, and some of the myths about nutrition they see patients struggling with. We discuss some of the challenges children and their families face in staying motivated and changing their habits, and Leslie and Amanda share their advice for parents who might have a child that's overweight. Get full show notes and more information here: https://jillcastle.com/073

Dina and I talk about why it's so common for grandparents to feed kids sweets and treats and why parents shouldn't get too worked up about it. We also discuss the importance of talking to kids consistently and openly about their feelings around food and eating. Dina also shares when she thinks it's appropriate for grandparents and parents to have a more serious conversation about feeding (e.g. if grandparents are frequent, rather than occasional, caretakers) and why sharing treats can create such great memories for grandparents and children alike. Get full show notes and more information here: https://jillcastle.com/072

In this short and sweet episode, I describe three key nutrients - fiber, protein, and fat - and share how you can build snacks around them that your kids will love. Healthy snacking can help with appetite regulation and boost the number of nutrients your child gets over the course of the day. Get full show notes and more information here: https://jillcastle.com/071

In this week's episode, I'm joined by Dr. Nancy Buck, a developmental psychologist, educator, and mother of twin boys to talk about how separated parents can support their kids' nutritional needs without worrying about too many things outside of their control.  Get full show notes and more information here: https://jillcastle.com/070

It can be hard to come up with the perfect response to a picky, complaining, or extra-hungry eater on the spot. What do you say when a child is complaining about what you’ve made? Or the opposite — if they’re trying to snatch up their favorite food before everyone gets a taste? On this week’s episode, I’m sharing my three favorite go-to responses that can help calm your picky eater, your complainer, and your food-snatcher. Get full show notes and more information here: https://jillcastle.com/069

My guest on this episode is Debbie Reber, an accomplished author, podcaster, and mother of a differently-wired son. Debbie has always been one to create what she can’t find out in the world, whether that be books for teenage girls or her more recent venture: a community for parents raising children with neuro-differences. Don’t miss this fascinating conversation about how raising a child with a neuro-difference affected Debbie’s perspective on education, nutrition, and parenting.  Get full show notes and more information here: https://jillcastle.com/068  

Is your child involved in sports? If so, you know that sometimes the opinions of parents and coaches differ about how to fuel the athletes. My guest today is my dear friend Karla Reisch – a woman with three boys who all play soccer and ski avidly. Join us on the podcast this week as we discuss how the snacking landscape has changed over the years, how we should be fueling our athletes, and whether our kids are actually interested in snacking or not. Get full show notes and more information here: https://jillcastle.com/067

Between work, traveling, and dealing with kids, it's easy to feel stress and even resentment around having to prepare dinner. My guest is Toby Amidor – a registered dietitian, recipe developer, and the author of Smart Meal Prep for Beginners, a book designed to help busy parents out by ensuring a time-effective way of nourishing their family properly. Toby is with us to share her wisdom, practical tips, and shortcuts to help us all reframe our mindset on making dinner. Get full show notes and more information here: https://jillcastle.com/066

Today, we're taking on a back-to-school subject of packing lunches, and specifically whether or not your child should be independently packing their own lunch. The idea of letting your kids pack their own lunch might sound like too much freedom at first but stick with me here. I'm going to provide you with some tips to encourage your kids to make the right choices in packing their own lunch. Get full show notes and more information here: https://jillcastle.com/065

The rise in male eating disorders is a difficult subject for some parents to understand, but I have a special guest this week, Dr. Barbara Greenberg, to try and shed some light on this lesser-discussed side of the eating disorder spectrum. Our boys are undoubtedly more vulnerable than has been widely accepted in the past, so it’s important that we address the issue now.   Get full show notes and more information here: https://jillcastle.com/064

Giving a child a choice about what they want to eat can generate a healthy interest in food from a young age that lasts into adulthood, but can it have a negative impact? On the show this week, I'm talking about how your child processes this question, how it serves them, how it does not, and what alternatives there are to such open-ended questions.   Get full show notes and more information here: https://jillcastle.com/063

Any parent of a middle school girl will tell you a major concern is whether their daughter is getting the food they need throughout the school day. I’m seeing an increase in the number of girls who don’t want to eat school lunch in front of other kids, backed up by comments I hear from students like, “Nobody’s eating school lunch.” This week, my guest Katie Hurley is going to help us dig into what is going on with our girls when they’re at school, eating school lunch, and what you can do to help. Get full show notes and more information here: https://jillcastle.com/062

The seeds of many of the health problems that occur in this country are sown from a young age, often the result of a lack of information. This week on the podcast, we’re talking about implementing feeding rules to set your kids up in making positive food decisions that will hopefully stay with them for life. I’m sharing the five feeding rules that I use with my clients and in my own home and I break them down so anyone can follow them. Get full show notes and more information here: https://jillcastle.com/061

My guest this week is Heidi Schauster – a nutrition therapist, certified eating disorders registered dietician and the founder of Nourishing Words Nutrition Therapy. Heidi has a wonderful book, Nourish: How to Heal Your Relationship with Food, Body, and Self. She encourages health regardless of size and embodies eating and living for all. Tune in as Heidi shares some of the lessons from her book and we consider how they can be applied to children and their relationship with food. Get full show notes and more information here: https://jillcastle.com/060

This week, we’re discussing a popular topic at the moment – raising and fueling athletes. The world of youth sports is littered with myths and inaccuracies when it comes to how we should be feeding our athletic children. I’m setting the record straight on the podcast this week so you can feed your children in a way that helps them perform to the best of their abilities. Get full show notes and more information here: https://jillcastle.com/059

My guest this week, Stephanie Elliot, is the author of Sad Perfect, a book that tells the story of a 16-year-old girl with ARFID (avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder) and her struggles with disease, love, and recovery. While the book is classed as fiction, it is built upon the hard truths Stephanie endured helping her own daughter through this illness. Even if your child doesn’t suffer from such a disease, Sad Perfect provides a level of understanding we can all benefit from. Get full show notes and more information here: https://jillcastle.com/058

I get a lot of questions from readers of my blog and listeners of this podcast, so today I will be taking the opportunity to dish out some answers regarding some very different scenarios. Using the framework that I use in my own practice and accounting for all aspects of your child’s life, I’m providing you with actionable advice that will holistically benefit your little ones. I’ve got tips regarding breakfast for kids, feeding picky eating athletes, and how to identify whether you are being overly restrictive when it comes to sweets and treats. Get full show notes and more information here: https://jillcastle.com/057

Melissa Halas Liang joins me this week to chat about salty foods in our children’s diets. Melissa is here to give us some insight into how to counterbalance sodium intake with other foods and make smart choices. Hopefully, by listening to this episode, you will discover how you can lower your kid’s salty foods intake by learning what foods already contain unreasonable amounts of sodium. Get full show notes and more information here: https://jillcastle.com/056