Mealtime Strategies
"What's for dessert?"

"What's for dessert?"

I get this question a lot. And by 'a lot' I mean A.LOT. I sometimes think that my kids are hummingbirds, interested in subsisting on nothing but sugar. One Saturday morning my husband and I made the mistake of sleeping in, giving the kids permission to watch Finding Dory on Netflix. We came downstairs to find them eating chocolate chips for breakfast. Lesson learned. 

Just last week, after a beautifully prepared, home-cooked warm chicken salad and freshly baked bread the first thing I was asked when everyone sat down at the table was "What's for dessert?"

Read more
Kizingo founder at counter writing meal plan

Why I create a weekly meal plan

My own weekly menus (as is true of my grocery lists) have evolved considerably since kids came on the scene and my planning is often done in the minutes between breaking up fights over who was using the brown lego tree trunks or getting someone (who was not myself) something to eat. Also, I found that my weekly meal plan – which lived a double-life as our grocery list – was messy and disorganized, which left me wandering through the store trying to remember what I came in for in the first place. Something had to give ...

Read more
sensory bin, sensory play

The importance of (sensory) play

Children learn through exploration and play, and they are at their best with learning when they are able to engage their senses. Sensory play helps kids practice and develop cognitive, emotional, physical, creative, and language skill sets. Download your free PLAY idea printable now!

Read more
4 strategies to help kids listen to their hunger cues

4 strategies to help kids listen to their hunger cues

When babies are born they are extremely attuned to their internal signals of hunger and fullness. When they are hungry they know, and they will let you know too! They also know when they are full, and they stop eating. But when we take over doing this for our kids, there are negative unintended consequences. Here we describe 4 strategies to help you support your little ones to continue listening to their internal hunger and fullness cues.

Read more
Parent's Guide to Mindful Eating

Parent's Guide to Mindful Eating

Mindfulness is a science-based way to cope better with stress, alleviate depression and anxiety, and live a happier life. One way to use mindfulness in your daily life is through mindful eating. Mindful eating is the application of mindfulness to eating, meal preparation, and even grocery shopping. Learn more about how you can support mindful eating for you and your kids with this guest post from Dr. Lauren Kennedy. 

Read more
Mindfulness in parenting

Mindfulness in parenting

What do you think about when you hear the term “mindfulness”? Do you think of practicing yoga? Maybe spending hours sitting on a pillow, on the floor, in the corner, meditating with your fingers clasped, chanting “OMMMMM”? Okay, so mindfulness has a reputation – but what does mindfulness mean?

The general definition of mindfulness is the nonjudgmental (this is a key word) awareness of the present moment. Mindfulness encourages us to experience life as it is happening, without fear, worrying, or anxiety about what will happen or what has already happened. It does not have to include long periods of meditation – it can be done in just a few minutes each day.

Read more
Strawberry Rhubarb Heavenly Heaven

Strawberry Rhubarb Heavenly Heaven

For this national Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Day, I've collected some of my favorite recipes (pie and non-pie alike) in case you feel like joining me in practicing moderation after dinner tonight. For me, teaching my kids about moderation while eating sometimes looks like giving everyone a serving and then me having another after the kids are tucked quietly in bed :).

Read more
Hunger in America

Hunger in America

By all accounts, there is an abundance of food in America. Rates of obesity are high, across all segments of the population, and Americans have access to and consume more calories than are recommended for good health. Yet hunger is rampant with as much as 15% of American households considered food insecure, which means they lack access, at times, to enough food for an active, healthy life for all members of their household.

Read more
Parents = Healthy Eating + Physical Activity Role Models

Parents = Healthy Eating + Physical Activity Role Models

Over the past several decades, childhood obesity rates have risen dramatically, especially in economically disadvantaged communities. Children who carry excess weight face a number of health problems in childhood, and later as adults.

A number of factors have contributed to this health crisis, and it's going to take a number of approaches and lifestyle changes to help reverse the trend. Some of them require commitments from industry and politicians. But not all of them. Some of them require YOU.

Read more