In this blog series, I am sharing the key principles from materials I created with a Team Nutrition grant that was titled RECIPE for Growing Healthy Children. In this sixth and final post, we will cover the second E, which stands for Enjoy eating together.

In this blog series, I am sharing the key principles from materials I created with a Team Nutrition grant that was titled RECIPE for Growing Healthy Children. In this post, we will cover P, which stands for Partner with parents. This segment of the workshop was not in the original plans until we surveyed and interviewed the childcare providers and they asked us for help in reaching parents more successfully.

In this blog series, I am sharing the key principles from materials I created with a Team Nutrition grant that was titled RECIPE for Growing Healthy Children. In this post, we will cover E, which stands for a mealtime Environment that encourages children to practice healthy behaviors.

In this blog series, I will share the key principles from materials I created with a Team Nutrition grant that was titled RECIPE for Growing Healthy Children. In this post, we will cover R, which stands for role model what we want children to be, say, and do.

A great children’s book has captivating pictures, a wonderful message, and words that are fun to read for adults and fun to listen to for children. Great books for children about food have relatable themes and create fun opportunities for learning. In this post, I will share 10 of my favorite food books for kids and how they enhance learning.

This post shares ideas for parents and teachers to go with the story, Who's Home for Dinner?, a short story for children about eating together.

Cooking together as a family is not only fun and relationship-building, but can also result in healthier meals, teach important lifelong skills, and build self-esteem and confidence. This post shares the two recipes featured in the story, Who's Home for Dinner?

It was my dream to write a children’s book about family meals. My sister was the expert in writing for children, and I was the expert in family meals. This post shares the result of our collaboration.

AI can be a useful tool for communicators but it cannot replicate human presence.

In this post, we will explore whether bonding can occur later if it doesn’t happen in infancy. We begin with a personal experience and then look at the research.

Learn how to communicate with parents about the importance of parent-child bonding through a video and a demonstration.

This post shares a true story from my work to illustrate how I made a difference. The reason I have this story is thanks to a colleague who recommended that when we experience success, we should write it down and share it. What a good idea! I pass along that advice to you.

What do you learn when you take a break from your routine, whether it be a vacation, time off from work, or something else? Take time to reflect. Life is full of lessons.

Creating a habit of gratitude can transform your life.

An attentive and engaged audience is every speaker's dream. Learn 4 simple ways to be that audience member.

From the family table of our childhood to… the school cafeteria… business lunch meetings… neighborhood carry-ins… extended family gatherings… and finally the dining room in assisted living, to share a meal is more than sharing food; it is sharing life.

In this post, we will explore why making meals a digital-free zone is important and how that can be a great first step in implementing a digital detox. Being screen-free enables you to be a mindful eater and an engaged eating companion. You will reap the benefits of greater meal satisfaction, improved communication, and stronger relationships.

A month-long vacation provided the ideal opportunity to try a digital detox. After reading the book Digital Detox by Molly DeFrank, and writing two posts that described the dangers of digital overuse and the benefits of a digital detox, I wanted to experience the results for myself.

In last week’s post, we discussed the negative consequences of this digital dependence. In this post, we will introduce the solution: A digital detox. I was recently introduced to this concept by a book with that title: Digital Detox, by Molly DeFrank. It was written for parents to detox their families and children and regain control over technology.

Technology – including smartphones, tablets, computers, and other types of screens – has many benefits. It can be used for learning, entertainment, communication, and more. But it comes with potential drawbacks. Did you know that many features of digital devices are designed to enhance dopamine release in the brain? Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that connects pleasure to behavior, motivating you to repeat actions that you find enjoyable or beneficial.