We're starting this episode with a sad announcement: We're taking another hiatus. (Thanks to COVID, remote schooling, 2020 in general...) But before we go, we're downloading all of our thoughts about the mental load of back to school season — especially this year, when many kids (like Amy's!) are still stuck at home, and others (like Virginia's!) are going to school in tents. 

We also discuss: 

• Our favorite lunchbox.
• Amy's exhaustive insulated lunchbag research. 
• And even more exhaustive idea lists for daycare lunches, kindergarten lunches, and disposable lunch gear. 
• Oh and the super cool sandwich sealer! 

In less good news, we mentioned programs like Pandemic EBT, which at recording time, we thought would be re-authorized, but as of writing these show notes, has not, with dire consequences.

So, you know, Vote Biden. 

Find us @v_solesmith and @yummytoddlerfood on social media or email comfortfoodpodcast@gmail.com.   FEEDING YOUR FAMILY, THE COMFORT FOOD WAY

Our new e-book takes you through 8 concepts that will form the foundation of your understanding of how to feed kids and give you a firm starting point for improving mealtimes in your house. We’re here to reassure and inspire. We’re here to remind you that you’re doing a good job. We’re here to let you know that you’re not alone in the daily challenge of feeding your family. We’re here to help.

Get your copy of Feeding Your Family The Comfort Food Way here. 

We've decided to embrace the lack of childcare and bring the kids on the podcast! This week, almost-7-year-old Violet and 2-year-old Beatrix join Virginia to talk about their favorite foods, least favorite foods, and then a lot about butterflies and poop. You're welcome. 

Find us @v_solesmith and @yummytoddlerfood on social media or email comfortfoodpodcast@gmail.com.   FEEDING YOUR FAMILY, THE COMFORT FOOD WAY

Our new e-book takes you through 8 concepts that will form the foundation of your understanding of how to feed kids and give you a firm starting point for improving mealtimes in your house. We’re here to reassure and inspire. We’re here to remind you that you’re doing a good job. We’re here to let you know that you’re not alone in the daily challenge of feeding your family. We’re here to help.

Get your copy of Feeding Your Family The Comfort Food Way here. 

NOTE: We recorded this episode before the murder of George Floyd and subsequent protests, so you won't hear that discussed here. We are committed to doing the work of anti-racism and you will hear more about that in upcoming episodes. Thank you to everyone protesting right now. Stay safe.    Life looks a little different for our families right now, but we're excited to be sharing quick episodes for your summer listening pleasure. This week, Amy shares an update on what life looks like in her house and talks through the process of weaning her one year old—and how doing so has made a dramatic impact on his food intake. She also talks through how to reduce guilt around dessert in a listener question segment.   Helpful links: Episode 37: How the Heck to Start Milk Weaning How to Wean a Toddler Episode 29: Intuitive Eating 101 Feeding Your Family: Sanity Saving Feeding Techniques for Happy Meals and Body Positive Kids   Find us @v_solesmith and @yummytoddlerfood on social media or email comfortfoodpodcast@gmail.com.  

FEEDING YOUR FAMILY, THE COMFORT FOOD WAY

Our new e-book takes you through 8 concepts that will form the foundation of your understanding of how to feed kids and give you a firm starting point for improving mealtimes in your house. We’re here to reassure and inspire. We’re here to remind you that you’re doing a good job. We’re here to let you know that you’re not alone in the daily challenge of feeding your family. We’re here to help.

Get your copy of Feeding Your Family The Comfort Food Way here. 

We're on pandemic hiatus, but rebroadcasting some of our favorite episodes — that seem super useful right now! 

We know that motherhood (and just... life) can dramatically change how you feel about your body, whether you’re newly postpartum or several years in. Today we’re talking through some strategies to help you feel more body-positive and comfortable in your skin — no weight loss required (or even encouraged!).

Find us @v_solesmith and @yummytoddlerfood on social media or email comfortfoodpodcast@gmail.com. And you can read the show notes for this episode here.

Sponsor Spotlight: Bumkins Baby

Mealtime solutions like Silicone Grip Dishes that suction to the table, utensils that promote self-feeding, and more available now on their Amazon storefront! 

FEEDING YOUR FAMILY, THE COMFORT FOOD WAY

Our new e-book takes you through 8 concepts that will form the foundation of your understanding of how to feed kids and give you a firm starting point for improving mealtimes in your house. We’re here to reassure and inspire. We’re here to remind you that you’re doing a good job. We’re here to let you know that you’re not alone in the daily challenge of feeding your family. We’re here to help.

Get your copy of Feeding Your Family The Comfort Food Way here. 

 

We're on pandemic hiatus, but rebroadcasting some of our favorite episodes — that seem super useful right now! 

Dinner. It has to happen every night, no matter whether you meal planned, or are now staring down some hard 5pm truths about the state of your fridge. We asked Nicki Sizemore, of From Scratch Fast, to share some family-tested ideas for quick, easy dinners that you can make more or less out of thin air. 

Send us your dinner questions! Find us @v_solesmith and @yummytoddlerfood on social media or email comfortfoodpodcast@gmail.com. And you can read the show notes for this episode here.

Sponsor Spotlight: Bumkins Baby

Mealtime solutions like Silicone Grip Dishes that suction to the table, utensils that promote self-feeding, and more available now on their Amazon storefront! 

FEEDING YOUR FAMILY, THE COMFORT FOOD WAY

Our new e-book takes you through 8 concepts that will form the foundation of your understanding of how to feed kids and give you a firm starting point for improving mealtimes in your house. We’re here to reassure and inspire. We’re here to remind you that you’re doing a good job. We’re here to let you know that you’re not alone in the daily challenge of feeding your family. We’re here to help.

Get your copy of Feeding Your Family The Comfort Food Way here. 

We're on pandemic hiatus, but rebroadcasting some of our favorite episodes — that seem super useful right now! 

Why do most men do so little at home — and especially in the kitchen? Why are women (still!) doing so much? Darcy Lockman, author of All the Rage: Mothers, Fathers and the Myth of Equal Partnership is on the podcast this week to talk about why mental load tasks like grocery list making and meal planning and prepping are still especially gendered — and what we can do, to find a better balance.

Send us your mental load questions! Find us @v_solesmith and @yummytoddlerfood on social media or email comfortfoodpodcast@gmail.com. And you can read the show notes for this episode here.

Sponsor Spotlight: Bumkins Baby

Mealtime solutions like Silicone Grip Dishes that suction to the table, utensils that promote self-feeding, and more available now on their Amazon storefront! 

FEEDING YOUR FAMILY, THE COMFORT FOOD WAY

Our new e-book takes you through 8 concepts that will form the foundation of your understanding of how to feed kids and give you a firm starting point for improving mealtimes in your house. We’re here to reassure and inspire. We’re here to remind you that you’re doing a good job. We’re here to let you know that you’re not alone in the daily challenge of feeding your family. We’re here to help.

Get your copy of Feeding Your Family The Comfort Food Way here. 

 

We're on pandemic hiatus, but rebroadcasting some of our favorite episodes — that seem super useful right now! 

There are lots of meals (especially dinner!) that kids just don't eat. And this can be frustrating and even alarming for parents—but most often, it's completely normal. We're chatting with Jennifer Berry, OT, a feeding therapist and owner of Thrive By Spectrum Pediatrics, about what can help and what might be making the situation worse. 

Send us your family food questions! @v_solesmith and @yummytoddlerfood on social media or email comfortfoodpodcast@gmail.com. And you can read the show notes for this episode here.

Sponsor Spotlight: Bumkins Baby

Mealtime solutions like Silicone Grip Dishes that suction to the table, utensils that promote self-feeding, and more available now on their Amazon storefront! 

FEEDING YOUR FAMILY, THE COMFORT FOOD WAY

Our new e-book takes you through 8 concepts that will form the foundation of your understanding of how to feed kids and give you a firm starting point for improving mealtimes in your house. We’re here to reassure and inspire. We’re here to remind you that you’re doing a good job. We’re here to let you know that you’re not alone in the daily challenge of feeding your family. We’re here to help.

Get your copy of Feeding Your Family The Comfort Food Way here. 

 

This week, we've got another report on how we're working, parenting and feeding our families and ourselves while in the isolation trenches. We're talking about ideas for making the same old kid meals a little more fun right now, Virginia's new Meal Prep for Lazy People strategy and the rising problem of food insecurity and what we can all do to help. 

Send questions and comments to comfortfoodpodcast@gmail.com or find us on social: @v_solesmith and @yummytoddlerfood. And visit our show notes at comfortfoodpodcast.com for all the links discussed in this episode. 

FEEDING YOUR FAMILY, THE COMFORT FOOD WAY

Our new e-book takes you through 8 concepts that will form the foundation of your understanding of how to feed kids and give you a firm starting point for improving mealtimes in your house. We’re here to reassure and inspire. We’re here to remind you that you’re doing a good job. We’re here to let you know that you’re not alone in the daily challenge of feeding your family. We’re here to help.

Get your copy of Feeding Your Family The Comfort Food Way here. 

TAKE OUR LISTENER SURVEY

We want to know more about you, and what you think of Comfort Food. Please take our quick and easy survey so we can keep making this podcast better and better. Thanks so much! 

 

We're talking through the logistics of stretching between grocery store trips, cooking from your pantry, and figuring out how to feel good about what you're eating when family meals look a lot different than usual. Plus Virginia's biggest pantry dinner successes and fails. 

Send questions and comments to comfortfoodpodcast@gmail.com or find us on social: @v_solesmith and @yummytoddlerfood. And visit our show notes at comfortfoodpodcast.com for all the links discussed in this episode. 

FEEDING YOUR FAMILY, THE COMFORT FOOD WAY

Our new e-book takes you through 8 concepts that will form the foundation of your understanding of how to feed kids and give you a firm starting point for improving mealtimes in your house. We’re here to reassure and inspire. We’re here to remind you that you’re doing a good job. We’re here to let you know that you’re not alone in the daily challenge of feeding your family. We’re here to help.

Get your copy of Feeding Your Family The Comfort Food Way here. 

TAKE OUR LISTENER SURVEY

We want to know more about you, and what you think of Comfort Food. Please take our quick and easy survey so we can keep making this podcast better and better. Thanks so much! 

We recorded this one pre-pandemic, but it couldn't be more timely. Lindsay Powers, founder of the #NoShameParenting movement, mom of two, and author of You Can't F*ck Up Your Kids, joins us to talk about why performative parenting and pressure are the enemy, not your kid's tablet. We also cover how to take the stress out of  how you're feeding your kids, from breastfeeding to family dinner. 

Send questions and comments to comfortfoodpodcast@gmail.com or find us on social: @v_solesmith and @yummytoddlerfood. And visit our show notes at comfortfoodpodcast.com for all the links discussed in this episode. 

FEEDING YOUR FAMILY, THE COMFORT FOOD WAY

Our new e-book takes you through 8 concepts that will form the foundation of your understanding of how to feed kids and give you a firm starting point for improving mealtimes in your house. We’re here to reassure and inspire. We’re here to remind you that you’re doing a good job. We’re here to let you know that you’re not alone in the daily challenge of feeding your family. We’re here to help.

Get your copy of Feeding Your Family The Comfort Food Way here. 

TAKE OUR LISTENER SURVEY

We want to know more about you, and what you think of Comfort Food. Please take our quick and easy survey so we can keep making this podcast better and better. Thanks so much! 

Managing home school schedules, balancing work from home with a total lack of childcare, grocery store stress — parents are navigating a million new mental load challenges right now, and moms, not surprisingly, are carrying the bigger burden. This week we're talking about the schedules we've come up with to (sort of) keep work and school on track in our own families, how we're preserving an equal division of domestic responsibilities with our spouses, and why Virginia is deleting the gym teacher's emails and you can too. 

Send your COVID food and mental load-related questions and struggles to comfortfoodpodcast@gmail.com or find us on social: @v_solesmith and @yummytoddlerfood. And visit our show notes at comfortfoodpodcast.com for all the links discussed in this episode. 

FEEDING YOUR FAMILY, THE COMFORT FOOD WAY

Our new e-book takes you through 8 concepts that will form the foundation of your understanding of how to feed kids and give you a firm starting point for improving mealtimes in your house. We’re here to reassure and inspire. We’re here to remind you that you’re doing a good job. We’re here to let you know that you’re not alone in the daily challenge of feeding your family. We’re here to help.

Get your copy of Feeding Your Family The Comfort Food Way here. 

TAKE OUR LISTENER SURVEY

We want to know more about you, and what you think of Comfort Food. Please take our quick and easy survey so we can keep making this podcast better and better. Thanks so much! 

Greetings from our bunkers! We put together this very special episode to talk through all of your anxieties about feeding your family—and feeding yourself—during these long weeks of isolation life. Amy and Virginia chat about grocery shopping strategies, why it's okay for the kids to eat all the mac and cheese right now, and how we can all lower the bar to reduce stress during this difficult time. 

Send your COVID food-related questions and struggles to comfortfoodpodcast@gmail.com or find us on social: @v_solesmith and @yummytoddlerfood. And visit our show notes at comfortfoodpodcast.com for all the links discussed in this episode. 

FEEDING YOUR FAMILY, THE COMFORT FOOD WAY

Our new e-book takes you through 8 concepts that will form the foundation of your understanding of how to feed kids and give you a firm starting point for improving mealtimes in your house. We’re here to reassure and inspire. We’re here to remind you that you’re doing a good job. We’re here to let you know that you’re not alone in the daily challenge of feeding your family. We’re here to help.

Get your copy of Feeding Your Family The Comfort Food Way here. 

TAKE OUR LISTENER SURVEY

We want to know more about you, and what you think of Comfort Food. Please take our quick and easy survey so we can keep making this podcast better and better. Thanks so much! 

 

This week, we're talking about some recent food/parenting fails in our own homes — as well as getting into what to do when kids talk about "needing to diet." (Gah!) 

Resources for this episode: 

Jennifer Berry's Thrive By Spectrum Pediatrics

Love Me, Feed Me by Katja Rowell, MD

Virginia's NYT story on the Weight Watchers app for kids.

Why Kids Don't Need to Diet   Ellyn Satter's Your Child's Weight: Helping Without Harming   Free Girls Body Image ebook   The Problem With Poodle Science video

The Full Bloom Podcast

Find us @v_solesmith and @yummytoddlerfood on social media or email comfortfoodpodcast@gmail.com.   FEEDING YOUR FAMILY, THE COMFORT FOOD WAY

Our new e-book takes you through 8 concepts that will form the foundation of your understanding of how to feed kids and give you a firm starting point for improving mealtimes in your house. We’re here to reassure and inspire. We’re here to remind you that you’re doing a good job. We’re here to let you know that you’re not alone in the daily challenge of feeding your family. We’re here to help.

Get your copy of Feeding Your Family The Comfort Food Way here. 

NOTE: This episode was recorded before the United States coronavirus outbreak, so you won't hear any discussion of our current state of affairs. We hope it provides some much-needed distraction! Sending love and hope you're staying well and staying home. 

Helping the kids eat their veggies can feel like a fruitless task—it can be so hard and they’re often just not interested in food groups other than carbs and cheese. (We get it! We love carbs and cheese!) But there are some fun strategies you can use that won’t have you in the kitchen cutting carrots into flowers or arranging their lunch into rainbows. We're chatting with Ilene Godofsky Moreno, of The Colorful Kitchen for her best tips. 

FEEDING YOUR FAMILY, THE COMFORT FOOD WAY

Our new e-book takes you through 8 concepts that will form the foundation of your understanding of how to feed kids and give you a firm starting point for improving mealtimes in your house. We’re here to reassure and inspire. We’re here to remind you that you’re doing a good job. We’re here to let you know that you’re not alone in the daily challenge of feeding your family. We’re here to help.

Get your copy of Feeding Your Family The Comfort Food Way here. 

TAKE OUR LISTENER SURVEY

We want to know more about you, and what you think of Comfort Food. Please take our quick and easy survey so we can keep making this podcast better and better. Thanks so much! 

Visit our show notes at comfortfoodpodcast.com for all the links and recipes discussed in this episode. Send questions to comfortfoodpodcast@gmail.com or find us on social: @v_solesmith and @yummytoddlerfood.

 

Mom body image is, for better or worse, a fairly universal struggle. But if you’re a mom in a larger body, there can be a lot of added layers to navigate. Today we’re chatting with Jen McLellan, author, speaker and creator of Plus Size Birth and the Plus Mommy Blog and Plus Mommy Podcast about how she helps plus size moms navigate birth, body love and motherhood. 

FEEDING YOUR FAMILY, THE COMFORT FOOD WAY

Our new e-book takes you through 8 concepts that will form the foundation of your understanding of how to feed kids and give you a firm starting point for improving mealtimes in your house. We’re here to reassure and inspire. We’re here to remind you that you’re doing a good job. We’re here to let you know that you’re not alone in the daily challenge of feeding your family. We’re here to help.

Get your copy of Feeding Your Family The Comfort Food Way here. 

TAKE OUR LISTENER SURVEY

We want to know more about you, and what you think of Comfort Food. Please take our quick and easy survey so we can keep making this podcast better and better. Thanks so much! 

Visit our show notes at comfortfoodpodcast.com for all the links and recipes discussed in this episode. Send questions to comfortfoodpodcast@gmail.com or find us on social: @v_solesmith and @yummytoddlerfood.

Even if you think you're not "dieting," much less trying to restrict your kids' eating habits, we've found that a restriction mindset (especially around certain foods) can sneak in all too easily. We'll talk about how to spot the underlying restriction in food rules, portion sizes and the assumptions and anxieties we all carry around certain food groups. We'll also explain why it's so important to keep an eye on our restrictive tendencies—and how to let them go, in order to raise kids with a healthy relationship to food. 

TAKE OUR LISTENER SURVEY!

We want to know more about you, and what you think of Comfort Food. Please take our quick and easy survey so we can keep making this podcast better and better. Thanks so much! 

Visit our show notes at comfortfoodpodcast.com for all the links and recipes discussed in this episode. Send questions to comfortfoodpodcast@gmail.com or find us on social: @v_solesmith and @yummytoddlerfood.

 

As you might guess from our podcast name, we’re firm believers in the comforting power of food. But diet culture gives “emotional eating” a bad rap, and convinces us that anytime we eat because we’re sad, happy, tired, etc that we must be doing something “wrong.” Today we’re sorting through some common myths about emotional eating, and exploring the fundamental importance of “comfort food” for our kids, and for ourselves. 

TAKE OUR LISTENER SURVEY!

We want to know more about you, and what you think of Comfort Food. Please take our quick and easy survey so we can keep making this podcast better and better. Thanks so much! 

Visit our show notes at comfortfoodpodcast.com for all the links and recipes discussed in this episode. Send questions to comfortfoodpodcast@gmail.com or find us on social: @v_solesmith and @yummytoddlerfood.

Losing yourself in parenthood is such a common struggle, especially for moms, because the sheer logistics of caring, feeding, and scheduling our kids lives can be completely time consuming. But staying in touch with ourselves and the things we love (including watching trashy TV, connecting with our partners and eating food other than our kids' sandwich crusts) is vital to our happiness. This week we're chatting with Rachel Bertsche, author of The Kids Are In Bed, about how to find—and own!— your pockets of indulgence. 

TAKE OUR LISTENER SURVEY!

We want to know more about you, and what you think of Comfort Food. Please take our quick and easy survey so we can keep making this podcast better and better. Thanks so much! 

Visit our show notes at comfortfoodpodcast.com for all the links and recipes discussed in this episode. Send questions to comfortfoodpodcast@gmail.com or find us on social: @v_solesmith and @yummytoddlerfood.

We often hear from listeners who are vegans, vegetarians, or just want to eat more sustainably — but aren’t sure how to balance those goals with wanting to practice intuitive eating and avoid diets. Today we’re exploring some of the challenges of combining morality and food — and offering our best strategies for figuring out your own mix.

TAKE OUR LISTENER SURVEY!

We want to know more about you, and what you think of Comfort Food. Please take our quick and easy survey so we can keep making this podcast better and better. Thanks so much! 

Visit our show notes at comfortfoodpodcast.com for all the links and recipes discussed in this episode. Send questions to comfortfoodpodcast@gmail.com or find us on social: @v_solesmith and @yummytoddlerfood.

This week we're chatting with Crystal Karges, a registered dietitian nutritionist, maternal health specialist, certified intuitive eating counselor, international board certified lactation consultant and mom of five. Crystal specializes in helping moms nurture a peaceful relationship with food and their bodies so they can mother from a place of abundance, confidently feed their children, and truly thrive in life. Sign us up! 

TAKE OUR LISTENER SURVEY!

We want to know more about you, and what you think of Comfort Food. Please take our quick and easy survey so we can keep making this podcast better and better. Thanks so much! 

Visit our show notes at comfortfoodpodcast.com for all the links and recipes discussed in this episode. Send questions to comfortfoodpodcast@gmail.com or find us on social: @v_solesmith and @yummytoddlerfood.

 

 

Is it possible to practice intuitive eating and have a healthier relationship with food, while also wanting to lose or maintain your weight? We’re getting into this super common — and super complicated — question with Jessica Jones, RDN, co-host of the Food Heaven podcast, who recently wrote about it for Self.com. 

Plus, an Unrelated about why you won't see how much our kids eat on Instagram.

TAKE OUR LISTENER SURVEY!

We want to know more about you, and what you think of Comfort Food. Please take our quick and easy survey so we can keep making this podcast better and better. Thanks so much! 

Visit our show notes at comfortfoodpodcast.com for all the links and recipes discussed in this episode. Send questions to comfortfoodpodcast@gmail.com or find us on social: @v_solesmith and @yummytoddlerfood.

 

This week, we’re welcoming back fan favorite Christy Harrison, RDN, host of the wildly popular Food Psych Podcast, to talk about her new book ANTI-DIET: Reclaim Your Time, Money, Well-Being With Intuitive Eating. We’ll cover how writing the book changed her own relationship with food, and go over some of your common questions about intuitive eating and breaking up with diet culture. Plus an Unrelated on why everyone got worked up about Amy's kid eating a banana! 

TAKE OUR LISTENER SURVEY!

We want to know more about you, and what you think of Comfort Food. Please take our quick and easy survey so we can keep making this podcast better and better. Thanks so much! 

Visit our show notes at comfortfoodpodcast.com for all the links and recipes discussed in this episode. Send questions to comfortfoodpodcast@gmail.com or find us on social: @v_solesmith and @yummytoddlerfood.

M&Ms for going potty; a lollipop at the end of soccer practice; dessert for eating dinner; a pizza party prize from the PTA — these are just a few of the ways that parents and teachers use treat foods to reward kids for good behavior. Some parents bemoan the extra sugar that these treats represent — we’re more concerned about the weird message it sends kids about needing to earn their food. We’ve asked Leslie Schilling, RDN, a registered dietitian and nutrition therapist who wrote about this issue for US News & World Report to help us sort through the issues and come up with some practical ways to respond. 

TAKE OUR LISTENER SURVEY!

We want to know more about you, and what you think of Comfort Food. Please take our quick and easy survey so we can keep making this podcast better and better. Thanks so much! 

Visit our show notes at comfortfoodpodcast.com for all the links and recipes discussed in this episode. Send questions to comfortfoodpodcast@gmail.com or find us on social: @v_solesmith and @yummytoddlerfood.

 

We've decided to embrace the lack of childcare and bring the kids on the podcast! This week, 8 year yold Linden joins Amy to talk about her favorite foods, least favorite foods, and all her best tips for parents trying to encourage kids to try new foods. 

Find us @v_solesmith and @yummytoddlerfood on social media or email comfortfoodpodcast@gmail.com.   FEEDING YOUR FAMILY, THE COMFORT FOOD WAY

Our new e-book takes you through 8 concepts that will form the foundation of your understanding of how to feed kids and give you a firm starting point for improving mealtimes in your house. We’re here to reassure and inspire. We’re here to remind you that you’re doing a good job. We’re here to let you know that you’re not alone in the daily challenge of feeding your family. We’re here to help.

Get your copy of Feeding Your Family The Comfort Food Way here. 

Even if you’re a somewhat reluctant meal prepper, there is one meal of the week that you probably often wish you had planned ahead for: Weekday lunches! Most of us don’t have time to cook ‘em, but we also don’t love eating a sad desk salad—or the leftover crust from our kid’s grilled cheese. We asked Talia Koren of Workweek Lunch to help us out of our Thursday lunch slump. And we talk about how meal prepping can support your intuitive eating goals. 

TAKE OUR LISTENER SURVEY!

We want to know more about you, and what you think of Comfort Food. Please take our quick and easy survey so we can keep making this podcast better and better. Thanks so much! 

Visit our show notes at comfortfoodpodcast.com for all the links and recipes discussed in this episode. Send questions to comfortfoodpodcast@gmail.com or find us on social: @v_solesmith and @yummytoddlerfood.

 

This week we’re talking to Ashley Smith, RDN, of Veggies and Virtue, where she provides parents with age-appropriate food ideas, meal time organization strategies, evidence-based insight on feeding questions and concerns, and fun ways to get the kids into healthy eating. Ashley is also a mom to three kiddos and has one of our favorite, easy to understand, approaches to handling picky eating. Plus we're talking about our favorite NON-DIET New Year's Resolutions (and why we mostly hate resolutions)! 

TAKE OUR LISTENER SURVEY!

We want to know more about you, and what you think of Comfort Food. Please take our quick and easy survey so we can keep making this podcast better and better. Thanks so much! 

Visit our show notes at comfortfoodpodcast.com for all the links and recipes discussed in this episode. Send questions to comfortfoodpodcast@gmail.com or find us on social: @v_solesmith and @yummytoddlerfood.

This week, we're chatting with Leah Koenig, author of The Jewish Cookbook and several other books and articles about Jewish cuisine around the world about why one country's comfort food is another's haute cuisine. She's also a mama of two with great tips for getting dinner on the table fast and building your own family food traditions.

Plus an Unrelated on girls, sports and body image. 

TAKE OUR LISTENER SURVEY!

We want to know more about you, and what you think of Comfort Food. Please take our quick and easy survey so we can keep making this podcast better and better. Thanks so much! 

Visit our show notes at comfortfoodpodcast.com for all the links and recipes discussed in this episode. Send questions to comfortfoodpodcast@gmail.com or find us on social: @v_solesmith and @yummytoddlerfood.

 

If you’re like most households, there is one person (and we’re guessing it’s you!) who notices when we run out of milk, thinks ahead to restock the kids’ favorite cereal, and remembers to pull chicken out of the freezer in time to defrost for dinner. We know this mental load work can really pile up — so today we’re tackling your big questions about how to broach the topic with your partner and sharing our best tips and hacks to lessen your load. 

And, because nobody can stay on top of the mental load when we’re exhausted, Amy interviews Becca from Little Z’s Sleep Solutions for her best tips on getting your kids to sleep. 

TAKE OUR LISTENER SURVEY!

We want to know more about you, and what you think of Comfort Food. Please take our quick and easy survey so we can keep making this podcast better and better. Thanks so much! 

Visit our show notes at comfortfoodpodcast.com for all the links and recipes discussed in this episode. Send questions to comfortfoodpodcast@gmail.com or find us on social: @v_solesmith and @yummytoddlerfood.

Eggs, sugar, red meat — we know nutrition is important, but what we’re supposed to know about nutrition seems to change, a lot. And it can be hard to keep your knowledge around food and health from interfering with how you approach family meals and feeding yourself. Today we’re talking with podcast favorite Jennifer Berry of Thrive By Spectrum Pediatrics about how to decode nutrition news and how to keep what you know in perspective with your larger goals for feeding your family well. Plus an Unrelated update on bottle weaning Beatrix!

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Sponsor Spotlight: Bumkins

Take 18% off your order of suction plates, reusable snack bags, bibs, baby utensils and more with the code YUMMYTODDLERFOOD at www.bumkins.com.

Visit our show notes at comfortfoodpodcast.com for all the links and recipes discussed in this episode. Send questions to comfortfoodpodcast@gmail.com or find us on social: @v_solesmith and @yummytoddlerfood.

This week we're chatting with Mary Ellen Phipps of Milk & Honey Nutrition about how growing up with Type 1 Diabetes has informed her approach to food and family life. Plus Virginia has a family meal planning breakthrough. 

TAKE OUR LISTENER SURVEY!

We want to know more about you, and what you think of Comfort Food. Please take our quick and easy survey so we can keep making this podcast better and better. Thanks so much! 

Sponsor Spotlight: Bumkins

Take 18% off your order of suction plates, reusable snack bags, bibs, baby utensils and more with the code YUMMYTODDLERFOOD at www.bumkins.com.

Visit our show notes at comfortfoodpodcast.com for all the links and recipes discussed in this episode. Send questions to comfortfoodpodcast@gmail.com or find us on social: @v_solesmith and @yummytoddlerfood.

We know that motherhood (and just... life) can dramatically change how you feel about your body, whether you’re newly postpartum or several years in. Today we’re talking through some strategies to help you feel more body-positive and comfortable in your skin — no weight loss required (or even encouraged!). Plus an Unrelated Update on all of your feelings about chocolate milk. 

TAKE OUR LISTENER SURVEY!

We want to know more about you, and what you think of Comfort Food. Please take our quick and easy survey so we can keep making this podcast better and better. Thanks so much! 

Sponsor Spotlight: Bumkins

Take 18% off your order of suction plates, reusable snack bags, bibs, baby utensils and more with the code YUMMYTODDLERFOOD at www.bumkins.com.

Visit our show notes at comfortfoodpodcast.com for all the links and recipes discussed in this episode. Send questions to comfortfoodpodcast@gmail.com or find us on social: @v_solesmith and @yummytoddlerfood.

 

 

You know that thing where you find yourself thinking about how your body looks, when you'd rather just be living in your body? This week, on a very special 50th EPISODE, we're chatting with Lexie Kite, PhD, a body image resilience expert and co-founder of Beauty Redefined, about why so many women experience self-objectification and the role media plays in our ability to feel good about our bodies. She's got great advice for how we can teach our daughters — and ourselves — to be more than our bodies. For starters: Buy kid pants in the boy's department! 

WANT TO GIVE US A 50TH EPISODE PRESENT? TAKE OUR LISTENER SURVEY!

We want to know more about you, and what you think of Comfort Food. Please take our quick and easy survey so we can keep making this podcast better and better. Thanks so much! 

Sponsor Spotlight: Bumkins

Take 18% off your order of suction plates, reusable snack bags, bibs, baby utensils and more with the code YUMMYTODDLERFOOD at www.bumkins.com.

Visit our show notes at comfortfoodpodcast.com for all the links and recipes discussed in this episode. Send questions to comfortfoodpodcast@gmail.com or find us on social: @v_solesmith and @yummytoddlerfood.

We're downloading a day early because it's almost Halloween! And all too often, parents biggest fear about Halloween is... what to do with all the candy. But Halloween is also a fantastic opportunity to let your kids explore new foods, learn to handle themselves around treats and (yes, really) enjoy some sugar. We're rebroadcasting this classic Comfort Food episode with tips for making the onslaught fun and manageable for the whole family. And, Amy chats with Sally of Real Mom Nutrition about her Switch Witch strategy. 

Visit our show notes at comfortfoodpodcast.com for all the links and recipes discussed in this episode. Send questions to comfortfoodpodcast@gmail.com or find us on social: @v_solesmith and @yummytoddlerfood.

Sponsor Spotlight: Bumkins

Take 18% off your order of suction plates, reusable snack bags, bibs, baby utensils and more with the code YUMMYTODDLERFOOD at www.bumkins.com.

We talk a lot about intuitive eating and the Division of Responsibility or "responsive feeding" approach we like to take with family meals — but we know these big ideas can be tricky to put into practice. We've asked registered dietitian nutritionist Elizabeth Davenport of Sunny Side Up Nutrition to tackle this week's questions. 

Visit our show notes at comfortfoodpodcast.com for all the links and research referenced in this episode. Send questions or comments to comfortfoodpodcast@gmail.com or find us on social media: @v_solesmith, @yummytoddlerfood & @sunnysideupnutritionists.

SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT: Thrive By Spectrum Pediatrics

Thrive By Spectrum Pediatrics offers personalized, compassionate and evidence-based solutions for picky eating and other stressful mealtime challenges by phone, video conference or in person. Get 10% off Family Mealtime Coaching when you mention “Comfort Food Podcast” at thrivewithspectrum.com.  

 

We are just OVER food right now. So this week, join us to commiserate about how often children need to be fed, but why they don't like the snacks you bought, how boring it is to keep making dinner and what to do about feeding yourself right now, because we're betting it's been a minute since you did that first. 

This episode includes shout-outs to the wisdom of Dr. Rachel Millner, Dr. Katja Rowell and Nicki Sizemore of From Scratch Fast.  

Find us @v_solesmith and @yummytoddlerfood on social media or email comfortfoodpodcast@gmail.com.   FEEDING YOUR FAMILY, THE COMFORT FOOD WAY

Our new e-book takes you through 8 concepts that will form the foundation of your understanding of how to feed kids and give you a firm starting point for improving mealtimes in your house. We’re here to reassure and inspire. We’re here to remind you that you’re doing a good job. We’re here to let you know that you’re not alone in the daily challenge of feeding your family. We’re here to help.

Get your copy of Feeding Your Family The Comfort Food Way here. 

We talk a lot about intuitive eating and the Division of Responsibility or "responsive feeding" approach we like to take with family meals — but we know these big ideas can be tricky to put into practice. We've asked nutrition therapist Emily Fonnesback, RD, to tackle your questions. (And stay tuned for even more next week!) 

Plus, an Unrelated about why moms get stuck with the mental load while dads go to the playground. 

Visit our show notes at comfortfoodpodcast.com for all the links and research referenced in this episode. Send questions or comments to comfortfoodpodcast@gmail.com or find us on social media: @v_solesmith, @yummytoddlerfood & @emilyfonnesback_rd.

SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT: Thrive By Spectrum Pediatrics

Thrive By Spectrum Pediatrics offers personalized, compassionate and evidence-based solutions for picky eating and other stressful mealtime challenges by phone, video conference or in person. Get 10% off Family Mealtime Coaching when you mention “Comfort Food Podcast” at thrivewithspectrum.com.  

 

Several major health organizations have just released new recommendations that kids drink only water and plain milk until age 5. But is it realistic to expect your child to turn down every juicebox and chocolate milk carton that comes their way? We get into the pros and cons of this kind of all or nothing health advice and talk about what it means (or doesn’t!) for your family. 

 

Visit our show notes at comfortfoodpodcast.com for all the links and research referenced in this episode. Send questions or comments to comfortfoodpodcast@gmail.com or find us on social media: @v_solesmith, @yummytoddlerfood  

 

SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT: Thrive By Spectrum Pediatrics

 

Thrive By Spectrum Pediatrics offers personalized, compassionate and evidence-based solutions for picky eating and other stressful mealtime challenges by phone, video conference or in person. Get 10% off Family Mealtime Coaching when you mention “Comfort Food Podcast” at thrivewithspectrum.com.  

 

Virginia has hit a wall with family dinner - so much prep! so much crying! so little eating! - and we're betting she's not alone. If you're struggling to get a meal onto the table at the end of a long work day, Amy is here to save your sanity (at least for a few nights!) with her go-to fast dinners. These easy meals hit all the marks for fast, nutritious, and accessible—and they’re meals that both little kids and adults will be happy to eat.

Visit our show notes at comfortfoodpodcast.com for all the links and recipes discussed in this episode. Send questions to comfortfoodpodcast@gmail.com or find us on social: @v_solesmith and @yummytoddlerfood.

Sponsor Spotlight: Bumkins

Take 18% off your order of suction plates, reusable snack bags, bibs, baby utensils and more with the code YUMMYTODDLERFOOD at www.bumkins.com.

We all want our kids to love their bodies. But we’re also given plenty of reasons to worry about our kids’ body weight, size and shape, especially if they fall on the higher end of the growth chart. This week we’re talking to Anna Lutz, MPH, RD, of Sunny Side Up Nutrition about why diets are never the answer — and what you should do when you stop parenting weight. 

Visit our show notes at comfortfoodpodcast.com for all the links and research referenced in this episode. Send questions or comments to comfortfoodpodcast@gmail.com or find us on social media: @v_solesmith, @yummytoddlerfood and @sunnysideupnutritionists. 

SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT: Thrive By Spectrum Pediatrics

Thrive By Spectrum Pediatrics offers personalized, compassionate and evidence-based solutions for picky eating and other stressful mealtime challenges by phone, video conference or in person. Get 10% off Family Mealtime Coaching when you mention “Comfort Food Podcast” at thrivewithspectrum.com.  

 

Why do most men do so little at home — and especially in the kitchen? Why are women (still!) doing so much? Darcy Lockman, author of All the Rage: Mothers, Fathers and the Myth of Equal Partnership is on the podcast this week to talk about why mental load tasks like grocery list making and meal planning and prepping are still especially gendered — and what we can do, to find a better balance.

Visit our show notes at comfortfoodpodcast.com for all the research and links discussed in this episode. Send questions to comfortfoodpodcast@gmail.com or find us on social: @v_solesmith and @yummytoddlerfood.

 

Do you worry whether you're spending the "right" amount of money on the food you buy for your family? We sure do... so we got some hard numbers on how much Americans spend on groceries and they may make you feel way better. We also talk about the cultural pressures that contribute to our anxiety about how much is too much to spend on food, and the social status issues involved in where you shop. 

And, Amy has some breaking news about her former gluten intolerance! 

Visit our show notes at comfortfoodpodcast.com for all the research and links discussed in this episode. Send questions to comfortfoodpodcast@gmail.com or find us on social: @v_solesmith and @yummytoddlerfood.

Sponsor Spotlight: Bumkins

Take 18% off your order of suction plates, reusable snack bags, bibs, baby utensils and more with the code YUMMYTODDLERFOOD at www.bumkins.com.

We realized we had A LOT more to say about moms and fitness (and why you don't need to get your "pre-baby body" back!). So we're talking in more detail about how we find our exercise motivation and fit stress-free, fun workouts into our lives, while avoiding common diet culture fitspo traps.

We're also re-broadcasting the second half of Virginia's conversation on raising body positive kids — and navigating all the weird stuff people say about children, food and bodies — with Rebecca Scritchfield of the Body Kindness Podcast. 

Visit our show notes at comfortfoodpodcast.com. And get in touch! We'd love to hear your favorite online workout or other way to bring body positive movement into your life: comfortfoodpodcast@gmail.com. We're also on social media: @v_solesmith and @yummytoddlerfood. 

 

It can be daunting to raise one or two healthy, happy eaters... so how about five?! This week, we chat with Melissa Griffiths of Bless This Mess about how she's raising her kids to honor their hunger and fullness cues, trust their bodies and love family meals... even when they don't love what's being served! We also get into her secrets for sharing the load and the snack drawer strategy that's kind of blowing Amy's mind. Plus an Unrelated discussion of the USDA's new school lunch rules and what it means for your kid's cafeteria. 

Visit our show notes at comfortfoodpodcast.com for all the links and recipes discussed in this episode. Send questions to comfortfoodpodcast@gmail.com or find us on social: @v_solesmith, @yummytoddlerfood, and @blessthismessblog. 

Sponsor Spotlight: Bumkins

Take 18% off your order of suction plates, reusable snack bags, bibs, baby utensils and more with the code YUMMYTODDLERFOOD at www.bumkins.com.

 

Whether you have a kiddo in a high weight percentile, or barely on the growth chart, chances are you’ve had at least one pediatrician visit where you left stressed out about growth curves. Today we’re discussing the limitations of the Body Mass Index, how to keep growth chart percentiles in perspective and celebrate your kid at any size. Plus we give reviews of our new favorite body positive online workouts — One Peleton and The Underbelly!

Visit comfortfoodpodcast.com for all the links, articles and other resources discussed in this episode. Have you dealt with a frustrating growth chart conversation — or do you have a favorite online workout for us? Email comfortfoodpodcast@gmail.com or find us on social: @v_solesmith and @yummytoddlerfood. 

Why do so many of our kids only want to eat "snacks?" Why can't you leave your house without a purse full of them? We're untangling some of the confusion about snacks: Why kids need them, how they can interfere with hunger and fullness cues, and how to neutralize their power — especially when it feels like your kids are encountering them everywhere they go. 

Visit comfortfoodpodcast.com for all the links and resources discussed in this episode. Email your snack-related questions to comfortfoodpodcast@gmail.com, or follow us on social media: @v_solesmith & @yummytoddlerfood.

Our quarantine schedules and the stars have finally aligned and we're back to (mostly) recording together! This week we're just catching up on all things in our #pandemicparenting and food lives. (Yes, we're agonizing over school.) Plus an update on episode 80, with some thoughts on the role weight tracking can play in eating disorder prevention and recovery, from educator, parent coach and HAES advocate, Oona Hanson. 

Find us @v_solesmith and @yummytoddlerfood on social media or email comfortfoodpodcast@gmail.com.   FEEDING YOUR FAMILY, THE COMFORT FOOD WAY

Our new e-book takes you through 8 concepts that will form the foundation of your understanding of how to feed kids and give you a firm starting point for improving mealtimes in your house. We’re here to reassure and inspire. We’re here to remind you that you’re doing a good job. We’re here to let you know that you’re not alone in the daily challenge of feeding your family. We’re here to help.

Get your copy of Feeding Your Family The Comfort Food Way here. 

Welcome to the final episode of season 2! Whether you breastfeed or bottle feed, weaning your baby or toddler from their first milk over to a cup can be a fraught process. We’re exploring why our cultural expectations about moms, toddlers and feeding make it so much harder — and brainstorming ways to make it go more smoothly. (As Virginia gears up to bottle-wean her own toddler!) Plus, fan favorite Nicki Sizemore of From Scratch Fast is back with some family-friendly ways to cook summer veggies. 

We'll be back in mid-August with a whole new season of Comfort Food for you! In the meantime, check out our archives for episodes you may have missed, and tell us what you'd like to hear on the show: Comfortfoodpodcast@gmail.com or @v_solesmith & @yummytoddlerfood on Instagram. 

And don't forget to visit our show notes at comfortfoodpodcast.com for all the links, recipes and other resources discussed in this episode. 

Sponsor Spotlight: Easy Squeez Visit https://www.easysqueez.com/ and use the code YUMMY20 to take 20% off products to help make homemade baby food a snap to make and store!

This week, we're taking a break from our usual family-focused fare to chat with Caroline Dooner, author of The F*ck It Diet, a radical new book that just might help you rethink your whole relationship with dieting, food guilt, and body image angst. Don't worry; The F*ck It Diet is not a diet — it's a set of tools to help you reevaluate the role diet culture plays in your life, and at your dinner table. (And don't worry, the language on this episode is still G-rated!) 

Plus, Amy and Virginia talk about some favorite new #feedyourselffirst food rituals. Because as mamas, we can't feed everyone else, if we're not well-nourished ourselves. 

Let us know what you think of this episode! comfortfoodpodcast@gmail.com or on social media: @YummyToddlerFood @v_solesmith.

In a lot of kitchens, dads need to be doing more to even out the mental load and division of emotional labor. Period. The end. Except...it's also true that moms make the project of feeding our families harder than it needs to be when we buy into too many unrealistic cultural expectations about meal planning, meal prepping, what we should be eating and how much work we need to put into making those meals. This week we're examining some times when we've fallen into the expectations trap and offering specific strategies for digging yourself out — by doing less, and enabling your partner to do more. 

Plus: Jennifer Berry of the Tube To Table Podcast offers a surprising take on kids using screens in restaurants! (Check out Virginia's episode on Jeni's podcast here.) 

Tell us how you're struggling with expectations around family meals by emailing comfortfoodpodcast@gmail.com or finding us on social media: @v_solesmith & @yummytoddlerfood. And don't forget to visit our show notes at comfortfoodpodcast.com for links to everything discussed in this episode. 

This week, we're teaming up with Rebecca Scritchfield's Body Kindness Podcast for a very special cross-over episode. Rebecca is a registered dietitian nutritionist, certified exercise physiologist and author of Body Kindness. She and Virginia decided to dive deep into how to handle unwelcome comments about our kids' bodies or food preferences, what to do when they first use the word "fat," and how we can model body positivity... even on days when we're not feeling totally positive about our own bodies. Listen here, then check out episode 116 of Body Kindness for the other half of this important conversation. 

Join the conversation by email (comfortfoodpodcast@gmail.com) or on social media: @v_solesmith @yummytoddlerfood & @rebeccascritchfield and use the hashtag #comfortkindnessepisode. And don't forget to visit our show notes for all links and resources discussed in this episode, at comfortfoodpodcast.com.