Crunch Bites

If you enjoyed our last episode “The Garden Within”, but it left you wanting more, this one is for you. Join us for the extended version of Mikala’s conversation with Dr Amy Loughman as they explore the gut microbiome in further detail. Topics covered: Microbiome across the life stages The role our microbiome plays in digestion Environmental factors and food that can influence the microbiome The g...

Our guts contain a wide variety of bacteria known as ‘gut bugs’ or commonly called the microbiome. This rich ecosystem can be as diverse and fruitful as a forest floor. Join Mikala as she explores this topic with Dr Amy Loughman from the Food and Mood Centre at Deakin University. In this episode, they chat about how the microbiome develops throughout childhood and some of the life events that can...

With so much focus on what to feed our kids, have you ever stopped to think about the importance of how we feed them? In this episode Mikala dives into food parenting practices with Dr Kathryn Walton from Guelph University. They chat about how to set up positive mealtimes and the importance of parents being on the same page when it comes to the family table and beyond.   This one’s a mea...

The range of baby and toddler foods on the market has exploded over the last decade, with more pouches and puffs available every day. But are these really foods we want to be feeding our kids? Join Mikala as she chats with Andrea Schmidtke, public health lawyer and researcher at the Food for Health Alliance, about the impact these foods are having on our children as they begin developing thei...

The traditional family model is changing, as many families now juggle both parents working outside the home. Grandparents are increasingly stepping in to offer support and perform a regular childcare role. Join Mikala as she speaks with Professor Michelle Jongenelis about her research examining this changing landscape and the important role grandparents play in shaping children’s habits, such as w...

Following Mikala’s detailed conversation with Dr Joanna McMillan about her book The Fibre Factor , join us for this bonus bite-sized episode where we summarise the info in a quick 20 questions, easy to digest format.   Episode links     The Fibre Factor     Dr Joanna McMillan’s website Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Find out what your gut wants you to know about fibre as Mikala talks with Dr Joanna McMillan about her latest book The Fibre Factor . In this engaging conversation they discuss why fibre leads to more than just healthy digestion, the different types of fibre and why diversity matters, how fibre can improve the whole body and lots of family-friendly and practical ways to include more fibre in the d...

How do we support our emerging athletes as they juggle the demands of school and sports?    Join Mikala as she talks about sustaining snacks and meals that maximise nutrition with Julie Meek, performance specialist and Sports Dietitian.   Julie shares her top tips when it comes to juggling a full training schedule and ensuring kids find time to fuel up on the food needed for healthy...

Join us as we yarn about bush foods with Dale Tilbrook, a proud Wardandi Bibbulmun woman. Mikala and Dale explore bush foods and discuss some common examples, where you can find them and how to weave them into your weekly cooking.   Topics covered in today’s episode: What are bush foods Where you can find bush foods The rules of foraging The importance of supporting Aboriginal owned companies...

Engineered to eat: A chat about ultra processed food    We know food processing can be beneficial for safety, nutrition, and convenience, but can it go too far? In this episode, Mikala and Nicole explore food processing in detail and how different foods are categorised. They discuss how industrial methods used to make ultra processed foods can contribute to poor health and highlight the...

In Australia, allergies are on the rise, with 1 in 20 school aged children now living with a food allergy. Join Mikala as she discusses allergies with Dr Merryn Netting, Advanced Accredited Paediatric Dietitian and Senior Project Officer for the National Allergy Council. In this episode, Merryn and Mikala explore understanding allergies, how families and schools can best manage allergies, as well...

It’s well known that Dads play an important role in children's lives, but just how much of a role do they have in building children's healthy habits? Join Mikala and Professor Philip Morgan, Project Lead of the Healthy Dads Healthy Kids program, as they talk about the positive influence Dads can have on their children's nutrition and physical activity. Philip also shares some key tips for Dads who...

Is your family feeling the pinch with the increase in cost of living? Or are you trying to find ways to save money for that next family holiday? Setting a weekly food budget and sticking to it is a good way to stay on top of your money. Tune in to Mikala and Nicole’s conversation about food budgeting, where they share tips on how you can save money at the supermarket and make your food shop go fur...

What does it mean to eat sustainably, and how do we reduce daily exposure to plastics in our food? Join Mikala as she talks eating sustainably with Dr Amelia Harray, Advanced Accredited Practicing Dietitian, and Clinical Researcher. Find out how the way you shop, the equipment you cook with and the way you store food impacts your health and the environment. Amelia shares her top tips and discusses...

Does your child have a sensory sensitivity to food or are they a fussy eater? Are you curious to learn more about how our senses impact feeding practices? Then this episode is for you.   Join Nicole as she speaks with Kerry Judge, an Advanced Clinical Speech Pathologist who leads the fussy eating team at Rocky Bay. Nicole and Kerry chat about sensory sensitivities and fussy eating, as well as...

The world of crackers has grown rapidly in recent years. With so many options available how do you know which cracker to choose that will tick all your boxes? Join Mikala and Nicole as they discuss cracking the code and share their findings from examining over 180 different crackers available in supermarkets across Australia.    Topics covered in this episode: -    &n...

We know food, sleep, and movement are important for growing bodies, but how much of each should our children aim for every day? And how do they all influence each other? Join Mikala as she speaks with Dr Jazzmin Zheng, Senior Research Fellow from Deakin University, about eating, sleeping, and moving.   Topics covered in today’s episode: -      How diet changes fr...

Knowing how to read a food label is an important skill, and if you're not aware of some of the basics to look out for it can be a confusing space to navigate. In this episode, Mikala and Nicole chat about the marketing tactics food companies use to sell their products and provide some practical tips to help you choose the best of the bunch when shopping for food that will fuel your family well. &n...

Cooking with kids can be a messy, fun, and crazy learning journey. Join Mikala and Nicole, as they share the key ingredients that will help you successfully get the kids in the kitchen and have fun at the same time.   Learn about all the wonderful benefits involved in getting kids in the kitchen, the age appropriate tasks kids can help with, and why letting go of perfection helps us all. &nbs...

Yoghurt has earned its place as a valuable addition to a child's day and offers a wide range of benefits that can support wellbeing. This healthy staple is rich in essential nutrients such as bone-strengthening calcium, brain-boosting protein, and gut-loving probiotics.   Join Mikala and Nicole for this bonus episode as they talk about how yoghurt is made, which varieties to reach for an...

Dairy is an important food group for everyone, especially our kids, whose bodies (and bones) are going through rapid growth and development. Dairy is a great source of protein, as well as containing essential vitamins and minerals such as Iodine, Vitamin A & D, Zinc, and Calcium, all of which are essential for those constant growth spurts! Join Mikala and Nicole for this mini episode as they s...

In today’s episode, Mikala will be speaking with special guest Emma Groves, Obesity Policy Senior Coordinator at Cancer Council WA. Emma’s work is focused on advocating for policy change in Western Australia to help create environments that support healthy eating.  Join Mikala and Emma as they chat about how advertising and business practices of the food industry are impacting children's heal...

In today’s episode, Mikala and Nicole give the low down on meat and meat alternatives including why and how to pack protein in the lunchbox, as well as meat alternatives that still contain plenty of iron and sustenance. This episode also touches on ham and other processed meats and some great alternatives to pack if parents are trying to reduce the amount of processed meats served each day. Join M...

Join Mikala and Nicole in this mini episode as they chat about wholegrains, the important role they play in our children's growth and development and some practical tips on how to introduce them to meals and snacks. Whether it’s trying out wholegrain bread in the lunchbox, baking with wholemeal flour, or serving up brown rice for dinner, this episode discusses some simple ways you can encourage yo...

In today’s episode, Mikala and Nicole talk all about the goodness of vegetables and how we can encourage our kids to reach for a variety when enjoying meals with the family.    Join Mikala and Nicole as they discuss the vital role vegetables play in our kid's growth and development, as well as the health benefits that come with eating different coloured vegetables across the seasons...