Veggies & Virtue

On today's episode, I get the chance to chat with Lauren White , who is a mom and former teacher, turned business owner and professional home organizer. I love Lauren's approach to simplicity and how passionate she is about being organized, efficient, and helping families find simplicity. There are so many parallels that with the work that Lauren does over at The Intentional Edit and the work that...

Summer is starting and it took me all of one morning with my kids home to realize: I need a plan to hit the ground running with each day! Whether you find yourself still heading out to work but with kids now heading to childcare or you are at home and busy coordinating summer sports, camps, and such, how we start our days matter! Even when it comes to the new and "not normal" routine of summer. Th...

In this three-part series on how to handle seconds, we have reviewed what not to do and what is okay to do when it comes to giving your kids more of a given item. But if you listen back to the mom’s initial question, you might remember that she spoke specifically to how to handle the request for seconds with one child versus the other? As with many families, we may have one child who eats everythi...

For the months with five Mondays in them (like May), many of you had requested that I do a bonus episode on healthy desserts. So, although you can expect easy breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack ideas every month, I am excited to also share a special red, white, and blue episode here too! To help get us ready for the summer months, celebrating things like Memorial Day, and the 4th of July, this ep...

If you listened to part I in this three-part series, you might be thinking I have lost my mind. Not limiting our kids from having more seems so counter-intuitive at times, especially when they aren’t even touching the other things being offered. As a mom, I understand this and have felt your frustration first hand more times than I can count. But as a dietitian, I also know the impact of having a...

I think it was at least five years into motherhood that I ate a raspberry, and that wasn't because I hadn't been buying them. Rather, knowing that a $3 pint barely satisfied a single child, it seemed like something I better "save" for my kids to enjoy. However, as fresh berries come into season and become a bit more accessible for families to enjoy, I am sharing three tips to stretch your food bud...

The concept of "more" or allowing seconds can be tricky to navigate, particularly when your child hasn't eaten at least a little of everything they were offered. As a mom, I understand not wanting my own picky eaters to fill up on bread or fruit when there are many other nutrient-dense options available. But as a dietitian, I know that allowing my child to decide if/whether and how much they eat (...

In this Meals Made Easy episode on dinners, I talk about a meal that my husband and I love but my littles are still learning to like. I know there are many families who struggle to make one meal be a crowd pleaser for all, especially with picky eaters at home or parents that have preferences very different from their kids. That's why this episode is going to tee you up for summer and walk you thro...

This episode features an interview with friend and fellow podcasting mom, Liz Henderson. Liz is THE Tough Love Mom of The Tough Love Mom Podcast, and she brings so much empathy, encouragement, and actionable insight to moms. Journeying from being a Division I athlete to a mom of two littles, Liz shares how moms of all different personality types and fitness pasts can accomplish healthy, sustainabl...

On this Meals Made Easy Monday episode, we are diving right into one of my all-time favorite tools for easy lunches that are super impactful. That is, the muffin tin! It can be so tempting to just eat the scraps off of our kids plate for whatever they didn't eat at lunch. But take a quick minute and think about not only what that does for you and your own mental and physical health, but also what...

In this week's special Mother’s Day episode, I interviewed my daughters, Claire and Brooke. Maybe next year I will include Owen too (who is 3) but for now, I felt like his attention span may not be up for the chat! So, while he watched an episode of Paw Patrol, the girls and I chatted it up afterschool to answer the questions you asked about, what life is like with a dietitian mom?   You get to he...

A mom in my FREE Facebook group asked, "What are some easy breakfast ideas that aren't eggs, yogurt, or smoothies?" Another mom then chimed in to ask, "What are healthy breakfast ideas that are quick and easy on those mornings your child doesn't have time to eat before they head out the door?" This week's Meals Made Easy Monday episode shares just that! With five fast and easy hacks to add more pr...

Woohoo! In honor of Veggies & Virtue LLC turning FIVE, I am sharing the top five things I have learned as a dietitian, mom, and the faith-led entrepreneur behind this business. It has been FAR from what I thought would be my family's story and professional journey with feeding kids as a pediatric dietitian. And yet, I am so thankful to take a hot second to reflect and share with you all an open an...

When we talk about snacks, you are hopefully familiar with my sharing that we want to have some protein, some fat, and some fiber. This helps minimize grazing (aka helps out the kid who is constantly wanting snacks but never seems actually satisfied) and is the go-to way to make snacks more like "mini-meals" (aka to help out the kid who only wants snacks > meals). So listen in to why THIS is one o...

Easter is over and whether you decided to be more practical with your basket-fillers or load them up with candy, chances are you are in that post-holiday hard spot when it comes to the added sweets and treats that are around. So whether it is only a few pastel candies left to consume or a bunch of candy from the big egg hunt being asked for all day, this episode takes you through how to remove sha...

A friend recently sent me a message about an epiphany she had when listening to episode 5, "What is a BALANCED diet? This is why having the same “healthy” foods every day isn’t healthy and what you can do to begin covering your kiddo’s nutritional bases better." This is a friend I know well, and I know both her deeply rooted desire to feed her children healthfully and yet the rut we can still find...

In today's episode, we are featuring a message from a sweet mom, Sarah, who chimed in to ask a question about how to handle soda with her kids. Ashley loves getting listener-submitted questions, like this, so thank you Sarah for submitting this message. You can send Ashley a voice memo here . In this episode, Ashley walks families through how to make decisions around what your family's approach is...

There is no better time than Easter to introduce EGGS away from just at the breakfast table and outside of the Easter basket! Hear how to cook the most PERFECT hard-boiled egg with Ashley's 5-5-5 method. It will quickly become your new go-to, meat-free, no-fuss, prep-ahead protein to add in at lunches...and as a bonus, it is easy enough for even a toddler to peel. This way, you and your family can...

Are you looking for non-candy Easter basket filler ideas? Whether you need some alternatives to candy to put in those colorful eggs or you are trying to think beyond the chocolate bunny for what to put in your little one's basket, this episode has it all! Ashley spells out safe and easy ideas to fill eggs with that don't lack fun, plus festive ideas that fall into one of Ashley's core four categor...

These Meals Made Easy episodes are quick, easy, actionable meal and snack ideas you can add to cart and begin incorporating into your busy life RIGHT AWAY. In episodes that are 10 minutes or less, I will share a breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack ideas with you each month (plus a bonus on the months with five Mondays!). I hope these help you begin adding in some EASY variety with the ingredients...

Whether you have already had spring break (like us here in Texas) or are getting packed up and ready to go, this episode is a must listen!   You will hear about the top SIX things to consider when it comes to safe, easy, and healthy snacking for kids on vacation, plus how to plan healthy travel snacks that align with: Your Child's Safety (and where snacks are offered) Your Structure/Daily Routines...

Are you struggling with your child asking to come sit in your lap (after they have already gotten down from the table)? This can be a perpetual problem that really pulls on a mom's heart strings. Because although we want to connect with our child and feel like the most loving thing to do might be to allow them up to sit with us, boundaries can quickly get crossed and meal time expectations quickly...

Struggling with getting your kid to stay seated at meal times?   This listener submitted question asked how she could get her kids to stay at the table and engage in the family meal. To help with both the listener's 18 month old and four year old, Ashley shares how to GET S.E.A.T.E.D.!   This episode defines each of the steps in GET S.E.A.T.E.D. so that you: know exactly what to do to bring your c...

Wondering how Ashley feeds her kids when her family goes out to a restaurant?   Tune in to this episode for real-life dietitian mom advice and encouragement on: How to handle ordering out for our kids (or letting them choose!) Important considerations that you as the parent can control (even if/when your child doesn’t eat what they ordered) Keeping a big picture perspective of navigating nutrition...

Do you feel like it is a struggle just to wrangle your toddlers (or teens!) for family meals? If so, Jennifer Zumbiel can relate.   Jennifer has a Bachelor's in Business Administration Marketing from the University of Kentucky and a Master's in Secondary Education from Xavier University. She is the creator and owner of   Togather Moments LLC, Togather™ conversation sticker games/tools, and the hos...