Episode 15: Some ideas for school lunch

November 20, 2022 Lerin Oystryk

In this episode we revisit school lunch. Remember in episode 11 when Lerin said she was excited to start packing lunches? Now she's in it and looking for ideas, especially ones that work with nut-free classes. Tammy shares just some of the possibilities that have worked for her kids given her own priorities (simple to prepare, easy and enjoyable to eat, nourishing for an afternoon of learning and playing) and the food culture in her home. Lerin has a plan for muffin-tin egg cups, and Tammy struggles to explain the magic that is polenta.

Intro/Outro Music: Big Adventure by Paul Yudin, https://uppbeat.io/track/paul-yudin/big-adventure. Your music makes us (and our kids too!) happy every time. Thank you.

Huge thanks to Matt (Mattvopro on Fiverr) for sound editing support for this episode.

Episode 14: Halloween Candy

October 30, 2022 Lerin Oystryk

Happy Halloween! In this episode we try to bring in some perspective around Halloween candy, because there’s always a lot of feelings that pop up around this time of year. Tammy talks about how her (previous!) desire to control candy impacted the joy her kids experience on Halloween and what happened when she stepped away from that and trusted her kids to figure it out. We talk about the learning opportunities for kids AND their adults when there’s a candy stash. Lerin takes us through what a flexible approach to an abundance of candy might look like. Sending any of you who celebrate Halloween all the joy and excitement that goes along with this day!

Episode 13: Interview with Sarah Rzemieniak

October 17, 2022 Lerin Oystryk

In this episode we are joined by our friend, the lovely Sarah Rzemeniak. Sarah is an Eating Disorder Recovery Coach and a new parent. We talk about Sarah’s initial experiences with feeding her little one and how she has pulled from multiple feeding approaches to find something that works for her family unit. We discuss Sarah’s hopes for her son’s relationship with food, which is informed in part by her lived experience of an eating disorder, and the importance of self-compassion in parenting. Sarah shares the supportive stance her partner takes with parenting around feeding, and the values he wants to share with their son. We so appreciate Sarah for spending time with us today, and for sharing her experiences and resources with all of us. She is a great writer and a generous soul; thank you Sarah!

You can find Sarah at:

Sarah Rzemeniak, Eating Disorder Recovery Coaching
Instagram: @sarahrzemeniak

She has also written an informative series about eating disorders for families and loved ones on her blog:

Episode 12: We are not anti-veggie!

October 3, 2022 Lerin Oystryk

In this episode we discuss vegetables, and why we approach them the way we do, which might sometimes feel like it runs counter to popular health guidance (even for us). We offer up the idea that vegetables are one piece of a larger whole, instead of occupying some kind of place of honour at the top of a hierarchy, in hopes of taking away some of the pressure that kids and their adults might feel to "get them in". Lerin reveals that even though she is not anti-veggie, she is unapologetically anti-pea.

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Where to find us:

On Solid Ground Nutrition: https://www.osgnutrition.ca/
Instagram: @osgnutrition

Episode 11: A flexible approach to school lunches

September 19, 2022 Lerin Oystryk

Welcome back! In this first episode of season 2, we look at school lunches. In our experience, school lunch can come with a lot of pressure on both caregivers and kids. We discuss some of the factors that warrant consideration when it comes to packing lunches. Tammy shares some ideas that have been helpful for her school-age eaters. Finally, we talk a bit about the external feedback that is sometimes offered about school lunches. Lerin shares her excitement about school lunch packing...we'll check in with her again once she's in it!

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Where to find us:

On Solid Ground Nutrition: https://www.osgnutrition.ca/
Instagram: @osgnutrition

Episode 10: Dad Talk - Interview with Fearghal King

June 30, 2022 Lerin Oystryk

Welcome to episode 10, and the last episode of our first season! It's our first interview AND our first episode that looks at feeding from a father's point of view. Lerin's partner, Fearghal King, joins Lerin for an informal evening chat about how feeding their kids has been for him. They touch on the factors that impact Fearghal's own relationship with food. Fearghal shares his experiences with feeding their kids through the years, the feelings that have come up for him, and what it's like using trust as a guiding principle in feeding both for kids and for himself. Finally, he shares the challenges that still pop up for him at times. Special thanks to our guest announcer on this one too!

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Intro/Outro Music: Big Adventure by Paul Yudin, https://uppbeat.io/track/paul-yudin/big-adventure. Your music makes us (and our kids too!) happy every time. Thank you.

Huge thanks to Matt (Mattvopro on Fiverr) for sound editing support for this episode.

Episode 9: The case for watching our language

June 14, 2022 Lerin Oystryk

In this episode we explore common words and phrases to describe food that we often hear. We invite listeners to reflect on why categorizing food as, say, “good” or “bad” is useful for them, and if folks are willing to challenge that practice! We discuss the impact our words can have on kids and on the adults who feed them, and offer some alternatives.

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Intro/Outro Music: Big Adventure by Paul Yudin, https://uppbeat.io/track/paul-yudin/big-adventure. Your music makes us (and our kids too!) happy every time. Thank you.

Huge thanks to Matt (Mattvopro on Fiverr) for sound editing support for this episode.

Episode 8: Is there a difference between dried and fresh fruit?

May 31, 2022 Lerin Oystryk

In this episode we answer a listener questions from a parent whose child prefers dried fruit over fresh and wonders: is there a nutritional difference between dried and fresh fruit? Is it much higher in sugar? In a podcast by dietitians talking about feeding kids, there was bound to be some poop talk at some point; here it is, and Lerin goes all in.

Episode 7: "How do I get my child to the table at meal time?"

May 17, 2022 Lerin Oystryk

In this episode we answer a question that has come in from several listeners. How long can we expect kids to sit at the table? How can we get them to the table in the first place? We share a bunch of ideas and strategies for you to consider. Lerin brings in the perspective of a family with younger kids and Tammy talks about strategies that have worked with the older kids in her home.

Episode 6: Reflecting on introducing added sugars to young kids

May 3, 2022 Lerin Oystryk

Lerin shares how she felt when Tammy offered her eldest toddler a muffin (because: added sugar). We explore the all-or-nothing thinking that can creep in around nutrition guidelines, and how that can ramp up stress levels in some parents. Lerin describes how her thinking and feeding has expanded since The Muffin Incident.

Episode 5: Navigating snack requests before dinner

April 20, 2022 Lerin Oystryk

We answer a jam-packed and totally relatable listener question. What if my toddler wants a snack right before dinner, especially when there is potential for a denied request to grow into a tantrum? Or when they fill up while helping prepare dinner and are too full to eat at meal time? Plus, some kudos for this listener for allowing their toddler the opportunity to help out in the kitchen, because neither of us think that is easy!

Episode 4: When kids start sneaking food

March 29, 2022 Lerin Oystryk

A listener question about a child who has started sneaking food has Tammy reflecting on her own experience with this. We consider some possibilities around why food sneaking concerns parents/caregivers and why kids might do it. Lerin demonstrates her particular ability to sum up Tammy's meanderings into a single word.

Episode 3: When younger kids limit their food choices

March 15, 2022 Lerin Oystryk

Our first real episode (!) considers a question from a parent of a younger child: my kid used to eat everything and now eats just (in this case) bread and cheese. Lerin shares how this shows up at her table, and puts it in context of development. We reflect on what a pre-verbal child could be communicating when they drop food. Lerin has ideas for offering variety while allowing kids to make some choices.

Episode 2: Get to know us: Lerin

March 8, 2022 Lerin Oystryk

We’re starting off with a couple of short episodes to introduce ourselves to those of you who might be listening. If you prefer to just dive right into content you can jump ahead to episode three. In this second episode, Tammy asks Lerin to share some of her favourite quotes and how they apply to parenting and the feeding relationship.

Episode 1: Get to know us: Tammy

March 1, 2022 Lerin Oystryk

We’re starting off with a couple of short episodes to introduce ourselves to those of you who might be listening. If you prefer to just dive right into content you can jump ahead to episode three. In this first episode Lerin asks Tammy to talk about herself in a level of detail that she doesn’t even always share with close friends.