Crunch Bites

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 share information about dairy, the best ways to reach for this important food group, how much to include each day and some good alternatives if dairy does not agree with you. 

Topics covered in this episode:

•         What is dairy?
•         Why it is important that kids are getting enough dairy each day. 
•         How we can include dairy in our kids' diet and how much should they be getting? 
•         What are some good dairy alternatives and what we want to look out for when selecting these products.

Episode links:

•         Eat for health webpage
•         Episode transcript

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 health, why there is a need for regulation, and what can be done to address these issues and reduce harm for our children.

Topics covered in this episode:

•         What do we mean when we say food environment?
•         How our kids are exposed to junk food advertising everyday.
•         What impact this has on our families’ health.
•         Does where you live make a difference to the amount of junk food advertising you see?
•         What can governments do to reduce junk food advertising?
•         What parents can do if they would like to see change.

Episode links:

•         Emma Groves LinkedIn
•         Emma’s LiveLighter Articles
•         Episode transcript

If you want to learn more or contact Emma, email us on [email protected] or our Instagram https://www.instagram.com/crunchandsip/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 Mikala and Nicole, as they discuss the vital role meat and meat alternatives play in our kids’ growth and development and the extraordinary health benefits that come with eating a variety of food every day.

Topics covered in this episode:

•         What is meat?
•         Why is meat an important food group and a recommended part of our diet?
•         How many serves do kids need every day?
•         What are some great meat alternatives?
•         How to maximise nutrient absorption when eating meat or meat alternatives.
•         Ham and salami (processed meats) – are these a good option?
•         Packing protein in the lunchbox.

Episode links:

•         Eat for Health webpage
•         Crunch&Sip® Pack protein in plenty of ways
•         Crunch&Sip® Maintain those healthy swaps
•         Crunch&Sip® Pack lunch like a pro
•         Episode transcript

Are you a WA primary school, community group or an Early Learning Centre and want to host a Packed with Goodness session? Get more information here: https://www.crunchandsip.com.au/healthy-lunchboxes/book-a-session

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 your kids to eat more and learn to love their wholegrains!

Topics covered in this episode:

•        What is a wholegrain?
•        What the difference is between refined grains and wholegrains?
•        Why are wholegrains important?
•        What is fibre? And what is the difference between soluble and insoluble?
•        How to start introducing wholegrains to your kids.

Episode links:

•         Eat for health webpage
•         Crunch&Sip® Why should we eat wholegrains
•         Crunch&Sip® Gluten free what's in the mix
•         Episode transcript

Are you a WA primary school, community group or an Early Learning Centre and want to host a Packed with Goodness session? Get more information here: https://www.crunchandsip.com.au/healthy-lunchboxes/book-a-session

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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. Eating seasonally also provides plenty of flavour and savings at the checkout!  

Topics covered in this episode:   

• Building healthy habits and eating vegetables often.  
• How many vegetables to feed kids in a day, and what this looks like in practice.   
• Practical ways to include more throughout the day.  
• Is fresh always best?  
• How to save money when shopping for vegies? 
• Making vegetables the star of the show.   

Episode links:  

• Eat for Health webpage  
• Crunch&Sip® Choose your cooking style 
• Crunch&Sip® Crunch of vegetables  
• Crunch&Sip® Vegie packed brekkie  
• Episode transcript  

Are you a WA primary school, community group or an Early Learning centre and want to host a Packed with Goodness session? Get more information here: https://www.crunchandsip.com.au/healthy-lunchboxes/book-a-session 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It can be a daunting task raising children in a world where there are so many societal norms, attitudes and pressures around food and body image. Join Mikala as she speaks with Dr Stephanie Damiano, Manager of the Body Bright Program with the Butterfly Foundation. Stephanie shares invaluable tips on how to support your children to create positive relationships with food and body image. Stephanie also talks about understanding body dissatisfaction and disordered eating, and some of the warning signs for parents who have concerns.

Topics covered in this episode:

•      What is body image, body dissatisfaction and disordered eating?
•      The importance of language and role modelling.
•      Tips on how to create a positive relationship with food and body image.
•      What are some of the early signs to look for when children may be developing body dissatisfaction or disordered eating.
•       Where to go for support. 

If you or anyone you know needs support, please call Butterfly’s National Helpline on 1800 ED HOPE (1800 33 4673), visit the Butterfly website to chat online or email [email protected]

For more information about these topics head to the website using the links below.

Episode links:

•         Butterfly Foundation website
•         Body Bright families free resources (families with 5-12 year olds)
•         Body Kind Families free resources (families with teens)
•         Episode transcript 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In today's episode Mikala and Nicole chat about how to tackle picky eating and encourage your kids to be more adventurous eaters. Eating a range of core foods, particularly a variety of vegetables, is important for a child's growth and development. Finding ways to include these core foods regularly comes with lots of benefits. Food refusal or eating a limited range of foods is normal across the years, and progress can sometimes be slow. Mikala and Nicole talk about the importance of positive role modelling and being sure to celebrate the small wins! 

Join Mikala and Nicole as they chat about some of the reasons for picky eating and discuss some practical tips to help increase the variety of food your child eats. 

Topics covered in this episode:

• What is fussy eating, is it normal, and when should parents be concerned?
• The importance of taste and texture and the role this plays on food enjoyment or food refusal. 
• The role parents play at mealtimes and the division of responsibility – parents can choose what food to provide and when to serve it, children can choose what food to eat and how much is enough.
• Practical strategies for your family to overcome different stages of fussy eating.

Episode links:

• Crunch&Sip® Sensory play mats
• Crunch&Sip® Food coaching blog
• Crunch&Sip® Hero healthy habits blog
• Episode transcript

Are you a WA primary school, community group or an Early Learning Centre and want to host a Packed with Goodness session? Get more information here: https://www.crunchandsip.com.au/healthy-lunchboxes/book-a-session

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this wholesome episode, Mikala speaks with Dr Preeya Alexander about reaching for rainbow foods and how to make healthy food in the home fun for all. Dr Preeya is a mum of two, a passionate GP, a well known social media personality, a TV host and a HUGE rainbow enthusiast. Dr Preeya talks about her books (The Rainbow Plate, Full Plate & Eat Sleep Play Love), and how using story telling through entertainment is just as valuable when it comes to familiarising kids with vegetables and increasing exposure. The more times children are exposed to new vegetables, the more likely they are to try something new and reach for a variety of veg.  

Topics covered in this episode:

• Introducing new vegetables using stories. 
• The importance of reaching for rainbow foods for healthy growth and development.
• How to make healthy food in the home fun.
• A selection of great resources and books, including those authored by Dr Preeya, and how these can help families build healthy habits.

Episode links:

• Dr Preeya Alexander website
• Rainbow Plate by Dr Preeya Alexander
• Full Plate by Dr Preeya Alexander
• Eat, Sleep, Play, Love by Dr Preeya Alexander
• Sensory play mat
• Eat for health website
• Crunch&Sip® crunch the rainbow blog
• Episode transcript 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In today's episode, Mikala and Nicole take a deep dive into packing lunchboxes. Over the years of helping parents in this space, they find that most parents have the same common questions when it comes to trying to pack a healthy lunchbox that actually gets eaten. How much should I pack? What should I pack for long lasting energy? And what should I do when it keeps coming back full? It is no secret that the lunchbox journey can feel hard to navigate some days!

Join Mikala and Nicole as they answer common questions and provide practical and simple tips to help parents tackle packing the lunchbox.

Topics covered in this episode:

• A road map for packing a balanced lunchbox.
• Ideas and inspiration for what to pack across the day.
• Food safety and how to keep food the right temperature across the day.
• Navigating the lunchbox aisle.
• Troubleshooting and tips to follow if the lunchbox comes back full.

Episode links:

• Lunchbox notes
• Crunch&Sip® Food labels blog
• Crunch&Sip® Food detectives: Decoding labels and navigating the supermarket blog 
• Crunch&Sip® Maintaining those healthy swaps blog
• Crunch&Sip® Sandwich builder free download
• Episode transcript

Are you a WA primary school, community group or an Early Learning Centre and want to host a Packed with Goodness session? Get more information here: https://www.crunchandsip.com.au/healthy-lunchboxes/book-a-session

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.