Food Issues

It’s back-to-school season, and with that comes new schedules, sports, after-school activities, and a whole lot of busyness. We’re all well-intentioned and want to make sure our kids are eating healthy, but with all we have to do, it’s a challenge. With some simple meal prep ideas, however, you can make sure your kids are off to a good start and get the nutrition they need all year long. 

In this episode, I sat down with Rebecca Huff, a mom of 6, creator of ThatOrganicMom.com, and host of A Healthy Bite podcast. Rebecca shares her easy approach to packing healthy lunch boxes your kids will actually eat, simple meal prep ideas to help you get a healthy dinner on the table every night, and how to save a ton of time in the kitchen. She also shares ways to break out of meal ruts, feed kids when you have practices and games during dinner time, and why getting your kids in the kitchen can make life easier. 

Welcome

2:08 Let’s talk about your story!

4:07 Back-to-school is right around the corner. What are the most common challenges when it comes to feeding kids this time of year?

5:56 What are some ways we can ensure our kids are getting a healthy breakfast without spending a lot of time in the kitchen?

8:16 How can we prepare and ensure we’re feeding our kids healthy meals and snacks?

9:53 What are your best tips for ensuring lunches are healthy and kids are happy?

12:49 What are some easy ideas for after-school snacks?

17:00 What are your best meal planning tips for dinner?

20:39 What are some of your favorite recipes and meal ideas that are quick and easy?

21:22 How do we get ourselves out of dinner meal ruts?

22:54 What are simple meal prep ideas and tips for saving time in the kitchen?

24:43 With sports often around dinner time, how can families manage meals? 

LINKS MENTIONED IN THE SHOW

Rebecca mentions PlanetBox lunch boxes.

Rebecca talks about having a Cookbook Club.

Learn more about Rebecca on ThatOrganicMom.com.

Follow Rebecca on Instagram and YouTube.

FROM OUR PARTNERS

Kids Cook Real Food eCourse

The Kids Cook Real Food eCourse, created by a mom of 4 and a former elementary school teacher, is designed to build connection, confidence, and creativity in the kitchen. The course includes 30 basic cooking skills, 45 videos including several bonuses, printable supply and grocery shopping lists, and kid-friendly recipes. The course is designed for all kids ages 2 to teen and has three different skill levels. More than 18,000 families have taken the course and The Wall Street Journal named it the #1 cooking class for kids. Sign up now for the Kids Cook Real Food ecourse and get a free lesson for being a “Food Issues” listener.

Thrive Market

Thrive Market is an online membership-based market that has the highest quality, organic, non-GMO, healthy, and sustainable products. From groceries, clean beauty, safe supplements, and non-toxic home products to ethical meat, sustainable seafood, clean wine, and more, Thrive Market is where members save an average of $32 on every order! Through Thrive Gives, every paid membership sponsors a free one for a low-income family. Join Thrive Market today and get 25% off your first order and a free gift.

Prices for food, especially meat, eggs, and fish, are sky-high these days and families are feeling the pinch. Although shopping sales and clipping coupons can definitely help, trying some new plant-based meal ideas can go a long way in helping you to save money, give your kids a nutritional boost, and help you to model healthy eating habits.

In this episode, I sat down with Nicole Centeno, a French Culinary Institute-trained chef, founder, and co-CEO of Splendid Spoon, a meal-delivery platform that offers more than 50 ready-to-eat, plant-based meals. Nicole is also the author of “Soup Cleanse Cookbook: Embrace a Better Body and a Healthier You with the Weekly Soup Plan.”

We talked about the benefits and misconceptions about plant-based eating, how to get started, and how to get more plant-based foods in your kid’s diet. Nicole also shares some of her favorite plant-based meal ideas for kids—including delicious alternatives to hot dogs.

2:03 Let’s talk about your story!

2:43 How did Splendid Spoon come to be?

5:05 Have you always been a plant-based eater?

6:09 What do you think are the most common challenges today for parents when it comes to feeding their kids?

8:02 How can we spend less money on food?

9:56 What are the benefits of plant-based diets?

14:06  What are some misconceptions about plant-based eating?

18:00 What are some ways we can get more plant-based foods in our kids’ meals?

21:25 How do we get started with plant-based eating?

23:05 What are some of your favorite plant-based meal ideas?

24:46 Are there ways to get plant-based foods in at breakfast?

25:56 What about plant-based snacks? 

28:40 What are your best tips for modeling healthy eating habits?

31:16 What is Splendid Spoon and what can new customers expect?

LINKS MENTIONED IN THE SHOW

Julie mentions that the cost of meat, poultry, fish, and eggs increased 14.2% over the last year.

Learn more about Nicole on Splendid Spoon. 

Follow Splendid Spoon on Instagram. 

FROM OUR PARTNERS

Kids Cook Real Food eCourse

The Kids Cook Real Food eCourse, created by a mom of 4 and a former elementary school teacher, is designed to build connection, confidence, and creativity in the kitchen. The course includes 30 basic cooking skills, 45 videos including several bonuses, printable supply and grocery shopping lists, and kid-friendly recipes. The course is designed for all kids ages 2 to teen and has three different skill levels. More than 18,000 families have taken the course and The Wall Street Journal named it the #1 cooking class for kids. Sign up now for the Kids Cook Real Food ecourse and get a free lesson for being a “Food Issues” listener.

Thrive Market

Thrive Market is an online membership-based market that has the highest quality, organic, non-GMO, healthy, and sustainable products. From groceries, clean beauty, safe supplements, and non-toxic home products to ethical meat, sustainable seafood, clean wine, and more, Thrive Market is where members save an average of $32 on every order! Through Thrive Gives, every paid membership sponsors a free one for a low-income family. Join Thrive Market today and get 25% off your first order and a free gift.

We all know “breast is best,” but that doesn’t mean breastfeeding always comes naturally or is easy. Many moms struggle with pain, low milk supply, and other breastfeeding problems and often don’t have the support they need. In this episode, I sat down with Dr. Kathleen Kendall-Tackett, a health psychologist, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, and author of Breastfeeding Doesn’t Need to Suck. She is also the owner and editor-in-chief of Praeclarus Press. 

Kathleen and I talk about the most common breastfeeding problems, why our breasts actually have a storage capacity, why moms quit breastfeeding, and where they can turn for help and support. We also talk about how complex trauma and mental health issues can come into play for breastfeeding moms, why the healthcare system—and society—often fails moms, and what all new moms need to know. 

Welcome

2:03 Let’s talk about your story!

3:30 What is the biggest challenge for breastfeeding moms today? 

9:00 Who should moms see to get help?

12:16 What should moms know about the effects of trauma on pregnancy, labor/delivery, postpartum health, and breastfeeding?

16:05 For moms who are pregnant or thinking about becoming pregnant, should they see a therapist to tease out these issues?

17:13 What is lacking when it comes to healthcare and support after moms give birth?23:26 What are the most common reasons moms quit breastfeeding? 

23:41 How can women determine if they have a low milk supply?

27:28 Does nipple pain always have to do with an incorrect latch?

29:30 Can you talk about research that shows moms who have epidurals are less likely to exclusively breastfeed?

30:14 What are tips for moms dealing with breastfeeding problems?

LINKS MENTIONED IN THE SHOW

Kathleen mentions this article in the journal Clinical Lactation which found that breastfeeding moms get more sleep than moms who supplement with formula. 

Kathleen talks about Dr. Jack Newman. 

Kathleen mentions this 2008 study in JAMA Pediatrics which found that pediatricians are less likely to believe breastfeeding works. 

Kathleen mentions Tina Smillie.

Kathleen mentions Survivor Moms’ Companion. 

Julie mentions the book Mother Hunger, by Kelly McDaniel. 

Purchase a copy of Kathleen’s book, Breastfeeding Doesn’t Need to Suck. 

Learn more about Kathleen on her website.

Follow Kathleen on Facebook and Twitter.

FROM OUR PARTNERS

Kids Cook Real Food eCourse

The Kids Cook Real Food eCourse, created by a mom of 4 and a former elementary school teacher, is designed to build connection, confidence, and creativity in the kitchen. The course includes 30 basic cooking skills, 45 videos including several bonuses, printable supply and grocery shopping lists, and kid-friendly recipes. The course is designed for all kids ages 2 to teen and has three different skill levels. More than 18,000 families have taken the course and The Wall Street Journal named it the #1 cooking class for kids. Sign up now for the Kids Cook Real Food ecourse and get a free lesson for being a “Food Issues” listener.

Thrive Market

Thrive Market is an online membership-based market that has the highest quality, organic, non-GMO, healthy, and sustainable products. From groceries, clean beauty, safe supplements, and non-toxic home products to ethical meat, sustainable seafood, clean wine, and more, Thrive Market is where members save an average of $32 on every order! Through Thrive Gives, every paid membership sponsors a free one for a low-income family. Join Thrive Market today and get 25% off your first order and a free gift.

In the U.S., a whopping 40% of food is wasted, and some of it starts at the grocery store and in our kitchens. We may purchase more than we consume, toss perfectly good food scraps, food that’s past a certain date, or leftovers that no one wants to touch. Although the intention is to eat everything we buy, our kids are picky and we’re super-busy too, so it’s not always realistic. If you want to how to reduce food waste at home, however, it’s not as tough as you may think. 

In this episode, I sat down with Alison Mountford, a chef, speaker, and the founder of Ends+Stems, a meal planning membership that’s designed to help families reduce food waste. Alison also hosts a series of online courses for easier weeknight meals and feeding picky eaters with less stress.

Alison talks about what those dates on packages actually mean, and how to reduce food waste at home by conducting a fun food audit with your kids, meal planning, and using leftovers and food scraps. Plus, with more parties and the holidays right around the corner, she talks about what to do with all the extra food. 

Welcome 

2:04 Let’s talk about your story!

4:21 Why do we waste so much food in the U.S.?

10:56 What about throwing out food when you have babies and young kids? 

13:26 What should we know about “best by,” “use by,” and other dates?

18:14 What are ways that families can reduce food waste at home?

21:29 How can we make meal planning easier?

24:03 What can we do about leftovers? 

26:11 How can we use food scraps?

28:17 How can we use the freezer?

31:17 You say we should eat ugly—what does that mean?

33:29 How can we get kids involved?

36:13 How can you donate cooked food?

LINKS MENTIONED IN THE SHOW

Julie mentions 108 billion pounds of food is wasted in the U.S. each year. 

Learn more about Alison’s course: Chef Alison's Stress-Less Family Meals.

Alison mentions the Olio app.

Learn more about Alison and Ends + Stems on EndsandStems.com

Follow Alison on Instagram and TikTok.

FROM OUR PARTNERS

Kids Cook Real Food eCourse

The Kids Cook Real Food eCourse, created by a mom of 4 and a former elementary school teacher, is designed to build connection, confidence, and creativity in the kitchen. The course includes 30 basic cooking skills, 45 videos including several bonuses, printable supply and grocery shopping lists, and kid-friendly recipes. The course is designed for all kids ages 2 to teen and has three different skill levels. More than 18,000 families have taken the course and The Wall Street Journal named it the #1 cooking class for kids. Sign up now for the Kids Cook Real Food ecourse and get a free lesson for being a “Food Issues” listener.

Thrive Market

Thrive Market is an online membership-based market that has the highest quality, organic, non-GMO, healthy, and sustainable products. From groceries, clean beauty, safe supplements, and non-toxic home products to ethical meat, sustainable seafood, clean wine, and more, Thrive Market is where members save an average of $32 on every order! Through Thrive Gives, every paid membership sponsors a free one for a low-income family. Join Thrive Market today and get 25% off your first order and a free gift.

If you have picky eaters, you’ve probably tried everything to get them to eat their veggies: new recipes, sneaking vegetables into meals, and making their meals into food art. It can be really frustrating, but no matter how picky your kids are, there are ways to encourage them to eat their vegetables without a ton of work and stress. 

In this episode, I sat down with Nikki Dinki, foodie, chef, TV host, comedy writer, and author of More Veggies Please!: Easy Kid-Approved Meals and Family-Friendly Comfort Foods with Surprising Veggie Twists.” As a kid, Nikki Dinki was called “picky Nikki” because she was the pickiest kid around, living off only bread and cheese, even into her young adult years. She found a way to turn it all around and today, she’s helping parents find creative ways to add more veggies into their kids’ meals. 

Nikki talks about her best tips to get kids to eat their veggies, her meat-on-the-side approach, and how she gets healthy meals on the table every night by using her freezer. 

Welcome 

1:52 Let’s talk about your story!

5:38 Do you think kids should be rewarded for eating their vegetables?

10:24 Why do you think it’s so hard for parents today to get their kids to eat healthy?

11:56 What should parents know that can re-assure them about feeding their kids?

16:37 You take a meat-on-the-side approach—explain!

20:43 What are your best tips for getting kids to eat their veggies?

23:21 We’re all so busy. What are your tips and tricks to get healthy meals on the table every day? 

26:25 What are your favorite recipes from your book?

LINKS MENTIONED IN THE SHOW

Julie mentions this recent study that suggests rewarding kids for eating their vegetables is effective. 

Julie mentions Dr. Mark Hyman and his “condi-meat” approach.

Nikki mentions the book, “Modern Freezer Meals," by Ali Rosen.

Purchase Nikki Dinki’s book, "More Veggies Please!"

Learn more about Nikki on her website NikkiDinkiCooking.com

Follow Nikki on Instagram.

FROM OUR PARTNERS

Kids Cook Real Food eCourse

The Kids Cook Real Food eCourse, created by a mom of 4 and a former elementary school teacher, is designed to build connection, confidence, and creativity in the kitchen. The course includes 30 basic cooking skills, 45 videos including several bonuses, printable supply and grocery shopping lists, and kid-friendly recipes. The course is designed for all kids ages 2 to teen and has three different skill levels. More than 18,000 families have taken the course and The Wall Street Journal named it the #1 cooking class for kids. Sign up now for the Kids Cook Real Food ecourse and get a free lesson for being a “Food Issues” listener.

Thrive Market

Thrive Market is an online membership-based market that has the highest quality, organic, non-GMO, healthy, and sustainable products. From groceries, clean beauty, safe supplements, and non-toxic home products to ethical meat, sustainable seafood, clean wine, and more, Thrive Market is where members save an average of $32 on every order! Through Thrive Gives, every paid membership sponsors a free one for a low-income family. Join Thrive Market today and get 25% off your first order and a free gift.

Although we’re all well-meaning parents, oftentimes we fall into a trap of trying to encourage or even coerce our kids to eat. We say things like “just take a bite,” “try it, you might like it,” or “but you ate it last week!” No matter what we say, however, it either doesn’t work or it backfires and we all leave the table feeling totally discouraged. The goods news is that picky eating can be a thing of the past with some simple tweaks to how we approach mealtimes and feeding our kids. 

In this episode, I sat down with Stephanie Meyers, MS, RDN, founder of Families Eating Well, a nutrition practice that trains parents to coach healthy eating habits, and the author of End the Mealtime Meltdown: Using The Table Talk Method to Free Your Family From Daily Food Struggles and Picky Eating. Stephanie is also The Nutrition Manager in The Zakim Center for Integrative Therapies and Healthy Living at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and she presents worldwide seminars on mindful eating, family nutrition, and cancer survivorship.

Stephanie says the way to get our kids out of their picky eating ways is to change how we talk to them about food. She also talks about how to nurture what she calls gastronomic intelligence, and offers simple questions and scripts that you can use with your kids that will help them become more healthy, adventurous, and happy eaters and make mealtimes easier and less stressful for your family.

Stephanie is also giving away a copy of her book. All you have to do is sign up for my FREE 5-day challenge.

Welcome

2:56 Let’s talk about your story!

3:45 How do you deal with picky eating at home? 

5:20 Do you think the things we say to our kids about food come from our own childhoods?

6:06 What does the latest research show about picky eating and feeding kids?

8:17 What are the reasons feeding kids in 2022 is so hard and dinners so stressful?

10:43 What’s important to keep in mind as we’re trying to raise healthy eaters?

15:29 What are the phrases we should be saying and avoiding?

21:47 You say conflict at the dinner table is a normal part of parenting—say what?!

22:57 What is the Table Talk method and what are the benefits?

27:00 What are examples of specific words and scripts?

29:30 What is the difference between gastronomic intelligence and intuitive eating?

30:41 What are the best practices for Table Talk?

LINKS MENTIONED IN THE SHOW

Learn more about Stephanie Meyers, MS RDN on her website FamiliesEatingWell.com

Purchase a copy of her book on End the Mealtime Meltdown.

Follow Stephanie Meyers on Instagram and Facebook. 

FROM OUR PARTNERS

Kids Cook Real Food eCourse

The Kids Cook Real Food eCourse, created by a mom of 4 and a former elementary school teacher, is designed to build connection, confidence, and creativity in the kitchen. The course includes 30 basic cooking skills, 45 videos including several bonuses, printable supply and grocery shopping lists, and kid-friendly recipes. The course is designed for all kids ages 2 to teen and has three different skill levels. More than 18,000 families have taken the course and The Wall Street Journal named it the #1 cooking class for kids. Sign up now for the Kids Cook Real Food ecourse and get a free lesson for being a “Food Issues” listener.

Thrive Market

Thrive Market is an online membership-based market that has the highest quality, organic, non-GMO, healthy, and sustainable products. From groceries, clean beauty, safe supplements, and non-toxic home products to ethical meat, sustainable seafood, clean wine, and more, Thrive Market is where members save an average of $32 on every order! Through Thrive Gives, every paid membership sponsors a free one for a low-income family. Join Thrive Market today and get 25% off your first order and a free gift.

Starting solids is one of the most exciting times for new parents and their babies. There are no shortage of options when it comes to store-bought and organic baby food delivery solutions, yet not all are created equal. Companies often market their products as healthy and call out certain ingredients and superfoods, but many baby food options are actually fruit-heavy, super-sweet, don’t have a ton of vegetables, and lack the balanced nutrition babies need. 

In this episode, I sat down with Katie Thomson, MS, RD, co-founder and CEO of Square Baby, which has been described as the Blue Apron of baby food. Thomson spent her career pioneering nutrition strategy for some of the biggest and most respected brands and was the first nutritionist for Starbucks, working to shape their first health and wellness strategy. 

When her firstborn started solids, and she realized there wasn’t a company providing healthy, balanced, and convenient options, she decided to launch Square Baby, the only baby food that offers 100% daily nutrition customized for babies’ specific dietary needs.

Katie and I talk about organic baby food delivery, and why there’s so much confusion and shame for new moms about what’s best for their babies. 

She shares her incredible journey to launch Square Baby, despite having a major setback, and her steadfast determination and ability to flex which proved key to moving the company forward. She talks about why her company puts nutrition science at the center of every decision, their veggie-forward approach, and focus on palate development and early allergen introduction. Katie also shares her best tips for feeding babies and toddlers and lets us in on her and her children’s favorite Square Baby meals. 

Welcome 

2:47 Let’s talk about your story!

4:18 Have you always been passionate about healthy eating and food?

6:02 What do you think are the most common challenges today for parents who are starting solids with their babies?

7:43 One of the most common questions parents have today is why are food allergies so prevalent? What do they need to know and how can food allergies be prevented?

10:05 Why did you start Square Baby?

12:40 Can feeding your baby too much of the fruit-heavy purees create a preference for sweet in the short term and over time?

14:38 How did you know parents were willing to pay for the service?

17:38 What can customers expect and what makes you different from other organic baby food delivery solutions?

23:04 Let’s talk about your journey to launching the company: what were the steps you took to get it off the ground?

29:49 What were the challenges you encountered in recent years?

32:57 What is the future for the company?

34:09 What is your and your kids’ favorite Square Baby meal?

35:40 What are your favorite tips for feeding babies and toddlers?

LINKS MENTIONED IN THE SHOW

Julie mentions Katie’s interview on season #3 of the “Food Issues” podcast when she talked about sugar in baby food.

Katie mentions that food allergies have increased 50% from 1997-2011.

Katie mentions the LEAP and PETIT and EAT studies about early allergen introduction.

Katie mentions Partnership for a Healthier America’s Veggies Early and Often campaign and white paper. 

Katie mentions Kendall Glynn, MS, CGC, her co-founder and COO, Square Baby.

Learn more about Square Baby on their website. 

Follow Square Baby on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

FROM OUR PARTNERS

Kids Cook Real Food eCourse

The Kids Cook Real Food eCourse, created by a mom of 4 and a former elementary school teacher, is designed to build connection, confidence, and creativity in the kitchen. The course includes 30 basic cooking skills, 45 videos including several bonuses,

School might be out for the summer, but whether your kids are at camp or at home, packing and serving lunch is a task that never stops. If you're feeling bored, uninspired, or frustrated because they won’t eat what you pull together, you need some new, healthy lunch ideas for kids. In this episode, I sat down with Gillian Fein, creator of LaLa Lunchbox, the best-selling meal planning app that empowers kids to have a voice in the age-old question “what’s for lunch?” Gillian and I talk about how she came up with the idea for LaLa Lunchbox, her journey to launch and grow the company, the lessons she learned, and the hard decisions she’s had to make. Gillian also shares why the lunch room at school can be an opportunity for children to express and own what makes them unique, and her best healthy lunch ideas for kids.

Welcome 

2:11 Let’s talk about your story!

7:00 Have you always been passionate about healthy eating and food?

8:36 When you were growing LaLa Lunchbox, how did you know other parents wanted this product?

14:21 What can people expect with LaLa Lunchbox?

16:42 Let’s talk about your journey to launching the company: what were the steps to get it off the ground?

21:10 What were challenges you encountered along the way that actually turned out to be lessons learned?

23:55 What advice do you have for other parents who may want to start this type of business? 

25:04 What is the future for LaLaLunchbox?

26:09 What are your favorite tips for packing healthy school lunches?

27:08 What are your favorite lunchboxes that you post on Instagram?

LINKS MENTIONED IN THE SHOW

Gillian mentions her IG account @teenlunch.

Learn more about LaLaLunchbox on their website. 

Follow LaLaLunchBox on Instagram.

FROM OUR PARTNERS

Kids Cook Real Food eCourse

The Kids Cook Real Food eCourse, created by a mom of 4 and a former elementary school teacher, is designed to build connection, confidence, and creativity in the kitchen. The course includes 30 basic cooking skills, 45 videos including several bonuses, printable supply and grocery shopping lists, and kid-friendly recipes. The course is designed for all kids ages 2 to teen and has three different skill levels. More than 18,000 families have taken the course and The Wall Street Journal named it the #1 cooking class for kids. Sign up now for the Kids Cook Real Food ecourse and get a free lesson for being a “Food Issues” listener.

Thrive Market

Thrive Market is an online membership-based market that has the highest quality, organic, non-GMO, healthy, and sustainable products. From groceries, clean beauty, safe supplements, and non-toxic home products to ethical meat, sustainable seafood, clean wine, and more, Thrive Market is where members save an average of $32 on every order! Through Thrive Gives, every paid membership sponsors a free one for a low-income family. Join Thrive Market today and get 25% off your first order and a free gift.

Seeds aren’t something we often think about feeding babies, toddlers, or big kids, yet in recent years, there’s been a growing interest in them. In fact, U.S. Google searches for chia seeds, in particular, have grown a whopping 800% since 2009. If you're a mom starting your baby on solids, or trying to get more plant-based, healthy options in your kid’s diet, you might have wondered about chia seeds’ benefits and if other seeds are something you should be serving up too. 

In this episode, I sat down with Kim Pabla and Tina Rajani, best friends and co-founders of Tiny Sprouts Foods, the first seed blend—and the only one in the world—designed for babies, toddlers, and children. 

Kim and Tina share the story behind Tiny Sprouts Foods and the ah-ha moment that led them to launch the company on Mother’s Day in the midst of the pandemic. We explore chia seeds’ benefits, the nutritional value of other super seeds, the importance of probiotics in your kid's diet— and the best type—and why seeds are better than fermented foods. They also share how they got the business off the ground, the significant challenges they have faced along the way, the high standards they refuse to compromise on, and what the future holds for Tiny Sprouts Foods. 

Welcome 

3:10 Let’s talk about your story!

5:27 Have you always been passionate about healthy eating and food? 

6:19 What are the most common challenges parents have today when it comes to feeding their kids?

7:31 Gut health and probiotics for kids are topics we’re hearing more about it. What should parents know?

12:36 What are the benefits of seeds vs fermented foods? 

13:31 Plant-based foods like seeds are not foods most parents are feeding their kids. What are the benefits?

18:03 What is the product and what can people expect?

18:31 What was your ah-ha moment—when did you know you needed to bring this product to market?

25:31 Let’s talk about your journey to launch the company: what were the steps you took to get it off the ground?

28:00 What were the challenges you encountered that you were grateful for?

29:46 What advice do you have for other parents who may want to start this type of business? 

32:03 What is the future for the company?

32:37 What are your favorite Tiny Sprouts Foods products?

LINKS MENTIONED IN THE SHOW

Julie mentions her interview with Dr. Michael Goran and Dr. Emily Ventura, co-authors of “Sugarproof.”

Julie mentions Dr. Mark Hyman and functional medicine. 

Julie talks about her interview with Meenal Lele, founder, Lil Mixins.

Kim mentions Proposition 65.

Learn more about Tiny Sprouts Foods on their website. 

Follow Tiny Sprouts Foods on Instagram and Facebook.

FROM OUR PARTNERS

Kids Cook Real Food eCourse

The Kids Cook Real Food eCourse, created by a mom of 4 and a former elementary school teacher, is designed to build connection, confidence, and creativity in the kitchen. The course includes 30 basic cooking skills, 45 videos including several bonuses, printable supply and grocery shopping lists, and kid-friendly recipes. The course is designed for all kids ages 2 to teen and has three different skill levels. More than 18,000 families have taken the course and The Wall Street Journal named it the #1 cooking class for kids. Sign up now for the Kids Cook Real Food ecourse and get a free lesson for being a “Food Issues” listener.

Thrive Market

Thrive Market is an online membership-based market that has the highest quality, organic, non-GMO, healthy, and sustainable products. From groceries, clean beauty, safe supplements, and non-toxic home products to ethical meat, sustainable seafood, clean wine, and more, Thrive Market is where members save an average of $32 on every order! Through Thrive Gives, every paid membership sponsors a free one for a low...

The summer is in full swing and whether your kids will be in camp, you’ll be traveling, or staying close to home, one thing you can count on is that they’ll be asking for plenty of snacks. Although snacks made with organic foods are ideal, they’re not all created equal. Many options may still have pesticides, heavy metals, and toxins, which we definitely don’t want in our kids’ bodies, but figuring out whether a product is clean or not—even if it is organic—isn’t always easy.  

In this episode, I sat down with Colleen Kavanaugh, co-founder, and CEO of ZEGO, the first purity-transparent food company that produces products with superfoods that are tested for over 400 chemicals including glyphosate, heavy metals, common allergens, and gluten.

Colleen initially founded ZEGO because she was looking for healthy, nutritious snacks that weren’t overly processed and safe for kids with food allergies. She decided she would also go on a quest to learn more about the food industry and try to uncover a link between certain foods and autoimmunity and cancer. Later down the line, someone told her about glyphosate, a toxin found in food, and she discovered that companies aren’t required to test for toxins. As a result, her business evolved and she added purity testing and standards. 

Colleen and I talked about why she started ZEGO, the void she’s filling in the marketplace, and some of the challenges she had that turned out to be blessings. She also shares advice for parents who want to start similar businesses and her best tips for getting kids to eat better, even when parents don’t have a lot of time.

Welcome 

2:55 Let’s talk about your story!

6:46 What did you discover about requirements—or lack thereof—for food companies? 

11:32 What should parents know about toxins?

14:02 What does ZEGO offer and what makes you different from your competitors?

18:35 Why did you start the company?

23:11 How did you know other parents wanted these products?

27:03 Let’s talk about your journey to launching the company: what were the steps you took to get it off the ground?

31:01 What were challenges you encountered along the way that turned out to be a learning lesson?

33:43 What advice do you have for mom entrepreneurs who may want to start this type of business?

35:08 What is the future for the company?

37:28 What are your best tips for parents who want their kids to eat better, but don’t have the time? 

LINKS MENTIONED IN THE SHOW

Colleen mentions Proposition 65.

Colleen talks about Dr. David Lustig and Jonathan Shambroom, her co-founder.

Colleen mentions Indiegogo, Astia Angels, One World, and WBENC.

Learn more about ZEGO on their website.

Follow ZEGO on Instagram and Facebook.

FROM OUR PARTNERS

Kids Cook Real Food eCourse

The Kids Cook Real Food eCourse, created by a mom of 4 and a former elementary school teacher, is designed to build connection, confidence, and creativity in the kitchen. The course includes 30 basic cooking skills, 45 videos including several bonuses, printable supply and grocery shopping lists, and kid-friendly recipes. The course is designed for all kids ages 2 to teen and has three different skill levels. More than 18,000 families have taken the course and The Wall Street Journal named it the #1 cooking class for kids. Sign up now for the Kids Cook Real Food ecourse and get a free lesson for being a “Food Issues” listener.

Thrive Market

Thrive Market is an online membership-based market that has the highest quality, organic, non-GMO, healthy, and sustainable products. From groceries, clean beauty, safe supplements, and non-toxic home products to ethical meat, sustainable seafood, clean wine, and more, Thrive Market is where members save an average of $32 on every order! Through Thrive Gives,