A recent study reviewed 114 Instagram posts labelled “balanced meals” — and only three were truly balanced. In upcoming episodes, we sit down with Ms. Hala Tajrine, a Clinical Dietitian who was trained in Canada and now works with families in Dubai through clinics and school wellbeing programs.

We unpack the myths parents still believe, the truth about lunchboxes, protein fiasco, gut health, sugar, sports fueling, picky eating, emotional eating, and the everyday habits that shape a child’s long-term health.

She also opens up about managing health of children as a working mother, and why she chose to lend her voice to the Chef-a-Doodle mission.

Hala brings a rare blend of science, compassion, and real-life parenting wisdom - the perfect guide for every family trying to navigate nutrition today.

• Why most “balanced” meals online aren’t actually balanced
• The biggest nutrition belief parents still get wrong
• Protein: the truth
• One lunchbox change that improves mood, focus, and energy
• Three foods to limit + three foods kids need more of
• Sugar psychology: give now or crave later?
• Supplements, electrolytes, gummies, and powders — what actually matters
• One area where science has changed but parents haven’t caught up
• Early signs of low protein or iron
• Cultural food habits: strengths and gaps
• Her personal journey into dietetics
• Sports nutrition: hydration, electrolytes, under-fueling
• Gut health: what truly builds a strong microbiome
• How to build a ‘buffer’ for birthday treats & playdate snacks
• Emotional eating vs real hunger
• Moderation without restriction (study reference included)
• Sleep, rhythm, and daily routines for better focus and calm
• Four essential family behaviors
• Rapid-fire myth busting with your community poll
• Label decoding: cereal, multigrain bread, juice boxes, and more

• “Only 3 of 114 Instagram meals labelled balanced were actually balanced.”
• “Children don’t need perfect diets - they need balanced diets.”
• "Our house should not be a supermarket."
• "Night at the museum: that's what's happening in children's brains when they sleep."

𝐅𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐮𝐬

https://www.instagram.com/chef_a_doodle/

https://open.spotify.com/show/0VKELn3Au5CN6FPxw1X3ph?si=plwwTjPcRoiu1zaKxv2gAA

https://podcasts.apple.com/ae/podcast/inside-the-bite-nutrition-science-made-simple/id1839937278

𝐇𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐬
https://www.linkedin.com/in/meghamittal/ https://www.instagram.com/mm.7gen/

Guest
Hala Tajrine | LinkedIn

Community
https://chat.whatsapp.com/Cz4uX5eKVbTCGh0aozersY

Inside the Bite — How Emotions Hide in Food (Even for Athletes!)

In this series of Inside the Bite, host Megha Mittal sits down with elite athletes Paolo and Barbara to uncover the hidden pressures behind raising focused, motivated, and emotionally strong kids in today’s high-performance world.

Forget the highlight reels — this conversation dives into what really shapes a child’s mindset, body, and resilience.

From sleepless nights before tournaments to nutrition myths parents still believe, they unpack how discipline, emotional intelligence, and joy must coexist if we want to raise champions who thrive — not just perform.

With practical wisdom, personal stories, and hard truths, this episode challenges modern parenting, sports culture, and how we define success.

In this biteworthy episode: How emotions hide in food, even for athletes!

• Instagram — @chef_a_doodle
• Spotify — Inside the Bite
• Apple Podcasts — Inside the Bite

• LinkedIn — Megha Mittal
• Instagram — @mm.7gen

• WhatsApp Group — Join the Conversation

In this series of Inside the Bite, host Megha Mittal sits down with elite athletes

Paolo and Barbara to uncover the hidden pressures behind raising focused,

motivated, and emotionally strong kids in today’s high-performance world.

Forget the highlight reels — this conversation dives into what really shapes a child’s mindset, body, and resilience.

From sleepless nights before tournaments to nutrition myths parents still believe, they unpack how

discipline, emotional intelligence, and joy must coexist if we

want to raise champions who thrive — not just perform.

With practical wisdom, personal stories, and hard truths, this episode challenges modern parenting, sports culture,

and how we define success.

In this biteworthy episode: Balanced nutrition for young athletes.

Follow Us

• Instagram — @chef_a_doodle




• Spotify — Inside the Bite




• Apple Podcasts — Inside the Bite

Host Socials

• LinkedIn — Megha Mittal




• Instagram — @mm.7gen

Join our Community

• WhatsApp Group — Join the Conversation

In this series of Inside the Bite, host Megha Mittal sits down with elite athletes Paolo and Barbara to uncover the hidden pressures behind raising focused, motivated, and emotionally strong kids in today’s high-performance world.

Forget the highlight reels — this conversation dives into what really shapes a child’s mindset, body, and resilience.

From sleepless nights before tournaments to nutrition myths parents still believe, they unpack how discipline, emotional intelligence, and joy must coexist if we want to raise champions who thrive — not just perform.

With practical wisdom, personal stories, and hard truths, this episode challenges modern parenting, sports culture, and how we define success.

In this biteworthy episode: Emotional intelligence is the new superpower in parenting.

• Instagram — @chef_a_doodle
• Spotify — Inside the Bite
• Apple Podcasts — Inside the Bite

• LinkedIn — Megha Mittal
• Instagram — @mm.7gen

• WhatsApp Group — Join the Conversation

In this series of Inside the Bite, host Megha Mittal sits down with elite athletes

Paolo and Barbara to uncover the hidden pressures behind raising focused,

motivated, and emotionally strong kids in today’s high-performance world.

Forget the highlight reels — this conversation dives into what really shapes a child’s mindset, body, and resilience.

From sleepless nights before tournaments to nutrition myths parents still believe, they unpack how

discipline, emotional intelligence, and joy must coexist if we

want to raise champions who thrive — not just perform.

With practical wisdom, personal stories, and hard truths, this episode challenges modern parenting, sports culture,

and how we define success.

In this biteworthy episode: Tactical strategies to balance sports, school, and extracurricular life.

Follow Us

• Instagram — @chef_a_doodle




• Spotify — Inside the Bite




• Apple Podcasts — Inside the Bite

Host Socials

• LinkedIn — Megha Mittal




• Instagram — @mm.7gen

Join our Community

• WhatsApp Group — Join the Conversation

Inside the Bite — Real Talk on Focus, Stress & Food

In this series of Inside the Bite, host Megha Mittal sits down with elite athletes Paolo and Barbara to uncover the hidden pressures behind raising focused, motivated, and emotionally strong kids in today’s high-performance world.

Forget the highlight reels — this conversation dives into what really shapes a child’s mindset, body, and resilience.

From sleepless nights before tournaments to nutrition myths parents still believe, they unpack how discipline, emotional intelligence, and joy must coexist if we want to raise champions who thrive — not just perform.

With practical wisdom, personal stories, and hard truths, this episode challenges modern parenting, sports culture, and how we define success.

In this biteworthy episode: How stress differs from anxiety

• Instagram — @chef_a_doodle
• Spotify — Inside the Bite
• Apple Podcasts — Inside the Bite

• LinkedIn — Megha Mittal
• Instagram — @mm.7gen

• Join our WhatsApp group

In this series of 𝑰𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝒊𝒕𝒆, host Megha Mittal sits down with elite athletes Paolo and Barbara to uncover the ℎ𝑖𝑑𝑑𝑒𝑛 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒𝑠 behind raising focused, motivated, and emotionally strong kids in today’s high-performance world.

Forget the highlight reels - this conversation dives into what really shapes a child’s mindset, body, and resilience.

From sleepless nights before tournaments to nutrition myths parents still believe, they unpack how discipline, emotional intelligence, and joy must coexist if we want to raise champions who thrive - not just perform.

With practical wisdom, personal stories, and hard truths, this episode challenges modern parenting, sports culture, and how we define success.

In this 𝐛𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐲 episode: Focus isn’t natural - it’s a 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒 𝑚𝑢𝑠𝑐𝑙𝑒.

𝐅𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐮𝐬

https://www.instagram.com/chef_a_doodle/https://open.spotify.com/show/0VKELn3Au5CN6FPxw1X3ph?si=plwwTjPcRoiu1zaKxv2gAA https://podcasts.apple.com/ae/podcast/inside-the-bite-nutrition-science-made-simple/id1839937278

𝐇𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐬

https://www.linkedin.com/in/meghamittal/https://www.instagram.com/mm.7gen/

𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲https://chat.whatsapp.com/Cz4uX5eKVbTCGh0aozersY

In this episode of Inside the Bite, host Megha Mittal sits down with elite athletes Paolo and Barbara to uncover the hidden pressures behind raising focused, motivated, and emotionally strong kids in today’s high-performance world.

Forget the highlight reels — this conversation dives into what really shapes a child’s mindset, body, and resilience. From sleepless nights before tournaments to nutrition myths parents still believe, they unpack how discipline, emotional intelligence, and joy must coexist if we want to raise champions who thrive — not just perform.

With practical wisdom, personal stories, and hard truths, this episode challenges modern parenting, sports culture, and how we define success.

• Focus isn’t natural — it’s a trainable muscle.
• Sleep is the ultimate performance enhancer.
• Nutrition isn’t one-size-fits-all — get expert guidance early.
• Discipline creates consistency.
• Stress and burnout often start at home, not on the field.
• Emotional intelligence is the new superpower in parenting.
• Journaling builds mental resilience and self-awareness.
• Sports are not just about winning — they’re a rehearsal for life.

• 00:00 – Welcome to Inside the Bite
• 00:59 – Introducing the Guests: Paolo and Barbara
• 03:02 – Focus and Motivation in Kids
• 06:07 – The Importance of Sleep for Young Athletes
• 07:49 – Nutrition for Young Athletes
• 10:54 – Healthy Snacks and Hydration
• 13:01 – Listening to Your Body and Cues
• 15:01 – Managing Pressure and Stress in Sports
• 17:50 – Role Modeling and Emotional Intelligence
• 20:33 – Meditation and Breath Work for Stress Management
• 23:17 – Understanding Stress vs. Anxiety
• 26:39 – The Role of Journaling in Emotional Reflection
• 29:33 – The Importance of Routine and Discipline
• 32:33 – Emotional Connections with Food
• 35:59 – Sports as a School of Life

• Instagram — @chef_a_doodle
• Spotify — Inside the Bite
• Apple Podcasts — Inside the Bite

• LinkedIn — Megha Mittal
• Instagram — @mm.7gen

• WhatsApp Group — Join the Conversation

Inside the Bite is for parents and children to learn the basics of nutrition. Our mission at Chef-a-Doodle is to keep Science first. And bring the real knowledge to families globally.

We created Inside the Bite to meet the overwhelming ask of families to learn the real truth about Nutrition.

Forget the fad diets and food fear!

In this episode, we break down macro-micro nutrients, and carbs in plain language. You’ll learn why carbs aren’t the bad guy, how tiny nutrients pack a huge punch, and what really fuels your brain and body. Simple science, real talk, no guilt.