Making Family Meals Less Stressful with Ashley Smith, MPH, RD, LD

In today's episode, Ashley Smith, RD from Veggies and Virtue, is sharing practical and encouraging tips to help take the stress out of family meals. She offers resources and strategies to empower both kids and parents to overcome the challenges of picky eating and mealtime drama.

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Questions answered in this episode…

How did you decide to specialize in pediatric nutrition?

What are some of the most common challenges you see in working with families? 

What is the division of responsibility and how does that apply to feeding our kids?

It seems so common for meal times to be chaotic and a source of stress with young children, especially when they are of age to express their opinions. One of my absolute favorite things that I’ve learned from you over the past couple of years is your Love It, Like It, Learn It method for preparing a child’s plate. Can you share what that is and how it helps to alleviate a lot of this mealtime stress?

Another tip that I learned from you is how you set up your snack drawer/snack availability for your kids. Can you share more about that?

What are a few other helpful tips that you use to make mealtimes less stressful, especially with kids who really like to eat the same things all the time or maybe are hesitant to try new foods?

What advice would you give to the mom listening who is really concerned about their kid’s nutrient intake or how they are/aren’t eating?

You have a ton of resources on your website - both free downloads and a store - and you just recently just started a podcast as well. Tell us a little bit about that as well as what people can find on your site. 

Resources mentioned in this episode: Veggie and Virtue Combination Cards; The Veggies and Virtue Podcast

Find more from Ashley here.

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My Simple Method for Meal Planning

Hi friends! In today’s episode, we are talking about meal planning. There are many different methods and ways to meal plan, so this is not necessarily a “how-to” or a list of things you “should” do, this is just me sharing how I do things in this current season of life that I am in. I’ve had other podcast episodes about meal planning - tips for meal planning, the importance of it, etc., and even since recording those episodes, things in my life have changed and I don’t do things exactly the way that I did then. That’s just normal and a part of life. Everyone has to learn how to shift how they do things based on the season that they’re in. So today I’m sharing what is currently working for me and I hope that it gives you new inspiration or ideas, as well as give you permission to meal plan in a way that best serves you. 

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A little something you may or may not know about me, depending on how long you’ve been around the podcast, is that I am an Enneagram 9w1. (If you don’t know what that is it’s a personality test that I often reference because I think it’s super helpful.) So, that basically means my mind is a complicated, sometimes contradictory place. So I love all things organizing, order, planning, ideas, and future, but I don’t always love executing said plans, and I’m not very good at motivating myself to carry out a plan that I’m not “feeling” in the moment. I also don’t like chaos or feeling stressed about what we’re having for dinner, regretting an impulse choice, etc. (like I said, it’s complicated). So, as you can imagine, meal planning is extremely important, for me. I have tried many times to go without some kind of meal plan in place for the week and it always turns out badly. I most often end up stressed, and really frustrated with myself for not just taking the time to have a plan in place, get groceries, and get ahead of things rather than feeling like I’m constantly playing catch-up or regretting my choices. You may have a totally different personality and be absolutely fine to just go with the flow and not really need a plan in place, but that is most certainly not me. Also, from my experience working with clients, it seems that most people do better with some kind of plan in place, especially if they’re trying to be intentional about what they are eating.

There isn’t one certain way that is “right” when it comes to planning meals for yourself or your family, and there are tons of different methods that are great! Depending on your personality, the season of life you’re in, and your schedule, you may find some methods more helpful than others. I encourage you to be open to trying new ways of doing things, as well as willing to change methods of meal planning if what you have been doing is no longer serving you. 

For example, I have previously used methods where I meal plan and grocery shop two weeks at a time, or even a month at a time, but in my current season of life, I do not have the mental capacity or time to devote to doing that. Currently, I only plan meals about a week at a time, and instead of using a particular system or journal like I did before, I simply use my notes app on my phone. 

As I said in the title, my current method is super simple: 

• I start by looking at my calendar to see how many meals we will be able to eat at home that week.

• Then, I plan any themes/special things that we have going on. For example, we try to stick to something taco-ish on Tuesdays and we always do pizza Fridays - sometimes out at a restaurant and sometimes at home. 

• Next, I look for inspiration for recipes. I’m not a person who enjoys eating the same things over and over, so I’m often looking for a new recipe, something we haven’t had in a while, or a new spin on something we love. I mostly use Pinterest and a couple of my favorite Instagram accounts (Real Food Dieticians, Shawna from A Little Less Toxic, my own recipe highlights) to choose new recipes. 

• Once I’ve assigned meals to certain days (very loosely), then I add any needed ingredients to my grocery list (which I keep in the same document in my notes app) and add any items that I can to my online grocery order.  

• Currently, I’ve been getting the majority of my groceries through Kroger’s online pick-up or through Thrive Market.  On occasion, if I have time and mental capacity, I’ll go to Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods for meat and specialty type items but that’s pretty rare these days. 

The key here is to do what works for you in the season that you’re in.

I have a couple of free resources that may be helpful for you: The Foods that Heal Guide is a list of my favorite nourishing and nutrient-dense foods to keep your fridge and pantry stocked for easy meal prep; and the Easy, Healthy Eats recipe e-book has a few of my go-to recipes with ideas for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Prioritizing Your Health as a Nurse with Chrissy Williams

Hey friends! In this week’s episode, I get to interview one of my very best friends, Chrissy Williams. She shares her perspective of learning to prioritize her health while working as a Labor and Delivery nurse for the past nine years! Listen to the full episode below!

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A few of the questions from this episode:

When we think of healthcare, we often just assume that our providers don’t struggle with the same health struggles that we do, but in reality, our doctors and nurses face a lot of the same obstacles we do, and due to their schedules, maybe even more with burn out, etc. Can you share a little about the common obstacles you and your coworkers have experienced? 

What are some of the ways you have been able to work around or overcome these obstacles? 

What advice would you give to a nurse that may be listening? Especially a brand new nurse just getting started in their career and wants to make sure they keep their health a priority? 

019 - Planning Ahead for Healthy Holidays

Hi friends! Today we are talking all about planning ahead for the holidays. Thanksgiving is only two weeks away and most of us are making plans with friends and family - and while the holidays are such a fun time of year, they can also bring some challenges and stress.  Especially if you have been making progress working toward a health goal or if you’re trying to manage a health challenge, the holidays and all delicious but less-than-healthy foods that come with them can feel daunting, BUT it doesn’t have to feel that way! In this episode, I want to share a few ways that we can plan and prepare ahead to reduce some of that stress and keep us in the holiday spirit!

Make a Plan for Your Food

• Choose which holiday foods are your absolute favorite and be sure to eat/make those just the way you like them, then you can either choose to skip or upgrade the other less-than-healthy foods that you care less about. For example, if the stuffing and mashed potatoes are your absolute favorite parts of the meal, then make sure to eat those! But if you could take or leave the green bean casserole, then skip it or try making a healthier version using all whole, natural ingredients. Try using healthier sweeteners in your cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie, if you are doing a lot of the cooking. 

• Drink water with your holiday meal! If the drinks are your favorite part, then plan to drink plenty of water before and after to help give your digestive system a little extra support. 

• Don’t take leftovers or only take enough for one day. It’s easy to take tons of leftovers home to snack on for the next several days, but it’s best if you can keep it to just enough for one. Most of the time our bodies will do just fine to process and digest all the extra rich, yummy holiday foods, but when we eat them every meal for several days, it will usually catch up with us and leave us feeling pretty bloated and lethargic. 

• Be sure to get some basic meal prep done for the rest of your week. This will help to ensure you are still getting plenty of nutrients and balanced meals into your week. It’s also common to just feel tired from all the festivities and you may not feel much like cooking for the next few days, so having prepped nutritious meals will keep you from going to the drive-thru. 

• If you’re hosting or making several dishes, do a holiday meal prep. Several dishes like mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, and even your pies can be made several days (and even a couple of weeks) ahead. This will not only save time the day-of but will reduce so much stress from trying to cook a lot of things at one time! (Check out my friend Lindsey Loope’s story highlight to see how she is doing her holiday meal prep!)

• Remember that this is just one day - so enjoy it and allow your kids to enjoy it - and then get right back into your normal way of eating! Again, when you choose to live a healthy lifestyle, that just becomes your normal way of life. There is no wagon, so you don’t have to worry about falling off or ruining any kind of progress you’ve made. Even some of these foods that don’t necessarily nourish our bodies well can be very nourishing to our souls - so just take a deep breath and relax!

Make a Plan for Your Exercise

• Go for a walk or run your local Turkey Trot together as a family! There are so many fun ways to be active as a family and what a great way to start your day together!

• If it’s not possible for you to exercise on the actual holiday, plan your workout for the other days of that week. Even if you will be traveling and away from home, you can plan to go for a walk or jog in a near-by park or do a quick bodyweight circuit where you are staying. Yall know that I love Nourish, Move, Love’s Youtube workouts and those can go with you anywhere you go!

• Ask a friend to workout with you or to keep you accountable to your plan. Like I mentioned before, it’s so easy to get a little lethargic and lazy during a holiday week, so go ahead and plan that you will need a little extra motivation and accountability to keep you on track. Remember that moving your body will help boost your mood and keep your digestive system working well!

Make a Plan to Manage Your Stress

• Choose something you will do or a specific time that you will do something that renews you and fills you back up. We all know that the holidays are busy and you can feel like you are on the go all the time, so planning some time to decompress will be even more important than usual. 

• Set specific expectations with friends and family- and for yourself! Personally, a lot of my stress around the holidays comes from setting expectations that are just too high. Expecting that everything is going to go perfectly according to my plan for the day, and it will only be filled with sweet, memory-making moments isn’t realistic and will only lead me to stress myself and those around me by trying to make it happen.

• Shift your focus for the day to others! The best way to reduce stress and remove unrealistic expectations for the day is to take the focus off of yourself or your plan for the day. Instead of focusing on making everything perfect - perfect food, perfect memories or pictures, perfect environment - focus on the people you will be spending the day with and having meaningful conversations with them. Focus on being thankful for another year together. Focus on being thankful for the gift of life, health, and a good, good Father that loves you unconditionally. Holidays are fun, but the meaning behind them is what really counts. 

I hope some of these ideas help you as you make plans for the upcoming holidays and I sincerely hope that you choose to enjoy this wonderful season.

010 - How I Meal Plan for My Family

Hi friends! Today we are going to be talking all about meal planning and specifically how I meal plan. There is no one way or “right” way to do meal planning or grocery shopping, but this is a topic that I am asked about a lot and I think it can seem overwhelming if you’ve never done it before. So, I’m going to share with you my process and what I have found best to work for me at this stage in our lives. Just remember that if this isn’t the best method for your life, that’s okay! We can still all learn from each other’s tips and methods.

So let’s just get real for a minute before we jump into the details...

Sometimes the idea of having to sit down and meal plan feels like a pain - there are days I just straight up don’t want to do it -  but do you know what is more of a pain than taking the time to meal plan? The stress of trying to decide what is for dinner every evening right around 4-5 pm, which also happens to be when my toddler seems to have the most meltdowns; or going way over budget at the grocery store, and then getting to come home and tell my husband that I spent the entire month’s grocery budget in this one trip because I didn’t go in with a plan. The truth is that this is something that I have learned from experience! I have found my life to be so much easier if I just make the decision and commit myself to make a meal plan for our family.  

Now like I said, there is no ONE way to meal plan, but I think there are a couple of universal tips that I think can be helpful for anyone no matter what method you use:

• Get organized! 

Set a specific time every week or two to devote to planning your meals. Make it a fun thing if you need to - a coffee date by yourself! Yes, please!

• Have a flexible plan!

  One of the most frustrating parts of meal planning can be when you set this really beautifully laid out plan and then something happens and throws the whole thing out the door! Most likely your week will not go exactly as you planned it but you are still going to benefit from working off of a plan rather than completely winging it.

My Meal Planning Process

When I’m making our meal plan, the first thing I do is sit down with a pen, paper, and my calendar (yes, I like to physically write it out - but that’s just me). I plan our meals two weeks at a time - so I list out the dates for the next two weeks and make a note of any nights that we won’t be home or we know that we will be eating out. I also make a note if there is a night that maybe only one of us will be home for dinner or a date night for us, which would mean that I will only need to make dinner for our daughter. This lets me know exactly how many dinners I will need to plan. 

Next, I usually go to my Pinterest boards or scan through a few of my favorite cookbooks as well as any recipes I’ve saved on my phone that I wanted to try out (I love to just take a screenshot of recipes or meal ideas I come across online). While there are usually a few staple meals that we have every two weeks, I like to change things up and not eat the same things all the time. 

I have a few criteria that I look for when I’m looking for new meal ideas for our family:

• Is it something that will be nourishing for us?

• Are the main ingredients something that both my husband and I like? 

• Is it too complicated or does it have too many ingredients?

• Can I get it on the table in less than 30 minutes? If not, can parts of the meal be prepped ahead?

So I encourage you to think through what your criteria may be - especially if you’re not familiar with trying new recipes or cooking at home a lot. You don’t want to choose a bunch of recipes that will overwhelm or frustrate you! As you cook more, you will get more adventurous!

Once I’ve chosen my meals for those two weeks, I will go through and note any ingredients I will need to buy and get started on my grocery list. 

My Grocery List 

I like to organize my grocery list by the way the store is laid out. It just helps my brain not to feel too overwhelmed and helps me to not be as likely to forget things. I add all the ingredients I need for my chosen meals, plus any staples items we may need for breakfasts or snacks. 

There are several different methods of buying groceries. Some people prefer to go into the store and shop themselves and some choose to order their groceries online and either pick them up or have them delivered. 

Last week I asked in my Insta Stories for some of your tips for buying healthy meals and staying in budget, and you guys had great ideas! A few of the ideas were things like shopping at multiple grocery stores - which is something I also personally do; stocking up on whatever organic meat is on sale that week and cutting and freezing it for future meals - which is such a smart idea; sticking to your meal plan and only going to the store one per week or two (if you shop bi-weekly) - this is a great tip because I’m not sure if you’ve noticed but every time you need to stop at the store for one little thing, you always walk about with 5-6 little things because they were on sale or because it was a new product; someone else mentioned going in with some other people on a CSA or maybe a cow-share, which can be a little expensive on the front-end but really save you some money over time, plus it gives you a chance to get to know the farm where you are getting your food from, which is pretty cool!

So you just need to decide which method is best for you, whether you want the convenience of buying everything from one store or if you are trying to be more budget-conscious, shopping in multiple stores!  You are the expert on your family! 

Personally, having a plan and walking into the store with a list not only helps me to feel more organized but it also helps me stay on budget (well.. mostly 😏), minimize food waste and just gives me the assurance of knowing that I’m feeding my family healthy, nourishing meals. That’s an invaluable benefit to me! 

I have designed a freebie Meal Planning Guide for you that covers everything I’ve talked about today but also includes a downloadable blank template for you to use to make your own meal plan and grocery list! The guide also includes a link to my exact meal plan and grocery list from two weeks ago! I know sometimes it’s just fun to see what meals other people make and what they buy at the store, so I’ve included that as a little bonus!

I hope this guide will give you a little inspiration and encourage you to make the process of meal planning work for your family! 

Don’t forget that you can always follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for more helpful tips for healthy meals and meal planning! If you feel like you need more personalized support I also offer a specific Meal Planning and Prepping Coaching Call! It’s a 75-min virtual session where we work on your specific obstacles with meal planning and prepping your meals ahead of time. 

I hope you enjoy the rest of your week and I’ll see you next time!