31 min
How to Make Mealtime Fun for the Whole Family with Stefani Sassos, MS, RDN, CSO, CDN Registered Dietitian Nutritionist for the Good Housekeeping Institute The Produce Moms Podcast
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- Health & Fitness
“Family mealtimes are more important than ever right now to create unity in the family, to be connected, and have an opportunity for meaningful communication at the end of the day.”
Stefani Sassos (9:00)
Stefani Sassos, MS, RDN, CSO, CDN is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist for the Good Housekeeping Institute. She has been involved in everything from clinical work, work as a fitness instructor, private practice, and is also Board Certified in Oncology as a Nutrition Specialist.
As the head of the Nutritional Lab for Goodhousekeeping institute, Stefani gets to be involved in the testing of all sorts of new fitness equipment and products.
We probably don’t even need to tell you this, but, the realm of fitness, wellness, and nutrition is full of misinformation. Trends and fads slide in and out of the public eye, each one touting incredible results.
Goodhousekeeping is committed to thoroughly testing anything before it gets a seal of approval, and their seal of approval is backed by a warranty. They understand that just because something is trendy doesn’t mean that it is legitimate or a quality product.
Stefani joined us in a conversation this week to talk about the benefits of family mealtime, how to make mealtime fun for your kids, and the incredible work Good Housekeeping is doing in their Wellness and Nutrition labs.
The Benefits of Family Mealtime
For many of us, the recent pandemic has brought us back to the dinner table. Schedules are cleared, and everyone is home. This new shift in family ritual can come with some major positive long-term effects for your children.
Studies have shown that something as simple as regular family dinners have major benefits for your children
Better self esteem Better academic performance Lower rates of drug and alcohol use Healthier eating habits More fresh produce consumption less sugar Healthier body weight Lower likelihood of develop disordered eating habits Lower risk of depression
Important Principles to Teach Your Children
In the midst of the trends and fads foods are on an ever oscillating list of “good” or “bad” foods. Both villainizing food, and treating it as a best friend can lead to negative long term consequences for your children.
“It always comes back to increasing consumption of produce in volume and variety” - Lori Taylor. (3:00)
Instead of assigning moral value to food, help children understand that food is for nourishment. Encourage them to eat fruits and vegetables by modeling this behavior! It’s important for them to see YOU eating nourishing foods.
Make it Fun!
Make dinner prep a family affair! Assign different tasks to different children and work together to prepare something new (or something you all love). Fruit or Veggie of the Week. Let your child pick out the “fruit or veggie of the week.” Walk through the produce section and allow your child to pick one item that catches their eye. You may find your new favorite fruit! (Or take the Produce Challenge!)
Create Your Own “Episode” of Chopped. The challenge is simple, your family has to create a meal by scavenging the fridge and using only the ingredients you have on hand. See how creative you can get! Stay Hydrated! Ok, this tip may not fall within the “fun” category, but it is crucial. Pushing hydration is the number one thing you can do for yourself and your family. When you are hydrated you feel better and your make better choices with your food and nutrition.
Whether you adventure into new territory with a starfruit or kohlrabi, or stick to the tried and true, make it a point to make fruits and vegetables something your kids want to eat, instead of something they have to eat.
The Wellness Lab
Good Housekeeping Institute houses seven different testing spaces, including the Wellness Lab.
Wellness is a buzzword that has grow
“Family mealtimes are more important than ever right now to create unity in the family, to be connected, and have an opportunity for meaningful communication at the end of the day.”
Stefani Sassos (9:00)
Stefani Sassos, MS, RDN, CSO, CDN is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist for the Good Housekeeping Institute. She has been involved in everything from clinical work, work as a fitness instructor, private practice, and is also Board Certified in Oncology as a Nutrition Specialist.
As the head of the Nutritional Lab for Goodhousekeeping institute, Stefani gets to be involved in the testing of all sorts of new fitness equipment and products.
We probably don’t even need to tell you this, but, the realm of fitness, wellness, and nutrition is full of misinformation. Trends and fads slide in and out of the public eye, each one touting incredible results.
Goodhousekeeping is committed to thoroughly testing anything before it gets a seal of approval, and their seal of approval is backed by a warranty. They understand that just because something is trendy doesn’t mean that it is legitimate or a quality product.
Stefani joined us in a conversation this week to talk about the benefits of family mealtime, how to make mealtime fun for your kids, and the incredible work Good Housekeeping is doing in their Wellness and Nutrition labs.
The Benefits of Family Mealtime
For many of us, the recent pandemic has brought us back to the dinner table. Schedules are cleared, and everyone is home. This new shift in family ritual can come with some major positive long-term effects for your children.
Studies have shown that something as simple as regular family dinners have major benefits for your children
Better self esteem Better academic performance Lower rates of drug and alcohol use Healthier eating habits More fresh produce consumption less sugar Healthier body weight Lower likelihood of develop disordered eating habits Lower risk of depression
Important Principles to Teach Your Children
In the midst of the trends and fads foods are on an ever oscillating list of “good” or “bad” foods. Both villainizing food, and treating it as a best friend can lead to negative long term consequences for your children.
“It always comes back to increasing consumption of produce in volume and variety” - Lori Taylor. (3:00)
Instead of assigning moral value to food, help children understand that food is for nourishment. Encourage them to eat fruits and vegetables by modeling this behavior! It’s important for them to see YOU eating nourishing foods.
Make it Fun!
Make dinner prep a family affair! Assign different tasks to different children and work together to prepare something new (or something you all love). Fruit or Veggie of the Week. Let your child pick out the “fruit or veggie of the week.” Walk through the produce section and allow your child to pick one item that catches their eye. You may find your new favorite fruit! (Or take the Produce Challenge!)
Create Your Own “Episode” of Chopped. The challenge is simple, your family has to create a meal by scavenging the fridge and using only the ingredients you have on hand. See how creative you can get! Stay Hydrated! Ok, this tip may not fall within the “fun” category, but it is crucial. Pushing hydration is the number one thing you can do for yourself and your family. When you are hydrated you feel better and your make better choices with your food and nutrition.
Whether you adventure into new territory with a starfruit or kohlrabi, or stick to the tried and true, make it a point to make fruits and vegetables something your kids want to eat, instead of something they have to eat.
The Wellness Lab
Good Housekeeping Institute houses seven different testing spaces, including the Wellness Lab.
Wellness is a buzzword that has grow
31 min