I’m not perfect. I don’t always serve perfectly balanced meals or say the right thing to my kids about food. As I research and write Fearless Feeding, a book that will help prevent feeding mistakes, I can’t help but think of the one’s I’ve made.

I get emails from readers who feel it’s too late or that they are the only ones who made a particular error in feeding. So this post is for those of you who find yourselves, from time to time, feeling discouraged. You’re certainly not alone.

1. Not having meals established, pre-kids: When Big A was born I had a handful of meals I’d make for my husband and myself — and they weren’t very exciting. I really started learning to cook when she started eating and realized my mistake one day while picking at her tasty mushroom, spinach and feta omelet.

I was putting this beautiful girl’s nutrition and well being before my own. Why didn’t I take more time to plan and cook before she arrived? Yes, I still ate healthfully, but it would’ve helped to have family meals established so she could partake when she started finger foods. I didn’t get that ritual down until she was almost two.

2. Needlessly serving sweetened yogurt: Big A ate lots of plain yogurt when she was a baby. I remember seeing Yo Baby everywhere and finally decided to try it. She loved it so much that she refused the plain yogurt the next time I served it. Oops!

Note to self: if kids like the plain version, there is no need to buy flavored anything. Little D never got those flavored yogurts and he still loves his plain old yogurt.

3. Not increasing variety during the second year: When Big A was little, I knew picky eating was typical at toddler age, but I didn’t understand that I needed to take advantage of her openness. While she got a decent variety, I could have stepped it up, rotating different sandwiches and meals (like I said, family meals didn’t start until she was two).

I don’t think this would have prevented her selectiveness, which is a part of normal development, but she may have had a few more items she would eat when things got rough (around 3).

4. Straying from the Division of Responsibility in Feeding (DOR): While 99% of the time I follow DOR, I have strayed a few times. I see this as a good thing because the negative reaction I’ve received reminds me how important it is to give children free choice, in terms of what and how much they eat.

I don’t think we should be afraid to try different things though. One mom left a comment, saying how well small tastings worked with her sensory-challenged son, while another mom had a child with “meal-time dread” due to frequent gagging for having to try everything. What matters most when it comes to pressure is it’s not just what you do, but how your child perceives it.

5. Recipe mistakes: I laughed (out loud) when a reader wrote the following comment about recipe mistakes: “I know I should really read the whole recipe first, but I have a bad habit of reading the ingredients and first few steps… then discovering too late that there are more steps than I expected. (Wait… REFRIGERATE OVER NIGHT? Guess we’ll have dessert tomorrow.)”

I could fill a book with stories like this one. I’ve gotten better, but recipe mistakes still happen, especially going to the store for that missing ingredient only to come home without it!

I think we could all stand to be kinder to ourselves when it comes to parenting mishaps, including feeding. When we assume everyone else is perfect, or has it easy, it keeps us down. But when we realize everyone has challenges, it gives us strength to tackle whatever problems we face (which for me is getting decent meals on the table while finishing the book!).

So what mistakes have you made, and how have you dealt with them?

Only two more weeks until Jill and I turn in Fearless Feeding! I posted this over two years ago when Big A was just three. Having a strategy for the toddler/preschool age has really paid off. Now I’m gearing up for the next stage — the school-age years.

My daughter and I went to her friend’s 3rd birthday party. When it was time to sing happy birthday, the kids swarmed to the table full of cupcakes. When a bigger-than-average girl asked her dad for another cupcake, he said “no, one is enough.” The girl kept pleading until she was in full meltdown mode.

Around that same time my daughter asked me for another cupcake, when all she had eaten of the first was the frosting. The mom voice in me wanted to say “you didn’t even eat the cake part, no way!” But because of all I know, I said “sure.” She took one lick and announced to me that she was “all done.”

As we were leaving, I could hear the girl still asking her dad for another cupcake while my daughter had already forgotten about them.

The question every parent needs to ask themselves is the way they feed their child (now) effective in the long run? Let’s examine a few examples and see…

1. Being too strict with sweet foods: I understand why the father did what he did. He’s worried about his daughter’s weight and was limiting sweets as a result. But while his daughter might have had only one cupcake at the party (win for Dad), she was left obsessing about the sweet treat.

According to a 2007 review study published in the Journal of Public Health, parents often use restriction to help their overweight children even though research shows it backfires and is associated with further weight gain.

Now the answer is not to give your child sweets anytime they want them, but to create an environment where these items are not the focus. Check out my managing sweets series for helpful tips.

2. Making children eat “this” before they can eat “that:” My daughter has cereal with fruit for breakfast a few times a week. Lately she’s been eating most of the cereal and little of the fruit. When she’s done with the cereal and asks for more my mom voice tells me to say “not until you take a few bites of your fruit.” If I did that she would eat the fruit and it would make me feel better.

But what does this feeding strategy do over the long run? Which food becomes more desirable to kids – the fruit (or vegetable in other cases) or the cereal? Studies show that asking children to eat a certain food, in order to eat what they really want, makes them less likely to eat the healthy food when left to their own devices.

Instead of worrying about meal performance, provide fruits and vegetables at most eating occasions so children have plenty of opportunties to eat — and enjoy — them.

3. Having them take a few more bites before leaving the table: Dinner is my daughter’s – and most likely other toddlers’ – worst meal of the day. When my daughter barely touches her dinner, my mom voice tells me to say “take a few more bites.” And when its really being pushy it adds, “and if you don’t there will be no after-dinner TV.” No doubt this strategy would help get her to eat a little more at dinner time.

But over the long run something else may happen. Instead of listening to her body, she’d learn to focus on external cues to decide when she’s done. I know a lot of parents don’t consider weight a problem for their picky eaters, but disordered eating patterns and weight issues are very common in adults. Teaching children to listen to their internal cues of eating, is vital for their future health.

So I ignore the mom voice (again), and look my daughter in the eye and ask her if she’s sure she’s done. I ask her if her tummy is full – reminding her to check in with herself. Some kids get distracted at meals and need to be reminded of the task at hand.

Of course, other strategies like serving fruits and vegetables first and making sure kids’ afternoon snack isn’t close to dinnertime can help a great deal.

But as parents, we need to ask ourselves if our way of feeding, today, will help or hurt our children’s relationship with food over the long haul. So if you don’t have a feeding strategy, maybe it’s time to get one. For independent-minded toddlers, the division of responsibility works well. My picky eating series can also help.

Fearless Feeding will help you devise a strategy for each stage of development, because challenges change right along with children.

Do you feel like you have an effective feeding strategy for the stage you are in? And if not, what do you need help with?

References:

Clark HR, Goyder E, Bissell P, Blank L, Peters J. How do parents’ child-feeding behavior influence child weight? Implications for childhood obesity policy. J Public Health. 2007. June;29(2):132-41.

Tanofsky-Kraff M, Haynos AF, Kottler LA, Yanovski SZ, Yanovski JA. Laboratory-based studies of eating among children and adolescents. Curr Nutr Food Sci. 2007;3(1):55-74.

I lived in Los Angeles when Big A was born and all my friends weren’t moms yet. I didn’t realize how much I’d need other moms until I became one. I still joke with my friends how I used to try and pick up moms in coffee shops. I’d slyly ask “How old is your baby?” hoping to make a connection.

Eventually I joined a mom’s group and got the support I needed but it was rough in the beginning. So with Mother’s Day this Sunday, I wanted to write about how moms need other moms by highlighting some of the special moms in my life.

Same-age kids moms: No matter what stage of motherhood you are in, it helps to be friends with moms with kids the same age as yours. Whether it’s the early days when everything baby does worries or excites you or later when things aren’t so clear, we all need mom in our lives who understand the stage we are in.

I’m lucky to have joined a mom’s group in L.A. when I really needed it — and then found one in San Diego when we moved here when Big A was 13 months. A lifesaver for sure!

Role-Model Moms: We all need moms who have been there and can remind us that this stage too shall pass. I have two older sisters who had kids before me. I feel fortunate that they are not only a source of advice but two of my closest friends. Below is a picture of us at my wedding in 2004.

I also have my writing partner, Jill Castle, who has taught me so much about parenting older kids (especially when it comes to feeding). She is the mom of four and I’m amazed everyday how she handles her very full life!

Moms and Mother-in laws: I didn’t realize how often I would want to talk to my mom — whether it was a question or to share something funny one of my kids did. She loves my kids with all her heart and her unconditional love has always been an inspiration. She’s also the techie grandma who always has the latest gadgets (one of Little D’s first words was “pad” for IPAD)

And I’m blessed with not just one, but two mothers-in-law. My husband’s mom (Nonnie) is always there when I need her (and five minutes away) and she never second-guesses me. My husband’s step-mom (Granny) makes everything more fun and takes care of dinner on Sundays.

Can’t-be-with Moms (and Grandmas): Right before I got pregnant with Big A, I visited my grandmother, aunt and cousin in Serbia. My heart longs for them and its sad they can’t be closer. I know some of you have lost mothers and grandmothers, or may not have them close, making Mother’s Day bittersweet. But the memories help. Below is a picture from my amazing trip.

Long-time friend moms: I love getting on the phone with mom friends who knew me BK (before kids). You have the old friend connection layered in with new mom one as well. My best friend Rochelle is due with her second any day and it’s fun to see her experience life as a mom (us being silly in the picture below BK and BM!).

And old friends don’t have to be moms — it’s fun to hang out and feel like the old me again like I recently did with my longtime friend Marisa.

Cooking/Organizing/You Name It Mama’s: Every mom has a talent — something they are naturally good at. My friend Holly is an awesome cook and I’m always picking her brain. She turned me onto homemade granola bars and an awesome salmon rub. My friend Michelle is a great organizer and I always closely examine her house, amazed how there is no clutter.

There are the mom food blogs that make cooking look so easy, and inspire my own cooking, like Meal Makeover Moms, The Scramble, Simple Bites, Weekly Bite, and My Kitchen Handbook to name a few.

Feeding Moms: I hope I can be one of the moms that help you with feeding. My goal all along has been to provide you with research-based guidance so you can make the best decisions for your family.

One of the nicest compliments I’ve received from a reader was ” [the information on your site] has made such a difference. My son is a good eater. We don’t stress over his eating at meals because I feel like we have tools to handle any situation.”

Instead of a source of stress, I want feeding to be enjoyable for every mom, which is what Fearless Feeding is all about. I believe with the right information, support and commitment, we can all find our feeding groove. And a little self compassion doesn’t hurt either (Check my latest WebMD post — another Mother’s Day tribute).

So enjoy Sunday. You deserve a day not to think about breakfast, snacks and what’s for dinner.

Happy Mother’s Day!

This is a guest post from Katie Sullivan Morford, MS, RD of Mom’s Kitchen Handbook. Check out her blog for more tasty (and healthy) family-friendly meals and don’t forget to like her on Facebook.

The slow cooker is a lifesaver on the family dinner front: Put food in crock pot. Set timer. Serve.

It’s that easy. Unless, of course, you find yourself with a recipe that demands a lot of prep before it’s even time to start the crock pot. Spending twenty minutes caramelizing an onion or searing a pork tenderloin before the food even makes it into the slow cooker makes it more complicated than I’d like. Sure, these steps help to infuse flavor into the food, but when it comes to crock pot cooking, I want it to be quick.

This Balsamic and Tomato Slow Cooker Chicken is just that. The only advance prep is a couple of minutes of peeling and chopping. Everything goes straight into the pot, the switch gets flipped to “on,” and you can go about your business until dinner is done.

The result is a super flavorful, savory dish with fork-tender chicken that’s delicious over a swirl of spaghetti or other favorite grain. It also makes a dynamite leftover along with crusty bread for soaking up all those tasty juices.

Balsamic and Tomato Slow Cooker Chicken

Serves 4 to 6

-1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
-Salt and pepper to taste
-1 large red onion, very thinly sliced
-4 whole cloves garlic, peeled
-1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
-1 26-ounce box chopped tomatoes (such as the POMI brand)
-1/2 teaspoon dried, chopped rosemary
-1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
-1 teaspoon dried basil
-1 teaspoon dried oregano
-1 bunch swiss chard, stems removed, roughly chopped

1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides.

2. Put onion, garlic, balsamic vinegar, tomatoes, rosemary, thyme, basil, and oregano into the crock pot and stir well.

3. Nestle the chicken pieces into the tomatoes. Turn crock pot to high.

4. Cook until the chicken is very tender, about 4 hours.

5. Add chard to the pot and stir so that it is covered with liquid. Cook 15 20 minutes longer until the chard is tender.

6. Serve over cooked whole grain spaghetti, brown rice, or farro.

Note: feel free to substitute kale, spinach, or other dark leafy green and adjust cooking time accordingly

Awhile back I posted on my Facebook page about freezing bread heels to make bread crumbs — a tip I read in Real Simple. Well, the time had come for me to use the heels I had accumulated. What was I waiting for?

Some recipes call for “fresh” bread crumbs vs. dried/toasted, so make sure you check what is needed for your recipe. I like more crunchy bread crumbs so I knew I wanted to toast mine first.

I took the heels out out of the freezer and let them defrost. When they were ready, I preheated the oven to 300 and pulled out a cookie sheet. I put them in for about 30 minutes (as little as 10-15 minutes will work too), turning them half way through, until they became nice and hard.

Once they cooled off, I cut them into small pieces and pulsed them in the food processor until they were the consistency I wanted.

Who knew making bread crumbs was so easy? Of course, you can season them as you like. Use in any dish that calls for bread crumbs such as meat loaf and homemade chicken nuggets. Who out there is already doing this?

I’ll leave you with some awesome meal ideas from Cooking Light:

40 meals under 40 minutes

Comfort foods made healthy

I haven’t been posting recipes and meal plans because I’m saving it all for Fearless Feeding. Jill and I are in the process of testing recipes/meal ideas while we are in the homestretch. Over a month to go until we turn in the manuscript!!

So I wanted to take some time to get some feedback about what irks you when it comes to recipes and cookbooks. This is your time to vent! But let me go first…

I get most of my recipes online but use some of my favorite cookbooks from time to time. I’m not a foodie or someone has been cooking since I was a kid (or young adult), so I often find recipes touted as “easy” don’t always have the simple cook in mind. I like simple meal ideas that find tasty ways to include nutritious foods. If I can make something with fewer ingredients, I prefer to do so, even though I have a few complicated dishes.

I make less recipe mistakes these days because I’m getting better at choosing meals that mesh with my cooking style and family’s food preferences. I also feel comfortable adapting those recipes so they work better for me.

So what drives you crazy about recipes and cookbooks? What type of meal ideas are you looking for? Do you feel like you’re getting what you need?

News on the home front
Big A, who is 5 and a half, had one week where she added three new foods. Those of you with cautious eaters know that is a big deal. She ate her first real portion of fish (trout) and even said “delicious.” In the same week she also started digging my homemade granola bars and will now eat turkey meatballs. When I’m preparing something in the kitchen and place a bite or two on a plate to try — she now tries it!

The other day we were at a party and she was playing. I asked if she wanted me to make her plate or if she wanted to go with me and she said, “I’ll eat whatever they have.” I could tell she was more confident instead of asking if everything would taste the same.

I can really see the benefits of having been followed the Division of Responsibility. I know it can be hard for parents to not pressure when they see their young child refusing healthy fare. And there’s nothing wrong trying different (positive) strategies to encourage tastings. But knowing your child’s personality and how they perceive your actions is key. Research shows that while parents say they don’t pressure or force their kids to eat, the kids see it differently. And that’s all that matters.

I know many parents believe their children will not push themselves along food acceptance unless they do something. And in certain kids with feeding issues, professional help may be needed to get there. But normally developing kids will and I’m going to tell you why.

Enjoyment first
An interesting research study was published in this month’s Appetite on this very topic. It showed that eating enjoyment and picky eating were inversely, related meaning kids who enjoy eating were the least picky. Now you could say that less picky eaters get less static at the table so that’s why they enjoy food while those receiving pressure had less food enjoyment. But nonetheless, enjoyment was a key factor.

This reminds me of Little D who was (and still is but is doing better) behind in speech development. I got out the books with the pictures and tried to push him to name things. He always hated it and refused — making me push more until I finally gave up. When we finally saw the speech therapist she said to simply follow his interests. When he goes to a toy, name it. He is more likely to learn more if he’s genuinely interested in something than if it feels forced.

So, yes, parents usually start pressuring at the table when a kid is a less than enthusiastic eater. But research shows this is almost always counterproductive. Kids need to enjoy the act of eating even if it doesn’t meet our expectations. If we stay the course with balanced meals and not catering they will get there. Some will just take longer than others.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments (especially about meal ideas!)

I wrote this essay over 4 years ago chronicling my difficulty breastfeeding Big A — and what I learned in the process. During this time there just happened to be government-sponsored TV ads geared toward getting more women to breastfeed. While Fearless Feeding will not cover breastfeeding, it helps prepare parents for all the potential pitfalls that can happen during the 18 years of feeding. While we hope parents won’t experience too many feeding challenges, we know preparation is power!

“My boobs would have to fall off for me not to breastfeed,” I wrote to a friend, thanking her for buying me a nursing pillow. During my first pregnancy I watched, with a touch of arrogance, the government-sponsored TV ads promoting breastfeeding.

These ads showed a pregnant woman riding a mechanical bull with the voice over: “You wouldn’t take this kind of risk with your baby so then why would you take the risk of not breastfeeding.” I thought to myself, I certainly won’t.

Yet after my beautiful baby girl was born, breastfeeding proved to be the most challenging aspect of motherhood. That’s because every three hours I had a hungry baby who couldn’t always latch on my breasts, caused me intense pain and managed to make my nipples unrecognizable. Each nurse had a different opinion on how to remedy my situation. One urged me to use a nipple shield. The lactation consultant at the hospital, who visited me daily, said nipple shields slow down milk production. Another nurse already had me pumping milk and feeding my daughter through a bottle.

Looking back now the hospital seemed like a joy ride compared to my experiences at home. After my baby had trouble latching on my breasts her first night home from the hospital, I arranged to meet with a lactation consultant. This was just the beginning of what seemed to be a never-ending battle. Just when one problem was solved another reared its ugly head. I discovered that my daughter was inefficient at removing milk which is why even after hour-long nursing sessions she still wasn’t gaining enough weight.

One of the pediatricians in my daughter’s medical group recommended I supplement with formula. I had already started pumping milk and told her I preferred to supplement my baby with expressed-breast milk. I was surprised when she tried to talk me out of pumping. She said it would tire me out and feeding formula would allow me to sleep longer at night. But I did my homework. I knew that adequate removal of milk is what stimulates more milk production and my baby wasn’t removing enough. So, in my eyes, I had to be vigilant about pumping breast milk.

The lactation consultant supported my decision to pump and put me on a pretty strict schedule. First, I would breastfeed my baby. Second, I’d supplement her with a bottle of expressed-breast milk. And third, I’d hook myself up to a breast pump for 10-15-minutes. There was a direct link between my mood and how well each nursing session went. And just when I thought we were over the hump, at seven weeks, my daughter totally refused to breastfeed. Disappointment doesn’t even come close to describe my emotional state.

My mind wondered back to those government ads and anger soon replaced my previous arrogance. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 74 percent of women attempt breastfeeding in the hospital but by six months only 41 percent are still breastfeeding. I began to sympathize with all those women who couldn’t make it to six months.

Then I thought about my own situation. After all, I felt as prepared as anyone to breastfeed. I read books, took classes and had the fancy nursing pillow. But did I have a realistic picture of what it would be like? I only learned what could go right and not what could go wrong. Every brochure and book tells you, “breastfeeding shouldn’t hurt if you’re doing it right.” “It’s rare that a woman can’t breastfeed.” This advice, which comforted me when I was pregnant, became utterly useless to me after I had a baby.

What I needed to know was what circumstances could come between me and my desire to breastfeed. I needed to know how inefficient newborns can be at breastfeeding. I needed to know what to do if my baby did not gain enough weight. I needed to know that my baby could prefer the bottle weeks after breastfeeding. I needed to know that even doctors and nurses can sabotage my efforts. I needed to know how important establishing a plentiful milk supply is those first few weeks. And, yes, I needed to know that it hurts.

But instead, new moms like me get guilt-ridden messages and the “breast is best” tag line. Wouldn’t our tax dollars be better spent finding ways to break down the barriers that keep women from continuing to breastfeed?

My baby is over a year old now and I’m proud to say she received breast milk for 11 months. After getting the biggest rejection of my life, I relied on the breast pump to keep my milk supply up and nourish my baby. I kept trying to nurse my daughter and it wasn’t until she was between four and five months old that she really started catching on.

Throughout this process I’ve learned more than I ever thought I would about breastfeeding, milk supply and pumping milk. And despite my difficulties I’m still pro breastfeeding. In fact, I can’t wait to make it work the second time. But the next time I will handle things differently. Most importantly, I will be prepared for all that can happen between deciding to breastfeed and my boobs falling off.

“Just tell him we aren’t selling ice cream today,” the nice lady at my son’s preschool said to me, watching him meltdown when I said we weren’t buying the ice cream they sell. He didn’t understand that we buy it on Fridays, but not on Monday.

That’s not the first time someone has told me to lie to my child about food. When my daughter was my son’s age, just about 3, my husband would start lying “we don’t have any.” And I’d interrupt with “yes we have ice cream, we can’t have some now but how about tomorrow night?”

I don’t fear sweets or any of the other not-so nutritious foods out there and I’m certainly not going to start fibbing to my children to avoid the meltdown. Quite the contrary, I want to teach my child to coexist with these foods without going ballistic. But I know a secret many parents don’t know. And I want to share it with you.

Why the lying?
One of the reasons people lie to kids about food is that they are afraid they will beg for it or can’t handle knowing that it is around. Yes, by telling the truth you do have to know what your answer will be when they ask for it. But they need to start learning, sooner or later, that it is okay for that food (whatever it is) to be around and for them not to eat it.

The best way to get around this one is to let them know they will get it again fairly soon. If you come through and provide their favorites with some sort of regularity, and let them enjoy it, the times they do ask for it and you respond with a “not now”, they can deal with the answer.

Let kids truly enjoy all foods
Right now Little D loves ketchup and when we have it, that is all he will eat. Lately my husband has asked me to stop serving it (mostly because of the mess). But we only have it once every week or two and Little D eats a good variety overall. I encourage him to dip his food in the ketchup, like roasted potatoes, but he just looks at me while taking his hand and spooning up the red mess.

When Big A was around 3, she always wanted fries when we went out to eat. She would eat them so fast — it was like she had a fry deficiency. I was a little worried but I didn’t serve them at home so I figured once every couple of weeks was okay. I didn’t lie and say fries weren’t on the menu or only keep her to a few bites. The fries were there for her to enjoy — and enjoy she did.

She also used to eat Tiger milk bars at my mom’s house once a week. I’d hear her ask for the bar right as I was leaving. Most times she’d say “Mom, are you leaving yet?” so she could get to eating her bar.

Children will tire of foods
My husband recently told me that I’ve gotten really good at making it so that our children are the ones saying they are done instead of us having to tell them: “okay, you’ve had enough.” What most parents don’t realize is that children will tire of foods, even their favorites. It may take a while but over time they will move on from the bread, sweets, fries, or rice all on their own. It’s like a favorite toy they eventually just stop playing with. They may still like it a lot, but the fever in which they eat it slows. For example, Big A is no longer crazy about fries and doesn’t touch bars at my mom’s house anymore.

But what if I stopped going to places that served fries or demanded my mom remove the bars? If children are constantly stopped or controlled when eating, they are left wanting. I’m not saying you should allow them eat their favorite item nonstop either, but don’t be afraid to give it to them in a frequency that makes nutritional sense and allow them to enjoy it as they see fit (feeding them at the table helps them stay mindful).

You might be surprised to learn that treatment for binge eating disorder is not portion control or elimination of sugar, but exposure to the trigger foods. According to a 2011 study published in Eating Disorders, mindfulness-based eating which involves controlling responses to varying emotional states, making conscious food choices, developing an awareness of hunger and satiety cues and cultivating self-acceptance decreases binge episodes and improves self-control with eating

I believe a key component of moderation is knowing you can eat something to satisfaction, being mindful while eating and losing the judgment (it’s bad for me, I shouldn’t, I’m bad for eating this). When you allow kids to satisfy their curiosity when it comes to food, and stay neutral in how you respond, they learn how to live in a food-centric world without going hog wild.

And the best part is you don’t have to ever lie about food again.

Has letting your child enjoy all food (the way they want) been hard for you? Want to keep the conversation going? Join our Fearless Feeding community.

I never realized how important storing food was until after I had kids. Whether it’s prepping fruits and veggies for later or freezing leftovers, it’s become an important part of meal preparation in our house.

According to a survey from Ziploc, a majority of families are looking for more ways to incorporate fresh ingredients into their meals. That is why Rachael Ray has teamed up with Ziploc to give favorite foods a “freshness makeover” with the Great American FreshOver project.

I’m always looking out for my readers and feel the FreshOver project provides needed resources along with chances to win cash and free products. The folks at Ziploc have offered to give one lucky winner a generous prize pack (see below).

By entering this giveaway, and liking Ziploc on Facebook, you also get a free downloadable Recipe Guide from Rachael Ray and the chance to win cash prizes and a trip to New York to meet Rachael Ray!

The giveaway prize includes a cooking wok, utensils, Ziploc Perfect Portions (new), Ziploc VersaGlass and assorted other products in a Baggu bag (a $130.00 value!):

More about the Ziploc products:

Ziploc Perfect Portions is a new Ziploc bag that is great for bulk food items, such as meat and poultry. These ultra-light bags take the mess out of portioning foods and offer freezer burn protection. See Rachael Ray Demo for tips on how to use them.

Ziploc VersaGlass containers are dishwasher-safe and are made from tempered glass, so you can use them to store food in the fridge or freezer, heat up food and even serve on the dining room table.

Here’s how to enter the giveaway (To double your chances go over to Just the Right Byte as Jill is giving it away too!):

1) Mandatory entry: Like Ziploc on Facebook (you get all the free stuff that way) and leave a comment saying that you did. If you already like Ziploc, just leave a comment telling us that along with why you want to win.

2) For an additional entry, like Fearless Feeding on Facebook. If you already like us, tell at least one friend. Leave another comment saying what you did.

3) For a third entry, tweet, pin or share this post on Facebook.

This giveaway will end in on Monday April 16th at 12pm. Good luck!

I’m sure that by now you’ve heard of the Weight Watchers article in the April edition of Vogue where a mom puts her 7-year-old on a strict diet – and landed a book deal for her effort! Reading this article not only saddened me but reminded me how much “feeding education” there is to do. I posted the 5 things I want that mom (and Vogue readers) to know about children and dieting over at Web MD’s Real Life Nutrition. Don’t miss it!

Cooking Light: I’m partnering with Cooking Light to bring great recipes and healthy meal ideas to you. I love their philosophy and how they maximize nutrition and flavor. I plan to post links twice a month and they are going to feature Raise Healthy Eaters on their site. My weekly meal plans will be back in June when I’m finished writing Fearless Feeding. Here is the latest from Cooking Light:

Strawberries: From salsa to strawberry shortcake, find 14 ways to enjoy this irresistible fruit this season.

Asparagus Recipes: Don’t miss out on all the ways to enjoy one of spring’s brightest stars.

Artichoke Recipes: From creamy dips to tasty pasta dishes, find some of our favorite recipes for globe and baby artichokes.

Don’t miss Easter and Passover meal planning ideas! Happy Spring!

News Update: Because I’ve been so busy writing, I’m a bit behind on the latest nutrition news. Yonni Freedhoff, an obesity doctor and longtime blogger, does a great job boiling down the news reports about claims that all red meat is bad and that chocolate is good for weight. He cuts to the “meat” and moves beyond the media hype.

In other news, Janet Helm discusses the new meat labeling requirements that have taken effect, including the requirement of nutrition labels on ground meat and posted nutrition info for other products.

Well, that’s it for now. I have a great giveaway planned soon so stay tuned!