Introduction

Hello! My name is Melissa, and I am a stay-at-home-mom to three young kids. I am also a Registered Dietitian. Before I had children, I thought it would be easy to serve healthy foods to my family. I would think, “I love veggies, so my kids will love them, too!” Oh, how naïve I was!

The reality is that feeding healthy food to my kids has proven to be a daily challenge. My four-year-old, Lila, is a picky eater who decides whether she likes a food (or more often dislikes it) on sight. My two-year-old, Deacon, is a little more adventurous but would prefer to have doughnuts, cookies, and Goldfish crackers to anything I cook. My littlest guy, 10-month-old Ned, is just starting to transition from purees to table food.

I don't claim to serve the most perfect meals and snacks. But along the way I have learned some tricks that allow me to increase the fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein in their diets, while sticking to a pretty tight budget. I've been happy to borrow ideas from others; this blog is a way that I can share some tips with you.