Ending Food Feuds

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There are three words guaranteed to stir a mother’s emotions (and not necessarily in a good way) every time they are uttered: “What’s for dinner?”

June Cleaver made it look easy, but in the real world the planning and prep is overwhelming—and the reception can be downright discouraging. Many of us have at least one picky eater in the house, or someone starting on solids (or who likes to fling solids). At the table, we punish them, we bribe them and we entertain them just to get our kids to eat what we serve. All the while, that little nag inside our heads reminds us that we aren’t encouraging good eating habits and that our kids probably aren’t getting all of the nutrients they need. Lucky for us, we found Vitamin K.

Vitamin K doesn’t come in a pill or a liquid. This Vitamin K comes in the form of a dynamic and creative dietician, Kristen Yarker-Edgar, who specializes in helping families eat well without the fuss. Kristen launched her business after working for the BC Ministry of Health to formulate our province’s nutritional guidelines for pregnant and breastfeeding women, infants and young children. She is now bringing her expertise into our homes to help with a host of food issues, such as tricky taste buds, introducing solids and mind games at mealtime. This ‘Picky-Eater Whisperer’ starts at the scene of the crime, your kitchen table, and quickly analyzes your family’s eating habits. She then assesses each member’s nutrition needs and collaboratively develops step-by-step strategies to get all of your family eating right…all without the stress that comes with force-feeding broccoli. 

Kristen has several savvy services that set her apart, like her weekly menu planning. Once a week, her clients receive a meal plan, complete with grocery lists and recipes. These customized plans are truly specific to your family, right down to nitty-gritty details like noting that junior won’t eat coconut and incorporating what is on sale at your grocery store that week. She also builds time and pot savers into the plan, so that Monday’s extra potatoes appear in Tuesday’s stew. Ideal for the uber busy, the shopping list and recipes are complete, ready to be handed off to helpers. Kristen also offers kitchen makeovers, so that you will have what you need to make healthy eating a reality. She recommends how to stock your fridge, freezer and cupboards and gives you a list of cooking equipment that you need. (Rest assured, Kristen is a minimalist.) Last but not least, Kristen offers local grocery store and market tours to teach you how to make better choices.

With a little help from Vitamin K, you can turn those dreaded three words into the magical ones: “Thank you, Mommy.” But we’ll also settle for “More, please!”

P.S. Your family can get a head start on healthier eating with a win/win donation of your Halloween candy to the Candy Bagging Teams at the Agape Street Ministry. They hand out more than 35,000 “Bags of Hope” to kids in need in Vancouver’s Lower East Side each year and can use the candy that your kids don’t need.

Tested by Sheila C., North Vancouver