Maryann Jacobsen's Blog, page 7

The Word That Will Transform Your Family’s Eating

In the book Eat, Pray, Love, Elizabeth Gilbert travels across the globe to find herself. She sets out to discover the “word” that best describes what she stands for in life.

Each country she visits symbolizes an important aspect of life. Italy, her first stop, is all about enjoying food. You could say the Italian “word” for eating is “pleasure” and she joins right in, deciding she is “done with the guilt” when it comes to her favorite pastime.

Today we’re talking about your family’s unspoken “w...

Spring Dinner Rotation 2019

I accidentally skipped posting my winter dinner rotation. Oops! But here I am for spring. We had a colder than usual winter so I’m eager to get making some simple dishes so we can get out and enjoy the weather.

Tuesdays are pasta days. They are easy and every other week I’m out driving during dinner time for a kid-related activity. “It’s make-your-own,” different sauce every week, roasted veggies, salad and maybe a protein. That is, except one week of slow cooker veggie lasagna. This one-pot c...

The Feeding Mistake Parents Don’t Even Know They Are Making

“I’ve got the best eater!” a new mom gloats.  I don’t even have to ask how old the child is as I know he’s under two and a brand new eater.

“My kid is so picky, I can’t get him to eat X.” When I hear this, I also don’t have to ask the age as I’m pretty certain the child’s somewhere between 2 and 6.

“I can’t believe my Jake is trading lunches — he used to be such a good eater.” Of course, this is the school-aged kid and the challenge of outside influences.

By the time the independent teen years c...

5 Barriers Keeping Your Adolescent From Healthy Independence

You make a meal and your adolescent begins to complain. You ask him to help the next time you meal plan and he goes straight into how he doesn’t have time for that.

In other words, he wants more say but isn’t willing to do the work.

Independence is one of the essential tasks of adolescence. Yet in the real world, it can seem impossible to get kids to step in the responsibility department. I understand how frustrating it can all be. But I’ve come to the conclusion that it simply means is it’s ti...

Easy Homemade Granola [Recipe]

For my birthday last year, a friend of mine made me granola. It came nicely packed in a jar along with the recipe. At first, I wasn’t sure I loved it but by the time I worked my way through the jar, I was hooked. So I started making it and haven’t stopped since.

I love granola on top of my oatmeal. It adds the perfect sweetness and crunch along with other items like nuts, dried fruit, and blueberries (when in season). Granola also makes the perfect snack and a nice topping on yogurt or smoothi...

The Telltale Signs You’re in Perimenopause

I was driving on the freeway when an intense rush of fear consumed me. I thought, “Do I pull over?” Luckily, a friend in the front seat started talking and it distracted me. Soon enough the fear dissipated (she never even knew).

Following the car episode, I experienced times of increased heart rate, palpitations, and tightness when swallowing. These symptoms were familiar but it had been over 20 years since I experienced them!

I got help, made some changes, and the symptoms eased. But I soon di...

The Annoying Visitor That’s Always Welcome in Our House

It was my husband’s birthday and we had family over to celebrate. My kids got into a heated argument and everyone was staring, concerned about the chaos. This was not ideal timing, to say the least, but I sat and talked to both of them until there was a resolution.

It’s taken a while but I no longer try to keep this annoying visitor of crazy feelings away. Because I realize humans need to get their feelings out and learn how to manage them. And it’s my job to help my kids do it in a way that’s...

What The Science Says About Organic Produce

Buying organic produce is very popular, but it’s also costly. While it’s assumed that organic is better it’s simply good practice to see what the science says. Because not everyone can afford organic and sometimes well, you might just want to go conventional.

So let’s take a gander at what the science says about organic produce:

Is it more nutritious?

Overall, any nutrient differences in organic versus conventional are small. According to a 2017 review, organic fruits and vegetables trend tow...

Getting Real About Feeding Kids with Sally Kuzemchak [Podcast]

Feeding advice is everywhere. Eat together. Check. Expose children to nutritious foods. Check. Live happily ever after.

No way!

Here’s what no one talks about. Feeding kids is not always fun or easy. And not all kids respond the same way to the same strategies. There is a need to get real about expectations and what it really feels like to feed a family. Not a make-believe family but a real one.

On episode 25 of the Healthy Family Podcast, we have on Sally Kuzemchak. She is a registered dieti...

Why Time For Me is Nonnegotiable at Midlife

I was having a stressful week and was pushing harder to get things done. I found myself working some at night and setting the alarm before 5.

On day three (Wednesday), I found myself feeling scattered considering pushing even harder the next day. But this time I caught myself. I decided to take Thursday morning completely off. I let myself sleep longer, did an extra-long meditation, organized my to-do’s, and met a friend for coffee.

And you know what? I came back seeing my stress clearly with...