Food For Kids

FFK95: What do teenagers need to eat? With Jo Scott

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 07:00:00 +0100

On today’s episode we are going to be focusing on food for teenagers, with dietitian Jo Scott.

We all have a general idea that when kids reach puberty and through their teens their eating might change, we know they will probably eat a lot more, they might be more independent and bolshy about their food choices, they might eat more socially and they might worry about their appearance and fitting in more and this might lead to them making different food choices.

But how do we know what they need as they go through this incredibly demanding time and how do we help them sift through all the misinformation on social media and find a good relationship with food for the future as they get ready to look after themselves?

Joanne is a paediatric dietitian with over 13 years of experience. She works in one of the largest children’s hospitals in UK and also has a busy private clinic. Outside of this she is a mother to 2 children and so understands first hand the complexities and practicalities of feeding a child. Although she works with lots of age groups, she posts primarily about teenage nutrition online, as she feels this area can be overlooked.

Links in this episode:

Jo's practice website: https://midlandhealth.co.uk/general-paediatrics/diet/

Jo's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theteendietitian

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK94: How to store rhubarb and some rhubarb recipes.

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 07:00:00 +0100

This episode is part of a monthly series where Joanne runs through some ideas to reduce food waste and save money by storing foods well and using them up effectively.

This episode is about rhubarb so there some ideas about how to store rhubarb to make it last longer, and stop it going off. This includes how to store it in the kitchen, how to freeze it and how to dry it.

And then there are a few good ideas on how to use up leftover rhubarb - either surplus from a recipe or coming out of the garden.

The episode includes our monthly Q&A with Kate Hall from The Full Freezer on how to freeze rhubarb.

Links in this episode:

Kate’s Can I Freeze It? Video on rhubarb: https://www.instagram.com/canifreezeit/reel/CeWw1OLIDDm/

Kate's website: https://www.thefullfreezer.com

Freezing rhubarb in syrup: https://rootsy.org/freezing-rhubarb/

Links to recipe suggestions mentioned in the episode are in the shownotes at https://www.thefoodies.org/ffk94/

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK93: Five things that can spoil planting projects with kids - and how to fix them

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 07:00:00 +0100

My microphone actually broke just before I started recording this episode. So I'm recording it on a smartphone microphone snd I do apologize if the sound isn't up to the normal standard. Hopefully it'll be back by the next episode.

Many listeners will be growing food with kids this year, either with children at home or in an education setting. And if you sometimes find that sowing seeds can be a bit frustrating with children, this episode is for you. I'm going to run through five reasons that sowing seeds with kids can sometimes be a bit tricky and give some suggestions that will make your seed sowing with children easier and more successful and more fun for both you and the children. These tips are taken from a free guide that you can download at the end, so don't worry about taking notes, just think through the ideas as I talk them through and you can get that guide at the end to help with your planning.

Link to the guide - https://www.thefoodies.org/guide-to-sowing-seeds-with-kids/

Music - Happy Days by SImon Folwar via Uppbeat

FK92: Can you help please? Your questions about children's food.

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 07:00:00 +0100

Today is a slightly different episode because I am asking for your help, you the listener to this podcast.

I want to share my ideas for the show with you and ask for your help to make sure I am giving you the show that you will find useful.

I wanted to ask you if there are any topics you wish I had covered or are hoping that I will? If there is a food question you want to have answered I can then go out and find an expert who can answer it in an evidence based but realistic and kind way that will be more helpful than endless googling for answers.

Shownotes at https://thefoodies.org/ffk92

Google form for feedback at: https://forms.gle/8LhhJzPui2NgxtkB9

DM me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foodforkidspodcast/

DM me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joanne.roach.author/

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK91: Five April seasonal meals, easy and family friendly

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 07:00:00 +0100

In this episode of the Food for Kids podcast, Joanne shares simple, family-friendly meal ideas using seasonal produce available in April. The focus is on easy-to-make recipes that require minimal prep time, making them perfect for busy families. Joanne discusses three main meals, a dessert, and a quick snack, all utilizing fresh ingredients that are in season. She gives suggestions on adapting recipes to suit children's tastes and some swap ideas too.

Links to all the recipe ideas are in the shownotes at https://thefoodies.org/ffk91

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK90: A short Easter message

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 07:00:00 +0100

This episode is going out on Easter Monday, so this is just a quick episode to wish you a lovely bank holiday and to give you a quick reminder that you don't need to be stressed or feel bad or any kind of way if your child is eating more chocolate than usual over the next few days.

Links in this episode:

Episode about protecting kids from other people's food talk: https://www.thefoodies.org/ffk58/

Episode about how to talk to children about food: https://www.thefoodies.org/ffk71

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK89: Foods in season in April in the UK

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 07:00:00 +0100

In this episode, Joanne runs through a list of fruits and vegetables which are in season in the UK in April, and offers tips for getting children to try each of them. There is also a short list of imported foods that are currently in season.

This will be useful if you want to increase your intake of seasonal fruits and vegetables, and want some ideas for helping to build your child's familiarity with them, whether they eat the end result or not!

Links in this episode:

List of foods in season in April - www.thefoodies.org/seasonal/april-food-ideas/

Printables of spring seasonal foods: https://thefoodiesbooks.com/product/spring-seasonal-food-printables

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK88: Is my child getting enough protein? With Lucy Upton

Mon, 30 Mar 2026 07:00:00 +0100

These days you would have to live under a rock to have missed everyone trying to make you eat extra protein. There is protein added to everything. First it was just for athletes, then it was older people and menopausal women. Then it was sporty kids, and then inevitably it’s now just growing kids full stop.

Meat and fish can be difficult textures for many kids and they will often go through a phase of not wanting to eat them, which can lead to worries that they are not getting enough protein. But how much protein do they actually need and how likely is it that your child is getting enough?

When you’re in this phase you want reliable evidence based information so I asked Lucy Upton the Children’s Dietitian back to talk us through this topic.

Lucy Upton, The Children’s Dietitian, is a leading UK paediatric Dietitian and author with over 15 years of experience. She’s dedicated to helping babies, children, and their families find joy and health through food, nutrition, and mealtimes while dispelling the overwhelming misinformation surrounding children’s feeding. Everything Lucy does is rooted in empathy, blending real-life mum experience with evidence-based advice.

Links in this episode:

Lucy's website: https://www.thechildrensdietitian.co.uk/

Lucy's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/childrensdietitian/

Lucy's recent post about protein for kids: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DTQxei5DUto/

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK87: How exploring foods in school can help kids, with Jason O'Rourke

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 07:00:00 +0100

Over the year you will have picked up that the main focus of The Foodies products and content is on building children’s exposure to food without any pressure to eat, and we have had several episodes focussing on how to do that in your own home and with your own kids.

But today we are exploring what happens when we take that work into a group setting. So Joanne was very happy to speak to Jason O’Rourke who is a primary headteacher and co-founder (along with food writer Bee Wilson) of a charity called TastEd that gets food education into schools with that same low pressure exploration approach.

TastEd uses the Sapere method which helps children to use all of their senses to build familiarity with a food – Sapere literally means “to know” so it’s just about getting to know a wide range of foods, in TastEd they focus primarily on fruits and vegetables. TastEd has two main rules, no one has to like the foods and no one has to try them. It is all about exploration, confidence and trust. This episode discusses why a group setting like a school can be really helpful for children to build their confidence with food.

Dr Jason O’Rourke is a nationally recognised expert in food education, school food policy, and children’s health and wellbeing. He advises universities, government bodies and NGOs, serving on the UK Government’s School Food Standards Advisory Board, as a Project Partner on The School Meals Service: Past, Present and Future, and as the UK representative on the European SAPERE Board. He is a member of the All‑Party Parliamentary Group on School Food, a Food for Life Ambassador, and co‑founder of TastEd. As headteacher of Washingborough Academy, Jason has led nationally acclaimed work placing food education at the heart of school life.

LInks in this episode:

The TasteEd website: www.tasteeducation.com

Parents' downloads: https://www.tasteeducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/TastEd-Parent-Booklet.pdf

Jason's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasorourke/

Jason's TastEd Co-founder - food writer Bee Wilson: https://www.beewilson.com/

Washingborough Academy's Food Education work: https://www.washac.org/our-school/our-food-education/

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK86: How to store alliums (leeks, onions and garlic) and how to use them up.

Mon, 23 Mar 2026 07:00:00 +0100

This episode is part of a monthly series where Joanne runs through some ideas to reduce food waste and save money by storing foods well and using them up effectively.

This episode is about brassicas alliums (leeks, onions and garlic) so there some ideas about how to store alliums to make them last longer, and stop them going off. This includes how to store them in the kitchen, how to freeze them and how to dry them.

And then there are a few good ideas on how to use up leftover leeks, onions and garlic - either surplus from a recipe or coming out of the garden.

The episode includes our monthly Q&A with Kate Hall from The Full Freezer on how to freeze alliums and different ways to use them.

Links in this episode:

Kate’s Can I Freeze It? Video on leeks: https://www.instagram.com/canifreezeit/reel/CTFh7bPIE1b/

Kate’s Can I Freeze It? Video on onions: https://www.instagram.com/canifreezeit/reel/CQiWbl2gSI6/ and https://www.instagram.com/p/DHS77P_Irbp/

Kate’s Can I Freeze It? Video on garlic: https://www.instagram.com/canifreezeit/reel/CEtP1koAKXe/

Kate's website: https://www.thefullfreezer.com

Video on prepping garlic paste for the freezer: https://youtu.be/EXXWRAhweAc?si=EhB2_YJVlsnN7XZf

Recipe suggestions on the shownotes page at https://www.thefoodies.org/ffk86

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK85: How to save money on food and make meal planning less stressful, with Jo from This Mum Cooks

Thu, 19 Mar 2026 07:00:00 +0100

Today's show is a real treat for anyone who finds that day-to-day bind of working out what to cook for tea tonight stressful, or for anyone who's finding shopping for food increasingly hard on a budget with everything that's going on in the world right now and the effect on prices.

The show is lucky enough to have an interview with Jo from This Mum Cooks who is a super helpful food creator who shares practical ideas with her hundreds of thousands of followers online. She was kind enough to come and share some of her biggest mindset and planning tips for how to make meal planning less stressful as well as save on money and food waste. We talk about taking the overwhelm out of thinking what to cook, using reduced items strategically to reduce planning time and stop stress in the supermarket, and resetting your expectations about what you are "supposed to" provide to be more realistic and friendly to your time, energy and budget and better for your own family.

Jo is a single mum of three teenagers, living in the northwest of England. Over the last four years her food work has completely changed her career, she now has 3 blossoming social media platforms and is known simply online as ‘Thismumcooks'. Jo shares money and food saving tips to try and help people eat as healthy as possible within the means available to them. She creates weekly meal plans, shares tips on how you can make your food stretch further and ensure that no food goes to waste. Simply, Jo hates money and food waste.

Links in this episode:

Jo's Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thismumcooks

Jo's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thismumcooks

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK84: The influence of diet culture on parenting, with Julia Wolman

Mon, 16 Mar 2026 07:00:00 +0100

We've had a few episodes now on this podcast that are all about helping children with their relationship with food, including episodes on how we can talk to children about food, how we can fend off harmful food talk around children from other people and how we can work towards food freedom in our own relationship with food so that we don't pass on our issues with food to our children.

And it's that final piece that we are coming back to in today's episode, our own relationship with food. But today we're coming at this from a different perspective and Joanne is talking to child and family nutritionist, Julia Wolman about how our experiences of living in a world of diet culture before we have children actually primes us as new parents to find feeding our children difficult and stressful.

Julia is a Registered Nutritionist with a special interest in family and child nutrition stemming from 20 years’ experience. Julia’s career began working for the NHS and local authorities in diverse communities, running healthy eating projects and training for parents, schools and nurseries. During maternity leave with her second son (now 15) Julia set up her family nutrition consultancy, and has been enjoying this work ever since. Julia has also worked as an NHS health coach as well as undertaken various charity roles alongside her parent work. Julia is particularly passionate about supporting parents to improve their own eating behaviours so that they can not only feel healthier and more energised, but also be the best role models for their kids.

Links in this episode:

Julia's website: https://www.juliawolman.co.uk

Julia's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefamilyfoodcoach

Julia's post on this topic: https://www.instagram.com/p/DR26q-NjDLj/

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK83: How to get my child to eat fish.

Thu, 12 Mar 2026 07:00:00 +0100

This episode is for anyone out there whose child really isn’t keen on fish and is looking for ways to encourage them to explore and maybe accept more fish in their diet. I have called the episode how to get my child to eat fish, because that is a question that gets searched a lot online, but I need to start the episode by putting in two caveats.

Firstly, we don’t get our kids to eat anything. Pressure to eat, sneaking foods in without permission and trickery or bribery all are proven to have the opposite effect long term. What we can do is provide opportunities for our kids to safely explore or come into contact with foods they are not sure about so they can build their familiarity. So most of these ideas are going to be about ways to put fish in front of your child in non pressured ways to build up their confidence, but we have to remember that it’s ok if they don’t eat the fish, the end goal is not the bite of fish, but instead the feeling of safety and curiosity when fish is on the table.

The second caveat is that no one has to eat fish. Vegetarians and vegans can have incredibly healthy well balanced diets with no fish in them, I will link in the shownotes to a couple of episodes about plant based eating and about supplements for children which goes into that in more detail. But your child can get all the nutrients they need from other foods if you’re thoughtful about it. So if your child never decides they like fish, or they have a genuine and lasting aversion, or your family doesn’t eat much of it, you don’t have to force this issue and you can make up for it in other ways. Nothing should ever be forced or pressured.

But this episode assumes that you’re a household that eats fish and that you want to find some child friendly ways to give your child chances to try fish so they can join in with more fishy family meals. So on that basis here are some ideas, I will link to some recipes in the shownotes too of some of these examples but they are more to help you think about starting points so you can meet your child whereever they are at right now.

Links in this episode:

Food chaining episode: https://thefoodies.org/ffk75

Plant based diets: https://thefoodies.org/ffk64

Supplements for kids: https://thefoodies.org/ffk77

Links for recipes are in the shownotes at https://thefoodies.org/ffk83

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK82: Five March seasonal meals, easy and family friendly

Mon, 09 Mar 2026 07:00:00 +0100

In this episode of the Food for Kids podcast, Joanne shares simple, family-friendly meal ideas using seasonal produce available in March. The focus is on easy-to-make recipes that require minimal prep time, making them perfect for busy families. Joanne discusses three main meals, a dessert, and a quick snack, all utilizing fresh ingredients that are in season. She gives suggestions on adapting recipes to suit children's tastes and some swap ideas too.

Links to all the recipe ideas are in the shownotes at https://thefoodies.org/ffk82

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK81: Does food affect children's sleep? With Lucy Upton

Thu, 05 Mar 2026 07:00:00 +0100

If there was an Olympics of things that parents worry about, there would be a few contenders, but food and sleep would definitely be up there on the medals podium. And when those two things combine, there's a lot of room for self-doubt. So today's episode is an interview with Lucy Upton about children's food and sleep.

We discuss whether children need to eat a big dinner at night to sleep through properly, whether foods or lack of nutrients can cause issues with sleep and how to figure out whether food is a factor in your child's sleep.

Links in this episode:

Lucy's website: https://www.thechildrensdietitian.co.uk/

Lucy's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/childrensdietitian/

Lucy's Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@childrensdietitian

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK80: Foods in season in March in the UK

Mon, 02 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0100

In this episode, Joanne runs through a list of fruits and vegetables which are in season in the UK in March, and offers tips for getting children to try each of them. There is also a short list of imported foods that are currently in season.

Links in this episode:

List of foods in season in March - www.thefoodies.org/seasonal/march-food-ideas/

Printables of spring seasonal foods: https://thefoodiesbooks.com/product/spring-seasonal-food-printables

Good website about foraging safely for wild garlic: https://www.thegrizzlyforager.co.uk/wild-garlic/

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK79: How growing food helps kids even if they don't eat what they grow

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 07:00:00 +0100

If you're a family or an education setting that grows fruit or veg with children, then you will already be aware of many of the ways it can be helpful and magical.

But if you're new to gardening or you're not sure if it's for you, this is a quick episode to give you some ideas for ways it could be helpful for the children you care for and a couple of suggestions for super low key ways to start.

Links in this episode:

Episode on three growing projects for kids: https://www.thefoodies.org/ffk15

Easy bean activity: https://www.thefoodies.org/sowing-broad-beans-with-kids/

Windowsill peashoots: https://www.thefoodies.org/how-to-grow-pea-shoots/

Learning through watering: https://www.thefoodies.org/ways-to-sneak-learning-into-watering-the-plants/

RHS growing ideas: https://www.rhs.org.uk/education-learning/children-young-people/family-activities/grow-it

Garden Organic cards on growing lots of different foods: https://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/expert-advice/how-to-grow/how-to-grow-cards

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK78: How to store brassicas (cabbages, broccoli and cauliflower) and how to use them up.

Mon, 23 Feb 2026 07:00:00 +0100

This episode is part of a monthly series where Joanne runs through some ideas to reduce food waste and save money by storing foods well and using them up effectively.

This episode is about brassicas (cabbages, broccoli and cauliflower) so there some ideas about how to store root veggies to make them last longer, and stop them going off. This includes how to store them in the kitchen, how to freeze them and how to dry them.

And then there are a few good ideas on how to use up leftover cabbages, broccoli and cauliflower - either surplus from a recipe or coming out of the garden.

The episode includes our monthly Q&A with Kate Hall from The Full Freezer on how to freeze brassicas and different ways to use them.

Links in this episode:

Blog post and video on dehydrating and making green powder: https://www.thepurposefulpantry.com/homemade-green-powder/ and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EInrNrEzEhY

Kate’s Can I Freeze It? Video on cauliflower: https://www.instagram.com/canifreezeit/reel/CXq1f0CoAbJ/

Kate’s Can I Freeze It? Video on kale: https://www.instagram.com/canifreezeit/reel/CKV1T2Rn2zF/

Kate’s Can I Freeze It? Video on Brussels sprouts: https://www.instagram.com/canifreezeit/reel/CEJVs7OgHbh/

Kate’s Can I Freeze It? Video on broccoli: https://www.instagram.com/canifreezeit/reel/CXq60A-IESM/

Kate's website: https://www.thefullfreezer.com

Episode about adding extra veg to food with suggestions for cauliflower too: https://www.thefoodies.org/ffk42/

Recipe suggestions on the shownotes page at https://www.thefoodies.org/ffk78/

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

Kate’s Can I Freeze It? Video on cauliflower: https://www.instagram.com/canifreezeit/reel/CXq1f0CoAbJ/

Kate’s Can I Freeze It? Video on kale: https://www.instagram.com/canifreezeit/reel/CKV1T2Rn2zF/

Kate’s Can I Freeze It? Video on Brussels sprouts: https://www.instagram.com/canifreezeit/reel/CEJVs7OgHbh/

Kate’s Can I Freeze It? Video on broccoli: https://www.instagram.com/canifreezeit/reel/CXq60A-IESM/

Kate's website: https://www.thefullfreezer.com

Episode about adding extra veg to food with suggestions for cauliflower too: https://www.thefoodies.org/ffk42/

Links to recipe suggestions mentioned in the episode are in the shownotes at https://www.thefoodies.org/ffk78/

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK77: What supplements does my child need? Part 2, with Sara Dawson

Thu, 19 Feb 2026 07:00:00 +0100

Today's episode is the second part of our two parter about vitamins and supplements for children.

In the last episode we talked through the basic UK government guidelines for average families in average times, so that was the guidelines for vitamins A, C and D for babies and children, so if you haven’t listened to that one, it's highly recommend to go back and check that out as the advice is the broad government advice for everyone.

But all families have phases where life doesn’t feel particularly normal or average and some families have additional issues to deal with all the time, so today we are going to look at a couple of different scenarios that you may have been mulling over when you were listening to the general guidelines in the last episode.

There is so much confusing information about children's diets now, and lots of it is schilling product and not necessarily well evidenced so Joanne wanted to ask an actual dietitian who has to work within proper evidence based guidelines to untangle some of that noise for us. So this episode today is the second part of the interview with dietitian Sara Dawson.

As in the last episode her advice is for general information purposes only, to give you some information about the UK recommendations, and does not replace the need to get personalised advice for your child from a GP or dietitian if you have any concerns. But hopefully these two episodes will give you a sensible starting point to cut through the online noise.

Sara is a highly specialist allergy dietitian with over 11 years’ experience, who has worked at two NHS UK allergy centres of excellence: St Thomas’ Hospital in London and Southampton. She helped establish the first adult allergy dietitian service in Southampton and now specialises in supporting children with allergies, both within the NHS and privately through her company, YNRD Ltd. She has taught and marked on the Southampton Allergy MSc and taught allergy on the Dietetics MSc at King’s College London as well as carrying out allergy research. She has also worked in CAMHS with children and with eating disorders, and is passionate about children’s nutrition, accurate allergy diagnosis, safe avoidance and reintroduction where possible, and providing realistic nutrition advice that supports a healthy relationship with food. She also specialises in allergy and eczema, and in 2024 set up the first paediatric dietitian role within the dermatology dept at Southampton Children's Hospital.

Links in this episode:

Sara's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saradawsondietitian/

Sara's website: https://www.ynrd.co.uk

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK76: What supplements does my child need? Part 1, with Sara Dawson

Mon, 16 Feb 2026 07:00:00 +0100

Today is the first of a two-parter about vitamins and supplements for children.

There's a lot of wellness information online for parents right now between ultra processed foods and gut microbiome information and allergies and deficiencies and picky eating advice. It's hard as a parent to know whether or not you're meeting your child's needs. And for sure, there is always someone trying to tell you something. And unless you have the time and skills to dig into the nutrition recommendation, you can be left thinking that maybe you're letting your child down if you don't investigate or try out some of the things you're being told you need for them.

So in this episode Joanne wanted an actual dietitian who has to work within proper evidence-based guidelines to untangle some of that noise for us. So she invited dietitian Sara Dawson to come and answer a load of the questions we see getting asked online about supplements.

Of course Sara's advice is for general information purposes only, to give you some information about the UK recommendations, and does not replace the need to get personalised advice for your child from a GP or dietitian if you have any concerns. But hopefully these two episodes will give you a sensible starting point to cut through the online noise.

Links in this episode:

Sara's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saradawsondietitian/

Sara's website: https://www.ynrd.co.uk

SACN report if you're interested in the research: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65ddd5f6cf7eb10015f57fb4/SACN-annual-report-2023.pdf

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK75: What is food chaining? with Emma Shafqat

Thu, 12 Feb 2026 07:00:00 +0100

Over the year we have had a few episodes talking about how to encourage your child to branch out a bit with their tastes, how to help picky eaters and how to help kids relax at the table with their safe foods while exposing them to new foods over time.

In this episode we are going to talk about one of the tools parents can use when their child is reluctant to try things that look or feel different from their safe foods, which is a technique called food chaining.

Emma Shafqat is a qualified paediatric dietitian and runs Dietitian with a Difference. She focuses primarily on fussy eating and allergy issues.

Since graduating with a first class honours degree in Dietetics and Nutrition, she has been working as a Dietitian for over 9 years. She has worked for the NHS, in special needs schools and privately, focusing on children’s health.

Emma helps children and their families overcome a broad range of dietary issues. She is also a SOS Paediatric Feeding Therapist and has worked with brands like Just Chill Baby Sleep and Bloss.

Links in this episode:

Emma's website - https://dietitianwithadifference.co.uk/

Emma's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/dietitian.withadifference/

Emma's programme - https://dietitianwithadifference.co.uk/raisingconfidenteaters/

Blog post about food chaining: https://dietitianwithadifference.co.uk/food-chaining/

Food chaining masterclass: https://dietitianwithadifference.co.uk/downloads/food-chaining-masterclass/

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK74: Five February seasonal meals, easy and family friendly

Mon, 09 Feb 2026 07:00:00 +0100

In this episode of the Food for Kids podcast, Joanne shares simple, family-friendly meal ideas using seasonal produce available in February. The focus is on easy-to-make recipes that require minimal prep time, making them perfect for busy families. Joanne discusses three main meals, a dessert, and a quick snack, all utilizing fresh ingredients that are in season. She gives suggestions on adapting recipes to suit children's tastes and some swap ideas too.

Links to the recipes:

Meal 1 – Cabbage wedges with tomato sauce - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtSO3K61Q

Meal 2 – Cheese and leek potato pie - https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/easy_cheese_leek_and_98782

Meal 3 - Veggie burgers:

Storecupboard bean burger - https://lianaskitchen.co.uk/spicy-bean-burger-recipe/#mv-creation-343-jtr

Smoky roast carrot burger - https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/smoky_roast_carrot_00838

Plantain and bean burger - https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/plantain_and_bean_74740

Dessert – Apple pinwheels - https://www.cookingwithmykids.co.uk/apple-pinwheels/

Bonus recipe - pizza pinwheels - https://thefastrecipe.com/cheese-and-tomato-pinwheels/

Snack - Carrot cake energy balls - https://mykidslickthebowl.com/carrot-oat-energy-bites/

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK73: 25 Ways to save money on food

Thu, 05 Feb 2026 07:00:00 +0100

Today's episode is a fairly speedy run through of 25 practical ideas for saving money on family food.

Chances are you'll know a lot of them, but it never hurts to refresh your memory about something you might have stopped doing if you've got in a rut and you might pick up one or two new ideas to try. so pick and choose what you want and there'll be some links in the show notes to additional information for them too.

Links in this episode:

Website to find meals in your cookbooks to use things up: https://www.eatyourbooks.com/

Planner with three ingredients: https://www.bigoven.com/

Meal prep site: https://www.mealpreppro.com/

Ways to prep components: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwpltZGCGd8

Freezable sandwiches: https://thebatchlady.com/recipe/freezable-sandwiches/

OLIO app for free food: https://olioapp.com/en/

Too Good To Go for last minute bargains: https://www.toogoodtogo.com/en-gb

Approved Food: https://approvedfood.co.uk/

Kate Hall's episode on freezing components: https://www.thefoodies.org/ffk3

Kate Hall's episode on reducing food waste: https://www.thefoodies.org/ffk21

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK72: Foods in season in February in the UK

Mon, 02 Feb 2026 07:00:00 +0100

In this episode, Joanne runs through a list of fruits and vegetables which are in season in the UK in February, and offers tips for getting children to try each of them. There is also a short list of imported foods that are currently in season.

Links in this episode:

List of foods in season in February - www.thefoodies.org/seasonal/february-food-ideas/

Printables of winter seasonal foods: https://thefoodiesbooks.com/product/winter-seasonal-food-printables

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK71: How to talk to children about food, with Dr Anna Colton

Thu, 29 Jan 2026 07:00:00 +0100

Today’s episode is an interview with Dr Anna Colton who is a leading clinical psychologist specialising in the psychology of food, eating, and emotional wellbeing in children and adolescents. She works with families on everything from fussy eating to eating disorders and body image concerns and recently published a book called How to Talk to Children About Food.

We have had some episodes dealing with the way we talk to children directly about food, but one of the very interesting things in Anna’s book was the psychology around how we have to be aware of our own issues with food to make sure that we don’t pass them on, that intergenerational relationship with food that can easily be transmitted subconsciously. So Joanne spoke to Anna about that, and also some helpful ideas of what we can do if our child comes to us with issues of their own around food or body image.

Dr Anna Colton is a leading clinical psychologist specialising in the psychology of food, eating, and emotional wellbeing in children and adolescents. She works with families, teens, and adults on everything from eating disorders to fussy eating and body image concerns. Her book, How to Talk to Children About Food, helps parents create a healthy food culture at home, heal their own relationship with food and break the intergenerational cycle of food and body image struggles. Her work is a powerful call to shift from crisis response to prevention.

Links in this episode:

Anna's website: https://www.dranna.co.uk/

Anna's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drannacolton

Buy Anna's book How To Talk To Children About Food: https://geni.us/HTTTCAF

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK70: How to store root vegetables and how to use them up.

Mon, 26 Jan 2026 07:00:00 +0100

This episode is part of a monthly series where Joanne runs through some ideas to reduce food waste and save money by storing foods well and using them up effectively.

This episode is about root vegetables so there some ideas about how to store root veggies to make them last longer, and stop them going off. This includes how to store them in the kitchen, how to freeze them and how to dry them.

And then there are a few good ideas on how to use up leftover carrots, parsnips and beetroot either surplus from a recipe or coming out of the garden.

The episode includes our monthly Q&A with Kate Hall from The Full Freezer on how to freeze root vegetables and different ways to use them.

Links in this episode:

Kate’s Can I Freeze It? Video on baked potatoes: https://www.instagram.com/canifreezeit/reel/ClrFqiVoLqm/

Kate’s Can I Freeze It? Video on roast potatoes: https://www.instagram.com/canifreezeit/reel/CXn6pKqIz4C/

Kate's Can I Freeze It? video on new potatoes: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CgCqOwNo0qp

Kate’s Can I Freeze It? Video on beetroot: https://www.instagram.com/canifreezeit/reel/CcYeEwbqVh7/

Kate’s Can I Freeze It? Video on parsnips: https://www.instagram.com/canifreezeit/reel/CXn1SJwIvFx/

Kate’s Can I Freeze It? Video on chopped carrots: https://www.instagram.com/p/CXoB213IVm9/

Kate’s reel on never wasting potatoes: https://www.instagram.com/p/DHVgrkGImXd/

Kate's website: https://www.thefullfreezer.com

Episode about adding extra veg to food with suggestions for root veg too: https://www.thefoodies.org/ffk42/

Links to recipe suggestions mentioned in the episode are in the shownotes at https://www.thefoodies.org/ffk70/

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK69: Children's gut microbiomes and how to help them, with Lucy Jackman

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 07:00:00 +0100

Do you need to be caring about your child's gut microbiome?

At this time of year our feeds are filled with a lot of wellness adverts and one of the things you see a lot of adverts for is probiotic supplements, and intolerance and microbiome test kits. You might be thinking it’s hard enough just keeping everyone at the table happy and fed with the food you’re putting on the plate, so should you now be listening to these adverts and podcasts and news articles and worrying about your child’s gut microbiome? And if so, how on earth do you do anything about it?

So to help us out on today’s episode I am talking to Lucy Jackman who is a Specialist Paediatric gastroenterology Dietitian at Great Ormond Street Hospital. Lucy deals with all kinds of complex tummy and bowel issues but she also posts really helpful information about general principles that parents can use to help keep little guts healthy.

Lucy is a Specialist Paediatric gastroenterology Dietitian at Great Ormond Street Hospital, where she leads the dietetic service for complex gastrointestinal (GI) allergy and motility disorders. She is also the Lead Dietitian for the NHS England-commissioned service for the diagnosis of paediatric intestinal pseudo-obstruction (PIPO).

With extensive experience in managing children with eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorders (EGID), motility disorders, and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), Lucy is a key member of the British Society of Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (BSPGHAN) EoE working group. She has contributed to national and international guidelines and has authored multiple publications on EoE, EGID, pseudo-obstruction, and paediatric motility disorders.

Lucy is passionate about advancing clinical care through research and education, ensuring that dietetic interventions play a central role in optimising outcomes for children with complex GI conditions.

Links in this episode:

Lucy's website: https://www.thehappytummydietitian.com/

Lucy's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehappytummydietitian

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK68: Nutritious additions to bump up family favourite foods.

Mon, 19 Jan 2026 07:00:00 +0100

This episode is full of suggestions for small ways that you can pack in a little extra goodness to foods that you already eat.

Over the last week we talked to Maeve Hanan about why we shouldn’t hyperfixate on the label or category that one individual food or one meal fits into, but instead we should zoom out to the overall picture of the variety and benefits of the foods we are eating across a week or a month of meals. And coming up we have an episode with a gastroenterology dietitian who will also talk about why diversity is good for our guts.

So between the two we are fitting in some ideas for how to increase that diversity and get some more wholefoods, fibre and nutrients into the kinds of meals that our children already accept. That way we can accept that in modern life we are going to eat some processed foods sometimes, but find small and practical ways to pack in lots of things our bodies need alongside or in between those foods to increase our diversity of plants and whole foods without becoming narrow or obsessive.

Joanne runs through some ideas of what to add to meals and snacks and some easy swaps to boost too. This will just be a list of some ideas to scribble on to a maybe list.

Links in this episode:

Vegan parmesan style topping: https://minimalistbaker.com/how-to-make-vegan-parmesan-cheese/

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK67: Do we need to have goals about ultra processed foods? With Maeve Hanan

Thu, 15 Jan 2026 07:00:00 +0100

Today’s episode is the second of our two parter talking about ultra processed foods. If you haven’t listened to the first part, I would urge you to go back and listen to that as some of the information in that will help you to understand today’s discussion more. Today we are going to talk about whether being more relaxed about some processed foods in the diet can actually help with being more consistent, and whether we should set goals about processed foods in our resolutions or not.

Maeve Hanan is a Registered Dietitian who specialises in disordered eating and food freedom. She’s the founder of DieteticallySpeaking.com, a platform offering evidence-based information, practical tools, courses, and one-to-one support to help people build a healthier, more peaceful relationship with food. Maeve advocates for a compassionate, weight-inclusive approach to nutrition, and is passionate about cutting through the online nutrition BS by sharing clear, evidence-based and practical messages.

LInks in this episode:

Maeve's masterclass: https://dieteticallyspeaking.com/product/eating-with-ease

Maeve's website: https://dieteticallyspeaking.com/

Maeve's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dieteticallyspeaking

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK66: Ultra processed foods and kids - what are they and how bad are they? With Maeve Hanan

Mon, 12 Jan 2026 07:00:00 +0100

Today’s episode is the first of a two parter talking about ultra processed foods. I wanted to have some information about this topic at this time of year because there is so much food talk around, and so much resolutions and setting food goals and for parents there is the added weight of being responsible for your child’s health as well as their long term relationship with food.

One of the things that will often come up on lists of food goals, especially for parents, is to eat less processed foods. Over the last couple of years the conversation about ultra processed foods, or UPFS, has been impossible to escape. There seems to be a new press release, documentary or book every week about UPFs and how bad they are. But then you will also see dietitians and food campaigners pointing out that not all processed foods are bad. And you might have a child who is very attached to some processed foods, or a busy household where those foods are very helpful. So how on earth do we know what to believe?

A lot of the wonderful children’s dietitian’s that I work with and follow have produced some great content about this and how the focus on UPFs is not only unhelpful but can be potentially harmful. One of those, Maeve Hanan, who is a dietitian we met on episode 60 talking about food freedom, recently produced an excellent article and multi part video series, going through lots of different aspects of UPFs, including what the research says, how to understand it if you’re not a scientist, how to decipher what influencers are saying about them, and what you need to know for your family shopping list. So I asked her to come on and talk to parents who are worried about this. In today’s episode we are going to cover what UPFs are and what the research says about them. Then in the second episode next time we are talking about whether and how they can fit in to a healthy overall diet pattern and how to set goals about family eating overall.

LInks in this episode:

Maeve's masterclass: https://dieteticallyspeaking.com/product/eating-with-ease

Maeve's website: https://dieteticallyspeaking.com/

Maeve's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dieteticallyspeaking

Article about ultra processed foods: https://dieteticallyspeaking.com/unpacking-ultra-processed-foods/

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK65: Five January seasonal meals, easy and family friendly

Thu, 08 Jan 2026 07:00:00 +0100

In this episode of the Food for Kids podcast, Joanne shares simple, family-friendly meal ideas using seasonal produce available in January. The focus is on easy-to-make recipes that require minimal prep time, making them perfect for busy families. Joanne discusses three main meals, a dessert, and a quick snack, all utilizing fresh ingredients that are in season. She gives suggestions on adapting recipes to suit children's tastes and some swap ideas too.

Links to the recipes:

Meal 1 – Root veg crumble: https://www.facebook.com/OfficialAinsleyHarriott/photos/ainsleyrecipe-vegetarianreciperoot-vegetable-and-nut-crumblethis-is-a-great-dish/459959764138333/

Meal 2 – Cauli mac and cheese: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/cauliflower-macaroni-cheese

Protein packed sauce alternative: https://sarahsvegankitchen.com/recipes/white-bean-cheese

Main 3 - https://www.frugalandthriving.com.au/reduce-waste-with-this-kid-friendly-clear-the-crisper-curry

Dessert – orange yoghurt cake: https://vegehomecooking.com/orange-yogurt-cake/

Snack – rhubarb cookies: https://www.thefoodies.org/rhubarb-cookies/

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK64: Plant based weaning, with Ailsa McHardy

Mon, 05 Jan 2026 07:00:00 +0100

In today's episode I'm talking to Ailsa McHardy of Little Nutrition about the guidelines for weaning a baby in a plant based family.

In January information about plant based diets are everywhere and I wanted to ask Ailsa what the current best advice is for parents who want to raise their children with less or no animal products.

Ailsa is an expert Paediatric Dietitian with 15 years of experience across NHS, academic and private settings. She is the founder of Little Nutrition, a freelance children's nutrition consultancy which supports families with weaning, fussy eating, food allergies and tummy symptoms. Ailsa has 2 little ones of her own and brings lots of real-life experience to her practice.

Links in this episode:

Ailsa's weaning support programme: https://www.littlenutrition.co.uk/packages/pricing

Ailsa's FREE Ultimate Guide To Weaning Ebook: https://littlenutrition.kit.com/1cc84d30e0

Ailsa's instagram: https://www.instagram.com/littlenutritionwithailsa/

LEAP study (re early peanut exposure for allergy prevention): https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1414850

The VeChi studies:

Weder S, Hoffmann M, Becker K, Alexy U, Keller M. Energy, Macronutrient Intake, and Anthropometrics of Vegetarian, Vegan, and Omnivorous Children (1–3 Years) in Germany (VeChi Diet Study). Nutrients. 2019 Apr 12;11(4):832.
Alexy U, Fischer M, Weder S, Längler A, Michalsen A, Sputtek A, Keller M. Nutrient Intake and Status of German Children and Adolescents Consuming Vegetarian, Vegan or Omnivore Diets: Results of the VeChi Youth Study. Nutrients. 2021;13(5):1707. doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13051707.

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK63: Foods in season in January in the UK

Thu, 01 Jan 2026 07:00:00 +0100

In this episode, Joanne runs through a list of fruits and vegetables which are in season in the UK in January, and offers tips for getting children to try each of them. There is also a short list of imported foods that are currently in season.

Links in this episode:

Rhubarb cookies recipe: https://www.thefoodies.org/rhubarb-cookies/

List of foods in season in January- www.thefoodies.org/seasonal/january-food-ideas/

Printables of winter seasonal foods: https://thefoodiesbooks.com/product/winter-seasonal-food-printables

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK62: 7 positive food messages from 7 months of Food for Kids

Mon, 29 Dec 2025 07:00:00 +0100

The podcast has been running for seven months now. So as we come to the end of the year,we wanted to bring you seven messages from those seven months that might make you feel more confident about your child's eating as we head into the new year.

So coming up are seven short clips from some of our guests and I hope after you hear them you'll feel reassured that you're doing a good job. And we hope it gets you fired up to keep going on your journey to help your child develop a good relationship with food. So let's get to those seven messages.

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK61: A short holiday message

Thu, 25 Dec 2025 07:00:00 +0100

A short message to wish you a happy Christmas or other happy holidays, whatever your family is doing, I hope it involves some happy eating!

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK60: Reducing anxiety around food during Christmas and the holidays, with Maeve Hanan

Mon, 22 Dec 2025 07:00:00 +0100

This is the last episode before Christmas and chances are that the bit of your brain that you reserve for interesting food things is overwhelmed with holiday prep. So today's episode aims to bring you something that might help you to enjoy this holiday season a little bit more, enjoy sharing food and fun with your loved ones, and give your children a different kind of gift, the gift of a household where food is relaxed and joyful at celebration times.

For today’s episode Joanne is interviewing Maeve Hanan, a dietitian who runs a company called Dietetically Speaking and helps parents to have a better relationship with food so they can break generational cycles of disordered eating and unhelpful food messages. She helps parents to feed their family in a sustainable balanced way in a way that is nutritious but will promote a healthy relationship with food for their kids as well.

Links in this episode:

Maeve's website: https://dieteticallyspeaking.com/

Maeve's masterclass in January to help you reduce food noise and stress: : https://dieteticallyspeaking.com/product/eating-with-ease

Maeve's article about navigating Christmas: https://dieteticallyspeaking.com/navigating-family-dynamics-with-food-during-christmas/

Maeve's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dieteticallyspeaking

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat.

FFK59: How to store and use up Christmas leftovers and other holiday foods.

Thu, 18 Dec 2025 07:00:00 +0100

This episode is part of a monthly series where Joanne runs through some ideas to reduce food waste and save money by storing foods well and using them up effectively.

This episode is about Christmas and other holiday foods so is focused on planning ahead to make sure you have space and containers to store foods before you need them, advice on safely storing leftovers after the celebration meals, and ways to use up common Christmas leftovers.

Links in this episode - the links for freezer tips and individual recipe ideas are all at the full shownotes at: https://www.thefoodies.org/ffk59

Other episodes mentioned in this one:

Episode 6 with Jenna Brown about safely using leftovers, https://www.thefoodies.org/ffk6

Episode 5 about making space for celebration foods in our kitchen: https://www.thefoodies.org/ffk49/

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat.

FFK58: Protecting kids from harmful food talk during the holidays, with Bracha Kopstick

Mon, 15 Dec 2025 07:00:00 +0100

Today’s episode is slightly different but very timely because I am talking to Bracha Kopstick about how to protect your older children from harmful food and diet talk during the holidays. Bracha works with tweens and teens to improve their relationship with food and their own bodies in a weight neutral way.

Our families are not islands and we live in a culture of so many negative conversations about food and weight. So this episode is about how to insulate our children from the comments of other people especially at a time of year when food is the centre of so many of the get togethers. Bracha recently put out a brilliant post and guide about exactly this so she seemed the perfect person to ask.

Bracha Kopstick is a Registered Dietitian specializing in adolescent nutrition, practicing with a weight-neutral approach to health. She helps children to young-adults develop healthy eating habits and a good relationship with food and body to nourish their growth and development. Through supportive and collaborative counselling, Bracha educates adolescents to feel confident and comfortable eating well, free of shame and guilt.

Links in this episode:

Bracha's website: https://www.beekaynutrition.com

Bracha's free downloadable holiday conversation guide: https://mailchi.mp/beekaynutrition/holiday-conversation-guide

Bracha's instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adolescent.nutritionist/

Some helpful posts on this topic:

https://www.instagram.com/p/DRSmT71ARKZ/ and

https://www.instagram.com/p/DIRb7hUxMEQ/

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK57: How to be less anxious about weaning, with Liz Priest

Thu, 11 Dec 2025 07:00:00 +0100

On this episode Joanne is talking to Liz Priest who is a qualified midwife and health visitor and runs a support service for parents called Infant and Wisdom.

There’s so much information and judgement around about food and eating, and we get very anxious about whether we are feeding our children “right”. And if our children don’t eat exactly the way we think they’re supposed to it can make us feel incredibly vulnerable.

Liz talks about how to approach weaning if you're feeling anxious, how to trust your own judgement a bit more, how to reach out for help, and lots of useful tips about how to wean without fear.

Liz is the founder of Infant & Wisdom — a qualified midwife, health visitor, and mum to four amazing boys. Liz has developed this unique and holistic service by blending evidence-based experience with real-life parenting insight. Support aims to empower and address the barriers to enjoying parenthood. Parenting isn’t easy and Infant and Wisdom can enable families to feel confident, calm, and supported from bump to beyond. Liz aims to help parents thrive in parenthood, not just survive it.

Links in this podcast:

Liz's website: www.infantandwisdom.co.uk

Liz's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/infantandwisdom

Music "Happy Days" by SImon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK56: Five December seasonal meals, easy and family friendly

Mon, 08 Dec 2025 07:00:00 +0100

In this episode of the Food for Kids podcast, Joanne shares simple, family-friendly meal ideas using seasonal produce available in December. The focus is on easy-to-make recipes that require minimal prep time, making them perfect for busy families. Joanne discusses three main meals, a dessert, and a quick snack, all utilizing fresh ingredients that are in season. They're all dead quick and easy to save energy for all the cooking at the end of the month.

She gives suggestions on adapting recipes to suit children's tastes and some swap ideas too.

Links to the recipes:

Meal 1 - pasta and greens – https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/uk/food/recipes/a30377647/sprout-and-ham-spaghetti/ or

https://hungryhealthyhappy.com/cabbage-pasta/

Meal 2 - supermarket christmas veg bag soup with cheese toasties – https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/root_vegetable_soup_14910

Main 3 - easy cheesy potato pie – https://www.srnutrition.co.uk/2021/10/easy-cheesy-potato-pie-recipe/

Dessert – apple pancakes and icecream - https://thetoastykitchen.com/cinnamon-applesauce-pancakes/

Snack – snowman crackers - https://simplifylivelove.com/festive-5-minute-snowman-crackers-14-quick-christmas-appetizer-ideas/

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK55: Why we eat a rainbow - all about colours of foods

Thu, 04 Dec 2025 07:00:00 +0100

This episode is designed to give you some information to help you explore the colours of fruits and vegetables with kids and to encourage them to try to eat lots of different colours. The idea of eating a rainbow has been around for a long time and you probably know that each colour brings something different to your table and your health. But do you know which ones have which benefits?

For each of the rainbow food colours, I am going to tell you what the properties are that are associated with that food colour, and the ways that we know they are helpful to our health as well as a fun fact for kids to explore those foods.

Links in this episode:

Fun web article with good summaries: https://simplyveg.vegpower.org.uk/eat-the-rainbow-2/

Short video for preschoolers: https://youtu.be/L1StpMfMwXY?si=wwzEtBzoIB-dVvpN

British Heart Foundation article for adults: https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-magazine/nutrition/5-a-day/colourful-foods

Article about antioxidants and free radicals: https://robhobson.co.uk/nutritious-delicious/whats-the-deal-with-free-radicals-and-antioxidants/

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK54: Foods in season in December in the UK

Mon, 01 Dec 2025 07:00:00 +0100

In this episode, Joanne runs through a list of fruits and vegetables which are in season in the UK in December, and offers tips for getting children to try each of them. There is also a short list of imported foods that are currently in season.

Links in this episode:

List of foods in season in December- www.thefoodies.org/seasonal/december-food-ideas/

Episode 49 all about prepping veggies ahead for holiday foods - www.thefoodies.org/ffk49

Printables of winter seasonal foods: https://thefoodiesbooks.com/product/winter-seasonal-food-printables

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK53: Helping kids explore foods from different cultures, with Rachel Mujanovic

Thu, 27 Nov 2025 07:00:00 +0100

At this time of year we are all thinking about getting together with family over the holidays and sometimes thinking about what our children might or might not eat. But for some families there are additional things to take into account when their family comes from a mixed cultural heritage and need to balance different food traditions too.

Today’s episode is an interview with Rachel Mujanovic who is a Paediatric Clinical Lead Dietitian in the NHS, she comes from a family with Caribbean heritage, her partner’s family are from Bosnia, and they live here in the UK so they are definitely one of those families who are balancing lots of different cultural influences on their family dinner table. Alongside her NHS clinical expertise Rachel also specialises in helping families to help their children enjoy cultural foods to honour and explore their family’s place in the world.

In this interview we explore not only how to build your own family's cultural foods into your child's life but also how to help them to be adventurous and explore foods from other cultures too so this is helpful for going on holiday, broadening your child's palate and helping children to understand how people live and eat all over the world as well as in the kitchens of their family and friends.

Rachel has been a paediatric dietitian for nearly 10 years and is currently a Paediatric Clinical Lead Dietitian in the NHS. Fussy eating, tube feeding, Cystic Fibrosis and allergy are just a few areas that she has worked in over the years. Rachel is passionate about helping families navigate feeding their children and has a particular interest in empowering families to share and enjoy their own or other cultural foods with their children.

Links in this episode:

Rachel's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kidsdietitianrachel

My World Kitchen: https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/shows/my-world-kitchen

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK52: How to store apples and pears and use up windfalls and spares

Mon, 24 Nov 2025 07:00:00 +0100

This episode is part of a monthly series where Joanne runs through some ideas to reduce food waste and save money by storing foods well and using them up effectively.

This episode is about apples and pears so there some ideas about how to store apples and pears to make them last longer, and stop them going off. This includes how to store them in the kitchen, how to freeze them and how to dry them.

The episode includes our monthly Q&A with Kate Hall from The Full Freezer on how to freeze apples and pears and different ways to use them.

Links in this episode:

Kate's "Can I Freeze It?" video on apples: https://www.instagram.com/canifreezeit/reel/CVV4Y3MIPhQ/

Kate's "Can I Freeze It?" video on apple juice: https://www.instagram.com/canifreezeit/reel/Cn61DzSIky5/

Kate's video on never wasting apples: https://www.instagram.com/p/DHfo_Q0oNiZ/

Links to the recipe ideas are in the shownotes at: https://https://thefoodies.org/ffk52

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK51: Are screens always bad at mealtimes? With Emma Fitzgerald

Thu, 20 Nov 2025 07:00:00 +0100

On today's episode I'm talking to Emma Fitzgerald who's a paediatric feeding therapist with 16 years of NHS experience helping children with their eating and we're talking about whether it's sometimes okay to use screens to help our children with food.

When we have children, I think we all have an ideal of what we want our family meals to be like. In previous episodes with dietitians we have touched on lots of good reasons why this style of eating is a good thing to aim for if we can. That family style of eating where people can help themselves from the middle of the table really is helpful for kids to have more agency and chatting about their day and things other than the food takes the pressure off children to eat and it also enables them to communicate about stuff that's going on in their life. So when it's possible and it works, obviously that's great. But what about when that just doesn't work for you?

Emma is a paediatric feeding therapist with a Master’s in Speech and Language Therapy and 16 years of NHS experience. Previously a senior staff nurse, she draws on a strong clinical background to support children with eating, drinking and swallowing needs. She specialises in the assessment, diagnosis and management of paediatric feeding disorders, helping families navigate challenges with confidence and clarity. Her approach is evidence-based, compassionate and family-centred, aiming to make feeding safer, more enjoyable and more fulfilling for every child.

Emma posted a great post on Instagram about her professional take on this and especially what she thinks about screens and food.

Links in this episode:

Emma's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emma_feeding_therapist/

Emma's website: https://www.emma-fitzgerald.com/

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK50: How to increase your child's fibre with easy everyday foods

Mon, 17 Nov 2025 07:00:00 +0100

Today's episode is all about how to find sources of fibre for your child's body in everyday foods.

We have a couple of episodes coming up about children's digestive systems with two fabulous dietitians. But because both of those interviews cover the fact that we need to make sure our children are having adequate fibre in their diet, this episode will have lots of practical ideas for how to get fibre into our kids' food.

NHS article on fibre: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/digestive-health/how-to-get-more-fibre-into-your-diet/

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK49: How to prep ahead for the holiday season, reduce stress and save time

Thu, 13 Nov 2025 07:00:00 +0100

However you celebrate over this holiday period, one thing is certain, there will be lots of food, and that food will need preparing, and depending on whether you host or are hosted, some of that might be stressful.

So this episode is all about how to use this slightly grey and flat couple of weeks at the end of November to think about making your holiday season a bit easier, food wise.

Joanne runs through some ideas about preparing your kitchen, some ideas about preparing some food, and a short interview with Kate Hall from the Full Freezer about using your freezer.

Links in this episode are in the shownotes at https://www.thefoodies.org/ffk49/

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK48: Five November seasonal meals, easy and family friendly

Mon, 10 Nov 2025 07:00:00 +0100

In this episode of the Food for Kids podcast, Joanne shares simple, family-friendly meal ideas using seasonal produce available in November. The focus is on easy-to-make recipes that require minimal prep time, making them perfect for busy families. Joanne discusses three main meals, a dessert, and a quick snack, all utilizing fresh ingredients that are in season.

She gives suggestions on adapting recipes to suit children's tastes and some swap ideas too.

Links to the recipes:

Meal 1 -Sausage root veg tray bake – https://lostinfood.co.uk/sticky-sausage-tray-bake

Meal 2 -Tray bake okonomiyaki– https://myriadrecipes.com/okonomiyaki-traybake

Pan fried okonomiyaki - https://www.wandercooks.com/okonomiyaki-japanese-savoury-pancakes/

Easy okinomiyaki sauce - https://www.wandercooks.com/okonomiyaki-sauce/

Main 3 -beef stew – https://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/beef/jools-s-favourite-beef-stew/

Vegetarian version - https://traditionalplantbasedcooking.com/vegan-beef-stew

Dessert – https://babylovesveg.com/2016/12/22/chocolate-pears/

Snack – make octopus oranges - https://www.eatsamazing.co.uk/family-friendly-recipes/snack-ideas-recipes/how-to-make-an-orange-octopus-fun-food-tutorial

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK47: Why your ADHD child might struggle with food, with Natalie Fox

Thu, 06 Nov 2025 07:00:00 +0100

Today’s episode is a super helpful interview with Natalie Fox about how ADHD can affect children's relationship with food and how parents and carers can help.

Natalie Fox is a Registered Dietitian and content creator who helps ADHDers cultivate a joyful, shame-free relationship with food and figure out how to work WITH their brains to make eating well easier and more ADHD-supportive.

Natalie’s content is really good at breaking down why food related routines and aspirations come off the rails so often for ADHDers when they try to follow standard food advice. And she is also very non judgmental and realistic about ways to build up systems and tools that are more ADHD friendly.

Links in this episode:

Natalie's website: www.nataliefoxrd.com

Natalie's Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@natalie.fox.rd

Natalie's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/natalie.fox.rd

Natalie's YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@nataliefoxrd

ADHD Guide to Getting Fed course which is under £35 at the time of recording: https://natalie-fox.mykajabi.com/mc-guide--to-getting-fed

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK46: Foods in season in November in the UK

Mon, 03 Nov 2025 07:00:00 +0100

In this episode, Joanne runs through a list of fruits and vegetables which are in season in the UK in November, and offers tips for getting children to try each of them. There is also a short list of imported foods that are currently in season.

Links in this episode:

List of foods in season in November- www.thefoodies.org/seasonal/november-food-ideas/

Episode 43 all about using up pumpkins - www.thefoodies.org/ffk43

Printables of autumn seasonal foods: https://thefoodiesbooks.com/product/autumn-seasonal-food-printables

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK45: Weeknight dinners that are quicker and cheaper than a delivery

Thu, 30 Oct 2025 07:00:00 +0100

Today’s episode is full of ideas for those nights when you’ve come in from an activity or one of your kids has had a meltdown and by the time you have soothed them it’s late to start cooking, or you’re just knackered and really don’t want to cook. On lots of those nights we might order in, or pick up some ready meals on the way home. And there’s nothing wrong with that some of the time. But when you're fed up of shelling out big bucks for delivery and ready meals seem to take just as long as cooking, you need some inspiration for quick dinners.

This episode runs through a bunch of ideas, so you can pick and choose and get some things into your store cupboard or freezer to be ready for the next evening of overwhelm.

Links in this episode:

Pinwheels: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/pizza-puff-pinwheels

Korean pancakes with sauce: https://www.maangchi.com/recipe/yachaejeon

Beryl Shereshewsky's ramen roundup: https://www.beryl.nyc/index.php/2025/05/19/21-instant-noodles-from-around-the-world/

Storecupboard swedish meatball sauce: https://www.tamingtwins.com/swedish-meatballs/

Carbonara base recipe to adapt: https://scrummylane.com/really-good-classic-pasta-carbonara/

Kate Hall's video on freezing jacket potatoes: https://www.instagram.com/canifreezeit/reel/ClrFqiVoLqm/

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK44: How to handle halloween sweets and have Halloween food fun

Mon, 27 Oct 2025 07:00:00 +0100

This episode is going out in the week before Halloween and Joanne interviews Emma Martyn from Little Gannets about how to use children’s enthusiasm about Halloween to explore food.

Emma talks about why we restricting children’s eating of their Halloween sweets in an overt way gives them negative messages about food, and that we should think of Halloween as just one part of the year and think of the whole celebration and everything it can add to a childhood. She gives some tips to make trick or treating a bit less sweet indulgent but talks about how children need to learn to listen to their own bodies.

Emma also runs through some great ideas for other ways to use food at Halloween to engage children and play and have fun with food.

Emma is a certified nutrition coach who works with schools and daycare settings on their menus and nutrition education, as well as running weaning workshops and baby brunches for families. Because Emma also offers party food catering for children, I thought she'd be the perfect person to ask about celebration food and how handle those times where everyone including children are prone to overindulging a bit.

Links in this episode:

Emma's website: https://www.littlegannets.co.uk/

Emma's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/littlegannetsuk/

Emma's reel of Halloween food messy play: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DQD5WwsiO1V

Emma's spooky toast recipes: https://www.littlegannets.co.uk/recipes/halloween-toasts

October episode with some Halloween snack ideas: www.thefoodies.org/ffk40/

Episode about using up pumpkin flesh: www.thefoodies.org/ffk43

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK43: How to store pumpkins and winter squash and use up leftover pumpkin

Thu, 23 Oct 2025 07:00:00 +0100

This episode is part of a monthly series where Joanne runs through some ideas to reduce food waste and save money by storing foods well and using them up effectively.

This episode is about pumpkins and winter squash so there some ideas about how to store pumpkins and squash to make them last longer, and stop them going off. This includes how to store them in the kitchen, how to freeze them and how to dry them. There is also some information about making use of the seeds in squashes too.

And then there are a few good ideas on how to use up leftover pumpkin flesh from Halloween and butternut squash left from a recipe or coming out of the garden.

The episode includes our monthly Q&A with Kate Hall from The Full Freezer on how to freeze pumpkins and squash and different ways to use them.

Links in this episode:

Kate's video on freezing pumpkin: https://www.instagram.com/canifreezeit/reel/CGrWyvkn1Lt/

Kate's video on freezing pumpkin seeds: https://www.instagram.com/canifreezeit/reel/Cj_MA56olx9/

Kate's video on freezing butternut squash: https://www.instagram.com/canifreezeit/reel/CLwAKKxHIK7/

Carrot and squash soup: https://www.easypeasyfoodie.com/carrot-and-butternut-squash-soup/#recipe

Thai red curry with pumpkin or squash: https://rainbowplantlife.com/thai-butternut-squash-chickpea-curry/

Thai curry soup with pumpkin or squash: https://cookieandkate.com/thai-curried-butternut-squash-soup/

Episode about adding extra veg to food with suggestions for grated and pureed squash: https://www.thefoodies.org/ffk42/

Pumpkin cake: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/halloween-pumpkin-cake

Pumpkin cookies: https://www.evesleep.co.uk/blogs/the-well-slept-club/pumpkin-recipes-uk

Pumpkin cheesecake: https://www.amummytoo.co.uk/no-bake-pumpkin-cheesecake-recipe

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK42: Ways to add more fruit and veg into food for kids

Mon, 20 Oct 2025 07:00:00 +0100

Today's episode is a high speed run through a bunch of ideas for including more fruit and veg in to everyday meals without lots of faff. This is taken from a guide Joanne published ten years ago which included 101 different ways to help kids love fruit and veg, and the ideas in this episode are all going to be easy additions to everyday cooking.

This episode is focusing on fruit and veg because that’s Joanne's area of work and because there is a lot of focus at the moment on how to increase fibre in children’s diets and a lot of these ideas will be high in fibre. Some listeners will have children who are ok with fruit and veg and have more issues with things like meat intake, textures of things or sauces and combination foods, and there will be episodes coming up about those issues too, but this one is going to focus on fruit and veg additions and upping the fibre intake.

Hopefully everyone listening will be able to pick up one idea that might be helpful.

LInks to recipes for some of the ideas covered are in the shownotes at https://www.thefoodies.org/ffk42/

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK41: My child invited a vegan friend home for tea, with Paula Hallam

Thu, 16 Oct 2025 07:00:00 +0100

Today's episode is the second of our series on the theme of helpful information if your child asks to bring someone home for tea who has different dietary requirements than your own family. Back in episode 11 we talked about some tips for hosting a child who is coeliac and today we're talking about having a child for tea who is vegan or plant-based if your family is not. For this I spoke to Paula Hallam from Plant-Based Kids UK.

Paula is a leading children’s dietitian, mum to two teen girls, author and plant based nutrition expert. She is passionate about helping families navigate the (often confusing) world of feeding children without feeling overwhelmed. Her mission is to help parents raise happy, healthy plant-powered kids, without spending hours in the kitchen! Paula has 25 years experience as a children’s dietitian, working in the NHS for 18 years in a variety of paediatric roles, including the world famous Great Ormond Street Hospital (twice!), food allergy research, consulting to health charities and providing expert nutrition advice to baby food brands.

Links in this episode

Paula's website - https://plantbased-kids.com/

Paula's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/plantbasedkids.uk

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK40: Five October seasonal meals, easy and family friendly

Mon, 13 Oct 2025 07:00:00 +0100

In this episode of the Food for Kids podcast, Joanne shares simple, family-friendly meal ideas using seasonal produce available in October including a couple of Halloween themed kids’ favourites. The focus is on easy-to-make recipes that require minimal prep time, making them perfect for busy families. Joanne discusses three main meals, a dessert, and a quick snack, all utilizing fresh ingredients that are in season. She gives suggestions on adapting recipes to suit children's tastes and some swap ideas too.

Links to the recipes:

Main 1 – Spooky pizzas – Ghost: https://aprettylifeinthesuburbs.com/boo-licious/ (made with dough but you can cut a large oval pita or a naan.

Main 1 – Spooky pizzas – Pumpkin: https://wholefully.com/mini-halloween-pizza/ a good example of a pumpkin face made with pepperoni.

Main 2 – one pot butternut mac and cheese - https://happykidskitchen.com/one-pot-butternut-squash-mac-and-cheese

Main 3 – beef and broccoli stir fry https://www.simplyrecipes.com/ground-beef-and-broccoli-stir-fry-recipe-8601830

Dessert – pumpkin muffins - https://www.riverford.co.uk/recipes/pumpkin-muffins

Bonus recipe – pumpkin seeds - https://www.thefoodies.org/what-to-do-with-pumpkin-seeds/

Snack – apple teeth jam and almonds https://ohsheglows.com/3-ingredient-halloween-apple-bites/

Snack – apple teeth nut butter and marshmallows - https://lazyhomecook.com/monster-mouth-apple-treat-halloween/

Snack - bonus apple worms - https://www.eatsamazing.co.uk/family-friendly-recipes/snack-ideas-recipes/wormy-apples-fun-snack-for-kids

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK39: Five food games to help children to try new foods

Thu, 09 Oct 2025 07:00:00 +0100

Today’s episode is a short and fun one and is a quick roundup of some fun games you can play with your child away from the table in order to build familiarity with foods and help to increase their confidence about the fact that there is no pressure to eat when they explore foods.

For all of these activities there is an opportunity for children (and adults) to taste a food, but there is an alternative of exploring the food without tasting it for children who might be more nervous.

Joanne runs through some fun games that you can do together and gives alternatives for your children to do in the games if they are not likely to want to taste foods. Even if they never taste a food in a game, they will get to explore the foods, see their parents or siblings tasting or exploring them and reinforce that sense of security that we are trying to give them that they don’t have to eat a food until they are ready and want to, exploring without tasting is valuable too and they are not letting anyone down.

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK38: How to teach kids to cook even when you're anxious about it, with Florence Rebattet

Mon, 06 Oct 2025 07:00:00 +0100

Today’s episode is a fun one, Joanne talks to Florence Rebattet from En Cuisine Cooking School about how to teach kids to cook if you’re not very confident yourself.

Flo has been running her cooking school in London for over ten years, and teached teaches children from aged 3 right through to 18 how to cook from scratch with classes, holiday cooking camps and courses.

We have both worked with a lot of parents who are very anxious about getting their kids in to the kitchen and Flo has lots of practical and small ideas if you want to start cooking with your child but don’t know where to start.

Flo is the founder of En Cuisine Cooking School, established in 2014 in London. Her school teaches children aged 3 to 18 how to cook from scratch, encouraging creativity and healthy eating habits. After the birth of her son, Flo left her career as a human resources manager to follow her passion for food, retraining as a chef. Inspired by the challenges many parents face when cooking with their children, she created En Cuisine to provide a supportive, hands-on environment. Her mission is to inspire the next generation to embrace fresh ingredients, confidence in the kitchen, and a lifelong love of cooking.

Links in this episode:

Flo's school website: https://www.encuisinecookingschool.com

Flo's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/encuisinecookingschool

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK37: Foods in season in October in the UK

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 07:00:00 +0100

In this episode, Joanne runs through a list of fruits and vegetables which are in season in the UK in October, and offers tips for getting children to try each of them. There is also a short list of imported foods that are currently in season.

List of foods in season in October- www.thefoodies.org/seasonal/october-food-ideas/

Printables of summer seasonal foods: https://thefoodiesbooks.com/product/autumn-seasonal-food-printables

Blog post for young children to play with pumpkin flesh and seeds and learn how to save, eat and share the seeds: https://www.thefoodies.org/what-to-do-with-pumpkin-seeds/

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK36: Twelve surprising things you can freeze, that you probably didn't know

Mon, 29 Sep 2025 07:00:00 +0100

Today's episode is not so much an episode about children's food specifically, as just about making family food easier in general and it's going to be a list of 12 types of food that you might not know that you can freeze.

So hopefully one or more of these ideas might be helpful, whether it's to help you buy a bigger, more economical pack of something and then split it up to save some money. Also, you can do a lot of cooking or prep effort all in one go and then save energy on a busy weeknight or to just generally save on waste, especially when our children are going through faddy phases or when family life gets really busy and the meals that we had planned don't work out when we thought.

Joanne runs through 12 different foods and some of them are groups of foods so it's a slightly longer episode and we have two short segments with our resident freezer geek, Kate Hall from The Full Freezer.

Links in this episode:

Episode with Jenna Brown about safe freezing of leftovers: https://www.thefoodies.org/ff6/

Reel with Jenna about freezing rice: https://www.instagram.com/p/DLDOvdiN4K0/

Kate's website - https://www.thefullfreezer.com/

Kate's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thefullfreezer

Kate's Can I Freeze It? page for individual ingredients

Full list of freezer links on the shownotes page.

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFk35: Foraging with kids, five ideas and some blackberry recipes

Thu, 25 Sep 2025 07:00:00 +0100

In today's episode Joanne talks through some of the rules and precautions you need to think through if you want to try foraging with kids.

This last Thursday episode of the month is normally reserved for talking about how to store, freeze and use up a group of foods, and this month's food is blackberries. Because we already covered berries in detail back in June, Joanne does cover how to store and use up blackberries and talks to Kate Hall about freezing them. But that short section leaves some time to discuss one of the things that comes up when parents think about picking blackberries and that's the general topic of whether it's ok to forage with kids in general.

Joanne runs through some of the common rules and etiquette of foraging and some ideas for exploring wild plants with kids, including some ideas that don't require eating anything!

There are lots of links to foraging sites, videos of plants, and recipes for blackberries and other plants.

DISCLAIMER: Of course when it comes to anything out in nature, there is an inherent balance of risk and listeners need to take good advice from various sources and decide the right balance of risk for themselves, you have to be certain that you know what you are eating or you should not eat it or let your child eat it. Some wild plants are poisonous and you should make sure you are properly informed. For that reason, below are links to lots of different resources of foraging advice in the UK but The Food For Kids Podcast is not advising you to forage with children and eat the things you find and does not take any responsibility for the foraging you decide to do, this is just a jumping off point for you to think about and go and find out more, and the links given are just sugestions as starting points, not endorsements. Joanne gives suggestions for ways to explore wild plants with children without eating anything you gather so if in doubt, you can explore without eating. All foraging with your children is at your own risk.

Links:

Website with full section on foraging with kids: https://www.thegrizzlyforager.co.uk/for-kids/

Great article about foraging with kids: https://growinghealthykids.co.uk/teach-your-kids-to-forage/

Great website on wild play: https://gowildgowest.co.uk

PIcking blackberries blog: https://www.thefoodies.org/how-to-pick-blackberries-with-kids/

Blackberry ice pops: https://www.thefoodies.org/blackberry-yoghurt-ice-pops/

Blackberry apple cake: https://jesseatsandtravels.com/apple-and-blackberry-cake/#recipe

Blackberry apple crumble cake: https://family-friends-food.com/blackberry-apple-crumble-cake/

Kate's videos on freezing blackberries: https://www.instagram.com/canifreezeit/reel/Cpn2Oh7oDAK/

Article about foraging cleavers with kids: https://www.thegrizzlyforager.co.uk/cleavers/

Video about foraging for cleavers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtavLPq8OmY

Cleaver and cucumber drink: https://www.foreadventure.co.uk/adventure/sticky-weed-refreshing-and-revitalising-cleavers-water-with-lemon-and-cucumber/

Article about foraging wild garlic: https://www.countryfile.com/how-to/food-recipes/wild-garlic-guide-where-to-find-how-to-cook-it-and-recipe-ideas

Video about how to identify wild garlic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OaVXERcJIY

Video on foraging wild garlic safely: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-a5YyduErE

Video on foraging for dandelions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oe6kvIpKZTg

Dandelion fritters recipe: https://natureintoaction.com/2022/04/27/making-dandelion-fritters-with-kids/

Dandelion "honey" recipe: https://veganonboard.com/vegan-dandelion-honey/

Article on harvesting nettles with kids: https://nourishingmeals.com/2010/02/harvesting-nettles-children

Video of picking nettles with kids: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QYf6uUIz-E

Recipe for nettle soup: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/nettle-soup

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK34: How to make mealtimes more relaxed with children, with Kirsty Porter

Mon, 22 Sep 2025 07:00:00 +0100

This episode forms a two-parter with episode 33 about how to talk about food, and this one is about how to take pressure away from the dinner table in general and includes an interview with Kirsty Porter from Nutrition4Kids, who we last heard from back in episode 12 where she talked about sensory issues with foods.

After the interview piece Joanne runs through some other small and practical things you can do to make the dinner table feel more comfortable for kids.

Links in the episode:

My £7.49 familiarity workshop - https://thefoodiesbooks.com/food-familiarity-course/

Kirsty's website: https://nutrition4kidsni.com/

Kirsty's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nutrition4kidsni

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK33: Low pressure ways to talk about food with kids

Thu, 18 Sep 2025 07:00:00 +0100

In today’s episode Joanne talks about how to talk about food with your child if you are trying to take the pressure off them and especially if you have a fussy or anxious eater.

She goes over why it’s important to be careful about how we talk about food at the table, and then gives some suggestions for ways that we can talk when exploring food with our child, that isn’t linked to their being pressured to eat.

Don’t forget that there are many stages to eating and tasting is just the final one.

As always, if you think your child might need some additional help with their eating if they're showing a lot of anxiety around food or if they have a very small or diminishing range of safe foods, then please do talk to a professional about it, you can find qualified professionals via the British Dietetic Association website.

Links in this episode:

Episode 9 - Is it my fault my child is a fussy eater? https://www.thefoodies.org/ffk9/

Episode 4 - Is this fussy eating normal? with Emma Shafqat - https://www.thefoodies.org/ffk4/

My 90 minute workshop on building children's comfort with food away from table - for £7.49 https://thefoodiesbooks.com/food-familiarity-course/

Food adjectives list: https://www.thefoodies.org/adjectives-freebie/

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK32: How to reduce packaging in children's food, with Suzanne Moore

Mon, 15 Sep 2025 07:00:00 +0100

In today's episode Joanne is looking at reducing packaging waste in kids’ meals, so that’s mostly snack foods and lunchbox foods, and it’s something we all want to do, but it can be quite hard when there are so many things to balance.

Joanne runs through some of the arguments for trying to reduce packaged foods, and gives some practical suggestions for one item at a time.

Joanne then has a conversation with Suzanne Moore about ways to pack fresh items or decant items from bigger packages at home. The founder of Nom Nom Kids, Suzanne creates reusable products that children will love eating from and parents will enjoy filling and cleaning. The business was born out of a desire to reduce packaging waste in her own family, save money and feed healthy snacks on the go.

Links in this episode:

Nom Nom Kids website - https://nomnomkids.co.uk

Suzanne's Instagram: https://instagram.com/nomnomkids

Suzanne's Facebook: https://facebook.com/nomnomkids

Tiktok with live sales demos: https://www.tiktok.com/@nomnomkids

Article about the lunch waste study: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/may/14/lunch-on-go-habit-generates-11bn-items-packaging-waste-year-uk

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK31: Five September seasonal meals, easy and family friendly

Thu, 11 Sep 2025 07:00:00 +0100

In this episode of the Food for Kids podcast, Joanne shares simple, family-friendly meal ideas using seasonal produce available in September. The focus is on easy-to-make recipes that require minimal prep time, making them perfect for busy families. Joanne discusses three main meals, a dessert, and a quick snack, all utilizing fresh ingredients that are in season. She gives suggestions on adapting recipes to suit children's tastes and some swap ideas too.

Links to the recipes:

Main 1 - butternut and carrot soup: https://www.easypeasyfoodie.com/carrot-and-butternut-squash-soup

Main 2 - traybake chicken version: https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/support/healthy-living/healthy-eating/recipe-finder/chicken-and-vegetable-traybake

Main 2 - traybake vegan version: https://thehappyfoodie.co.uk/recipes/roasted-vegetable-and-tofu-traybake/

Main 3 - boosted shop bought pasta sauce: https://itslivb.com/2020/09/07/roasted-vegetable-pasta/

Dessert - crumble: https://www.thefoodies.org/apple-crumble-with-kids/

Snack - pumpkin pie spice chickpeas: https://uglyducklingbakery.com/pumpkin-pie-spiced-chickpeas

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK30: What children learn through cookery, with Chris Lord

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 07:00:00 +0100

This episode explores why cookery and food teaching is not just teaching a basic life skill although that is also very important, but how it is a vehicle for teaching lots of other parts of the curriculum and lots of skills that you wouldn’t necessarily think of as being related to food. So whether you have a child in pre-school, in a school, if you’re homeschooling, or if you just want to help your child to learn some things at home, hopefully this will interest you.

Back in July we had an episode with a food teacher called Chris Lord who has been teaching food and cookery for over twenty years in several different countries. I have another short interview with Chris today where he talks about how he has used food to deliver other parts of the curriculum in his schools, and then I run through some examples of other ways to use food in learning.

Links in the episode:

Food A Fact Of Life: https://www.foodafactoflife.org.uk/

Let's Get Cooking: https://www.bda.uk.com/food-health/lets-get-cooking.html

Chris's website about food and travels: https://www.lordysguide.com

Food for Life curriculum summary: https://www.foodforlife.org.uk/media/flzbu5ph/links-across-the-curriculum.pdf

Whole school ideas: https://www.foodafactoflife.org.uk/whole-school/whole-school-approach/curriculum-qualifications-and-frameworks/

Report from the school food plan: https://www.schoolfoodplan.com/report/cooking-in-the-curriculum/

BBC ideas: https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/articles/learning_through_cooking

Food a Fact of Life resources: https://www.foodafactoflife.org.uk/professional-development/ppd-toolkit/primary/

Taste education resources: https://www.tasteeducation.com/primary/

Homeschool resources: https://www.homeschoolnaturally.com/blog/homeschool-cooking-curriculum-kids

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK29: Packed lunch ideas for kids at school - not just sandwiches!

Thu, 04 Sep 2025 07:00:00 +0100

In this episode Joanne runs through some ideas for school and nursery lunchboxes. One of the things that comes up all the time with packed lunches is that they can get boring. Some children of course don't mind having similar things most days but if your child is getting bored with the same old sandwich or you want to try and change things up a bit to add some variety, especially if your child's fed up with sandwiches in general, then what do you do?

There are loads of great ideas online for lunches, but sometimes they can make you feel bad and they can be a bit unrealistic when the creators who are making those blogs and videos are literally doing that for their side hustle or main income and they have lots of time to spend on it and you're juggling a job or several kids and after school activities. On the other hand, sometimes we do know that we've got into a rut and it's nice to get some extra inspiration because we forget that some things exist when we buy the same things at the store every week and also some people can be really creative and give us some really good ideas to tempt our kids.

So in this episode Joanne gives some ideas for different lunch elements, including some non-sandwich items without any side servings of mom guilt.

Links in this episode:

NHS guidance and ideas: https://www.nhs.uk/healthier-families/recipes/healthier-lunchboxes/

Episode with food safety guidance: http://thefoodies.org/ffk26/

Episode with pick and mix ideas: http://thefoodies.org/ffk26/

Jenna’s reel on food safety making packed lunches: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CTh3CdXDl8E/

Jenna’s reel on how to freeze sandwiches: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CjQt3sYjDTI/

Mini frittata: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/easy-egg-muffins

Savoury muffins: https://realfood.tesco.com/recipes/tomato-and-bacon-muffins.html

Fruit kebabs: https://groceries.morrisons.com/recipes/rainbow-fruit-kebabs/95375

Popcorn idea: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/chocolate-drizzled-popcorn

Chocolate fruit: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/choco-dipped-tangerines

Energy balls: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/choc-orange-energy-boosters

Pizza rolls / pinwheels: https://www.whatlisacooks.com/blog/pizza-rolls

courgette fritters: https://www.thefoodies.org/cheesy-courgette-fritters/

Blog series showing lots of great ideas for lunchbox components and combos:

https://www.whatlisacooks.com/no-sandwich-lunches-1

https://www.whatlisacooks.com/no-sandwich-lunches-2

https://www.whatlisacooks.com/no-sandwich-lunches-3

https://www.whatlisacooks.com/no-sandwich-lunches-4

FFK28: Foods in season in September in the UK

Mon, 01 Sep 2025 07:00:00 +0100

In this episode, Joanne runs through a list of fruits and vegetables which are in season in the UK in September, and offers tips for getting children to try each of them. There is also a short list of imported foods that are currently in season.

List of foods in season in September- www.thefoodies.org/seasonal/september-food-ideas/

Printables of summer seasonal foods: https://thefoodiesbooks.com/product/summer-seasonal-food-printables

Kate Hall's "Can I Freeze It?" reel on blackberries https://www.instagram.com/canifreezeit/reel/Cpn2Oh7oDAK/

Blog post for young children to learn how to pick blackberries safely and what to do with them: https://www.thefoodies.org/how-to-pick-blackberries-with-kids/

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK27: How to store courgettes and summer squash and how to use up a glut of courgettes

Thu, 28 Aug 2025 07:00:00 +0100

In this episode, the third in a monthly series, Joanne runs through some ideas to reduce food waste and save money by storing foods well and using them up effectively.

This episode is about courgettes and summer squashes so there are some ideas about how to store courgettes and thin skinned squash to make them last longer, and stop them going off. This includes how to store them in the kitchen, how to freeze them and how to dry them.

And then there are a few good ideas on how to use up a glut of courgettes or any spares left over from a recipe.

The episode includes our monthly Q&A with Kate Hall from The Full Freezer on how to freeze courgettes and summer squash.

Links in this episode:

Cheesy courgette fritters with instructions for children to make them: https://www.thefoodies.org/cheesy-courgette-fritters/

Courgette, potato and cheddar soup: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/courgette-potato-cheddar-soup

Chocolate courgette muffins: https://www.healthylifetrainer.com/chocolate-courgette-muffins/

Kate's Can I Freeze It? video on courgettes: https://www.instagram.com/canifreezeit/reel/CSPhpTvI8MN/

Kate's website: https://www.thefullfreezer.com/

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK26: How to keep packed lunches safe, with Jenna Brown

Mon, 25 Aug 2025 07:00:00 +0100

Today’s fairly short episode is about packed lunches for the start of term next week, and specifically, about how to keep packed lunch foods safe until lunchtime.

The main issue with lunchboxes is the storage of them between them being packed in the morning and them being eaten. If the hot weather in the last few weeks has made you think about how food will last in hot classrooms then this episode is for you.

I interviewed Jenna Brown, an environmental health officer known as Food Safety Mum online, about how to keep lunchbox foods safe.

Jenna is an experienced Environmental Health Officer with a first class degree in Environmental Health and over 14 years of experience in food safety and public health. She started the Food Safety Mum business when she became a mum herself. That understanding of how much you think differently when you have a little one to think about too meant that Jenna became passionate about promoting food safety in the home. She is on a mission to help parents to safely save time, money & food!

Links from the episode:

General food safety making packed lunches: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CTh3CdXDl8E/?igsh=Nnd2ZDZoeXNiazd1

Tips for keeping lunches cold: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CiLNDDdDiM1/?igsh=MTd3b3JrMmMyZzRzOA%3D%3D

How to freeze sandwiches: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CjQt3sYjDTI/?igsh=MXd2MnU0b3d2cjRuMg%3D%3D

Tips for food flasks: https://www.instagram.com/p/CTz8vSWsQ8b/?igsh=czFkZ2QxaXZ3NGR1&img_index=4

Hot packed lunches and chicken nuggets trial: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DAG8LmSsg9U/?igsh=cDh2d3B4cm1yajd2

Jenna's website: https://www.foodsafetymum.co.uk

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK25: Child friendly BBQ ideas

Thu, 21 Aug 2025 07:00:00 +0100

In this episode I run through some child friendly barbecue ideas for these last few weeks of the summer holidays and into the warm September weekends.

In the UK a barbecue can feel like such a treat. When you’re imagining it, it’s got a relaxed vibe, the sun’s out, friends or family are around, there’s the smell of the grill and some cold drinks and everyone is enjoying cooking and eating in the open air with some different food to the everyday grind.

But if you’ve ever hosted with children in the mix, you’ll know that that dreamy barbecue vibe can quickly slip into stress if kids don’t want to eat what you’re making, but you don’t want to water down the fun for the grown ups. So if you’re the one organising the food, it’s easy to get caught up worrying about what the children will actually eat, how they will cope with waiting for food and how to make it feel special, without jumping through lots of hoops to please everyone and ending up hating it yourself.

I share some ideas for making barbecues with kids more fun and relaxed, so you can make sure they are happy without needing to do a separate kids’ menu.

For the lists of mains, sides and sauces mentioned in the episode, please go to the shownotes page on the website at thefoodies.org/ffk25

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat.

FFK24: When to start solid foods with a baby, with Ailsa McHardy

Mon, 18 Aug 2025 06:15:00 +0100

In today's episode I'm talking to Ailsa McHardy of Little Nutrition about the guidelines for when to wean your baby onto solid foods.

There is a lot more understanding, flexibility and information out there now than when my kids were weaning and I wanted to ask Ailsa what the current best advice is for parents on how to know if their child is ready or not. We talk about why age is a guideline and not a hard and fast rule, and what developmental cues to look for in your own child to see if they are ready.

Links mentioned in this episode:

Ailsa's weaning support programme: https://www.littlenutrition.co.uk/packages/pricing

Ailsa's FREE Ultimate Guide To Weaning Ebook: https://littlenutrition.kit.com/1cc84d30e0

Ailsa's instagram: https://www.instagram.com/littlenutritionwithailsa/

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK23: Five August seasonal meals, easy and family friendly

Thu, 14 Aug 2025 07:00:00 +0100

In this episode of the Food for Kids podcast, Joanne shares simple, family-friendly meal ideas using seasonal produce available in August. The focus is on easy-to-make recipes that require minimal prep time, making them perfect for busy families. Joanne discusses three main meals, a dessert, and a quick snack, all utilizing fresh ingredients that are in season. She gives suggestions on adapting recipes to suit children's tastes and some swap ideas too.

Links to the recipes:

Lentil ragu: https://hillstart.me.uk/lentil-and-red-pepper-ragu/

Courgette pancakes: https://www.thefoodies.org/cheesy-courgette-fritters/

Stir fry veg rice: https://www.littlemonkeynutrition.com/blog/veg-stir-fry-rice

Meringues for the fruit basket pick your own pudding: https://bakefromscratch.com/meringue-nests-berries/

Popcorn topping ideas: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/collection/popcorn-recipes

For more seasonal food ideas go to: https://www.thefoodies.org/seasonal/august-food-ideas/

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK22: Seven cooking skills for kids in two minutes or less

Mon, 11 Aug 2025 07:00:00 +0100

In today’s episode I am going to give you seven incredibly easy two minute tasks that your children can do in the kitchen, for when you want them to learn some skills but don’t have time to cook with them.

I meet a lot of parents at school events and when I am out and about selling my

books and activity boxes and at basically every event one of them says

something to the effect of how they know they should cook with their young

kids, or teach their older kids to cook, but they never get to it and they find

it super stressful, and they feel guilty about it.

In the episode I talk about why you shouldn't feel guilty about not cooking every week with your children, two ways of tackling it in a different way, and seven key skills that children can learn in two minute no pressure shots of helping.

Blog post on what foods to use to teach knife skills: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/kids-basic-knife-skills/

Video on how to teach your child the bridge technique: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXc8XvP6-ks

Video on how to teach your child the claw grip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJObOiRK4Yw

My food familiarity course: https://thefoodiesbooks.com/food-familiarity-course/

The seven skills are:

Stirring
Peeling
Grating
Chopping
Spreading
Picking up with tongs
Measuring

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK21: How to reduce food waste and save money using your freezer, with Kate Hall

Thu, 07 Aug 2025 07:00:00 +0100

In today’s episode I am talking to Kate Hall from the Full Freezer about how we can reduce food waste using our freezer, both to reduce our impact on the environment, and to save us some money and time.

One of the things that can really be a stressor when you are racing around trying to keep everyone fed while not bankrupting yourselves is the knowledge that there are a couple of things in your fridge that need using up or are going off and the guilt of knowing that you’re wasting food as well as wasting the money you spent on it. Household food waste makes up 60% of the UK's wasted food so we really can make a difference.

Kate's website - https://www.thefullfreezer.com/

Kate's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thefullfreezer

Kate's Can I Freeze It? page for individual ingredients

WRAP report on food waste: https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-7552/CBP-7552.pdf

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK20: Foods in season in August in the UK

Mon, 04 Aug 2025 07:00:00 +0100

In this episode, Joanne runs through a list of fruits and vegetables which are in season in the UK in August, and offers tips for getting children to try each of them. There is also a short list of imported foods that are currently in season.

List of foods in season in August - www.thefoodies.org/seasonal/august-food-ideas/

Printables of summer seasonal foods: https://thefoodiesbooks.com/product/summer-seasonal-food-printables

Kate Hall's "Can I Freeze It?" reel on blackberries https://www.instagram.com/canifreezeit/reel/Cpn2Oh7oDAK/

Kate Hall's "Can I Freeze It?" reel on raspberries https://www.instagram.com/canifreezeit/reel/CFjVqdgAsUK/

Kate Hall's reel on eating frozen fruit as a snack https://www.instagram.com/p/CYZC9nIBBt9/

Food For Kids episode about summer snacks including peppers: https://www.thefoodies.org/ffk17/

Food For Kids episode about tomatoes and how to use them: https://www.thefoodies.org/ffk18/

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK19: Does my child have a milk allergy? With Emma Shafqat

Thu, 31 Jul 2025 07:00:00 +0100

In this episode Joanne talks to Emma Shafqat from Dietitian With A Difference about childhood milk allergy, what the two main types are, what the differences are between the two and how to find out if your child has one.

Emma then talks through what will happen next if you get a diagnosis and what the "milk ladder" is.

She also explains the difference between a milk allergy and a lactose intolerance.

Emma's instagram feed: https://www.instagram.com/dietitian.withadifference/

Emma's milk allergy course for parents: https://dietitianwithadifference.co.uk/milk-allergy-course/

Emma's post on dairy free weaning: https://dietitianwithadifference.co.uk/dairy-free-weaning-with-a-cows-milk-allergy/

Emma's milk ladder explainer: https://dietitianwithadifference.co.uk/milk-ladder/

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK18: How to store tomatoes to make them last and how to use tomatoes up.

Mon, 28 Jul 2025 07:00:00 +0100

In this episode, the second in a monthly series, Joanne runs through some ideas to reduce food waste and save money by storing foods well and using them up effectively.

This episode is about tomatoes so there some ideas about how to store tomatoes to make them last longer, and stop them going off. This includes how to store them in the kitchen, how to freeze them and how to dry them. There is also some information about why the fridge isn't the best place for tomatoes and how the compounds in tomatoes work for health.

And then there are a few good ideas on how to use up tomatoes that have started to go overripe.

The episode includes our monthly Q&A with Kate Hall from The Full Freezer on how to freeze tomatoes and different ways to use them.

Kate's "Can I Freeze It?" reel on cherry tomatoes: https://www.instagram.com/canifreezeit/reel/CDlEH80BiAD/

Kate's "Can I Freeze It?" reel on salad tomatoes: https://www.instagram.com/canifreezeit/reel/C5qttWkIFd_/

Kate's "Can I Freeze It?" reel on tomato puree: https://www.instagram.com/canifreezeit/reel/CTW3omuozGy/

Kate's "Can I Freeze It?" reel on tinned tomatoes: https://www.instagram.com/canifreezeit/reel/CsJss5GKuLe/

Squeezy tomato pasta: https://www.thefoodies.org/squished-tomato-pasta/

Thai tomato soup: https://simple-veganista.com/curry-tomato-soup-zucchini-noodles

Round up of ways to use up tomatoes: https://realfood.tesco.com/curatedlist/seven-ways-to-use-up-leftover-tomatoes.html

Roasted tomato sauce: https://thebackyardlemontree.com/2016/04/13/autumn-roasted-tomato-sauce/

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK17: Easy Summer Holiday Snacks For Kids

Thu, 24 Jul 2025 07:00:00 +0100

In this episode Joanne runs through some suggestions for making the endless summer holiday snack production line a little easier.

Joanne outlines a pick and mix approach using items from three different food types to make it easier to have variety but put things together quickly during a long week of holiday snack demands.

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK16: How does food work with a childminder or nanny?

Mon, 21 Jul 2025 07:00:00 +0100

This episode is about how to handle food if you use a home based childcare professional, so that’s a childminder caring in their home, or a nanny caring in yours and I have a short interview with one of each about how they divide the responsibility with families.

Nannies and childminders work under quite different frameworks in the UK, and that affects both their legal responsibilities and how you, as a parent, can approach making agreements with them.

The interviews are with:

Claire Hassall, an Ofsted-registered childminder with over a decade of experience, known for her love of books, bookish play, nature adventures, and tasty bakes. When not in the kitchen, garden or allotment, she mentors other childminders.

Jackie Cox started her childcare career in a nursery and then was a nanny in several family homes. I did this interview back in 2023 when I was originally planning the podcast and since then she has had a career change and is now a personal trainer but this was during her time as a nanny.

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat.

FFK15: Three summer holiday gardening activities for kids

Thu, 17 Jul 2025 07:00:00 +0100

In this episode Joanne gives you three easy growing projects to choose from that can still be done at this time of year, work well with children helping, and don't need any special equipment or knowledge, literally just a cheap grow bag of compost.

Idea one - windowsill pea shoots

Idea two - rescuing supermarket herbs

Idea three - Christmas potatoes

Links in the episode:

Growing peashoots: https://www.thefoodies.org/how-to-grow-pea-shoots/

Growing basil cuttings in water: https://youtu.be/y0f5yl2ZMqM?si=TlRgohFJQBMVyJ1q

Rescuing supermarket herbs: https://www.ruralsprout.com/keep-supermarket-herbs-thriving/

Growing Christmas potatoes: https://www.rhs.org.uk/vegetables/potatoes/growing-for-festive-season

Video on growing potatoes in bags: https://youtu.be/Tu3Ob2KtLy8?si=aF0keQUmhYJHQvXN

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK14: Changes in secondary school food courses, with Chris Lord

Mon, 14 Jul 2025 07:00:00 +0100

This interview with Chris Lord took place a couple of years ago, when we were discussing the changes in the UK secondary school food curriculum.

Chris has taught food for over twenty years in both the UK and Hong Kong and has some thoughtful insights in to the changes of emphasis in the way food is taught.

Our conversation explored the need to move away from teaching as food technology to a more integrated approach that emphasizes nutrition and cooking skills.

In addition I go through the interesting results of a survey by the Food Teachers Centre about teachers' attitudes to how food should be taught in school.

And there are some useful resources linked for educators and families alike with helpful nutrition and recipe sites.

Links mentioned in the episode:

The survey by The Food Teachers' Centre: https://foodteacherscentre.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Food-Education-fit-for-the-future.pdf

Food Teachers Centre Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/foodteacherscentre

Food A Fact Of Life: https://www.foodafactoflife.org.uk/

Let's Get Cooking: https://www.bda.uk.com/food-health/lets-get-cooking.html

Licence to Cook: https://www.foodafactoflife.org.uk/11-14-years/cooking-11-14-years/licence-to-cook-11-14-years/licence-to-cook-recipes/

Chris's website about food and travels: https://www.lordysguide.com

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK13: Five July seasonal meals, easy and family friendly

Thu, 10 Jul 2025 07:00:00 +0100

In this episode of the Food for Kids podcast, Joanne shares simple, family-friendly meal ideas using seasonal produce available in July. The focus is on easy-to-make recipes that require minimal prep time, making them perfect for busy families. Joanne discusses three main meals, a dessert, and a quick snack, all utilizing fresh ingredients that are in season. She gives suggestions on adapting recipes to suit children's tastes and some swap ideas too.

Links to the recipes:

Veggie slice: https://recipepocket.com/zucchini-and-carrot-slice

Squished tomato pasta: https://www.thefoodies.org/squished-tomato-pasta/

Fajitas or tostadas: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/summer-veg-tostadas

Summer fruit traybake or cake: https://www.sewwhite.com/summer-fruit-cake-tray-bake

Creamy beetroot dip: https://www.eatsamazing.co.uk/family-friendly-recipes/party-food-ideas-recipes/3-ingredient-easy-beetroot-dip-recipe

For more seasonal food ideas go to: https://www.thefoodies.org/seasonal/july-food-ideas/

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK12: Sensory issues with eating, with Dr Kirsty Porter

Mon, 07 Jul 2025 07:00:00 +0100

On today’s episode I am talking to Dr Kirsty Porter from Nutrition For Kids in Northern Ireland.

Kirsty is a registered children’s dietitian with over 15 years of experience helping parents overcome mealtime and feeding challenges. She specialises in supporting fussy and sensory eaters, and offers evidence-based but practical advice that fits real family life.

When we’re talking about why children can be hesitant around new foods or have a limited repertoire or foods, there are obviously a whole bunch of reasons that come up, and over time we are looking at lots of them here on the show in more depth and seeing how we can help our children, but one of the ones that comes up regularly is around sensory issues with food.

Kirsty does a lot of work in her practice with sensory issues, and has a specialist programme about it in partnership with an Occupational Therapist, so I thought she’d be a great person to ask about sensory eating.

Kirsty's website: www.nutrition4kidsni.com

Kirsty's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nutrition4kidsni

Kirsty's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nutrition4kidsni

Instagram page for sensory issues advice: https://www.instagram.com/sensoryeaters

The Sensory Eaters course mentioned in the episode: https://sensoryeaters.thinkific.com/courses/sensoryeatersprogramme

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK11: Foods in season in July in the UK

Thu, 03 Jul 2025 07:00:00 +0100

In this episode, Joanne runs through a list of fruits and vegetables which are in season in the UK in July, and offers tips for getting children to try each of them. There is also a short list of tropical imports that are currently in season.

For a full list seasonal July foods, go to https://www.thefoodies.org/seasonal/july-food-ideas/

Printables for summer seasonal foods: https://thefoodiesbooks.com/product/summer-seasonal-food-printables/

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK10: My child invited a coeliac friend for tea, with Nicky Chilvers

Mon, 30 Jun 2025 07:00:00 +0100

Today's episode is the first in a regular series I am loosely calling the “Help my child is bringing someone home for tea” series. Which is my way of bringing information the basics you need to know about special diets to families who don’t have a special diet themselves but want to be able to be inclusive for those children who do.

The first one in my series is children who need a gluten free diet either because they have coeliac disease or just because they react badly to gluten. I think this is one of the ones that frightens people a lot because, like dairy, it is in a LOT of foods that you wouldn’t immediately think of.

So for this one we spoke to Nicky Chilvers from Gluten Free Little Cook to come and help. Nicky is a mum to two teens; one of whom has coeliac disease.

Nicky runs through some of the basics of coeliac symptoms and some practical ways to make sure that everyone has a child friendly tea without the worries of anyone getting sick, including less obvious things about cleaning utensils and oven tray positions.

It's a quick and reassuring guide to having a coeliac child to tea and of course bring their parent in on the planning.

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

Nicky's website: https://www.instagram.com/gluten_free_little_cook/

Nicky's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glutenfreelittlecook

FFK9: Is it my fault if my child is a fussy eater?

Thu, 26 Jun 2025 07:00:00 +0100

In this episode of the Food for Kids podcast, Joanne discusses the complexities of fussy eating in children, emphasizing that it is usually not the parent's fault.

She explores various factors contributing to picky eating, including genetics, neophobia, and environmental influences.

Joanne provides insights into how parents can help their children build confidence and familiarity with food outside of mealtimes, ultimately fostering a more adventurous approach to eating.

Link to the £7.49 food familiarity workshop is at

https://thefoodiesbooks.com/resources/intro-food-familiarity/

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK8: How to keep a toddler busy in a garden, with Susan Hodkin

Mon, 23 Jun 2025 07:00:00 +0100

In this episode we are talking about how to keep a toddler busy in a garden, with Susan Hodkin from Two Dots Garden.

This conversation explores the joys and challenges of gardening with children. Susan is the person behind the Two Dots Garden instagram account, formerly Two Dots Allotment, which grew an enthusiatic following of her fun, laid back and joyful images of growing food with her daughter and having fun with gardening projects and wildlife.

One of the things The Foodies has always been about is getting children more in touch with where their food comes from, and so gardening and growing your own has always been a big part of that. But the reality of gardening with a toddler in tow isn't always easy and smooth, keeping them amused while you get on with essential jobs can be tricky and so any ideas for extending their interest is always welcome.

This interview took place a couple of years ago when the podcast was originally planned and her daughter was only three she gave us some tips for all of us on keeping a toddler amused in the garden for so many hours and what life skills she thinks can be learned in a garden. In particular the part around letting go of control is a useful conversation for us to have with ourselves as parents as well as gardeners.

Two Dots Garden Instagram feed: https://www.instagram.com/two_dots_garden

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK7: How to store berries to make them last and how to use them up.

Thu, 19 Jun 2025 07:00:00 +0100

In this episode, the first of a monthly series, Joanne runs through some ideas to reduce food waste and save money by storing foods well and using them up effectively.

This episode is about berries so there some ideas about how to store berries to make them last longer, and stop them going off. This includes how to store them in the fridge, how to freeze them and how to dry them. There is also a suggestion for what to do if your berries have started to go mouldy, and how to rescue what you can.

And then there are lots of ideas on how to use up berries that have started to go soft, or berries from the fridge.

The episode includes our monthly Q&A with Kate Hall from The Full Freezer on how to freeze berries and different ways to use them.

Inverting punnets to drain https://www.tiktok.com/@nickskitchen/video/7494069903494745375?q=storing%20berries&t=1750244714876

Storing with a lemon wash https://www.tiktok.com/@parrisandhallie/video/7493077298581703958?q=storing%20berries%20uk&t=1750244906290

Vinegar water wash to reduce mould https://www.tiktok.com/@irishbudgeting/video/7515151754334424342?q=storing%20berries%20uk&t=1750244906290

Blogger who experimented with different storage methods https://coastalbend.momcollective.com/in-the-kitchen/do-strawberries-last-longer-in-glass/

Kate's "Can I Freeze It?" reel on raspberries https://www.instagram.com/canifreezeit/reel/CFjVqdgAsUK/

Kate's "Can I Freeze It?" reel on blueberries https://www.instagram.com/canifreezeit/reel/CQ0XmenIxGx/

Kate's "Can I Freeze It?" reel on strawberries https://www.instagram.com/canifreezeit/reel/CDDsYPmA4xy/

Kate's "Can I Freeze It?" reel on blackberries https://www.instagram.com/canifreezeit/reel/Cpn2Oh7oDAK/

Kate's reel on eating frozen fruit as a snack https://www.instagram.com/p/CYZC9nIBBt9/

Scotch pancakes with berries in idea https://weelicious.com/raspber-wee-pancakes/

Strawberry muffins https://www.yummytoddlerfood.com/strawberry-muffins/

Fridge jam or compote https://www.alphafoodie.com/easy-mixed-berry-compote/

Berry vinegar ideas https://www.fourseasonforaging.com/blog/2017/7/26/berry-vinegar-recipes

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK6: How to keep leftovers safely, with Jenna from Food Safety Mum

Mon, 16 Jun 2025 07:00:00 +0100

In today’s show, I asked Jenna Brown, who goes online everywhere under the name Food Safety Mum, about how to make sure that we handle our leftovers safely so we can waste less food but not worry about anyone getting sick, especially little ones with their less established immune systems.

Jenna is an experienced Environmental Health Officer with over 14 years of experience in food safety and public health. She started the Food Safety Mum business when she became a mum herself. That understanding of how much you think differently when you have a little one to think about too, Jenna became passionate about promoting food safety in the home. She is on a mission to help parents to safely save time, money & food!

We had this conversation a couple of years ago when I was originally planning to release the podcast but I don’t think any of the advice has really changed since then. I think Jenna is really helpful and practical and I think you will find it useful.

Links:

Jenna's website: https://www.foodsafetymum.co.uk

Jenna's useful guides: https://www.foodsafetymum.co.uk/shop

Jenna's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foodsafetymum

Guide to keeping rice safely: https://www.foodsafetymum.co.uk/handling-leftover-rice

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK5: Five seasonal June recipes, easy and family friendly

Thu, 12 Jun 2025 07:00:00 +0100

In this episode of the Food for Kids podcast, Joanne shares simple, family-friendly meal ideas using seasonal produce available in June. The focus is on easy-to-make recipes that require minimal prep time, making them perfect for busy families. Joanne discusses three main meals, a dessert, and a quick snack, all utilizing fresh ingredients that are in season. She gives suggestions on adapting recipes to suit children's tastes and some swap ideas too.

Links to the recipes:

New Potato & Asparagus Frittata - https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/asparagus-new-potato-frittata

Creamy Courgette & Pea Pasta - https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/creamy-courgette-sweetcorn-pasta (with peas subbed for corn)

Mild Chickpea & Spinach Curry - https://healthylivingjames.co.uk/10-min-chickpea-spinach-curry

Strawberry & Rhubarb Crumble - https://weelicious.com/strawberry-rhubarb-crumble

Strawberries, cream cheese wraps - spread a quarter wrap with cream cheese and squash on some ripe sliced strawberries. Roll into a cone and eat! Or use a mini wrap and fold into a semi circle.

For more seasonal food ideas go to: https://www.thefoodies.org/seasonal/june-food-ideas/

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK4: Is this fussy eating "normal" or does my child need help? With Emma Shafqat

Mon, 09 Jun 2025 07:00:00 +0100

In this interview with Emma Shafqat from Dietitian With A Difference, we are talking about how to know if your child’s fussiness is just a "normal" level of developmental hesitancy around new foods, or whether you should consider asking for advice from a professional. I think a lot of us worry that we’re either making a mountain out of a molehill, or on the other hand, writing off actual eating issues as “just a stage”.

Emma is very helpful in this interview in flagging up what to look for and when to ask for help. She also helps us to understand where your child is coming from when they refuse a food and gives suggestions on how to make mealtimes less stressful.

Emma's website - https://dietitianwithadifference.co.uk/

Emma's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/dietitian.withadifference/

Emma's programme - https://dietitianwithadifference.co.uk/creating-confident-eaters-programme/

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK3: How to use your freezer if batch cooking isn't your thing, with Kate Hall

Thu, 05 Jun 2025 07:00:00 +0100

In this interview with Kate Hall of The Full Freezer, we explore how to use your freezer to store individual ingredients rather than whole batch cooked meals to make family life easier.

Kate was a batch cooker before she had her second child, but found herself buying food to cook for the freezer and then failing to find time and wasting food while also buying convenience foods to make up the difference.

Kate's solution was to find ways to freeze ingredients that might be about to go to waste, as well as leftover bits and pieces, to provide building blocks for meals later down the line.

Kate teaches her system "The Full Freezer Method" through books and online challenges and has now been interviewed many times in national media, although this was one of her earliest interviews back when I first prepared to launch the podcast.

This interview goes over the principles of her method and is a great listen if you are often beating yourself up for letting good ingredients - and good intentions - go to waste. Learn how to hit a "pause button" on a half tin of tomatoes or a few spoons of pesto and stop feeling guilty about wasting food.

Kate's website - https://www.thefullfreezer.com/

Kate's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thefullfreezer

Kate's Can I Freeze It? page for individual ingredients

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK2: Foods in season in June in the UK

Mon, 02 Jun 2025 07:00:00 +0100

In this episode, Joanne discusses the benefits of eating seasonal foods, and then runs through a list of foods in season in the UK in the month of June.

Joanne runs through a list of fruits and vegetables which are in season in the UK in June, and offers tips for getting children to try each of them. There is also a short list of tropical imports that are currently in season.

For a full list seasonal June foods, go to https://www.thefoodies.org/seasonal/june-food-ideas/

Printables of summer seasonal foods: https://thefoodiesbooks.com/product/summer-seasonal-food-printables/

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

FFK1: Trailer - Is this right for you?

Mon, 26 May 2025 07:00:00 +0100

This short trailer sets out who and what the Food For Kids podcast is for, and gives some examples of the kinds of things to expect from upcoming shows, so you can decide whether to listen or not.

If you think it sounds interesting or at least worth dipping a toe (or a spoon!) into, then please subscribe so you will get the first few episodes. You should get a pretty good idea of what to expect within a couple of weeks so if it's not for you after that, then you can just unsubscribe again and I will totally understand - we have so much information piling into our brains that we have to be selective and protect our peace!

If you would like to suggest questions or topics for future shows, things you would love an expert to answer for you about kids' food, then come find me on any of the links below and I will go and find the answers for an upcoming show!

Thanks for listening to the trailer, hope to see you on the first episode and happy eating!

Find out more about The Foodies at https://www.thefoodies.org

Send Joanne a message at:

https://www.instagram.com/foodforkidspodcast/

https://www.facebook.com/thefoodiesbooks/

https://www.tiktok.com/@thefoodiesbooks

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat