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Your adolescent is not addicted to sugar: 3 steps for normalizing sweets

Your adolescent is not addicted to sugar: 3 steps for normalizing sweets

by BrachaKopstick | Feb 18, 2021 | Child & Adolescent Health, Nourished Eating

Sugar is a big topic in my practice and generally a controversial nutrient; parents are concerned about their child’s sugar intake, tweens and teens often feel guilty eating sugar-rich food, but they also crave these foods and want to eat them.  A closer look at...
Period Cravings: why they come & how to deal with them

Period Cravings: why they come & how to deal with them

by BrachaKopstick | Dec 8, 2020 | Child & Adolescent Health, Nourished Eating

Have you ever had a sudden urge for chocolate ice cream or French fries, and the next day or two your period starts? Or maybe it’s the week-of and you can’t stop eating that sugar cereal you save special? There’s a lot going on in the body leading up to...
Raising Adolescents to Have a Good Relationship with Food

Raising Adolescents to Have a Good Relationship with Food

by BrachaKopstick | Nov 15, 2020 | Child & Adolescent Health, Nourished Eating

A good relationship with food can be preventative for developing problematic eating behaviours like disordered eating or eating disorders. You can help your tweens and teens develop & nurture this relationship.    First let’s give a bit of a definition for what it...
All about Iron & how to help your adolescent get enough

All about Iron & how to help your adolescent get enough

by BrachaKopstick | Aug 24, 2020 | Child & Adolescent Health, Nourished Eating

Think iron is only important for babies or those menstruating? Actually, all adolescents have higher iron needs than kids and adults. Why is it important, and how can you ensure your adolescent is getting enough?  Iron’s role in the developing body One of...
How to Nourish Your Adolescent’s Mental Health

How to Nourish Your Adolescent’s Mental Health

by BrachaKopstick | May 18, 2020 | Child & Adolescent Health, Nourished Eating

  The adolescent mind is fascinating in its complexity and development. And while this isn’t the place to get into detail about it (I highly recommend reading The Teenage Brain: A neuroscientist’s survival guide to raising adolescents and young adults if you’re...
Stuck at home? Why your adolescent shouldn’t be working out during Covid-19

Stuck at home? Why your adolescent shouldn’t be working out during Covid-19

by BrachaKopstick | Apr 14, 2020 | Child & Adolescent Health

While being less active while social distancing, you may be tempted to try those online workout classes for yourself and/or your adolescent. Here’s why your adolescent should avoid them.    Seems like all the gyms and trainers are online and easily accessible...
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About Me

Hi, I'm Bracha! I'm a registered dietitian helping families just like yours. I want to help you make eating, and feeding your family an enjoyable experience. This is your place for quick and simple recipes with minimal ingredients and instructions easy enough for kids to make. You'll also find tips and tricks for raising and nurturing adventurous eaters. I'm so glad you're here :)

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  • Your adolescent is not addicted to sugar: 3 steps for normalizing sweets
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adolescent.nutritionist

Bracha Kopstick RD
What's your favorite hamentachen flavour? Share be What's your favorite hamentachen flavour? Share below 👇 Purim is coming this week, and like many holidays, there will be lots of food! Holiday eating can be a really good time to model that eating is not just for nutrition; it's for religion, celebration, family togetherness, and so much more. This #hamentachen cookie is not just a cookie. And when raising adolescents with a good relationship with food, this messaging is so important. We don't eat just for fuel. Enjoyment and taste are also reasons for eating. If you're concerned about your adolescent's eating habits, or are struggling to raise an adolescent with a good eating habits and a positive relationship with food, schedule a discovery call today (link in bio). I work with adolescents and/or with parents of adolescents to develop a positive relationship with food & body. Get confident with your messaging around food to help nourish eating behaviour free of guilt and shame 💖
I've been talking a lot recently about sugar, swee I've been talking a lot recently about sugar, sweets, and low-nutritional food. It's because I get a lot questions about it, and there are many strong emotions associated with it. From media reports you can be easily pick up the belief that sugar is the worst thing your child can consume, leading to addiction and negative health outcomes. This is not what the research shows, and it's not what daily life demonstrates. 💫Read the full blog post linked in bio💫 Get confident with your messaging around food to help nourish eating behaviour free of guilt and shame! If you're confused and struggling to raise an adolescent with a good eating habits and a positive relationship with food, schedule a discovery call today (link in bio). I work with adolescents and/or with parents of adolescents to develop a positive relationship with food & body.💖
Hands up 🙌 for nurturing Living Adolescents! I Hands up 🙌 for nurturing Living Adolescents! I've been working with a client to let go of some food rules and preferences. One of those rules is to have an apple a day. She asked why she should avoid eating an apple when it's a traditionally "healthy" food and most people should be eating more fruit, not less?! When it comes to eating, the behaviour and beliefs around food selection are super important. More so than the food itself! The thought of not having an apple caused this adolescent a lot of discomfort. She's created a structure around food that meets her particular criteria, and moving away from that is anxiety provoking. Food rules, while created often to prevent discomfort, causes more stress when it's not possible to follow a rule, can be isolating when an adolescent can't eat with friends or family, and prevents adolescents from responding to their body's signals and nourishing themselves according to their individual needs. Encouraging eating a variety of food, and eating in response to hunger and fullness levels can help prevent rigid eating, and promote a good relationship with food. If you're concerned about your adolescent's eating habits, or are struggling to raise an adolescent with a good eating habits and a positive relationship with food, schedule a discovery call today (link in bio). I work with adolescents and/or with parents of adolescents to develop a positive relationship with food & body. Get confident with your messaging around food to help nourish eating behaviour free of guilt and shame 💖
Have you ever tracked your food intake? Tell me ab Have you ever tracked your food intake? Tell me about it below 👇 I got a DM yesterday from a mom asking if it's okay for her adolescent to track what he's eating. Mom is struggling with her adolescent's weight gain, and feels that by tracking, he'll see how much he's eating and limit his food. Food and calorie tracking are harmful for adolescents for a couple of reasons 1. they become obsessive with tracking, and can easily lead to cutting down the amount they eat, losing out on necessary nutrition 2. they lose touch with their body's needs, depending on outside cues (such as their caloric limit), rather than their hunger and fullness. Again, losing out necessary nutrition ❗This is disordered eating (at best) and can develop into an eating disorder❗ What can you do instead? Encourage your adolescent to eat in accordance with his body's needs. When there is access to a variety of food at regular times, you can be confident your adolescent is eating appropriately for his body's needs. This may be more than you're comfortable with at times, but your adolescent is their body's expert! You can't know when they've eaten enough. If you're struggling to raise an adolescent with a good eating habits and a positive relationship with food, schedule a discovery call today (link in bio). I work with adolescents and/or with parents of adolescents to develop a positive relationship with food & body. Get confident with your messaging around food to help nourish eating behaviour free of guilt and shame 💖
Double tap ♥️ for adolescents with a good rela Double tap ♥️ for adolescents with a good relationship with candy! Raising adolescents with a good relationship with sweets can be a struggle. (understatement?🤦🏽‍♀️) The goal is for adolescents to feel the same way for candy as they do for a PBJ or other food; enjoy food that tastes good, feels satisfying and nourishing, and able to recognize when they've eaten enough. You can get there by making candy as neutral as those other foods, serving them together, and not putting judgement around eating either food. Do you always have to serve candy? Of course not! Candy (or other sweets and low-nutritive foods) don't have to be served or offered all the time. However, the more often they are available, the less restricted your adolescent will feel, and the sooner they can feel confident and comfortable around these foods. And no, candy is not a lunch. But there can be times when candy on its own may be an option, if for no other reason than demonstrating that candy is morally neutral and can be eaten. And to show that we don't have to "make up" or "cancel out" the sweet food with "something healthy" as may be the unconscious message adolescents pick up. If you're struggling to raise an adolescent with a good eating habits and a positive relationship with food, schedule a discovery call today (link in bio). I work with adolescents and/or with parents of adolescents to develop a positive relationship with food & body. Get confident with your messaging around food to help nourish eating behaviour free of guilt and shame 💖
What's your favorite flavour or way to eat yogurt? What's your favorite flavour or way to eat yogurt? comment below 👇 It's well known now how much sugar is "hidden" in flavoured yogurt, and we all know the "better" ways to eat yogurt. But we don't talk enough about what a great food yogurt, even flavoured, really is. It's convenient, quick to eat, a good source of protein and fat plus vitamins & minerals, and satisfying and filling. And it tastes good too! Then is flavoured yogurt the only type your adolescent should eat? Of course not. But plain yogurt can be a challenging food until adolescents are used to it. And yogurt has so many benefits that shouldn't be missed until they are ready for it. You can (and should) continue to expose plain yogurt to your adolescents, but until they're ready for that, go ahead and offer flavoured! Are you struggling to raise an adolescent with a good eating habits and a positive relationship with food? Schedule a discovery call today (link in bio). I work with adolescents and/or with parents of adolescents to develop a positive relationship with food & body. Get confident with your messaging around food to help nourish eating behaviour free of guilt and shame 💖
What's a food you constantly need to restock for y What's a food you constantly need to restock for your adolescents? Comment below 👇 Someone shared with me recently an IG story of a dad complaining how much his adolescent eats and the amount of food shopping he's been doing to replenish their pantry. He decided to give his adolescent some money to buy her own snacks for the week, and that would be all she could have outside of family meals. I don't know what happened after, but I have concerns about this. When t(w)eens have limited food, they develop negative behaviours around food including: Hoarding food Sneaking food Ignoring their body's signals of hunger, and then eating until overfull when more food is available Going with less food as a challenge or to save money Adolescents eat a lot, it's true. That's because their body is going through so much development! Food is their fuel. And it's also so much more. If you're trying to raise adolescents with a good relationship with food and their body, they need reliable food access! If you're struggling to raise an adolescent with a good eating habits and a positive relationship with food, schedule a discovery call today (link in bio). I work with adolescents and/or with parents of adolescents to develop a positive relationship with food & body. Get confident with your messaging around food to help nourish eating behaviour free of guilt and shame 💖
What's a new food you or your adolescent tried rec What's a new food you or your adolescent tried recently? Comment below 👇 A mom asked me this week what to do about her adolescents who constantly go for sweets and easy food like Cheerios, Nutella, etc.? Kids like these foods because they're easy to eat and a reliable source of energy! Kids know what to expect in terms of flavour and texture. Plus, if they're preparing their own meals or snacks, these are ready-to-go foods that don't need any preparation or skill to make. More complex food (like baked vegetables, whole grains, mixed dishes, etc.) have a lot of flavour and often difficult or changing textures. There's less certainty about what to expect in the food, kids don't know if they'll like it, and can't trust they'll get full from eating these. You can support your adolescent trying new food in a supportive way. ❗Create a pressure free environment- don't push, bribe, threaten, etc. kids to try new food (or even not new food, but less enjoyed food) ❗Explore new food together- depending how hesitant or adventurous your adolescent is, this may vary anywhere between watching a video or a hands-on activity together ❗Serve new food with a familiar food. This lessens pressure to enjoy the new food, and reassures kids that they'll have something reliable to fill up on. If you're struggling to raise an adolescent with a good eating habits and a positive relationship with food, schedule a discovery call today (link in bio). I work with adolescents and/or with parents of adolescents to develop a positive relationship with food & body. Get confident with your messaging around food to help nourish eating behaviour free of guilt and shame 💖
Do you or your adolescent have rules around eating Do you or your adolescent have rules around eating? Tell me below 👇 Rules can look different for everyone; it could be a certain food should only be eaten at a particular time of day (like savory food only in the afternoon or evening), one food can only be eaten with another food (peanut butter with jam on bread), or timing of meals is important (lunch is at 12; no eating after 8). When adolescents depend on rules to eat, they stop listening to their body cues. They don't recognize their hunger and fullness and rather eat according to these outside cues, and may feel anxiety if they're not able to follow their own rules. Moving away from rule-based eating is freeing, and a sign of a good relationship with food! Adolescents can eat what and when they want, without feeling fear, anxiety, guilt, or other negative emotions that may come from breaking a rule. Teaching your adolescent they can trust their body and learn to recognize their body's signals are important steps towards gaining this freedom and moving away from rigid and rule based eating. If you're concerned or struggling to raise an adolescent with a good relationship with food and their body, schedule a discovery call today (link in bio). I work with adolescents and/or with parents of adolescents to develop a positive relationship with food & body. Get confident with your messaging around food to help nourish eating behaviour free of guilt and shame 💖
Tell me your adolescent's favorite way to eat frui Tell me your adolescent's favorite way to eat fruit and vegetables below 👇 If you're like many moms I speak with, you're probably wishing your adolescent ate more fruits and vegetables! Here are some tips for helping your adolescent eat and enjoy eating them: ✔️ Make them accessible. Your adolescent can't eat them if they're not available. Serve them at meals, have some ready to go for snacks, and make them look appealing and tasty ✔️ Make them fun. Vegetables are harder to eat than a snack bag or cookie, so make them enticing and fun. Include a dip, serve them on a skewer, have your t(w)een make cool shapes or designs... vegetables don't have to be serious! In this pic M is showing her flower she made out of blueberries & toothpicks (we ate a lot of blueberries during that activity🤣) ✔️ Make them tasty. veggies are so much more appetizing when prepared well, when they're crispy and their colour is vibrant. Using oil or butter, and spices, and dips can make a hard-to-enjoy food so much better ✔️ Make them together. Bring your adolescent into the kitchen, have them find an enticing recipe, involve them in the cooking process. Food made together is always better to eat, and being involved in the process may encourage adolescents to try eating their creation. Does your adolescent eat fruit and vegetables? If you're concerned or struggling to raise an adolescent with a good relationship with food and their body, schedule a discovery call today (link in bio). I work with adolescents and/or with parents of adolescents to develop a positive relationship with food & body. Get confident with your messaging around food to help nourish eating behaviour free of guilt and shame 💖
Double tap 💜 for eating disorder prevention Ye Double tap 💜 for eating disorder prevention Yesterday I shared some signs of an eating disorder to be on the lookout for. Today I want to share some ways to prevent your adolescent from developing an eating disorder, or disordered eating. *Important note* EDs are complex and their development is multi-faceted. This does not mean if your adolescent has developed an eating disorder that you're to blame. This post is meant to encourage rather than condemn. Adolescent eating disorders often start from a diet, and/or body dissatisfaction. 🟣 By keeping diet talk out of your house, and demonstrating that food is neutral, refraining from referring to food as "healthy" or "bad" etc. you can help adolescents develop good eating habits and behaviours. 🟣 Encouraging body diversity by exposing kids to people in all body sizes and shapes, calling out body shaming, and speaking positively about your own and others' bodies, can help your adolescent feeling neutral or positive in his/her/their body. If you're concerned or struggling to raise an adolescent with a good relationship with food and their body, schedule a discovery call today (link in bio). I work with adolescents and/or with parents of adolescents to develop a positive relationship with food & body. Get confident with your messaging around food to help nourish eating behaviour free of guilt and shame 💖
Double tap 💜 for Eating Disorder Awareness Week Double tap 💜 for Eating Disorder Awareness Week Eating Disorders affect millions of people. In fact, every 62 minutes someone dies as a direct result of an eating disorder. And yet, most people (even health care providers) don't know or recognize the signs of an Eating Disorder. This means that most people who struggle are not getting the treatment that could save their lives.⁣ Learn some of the signs, and if you recognize these in your adolescent, get your adolescent the help they need. 🟣 Are they obsessing about food, concerned with the health of what they eat? 🟣 Has behaviour changed and they've become more irritable, and secretive? It's hard to control emotions when not eating enough, and an eating disorder thrives in secrecy. 🟣 Does your adolescent have distorted beliefs about their body size? 🟣 Are they often tired or have difficulty concentrating? It's hard to concentrate when you're not eating enough. 🟣 Do they disappear to the washroom or their room immediately after eating? 🟣 Have they started exercising more? If you're concerned or struggling to raise an adolescent with a good relationship with food and their body, schedule a discovery call today (link in bio). I work with adolescents and/or with parents of adolescents to develop a positive relationship with food & body. Get confident with your messaging around food to help nourish eating behaviour free of guilt and shame 💖
What's your favorite granola bar mix-in? Share bel What's your favorite granola bar mix-in? Share below 👇 One way to help adolescents develop positive feelings towards food (helpful in creating a good relationship with food), is to involve them with food preparation. Not only do they learn important life skills, and spend quality time with parents, they also gain exposure to new food and new food preparation techniques. Presented in a non-pressured environment, adolescents can learn to look at food in a neutral or positive light, and learn to enjoy new food. Set yourself and your t(w)een up for success: 👨‍🍳Chose a familiar recipe, or one your adolescent is interested in trying 👩‍🍳Find a simple recipe that can ensure a successful outcome- like these 10 minute, no bake, chewy granola bars that you can personalize to your favorite tastes 🧑‍🍳Don't get stuck on perfection, remember your goal is to create a positive experience! If you're struggling to raise an adolescent with a good relationship with food and their body, schedule a discovery call today (link in bio). I work with adolescents and/or with parents of adolescents to develop a positive relationship with food & body. Get confident with your messaging around food to help nourish eating behaviour free of guilt and shame 💖 [Image description: slide 1shows a close up of chewy peanut butter granola bars. Slide 2 shows the recipe and method to make them: 1 ½ cups oats 1/4 cup honey 1/2 cup peanut butter 1 Tbsp. chia seeds 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds 1/4 cup raisins Instructions Line an 8-inch pan with wax or parchment paper In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients Place in prepared pan (use wet hands or a spoon to smooth down) Refrigerate overnight or a few hours before slicing]
Are you worried about an adolescent "picky eater"? Are you worried about an adolescent "picky eater"? Tell me about it below 👇 I was talking with a mom whose adolescent has a limited diet, and mom would love for him to expand it. When I described some of the methods we would use, mom commented "it's like when teaching toddlers to eat!" Selective eating can be concerning when it impacts an adolescent's ability to socialize with peers, if there is poor weight gain or weight loss, or very low variety, and nutritional deficiency is a concern. It can also be annoying or frustrating to parents or t(w)eens when not all food is able to be eaten and enjoyed. Through exposure and slowly building up tolerance towards particular food adolescents can learn to eat and enjoy new food. But it's not something they can just grow out of or decide to stop. If you're struggling to raise an adolescent with a good relationship with food and their body, schedule a discovery call today (link in bio). I work with adolescents and/or with parents of adolescents to develop a positive relationship with food & body. Get confident with your messaging around food to help nourish eating behaviour free of guilt and shame 💖
What have you found helpful when you or your adole What have you found helpful when you or your adolescent struggle with body image? Share below 👇 In my stories I recently shared a mom's question on how to help her daughter feel better in her body when she refuses to make any changes. I replied that mom's job is to show empathy and love and support, rather than try coming up with tips or tricks to help her daughter change her body (which would likely be harmful and at best, temporary in any case). The replies I got from this whole-heartedly agreed based on their adolescent experiences. People who wished their mom hadn't helped them diet or change their body, others who wished they had received unconditional acceptance regardless of their size. Your adolescent needs to know they are worthy and deserving of your love and support at every size. Home needs to be a safe space your adolescent can depend on to not be judged no matter what they are or are not doing. If you're struggling to raise adolescents with a good relationship with food and their body schedule a discovery call today (link in bio). I work with adolescents and/or with parents of adolescents to develop a positive relationship with food & body. Get confident with your messaging around food to help nourish eating behaviour free of guilt and shame 💖
Which slide looks like your adolescent's lunch or Which slide looks like your adolescent's lunch or snack? Comment below 👇 A while ago I was babysitting a couple young tweens and got to watch as they made their lunches. Full bags of chips, an entire sleeve of cookies, and a couple snack bars and a sandwich rounded out the lunch box. From speaking with many moms, this is pretty typical! And many of those moms just wish their adolescent would take a well-rounded lunch with fruits and vegetables instead. Kids and teens need to be taught what a balanced and nourishing lunch or snack contains. They need modelling. And they need an assortment of nutritious and non-nutritious food to be nourished physically and emotionally. If you're struggling to raise adolescents with a good relationship with food and their body schedule a discovery call today (link in bio). I work with adolescents and/or with parents of adolescents to develop a positive relationship with food & body. Get confident with your messaging around food to help nourish eating behaviour free of guilt and shame 💖 disclaimer: this post is not a representation of quantity or variety adolescents should be eating throughout the day. Adolescents need personalized recommendations for exact types and amounts. this is only a suggestion for including a balance of all foods in an adolescent diet
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bracha@beekaynutrition.com

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