How do we support our emerging athletes as they juggle the demands of school and sports?

Join Mikala as she talks about sustaining snacks and meals that maximise nutrition with Julie Meek, performance specialist and Sports Dietitian.

Julie shares her top tips when it comes to juggling a full training schedule and ensuring kids find time to fuel up on the food needed for healthy growth and development. Hear ways to boost iron, pack in protein and the importance of considering calcium for growing skeletons.

Topics covered in today’s episode:

• How to fuel kids with busy sports schedules
• When to eat and how to tackle tricky timing when juggling late games or early starts
• Which nutrients are needed most
• The importance of allowing children to regulate their appetite and develop a positive relationship with food
• Being mindful of marketing around foods that are high in protein
• When to reach for a sports drink

Episode links:

• Julie Meek website
• Eat for Health website
• Better Health Channel – understanding lactose intolerance
• Transcript

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join us as we yarn about bush foods with Dale Tilbrook, a proud Wardandi Bibbulmun woman. Mikala and Dale explore bush foods and discuss some common examples, where you can find them and how to weave them into your weekly cooking.

Topics covered in today’s episode:

• What are bush foods
• Where you can find bush foods
• The rules of foraging
• The importance of supporting Aboriginal owned companies

Links

• Dale Tilbrook
• Maalinup aboriginal gallery
• Transcript

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Engineered to eat: A chat about ultra processed food

We know food processing can be beneficial for safety, nutrition, and convenience, but can it go too far? In this episode, Mikala and Nicole explore food processing in detail and how different foods are categorised. They discuss how industrial methods used to make ultra processed foods can contribute to poor health and highlight the importance of understanding how to read food labels.

Topics covered in today’s episode:

• What is food processing, and how are foods categorised?
• Easy ways to recognise an ultra processed food.
• The emerging concerns around regular consumption of ultra processed foods.
• Ways to limit consumption of ultra processed foods in the home.

Episode links:

• Nova classification system
• Label reading episode
• Transcript

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Australia, allergies are on the rise, with 1 in 20 school aged children now living with a food allergy. Join Mikala as she discusses allergies with Dr Merryn Netting, Advanced Accredited Paediatric Dietitian and Senior Project Officer for the National Allergy Council. In this episode, Merryn and Mikala explore understanding allergies, how families and schools can best manage allergies, as well as some upcoming research around prevention and treatment.

Topics covered in today's episode:

• Understanding what an allergy is
• The most common food allergies in Australia
• Allergy management in schools
• Allergy management for families
• Social and emotional impact of allergies
• Upcoming research around the prevention and management of allergies.

Episode links:

• Allergy Aware Schools and Childcare Services Resource Hub
• Nip Allergies in the Bub
• Food allergy animations
• PrEggNut study
• Transcript

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s well known that Dads play an important role in children's lives, but just how much of a role do they have in building children's healthy habits? Join Mikala and Professor Philip Morgan, Project Lead of the Healthy Dads Healthy Kids program, as they talk about the positive influence Dads can have on their children's nutrition and physical activity. Philip also shares some key tips for Dads who want to be the best role models and lead the way for their kids.

Topics covered in today's episode:

• The changing landscape around gender roles in households
• The importance of co-parenting and playing on the same team
• The influence Dads have on children's nutrition and physical activity
• Barriers Dads may face in being involved in food tasks
• Top Tips for Dads to get involved

Episode:

• Healthy Dads, Healthy Kids website
• Daughters and Dads website
• Healthy Youngsters Healthy Dads
• Research from Philip Morgan
• Transcript

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is your family feeling the pinch with the increase in cost of living? Or are you trying to find ways to save money for that next family holiday? Setting a weekly food budget and sticking to it is a good way to stay on top of your money. Tune in to Mikala and Nicole’s conversation about food budgeting, where they share tips on how you can save money at the supermarket and make your food shop go further.

Topics covered in today's episode:

• How to save money at the supermarket
• The value of meal planning and shopping lists
• How to make your food last longer and stretch further

Episode links:

• Weekly meal planner
• Weekly lunchbox planner
• Long-life food tips
• How to use the fridge crisper draw
• Meat and greet: the low down on meat and meat alternatives Crunch Bites episode
• Transcript

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does it mean to eat sustainably, and how do we reduce daily exposure to plastics in our food?

Join Mikala as she talks eating sustainably with Dr Amelia Harray, Advanced Accredited Practicing Dietitian, and Clinical Researcher. Find out how the way you shop, the equipment you cook with and the way you store food impacts your health and the environment. Amelia shares her top tips and discusses affordable and accessible ways to reduce exposure to plastics and improve your health.

Topics covered in today’s episode:

• What it means to eat sustainably
• Understanding plastics and how the food we choose can make a difference
• Ways to manage exposure to plastics when cooking and storing food in the home

Episode links:

• Eat Sustainably
• The PERTH trial Facebook and website
• Plastic, diet, and human health
• Transcript

Research referenced:

• Plastics and health
• Phthalate and bisphenol A exposures
• Phthalate exposure in pregnancy
• Human health studies on plastic-associated chemicals

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Does your child have a sensory sensitivity to food or are they a fussy eater? Are you curious to learn more about how our senses impact feeding practices? Then this episode is for you.

Join Nicole as she speaks with Kerry Judge, an Advanced Clinical Speech Pathologist who leads the fussy eating team at Rocky Bay. Nicole and Kerry chat about sensory sensitivities and fussy eating, as well as what can cause these food challenges for families. Kerry shares her top tips on how you can address these challenges at home, as well as where to go for extra support.

Topics covered in this episode:

- What are sensory sensitivities and how does this relate to fussy eating?

- Potential causes of these food challenges

- Practical tips to overcome fussy eating or sensory sensitivities

- The SOS (staged exposure) approach to sensory sensitivities

- Where to seek extra information or support

Episode links:

• Rocky bay services
• Dr Kay Toomey’s SOS approach to feeding
• Food based sensory activities
• Transcript

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.