It is recommended that children should have a portion of protein in every meal. Breakfast can be a challenge for most families, all children want to eat is breakfast cereals, high in sugar. Which gives our children a quick energy burst. A protein packed breakfast can avoid children feeling hungry at school, provides energy to keep them going until lunch and it can help with their focus and attention at school.

Pancakes with hidden nuts, seeds, eggs, oats and milk are packed with protein. My kids think they are a treat but I know they are getting a nutritious breakfast supporting their growth and development.

My daughter created this snack during her work experience with me today, her brief was to make sure it’s packed with healthy fats, protein and complex carbs.

Dark chocolate, high in cocoa is rich in flavanols, an antioxidant which prevents oxidated stress that can damage cells and tissues. It is also rich in zinc, iron and magnesium.

My daughter is in year 7 and had to do work experience today. So she spent the day with me creating recipes for my blog and social media post.

Her brief was to create a snack for a school lunchbox or after-school snack, packed with protein, healthy fats and complex carbs to keep you fuller for longer. She is targeting a picky eater who struggles with eating vegetables.

This simple recipe is packed with essential nutrients for whatever stage you are at in the first 1000 days of a child’s life, starting from pregnancy to their second birthday. Containing essential nutrients to support mum during pregnancy and postnatal recovery. And nutritionally supporting your developing baby in the womb. Also, a great family recipe if you are introducing solids to your child.

This delicious creamy chicken, mushroom, bean and leek, traybake is packed with essential nutrients (choline, vitamin D, iron) to support mum during pregnancy and postnatal recovery. A tray bake is quick and easy to make if pregnant and juggling work or if you have just had a baby. You can batch cook and freeze. Ready for when the baby arrives.

I like to share tips with parents on encouraging their children to eat the rainbow every day, whatever their age. I offer a checklist to my clients, that they can put on their fridge.

My top tip is to choose a family favourite recipe and add a couple of extra vegetables, like this Toad in the Hole, with roasted broccoli and leeks.

Dips are a fun way to get kids to try lots of different vegetables. Even the fussiest eater might explore new or familiar foods with a dip. Even if they only lick off the dip and leave the vegetable.

Dips make a great play food which can often help picky eaters try new foods. Having fun at mealtimes can remove the pressure some kids feel, creating a stress-free, playful environment so they let go of any inhibitions and are possibly more willing to eat.

Halloween is a great time to have some fun with food, which is important if your child is anxious around meal times and a fussy eater, it can distract them and they might try something new and enjoy it. I have added lots of vegetables to this tomato sauce. And my kids had fun using the sauce to make Haloween Quesadillas.

Macaroni cheese is a classic comfort food for the family. Its an easy dish to add a nutritional twist with the addition of hidden vegetables like cauliflower, pumpkin/squash, and carrots in the sauce. The creamy and cheesy mac and cheese is the perfect way to sneak in some extra vitamins and minerals without sacrificing flavour.

During October I love seeing the variety of squashes in the shops, all different shapes and sizes. We often buy a pumpkin to carve for Halloween, often forgetting we can cook and eat them too. They are so nutritious, the orange flesh is a powerhouse of vitamin C, carotenoids and vitamin A. Supporting eye health and enhancing the immune system.

It’s World Mental Health day today I have created this Pumpkin and Vegetable Biryani Stuffed Peppers packed full of mood foods. This recipe includes brown rice, walnuts, almonds, lentils, sweet potato and broccoli, these are GABA foods high in glutamic acid. GABA is the zen of neurotransmitters, which our body makes naturally and impacts our emotions, it calms us down, helps with restful sleep and feel positive.

This delicious Banana and Seed Porridge Bread is a perfect snack for kids after school and should keep them full until dinner. Children whatever age love a snack, at times it seems like they are constantly hungry and asking for snacks. This recipe could help and it’s packed with nutritional goodness!

A quick and tasty dinner for super tired children and parents at the start of the summer holidays. Packed with different coloured vegetables, to help your children eat the rainbow.

For my family, I am always looking for ways to increase their plant foods and eat the rainbow. This Rainbow Vegetable and Beef lasagne contains 14 different plant foods, including celeriac, aubergine, courgette and sweet potato.

People think Nutritional Therapists eat a perfect diet, but like everyone, we enjoy a treat and for me, I love my chocolate, for years it was cheap milk chocolate high in sugar and low in cocoa. But more recently I have taught myself to like dark chocolate, with less sugar and packed with goodness.

So what are the health benefits of dark chocolate?

Incorporating a wide variety of plant foods into your children's diet can provide numerous health benefits, including reducing the risk of nutritional deficiencies and supporting overall gut health. We often forget herbs and spices are included. You don’t have to grow your own herbs, dried herbs are just as beneficial.

Please enjoy my Chicken Tika Kebabs served with Mushroom and Spinach Pilaf and Mint Raita recipe at the end, which is packed with nutritious herbs and spices.

Part 2

The importance of maternal nutrition in the first thousand days of a child's life can influence your child’s development. This starts during pregnancy to their second birthday. It is an essential period when their brain, body, metabolism and immune system grow and develops. Good nutrition is essential for your child’s physical development, social development, emotional, and behavioural development, cognitive development and a healthy immune system.

Part 1

Maternal and child nutrition is important for the first 1000 day’s of a child’s life (pregnancy to their second birthday), influencing the ability of a child to develop, learn and thrive. Deficiencies of key nutrients during pregnancy and infancy could have lifelong effects on brain development, possibly increasing the risks for a wide range of neurodevelopmental and mental health problems.

Seasonal Pollen Allergies - Hay Fever

Can nutrition relieve symptoms? Allergies can be distressing for children and parents, with symptoms affecting all aspects of a child’s life. There is no cure for hay fever but Nutritional Therapists try to identify the root cause and triggers. Focus on supporting your overall immune system, manage symptoms and improve how you live with the allergy.

Nuts and Seeds are packed with essential vitamins and minerals important for our child's physical and mental health. There are lots of ways we can incorporate them into our child’s diet. It’s good to add a selection of nuts and seeds to your cooking because they have a different balance of nutrients and antioxidants. Because eating a diverse range of plant foods is beneficial to our child's health.