Ep. 143: Can We Like Healthy Food? (Encore) - with Kelly Senyei

Summary

Podcast Summary

Podcast: The Pediatrician Next Door – Simple Advice on Parenting and Family Health
Host: Dr. Wendy Hunter, MD
Guest: Kelly Senyei (creator of Just a Taste, author, and mom of four)
Episode: Ep. 143: Can We Like Healthy Food? (Encore)
Date: November 26, 2025

Overview

This episode is all about making healthy eating enjoyable for kids—and parents. Dr. Wendy Hunter talks with chef and food blogger Kelly Senyei, who shares practical kitchen tips, her favorite secret nutritional boost, and real-world advice for turning daunting healthy ingredients into “family favorites.” The conversation mixes evidence-based nutrition with clever, hands-on parenting hacks to make mealtimes smoother and more nutritious for everyone.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Introducing Healthy Foods—Cottage Cheese as a Super Ingredient

• Kelly’s Dream Ingredient: Cottage cheese, “It has become a food group in our house.” (02:39, Kelly)
• Why Cottage Cheese?
  • High in protein and calcium.
  • Affordable, versatile, and kid-friendly (if used cleverly).
  • “Cottage cheese tastes like nothing. So it goes completely undetected.” (03:08, Kelly)
• How to Use It:
  • In smoothies instead of yogurt: makes them creamy and adds protein undetectably.
  • Whip it before adding to scrambled eggs (for creaminess, blends in seamlessly).
  • In pancakes, pasta sauces (like vodka pasta or bolognese), even in place of milk in batter.
  • As a topping for bolognese instead of cheese (for low-carb options).
  • “Literally, everything under the sun can have whipped cottage cheese.” (04:38, Kelly)
• Dr. Wendy’s Take: “Cottage cheese is a brilliant idea. I definitely would not have seen that.” (05:59)

Sneaky Nutrition for Pancakes & Other Family Meals

• Both Dr. Wendy and Kelly love boosting pancakes with ground flaxseed, walnuts, and chia seeds for extra fiber and omega fatty acids.
• Kids often enjoy chia seeds for their “look”—they resemble “little bugs.” Kelly suggests making this part of the fun. (05:27–05:42)
• “My kids love the idea that they look like little bugs when they sprinkle them on top.” (05:38, Kelly)

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Making Meat and Fish Kid-Friendly

• Fried Rice Trick:
  • Kelly cubes pork tenderloin, adds it to fried rice with pineapple—kids will try anything in fried rice.
  • She got her kids to eat shrimp by mincing it into fried rice, without “calling attention to it.” (06:07–06:36)
  • “Not calling attention to it, which is another big thing when it comes to feeding kids.” (06:33, Kelly)
• Gateway Fish:
  • Use less “fishy” fish and familiar textures first. Let kids see parents enjoying fish; modeling matters.
  • Sometimes success lies in “how they get food to their mouth” (using creative utensils like small tongs or chopsticks to spark interest and give kids control). (14:22–16:48)
  • “You have to distract and divert attention and make them be in control of how they’re getting the food… then you're going to give them a way better shot of possibly wanting to try.” (15:37–16:37, Kelly)

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Healthy Fats: Choosing the Best Oils

• Top Picks:
  • Avocado oil (very high smoke point, “will do 95% of what vegetable oil can do”.)
  • Olive oil and butter.
• Why Not Canola/Vegetable Oil?
  • Highly refined, lower nutritional value, possible inflammation/oxidative stress issues.
  • “Avocado oil, olive oil, and butter. Those are the three fats that are used... I'm just not a fan of vegetable oil anymore.” (07:09, Kelly)
• Pro Tip: “Spray avocado oil in the air fryer—no residue. Works beautifully.” (09:11–09:13, Kelly)
• Dr. Wendy concurs and adds context on health impacts of refined oils and cold-pressed alternatives. (12:37)

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Encouraging Kids To Try “Difficult” Foods

1. Fish

• Use “gateway” preparations (think, mild flavors, familiar coatings).
• Serve with fun utensils to put kids in control.
• Pair with beloved or familiar foods (e.g., coconut rice).

2. Greens and Fermented Foods

• Don’t make a big deal when introducing new foods; serve small portions in different shapes or preparations.
• Example: Kale chips in the air fryer with ranch seasoning—“Not exactly like Cool Ranch Doritos, but they have that taste.” (17:18, Kelly)
  • Kelly admits this isn’t entirely true but emphasizes kids can’t compare to the real thing if they’ve never had Doritos! (17:32–17:36)
• Fermented Foods: Early exposure is key; babies and young kids should be offered a wide variety early on.
  • Kelly jokes, “My kids would be like, there’s no chance on the planet [they’d eat sauerkraut]. I don’t care what tongs or chopsticks or you—I don’t care if you give me a pitchfork.” (17:55, Kelly)
  • Early modeling helps; Dr. Wendy’s kids love mashed potatoes with sauerkraut because it’s a staple at home. (18:19)

3. Pairing Adventurous Foods with Familiar Ones

• Indian dishes like chicken tikka masala: complex flavors, but served with rice—very accessible.
• Use “one hand recipes” (coconut rice with salmon), foil packets with veggies/protein/rice for easy, minimal cleanup dinners. (20:09–21:34)

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Realistic Advice for Parents

• “You have to be so realistic about what kids eat… parents genuinely struggle with getting their kids to eat a more expanded pain menu of foods.” (21:45, Kelly)
• Moderation is fine—don’t be afraid to use fun foods (like chocolate chips) in healthy recipes to make them appealing.
• “If my kids are going to eat Greek yogurt banana muffins… I’m going to throw a few semi sweet chocolate chips in there, and guess what? They’re going to be totally fine.” (22:11, Kelly)
• “Everybody has to do what works for them. And that sounds very cliché, but at the end of the day, everybody’s doing the best that they can.” (22:39, Kelly)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Cottage Cheese as a protein hack:
  “Cottage cheese tastes like nothing. So it goes completely undetected.”
  — Kelly Senyei (03:08)
• Modeling matters:
  “If I'm there turning my nose up at a dish, there's no chance in hell my kids are going to be eating it.”
  — Kelly Senyei (14:41)
• Utensil magic:
  “If you give them a tool that interests them and intrigues them and puts the power quite literally in their hands to eat, then you're going to give them a way better shot of possibly wanting to try…”
  — Kelly Senyei (16:05)
• On feeding kids:
  “You have to be so realistic about what kids eat…everybody’s doing the best that they can. Like, I always joke, my tombstone’s gonna say she did the best she could.”
  — Kelly Senyei (21:45 & 22:39)

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Important Timestamps

• 02:39 – Kelly introduces cottage cheese as her “secret ingredient.”
• 03:52–05:18 – How to use cottage cheese in all sorts of recipes, including smoothies, eggs, and pancakes.
• 06:07–06:44 – Sneaking protein (pork, shrimp) into fried rice for picky eaters.
• 07:09–09:13 – Healthy cooking oils and why avocado oil is a culinary superstar.
• 14:22–16:48 – Tools and creative strategies for getting kids to try fish and other new foods.
• 17:18–17:44 – Making kale chips and tips for introducing greens to kids.
• 17:55–18:58 – Fermented foods; the challenge and the value of early exposure.
• 20:04–21:34 – Meals that surprised Kelly’s family and minimal-cleanup dinner ideas.
• 21:45–22:39 – Final real talk about family food struggles and doing “the best you can.”

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Conclusion

Dr. Wendy and Kelly keep it real: getting kids (and sometimes grownups) to like healthy foods isn’t about perfection but about smart swaps, clever presentation, and giving yourself grace. The episode is filled with actionable tips and, above all, reassurance that a balanced, fun approach to family meals is the healthiest one of all.

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To find Kelly:
Instagram @justataste

More from Dr. Wendy:
pediatriciannextdoorpodcast.com

Transcript

[A]

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[B]

This episode is brought to you by State Farm. Listening to this podcast Smart move Being financially savvy Smart move. Another smart move Having State Farm help you create a competitive price when you choose to bundle home and auto bund way to save with a personal price plan. Like a good neighbor State Farm is there. Prices are based on rating plans that vary by state. Coverage options are selected by the customer. Availability, amount of discounts and savings and eligibility vary by state. Hey, it's Dr. Wendy, the pediatrician next door. With Thanksgiving here, I thought it would be the perfect time to bring back one of my favorite food focused episodes. This one is all about turning healthy ingredients into into foods your kids will actually eat and maybe even love. My guest is Kelly Senye. She's a chef and creator of Just a Taste. She shares her favorite secret ingredient that adds protein to everything from pancakes to pasta. We also talk about smart swaps in your kitchen, like the best oils to use and how to make easy but impressive meals that keep kids and grownups happy. So we while you're chopping, baking, or sneaking in a few bites before dinner, enjoy this encore presentation. The holiday season is upon us, and it's got me thinking about food more than anything else. There's something very comforting about returning to the same traditions every holiday season, making familiar dishes. You know what I mean? Have you ever skipped making a side dish one year just because it's so much work and you didn't think anyone would notice and then everyone. No one asked for it. I'm Dr. Wendy Hunter and I'm the pediatrician next door. I'm that doctor friend you call for practical advice about your kid's health. I mix the science of medicine with the reality of parenting. Kelly Sunye, founder of the Just a Taste food blog, author of the Secret Ingredient Cookbook, and mother of four young kids, is back. I promised in the last episode that she would share her dream ingredient and lots more ideas for making easy but impressive meals that your kids might eat. Okay, Kelly, what's the food our kitchens have been missing?

[C]

Cottage cheese has become a food group in our house.

[B]

Oh my gosh. I never would have seen that coming.

[C]

Okay, and it sounds very odd. And you think to yourself, grandma's eat cottage cheese. What? Six year olds?

[B]

Yeah, that's what I Was thinking.

[C]

But I will say this. There are two ways that I've learned to serve it, and my kids go absolutely crazy for it. So one of the first secret ingredient recipes I ever developed was for a protein smoothie. And the secret ingredient was actually cottage cheese. So instead of using yogurt, you throw a giant scoop, and I mean like a heaping cup of 2% or full fat cottage cheese into the blender. That resulting smoothie, Dr. Hunter, is the creamiest smoothie you will ever have in your life. Cottage cheese tastes like nothing. So it goes completely undetected. And most importantly, there's like, something. I don't even know how many grams of protein there is per cup of cottage cheese. It depends on the milk fat percentage. But your kids are getting so much calcium, which I am such a big fan of, for these growing bodies, strengthening the bones, getting them, you know, set for life. So I love putting it into smoothies. And then this is the semi controversial way I use cottage cheese, which I'm curious what your take is on this.

[B]

Tiny.

[C]

So we've talked about Bolognese.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Because I try and eat low carb at night. So at night, instead of doing pasta with my Bolognese, I get a big bowl of Bolognese and I put a giant scoop of cottage cheese on top.

[B]

I don't know if I can make that leap. Is not expensive either.

[C]

It's not expensive. It's literally the dream ingredient for parents. It's loaded with calcium, it's loaded with protein. It can be low in fat. It goes undetected when cooked with properly. And they're. There's two other ways. I add it to my scrambled eggs.

[B]

That's genius. Because it lowers the cholesterol. Probably.

[C]

I'm not a doctor. I'm gonna defer to you.

[B]

I am a doctor.

[C]

The best way to add it to scrambled eggs is you actually want to whip it first. So you'd want to put it in a food processor or blender so it gets creamy and it doesn't have the curds anymore. Then you can literally add whipped cottage cheese to any recipe, sweet or savory, and it will go undetected. And all it does is amp up the protein and amp up the consistency. I put it in. I put it in smoothies. I put it in pancakes, scrambled eggs, bolognese. I do a vodka pasta, cottage cheese, pancakes. Everything under the sun can have whipped cottage cheese.

[B]

What does it do to the pancakes?

[C]

It just lightens the batter. So honestly, you can do it in place of the dairy or Non dairy milk. And actually, we should do a recipe for that. Maybe we should do, like, a recipe together. We can call it, like, Dr. Hunter's cottage cheese Pancakes.

[B]

Love it. Yes. I'm on board. As long as it has maple syrup on it. Duh.

[C]

Of course. And fresh fruit.

[B]

I put flaxseed, ground flaxseed in all my pancakes. And I usually add walnuts too.

[C]

Yep. I love it. And my kids are really into chia seeds now too. You have to be a little careful with chia seeds. Cause you need the liquid with them and you don't want to have upset tummies. But my kids love the idea that they look like little bugs when they sprinkle them on top of anything. Oh, my God.

[B]

Okay. That would make it fun for kids.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Chia seeds, you need to soak in order to digest them well. And flaxseed, you need to grind.

[C]

Grind, absolutely.

[B]

But you can buy it ground, but it has tons of omega fatty acids in it that are really healthy.

[C]

And fiber, too. Sometimes kids deal with, like, constipation, which I know you've seen a million in one time. So it's like if you go naturally. Yeah.

[B]

Okay. Cottage cheese is a brilliant idea. I definitely would not have seen that. And then you use a lot of pork and beef in your household too.

[C]

And I think pork is often overlooked too. I do a pork tenderloin, but instead of roasting it whole, I cube it up. My kids love fried rice. They will eat anything if it's put into fried rice. So we'll add pineapple. We'll do it with diced pork or chicken. That's how I got my kids to start eating shrimp is I actually D it up really small and added it to fried rice. And it was just another small piece within the bowl. And they just kind of ate it. And I was like, oh, you guys are having shrimp now? You know, and not calling attention to it, which is another big thing when it comes to feeding kids.

[B]

I know most kids will eat fried rice. Even kids who don't like their food, like, hidden or touching each other, sometimes they'll take that. And you can put an egg in there.

[C]

Absolutely. Veggies, you're getting. It's a sweet meal. Totally. I love fried rice for that reason. You get a starch, a veggie, a protein. I mean, you name it, you can throw it in there.

[B]

You could definitely put some sardines in there.

[C]

Oh, my. You went the sardines. Is this an episode sponsored by a sardine company that I am Unaware of.

[B]

Let's talk about fats. Which oils do you like to cook with? And like, what's the difference between having one like on a salad versus an oil you cook with?

[C]

Okay, so I cook truly seven days a week because of my job. And so about a year ago, I made the switch almost exclusively to avocado oil, olive oil, and butter. Those are the three fats that are used. I do have a big tub of vegetable oil, but I only will use that if we're deep frying and testing something for the site because I'm just not a fan of vegetable oil anymore. And avocado oil will do like 95% of what vegetable oil can do. Avocado oil sounds very foreign to a lot of people if you've never cooked with it. But the reason I made the switch to avocado oil and I also love extra virgin olive oil. But you have to just understand one super easy principle when it comes to cooking with oils is it's called smoked point. So how hot can you get an oil before it literally starts to smoke? And so a lot of times people have problems when they're cooking because they're trying to saute in olive oil. Olive oil has a much lower smoke point than avocado oil, which has a 500 degree Fahrenheit smoke point.

[B]

Right. So you can get avocado oil really hot compared to olive oil, which won't.

[C]

Do well and it won't burn and it won't get gross. So I do chicken cutlets on the regular. Like I'm Hungarian, so we call it wiener schnitzel. My kids call it little guys. It's a whole thing. But I make chicken cutlets once a week at our house and I do them cooked in a pan in a mix of avocado oil. It's basically like a shallow fry. So it's a decent amount of oil. But because it's avocado oil, I know I can get it up to 500 degrees and it's not going to burn. They get golden brown and crispy and it's a vegetable based oil, but it's just so much better for you than the canolas and everything else out there. No, no. And I would encourage people to, like when you're at the grocery store, just look for it, buy a small bottle and test it out. That was what kind of got me on the train is I started seeing it a lot on restaurant menus, you know, drizzled with avocado oil, you know, whatever spritzed with Avocado oil. And that's the other great thing too is it comes in those expressor cans. So I use it now when I'm baking chicken or veggies even in place of olive oil. Again because it has a much higher smoke point.

[B]

Yeah, you can spray it in the air fryer.

[C]

Absolutely. Oh yes. Thank you. Yeah, it goes right into the air fryer. No residue. It works beautifully. So, big fan of avocado oil.

[B]

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[A]

Tis the season for all your holiday favorites like a very Jonah's Christmas Movie and Home Alone on Disney.

[C]

Did I burn down the joy?

[B]

I don't think so.

[A]

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[B]

Before I get back to Kelly, I'll put my doctor nose in here and give my 2 cents. I also avoid canola oil and use mostly olive and avocado oil, and I did go down the rabbit hole on them. This is a simplification, of course, but the issue with canola and vegetable oil is that they are highly refined, which reduces the oil's nutritional value. Oils like olive and avocado, they contain a lot of other nutrients besides just the healthy fat. I could, and I maybe should do an episode about the health benefits of olive oil. So send me a message if you actually do want to hear about that. You can buy canola oils that are cold pressed and those are a better alternative to the highly processed vegetable oils. I have cold pressed canola oil in my kitchen. It has some concerns about increasing inflammation and oxidative stress, which again, that could be its own episode about canola oil. While I have my doctor hat on, the thing about cottage cheese is that adding it to eggs does not significantly decrease the cholesterol content of the dish, but it does improve the nutritional profile by adding more protein while keeping the saturated fat pretty low. So here was my next challenge to Kelly. If you bring your kids to my clinic, you know I talk about Healthful foods a lot. Here's what I asked Kelly to weigh in on. I have three foods that I'm always trying to get people to eat more of. And so I want to talk about these three in any order. You want fish and then greens like spinach and kale, and then fermented foods. They're so good for your gut health. So what can you tell me about these foods?

[C]

Okay, the first thing with fish is I will say this. That is a tough sell for kids. But it all comes down to what the gateway fish is you use to introduce them to it.

[B]

I'm not saying fish.

[C]

Yeah, gateway fish. I'm not saying take them out to sushi and throw some salmon sashimi. I don't eat salmon sashimi. It is too fishy for me. But my 8 year old eats it by the pound. But my 6 year old likes tuna sashimi. So it's like, it's just. It all comes down to preference. But I will say this. It's all about a modeled behavior. So if I'm there turning my nose up at a dish, there's no chance in hell my kids are going to be eating it. So modeling that behavior first and foremost. And then I will say this. I will use any trick possible to get my kids to eat fish. And this is where my props are going to come in.

[B]

Okay, great.

[C]

I know people can't see it, but we're going to explain it. So when it comes to getting kids to eat really tricky foods like fish, sometimes it's not what they're eating, but how they're eating it. How are they getting that food from their plate or their bowl into their mouths? And this is where my props come in. I wish I could send you a picture of my kids utensil drawer.

[B]

Dr. Hunter.

[C]

This is just a phenomenal small collection.

[B]

This was not on my radar at all. How you get your food to your mouth.

[C]

But it's such a simple thing, right? We're so used to just sticking a fork in their noon. The thing with kids is you have to distract and divert attention and make them be in control of how they're getting the food from the plate to their mouths. So I'm holding up right now these adorable little tiny tongs that are the cutest things I've ever seen. Silicone. Right, silicone. So instead of using your fork to get your salmon or halibut or cod from the plate to your mouth and dip it in the ranch or the ketchup, whatever it is, you're going to give your Kid these little tiny tongs. Or how about some trainer chopsticks which are so fun kid friendly chopsticks that I'm holding here. Again, it puts them in control. I have a little fireman spoon. I've got an ice cream looking spoon. If you give them a tool that interests them and intrigues them and puts the power quite literally in their hands to eat, then you're going to give them a way better shot of possibly wanting to try out these tongs and lifting that fish from their plate to their mouth. So sometimes it takes getting really creative and not just being like, like eat your salmon or eat your tuna or whatever it is. It's like, hey guys, I bought these new tongs. You wanna try it to eat this fish off your plate?

[B]

Look, Bobby just did literally anything you put on their plate.

[C]

Anything. Yeah. And the other thing is too, I don't draw attention to introducing new foods to kids. So you talked about greens, kale, lettuces, whatever it may be. I don't make it a big point. I put a small portion on their plate. Sometimes in two different temperatures or two different shapes like kale, you could easily serve as chips. Right. That's a great one to do in the air fryer with ranch seasoning. That powdered ranch season. You can make your own if you're really obsessed with like not using packaged ingredients. But I just buy the packaged ranch, sprinkle it with the avocado oil again on the kale, throw em into the air fryer. They taste, I'm not gonna say exactly like Cool Ranch Doritos, but they have that taste.

[B]

Anything like Cool Ranch Doritos. Okay, you called me out on it.

[C]

That was a total lie.

[B]

Okay. But your child won't know if they've never had Cool Ranch Doritos.

[C]

No, absolutely not. Which mine have because Cool Ranch Doritos are a food group at my house.

[B]

Right.

[C]

You know, sorry. They're just this, the guilty food pleasure.

[B]

No, you're right. We have to find the bal between fun things and things that are good for our bodies. I will put links to all of those tools in the show notes because those are fantastic. And I might get those hand tongs for myself.

[C]

Right. And then just adding an action item to it. So you talked to you about fermented foods. That can be a tricky one because of the smell and the texture. So you know, a lot of times I don't know what sort of like fermented foods you're aiming to get to people like sauerkraut. Exactly. That would Be one where I think my kids would be like, there's no chance on the planet. I don't care what tongs or chopsticks or you. I don't care if you give me a pitchfork.

[B]

I'm not putting that is one of my kids favorite meals. When I make mashed potatoes, sauerkraut and sausage. Right. I don't know what I did right.

[C]

No, but thank you. That's the exact point you just made. You modeled a behavior early on. And I will say this. Early intervention and early exposure is the easiest way to get kids to have expansive palates. That's not helpful to people that have 8 year olds that are struggling to get them to eat something other than tendies and Mac and cheese. But if you're listening and you've got a baby that's about to start. Solids, my gosh. Get them on salmon pouches which smell like I can't even go there. But my kids would.

[B]

Was not aware that existed.

[C]

Oh, yeah, there's salmon in a pouch. Yep. Salmon in a pouch. And it's an organic brand. And I'll remember it's not. I'll remember what. Oh, serenity. It's so good. They have bone broth now. They have the kids foods now in the pouches is beyond. That's why I never made my own. But I will say the early intervention of getting kids to try new foods and modeling that, that's how I got my kids onto sushi. And Indian food is one of our favorites. Chicken tikka masala, a creamy sauce, a rice.

[B]

That's a pretty easy one to start with.

[C]

That's an easy one because it's lots.

[B]

Of flavors in there too.

[C]

Yeah, absolutely.

[B]

And you can eat it with rice, which is way less threatening than the chicken tikka masala.

[C]

Exactly. It's a friendly, familiar food paired with something slightly less familiar. So it makes it, you know, less scary to them.

[B]

Do you have any dishes that were like really big surprises that your family liked?

[C]

I will say just on the fish front. So I do this coconut rice. And if you watch on Instagram stories at all, you see I make it two to three times a week. And it's very simple. It's a can of coconut milk, water, basmati rice, a pinch of salt and.

[B]

A pinch of sugar.

[C]

My kids will eat anything that I put on that rice.

[B]

Yes.

[C]

It's so creamy. So this is how I got them into salmon. When Mia was very little. My daughter, my youngest, I always had her on my hip. I was never a baby wearer. I just always carry my babies everywhere. Yeah.

[B]

How's that shoulder feeling now?

[C]

Oh, I know I'm in PT at this point.

[B]

Okay, thank you. I just gotta be realistic.

[C]

Yeah. Oh, no. I had to stop lifting. How much time do you have? Seriously? But so I'd always have Mia on my hip. And so my boys started calling it one hand salmon, because I would make it with one hand. I would make the entire recipe with one hand. I could never put her down. And so that's been a really big surprise hit. And it's just like a teriyaki esque marinade. And then it just goes into the oven. And while it's in the oven, the coconut rice is cooking. And so that's one of those things that's been a big hit. We talked a little bit about fried rice adding different creative ingredients to that. That's how I got my kids onto shrimp. The tikka masala, of course, has been huge. I recently have started doing a lot more Hungarian cooking. I found my late grandmother's recipe, like.

[B]

Anything with paprika, right?

[C]

Yes, paprika. There's paprika in everything.

[B]

I literally bake everything in a packet now because I can't even do dishes. So I'll like make foil packets. But I do the coconut rice.

[C]

Yes.

[B]

Love that recipe.

[C]

So good.

[B]

And then I put on top of it a piece of fish, or you could do chicken and then some vegetable, like whatever I have in the freezer. And I wrap it all up and I put it in the oven, and then everyone gets their own packet and I'm done. I love that.

[C]

Minimal cleanup.

[B]

But you need two hands to roll with oil.

[C]

Luckily, I'm past the point where I have to carry her, or I'm still carrying her, which is probably why I have shoulder issues.

[B]

And I spray oil in there too. I spray some avocado oil.

[C]

Avocado oil. But that's a complete meal, Right? And everybody has to do what works for them. And I will say this, the most important thing is, like, I can very easily sit here and preach and tell everybody, well, why doesn't your kid eat salmon? Or why does your kid do this? But, like, at the end of the day, you have to be so realistic about what kids eat and know that there are parents that genuinely struggle with getting their kids to eat a more expanded pain menu of foods.

[B]

So you put chocolate chips in stuff? Totally.

[C]

I mean, again, moderation. If my kids are going to eat Greek yogurt, banana muffins that are loaded with potassium, great fats and calcium I'm going to throw a few semi sweet chocolate chips in there and guess what? They're going to be totally fine like that. If that's what gets them to eat all of these delicious fats and great nutrients and they love them and it's a homemade snack, then my gosh, I'm not getting a slap on the wrist for throwing some chocolate chips in there. Everybody has to do what works for them. And that sounds very cliche, but at the end of the day, everybody's doing the best that they can. Like I always joke, my tombstone's gonna say she did the best she could.

[B]

And Kelly Sunye's best is pretty good. Thank you for sharing great tips to make easy but impressive food at home. Be on the lookout for our collaboration. It'll be something like Dr. Hunter's surprise fun Time Pancakes. You can follow her on Instagram ustatate. For more from the Pediatrician Next door, find me on the web@ pediatriciannextdoorpodcast.com if you've got a question about the weird things kids do, send an email to helloediatriciannextdoorpodcast.com for a chance to hear your voice on the show. I'm Dr. Wendy Hunter and I'm the Pediatrician next Door. This show is produced by Red Rock Music and make sure to subscribe and leave a review wherever it is you're listening. I'll be back next time with more.