Nutrition and Lactation

At CHOC, we understand the importance of proper nutrition and lactation for infants and children. Our team of experts is dedicated to providing the highest quality care and support for families in need of guidance and education on these topics. From breastfeeding support to specialized diets for medical conditions, we offer a range of services to ensure that every child receives the nutrients they need to thrive.

Learn more about Nutrition and Lactation at choc.org

Nutrition and Lactation Resources from CHOC

prepare teen to eat healthy in college

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How to prepare your teen to eat healthy while in college

Baby-led weaning vs. spoon-feeding: Which is best for your baby's first foods

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Baby-led weaning vs. spoon-feeding: Which is best for your baby’s first foods?

Baby boy eating finger food and mix vegetable plate

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Baby-Led Weaning Guidelines

Happy little girl child 2-3 years old eats protein-rich snacks

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14 Protein-rich snacks and meal ideas

Happy children girl and boy brother and sister eating strawberries with milk

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7 Heart-healthy superfoods to boost your child’s heart health

Teen eating

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Alimentación saludable para su adolescente (13-18 años de edad)

Teen eating salad

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Healthy Eating for Your Adolescent (13-18 Year Olds)

Elementary-school-aged child eating

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Alimentación saludable para su niño (5 to 12 años de edad)

Grade-school-aged child eating

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Healthy eating for your grade-schooler (5- to 12- year-olds)

Preschool-aged child eating

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Alimentación saludable para su preescolar (3-5 años de edad)

Preschooler eating watermelon

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Healthy eating for your preschooler (3- to 5-year-olds)

Toddler eating rice

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Alimentación saludable para su niño pequeño (1-3 años de edad)

Toddler eating solids and smiling

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Healthy eating for your toddler (1- to 3-year-olds)

Baby eats from a bottle

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Alimentación saludable para su bebé (Desde el nacimiento hasta 1 año de edad)

Infant eating bottle

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Healthy eating for your infant (birth to 1-year-old)

Little girl eating carrots

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Intuitive eating: Eat to live or live to eat?

Kid holding up two donuts

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What causes unhealthy eating habits in kids?

tips for successful breastfeeding - parent breastfeeding newborn

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Tips for successful breastfeeding: Getting started in the early days

Busy mom cooking

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5 Healthy eating tips for busy families

Parent and child cooking - how to limit junk food in kids

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5 Tips to help limit junk food for kids

Family at holiday table smile together - CHOC dietitians offer holiday eating tips

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7 ways to encourage positive holiday eating habits in kids

A woman with brown hair breastfeeds her baby

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Can I take medications while breastfeeding?

Girl with glasses holding watermelon rind to her face like a smile

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What is intuitive eating?

child sleeping in a bed with planets and stars decorating the walls

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What parents need to know about nutrition and kids’ sleep

young students eating lunch at a big table

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Free school meal programs: What to know

teen athlete with an energy bar

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An ultimate guide to child, teen athlete fuel and hydration

Mother talking to her teenage son

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How to navigate diet culture and diet language with kids

Rows of eggs in different colors

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Are eggs good for kids?

Parent and child read nutrition facts label at the grocery store

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How to read a nutrition facts label

Teen eating kebab while smiling

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For kids and teens: Tips for maintaining a healthy weight

Parent and child read nutrition facts label

PRINTABLE ARTICLE

How to read a nutrition label

Child in cape holds broccoli - superfoods for kids from a CHOC registered dietitian

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8 superfoods to boost your child’s diet

Teenager eats salad - healthy eating habits to help prevent childhood obesity

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10 Healthy weight tips for kids and teens

Parent and daughter have fun while eating healthy - they hold bell peppers over eyes while smiling

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How to make eating healthy fun for kids and teens

Parent offers child dish - CHOC podcast helps parents of picky eaters

PODCAST

Childhood nutrition and picky eating

Child smiles while holding lettuce - brain-boosting foods from CHOC

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Brain-boosting foods for kids

Weight loss in kids - two kids run next to each other

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How to help your child safely lose weight

Sink with soap and breast pump parts - 7 ways to clean your breast pump

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7 tips for easy breast pump cleaning

Teen eats granola bar with mountain behind her. How to teach teens and kids positive nutrition habits

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How to talk positively about nutrition and healthy eating with kids

Teen takes bite from burger - detecting harmful diet trends for kids and teens

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Become a diet detective: How some diet trends may be harmful to kids

Child smiles with salmon sushi

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The benefits of incorporating seafood into your family’s diet

Cute adorable Asian Chinese kid girl sitting in high chair eating soup with spoon. Healthy eating for kids children. Toddler eating independently in kitchen at home. Candid real authentic moments.

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Food Support

Child eats eggs

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Is a keto diet healthy for my child with diabetes?

Kids look at each other while eating apples

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Diets and kids: What parents should know

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Colostrum: What your baby needs from the start

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Lactation Care for the Mother of the Infant Receiving Comfort Care

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Lactation Care for the Mother Of the Infant Receiving Supportive Care

Baby drinking cow's milk from bottle

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When and how to safely transition your baby to cow’s milk

Child holds bell pepper rounds over eyes and smiles

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Are vegetarian and vegan (plant-based) diets safe for kids?

Child with food allergies

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Food allergy nutrition 101

Person with eating disorder holds up bite of food

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Identifying eating disorder symptoms in teens

Produce department in grocery store

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Nourishing the family in times of uncertainty

child holds bowl of fruits and vegetables

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Fiber-rich fall foods

Little boy eats apple

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Whole foods for kids’ immune health: How to naturally strengthen your child’s immunity

Boy smiles while eating breakfast

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Healthy and energizing before-school breakfast ideas for kids

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The Bristol Stool Chart: What should poop look like?

back of baby's head as they breastfeed

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Step up for breastfeeding: World Breastfeeding Week

Teen sitting at table eating

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Healthy eating tips for adolescents and teens

girl reaching for lunchbox

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Lunchbox tips, activity ideas and recipes for school-age kids

little girl bites her spoon

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Mealtime strategies, activities and recipe ideas for toddlers

Woman feeds baby with a bottle.

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How to help your infant during the baby formula shortage

girl holding strawberry

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Mealtime tips, activities and recipe ideas for preschool-aged children

Baby sitting in high chair eating pasta

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How to prevent your babies from choking on finger foods

baby with bib on anticipating being feed

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Nutrition tips for infants

young girl makes a heart with her painted hands

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5 heart-healthy habits for families

boy drinking soda from an aluminum can

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How to limit added sugars in your child’s diet

child playing on exercise ball stretching her back

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Preventing childhood obesity: What parents should know

holiday food table with hands of family filling their plate

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Holiday-time support for kids with eating disorders

Little girl looks up with sink of veggies behind her

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Eating our fruits and vegetables: It’s a family affair

boy eating apple in front of a tree

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Fiber-rich foods of fall

Baby with spoon smiling and enjoying baby food.

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Homemade or store-bought baby food: Which should parents choose?

Smiling baby sitting in high chair with spoon

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Starting solid foods with babies: An ultimate guide

Mom nurses baby outside

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How to support breastfeeding parents: Being a link in a chain

selection of food that is naturally rich in protein food on table

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How much protein does my child need?

teen in dark clothing with hair covering face

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Overcoming an eating disorder

outdoor farmers market with crowd and fresh fruits and veggies

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4 ways to incorporate sustainability into your family’s nutrition

mother and daughter chopping vegetables for a salad together

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5 strategies to help children with autism and feeding difficulties

Fresh fruits and vegetables - Celebrate National Nutrition Month: Personalize your plate

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Celebrate National Nutrition Month: Personalize your plate

Carter cheers at the CHOC Walk - nutrition tips for the CHOC walk

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Fueling your body for the virtual CHOC Walk

family cooking together, chopping veggies - high fiber recipes for kids from CHOC's nutrition team

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Fiber for kids: High fiber recipes for kids

Young girl eating apple - healthy snack ideas for kids from CHOC dietitians

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Healthy snack ideas for the whole family

turkey dinner on the table for thanksgiving

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Planning for a smaller Thanksgiving this year

Raw chickpeas on black table - the benefits of adding chickpeas to your child's diet

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The benefits of adding chickpeas to your family’s diet

Family cooks together in kitchen - how to get your family involved in healthy cooking

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How to get kids involved in the kitchen: Tips for parents

woman breastfeeds baby

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Breastfeeding during COVID-19

Alphabet soup letters are laid out in a tomato soup to spell the alphabet.

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Reducing childhood obesity during the COVID-19 pandemic

Parent and child bake together in kitchen - comfort baking with a healthier twist

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Comfort baking with a healthier twist

Mom holding daughter, helping her son wash veggies for a salad

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Tips for supporting your immune system through nutrition

mini egg frittatas with veggies, baked in cupcake pan - healthy recipes to make with kids

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Recipes to make with kids during quarantine

Mom with grocerie cart full of bread, veggies and other food

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Tips for minimizing trips to the grocery store during COVID-19

Pantry - A dietitian’s tips on flexible meal planning during COVID-19

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A dietitian’s tips on flexible meal planning during COVID-19

a little girl sitting in a child's chair eating an orange

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Eat right, “bite by bite”

girl holding her hands at heart feeling grateful, smiling

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A registered dietitian’s tips for a healthy heart

Little girl eating watermelon outdoors

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Organic fruits and vegetables vs. conventionally grown

Woman scraping flesh of cooked spaghetti squash with fork in kitchen

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Winter squash: Benefits, tips and recipes

Two kids eat apples at school - Healthy school lunches for kids from CHOC

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Tips for planning kids’ school lunches: From a clinical dietitian

Little girl eating toast for breakfast with tea cup

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Body mass index or BMI: What parents should know

girl chopping food on counter while dad supervises her

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How to help your child develop a healthy relationship with food

Mom holding daughter, helping her son wash veggies for a salad

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Healthy meals for your family: Tips from a registered dietitian

Newborn baby being breastfed by mother

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Do I need a lactation consultant?

young happy family with husband kissing his wife while she is breast feeding their newborn little son in a restaurant

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How to support someone who is breastfeeding

girl making orange smoothie in blender with mother

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Healthy drinks for kids this summer

Shot of a two young girls whispering while eating ice cream outdoors

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Healthy snacks for kids this summer

a child in a t-shirt in the kitchen eating an omelet

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Tips for traveling with picky eaters

Young woman reading nutrition label on a dairy product before buying it

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How to read a food label

Happy children girl and boy eating strawberries with milk

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Spring clean your family’s eating habits

Breakfast toasts with nut butter and banana made to look like a cute bear face

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Family-Friendly Healthy Eating on a Budget

child smiling in the kitchen eating spaghetti

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How to Deal With a Toddler Who is a Picky Eater

little girls skipping through farm fields on cloudy day

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How winter spices can benefit your health

girl and her mother shopping for food, checking nutrition information

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5 Ways to Reduce Intake of Food Additives

girl having fun picking a pumpkin at a pumpkin patch

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Powerful Health Benefits of Pumpkin

Little daughter feeding mother having fun in the kitchen at home

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6 Ways to Eliminate Trans Fats in Your Family’s Diet

Siblings eating breakfast together in kitchen

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Intermittent Fasting: Is it Safe for Kids?

mom and her little daughter are looking at each other and smiling in the supermarket

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Tips for Healthy Grocery Shopping

Woman breastfeeding baby

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Breastfeeding: A Foundation for Life

little girl eating broccoli and carrots in kitchen

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Answers to Parents’ Most Common Questions on Healthy Eating for Kids

dad and daughter making salad together, little girl feeding dad a cherry tomato

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Gluten-Free Diets: Tips for How to Support Your Child

Two sisters on the beach have a picnic with fruit and sandwiches

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Ideas for Kid-Friendly Beach Food and Kid-Friendly Beach Snacks

Assortment of healthy food ingredients for cooking a mediterranean meal

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Benefits of a Mediterranean Diet for your Family

Baby milk bottles and toys on white background

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Frozen Breastmilk Safety 101

young girl eating fresh green vegetables

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Tips for Getting Your Child to Try New Fruits and Vegetables

Boy at elementary school lunch table about to bite into sandwich for lunch

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National Nutrition Month: “Go Further with Food” and Reduce Food Waste

mom and daughter preparing smoothies in the morning for breakfast

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Ask a CHOC Doc: How can my athlete daughter learn vital nutrition?

young man clutching his hand to his chest in pain

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Ask a CHOC Doc: Can Kids Get Heartburn?

child's breakfast made to look like an owl with oatmeal and fruit

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7 Health Benefits of Oatmeal

girl decorating Christmas tree with dad

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7 tips for staying healthy during the holidays

father and daughter baking in the kitchen and having fun

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Healthy Thanksgiving Recipe Ideas

Little girl eating watermelon outdoors

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Do’s and Don’ts for Parents of Picky Eaters

little girl eating broccoli and carrots with a fork

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10 Things a Registered Dietitian Feeds Her Own Kids

School boy taking a big bite into an apple

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How to Make a Healthy School Lunch

baby breastfeeding

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How to Tell If Your Baby is Getting Enough Milk from Breastfeeding

boy eating yogurt while resting in hospital bed

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What Kind of Yogurt Should You Feed Your Kids?

girl eating watermelon fresh fruit in the garden

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Summer Snack Ideas and Safe Food Tips

boy eating fruit and veggies by himself on high chair

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The Latest Guidelines for Introducing Solids to Babies

Young mom cooking in the kitchen with the little baby in a sling

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Healthy Meal Prep Tips for Busy Parents

Little girl putting her hands over her eyes because she doesn't want to eat vegetables

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3 Easy Ways to Sneak More Veggies in Your Kids’ Diet

breakfast in the shape of a face with pancakes and fruit

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CHOC Provides Healthier Nutrition Options to Patients, Staff & Visitors

Teenage Boy Drinking Caffeine Energy Drink while Gaming

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Are Your Kids Eating Too Much Sugar?

dad and daughter making a healthy meal together

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Healthy Eating Tips for the School Year

mom and preemie baby in NICU having skin-to-skin time

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Breastfeeding Resources for Moms in the NICU

girl looking at nutrition facts on snack package of carrots and celery

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5 Tips for Developing Healthy Eating Habits in Kids

Carrots and cucumbers spiralized into noodles using a spiralizer

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Boost Your Health with Spiralized Vegetables

Mom breastfeeding newborn kid. Dad behind her admiring baby

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Brighter Futures for Families with PKU

little girl smiling and drinking a glass of milk

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Choosing the Right Milk for Your Family

clinical dietitians Jessica Brown and Lindsay Rypkema on CHOC podcast

PODCAST

Controlling Seizures with the Ketogenic Diet

little girl refusing to eat a plate of broccoli

PODCAST

Overcoming the Struggles of Picky Eating

distraught teen upset at the number on the scale

PODCAST

Warning Signs of Eating Disorders

collection of Food sources of omega 3 and healthy fats

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Optimizing Your Omega-3 Intake

blender top view with healthy pink smoothie with raspberries and blueberries

PODCAST

Feeding Tubes and the Trend to Blend

Closeup of roasted chestnuts on kitchen table

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December 14 is National Roast Chestnuts Day

group of kids eating apples while sitting on the floor outside of school

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Back to school nutrition tips

Little baby eating her dinner and making a mess

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Bite Into a Healthy Lifestyle! March is National Nutrition Month

close up oforange, lemon, grapefruit, mandarin, lime

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Citrus Super Stars

young girl eating corn on the cob on a summer day

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Organic Foods – Are they more nutritious?

Hands of child holding ripe organic blueberries

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What’s New with the Blueberry?

A mother breastfeeding her little baby boy in her arms

PODCAST

Nutrition for Breastfeeding Moms

cute newborn baby being fed by her mother using bottle

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Donating Breast Milk to CHOC

portrait for teenage girl eating a hamburger

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Fight Obesity with the Right Food

Young teen boy holding smoothy with healthy food and smiling

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ADHD and Diet: Fact vs. Fiction

Lunch box with vegetables and sandwich on wooden table

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Five Reasons to Eat Fruits, Vegetables

Tired teen boy in soccer uniform drinks water from plastic bottle

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FAQ: Hydration for Young Athletes

girl covers her mouth with hands refusing to eat tomato amd spaghetti

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Four Tips for Feeding Fussy Eaters

mother holding tiny premature baby hand in incubator

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Breastfeeding Premature Infants

Mother, Father and Little Boy Cooking Together making a Healthy Dinner

PODCAST

Tips for Keeping the Home Safe for Kids with Food Allergies

PODCAST

Tips for Feeding Babies with Cleft Palates

baby drinking milk from baby bottle while looking his mom

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New Process Leads to Safer Breast Milk Handling

little boy with glass of water refusing to take vitamins

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5 Dangers of Supplements for Children

Teen football team running during practice

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Muscling out the Myths: on Protein

Young woman making school lunch in the morning

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Lessons on the Lunch Box

young boy having fun making a salad

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Wheat Alternative Carbohydrates & Grains

little girl holding her throat in pain

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What is Eosinophilic Esophagitis?

little girl eating a snack

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Encourage Your Kids to Snack Healthy

little girl eating a tomato with her salad

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Fun and Easy Folate-Rich Snacks for Your Kids

cute smiling clown face on ham sandwich

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Good Nutrition: As Close As Your Plate!