Feeding the Future: Involving Kids in Healthy Eating with Abbey Copenhaver

Summary:       In this conversation, Val Lavigne and Abbey Copenhaver discuss nutrition, health, and balancing multiple roles. Abbey shares her background in dairy farming and her journey to becoming a registered dietitian. They also talk about her experience as a triathlete and the importance of involving kids in food preparation. Abbey provides tips for making healthy and fun meals for kids, including incorporating yogurt into various dishes. They discuss strategies for getting picky eaters to try new foods and navigating different dietary needs within the family. Abbey discusses the importance of creating a positive eating environment for children and shares tips for moms trying to navigate their way through it. She emphasizes the need to focus on what foods can be eaten rather than what foods are restricted, and to avoid creating negative associations with food. Abbey also highlights the role modeling aspect of parenting and the importance of involving others in teaching children about food. She shares her favorite book, her preference for chocolate milk, and her love for dogs. Abbey reflects on the challenges she has overcome, including starting her own business, and shares inspirational quotes that drive her.   Keywords: nutrition, health, dairy farming, registered dietitian, triathlon, food preparation, kids, picky eaters, dietary needs, positive eating environment, children, moms, food restrictions, role modeling, involving others, teaching, favorite book, chocolate milk, dogs, starting a business, inspirational quotes   Takeaways Abbey's background in dairy farming and her journey to becoming a registered dietitian The importance of involving kids in food preparation and making healthy and fun meals Strategies for getting picky eaters to try new foods Navigating different dietary needs within the family Create a positive eating environment for children by focusing on what foods can be eaten rather than what foods are restricted. Avoid creating negative associations with food by not having restricted foods in the house. Be conscious of the way you view food and how you communicate that to your children. Involve others in teaching children about food and cooking to create a community contribution. Starting your own business can be a challenge, but with support and determination, it can lead to growth and success. Sound Bites "I do have a degree in animal science, but then I went on to finish my requirements for dietetics, which, you know, I have my credentials as a registered dietitian." "I think the big thing and I'm sure within other industries, it's a little different, but in the dairy industry, a lot of people just bring their kids with them." "Balancing a career, being a dietician, being a mom, being part-time dairy farmer." "It's really nice when it's like the kid knows that they can go get themselves a snack out of the fridge and they can have that." "Everything you do is sending a message to them." "Incorporating other coping mechanisms that you're teaching them so that, you know, you're balancing it out a little bit." Chapters 00:00Introduction and Background 09:05Involving Kids in Food Preparation 13:08Balancing Multiple Roles 22:53Getting Picky Eaters to Try New Foods 29:51Navigating Different Dietary Needs Within the Family 32:37Creating a Positive Eating Environment 36:45Balancing Coping Mechanisms 48:03Challenges and Growth of Starting a Business