Jessica Ferris, RD

09/14/2023

Two weeks down and a school year to go! Looking for some lunch inspiration? I got you or at least I can show you what I pack for my three ages 10,8 and 6!

My goal for lunch packing is to keep it simple. I try to aim to include 1-2 protein options, a fruit, and a veg and then a grain/carbohydrate (which usually ends up being a part of the entree or snacks. That’s what I pack. Then the boys add their two snacks.

I don’t have many homemade snacks on hand. I have some muffins in the freezer from 3 months ago (pre reno) but the boys haven’t been very interested in muffins lately so I have been leaning on the convenience of prepackaged snacks and bars and bought many of the ones we have because they were on sale over the last couple of weeks.

Nothing fancy, nothing too challenging for the boys by trying to include foods they like with using up leftovers like meat from dinner the night before in wraps.

That’s the first couple of weeks! 🚀 Have questions or concerns about lunch packing, school lunches etc? Comment Below! ⬇️

09/05/2023

Happy Back to School Season!! Another summer here and gone. Yet I feel like September is a great reset time and chance to take a step back and reflect on the summer memories and the fall to come. With the boys introducing themselves to new friends, it’s a chance to reintroduce myself here!

Hi 👋 my name is Jessica Ferris and I am a pediatric dietitian and mom of three boys whom I lovingly refer to as their ages. As of today they are 10, 8 and 6!

I have grown into this pediatric nutrition space with lots of experience working in homecare and supporting families with little ones right from birth (NICU grads) to middle school ages! That means infant feeding, starting solids, picky eating, school lunches and beyond!

I have gained experience and have a profound interest in the feeding therapy world and responsive feeding. I really use all the training and knowledge I gain as useful tools to support families and children in a variety of different ways. There is no perfect way to manage feeding but there is a way that will be the most supportive of your child and your family. I am here to help parents gain confidence and make mealtimes less stressful.

My private practice work is with the Centre for Family Nutrition and I support families in Ontario and the East Coast mostly!

So now that our home renovation is done and the boys are back to school, I’m back offering more time in my schedule to support more families!!! You can book with me at www.thecentreforfamilynutrition.com.

Stick around for all things life, food, lunches, dinner time meal inspo and beyond! 😜 My DMs are always open!

04/20/2023

What If??

Of course we are concerned about health, but what has been reinforced by the media reporting “studies”, it’s not about health… it’s about the discrimination and fat phobia in our society that negatively impacts the child. Unfortunately children are not born with these ideas, but they are learned and acquired through our interactions at home and with society.

https://www.thecut.com/article/interview-virginia-sole-smith-parenting-fatphobia.html?fbclid=IwAR1TbUl8CjCcoo9qnRVRdvBpJU6V1MHzvxHX5BRQiytJV_fr3xBcoEgLboo&mibextid=Zxz2cZ

Journalist Virginia Sole-Smith wants to change the way parents think about healthy eating.

03/21/2023

Happy First Day of Spring!
•
There are times that we look forward to the change in season and warmer days and this year is no exception. Our March break was a little memorable with a trip to Medieval times followed by a stomach bug.
•
While we spent the latter half of our March break at home watching movies and so much Pokémon, we did have lots of family time.
•
Stomach bugs usually mean we need to replace fluids and that can be tricky with kids! Besides water, I did stock myself up with electrolyte replacement drinks with sugar for the kids who had vomiting or diarrhea, juice, gingerale, Liptons noodle soup, canned chicken soup, bone broth, popsicles, sorbet and smoothies! I also got some melon (cantaloupe and honey dew), bananas, plain potato chips and the classic soda crackers.
•
The biggest hit was this pink vibrant springish smoothie (and the sorbet)! So it seems perfect to share this recipe with you to be able to make it yourself!! I really love this smoothie combo!
•
Recipe:
- 1 cup frozen fruit - We used the PC Tropical Fruit blend for the beautiful pink colour and flavour
- 1/2 cup Greek yogourt
- 1 cup liquid (we used oat milk, could use your milk of choice)
Blend!
•
Share your favourite memories from your March Break and if you make this smoothie of course!!

02/21/2023

02/21/2023

02/21/2023

02/14/2023

So a couple weekends ago (when my husband was away on business) I set up a nice Valentine themed breakfast to take some photos. Last year, I tried the beet pancakes and it was a no go because my husband turned his nose up and the children followed suit 😝.
•
This time I made some beet pancakes and offered them with the chocolate pancakes to have a safe accepted option. No pressure to try the beet pancakes because the boys are still learning to like them.
•
All three tried them, because they wanted to. One of them liked them. I thought I would make another batch Valentine’s Day to offer another exposure. Instead I made regular pancake shaped into hearts because that was the capacity I had in the moment.
•
Keep your expectations in check, do what you can, when you can. Remember it is more important to build connection at the table and for your meal to be less stressful than to overstretch yourself or pressure your child to eat to meet your expectations. If you are serving something new, make sure you also have something safe.
•
Wether you celebrate Valentine’s Day or not. I hope you feel the love and connection from those who matter most to you. Happy Love Day! ❤️

02/02/2023

Well February is here and so is the cold… brrr. I really wanted to share a little activity that I did with the boys 2 years ago during COVID lockdowns and resumed this year!! With my oldest struggling with with his self-worth and my middle son being more frustrated with his inability to do some things. I thought I would bring this back to help spread the love and boost their self-esteem with little daily reminders of what makes them great.
•
My idea was for the days leading up to Valentines Day, I write a positive affirmation or something positive that I noticed they did the day before on a paper heart and tape it on their door.
•
It is a great way to connect with your child in a different way especially if your child can read and prefers to communicate with writing. My initial idea was to put one on their door each night after they fell asleep (if I could manage the elf. Anything is possible right?) but we are already in day 2 and I haven’t put one on yet. So making it even more of a surprise because they just don’t know when it might appear 😜!
•
Now last year I just didn’t have the capacity for it and that’s okay if you can relate with that. Definitely not an extra task to add to your mental load, but if you can relate to it and try it with your kids too! Let me know!
•
Note: To save thinking of something to write some days I even googled positive affirmations for kids and have some pre written out. The hearts I purchased from amazon 2 years ago and still have a lot left!
•
Happy almost Valentine’s Day!

01/13/2023

Being a mom I can definitely verify that even with good intentions sometimes family meals can be crazy, loud stressful and difficult. Juggling multiple personalities, picky eating and the behaviours of small or older children…

With busy work schedules, children’s schedules and being pulled in many directions or when our frustration tolerance is low it can make family meals seem impossible.

But hear me out… Through all the difficulty and stress of family meals there are many benefits too! They provide an opportunity for:
- Connection - to talk about things other than food creates stronger family bonds
- Pressure free food exposure - by having all foods on the table family style (seeing, smelling, tolerating all foods) is a big step in food exposure and helping picky eaters
- Role modelling - watching what you do and how you eat is very influential in raising a child’s curiosity in food
- There are many more benefits too

Where to start?
Family meals may not be for all families and that is okay too. It’s not an all or nothing approach and it doesn’t have to be pretty! Start slow and remember it is more about the eating atmosphere being pleasant than about what is being eaten! But if this is something you think your family can benefit from, start with one and see where it goes! If it seems overwhelming or stressful reach out! Let’s make 2023 the year of family meals!

What does meal time look like at your house? Are family meals an option for your family?

11/24/2022

The colder weather is upon us and we have been adding more soups to our meal plan. We have also been battling sicknesses since school started and so I have been leaning on warm and comforting yet nourishing soups. This soup is hearty enough for dinner and generally pleasing for many eaters.
•
If this is a new food for your child offer just a small amount in a mug or a small prep bowl along with some safe foods like crackers and cheese or buttered rolls or breadsticks for dipping. Identify familiar foods in the soup but avoid the pressure to try it! For little one starting solids you can purée this one all together OR offer the soft cooked veggies and chicken to your little one OR both.

Swipe right for the recipe card!
Original recipe by

11/24/2022

10/31/2022

Happy Halloween!! 👻 Swipe Right for an evolution of our Halloween lunches over the Years! Did you add a Halloween flair to your child’s lunch? 🎃

10/28/2022

A great play opportunity for those with little ones in the community.

Babies @ Play classes are supportive parent/baby classes run by a paediatric physiotherapist. In these classes we will playfully introduce developmental skills to promote their gross motor, fine motor and socialization skills. There will be lots of time to talk openly about the health, sleep, and developmental questions you might have with the instructor and with other mum’s of babies similar to yours. You will learn a variety of skills to promote your child's development through the use of songs and activities focused on baby. Each week we will have a similar structure, building with new skills, as well as new focus discussions.
Come out and learn how to play with your baby to promote their developmental skills and meet other Mum’s at the same time.
Level 1 - pre-mobile babies (0-5.5/6 months, not crawling)
Level 2 - mobile babies (6-12 months, no walkers)This is a 6-week class series and an insurance receipt can be provided at the end of the series upon request.
Classes start the week of November 9, 2022 and there only a limited space in each class.
Click on the link to book your space or call Compass Rose at 519 471 3773

https://compassrosewellnessinc.janeapp.com/locations/compass-rose-wellness-centre/book #/staff_member/26/treatment/346

10/27/2022

Some Halloween inspiration for this weekend!!!

Adorable!

https://www.cleaneatingkitchen.com/8-healthy-halloween-snacks-gluten-free/

10/27/2022

What are you going to do with you candy? Will you let them eat as much as they want on Halloween night and then store it where they can see it!

Wondering what the heck to do with all of that Halloween candy? 😳🍬

As tempting as it is to “get rid of it” by throwing it out, trading it in, doing the switch witch, donating it etc., instead, keep it and serve it. Yes, this is your peds dietitian telling you to let your kids eat their candy. 🙋🏻‍♀️

Here’s why: we live in a world with candy. Your kids are going to have countless exposures to it throughout their childhood and lifetime and we want to arm them with the tools to self-regulate and to be mindful.

If we restrict, take away, hide, throw out their candy, we’re actually taking that very important learning opportunity away, AND potentially creating disordered eating behaviours down the road.

When kids feel restricted or banned from eating certain foods, they will want them more, sneak them, gorge on them, seek them out any way they can, and fixate on them.

But if they’re offered regularly, alongside other nutritious foods, and talked about in a positive, neutral way, your kids WILL become more calm around them. They’ll learn how to self-regulate and enjoy them in moderation. They won’t feel as though they need to obsess over it or over-indulge when they can. This takes time, consistency and patience.

You’ve got this!! Read more about my Halloween candy strategy here —> https://www.sarahremmer.com/the-7-step-halloween-strategy-that-i-swear-by/

10/21/2022

For any London families looking for a Family doctor.

For people looking for a family doctor, this practice in South London is accepting patients.

10/18/2022

Great advice to consider your relationship with candy.…