AHIMSA BLOG

The Pediatrician Kitchen

Dr. M empowers parents and kids to blend the joy of cooking with the science of medicine to create a recipe for good health. Let her be your expert guide to making mealtime more mindful with tips, recipes, activities and more!

The Pediatrician Kitchen

child lunch portions by age

Are Plastic Baggies Safe for Kids’ Lunches? One Swap

By Dr. Manasa Mantravadi

A pediatrician mom on whether plastic baggies belong in your kid’s lunch, what the AAP recommends, and the 20-minute Sunday system that replaced them.
child lunch portions by age

Food Dyes in Halloween Candy: A Pediatrician’s Guide

By Dr. Manasa Mantravadi

Are the dyes in Halloween candy safe for kids? A pediatrician explains what the research shows, how to read the label, and a simple three-bowl plan.
child lunch portions by age

Fresh vs. Frozen vs. Canned Produce: Nutrient Comparison

By Dr. Manasa Mantravadi

Is frozen fruit as nutritious as fresh? A pediatrician-reviewed look at fresh vs. frozen vs. canned produce: nutrients, cost, safety, and which labels to buy.
child lunch portions by age

Stop Packing Fruit Snacks: What to Pack Instead

By Dr. Manasa Mantravadi

A pediatrician on why fruit snacks are not fruit, what to pack instead, and the three marketing tricks that make the swap stick.
child lunch portions by age

Food Neophobia and Repeated Exposure in Children: What the Research Shows

By Dr. Manasa Mantravadi

Research shows kids need 8–15 pressure-free tries to accept a new food — most parents stop at 3. What works for food neophobia and picky eating.
child lunch portions by age

Plastic vs Stainless Steel for Kids: A Pediatrician's Switch

By Dr. Manasa Mantravadi

Why a pediatrician mom moved her kids off plastic dishes — what the AAP actually recommends, what heat does, and the one-shelf-a-month method.
child lunch portions by age

Child Lunch Portions by Age: How Much of Each Food Group

By Dr. Manasa Mantravadi

Child lunch portions by age: how much fruit, vegetable, protein, and grain kids need at lunch, in a pediatrician-reviewed table from toddler to teen.
fruit snacks

The Sunday Vegetable: Meal Prep One Vegetable a Week

By Dr. Manasa Mantravadi

A pediatrician's one-vegetable weekly ritual — prep once on Sunday, serve five ways, and let repetition do what pressure never could.
fruit snacks

Fruit Snacks: Nutrition Facts and What "Made With Real Fruit" Means

By Dr. Manasa Mantravadi

Fruit snacks contain 11–13g of added sugar and no fiber per pouch. Here's what "made with real fruit" actually means — and what to pack instead.

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