Angela LeMond and the Texas Beef Council

They do. I lump them in the category with my Pastor. I’m afraid if they spend too much time around me, they’ll find out the truth. That I may thrown down a cuss word when I step on a Lego or that I may be known to, on occasion, take my child to Yougurtville for dinner.

When it comes to dietitians, I’m wholly convinced they can use their X-Ray eyes to see into my stomach and analyze the sugar to vegetable ratio and pass judgment on my food choices, and then use their superpowers to calculate my Body Mass Index and tsk-tsk behind my back. And let’s face it, many of these degreed foodies have been known to have exude a holier-than-thou aura about them to accompany their perfect Kashi toting snack bags.

I’ll admit that I may be a bit too judgmental. I may have developed an irrational fear of the nutritionally superior and harbor an unfounded stereotype of them after working for years in a biomedical research institute – there was certainly a heightened awareness of the influence of food on health, to put it completely understated. And it was a big brain type of environment so there’s a bit of that propeller head status that went along with it. I can appreciate that as my shortcoming. Not theirs.

But imagine my surprise when I showed up for a special invitation-only event by my blog idol @TexasHolly of June Cleaver Nirvana and the Texas Beef Council, and the kickoff speaker was none-other-than a pediatric nutritionist. And I’m sitting next to her.

Argh. I knew I was so busted. She could tell just by looking at me that I was one of THOSE moms who offers her kid the sugar cereal. For dinner.

She looked totally normal so there’s no way I could have known I was sitting next to the enemy. But SURPRISINGLY, this was THE COOLEST dietician I have ever met. My previous perceptions were shattered the moment she opened her mouth. Honestly. I stand corrected.

I’ll go on record. All dietitians are not evil.

Angela Lemond RD, CSP, LD talked real. Mom-to-mom. I’d even be brave enough to have drinks with her if she wanted to — where you know I’d spill the guilty truth under the lubrication of a couple glasses of merlot, and yet with this hip mommy I would not feel like she’d be the slightest bit critical.

Her goals for family feeding?
1. Nutritious – obviously
2. Practical/easy/fast – right on sister
3. Good tasting – amen
4. Minimal conflicts – hallelujah

She gave it to us straight. It’s going to take more than 3 – 4 times of tempting Princess with hummus before she tries it. It might actually take 15 – 20 times. (WOW – an excuse to stock up!) She encouraged us to have our kids experience food without the pressure of eating it. And you know me, I’m totally about that.

For a fleeting second I considered raising my hand and telling her about the S’Mores Pops we made earlier in the week, but then thought she may not put a high value on Princess sampling marshmallows for the first time. Instead I made a mental note to move up the trip to the Dallas Farmers Market from soon to really soon.

She admitted to us that healthy often doesn’t mean that it tastes good (THANK YOU – I think too many dietitians are blind to this. I think they’d eat cardboard and tell you it’s delish if it was chock full of antioxidants and then look at you with crossed eyes if you spit it out.) and that we should go for the simple and fast recipes and modify them to be healthy for our kids. And she ACTUALLY SAID that healthy that tastes good, also rarely means simple. How many of these nutritionists will actually fess up to that, let alone say it in public?

And get this one. It’s OKAY to eat out. — GASP. She gave us permission. I swear someone got it on video.

I admit that I might have started to fade when she began to talk about keeping healthy snacks in your car – until someone jokingly asked what super human snacks can you keep in your 100 degree car in Texas… and I realized I carry the snack mix she suggested. And then she mentioned keeping a small cooler with you. Which is ridiculous right? Except I do that too. So really, I like this chic.

I like her so much, here’s her info and some of the resources she provided. I encourage you mom’s to check her out. And that was only the kick-off to the event so be sure to tune in for my next post where I tell you how I faced the second of my fears that morning.

The broiler.

www.angelalemond.com
Angela’s blog: www.mommydietitian.com

Her favorite sites:
www.thescramble.com
www.e-mealz.com
www.superkidsnutrition.com
www.raisehealthyeaters.com
www.weelicious.com
www.realsimple.com/food-recipes
www.supermarketsavvy.com
www.epicurious.com
www.family-mealtimes.org
www.kinsinthekitchen.ajli.org
www.cfs.purdue.edu/eff/promotingfamilymeals/
www.parentstalk.com
www.healthyeats.com
www.nourishinteractive.com
Tweet