modified Atkins diet

The Medical Ketogenic Diet At Grandma & Grandpa’s House

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In today’s guest blog post, ketogenic dietitian Stacey Bessone provides some tips for keeping your child safe on the medical ketogenic diet while at grandma and grandpa’s house. Stacey is a ketogenic dietitian, RDN, LDN, based in St. Petersburg, Florida, and a Nutricia Keto Ambassador. 

stacey

I don’t know about you, but my grandmother was all about feeding me as much and as often as possible.  For many adults, preparing food for others is a way of showing love.  Sometimes being on a special diet does not fit in with this agenda of affection through food.  Here are some tips for helping your child’s grandparents to manage your child’s medical ketogenic diet while you are away.

  1. Educate. Educate. Educate.  If possible, have a grandparent attend the initiation classes or some of your follow up appointments with the dietitian.  Having the diet guidelines come from a 3rd party can be very impactful.
  1. Have grandparents participate in keto meal prep. Sometimes seeing that it is regular foods, only in prescribed amounts, makes it easier to understand.
  1. Send little food packages with pre-prepared keto meals and snacks. This will take the mistake factor out of the equation.  Many people want to help but fear they will make the menu wrong. There are really convenient bento lunch boxes and containers that make a great presentation.
  1. Have grandparents place non-keto foods out-of-reach and out-of-sight. Kids can be very convincing, especially to an aunt or cousin that is not sure of the diet guidelines.
  1. Provide different food or gift options that your child CAN have. This provides an alternative to grandparents when they want to show their love (with or without food).  It can be a keto treat that you had prepared ahead of time or a small toy such as a little car or a princess wand.
  1. Show grandparents educational videos or provide books on the medical ketogenic diet. Sometimes the impact of the story can really make the importance of staying on the diet a reality.

I hope these tips can make it a bit easier.  Grandparents can be a great supporter for the medical ketogenic diet with the right understanding.

-Stacey

I have been paid my Nutricia for my time to write this blog post but my opinions are my own. 

KetoCal is a medical food for the dietary management of intractable epilepsy and is intended for use under medical supervision. Talk with your healthcare provider about whether KetoCal is right for you.

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Keto-friendly Candy and Treat Recipes for Easter

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With Easter coming up, you may be searching for keto-friendly candy alternatives to put in your little ones’ Easter baskets. These recipes are perfect for making keto-friendly candy and treats. Use Easter-themed candy molds to make these even more festive.

Chocolate Candy (2.87:1)

Easter Marshmallow Treats (MAD Recipe)

Gummies (3:1)

 

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A Keto Dietitian’s Tips for Families Celebrating the Winter Holidays, Keto-Style!

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The winter holidays are right around the corner! In today’s guest blog post, ketogenic dietitian and Nutricia Keto Ambassador Robyn Blackford, RDN, LDN, provides her tips for families celebrating the holidays while on the medical ketogenic diet. Thanks for these awesome tips, Robyn!

Important: Please note that this post was written prior to COVID-19. Whether you will be celebrating the holidays at home with your family or participating in modified holiday activities, please be sure to keep current safety recommendations (like social distancing, mask-wearing, and hand washing) in mind. For more information on how to protect your family from COVID-19, read this post.

For people following a medical ketogenic diet during the holidays, it doesn’t have to be a season of additional stressors. Parents of children who follow a special medical diet, including the medical ketogenic diet, may even find the upcoming holidays easier to survive than they first thought.

I often hear that extended family members are very supportive of their child’s special diet. Educating others on the diet will open your family up to a potentially strong support system. Most people like to hear about the nuances of the special diet and learn how they, too, can help. Talking about the diet and getting that ‘pat on the back’ can give you just enough motivation and energy to make the next special meal. Siblings may ask if they, too, can have the yummy, magical keto food that you are preparing. What a nice, fun, supportive time that this can be for your whole family!

Whether you are hosting holidays at your house or joining others elsewhere, you are sure to be successful to sticking to your ketogenic diet during these festive days if you practice these tips.

Holidays at your house:

* Consider serving a low-carb dish on your menu. There are many low-carb recipes readily available, such as a cauliflower mash in place of mashed potatoes. This may be helpful for others to understand some of the details and enjoy the foods that are part of the special diet

* Using festive holiday plates, bowls, and napkins to distract from ordinary or special diet food is a welcome change for people of any age! Try using cookie cutters to make foods more appealing and brightly colored toothpicks to add fun to your holiday meal.

* Keep food out of reach for tiny guests that are on a special diet. This way they cannot snatch foods quicker than you can say no or be able to take it away from them. They can be faster than you anticipate!

Holidays as a guest:

* Consider eating or serving your keto meal before leaving the house. This way you do not have to worry about finding foods you can eat later when you or your child is hungry. Talking to the holiday host can help you be successful if you plan on eating a little something at the get-together.

* Plan to serve and eat your favorite keto foods while away from home in easy-to-warm-up containers. It can be quite a treat if you haven’t had that favorite food in a while.

* For smaller children, be sure to pack a bag full of toys and fun things to help distract them from focusing on food. Do not underestimate the power of non-food rewards during playtime!

In any case, make sure that you plan ahead. Mentally prepare your child to resist food that is not part of their special diet and prepare yourself to teach others about the positive impact the diet has had on your lives.

Helping people follow their medical ketogenic diet can be one of the best gifts you can give them during the holiday season!

-Robyn

I was paid by Nutricia for my time to write this post, however, my opinions are my own.

The medical ketogenic diet for epilepsy should be used under medical supervision. 

KetoCal is a medical food for the management of intractable epilepsy and is intended for use under medical supervision. Talk with your healthcare provider about whether KetoCal is right for you.

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