An Interview with Leslie Smith Grant

I realize this is coming to you all a week late (but better late than never, right?): the winner of Christopher Corr and Fred Penner’s Whole World book and CD, and eco activity workbook by Barefoot Books is Emily of kaolinmommy. Congratulations Emily!

In the coming weeks I have several more Barefoot Book giveaways as well as a few fun kid and baby items too. This week though, I thought I’d share an interview with Leslie Smith Grant, President & Mother Hen of CHICKIN FEED, LLC. Leslie recently released her Chickin Feed Primer, a guide that helps busy families get good nutrition. Over the past weeks, Leslie and I have shared several e-mails and I was lucky to get the following interview. Read on . . . a great giveaway follows, :-)

(Image courtesy of the Rachael Ray Show)

Green Mamma: Congratulations on the publication of The Chickin Feed Primer. I am excited about the Chickin Feed Nutrition Tracking Board too– what you explain as being the inspiration for the Primer. Can you tell me how the idea for the Primer evolved? What healthy eating tips did you hope to share with families in writing the Primer?

Leslie Smith Grant: As soon as I started thinking that we needed a “tool” to help us pay attention to what we were eating it became evident that a resource that could flesh out these important topics would be great. The Primer was roughly conceived on the same day as the Nutrition Tracking Boards back in March 2007. I’m always able to find good information about family health, but it seems to be in 100 different places that my “ADD-mom brain” can’t keep up with. A recipe here, a blog there, a magazine article torn out … you get the picture. So I thought if we had a “guide to healthy habits” that followed along neatly with the board (Nutrition info, Activities and Exercises) it would be a great resource – they could play off of and reinforce each other. I just knew that if we could put all this good info in a simple-to-understand, all-in-one-place, fun book it would be very useful.

The most important healthy eating tip that I wanted to share was that NUTRITION doesn’t have to be so complicated. By putting nutrition into very simple terms that you didn’t have to attend college class to understand, I feel like we are doing a service to the busier-than-ever modern family. By helping folks understand what type of foods there are, why they are important to your body and why you need to get a variety of them each day, we’re raising their Nutritional IQ. The Primer gives parents a useful understanding of the WHY’s so that they can give educated answers [to their children] and not just have to resort to the ever so ineffective “Because I said so!” line of reasoning.

GM: You write that Chickin Feed is on a mission to help busy modern families keep nutrition and fitness a priority in their daily lives; many families however, despite their best efforts, include convenience foods in their diets. What simple tips do you have for those families who can’t seem to get away from a diet filled with convenience eating?

LSG: NOTE: * A lot of this is new info. I’ve incorporated a lot from the book but didn’t stick to it exclusively.

Well, they could fall in love with Michael Pollan :) I read an interesting NYTimes article by him recently that I posted on the Chickin Feed Facebook Page. My favorite line from the very long article was from a fellow Pollan was interviewing: “You want Americans to eat less? I have the diet for you. It’s short, and it’s simple. Here’s my diet plan: Cook it yourself. That’s it. Eat anything you want — just as long as you’re willing to cook it yourself.”

That being said…I think making better, more informed choices when we do Grab & Go makes a HUGE difference (no pun intended).

1. You can eat a Fried or Grilled option at most fast food restaurants now. Go GRILLED! Have you seen the new KGC? (formerly KFC)

2. You can drink a glass or two of water first so you aren’t so hungry when the overstuffed plate of food arrives.

3. You can order smaller sizes – the restaurants have caught onto the fact that we place more value on our money than on our health and they know the way to keep folks coming back is to give them MORE for their MONEY! I really think we all need to be very mindful of the fact that WE need to be making the decisions about how much goes into our bodies – NOT the marketing experts.

4. SHARE! From an early age we are taught that it’s the polite thing to do, yet we are intimidated by sharing in restaurants or somehow think we won’t get enough to eat if we order something and split it!

5. TRY VERY HARD to prepare healthy snacks that are ready for little hands to grab. If we are headed out for a long car ride, I package up carrots, apple slices, sugar snap peas, etc. Things that travel well and won’t bust your gut if the ice pack melts. Having healthier snacks that you can count on is essential to staying away from unhealthy choices.

6. Doggie bag it! If you can’t share with someone else at the table, then share with yourself the next day. Try to take home 1/2.

GM: You emphasize the importance of portion control for good healthy family nutrition. What is one way that families can easily keep track of portions at mealtimes?

LSG: 1. See point 4. above :)

If you are eating at home:

2. Get a great set of portion cups. They should be small (1/2 cup is a great size) and try serving from them or at least dishing out the food with them.

3. Try to pack up your leftovers before you sit at the table. You won’t be coming back for multiple trips if it’s already committed to the next day.

4. Get smaller plates! It seems just like having a bigger purse – no matter the size, you’re going to fill it up! Smaller plates look full with the proper amount of food on them.

5. Mark them up! Get some cheap melamine plates and a sharpie. Mark circles to show your kids the proper outline for a serving size. (This is the premise for Chickinware – still in the Hopper)

6. Don’t serve your children too much and then expect them to expand their bellies to hold it all just because you served it to them.

7. Eating “dense” foods? Rice, pasta, fruit, etc… one adult handful cupped.

8. Eating “fluffy” foods? Cereal, salad…two adult handfuls

9. Juice/Milk – one adult hand clenched! Lot less than that huge bottle they serve soda in, eh?

10. Serving of protein/meat? The palm of an adult hand.

11. Cheese? Two dominos.

GM: Can you describe your family’s relationship with food since introducing the nutrition tracking board?

We are all dramatically more aware of what we need to eat and therefore are making better choices. At the grocery store the cart is filled with many more fresh fruits and vegetables than before. The decision about what to have at each meal is many times influenced by NEEDS rather than WANTS. My “chickins” don’t give me a lot of flack about what they are served and they seem to make pretty healthy choices when they are snacking independently. (Nobody’s perfect though… This morning I caught my son mainlining a sugar packet that he snuck off the coffee table at school orientation!)

On a personal note, I know very well the addictive powers of sugar! I can happily say that my desire for junk foods has gone down since I’ve been eating more of the good foods that I need and since I’ve started a regular walking routine. (In case you were wondering, I am not a hot-bodied fitness & nutrition instructor type, but rather a somewhat “fluffy” 43-year old that is working hard to change old habits.)

The thing I’m most proud of is that I can say with confidence that I’m raising Nutritionally Literate Kids. I firmly believe that educating them at this early age will pay off for a lifetime!

GM: You talk about the importance of teaching children healthy eating manners. What are some ways that you encourage your family to create a healthy and loving feeling at the dinner table?

LSG: Talk, talk, talk. Talk about your mouthfuls, just not with your mouth full! I think that teaching children about “where” food comes from and showing them how it is prepared, and expecting them to participate in the prep, service, meal and cleaning will ultimately raise very well-mannered eaters. I’ve never been one to make squirmy children stay at the table if they have finished. If they are done, they can excuse themselves. An unhappy child at the tables makes for a miserable meal. If they are unhappy – they won’t eat well and will make everyone else unhappy.

GM: You affectionately refer to the folks who work behind the scenes for Chickin Feed as the Chickin Coop. From Michelle Newcome, the Editor Chick to Amy Handler, the Drama Chick, you’ve assembled a knowledgeable and talented team. How did your coop come together?

I immediately consulted a nutritionist about the whole concept – she became our Nutrition Chick Emily – and since I’m not the best cook in the world, I knew I needed to get a chef involved. Soon it became apparent that gathering a group of experts in each field – rather than just trying to blathering on myself about all of these subjects – was a very good idea. I asked our PE Coach at my children’s elementary school if he was interested in helping and he stepped right up. Drama Chick also taught Creative Movement at their school and I knew her to be a wacky brain! I started to try and get the whole thing down on paper and realized I needed some organizational help and talked to my friend Michelle Newcome about helping me Edit the whole thing. She’s amazing and ended up contributing a lot of content as well AND brought in Chef Chick, Sheri Davis. Grassroots to the core!

GM: With the publication of The Chickin Feed Primer, I wonder what you have planned next. Are you currently working on other books or products to add to the Chickin Feed line?

LSG: [I'm currently] Working on licensing the chickin beast! I realize what my love is creating and I’ve acquired a “licensing chick” to help spread the Chickin Feed message to other formats without having to do the manufacturing & publishing directly. I still have Chickinware on my plate of things to launch but firstly we are going to share our “Nutrition Tracking-to-GO!” with the world. It’s a really cool, portable way to keep up with your daily diet! And of course, I’ve expanded way past the “chickin” line into a series called FARM GRUB that includes five other critters all telling tall tales of their life on the farm… Coming soon!

Now for the giveaway . . . Simply leave a comment on this post sharing why you and your family would like to win a free copy of Leslie Smith Grant’s The Chickin Feed Primer and the Chickin Feed Nutrition Tracking Board. Comments will be open until noon, eastern time on September 4. A winner will be announced on September 5.