👉 More Than a Summer Camp — It’s a Toolbox 🧰
The #LifeSkillsNow virtual summer camp gives kids practical tools to feel more independent and capable, and gives parents a break from being the only life skills teacher. Kids will cook, grow something, build confidence, and even learn to manage emotions — featuring over 100 short, practical videos all led by expert instructors who get how real family life works. We know and love Katie Kimball, and we love her #LifeSkillsNow summer camp!
Mental Health Awareness Month: learning about how the food we feed our families ties into the emotional landscape and mental health of our family members and homes
We’re bringing you an interview with our friend Amanda Ashcraft as part of our Order Up! segment this week. Amanda is a licensed professional counselor, registered dietitian, and mom of two boys, whose Colorado-based practice focuses on the connection between mental and physical health—especially when it comes to feeding families.
Whether she’s talking about banana chocolate chip muffins packed with lentils or the magic of saving Monday’s dinner for Tuesday’s picky eater, Amanda brings compassion, clarity, and zero judgment to the often overwhelming world of parenting and nutrition. In this interview, she shares her honest take on everything from emotional comfort foods to grocery-store myths, along with practical ways to support mental wellness through everyday meals—even the frozen waffle kind.
And stay tuned: next week, we’re sharing an exclusive One Potato interview with Amanda and our friend Ann Kent all about their brand-new Mental Health Cookbook and Supplement Guide, The Brain Plate. It’s a groundbreaking, gut-brain-focused resource that’s full of recipes, real-life parenting wisdom, and thoughtful tools for families navigating stress, ADHD, mood changes, and more. You won’t want to miss it.
A special announcement from our friends Ann Kent & Amanda Ashcraft:
🧠 The Brain-Gut Connection, Made Delicious
Our friends Ann and Amanda — Ann is the powerhouse behind Peas & Hoppiness — are back with something new we think every parent should see: The Brain Plate, a cookbook and nutritional guide designed to support mental health through food. It’s more than recipes (though yes, those are delicious too). This guide connects the dots between what we eat and how we feel, with practical, family-friendly tools to nourish bodies and brains alike.
If you’ve ever wondered how food, supplements, and simple habits can support emotional well-being — for you or your kids — this is the resource you didn’t know you needed. 👉 Get on the wait-list
Learn more about the Peas & Hoppiness meal planning app, which features an easy-to-use customizable app and made-for-you grocery list to save time and money with meal planning. Swap recipe ingredients for dietary restrictions and picky eaters, all while saving time and stress!
Introduce Yourself:
Hi! I’m Amanda Ashcraft – I’m a licensed professional counselor, registered dietitian, and mom of two boys (ages eight and six-almost nine an seven). I have a private practice in Colorado, working primarily with individuals navigating disordered eating, ADHD, anxiety, and all the complicated intersections of mental and physical wellness.
Let’s start at the beginning—did you begin your career in nutrition or mental health? What brought those two fields together for you?
I started out as a registered dietitian because I’ve always loved helping people and I was really interested in the science behind nutrition. I worked in hospitals for a while, but it was when I started doing outpatient work that I realized how connected food and mental health are. It’s rarely just about what to eat and what not to eat. There are behavioral and emotional pieces that really matter.
I went back to school to study counseling, thinking it would make me a better dietitian. And then I completely fell in love with it. One of my first jobs as a counselor was in an inpatient eating disorder facility, and that experience changed everything. I saw firsthand the connection between nourishment and mental health—how much someone’s anxiety or depression could shift as they moved from underfed to nourished. I also saw how powerful it was when we worked as a team across disciplines. That really shaped my belief in a more integrated, holistic model of care.
A lot of One Potato readers are parents who are trying to feed their families in the middle of busy, messy, real life. What does empowered, holistic eating actually look like when you’re in the thick of it—between work, school, picky eaters, and dinner on the table?
It’s not about perfection—it’s about overall health and making it work for your life. For example, I sometimes meal-prep muffins. I know that doesn’t work for everyone, but I make a double batch—24 muffins—which gives us two per day for almost two weeks. They’re banana chocolate chip, so they taste like a treat, but I pack in lentils for protein and iron and almond flour for fats. In my house, they’re picky-eater approved.
But then other mornings? We’re eating frozen toaster waffles. And that’s fine too! I just make sure they have something else with it to help keep them full and fueled.
I try to avoid making completely separate meals for everyone, but if I know I’m cooking something that one of my kids won’t eat, I’ll plan ahead. If he loved dinner Monday night, I’ll save him a portion for Tuesday when we’re having something more adventurous like fish or something with a different texture he doesn’t like.
I also do things like offering raw vegetables when I know he’s not into the cooked ones—just a few raw snap peas or carrots on the side so he still has something fresh. It’s small things that make it easier on all of us.
That’s a great idea—using Monday’s meal as a backup for Tuesday when you know dinner’s going to be a harder sell for one kid. That’s such a specific but smart tip for parents.
Exactly. It’s just a way of planning ahead with compassion. And if we’re eating something new or a bit challenging, I’ll put a tiny amount on his plate—like in a little dipping bowl or a sauce dish—so it’s not overwhelming. He still sees it, touches it, maybe tastes it. That exposure matters, even if he’s not ready to eat a full portion.
Parents might carry patterns from our own childhoods—whether that means no real food structure, or being raised in more rigid, diet-focused households. How does that show up when we’re feeding our own kids?
Many adults I work with had either no nutrition education growing up—like, they left home and had no idea how to grocery shop or build a meal—or they came from homes where food was labeled “good” or “bad,” and there was a lot of pressure around eating everything on your plate.
Now, as parents, we tend to swing in response to those extremes. If you felt lost around food as a young adult, maybe now you’re hyper-focused on serving only “healthy” options. Or if you grew up with food restrictions, you might avoid all rules altogether so your kids don’t feel deprived.
But the goal isn’t to live at either extreme. It’s to find that middle ground—where nutrition is part of the conversation, but it’s not the whole conversation. Where all foods can fit, and you’re helping your kids understand the why behind what they eat in a way that makes sense for their age.
Like, instead of just saying “apples are good for you,” I’ll say, “Red fruits help your heart stay strong,” or “Orange veggies help you see in the dark.” It’s about helping them connect the dots in a positive, empowering way.
What are some food rules or myths you often help parents unlearn?
There are so many unhelpful rules that have been passed down, often without people even realizing it. One big one is the idea that kids have to clean their plate. A lot of us grew up with that, but the truth is, it overrides their natural cues for hunger and fullness. Instead, I like to help parents support their kids in learning to trust their bodies—if they’re full, they’re full.
Another one I run into a lot is labeling food as “good” or “bad.” That kind of black-and-white thinking can be confusing and, over time, damaging. Instead of saying “don’t eat sugar,” I’ll work with families to understand what different foods do for our bodies. Like, “this gives us long-lasting energy,” or “this one is quick energy and also fun to enjoy sometimes.” There’s room for everything—we just want to be thoughtful and balanced about it.
I think parents are often trying to do the “right” thing and give their kids a healthy foundation, but there’s so much noise out there. One of the most important things I try to bring into my work is permission—permission to make it work for your family, even if that doesn’t look like a Pinterest meal plan. Because really, what matters is that you’re feeding your family in a way that feels sustainable, emotionally safe, and nourishing—not just physically, but mentally, too.
What do you say to parents who feel like they’re failing when dinner doesn’t go as planned, or when the picky eating phase feels like it’s never going to end?
First, I tell them: you’re not failing. Feeding a family is hard. Everyone’s needs are different, and there are so many variables—time, preferences, energy, budget. I remind parents that meals don’t have to be perfect to be meaningful or nourishing. I like to focus on progress, not perfection. Did your kid try something new today, even just a bite? That’s a win. Did you all sit at the table together, even if everyone ate different things? That’s connection.
Also, I encourage parents to shift the focus from control to consistency. If you consistently offer a variety of foods, talk about nutrition in a positive way, and create a calm environment around meals, that’s going to have a bigger impact long-term than whether they ate the broccoli on Tuesday night. It’s the emotional climate around meals—feeling safe, not pressured, knowing they can come to the table and be themselves. And when parents model that kind of relationship with food—being flexible, curious, kind to themselves—that’s what really makes a lasting impression.
Can you share a personal example of how mental health and food choices are connected in ways we might not always realize?
Food can offer real, physical comfort. There’s a biochemical piece—some foods release dopamine, others help calm the vagus nerve—but there’s also this powerful emotional side. A familiar dish can tap into memories that feel grounding or soothing.
For me, spaghetti is one of those foods. My mom made it all the time when I was growing up, so it’s become this cozy, nostalgic dinner. I don’t think twice about serving it now—it’s satisfying, it’s balanced with a side salad, and most importantly, it’s comforting. And I let that be okay. I don’t demonize it or overthink it.
The key is being aware of the intention behind it. Sometimes you’re eating for hunger, and sometimes it’s comfort—and both can be valid. I love ice cream, for example. But I check in with myself first: do I really want this, or do I need something else in that moment? That pause can be powerful.
I also have this really sweet memory of my grandparents’ farm and the big, juicy heirloom tomatoes we’d eat sliced with just salt and pepper. That’s comfort food too—even though it’s a tomato! It’s not about the food being “good” or “bad.” It’s about honoring what feels good and taking care of your body.
There’s room for both comfort and nourishment when we’re mindful. We can meet those emotional needs with food sometimes, and we can also find other ways to soothe ourselves. It doesn’t have to be all or nothing.
This is a good reminder that nutrients affect not just our physical health, but our mental health too. Can you talk a little about that connection, and maybe name a few nutrients people might not realize support emotional well-being?
We often hear about things like vitamin C for immune support, but did you know it also helps support your nervous system? It plays a role in protecting the myelin sheath, which insulates your nerve cells—so yeah, it matters for your brain too.
Same goes for vitamin D, B12, and folate. All of those can help with mood regulation and mental clarity. So when we talk about balanced eating, it’s not just about avoiding illness or managing weight—it’s also about giving your brain what it needs to feel stable and supported.
I get that people are tired of hearing about food in relation to body size. We’ve all been steeped in that language for so long. But there’s something really freeing in shifting the focus. It’s not about controlling your body—it’s about supporting your mental health, having more energy, and feeling better overall.
As a parent yourself, how has raising kids changed the way you talk about food and bodies at home? What does confidence at the table look like for your family?
It’s changed everything. I’ve worked with disordered eating for years, so even before I had kids, I was really conscious of how language around food and bodies can stick. Now that I’m a mom, I try to keep food talk really neutral. I don’t comment on bodies—mine, theirs, or anyone else’s. We talk about food in terms of fullness and fuel, not “good” or “bad.”
My kids have different builds, different appetites, and different growth curves. One might always be tall and lanky, the other might have a sturdier frame. That’s just their makeup—and it’s okay. I try to focus on helping them feel comfortable in their own skin, not comparing or worrying unless something’s truly out of range.
Puberty especially can be confusing—for kids and parents. Bodies change, sometimes fast. Sometimes a child will gain weight before they shoot up in height. It’s all part of the process, but unfortunately that’s often when kids start hearing comments and internalizing shame.
So my job is to be steady. I offer a variety of foods: fruits, veggies, proteins, fats. We eat dessert, we have Girl Scout cookies, we go trick-or-treating. Nothing’s off-limits, but we do have boundaries. Juice is for lunchboxes or parties—not an all-day drink. We try to keep it balanced without making food feel emotionally loaded.
Because here’s the thing: once they’re older—at a friend’s house or driving on their own—I want them to have a healthy relationship with food. Not sneak it, not binge it, not feel guilty. Just trust themselves.
Is there one small, sustainable thing you do in your own home that supports both mental health and balanced eating?
Family dinners—with zero pressure. We sit down together most nights, but it’s not about perfect meals or everyone eating every bite. It’s about connection. There’s nourishment in the food and the experience. That’s where mental health and nutrition meet, in a really everyday, doable way.
