A mom’s research notes on feeding kids better
I’m not a doctor.
I’m just a mom who reads too many studies.
When my kid started having energy crashes and focus issues at school, I went deep into children’s nutrition research. What I found changed how our family eats. I share everything I learn here — with sources, no fluff, and no preaching.
Worried right now? Start here: Is my child eating too much sugar? →
“I grew up in a house where food was how we showed love — big meals, homemade everything, the kind of cooking that takes all afternoon. When I started digging into kids’ nutrition, I wasn’t looking to give that up. I just wanted to understand what I was actually feeding my kids.”
— Sarah Malik, mom of two, Colorado
What I Write About
Five topics I’ve gone deep on — because they came up most in my own house.
Sugar & Kids
How much is too much, where it hides, and how to cut back without the battles.
Family Nutrition
Vitamins, brain foods, breakfast — what I found when I actually dug into the research.
Snacks & Meals
Lunchbox ideas, organic snack picks, and real meals for real picky eaters.
Development & Wellness
Screen time, sleep, and the things that actually matter for how kids grow.
Natural Remedies
Probiotics, elderberry, vitamin D — what the research actually says before you buy.
All Articles
Browse everything I’ve written — sorted by topic, fully searchable.
Where Most Parents Start
Three of the most useful pieces on the site — handpicked, not just recent.
How Much Sugar Should Kids Have Per Day? The Complete Parent’s Guide
I went through the AHA guidelines, the AAP recommendations, and a lot of food labels. Here’s what you actually need to know.
Read the research →
The Healthy Lunchbox Guide: What I Pack, What I Skip, and How I Got My Kids to Actually Eat It
Two kids, completely different tastes. Here’s the system that finally works in our house — and the lunchboxes that don’t leak.
Read the research →
Signs of Iron Deficiency in Children: What Actually Matters
Iron deficiency is the most common nutrition gap in young kids — and the signs are easy to miss. Here’s what actually matters, and when to get it checked.
Read the research →Try it yourself
Can You Spot the Hidden Sugar?
These three lunchbox regulars all look like healthy choices. Tap one to see the added sugar a typical label actually shows. (1 teaspoon ≈ 4g — brands vary, always check your label.)
This is exactly the kind of thing I catalog in my label research — which is why the checklist below exists.
Coming to subscribers first
The Hidden Sugar Checklist
I’m working through 47 “healthy” kids foods, checking every label for added sugar — including some that surprised me. It goes to my email list first. Until the signup form is live, start with how I read labels in the first place:
How I Read Labels With My Kids →Just a mom doing the homework so you don’t have to.
That’s what Healthy Boulder Kids is: I’m not a doctor. I’m not a nutritionist. I’m just very good at reading studies at midnight and explaining what I found. Check with your pediatrician before making health decisions — but come here first to know what questions to ask.
More About Me →