Ashley Rosales, Registered Dietitian
Ashley Rosales
About me:
Ashley Rosales, registered dietitian, received her B.S. in Clinical Nutrition from UC Davis and completed the dietetic internship program at Napa State Hospital. She has a professional background in nutrition for the elderly and has worked in both the clinical and community setting. However, she has found her true calling working in the field of nutrition education where she can empower others to make the best food and lifestyle decisions for their own optimal health and wellness.
Ashley’s fondest childhood memories took place in the kitchen helping her mom and grandmother cook, or around the dinner table sharing laughs with family and friends. As a wife and new mom she loves keeping the family mealtime tradition alive by preparing delicious and nutritious meals at home and she is inspired to help others do the same. She strongly believes that no matter what challenges families are faced with, such as limited time, lack of skills or even economic resources, they can find unique ways to share in a home cooked meal and reap all of the wonderful benefits of family meal time.
Her favorite quote: “We are indeed more than what we eat, but what we eat can nevertheless help us be much more than what we are.”
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Eat, Play, Love: Raising Healthy Eaters is a blog series by parents and dietitians whose stories and advice reminds us that we can overcome the challenges of feeding children. Subscribe to find ways to build lifelong healthy eating habits for your children.
Watching the world through my 16 month-old son’s eyes has been an incredible experience and my mission to foster his growth in every way possible became my New Year’s resolutions. I resolved to get outside and play with CJ more often, made a pact with my husband to do more activities as a family and started focusing more on family meals. This is my story of how a family field trip changed my outlook on those resolutions and my mission to raise a healthy child.
Last month, an invitation to a “family day on the farm” from our produce delivery company provided the perfect opportunity to do more engaging activities as a family. We packed a picnic and headed off to the farm. Once we arrived, the fresh country air filled our lungs and the look on CJ’s face was priceless. We sat as a family and enjoyed our picnic. It was exactly like I had pictured it and I mentally checked-off my family meal resolution as well.
Of course, I forgot how quickly toddlers get bored of just sitting on a blanket so we let CJ wander to a group of kids playing with bubbles. CJ was mesmerized by their soapy iridescence and fragility. Joining him, I realized that we had accomplished another resolution…we were outside and playing together!
Before heading home, we walked through the rows of asparagus which CJ would pick and “eat” straight from the dirt. Apparently, the experience of picking and eating asparagus is more appealing than its actual taste. My husband and I laughed as we watched CJ repeat a pick, chew, spit sequence over and over again.
As we pulled away, I reflected on the unexpected fun we had as a family. In the end, this little adventure helped me realize that my three separate resolutions are actually one larger approach to parenting. Being active outdoors, nourishing our bodies with great food and spending quality time together; are equal components in how we can express love as a family. So the next time you feel the urge to make a parenting “to-do” list, consider instead trying Eat, Play, Love. It can be as simple as a day with your family on the farm.
Subscribe to our Eat, Play, Love: Raising Healthy Eaters blog series to find ways to build lifelong healthy eating habits for your children.
For more tips and information on raising healthy eaters, follow @mealsmatter and the #eatplaylove hashtag on Twitter.
Ashley Rosales, Registered Dietitian