Host: Hey everyone, welcome to another brand new episode of Lifestyle Today. I’m Justine Santaneloo. We’re finally getting settled into spring. Yay. And enjoying some much needed warm weather. So, things are looking up, guys. Now, I’ve got even more to share from my time at Expo West earlier this month. But first, did you guys know that March is National Peanut Month? Dr. Jennifer Timmons is here to share some fun ways to incorporate peanuts into meals and snacks. Welcome to the show.

Dr. Timmons: Hi, it’s great to be here.

Host: So, why are peanuts and peanut butter such a great food to include in our family meals and snacks?

Dr. Timmons: So, peanuts are part of the legume family, which a lot of people know legumes are part of the Mediterranean diet. And you may have heard that the Mediterranean diet is the best diet for longevity. Peanuts are great because they have a combination of protein and healthy fats, the type of fat that helps with brain development and your cardiovascular system. They’re great because they’re convenient. It’s a convenient food to eat. Peanut butter is affordable. It’s convenient. It’s easy to add into your daily life.

Host: What are some easy ways that parents can incorporate peanut butter into snacks or maybe meals that kids are going to actually enjoy eating?

Dr. Timmons: Yes. So, I have lots of tips. I also have a teen boy and so I’ve learned throughout the years things that he likes, which is probably applicable for other people, too. You could add peanut butter into a smoothie. So make like a banana peanut butter smoothie. You can add it into, obviously, a sandwich. People know peanut butter sandwiches. Other ways is adding it to fruit. So like peanut butter and apples. It’s great if you can add it to something that has fiber in it, and then you get all the food groups of the healthy fat from the peanut butter and the healthy protein, and then add some fiber. So things like fruits, a whole grain cracker, or oatmeal. You can stir it into oatmeal. So it’s really so versatile. That’s what makes it great.

Host: So for parents with babies who are starting solid foods, peanut butter is also a common allergen, right? So what should they know about introducing it safely?

Dr. Timmons: Yeah. So this is often a topic of confusion because the guidelines have changed over time. And so maybe, you know, when your parents were young, nobody knew anything about it. And then for a while, they knew peanut allergies were on the rise. So they said, “Oh my gosh, you need to hold off on introducing peanuts till age three.” So for a long time, back in the ’80s and ’90s, that was the recommendation. And then in the 2000s, we realized, oh my gosh, the peanut allergies have just increased, and they changed the recommendation based on a lot of strong data and now recommend introducing it at six months. So that’s much different. So if people are confused, that’s why it’s confusing. So now at 6 months it’s recommended to introduce peanuts to your baby’s diet. You can do it in a way, obviously, that you blend it up, maybe mix it with water so that it’s just a thin paste.

Host: Now, for busy families, how can peanut butter be a quick win when it comes to putting together balanced snacks or even lunches?

Dr. Timmons: So, it’s great because it is shelf stable, so you can have it on the go with you, but you can also use it to prepare things ahead of time. So, prepare a whole grain peanut butter and jelly sandwich. You can prepare it with vegetables. That adds the fiber when you add a fruit or a vegetable. So, on celery or on apples, prepare that snack ahead of time and bring it with you in the car. You can even buy, you know, little peanut butter packets that are easy, ready to go, and just squeeze it out and have the plain peanut butter. So, having it on the go is really an easy way to incorporate the healthy fats and fiber and protein.

Host: So, where can we go for more info about these great tips that you have and how we can incorporate peanuts into our kids’ diet?

Dr. Timmons: So, I have a lot of health tips and tricks that I share on social media. It’s @jennifertimmonsmd, or on my website, there’s also more information. It’s timmonswellnessmd.com.

Host: Thank you so much.

Dr. Timmons: Yeah, thank you for having me.

Host: All right, you guys. We’ll be right back.