Emily Olson, Mom of 6, Practices Eating for Health® One Healthy Swap at a Time

Content Summary

Bauman College student and mother of six Emily Olson shares her journey through the Nutrition Consultant and Holistic Chef programs toward earning her Associate of Applied Science Degree in Culinary Arts & Nutrition for Integrative Health. Emily breaks down her practical approach to the Eating for Health® philosophy, explaining how busy families can transition away from the Standard American Diet (S.A.D.) one small swap at a time. The post features three family-tested recipes designed for busy schedules: Blueberry Coconut Chia Pudding, Avocado Chicken Salad, and a kid-friendly Garlicky Broccoli Pasta made with lentil noodles.

• Dual-Program Student Spotlight: Why Emily chose to combine Nutrition Consulting and Culinary Arts to prepare for a dual career as a private chef and nutrition consultant.
• Realistic Whole-Food Swaps: Practical strategies for overcoming fatigue, drive-thru temptations, and chaotic mornings without feeling overwhelmed.
• Family-Approved Recipes: Easy, nutrient-dense meal prep recipes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner that cater to large families and picky eaters alike.

As a mother of six, Emily Olson has always loved food. But when she became a parent, that love evolved into something deeper: a passion for nourishing both the mind and body with real, whole foods.

Currently finishing her Holistic Chef program after graduating from the Nutrition Consultant program, Emily plans to earn her Associate of Applied Science Degree in Culinary Arts & Nutrition for Integrative Health at Bauman College. Below, Emily shares her journey, why she enrolled in both programs at Bauman College, and her practical guide to making family mealtime approachable, nourishing, and realistic—even on the most chaotic days.

Why I Chose Bauman College

“I chose Bauman because I loved the holistic approach and their values lined up with what I wanted in a school. I initially chose the Nutrition Consultant program because I wanted to help others starting out on their health journey. Halfway through the course, I loved Bauman so much I wanted to learn more—so I enrolled in Culinary Arts!”

Combining nutrition theory with hands-on culinary skills gave Emily a complete toolkit. Her goal after graduation is to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and work with clients as both their private chef and nutrition consultant.

Her advice to future students? Go for both. Gaining skills in both culinary arts and holistic nutrition makes you a far more effective practitioner, whether you choose to consult, cook, or combine both.

What is Eating for Health®?

Eating for Health® doesn’t mean completely restructuring your life in an instant. It develops slowly over time, one swap at a time. For me this has taken almost nine years! I have struggled with the dietary restrictions, and I have also struggled with the “oh but it tastes so good one time won’t hurt” or “I’m too tired, throw in a pizza” even though I know I am going to feel so fatigued and unwell the next day. But in the beginning of making lifestyle changes, you only see a battle you constantly want to win. The problem with this battle within yourself is you’re not sure what side of yourself you’re truly on. Deep down you know you need food that fuels your body instead of depleting it, but you still struggle with making the change.

Eating a Standard American Diet (S.A.D.) has been linked to a vast majority of health problems. There’s a reason the acronym is S.A.D. because that is what it usually leads to, sadness. Processed food and beverages are embedded with hidden chemicals, sugar, and sodium. Just these ingredients can cause weight gain, slow down metabolism and clog your arteries making it harder to breathe and harder for your heart to pump blood where it needs to go. Very little is taught about health and wellness and as the years go on it seems like we live in such an automatic world, no one blinks an eye at how unhealthy society truly is. Thankfully there is a way to create longevity. By adopting the Eating for Health® diet, you can reverse or reduce symptoms of the health problems you may already be facing.

Make One Healthy Swap – You Can Do It

Eating for Health® simply means eating a balanced diet filled with whole foods while skipping those processed and prepackaged foods and beverages. Some of these swaps feel difficult in the beginning but as time progresses you will notice how much better you feel. When I first started to better my lifestyle, I was always making cheat days. Over time I realized the best time to make a swap was when I was absolutely against it, like a day that feels like a literal nightmare. Sounds like a recipe for disaster but somehow it was the routine my mind and body were craving!

Mornings can be chaotic and I have heard people say, “Wake up earlier”. Honestly the time you wake up doesn’t matter. You need adequate sleep and waking up earlier isn’t always going to make mornings any smoother if you’re a working parent trying to get the kids and yourself ready for the day. Especially if you have multiple children who are always misplacing things you swear they had five seconds ago! By the time you’re walking out the door you realize you haven’t eaten and this leads to either skipping a meal or running through Starbucks for coffee loaded sugar and empty calories.

Making one intentional whole-food choice on a hard day breaks the cycle and creates a routine your body craves. Here are three of my favorite quick, family-friendly recipes that fit into real life.

Blueberry Coconut Chia Seed Pudding

An Easy Grab-and-Go Breakfast

One of my favorite busy morning breakfast ideas starts the night before. Blueberry Coconut Chia Seed Pudding. Make it before bed and grab it on the way out the door if you must.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 C Plant-Based Milk
• 1/4 C Chia Seeds
• 2 TBSP Coconut Flakes
• 1/4 C Blueberries
• Topping: Coconut Flakes and Blueberries

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Combine all ingredients minus toppings in a 2 C air-tight container.
2. Blend with immersion blender until mixture becomes thick.
3. Top with more coconut flakes and blueberries.

Note | This is a hearty serving so this could easily be split between two dishes for two mornings if you have a lighter appetite.

Chicken Salad

A Cold-Packed Lunch that Packs in Nutrients

Say you stopped at Starbucks on your way to work and now the habit of busyness has been established. You go about your day rushing through trying to make it to the bottom of your to-do list. Suddenly it’s 3 p.m. and you realize you haven’t eaten lunch. Do you skip it and wait until you get home? That sounds like a nightmare. But I have been there too. On weeks where chaos carries on, I like to have chicken salad ready to go. This is easy to prepare the night before. Just remember to take it to work with you and you will have a way to catch nutrients during the busy day.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 large Chicken Breast (approx. 12 oz), Cooked and Shredded
• 1/3 C Celery, diced small
• 1/3 C Red Pepper, diced small
• 1/4 C Craisins
• 1 Avocado, smashed
• 2 tbsp Olive Oil

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
2. Pack tight into an airtight container gently lay saran wrap directly over the chicken salad and place your lid on it to help prevent it from completely turning brown and refrigerate until ready to serve.
3. Serve on your favorite wrap or lettuce wrap and enjoy!

Garlicky Broccoli Pasta

A Quick Dinner That’s Still a Winner

Get home and suddenly you’re over the day but wait you must cook. And honestly your body will thank you once you eat! But don’t just reach for that box of mac and cheese and chicken nuggets. Make something that’s nutritious and delicious. Try this recipe for Coconut Crusted Chicken Tenders. Another quick dinner my kids love is Garlicky Broccoli Pasta (even my pickiest ones). It’s an interesting way to get those picky eaters to eat something nutritious. It does have “secret sauce”, so no kids are allowed in the kitchen, serve with their favorite vegetable and you have a complete dinner that doesn’t take much effort and is done in under 40 minutes.

INGREDIENTS

• 6 C Water
• 1 16 oz box Lentil Pasta
• 1 16 oz bag of frozen broccoli florets
• 2 Small Cloves Garlic or 1 tsp Garlic Powder
• 2 TBSP Nutritional Yeast
• 2 TBSP Olive Oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a large pot over medium heat bring water to a boil.
2. Add broccoli and garlic cloves cook for 8 minutes or until broccoli is tender.
3. Remove Broccoli and place into blender along with nutritional yeast, olive oil, salt, and pepper, and blend until smooth. Set aside.
4. Add pasta into the same pot used for your broccoli and cook until al-dente according to package directions. Reserve 1 C pasta water. Drain pasta but do not rinse.
5. Add Pasta back into the pot. Add the pasta water to the blender with the broccoli mix and blend until well incorporated.
6. Pour sauce over pasta and gently mix until sauce is well incorporated with the pasta. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Slow Change is Good Change

The takeaway here is to remember that the overall goal is not to drastically change overnight but rather slowly over time. In my own journey I have experienced the joy making a healthy change brings but I have also experienced the guilt and let down when I didn’t stick to my Eating for Health® diet. It happens and it’s no big deal; you still needed to eat.

However, the best advice I can give anyone is that making just one swap on the days I wanted to be lazy was the best time to make a swap. It led me to naturally want to cook more nutritious meals from scratch every day. One swap at a time and one day you won’t remember when the change occurred, but you’ll feel grateful for the change.