The Modern Ancestral Mamas Podcast How Real Food Builds Resilient Athletes with Jenny McGruther | Ep 98
How can we raise strong, resilient kids who thrive in sports and everyday life? In this episode, Corey and Christine sit down with Jenny McGruther—author of The Nourished Kitchen and longtime voice in the ancestral food space—to talk about fueling young athletes with real food, not packaged snacks and sports drinks. From sideline snack culture to teen appetites that rival grown men, Jenny shares her lived experience raising two kids—one now a college-aged athlete—on nutrient-dense, traditional foods.
✨ Topics Covered in This Episode:
✔️ The cultural norm of junky post-game snacks—and how to handle it with grace
✔️ Nourishing breakfasts and game-day meals that actually fuel performance
✔️ How teens’ growing bodies demand huge amounts of nutrient-dense food
✔️ Travel hacks: feeding kids well during hotel stays and tournaments
✔️ Why beets, switchel, and even chocolate milk support recovery and stamina
✔️ The role of family meals in connection, identity, and long-term health
✔️ Injury recovery: nutrients that strengthen bones and speed healing
✔️ What decades of real food taught Jenny about health outcomes in her kids
🧠 More About This Episode: Jenny McGruther is the creator of [Nourished Kitchen] (https://nourishedkitchen.com), a blog dedicated to traditional foods and heritage cooking.
She is also the author of three cookbooks: The Nourished Kitchen, Broth & Stock, and Vibrant Botanicals. With two decades of experience feeding her family real food—from toddlers to teen athletes—Jenny offers both wisdom and practical strategies for moms who want to raise healthy kids without losing their sanity. Whether you’re packing snacks for youth soccer or stocking the freezer for a hungry varsity athlete, this conversation is packed with ideas and encouragement.
📚 Resources & Links Mentioned:
📍 Nourished Kitchen – https://nourishedkitchen.com
📍 The Nourished Kitchen (book) – https://amzn.to/3Example
📍 Vibrant Botanicals (book) – https://amzn.to/3Example2
📍 Farrow Skincare – (https://farrow.shop/) use code ANCESTRALMAMAS for 15% off
📍 Masienda Heirloom Masa – (https://masienda.com) use code MAM10 for 10% off
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💬 Comment below: What’s the hardest part for you about navigating snacks and sports culture?
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