One meal can be a big deal. Kids need lunch to fuel their brains and bodies so they can learn and be social—and parents want to feel confident their kids are getting all those essential nutrients. So when it comes to school lunch: to buy, or not to buy? Who decides what ends up on your kid's tray? And if you decide to pack, what are the best foods to deliver all the nutrition your kid needs to get them through the day?

On this episode of Mayo Clinic Kids, we talk with dietitian Lori Russell about chocolate milk, pizza as a vegetable, Instagram-worthy bento boxes, and all the other concerns swirling around lunchtime.

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Do you have feedback, questions or topic suggestions? Email us at mcppodcasts@mayo.edu.

For kids with blood diseases, bone marrow transplants can be an amazing tool for treatment — and sometimes, even a cure. Hopefully most of us will go through life never needing to know what a bone marrow transplant is. But what if the key to another kid's cure is in your very own blood?

On this episode of Mayo Clinic Kids, we talk with pediatric hematologist and oncologist Dr. Mira Kohorst about this often-underappreciated part of our bodies and how bone marrow can change a kid's life.

Find us online at Mayo Clinic Press for more health and wellness articles, podcasts and books.

Do you have feedback, questions or topic suggestions? Email us at mcppodcasts@mayo.edu.

When an infant starts experimenting with solid foods, their whole world expands. Like breast milk and formula, food is fuel for the body and a vehicle for love. But it is also a cornerstone of culture, and can define national identities. It provides entertainment and spreads joy. And it helps us understand the world and our place in it.

On this episode of Mayo Clinic Kids, we talk to Dr. Leslie Kummer, a primary care pediatrician with special interest in breastfeeding medicine, about beginning the weaning process, safely introducing kids to the wonderful world of food, and sharing the love.