By: Paige Valentik MPS, RD, LDN

A few weeks ago, Charlotte came home from Pre-K with a new superpower: the ability to classify every single thing we eat into “sometimes foods” and “anytime foods.”

I’m talking every thing.
Banana? Anytime.
Broccoli? Anytime.
Goldfish crackers? “Ummm… sometimes, Mommy. But we can still have them because they’re yummy.”

And ever since then, she has made it her mission to assess our meals like a tiny, adorable nutrition judge. And it has turned out to be surprisingly helpful. Like… why did I go to school and learn all this complicated nutrition science if the answer was simply Pre-K logic?

Anytime Foods: These are the foods that Charlotte proudly announces “help our bodies grow” usually while flexing her tiny arms.

• Fruits
• Veggies
• Lean proteins
• Whole grains
• Nuts and seeds
• Water

Sometimes Foods: These are foods that Charlotte explains are “just for fun,” usually while she is actively trying to negotiate how many mini marshmallows count as acceptable.

• Cookies
• Candy
• Chips
• Ice cream
• Soda
• French fries
• Anything we adults hide in the pantry and eat in silence after bedtime

I love this framework so much more than “good” vs. “bad,” or “clean” vs. “unclean,” or whatever the trendy word-of-the-month is. Also, notice there is no “never” category of food. As adults, we create a narrative (or read something online) that tells us there are certain foods we should never eat. I genuinely cannot think of a food I would whole heartedly tell someone to never eat.

Here’s the plot twist: Charlotte’s new food-categorizing obsession has turned into a lifestyle. Picture me, standing in the kitchen, trying to decide between an apple and the last brownie:

Charlotte: “Mommy… is that a sometimes food?”
Me: sigh “…Yes, sweetheart.”
Charlotte: “Then maybe have an anytime food first.”
Me: “How did you get so wise?”

Even Parker has joined in. He points at his plate and announces “ANYTIME FOOD!” with the enthusiasm of someone who just won a prize on a game show. Half the time he’s pointing at strawberries, and half the time it’s something like ketchup, but we’re working on it. Their enthusiasm has become this sweet, funny form of accountability—not in a guilt way, just in a my kids are watching me and I should probably eat a vegetable way.

Somewhere along the way, nutrition got complicated. Carbs are bad! Count your macros! Superfoods! Intermittent fasting! But Pre-K kids don’t care about any of that. They just want to know: Is this an everyday thing? Or a special thing? And honestly, this is the level of simplicity many of us need.

Kids don’t overthink food the way we do. They don’t judge it. They don’t moralize it. They don’t spiral over whether they should eat carbs after 6 p.m. They just follow a simple, balanced framework that—shockingly—works for grown-ups, too.

So yes, my children now function as part-time nutrition coaches. Yes, they call me out when I go for the chocolate before dinner. And yes, the “sometimes vs. anytime” conversation has made our whole household more mindful in a really fun, lighthearted way.

Turns out, the best nutrition advice I got this year came from a four-year-old. And honestly? I’m not even mad about it.